Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!

A/N: Hi all readers! As promised, my chapter is up sooner! =] I would like to dedicate this chapter to all my lovely readers. Enjoy =D

Chapter 9 First Date Again (Part 2)

Draco's breath caught short in his throat. She was angelic, unlike the other women he had met. She was pure, innocent, all the while holding an air of elegance and beauty. He cleared his throat nervously.

'You look … nice,' he said stiffly, unused to giving compliments.

Hermione blushed slightly, though she tried to hide it.

'You two!'

The pair jumped, having completely forgotten the presence of Ginny.

'Get going already! Half the day has already passed!'

Hermione smiled nervously at her best friend, and waved goodbye, placing her hand hesitantly in Draco's offered hand.

'Where are we going?' she asked curiously.

'You'll see.'

He turned on the spot and they Apparated to the entrance of an old, run-down building that loomed ominously over them.

Hermione's hand instantly tightened around Draco's arm, a chill crawling up her spine.

'What is this place?' she muttered to herself.

Draco continued smiling, unfazed by the obvious dangerous atmosphere the building held. His smile calmed Hermione down. For some reason, his smile put her at ease; it made her feel safe and made her feel as though nothing could possibly go wrong.

Hermione gasped with delight as they entered the building, the outer appearance was the complete opposite of the interior. The interior was grand and elegant, with high-rising walls rising to meet the curved ceiling made entirely out of glass. Rows and rows of shelves filled the large area, stacked with books from every imaginable source, including both the Muggle and Wizarding worlds.

'Malfoy…' she said breathlessly, eyes sparkling with delight. 'How did you…?'

'A very resourceful library that barely anyone knows about,' he replied, his smile broadening at the sight of her. Merlin, she was too cute when she beamed at him and he couldn't help but smile back.

He grabbed her hand, and led her to another section of the library, a section that was completely void of people, where the books were still in perfect condition. 'I think you'll like this section the best,' he said, 'and you can buy books from here too.' Hermione nodded eagerly, her hand already reaching for the nearest book, itching to explore another world.

Draco let her be, and also sauntered over to his favourite new section: Muggle fiction. Many would have been surprised to know that he had touched a Muggle book, let alone read it, but after it had been left on his study desk by a suspicious someone he had enjoyed it, surprisingly.

His fingers rested on one book in particular, Pride and Prejudice, it was called. It felt like something Hermione would like too. He took the book from the shelf, resting it in his arms. 'I'll buy it for Hermione,' he said to himself. But then he put the book back on the shelf. 'She probably has a copy of it herself,' he reasoned. 'But if she doesn't? What would I do with the book?' he muttered, pacing back and forth on the aisle. Of course, he was attracting some quizzical stares from others in the library. In the end, he bought it.

Hogsmeade

'Draco…' Hermione said, gasping at the glittering shop that was recently established.

Draco's heart skipped a beat. He liked the way she had said his name. Not Malfoy. Draco. She said Draco. He had always disliked the snake-like feeling his name gave off, but the way his name came out of her mouth…. It made it sound beautiful.

Hermione entered the jeweller's, her face in awe as she took in all the stones one could possibly imagine embedded into bits of metal and made into jewellery.

'This one is emerald! Sapphire! Ruby! Topaz! Opal! Bloodstone! Aquamarine! Amethyst!' she cried excitedly. She paused as she saw the most exquisite necklace her eyes had ever laid upon. Small sapphire crystals were sprinkled across the entire platinum chain, whilst a stunning lazurite pendant hung off the chain, sending lights dancing on the ceiling.

Draco peered over her shoulder, saw what she was staring at and smirked. Thank the Lord that he had money, he thought. He watched her turn away from the necklace wistfully, making for the entrance.

'Wait for me outside.' Hermione nodded, sadness etched onto her face.

He waited until Hermione was out of earshot.

'Excuse me? Ma'am? I want the necklace here,' he called, waving the attendant over.

'That would be 400 Galleons, Sir,' she said, handing him the gift wrapped up neatly. He pushed the coins towards her, the attendant's face a little surprised at how easily he gave the money to her, as though it was part of his everyday life. That certainly was something she didn't see every day.

He tucked the gift neatly into his coat, not wanting to give it to her just yet. After all, Hermione's troubled expression was just too much fun to watch.

Draco stepped out of the shop, hoping to find Hermione waiting for him obediently, but of course, she had to go running of somewhere. 'Hermione!' he called, praying that she would be in a shop nearby. But no blushing brunette came running towards him.

'Could she have gone further?' he grumbled to himself and set off to find Hermione.

Twenty Minutes Earlier

Hermione rubbed her upper arms vigorously, shivering in the cold. She should have known better than to allow Ginny rampage on her. The sun had been shining brightly (for once) in the morning but had now resorted to hiding behind clouds and allowing the winds to take over.

