When Hermione came down the next morning, Draco was already in the kitchen; she could hear him clattering about. Taking a deep breath and trying to push the thoughts of last night from her head, she went in.

"Good morning."

Draco looked up. "Good morning," he answered. Hermione surveyed the worktop with awe because it was laden with food.

"Is all this for us?" she asked.

Draco nodded. "Yeh - I'd brought breakfast for ten remember? So, anything that won't keep, I've cooked. I hope you're hungry."

"I am now!" Hermione said, with a grin. "It looks delicious - thank you."

"No problem," Draco said. "I thought we should do something more appropriate in the kitchen this morning..." He paused and gave a deep chuckle. Hermione was torn between embarrassment and amusement. She twisted her lips, not sure how to respond because she hadn't been able to get the thought of touching Draco out of her head. Even thinking about it made her tingle. She realized Draco was watching her. "You're not freaking out, are you?" he asked.

"No. I was just hoping we might avoid the subject."

"Why?"

Hermione shook her head. "Really? You have to ask me why?" she asked, incredulously.

"Yeh, I do. We didn't have sex or anything."

"I know that, I was there as well," Hermione said, sarcastically. "So, you think it's perfectly fine and natural for YOU, Draco Malfoy and ME, Hermione Granger, to behave like that in your kitchen? I mean, I'm here because it was snowing, we're only together because of the competition, I'm your children's professor, you had a complete tantrum when you found that out..."

Draco held up his hand and stopped her. "Okay - I get the message!" he said. "So, there's nothing you like about me then?"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Draco pulled a stool over and pushed Hermione into it, before pulling one over for himself."Let's eat while we argue," he said with a smirk.

"Let's change the subject," Hermione suggested but Draco shook his head.

"In the spirit of our truce, there must be something you like about me?" Before Hermione could reply, Draco continued. "Shall I go first?" He nodded his head. "You're very amusing - not what I was expecting."

Hermione bit into a croissant and shrugged. "Mmm….that'd be okay if it wasn't for the fact you're usually laughing at me and not with me," she said.

"And you're clever; I already knew that of course. I don't mean clever is a book way – I mean you have a clever way of approaching problems and sorting things out."

"Thanks."

"And as for the whole you being my children's professor thing...well that's turned out okay..." Draco seemed to realize what he was saying and paused, looking down a little.

"Yes it did," Hermione agreed, amused by his choice of words to compliment her. "They're good children."

"I'm glad you think that about them because I spend most of my waking hours wondering if I'm bringing them up well or not," Draco shrugged. "After Astoria died, it wasn't nice for a while. It was difficult coping with my grief and theirs at the same time." He gave a big sigh. "You know when you just want to wallow in an emotion – just stop trying to put on a brave face and let yourself grieve? But I couldn't do that – I had to bottle it all up and put on a brave face for Scorpius and Ella. The problem was that by putting on a brave face for them, I ended up doing it for everyone, all of the time. Even for myself! It's not good to let something like that fester…" Hermione was listening intently, surprised by his sudden outpouring. This was really not Draco's style and it was shocking to hear him talking like this. "I'm waffling and I don't suppose you're interested...sorry….."

"Of course, I'm interested," Hermione answered. "I'm glad you want to tell me. So, is the brave face still in place?"

Draco looked over at her. "Sometimes, but things have got better."

Hermione tried to analyse his answer but she couldn't quite fathom what he meant. "Well I'm glad you're doing things again – like being here for the children and the shop," she said. She wanted to say quite a few things but it was difficult to know how much she could comment on without Draco getting annoyed or upset. "I can't imagine how it must feel to lose someone so close to you but living like time has frozen, can't be good. It's definitely time that you started living properly again."

"So, have you got anything to say to me then?" Draco asked. He watched her as she frowned, wondering what he was on about.

"What do you mean?"

"Something you like about me? I've just told you three things I like about you."

Hermione put her head to one side and pretended to be thinking. After a prolonged moment, she shook her head. "No - I can't think of anything," she said and Draco rolled his eyes, smirking. She grinned back at him.

"Hilarious, Granger," he said.

Hermione laughed. "Okay ," she said. "Astonishingly, there's quite a lot I like about you - I'm just loathed to admit any of it because I know you'll keep reminding me."

Now Draco laughed. "You know me far too well!" he said. "There's quite a lot you like about me?" He looked eager and Hermione found herself grinning at him. This was weird but in a good way.

"You're kind," Hermione said. "Which is ridiculous."

