A/N: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. All I own is the plot.

Hi again,

I got so caught up with ideas from my last chapter that I wrote another one today. However, I found this chapter quite difficult to write because I don't want to change to many in the character of Draco and I definitely don't want him to turn into a sap so I hope you like it but if you don't that's ok. Just don't ask me to make him more sensitive because I'm not planning to make that change overnight.

Xx

Taking Chances – Celine Dion

ALSO IF ANYONE ABLE TO TELL ME HOW TO MAKE SURE I GET BREAKS IN BETWEEN MY SCENES COS NOTHING I AM DOING IS WORKING!!

You don't know about my past,

And I don't have a future figured out

And maybe this is going too fast

And maybe it's not meant to last

But what do you say to taking chances

What do you say to jumping off the edge

Never knowing if there's soild ground below

Or hand to hold

Or hell to pay

What do you say

What do you say

Chapter Eleven: Taking Chances

Monday afternoon was drawing to a close and Draco was hanging out in Blaise's dorm doing homework. He hated Mondays. He had shit lessons and the teachers always seemed to return from the weekend with a vengeance and with double the homework planned.

He sat on Blaise's floor with his Charms books spread out around him taking notes for his up and coming essay. Blaise was working on his Potions and had just begun ruling up new notes when,

"I asked Granger on a second date"

Blaise looked down at his note page, which now had a long red line across it. He searched for his wand to fix it.

"Did you now? Well good on you mate I think that's a great idea. So what are you going to do?"

"For what?"

"For the date fucker! Any plans?"

Draco shook his head and continued working. Blaise, however, began thinking. He thought back through all the years he'd known Draco. His friend had been on plenty of first dates which was where he usually got what he wanted and didn't pursue the girl but never in all that time could Blaise remember Draco going on a second date.

"Is this your first second date ever?" he asked.

Draco thought for a bit.

"Yes it would be but so what? Its not as if its any different to the first date"

"Aww well actually it is very different because you're now a second date virgin. Wittle inexperienced Dwaco going on his first second date! How cute!"

"Shut up Zabini. You know I'm anything but a virgin! Unlike somebody I lost my virginity in the 4th year…what year did you loose it? 5th was it?"

"Draco my friend" he laughed, "there is nothing you can say that is going to spoil this for me because little Granger is going to take your second date virginity!"

He continued to roll around on his bed laughing but had to move quickly when Draco tried to pummel him.

"Take it back!"

"Ok ok you're not a virgin in anything"

"…and Granger is the only inexperienced one"

"…and Granger is the only inexperienced one"

"Good".

They returned to their homework. However, Blaise couldn't concentrate now. He studied his friend,

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did"

"I meant something else fucker"

Draco nodded and kept writing.

"Well I know I told you to talk to her and all but why did you ask Granger out again?"

"Because I just did"

"Because you just did why?"

"Merlin Zabini! Because she's hot ok?"

Blaise grinned, he knew he'd been right about Draco thinking she was hot.

"…and well because she's different"

Blaise focussed on his friend once more.

"Different how?"

"Just different ok?"

"No I don't get you"

Draco growled in annoyance, "Fuck you Zabini. I know you know what I mean"

Blaise shook his head grinning evilly,

"No sorry fucker. No idea"

Draco sighed angrily.

"She's not easy ok? She's a challenge. She's supposedly smarter then me and she's complicated to work out. Plus she hasn't thrown herself at me, which is just strange by the way, and she's got a damn fine body ok?"

He'd added the last part about her body simply because he'd begun to feel like some sappy Hufflepuff. Blaise nodded in a agreement.

"She is smart mate and if you guys can make something of this then you'll never be bored I can guarantee"

"Well don't count your condoms yet. Its just a second date to see if she's even worthy of my time"

Blaise nodded once more and then looked at his friend confused.

"Oi Draco, what the fuck are condoms?"

Draco coughed awkwardly at being caught out knowing muggle terminology.

"Ah just some stupid muggle thing ah shithead".

Hermione was making her way down to dinner. Her head was still pounding after the trio's morning lesson with Snape. She sat besides Ron.

"Where's Harry?" she asked worriedly.

"Oh he wasn't feeling so well so some of the house elves will bring him some dinner later".

"Oh well that's probably not a bad thing. He looked like he could use a rest um plus there is something I have to talk to you about"

Ron began loading his plate with food.

"Sure thing 'Mione shoot"

"Well um" she said playing with the food on her own plate, "Malfoy kind of asked me on a second date"

Ron had a minor choking fit, he turned to her with watery eyes.

