Welcome back, readers! Sorry for the hiatus over the last week. My family had some things come up that took all of my time and energy. I haven't really written in almost two weeks, but luckily I'm far enough along in the story to be able to (hopefully) keep updating you each Tuesday. As a thank you for your patience, here's an extra long chapter. (Also-lemon forewarning activated!) Enjoy! xoxox (I uploaded this chapter earlier today and the formatting was ruined somehow. Sorry for the delay and thanks to those who let me know!)

Several hours later the fire was roaring, food was in the oven, and Hermione's coin purse was a bit lighter. She'd not only picked up the dress but shoes and a few other bobbles as well. After that, they grabbed ingredients for dinner and hurried home.

As six rolled closer, indicating Draco's arrival, Hermione was fidgeting nonstop. She'd set the table a few different ways until finally settling on a cream tablecloth and candles. The plates were white with silver-rimmed edges. They accompanied a couple of wine glasses and sets of cutlery. A bottle of red wine was breathing, as her parents had taught her to do so many years ago, and the bread was warming in the broiler.

"Well, I'm off!" Ginny said. Hermione was moving the glasses and a small vase of flowers around for the hundredth time. Ginny whistled low as she took in the sight. When her eyes fell on Hermione's fidgety form she walked over and grabbed her by the shoulders to still her. "Relax," She instructed.

"I can't. This is technically our first date. There's so much pressure for it to be perfect,"

"As long as you two have a good time, it will be," Ginny said firmly and took a step back, taking in Hermione's appearance. "Isn't that dress the one-"

"Yes," Hermione cut her off.

"I thought you said you'd never wear it...?"

"I changed my mind now scoot, he'll be here any minute." Hermione insisted. Ginny grinned wickedly and sighed.

"My girl looks so grown up!"

"I'm older than you, Gin," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Only by a year but not in experience.

"I'm going to ignore your blatant lack of respect for my choices in life and simply bid you farewell," Hermione said, ushering her to the door. "Where are you going tonight, anyway?"

"I have something I have to do. I won't be back tonight. I'll most likely crash at Mum's." Ginny waggled her eyebrows suggestively at Hermione who swatted her on the arm with the dish towel she'd been twisting in her hands.

"Nothing's going to happen! Stop it!"

"You never know!" Ginny said excitedly. She wrenched open the door and almost collided into Draco.

"Wotcher there, Gin." He said, catching her upper arms before looking past her and stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of Hermione.

"Bye you two, have a good time!" Ginny sing-songed and took a few steps down the walk before disapparating.

Draco blinked once before coming to his senses. He stepped into the house and closed the door.

"Hermione you look..." he didn't finish, seeming at a loss for words. He simply stood there, drinking her in. She looked down at her own form bashfully, unsure of what to say.

"Dinner should be ready soon," She muttered and retreated back to the kitchen.

She thought the black dress was fancy enough for a date but maybe it had been a bit much? The top had thin straps; a small matte black bodice hugged her waist before fanning out in an A-line skirt. It was flirty and fun. Ginny had made her buy it when they'd gone shopping several years ago but she'd never had any occasion where she wanted to wear it. She wore a short, sheer, half-sleeved shrug that stopped just below her breasts to cover her shoulders for her own touch of modesty.

Her heels clicked on the hardwood floors as she went to inspect the oven's contents. She peeked inside and shoved a thermometer into the meat to see if it was done. Still a tad bit under temperature, she closed the oven and set the dish towel and silver thermometer on the counter. All the prep for the meal had given Hermione something to focus on before. But having him in the house while she tried to finish made her anxiety soar.

A set of hands rested on her hips, sending a startled jolt through her.

"You nervous?" Draco murmured in her ear. Hermione took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, trying to calm her nerves.

"Yeah," She admitted. Draco kissed a sensitive spot behind her ear and held her a few moments before letting go to turn her around.

"Okay. So we're both a little nervous. That's healthy, I guess."