"Ridiculous?"

"Yeh - how can Draco Malfoy be kind?!" Hermione asked. "I watched you with Albus - you went out of your way to be nice to him, it didn't matter that he's Harry's son."

"He's a child! He can't help being the offspring of Potter, poor kid," Draco totally contradicted Hermione's words with his own but he was smiling widely at her.

"See! That's what I mean. The image you portray and the real you aren't very similar."

Draco raised one eyebrow. "You reckon?"

"I'm learning to separate what you say," Hermione pointed at her mouth, "to what is really going on in here." She pointed at her head.

"I'm not sure you're got the hang of this compliment thing," Draco commented. "I'm waiting for the charming, inspirational and handsome compliments."

"Being handsome isn't something you have any control over," Hermione said. "I don't see why you should be complimented for it!"

"So you think I'm handsome then?" Draco asked and he gave a little, low chuckle.

Hermione took a large bite out of a pancake. "I think you're a bloody good cook," she said, with a grin. "Now that is surprising!"

"Well, I might have got that bit right with Ella as well," Draco said. "She thinks I'm the best cook, ever."

Hermione giggled. "You must be good if Ella's impressed."

Draco didn't answer immediately and he gave a little sigh, that caught Hermione's attention. He looked down at the worktop and then back up at her again. "She said something to me yesterday, before we tried to get back to the Castle," he said, quietly, "something about us."

"Oh?" was all Hermione could manage. What was he going to say? She prayed his conversation hadn't been a repeat of her own with Ella on the boat.

"She said she couldn't believe you used to hate me..."

"I keep reminding you that it wasn't one sided."

Draco continued as if Hermione hadn't spoken, "and that she thinks you really don't hate me now. In fact, she thinks you really don't hate me at all." Draco gave a little lop sided grin to indicate what he was actually trying to say.

Hermione put her head to one side and looked at him sceptically. "Really? That's what she said, is it?"

Draco nodded. "Yep - she thinks you have a thing for me," he said this as if it was a given fact and then looked at her intently, a smirk on his lips.

Hermione's lips twisted in amusement because, unknown to Draco, she had inside information which proved he was lying, or at least twisting Ella's words. "How convenient that she thinks that," she said, quietly and she saw Draco's expression change, a small frown appearing.

"What do you mean, convenient?"

"I think you're putting words into your daughters mouth," Hermione said.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because that isn't what she said to me."

Draco's expression changed and he blinked rapidly at her. "What do you mean? What did she say to you?"

"She said something on the boat over here about us, and it wasn't what you just told me."

Draco's handsome face turned back into a smile. "Really? I'm not sure I like you're new found friendship with my daughter. What did she say to you then?"

Hermione shook her head. "It was a private conversation."

"Not if it was about me!"

"Even more reason for it to remain private."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "You're being superior and annoying."

"Takes one to know one," Hermione said and then she gave a little giggle at the way she sounded like she was in the school playground. She abruptly changed the subject. "So, is there any chance of us leaving today? The competition will be continuing and we won't be there."

"No, it's not," Draco answered. "I sent a Patronus last night to let them know where we were. The bad weather was setting in at Durmstrang as well so they've delayed leaving for Hogwarts."

"Oh!" Hermione answered, annoyed that she hadn't thought to do that.

Draco stood up and looked out of the window. "It's snowing again but the wind has really dropped. We could probably leave here now but we'll have to wait for the okay from Durmstrang because if they've now got the bad weather we'll have problems at that end."

"What message did you send?" Hermione asked and Draco looked up at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you tell them I was here as well?"

"Of course I did."

"Great!" Hermione gave a sigh.

"What's the problem?"

"So, now they all know that we've spent the night here alone together..."

Draco grinned widely at her. "Oh...yes, they do, don't they?" He laughed. "I can have some fun with that!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I was thinking of Erik...and Celia..."

"Celia? She's not going to bother after just one date," Draco said. "As for you and Erik, that's your problem."

"Thanks a lot!"

"I didn't realise you were an item anyway," Draco said. "Is it all official now?" Hermione twisted her hair. Draco had a point - she and Erik still hardly knew one another. It wasn't as if they'd made any sort of commitment to each other. At the same time, it didn't mean it was acceptable for Hermione to be doing anything with anyone else. Especially with Erik's best friend. Draco sighed impatiently, obviously thinking she was avoiding answering him. "Anyway, as I said, Erik is your problem."

"You're doing it again," Hermione pointed out to him.

"Doing what?"