'Confringo!'

Hermione looked up sharply, her eyes narrowing as she tried to identify the culprit. Her hand instantly reached into her pocket.

'Protego!'

She breathed a short sigh of relief as the jinx bounced harmlessly off the barrier. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a cloaked man running away. She instantly removed her barrier and chased after him, through alleyways and other stretches of roads she had never encountered before. Suddenly he disappeared out of sight, bringing her to a halt.

Catching her breath, she looked around her, taking in her surroundings. She was on a wide stretch of road now, with trees speckled across the side of the road. Just as she was about to go back the way she came from, a hand covered her mouth, dragging her to the nearest alleyway.

'Mmph!' she cried, struggling against him. He was strong. Too strong. He wrenched her wand arm backwards, forcing the wand to clatter to the ground. Her mind was reeling and her physical defences kicked in.

She kicked him. Hard.

Of course she aimed it at where it hurt most.

He reeled back, groaning in pain and writhing to the ground. Hermione hurriedly picked her wand from the ground and aimed it at him.

'Who are you?' she demanded, the hood casting a dark shadow over his face.

'Heh,' he snickered, standing up to his full height and drawing a wand from his cloak. 'That would have hurt more if I was a man,' he, well, she said.

'Stupefy!'

'Petrificus Totalus!'

'Hermione!' Draco called out, desperate now. It had been hours since he had last seen her and it was evident that she didn't just run off somewhere. A glint caught his eyes and he squinted against the evening sunlight shining into his eyes. He thought he could make out a pair of shoes sticking out of the alleyway. He approached it, praying that it wasn't Hermione.

But of course, the shoes had to belong to Hermione. Her hands were outstretched with a wand grasped in her hand, her mouth and eyes wide open: the shock of being Stunned.

'Hermione!' he grasped her shoulders, icy cold to the touch. 'Wand, wand,' he muttered, digging through his coat pocket; it kept on slipping through his sweaty fingers. Finally he grasped hold of it and pointed it at Hermione, 'Rennervate.'

Hermione would have collapsed to the ground, if Draco wasn't there to support her. She slumped onto his lap, her head buried in his chest. Draco wrapped his coat protectively around her and hugged her to him.

'Who did it?' he whispered, menace tinging the edge of his voice.

'S-s-some woman,' she stuttered, shivering from the cold. 'Merlin's beard!' she cursed, 'I've lost my touch.'

Draco stroked her hair, comforting her and holding her tighter to him. 'It's alright Hermione. I'll catch her,' he threatened, anger bubbling to the surface.

'T-t-there's no n-need for th-that,' she tried to reassure him, placing her cold hands on either side of his face.

'She attacked you!' he growled, his hands curling into fists.

'You can't go hurting a woman!' she said indignantly.

'She hurt you, Hermione. She has to pay for what she has done!'

'Draco. I don't want you to try and find her,' she said sternly.

They stared into each other's eyes and Draco found himself being overpowered.

'All right then,' he sighed. 'But I will protect you from now on.'

As Draco returned his wand to his pocket, his hand brushed against the small blue box. Smiling he took the box out.

'Close your eyes,' he told Hermione. She raised her eyebrows, but did what she was told. Reaching behind her, he clasped the necklace around her neck. 'You can open them now.'

Hermione gasped as she saw the beautiful necklace around her neck, tears of joy forming in her eyes, but then she realised the expense. 'Draco!' she yelled disapprovingly.

'What? I know you like it!' he replied, baffled by her response.

'It's four hundred Galleons!'

'I know,' he said with a smirk.

'It's preposterously expensive!'

'Merlin's pants! Most women would just be happy!' he cried.

Hermione fingered the necklace, running her fingers over the smooth stone of lapis lazuli. 'Well, I suppose I'm happy,' she said softly, just loud enough for him to hear.

'What? I didn't quite hear you. Can you repeat that?' he said with a grin on his face.

Hermione slapped him playfully. 'I know you heard what I said!'

'Say it again.'

'No!'

Harry had visited Draco at his mansion without warning, again. Draco knew what he was going to ask the moment he opened that arrogant mouth of his.

'How was your date?'

'Hermione was attacked,' he said seriously, but Harry waved him off.

'I'm not particularly worried about that. She can protect herself and then there are you, me, Ginny, Ron and practically everyone else she knows. We're all going to protect each other.'

Draco snorted. How expected of Gryffindors like them.

'What I mean is; how do you feel about her?'

'I like her,' Draco blurted out, surprising even himself, but Harry looked like he expected this all along. 'I don't know if I love her yet, but I definitely do like her.'

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! =D You all know my favourite button is the 'Review this Chapter' button right?