"You guess?"

"Well, I haven't been on many dates. And none of them made me feel like this." Draco confided. "I'm starting to wonder if I'll be good enough for you,"

"What?" Hermione asked. Draco was not the self-deprecating sort.

"I just meant... look at all this," He motioned to the kitchen table and all the lit candles sporadically placed around the room and then back at her. His eyes roamed over her body, making her blush fiercely. "It's like a picture. I'm not sure I deserve such a display."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" Hermione asked rhetorically. "Besides, I believe the person who dropped a vault full of coinage today deserves a little compensation, don't you agree?" She gave him a pointed look. Draco snorted and rolled his eyes.

"You might have a point there, Granger," He chuckled. After giving her peck on the cheek he walked over to the table and proceeded to kick off the wine.

"Why did you do that, by the way?" Hermione asked as he handed her a glass.

"Pay for your dress?" He took a sip and nodded his head in approval at her wine selection before continuing. "I didn't think it'd be very gentlemanly of myself to let you pay for a dress where the event was something I practically begged you to attend."

"Gentle-manliness aside, I'm worried," Draco cocked his head to the side inquisitively and gestured with his glass for her to continue. She shuffled nervously. "Can you even afford it?" She asked quietly. "Because if not, I'm sure we could take it back somehow-"

"I wouldn't have offered if I couldn't." He stated calmly.

"That's what Ginny said and she told me to leave it alone but-"

"I'm glad you didn't," Draco interrupted. "I'm living in your house for a reason. You have a small right to know how I could afford such a luxury." Hermione wasn't expecting him to be so forthright. She lifted the glass to her lips and felt the room-temp sweetness glide over her tongue. Draco continued, "I was sent a small nest egg left by my Mother after she passed; from the Black side of the family. It's how I've been scraping by so far,"

"And you thought it was prudent to spend your savings on a dress? I could have bought one myself," Hermione suggested.

"I know that. The dress hadn't been as much as I anticipated so you won't have to worry about depleting my savings." He said. "I have enough to live off of until I can get the estate taken care of and work a little more."

Hermione sighed. She felt a fraction better about him spending such a fortune on her. But not much.

"I still feel like I should at least give you some of your money back," She said after a beat. Draco shook his head, swallowing the last sip of his wine.

"Please don't, it was a gift." He said. His face was unreadable but his eyes spoke volumes. It looked as if she'd hurt him. Whether it was his ego or pride she wasn't sure. She buttoned up any further comments about the dress and turned her attention back on the meal.

"I hope dinner turns out,"

"Me too, I'm starving," Draco said, seeming grateful for her change of subject.

"You must be exhausted, too. Why don't you sit?" She offered. Draco took his place at the table and poured himself another glass of wine.

"I'm strangely not all that tired," He revealed.

"Must be due to your normal lack of sleep," she said. She took the bread out of the broiler and set it out to cool before pulling a tray of baked veggies out to do the same.

"I'm thinking that's only part of it," Draco said. "I'd wager the company I'm in has the most to do with that, though." He took another drink and looked pointedly at Hermione, who snorted at his flirting.

"Flattery won't get you too far here, Malfoy," she joked. He grinned and shrugged.

"Oh, I don't know. It seems to be making you blush quite a bit," He said. Hermione turned away. "I already saw you, love, no use in hiding."

"It's still a bit tough for me to let you see me this way," She said after a beat. She stirred around the vegetables with a pair of tongs and placed them in a serving platter. Draco hesitated before answering.

"What way?"

Hermione turned to him and gave him a small smile, willing herself to lay her chips out on the table so he would understand.

"Vulnerable." She said calmly.

Draco locked eyes with her, some emotion passing between them. She let him take in the word another minute before continuing. "I don't let down my walls very often anymore. Not that I did it much before the war but still... it's difficult to let anyone see this side of me."