Hermione pointed at her mouth. "You saying one thing but I know you mean another."

Draco shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"Erik's my problem, is he?" Hermione asked. She raised one eyebrow sceptically. "So, you don't care less what your best friend thinks or feels then?"

Draco looked down at the uneaten food for a moment and then back up at her from under his fringe. "I'm not sure you knowing me this well is a good thing," he said. "There again, you are an expert in this field aren't you?"

"In what field?"

"Having two men on the go at one time..." Draco gave her a huge, self satisfied smirk and Hermione looked at him petulantly.

"Very funny."

Draco gave a chuckle. "Yeh, it is very funny," he said.

"See what I mean about telling you something in confidence?" Hermione accused him. "You store it all in here," she pointed at her head, "and then regurgitate it when it suits you."

"Did you, or did you not, two-time your fiancé?" Draco asked.

"No!"

"So kissing his best friend isn't two-timing?"

"No! Not the way it happened..." she gazed over at his amused expression and couldn't help a very small smile touching her lips. "You know that already - you're just winding me up."

"Maybe I am, but as you were the one who initiated it last night..." Draco left his sentence open ended, his implication more than clear.

"I did not initiate it!"

"I beg to differ," Draco's voice lowered slightly and he leant towards her, his eyes dancing. "You were the one who wasn't able to keep her hands off me when you were supposed to be fixing my cut."

"I had my hands on you to fix your cut! You touched me for no reason whatsoever!"

"Only because you were looking at me with those 'come over here and have me eyes."

"What?!" Hermione shook her head. "I was not!"

Draco leant closer. "I think so."

"I think not." Hermione felt just a slight stab of shame at her own words because Draco was completely right. She had been gawping at him like a teenager who's hormones had gone crazy. There was no way she was about to admit that, though.

"I think you're forgetting that just minutes ago, you were telling me that there are lots of things you like about me," Draco reminded her.

"I didn't mean in that way!" Hermione snapped. She folded her arms and glared at him. "Since when did you care what I think of you anyway? So what if I've got the hots for you? Why are you bothered?"

"I'm not!" Draco snapped back. "I just hate the way you try and deny something that is so obvious."

"I think you're fantasying. Maybe Ella was right when she said you were flirting with me." Hermione cringe as soon as the words left her lips, realizing she had just betrayed Ella's confidence.

"She said I was flirting with you?" Draco's voice sounded incredulous.

"No - just forget it."

"I can't believe she told you that!"

"She didn't - just forget I said anything."

Draco's face was almost expressionless - almost. His eyes were deep grey and soft, his lips turning up slightly at the edge. He moved just an inch closer before speaking again, slowly and deliberately. "Do you think I've been flirting with you?"

Now, Hermione felt her breath quicken, the conversation taking a dangerous turn. After last night, she really could do without discussing this any further. She shrugged, not trusting herself to speak.

Draco put his head to one side. "See - let me explain something to you. If I was flirting with you," he paused for emphasis, "then, believe me you wouldn't be shrugging your shoulders. If I was flirting with you - you'd definitely know about it."

Hermione was about to snap an answer at him but she was stopped by him picking up a strawberry from the worktop and holding it carefully as if he was going to take a bite at the end of it. Something about his actions caught her attention and she watched him closely. Just as she thought he was going to bite, he stopped and turned the strawberry around , facing Hermione. He then moved it closer to her lips, his eyes also lowering to her mouth. He brushed the fruit, very gently against her lips and Hermione knew that, somehow, he'd flicked the switch on again. The one she'd been fighting so desperately to leave off.

Her tongue automatically licked where the strawberry had touched her and, realizing the way this might look, she quickly stopped, her eyes widening. Draco's own eyes were now locked to hers again and Hermione took a gulp as he again pushed the strawberry to her mouth. This time she couldn't help but open her lips and, almost automatically, she went to take a bite. Draco held the fruit firm while she nipped a tiny part of it before Hermione was hit full on with what she was doing and she almost slipped from her stool, in her haste to stand up.

She needed to get out of here before she let anything happen again. She felt embarrassed by her own behaviour and she pushed the stool back so that she could turn to leave the room. She then felt Draco's hand on her arm and she stopped to stare at him.

"That was me demonstrating what I said," Draco explained. "When I'm flirting, you'll be left in no doubt about it."

After Hermione left the room, she leant against the door and took a deep breath. If that was Draco just demonstrating his flirting then Merlin help her, if he did it for real!

Oh, how I love snow storms and strawberry's...x