"He what? I thought you said nothing was going on!"

"Well it wasn't. I didn't think it was anyway"

Ron huffed angrily,

"You don't know how glad I am Harry isn't here to hear this. What did you say when he asked you?".

She blushed, "Well I kind of said…yes"

"Hermione shall I get you a shovel so you can keep digging? What's the matter with you!"

"Ron please, I just…I don't know what is going on or what is going to happen but you and Harry come first ok? Please just trust me"

"'Mione I do trust you when it comes to us but I don't trust you when it comes to yourself. I'm already holding Harry together, please don't become another burden I have to bare".

It was then for the first time that Hermione realise just how tired Ron actually looked. He was still eating truck loads of food but he was pale and worn looking. She nodded and turned back to her dinner feeling guilty.

They were leaving the Great Hall when Blaise suddenly pulled Draco aside.

"I know what you can do for your date"

"What Zabini?" sighed Draco impatiently, "hurry up I've got stuff to do"

Blaise grinned at the sheer brilliance of his idea.

"Granger and I are meant to be having a lesson tomorrow night. Why don't you go instead of me!"

"Oh yeah Blaise real great. A flying lesson as a date"

"No you git!", he rushed, "it wouldn't be a lesson. She's just going to show up thinking its one. You know like a surprise. Chicks love that shit!"

It was dark and it was cold. Hermione was dreading her flying lesson tonight. She chucked on some jeans and a turtle neck not caring about the practicality of how uncomfortable jeans would be when riding a broom. She grabbed her shoes and jammed them on and headed towards the pitch. The icy chill in the wind made her wish she could be back in the common room snuggled up in front of the fire. She could see the pitch now and where Blaise was leaning against the stands. She wrapped her arms even tighter around her body. However, as she got closer to the pitch she began to realise the boy waiting for her was not Blaise but Malfoy.

"Hey" she said shyly, "um where's Blaise?"

Malfoy smirked and moved towards her.

"Blaise doesn't believe in begin the third wheel on dates"

"What? Date?" She laughed, "Oh come on this isn't fair. I'm dressed for flying, not dating".

Malfoy looked her up and down and Hermione couldn't help feeling really awkward as she felt his eyes roam over her body.

"I'm not so sure about that Granger. Even you must know that flying in jeans is annoyingly uncomfortable"

Hermione shrugged,

"It's cold".

Malfoy nodded before grabbing his broom,

"Well ok let's get going".

She just stared at him,

"Going where? It's a school night, we can't can anywhere. There's homework and stuff to do and – "

"Granger just chill out will you? I'm not stealing you away from your precious school grounds".

Malfoy watched as she paced and ran her fingers through her ponytail. He couldn't help watching. Her hair had always been captivating to him, just how shiny and smooth it looked now compared to the wreck it had been only last year. However, he broke his trance when she turned towards him quickly,

"Are you serious?"

He lost his patience, "Look Granger I asked you on this date, I've planned it and it's a surprise. Now either let me take you on our date or go back to the common room".

Hermione couldn't believe what was happening. She had come here expecting a flying lesson and instead Malfoy was here telling her that this was in fact their second date. She wished she'd known what was happening and that he'd chosen maybe a more appropriate setting but a the same time she could see the planning he'd obviously put into it so she decided to throw caution into the wind. She looked up at him and smiled,

"Ok lets go then Malfoy, lets have our date"

"I knew you couldn't resist Granger" he said with a smirk.

He mounted his broom and shuffled back so she could see she was meant to sit in front of him. She hesitated but finally climbed onto the broom in front of him. She felt herself blushing red as his arm snaked around her waist and they took off. They climbed high into the sky.

"Granger" he said softly into her ear. He felt her shiver at the contrast of his warm mouth against her cold ear and he enjoyed the effect he had on her.

"Granger" he said again, "Blaise is a great flyer but I'm better. I thought I'd show you some tricks. Is that ok with you?"

She was enjoying the sensations she felt as he spoke to her. He smirked and moved closer so that this time his teeth would graze her ear.

"Granger" he tightened his grip around her waist and felt her nod.

He sharply pulled his broom up to a stop and felt her slide back into him. She struggled to right herself but he just tightened his grip further and whispered,

"Relax".

Then he pulled the broom into a dive and shot towards the ground. Hermione's hand flew to the arm wrapped around her waist. She gripped it tightly trying not to scream. The ground was coming closer and closer and finally Hermione couldn't stand it anymore. She screamed. It was almost as if Malfoy had been waiting for it because he pulled out of the dive and began spiralling upwards which made Hermione laugh. Once they were up high again he stoped them,

"Did you like that?" he asked.