"I think I understand more than most people might," Draco averted his gaze and looked down at his forearm, where the fading Dark Mark still marred his pale skin. "I'm not good at opening myself up to others. The only people who truly know me anymore are my friends."

"Me too," Hermione said. Draco looked at her then with a tiny bit of confusion.

"What about your parents?" He asked. "You don't bring them up much,"

"I-" She stopped herself. She wanted to be brave and tell him what happened to her parents. She wanted him to know why she never brought them up but... it was painful. She rarely talked about it with Ron or Harry anymore, either.

How do you reveal to someone your biggest regret in life?

"If you don't want to tell me yet, that's okay, Hermione," Draco assured calmly. Hermione lifted her eyes to his and sighed heavily.

She knew he had to be told. If they were going to try to be anything special to one another, it was important he understood her choice.

The timer for the meat went off and she quickly turned back to the oven, relieved by the distraction. Draco didn't say anything else about the subject, simply choosing to watch her mill about as she cut up the meat and readied the rest of the meal onto serving plates and set them out on the table.

Hermione sat on his left and folded her hands in her lap. Draco hummed in appreciation.

"Steak. Nice." He smiled.

"Ginny told me you loved it. It was a bit more simple than I expected for your favorite meal but I hope you enjoy it," She teased.

"I suppose I can't argue with that. Most men do stereotypically like a good steak." He chuckled and raised his glass towards her. She lifted her own and lightly clinked it against his. "To us and the start of something unexpected but, nevertheless, splendid." He toasted. Hermione smiled shyly and nodded.

"To us," She repeated. They each took a sip and tucked into their meals.

As dinner went on, the tension from earlier topics was forgotten, allowing Draco and Hermione talked about everything and nothing. Their likes and dislikes, goals and ambitions; they laughed and had a merry time. They discussed his more formative years at Hogwarts before they really got to know one another and she relayed all her adventures with Harry and Ron. Draco absorbed every word, asking her plenty of questions. He admitted to being slightly jealous that he'd never been able to go along with them but said it was probably for the best in the end because fate was tricky.

"So you believe in fate, then?" Hermione asked.

"Don't you?"

"I'm not really sure. Isn't it sort of in the same wheelhouse as Divination?"

"Maybe, depending on how you look at it." Draco pondered.

"I always thought that subject was weak," Hermione rolled her eyes and sipped on some water.

"I remember you storming out of class that one day. Professor Trelawny blamed it on your 'inability to open your mind.'" He chuckled as he imitated their former teacher. Hermione sneered and rolled her eyes.

"That woman made one accurate prophecy and thought she was a leading expert. Preposterous!" She scoffed. Draco chuckled at her and took another bite of his meal.

"What about Potter, then?"

"What about him?"

"As you said, she had one true prediction. Everything he faced and dealt with seemed to be controlled by fate." Draco mused.

"Even experts state that prophecies are only guessing until some choice or decision is made to bring them to light. If Harry hadn't made all the choices he did, who knows what would have happened."

"Still sounds like fate to me," Draco shrugged. Hermione wiped her mouth and set the cloth napkin on the table next to her plate.

"Call it fate or destiny, it's still our choices that put things in motion. I don't believe for an instant that everything I have or will decide is predetermined." Hermione took the last pull of her wine. Draco offered her more but she put a hand over her glass. "I think I've had quite enough," She smiled.

"You might need more for what I'm about to ask you." Draco held the bottle out.

"Ask it and I'll let you know," She said, a nervous edge to her voice. Draco held the bottle in his lap and looked out over the table.

"Why'd you bust out the so-called 'ginny dress' tonight? As I recall, you made some flimsy excuse about your owning it." He waggled his eyebrows. "Maybe you liked it more than you let on?" Hermione shrugged, smiling.

"I sort of almost ditched it but... I thought it should get some wear in its life."

"Nuh-uh. I don't believe that. I think you dressed up on purpose... for me," Draco placed the bottle back on the table and leaned in to brush a strand of hair from the corner of her mouth.

