Chapter 21

The two of them walked side by side down the small street lined with shops. Every once and a while their hands would brush, and Hermione would have to fight the urge to grab his. They had to be careful; if anyone knew they were together…on a date? Did this qualify? Anyway, if anyone knew it would mess with her credibility. So they had to be good from now until the trial.

But it was really hard. Especially since all Hermione wanted was to be able to call this a "real date."

She smiled. A date. A muggle date. With Draco. It just seemed so ridiculous. No, things were still not normal enough for them to "date."

Draco was looking around, almost tripping on things here and there. Every time a car would whiz by his head would snap around, watching it carefully.

"Relax." Hermione whispered, embarrassed. He was really very obvious, and couldn't seem to keep the surprised look off his face. He seemed to alternate between disgusted and confused as he looked around.

"Why do they have to move so fast? What's controlling them? Are the muggles controlling them? That fast? How can you trust them not to miss and hit you?" He asked quickly, staying as close to the buildings and as far from the road as possible.

As one particularly large bus passed by Draco grabbed her sleeve and pulled her back closer to the shops with him. She tripped and fell into him.

"What are you doing?" She asked, straightening up. "They won't hit you. Look, lets just go in here."

She pulled him into a small shop, escaping the staring muggles on the street. It was a very young, hip store, with clothing racks lining the walls.

She wasn't really good at fashion and picking out clothes. She'd just have to try her best, though, since she had seen what happens when Wizards choose muggle outfits.

A tall man with long hair despite his bald spot came up to them.

"How can I help you?" He asked.

"Er, just looking, thank you." Hermione said, pulling Draco towards one of the racks. It had men's jerseys and some shorts.

"This is what I have to choose from?" he asked, a look of terror on his face.

"No, there are other places we could look. I can't see you in shorts, anyways…"

"That would be the tiny trousers there?"

"Yeah…we can find somewhere else, but keep in mind my budget is very low…"

He made a noise that sounded like he was holding back a laugh. "I wouldn't have any problem paying, if any of them would take normal currency..."

She glared at him. He quickly added, "You know, I don't think this shop is that bad. It's not like I'll want these clothes after I can safely return to Wizard society…"

She glared at him again. "…er, I mean, whatever you think is best."

They settled on some jeans and a T-shirt. The shirt had a really cheesy print of a dragon on it. Hermione thought it was rather funny. There wasn't really anything much better in the store, so she bought it.

At the last minute she added some knock-off Prada sunglasses to the ensemble. Whatever they could do to keep him hidden until his trial was worth it. Draco changed into the clothes before they left, and seemed very uncomfortable, constantly pulling on the shirt.

"So, are you sure muggles wear all this stuff?" He asked, looking at his reflection in a window. "hmm...actually, I look pretty good with these sunny glasses on."

Hermione looked at him. Ok, the shirt was not her style, and it certainly didn't suit him, but he still fit in with other muggles. And with the sunglasses on, he did look really good. Like your stereotypical bad-boy image in movies. Yeah, she was really not liking their "no touching in public until the trial" rule.

She realized she was staring at him and shook her head. "Yeah, well, let's hurry and go get food then."

He grinned. "In a hurry to get home?"

"And why would I be?" She asked, walking on and pretending she didn't know what he was grinning about.

He leaned down, putting his mouth near her ear, and whispered, "Because there I could do things to make you cry out again."

Her face went crimson and she pushed him away. "Idiot." She said out loud, and whispered, "Quit acting so suspicious! When we're outside, we have to play it casual. At the very most, we tolerate each other, as far as everyone else is concerned."

He laughed, happy that he had such an effect on her. Her face was still a very abnormal color, and she kept stealing glances his way.

"You know the best thing about these glasses?"

She sighed, forcing herself to look ahead where they were walking.

When she didn't encourage his answer, he went ahead anyways. "You can't tell where I'm looking."

She pretended to ignore him and said a bit too loudly, "This is the place! Let's get food."

He just laughed again.

She sent him a joking glare. "Are you trying to get a rise out of me?"

"Well…."

"Nevermind. Don't say it." And she continued into the market. She grabbed a basket and began loading groceries.

It was amazing, she found, how the most mundane things could be so much more entertaining when done with a Wizard raised in the Wizarding world. Draco, especially, was very cut off from all things muggle. And so, grocery shopping was a treat.

First of all, at just about every isle there were three or four boxes Draco would pick up and frown at. Hermione would have to explain that the pictures on the box were not what the food actually did. For instance, gushers…certain cereals…etc.

Then, there was of course the frozen food isle. Like when Hermione was a small child, Draco kept opening and closing the doors, watching how they got foggier when they were kept open.

"How the heck does this work? Do they ship in ice from somewhere?"

Hermione was surprised. "You want to know how muggle things work? Wow, that's a 180-degree change. Actually, a long time ago muggles did use ice. But I don't know how these work, myself…"

Draco just looked at her. "You don't know? How can you use something all the time that you don't understand?"

"How can you have security spells at your house that you don't understand?"

"Hmm…I suppose…"

And finally, there was the check out counter. Draco helped her unload the groceries onto the conveyer, then jumped as it moved forward.

"How's it just moving everything down without magic?" He whispered. "Is she pulling on it from that end?"

Hermione tried very hard not to laugh as she handed the lady her bankcard. The lady behind the counter was a young girl, chewing her gum and looking extremely bored with the world. She rolled her eyes at the two of them.

As they left the store, Hermione was laughing so hard she felt tears in her eyes.

"What? Why am I so funny?" Draco asked, bemused.

"It's just…the way you can't hide your amazement. What, did you think muggles just threw rocks at birds until they had dinner? Of course muggles find ways to make do without magic! Your like a little kid…it's very cute, actually." She said, continuing to giggle.

"Ah ha…"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. It's just that your questions came across…kinda Arthur Weasley-like…"

"Ugh. Ok, no longer curious."

"No! Really, you were cute. You made shopping extremely fun, in fact."

He smiled. "That's me, everyone always says that. I'm just so damn adorable."

"Yeah, that's just what everyone always called you."

"Right?" He laughed. "Actually, I don't think I want to know what most Gryffindors really called me."

"No, you probably don't."

He grinned. "Just shut up and get us back to your house."