"I thought we were going to die".

He chuckled, "You should learn to trust me more Granger".

He then took the hand that was still grasping his arm and intertwined their hands. Hermione looked down at their hands and smiled slightly.

"Ok I want to show you one more thing"

He pulled in the direction of the lake and zoomed forwards. Hermione gasped at the beauty of the moon reflecting off the water. Draco descended so they were flying just a foot over the lake. Hermione reached down and tired to touch the water. Then Draco pulled the broom back up and they hovered over the water.

"Its beautiful" breathed Hermione.

"Ah yeah I guess"

She laughed, "You definitely aren't a romantic are you?"

He flinched, "Do I look like some love sick Hufflepuff?"

She turned slightly to look at him. He seemed so serious sitting there keeping the broom level. What he didn't know though was that the moon was not only reflecting off the lake but off his pale skin and blonde hair making it look a bit like an angel. She thought he looked just as beautiful as the lake but she'd never admit that so she turned back and shook her head saying,

"No, no you don't Malfoy".

He smirked, "Good. Ok let's go"

He flew them up to the very highest rooftop of the castle and landed his broom. There was a blanket spread out and two mugs of Hot Chocolate waiting for them.

"House Elves?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

"They were happy to help"

Hermione sipped from her mug and watched the scenery below them. At the beginning of their date she had been sure that Malfoy was going to take her on some scary walk into the forbidden forest or make her illegally leave the school grounds but never had she expected such a beautiful date like this and she was sure he didn't even know how perfect he'd made it. She turned to him as he sat beside her drinking from his own mug.

"I had a great time tonight Malfoy"

"Draco"

"Pardon?"

"You can call me Draco"

"Oh ok then" she said with a shy smile, "I had a great time tonight Draco"

He nodded and then said, "Yeah me too"

Hermione turned back to scenery. She wanted to kiss him but was afraid that he might pull away or not want her to begin it or that he might laugh at her. Suddenly, she felt him take her hand. She looked at their hands for a moment before deciding that maybe it was worth taking the chance.

Draco had been sitting here and pretending to watch the lake when really he'd been watching her out of the corner of his eye. He had no idea what he was doing. He was here at Hogwarts, a war looming before them - a war in which he had picked no side and here was here on his second date with Hermione Granger brains of the golden trio poster kids for the Order of the Phoenix. Apart from that, he was Draco Malfoy, he never had relationships with girls. Girls were only good for one thing as far as he was concerned but yet here he was and all he wanted to do with hold this girls hand. Blaise had had relationships before right? Granted his last one had been a long time along and he'd been playing the field ever since then but when he'd been in the relationship he hadn't seemed trapped or tied down to some great pile of "we". In fact he kind of seemed like he'd enjoyed the company.

Oh fuck it.

He thought and he took Grangers hand. He felt her shift. Nervous perhaps? He then noticed, however, that she'd turned towards him and was slowly leaning in.

Granger doesn't have the guts to initiate anything does she?

Apparently, she did because the next thing Draco knew she'd kissed him and he was kissing back. He moved his arms to support her so that she didn't fall off the roof as her hands found his hair. He gently bit her lip and gained entrance into her mouth. He loved the feel of her hands running through his hair and the way she let his tongue win the fight for dominance because, he guessed, she wasn't that sure she should actually fight him. He would have loved to allow his hands to move around her body but he was all to aware of being on a roof so he slowly pulled away from her.

Hermione couldn't believe she'd just initiated a snog with Draco Malfoy. She was sitting there still thinking it over when he took her hand again and looked her in the eye.

"Look Granger…"

"Hermione"

"What?"

"Hermione, that's my name"

"Oh yeah. Ok look Hermione. I think I might like you or something and so I was thinking that maybe I would ask you out? What would you think about that?"

She smiled, "Haven't you already been asking me out?"

"No that was dating. I was asking you on dates. I want to ask you out as in the kind of relationship stuff that comes with going out with someone"

"oh" she said still smiling, "I would very much like it if you asked me out"

"Ok well Hermione would you like to go out with me?"

She nodded and he kissed her again.

"So you're my girlfriend"

She nodded once more.

"Good" he said, "yeah I like the sound of that".

And as simple as that Blaise was right, it hadn't been the 'end-of-the-world' scenario Draco had envisaged.