"Well this is a date, right? Some dressing up isn't unheard of-"

"But this dress?" He asked. His eyes slid down her body again. "One might be led to believe their opinion of such things is pretty important to you after the comments made about it previously-"

"It is," Hermione stated boldly, holding his gaze. His hand was still touching the side of her face. They were sitting very close together now, knees touching under the table. Draco's eyes flicked to her lips and back up again. "Your opinion matters. It's what's gotten me where I am so far." Hermione muttered. Draco raised a brow.

"How do you mean?"

"The book,"

"Ah, of course,"

"And how you feel for me. That's important, too," She said quietly, not looking at him. Her cheeks were tinted rose as she bit her lip in embarrassment. A second later, Draco pulled her lip from the vice of her teeth and he was kissing her. Hermione sighed softly and grabbed his face between her hands. They kissed slowly for a few moments, feeling out one another's reactions. Draco's hand slid up her back and grabbed the end of the braid resting there, tugging it gently so her face would arch back, allowing him access to her neck. He kissed down the base of her throat and stopped once he'd traveled to her collar bone. His actions sent tingles down her body and she found herself unable to hold back.

Hermione grabbed his face once more and brought his mouth back up to hers. She explored his lips a few more minutes before nipping the bottom one. Draco stood abruptly, pulling her up with him. He tugged her along to the couch where they sat side by side. He kissed her hand, then her wrist, forearm, shoulder, until they were clashing lips once more. Hermione couldn't tell how long they sat there just kissing. It could have been minutes or hours. Draco dragged her legs to rest over his lap at one point, seeming to need more contact. She understood perfectly, wanting to be as close as physically possible to him.

This new feeling of want was exciting and overpowering. The desire Hermione felt was nothing short of breathtaking.

Draco's hands roamed almost everywhere, careful not to tread too far. He slid his hand up her calf to her thigh at one point and Hermione couldn't help herself, she needed more. She grabbed his hand and he stilled, opening his eyes to look into her hooded ones. There was a small V between his eyebrows for a fraction of a second, as if he was concerned he'd gone too far, before Hermione removed her legs from his lap and moved to sit astride him. His eyes widened, surprise registering at her brazen action. He couldn't get one word out before Hermione recaptured his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She could feel the bulge in his pants as much as she could the tightness coiling in her belly. They were both feeling the same, it seemed, and it made Hermione's heart hammer inside her chest with equal parts want and anxiety.

Draco delicately pulled back on the hem of the shrug she was wearing. She let it fall from her arms onto the floor. Then he slid one strap from her dress off her shoulder, running his tongue over the exposed flesh. Hermione clung to him a bit harder, the new sensation taking over her anxiety, and involuntarily ground against him. Draco gasped and stilled, his arms holding her steadfast and his breathing coming out ragged. He pulled back and stared up at her in wonder, brushing a hand down her cheek.

The sensations easing, Hermione slowly came to her senses. As the fog of lust lifted, she replaced the strap of her dress.

"I-I'm sorry I... I got carried away-"

"We both did, Granger, no need to apologize," Draco said, his voice husky.

"But I've... I've never..." She looked away, her cheeks flushed crimson.

"I know, love. That's why I want to take this slow." He said. She peeked back over at him, looking relieved. "When you're ready, I am, too. But I don't think you are yet."

"S-so you don't want to... you know-"

"Oh no, I want to. More than you might understand but... I'm quite satisfied just being able to kiss you and hold you." He said, flashing her a smile. She returned it and touched her forehead to his.

"I had no idea this could feel so... intense," She said slowly. Draco smirked.

"Which part?" He chuckled.

"All of it." She said bluntly. "You and me being together. the intimacy of it all." She paused, thinking to herself before saying, "I'm not certain how but it already feels so-"

"Right." Draco finished. "Like two halves of a whole." He kissed her again and deposited her back on the couch.

