Chapter 10
Laughter filled the hat shop as Hermione placed a rather large, rather floral headpiece on Draco. "Come on, you think Harry wouldn't like this one?" she asked, holding her side as a stitch formed from laughing so hard.

Scowling, he removed it from his head and placed it on hers. "There, now tell me it doesn't look absolutely ridiculous," he said, positioning her in front of the mirror. "Who the hell would buy this monstrosity? And why are we in here looking for Potter's birthday gift?"

She placed the hat back on the display rack and smoothed down her brown curls. "It was your idea to come in here," she reminded him.

"I was pointing to the Quidditch shop next door," he stated. "Why would I suggest you buy him a woman's hat?"

Hermione shrugged. "Because deep down you still hate Harry?" she guessed. "I don't know. I was curious as to your reasons for wanting to come in, so I just followed. And now that you mention it, the Quidditch shop is probably a much more appropriate place to find him a gift."

Rolling his eyes, he pulled her arm through his and led her out of the shop. "You think?" he replied, poking her side with his free hand. They entered the shop next door and he dragged her to each display, pointing out the merits of buying each item. Hermione shook her head, growing more frustrated the farther they moved into the store. "Nothing?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," she replied.

"Don't be," he assured her. "If there's nothing here you like, we'll go somewhere else. We have all day to find something."

"Well, I did have something in mind, but you can say no if you want," she said uneasily. He raised his eyebrows as if to say that he was listening, and she took a deep breath before continuing. "There's a bakery in muggle London that Harry loves. They make the best blueberry scones. Maybe we could go there?"

A soft smile crested on his lips as he took her hand in his own. "Of course we can," he replied. "You'll have to be in charge though. Let me know if I'm doing anything wizard-y. Can't afford to get caught using magic in the muggle world."

Hand in hand, they left the Quidditch store for The Leaky Cauldron. "Don't worry, Draco. I won't let anything bad happen to you," she promised.

He opened the door and held it for her, pressing his lips to her temple before she entered. "I thought it was my job to take care of you," he commented.

Hermione shook her head as they walked through the pub. "We're friends. It's okay if we take care of one another," she replied. "Besides, the company would go under if you were arrested for using magic in front of muggles. Then I would be out of a job, I would lose our flat, and I'd have to move back in with the Weasleys. So, my reasons for watching out for you are purely selfish."

He laughed loudly as they stepped out into the streets of London. "It's official - you and I have been friends for too long," he lamented. "I've rubbed off on you, and it's to your detriment."

"Weren't you the one who said it was alright to be a bit selfish once in awhile?" she reminded him. "And if it means I get to keep you, then I'll be as selfish as can be."

He squeezed her hand. "I'd be lost without you too," he admitted.

"I never said I'd be lost without you," she pointed out cheekily. "I just want to keep you."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "Except to a bakery to buy the greatest blueberry scones the world has ever tasted. So, lead the way, Ms. Granger."

Fifteen minutes later, they left the bake shop with two dozen scones. "What will you do if you don't like them?" she wondered, holding his free hand.

Draco shrugged. "Give them to Potter?" he guessed. "I hear he's got a birthday coming up."

She gave a hearty laugh as they strolled through London. "So, um, speaking of Harry's birthday," she said nervously. "Do you want to come to the party?"

His grip on her hand loosened, but he maintained contact. "I don't think that's a good idea," he replied with a weary sigh. "Yeah, Potter and I have stopped hexing one another in bathrooms, but that doesn't mean I'm welcome. Weasley won't even come over to see you because I'm there. As far as I know, none of them have been to our place since we moved in. That sends a pretty clear message."

"Did you ever stop to consider that I didn't invite them because I didn't want them to come over?" she inquired. "It's not like I've asked any of them to see the place and they've flat out turned me down. Ron's the only one who's been over."

"So, then, what? Are you ashamed to be living with me?" he wondered.

She stopped walking and tugged on his arm until he turned to face her. "Nothing could be further from the truth," she told him, using her free hand to pull his chin up so she could look him in the eye. "There is nothing you could do that would make me ashamed of you. Well, kicking animals of any kind would make me pretty upset. So, I guess there is something. But the point I'm trying to make is living with you, seeing you every day, makes me happy. I don't care who knows that we're roommates."

"Then why?" he asked.

Hermione sighed and let go of his chin. She looked away as her hand rested on his chest. "Because I already know what they think," she replied. "And I don't care what they think. I'm just tired of hearing it. I like being happy. We both spent far too long being unhappy."

Draco let go of her hand and moved his to her cheek. "I'm happy with you," he murmured. "I like who I am when I'm with you."

She stared into his eyes as he leaned into her. They began to close and she knew what was coming. It couldn't happen, she told herself. He couldn't kiss her. Everything would change if he did. Everything would be ruined. And she couldn't have that. She needed her best friend.

Reaching up, she held his wrist and pulled his hand away from her face. "Don't, Draco," she whispered. "Please don't."