"Exactly." Hermione agreed and took off her heels, letting them clatter to the floor. "I find I'm not afraid anymore."

"Were you very frightened when we made this decision?"

"Yes. It's terrifying opening up to someone who used to make your life as miserable as possible. You always think they're not being true to you; that anything kind they have to say is a farce somehow but... I don't feel that way now." She admitted.

"What changed your mind in the forty-eight hours we've been together?" Draco teased.

"Nothing drastic, really. It's just a feeling. And I'm not very used to relying on my heart instead of my head but I know I can trust it in this instance."

Draco looked down at his hands, shaking his head slightly.

"Too much?" Hermione asked.

"Not at all. I'm simply not used to anyone putting faith in me. It's a first."

Hermione stared at him a long while, contemplating his words. Draco looked steadily into the fire.

"We're both new to this, it seems. And in light of that, I feel like... it's important, to be honest with you about something." She said and looked down at her lap. Draco pulled one of her hands up and kissed it gently on her knuckles. Hermione waited for a beat before slowly peeling her hand from his and standing up. She walked a couple of paces before pausing. She shook out her hands, trying to work up courage; a strange concept for a Gryffindor. Blowing out a breath, she turned back around and captured Draco's silver eyes with her own.

"You look rather nervous. Whatever it is can't be that bad." He said, concern coloring his features.

"Okay," She paced in front of the fire. "Okay..." She paced back the other way. The hardwood sent a chill through her nyloned feet. "Something you have to understand is... that I had no choice." She said, not looking at him.

"I believe you. You're highly logical."

"Okay but... in this case, I literally saw no other way."

"Hermione... what is this about?"

"My parents," Hermione stopped pacing. She looked up at a picture on the mantle. It was her and her parents at King's Cross Station the first year she'd gone to Hogwarts. It was a muggle picture, her late granny had taken it before they went through the magically sealed wall of brick.

Hermione took the frame down and handed it to Draco. He examined it.

"You look like them. Mainly your Father."

"Yes," She agreed. Draco looked at the picture another beat before gazing up at her.

"Hermione, where are they?" He asked slowly.

"Australia."

"On vacation or...?"

"No. They live there." She said.

"Do they visit?" Draco asked. "Do you?"

"I did at one point. But I can't go back anymore." Hermione could feel the agony taking over. She willed the tears she felt forming to subside. She fanned her face and rolled her eyes upwards, not wanting to give in. Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her back down to the couch.

"Start from the beginning. You're not making any sense."

"I didn't go back to Hogwarts for our seventh year."

"Neither did I," Draco said. "The war was in full swing.

"Exactly. Before I could meet up with Ron and Harry at the Burrow, I had to make sure if I left, my parents would be safe. Muggles everywhere were being tortured and killed just for the fun of it... I didn't want to imagine what they'd do to my parents specifically if they found out who they were. I mean, your father had already seen what they looked like-"

"Wait... what are you getting at exactly?"

"I used a memory charm on them." Hermione rushed out. She didn't look at him as she spoke, only down at the picture he was still holding. Draco didn't say anything. He waited for her to continue.

"It was just another day. We were having tea in the afternoon as we always did. Mum made scones. Dad took the afternoon off. He'd been working a lot. Mum and I missed him. Especially me, because I knew it would be our last summer together.

"Mum asked me to grab the scones from the kitchen and when I came back..." Hermione lifted her shoulders in a small shrug. Draco hesitated, putting the pieces together.

"You used obliviate?" Draco asked in a hushed tone. She peeked up at him in shame as he gaped at her. Nodding, she swiped a rogue tear from her cheek. Draco's eyes became tight, surveying her in sympathy.

"It was all I could think to do. I set the plan in motion for them to go live in Australia. I wanted them to be safe and happy. I thought I could always go back one day and at least try to reverse it-"

"Obliviate isn't reversible. If they were found, it would have been way worse for them."

"It was," Hermione said, looking back into the fire. "The Death Eaters thought they were being coy on purpose and tortured them mercilessly trying to find out where I was; where Harry was,"

Draco squeezed her hand hard. Something she hadn't seen in a long time flashed in his eyes as she looked back at him. It looked like fear.

"Are... are they?"

"Dead?" Hermione asked bitterly. "No. That would have been a mercy for them. Death Eaters were never any good at that." She stood up and began clearing dishes from the table, a need to be doing anything useful coursing through her. Draco followed her and helped out, trying to be patient so she'd reveal the rest when she was ready. Hermione set the dishes washing and began blowing out candles. That's when Draco stopped her and turned her to face him.

"Tell me the rest."

"I'm tired, Draco," she deflected, not looking him in the eye.

"Please," he pleaded. They stood, motionless, both unable to even breathe much. A slow resolve formed on her face before she spoke.

"Your father identified them as my parents. They were tortured to the point of oblivion." Hermione admitted. "They're located in an insane asylum outside of Sydney now." Draco blanched, running both hands through his hair before pulling the strands in the back in a vice grip, his frustration palpable.

"Fuck's sake... is there anything that man doesn't ruin?" Draco's voice was verging on rage. His hands fell to his sides "Hermione, I can't even begin to tell you how so-"

"Don't say sorry. It wasn't your fault nor your actions that caused it."

"No but he's my father, it seems I'll continue to pay for his sins no matter what I do." Draco raked a hand through his hair, looking anywhere but at her. His cheeks were red and his demeanor slumped.

"The people who expect you to do that are no friends to you. Merlin knows I don't expect that." Hermione set a hand on his chest. "I'll admit I could never forgive your family for what they've done. That doesn't include you, though. Please believe that,"

Draco hesitated. He was used to people writing him off as a bad guy. And why wouldn't they? He was no saint and had done his fair share of criminal behavior. Some days he truly believed he belonged in a cell amongst the other Death Eaters.

"I can see you overthinking this," Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't."

"It's easy for you to say. Your family wasn't evil." Draco said glumly.

"No. But they're no better off, are they? It was my mistake. I should have just had them stay with a wizarding family or cloaked their house."

"They might have been found no matter what," Draco said. "What I'm confused about is why no one else seems to know about this,"

"Why would I reveal my darkest regret?" She asked rhetorically. Draco knew what she meant. He'd had a hand in more than one deep, dark regret. Things he couldn't even imagine sharing with her. How could he blame her for hiding the darkest parts of herself?

"I understand," He said softly. "I know it was hard to say but thank you for telling me. It helps me, in its own way, to understand you more fully. The panic attacks and the anxiety,"

"All things I was previously seeing a mind healer for. I stopped going but I've made an appointment to continue treatment. I can't stand feeling so weak and insecure anymore."

"You're neither of those things," Draco assured.

"Right now I am. I used to be so confident in my decisions and everyday life. Now I'm holed up here or in an office all day."

"You have my support, should you need it." He said. "Even if it's just accompanying you to appointments. I'm here," His assurance and acceptance made her feel like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She nodded her thanks, hoping it conveyed the emotions running through her. Draco swept her up in a tight embrace.

"I selfishly thought I was the only one who still suffered from the aftermath of the war." He added, his voice hush against her ear. "I'm sorry you're suffering, too."

"We all are, in our own way, Draco. Ginny still takes odd ways home from places, as if she's shaking an invisible Death Eater who might be trailing her. Harry has nightmares from time to time. Ron won't go anywhere near the Forest of Dean. Not even on Auror missions. We're all a little messed up."

"The Forest of Dean?" Draco asked.

"Where he destroyed one of the Horcruxes." She said. Draco pulled back, almost looking impressed.

"I thought Potter got them all."

"No. Ron and I both destroyed one. So did Dumbledore. And remember, Neville killed Nagini, too. Harry is always going on about how much help he had. No one seems to believe him sometimes," Hermione chuckled. Draco smirked.

"Trust me, no one believes Potter did any of what he did on his own."

They laughed, some of the tension from the heavy conversation dissipating again.

"Are you ready for dessert?" Hermione asked.

"I was pretty certain we just had it," He said coyly, his eyes flickering back to the couch. Hermione shook her head as she walked over to the fridge. She fished from its contents two round, perfectly layered chocolate mousses. The stripe on the bottom was dark brown. The middle was lighter brown, and the top layer was white. It had dark chocolate shavings on top.

"You actually made mousse?" He asked, excited. He loved anything chocolate. Hermione nodded.

"We can go eat it and watch a movie on the couch if you'd like?" She smiled, looking truly herself for the first time since their date started.

"A movie, eh? You have one of those muggle contraptions, I'd wager?"

"Of course."

"I've seen a few with friends, but we always go to muggle theaters to see them."

"Oh really? What have you seen?" Hermione asked. They made their way over to the living room. Draco sat on the couch while Hermione set down the desserts and began making up the television and muggle movie machine.

"I've seen some classics. None of the newer things appealed much to me. 'The Wizard of Oz,' was good. So was 'Singing in the Rain.'"

"Those are some of the best. I have a movie I think you'll appreciate. It's not a classic in terms of when it was made, but it is considered a classic." She said, pulling a movie disc from a plastic, folding case and setting it in the tray of the movie machine. Draco was fascinated with how, at a push of a button, it whirred closed and began playing the feature. The most technological thing Draco owned from the muggle world was a cellphone, and that was only because a wizard had figured out how to configure it so magic wouldn't screw with the signal. He found it very useful for business.

Hermione sat down flush against him, cuddling into his arms and handing him his dessert and a spoon. Draco draped the throw over their legs and settled in, kicking off his own shoes and folding his legs under himself. When the title screen came on, he smiled.

"I thought you'd like it."

"I had no idea they made 'Pride and Prejudice' into a movie!" Draco said excitedly.

"They've made a few different movies and tv shows. This is the more recent version with Kiera Knightly in it." Hermione explained, pressing the 'play' button on the square remote.

"I think I've heard of her," he said.

"She's a very famous actress here in London. I wouldn't be surprised."

"Shh, it's starting!" Draco shushed her and Hermione grinned to herself. The beginning piano notes fluttered out of the speakers as Kiera walked onto the screen, instantly enchanting us both.

They were about five minutes into the movie when Draco remembered his treat. He took a bite, quietly praised Hermione for its goodness with a kiss and quick remark, before wolfing the entire thing as quickly as he could so he could pay attention to the movie better.

At the end, Draco sighed happily.

"Not everything from the book was in the movie but, it was still a very pleasing watch." He said. Hermione giggled. "These muggle contraptions are brilliant. We should do this every night." He said as he got up to carry the dishes to the sink.

"Maybe not every night. Our lives are hectic enough as it is right now. I'm not even sure how you're still verticle with your lack of sleep last night." Hermione scoffed.

"I have great incentive to be awake, I guess." He teased. "But when you're right, you're right. Tomorrow is a big day. I should head to bed."

"Ah yes. The auction. Will you be attending work, as well?" She asked. Draco set a washing charm on the dishes and nodded.

"I'm taking a half day. The auction starts at two."

"Would you like me to attend?" She asked warily. She knew Latif had been fired but she wouldn't put it past him to somehow show up. Draco shook his head.

"Dragging you to the ball on Saturday will be punishment enough, I think. Besides, it will be completely drab.

"Well let me know if you change your mind." She said, wanting to be supportive. He nodded and kissed her jaw.

"I will. Goodnight Miss Granger." He said softly. "And thank you for the date. I had a lovely time. Everything was delicious."

"Any time." She promised. With a final, dazzling smile, Draco headed to his own room to crash.