There hadn't been any word from the Ministry before Hermione and Harry found themselves on the Hogwarts Express returning back to school after winter hols were over. The rest of the holidays had been hard for Hermione, as she'd finally gone to Muggle London to check in on her parents and to see if they were doing well, only to find their home empty.

Sold.

Apparently, when the spell broke...somehow, they'd decided to relocate to Australia and they sold their home and dental practice too.

The thought had saddened her greatly, but in her heart she knew they'd be happy there.

They had always talked about going Down Under some day.

Harry and surprisingly Theo, had gone with her into London. Theo had been initially shocked and dismayed with how loud and crowded Muggle London was—but he'd wanted to go and offer his support, especially after Pettigrew had been captured.

Both Theo and Harry were being a bit more clingy than normal.

Even Malfoy, for all his bravado and bluster, has been surprisingly attentive too. He'd come over the previous day and had brought her a rare book on warding charms he'd found in his family's library and she had thanked him profusely...before giving him permission to go fly with Harry and Theo while she immersed herself into her new book.

The train ride so far had been fairly calm, as she'd spent most of her time with Harry, Ron and Theo and the three of them couldn't seem to go for an hour together, without debating the merits of Quidditch.

Hermione wasn't sure there were any actual merits of Quidditch to be found, but it seemed that if one was a teenaged wizard, then that was the primary prerequisite to debate all things Wronski Feint and whether or not someone's beater was better than someone's chaser.

Hermione sat back and thought about the Quidditch terminology for a few moments, before she snickered—which caught the attention of her brother and cousins.

Then her snickers turned into guffaws...

Then outright hysterics as she laughed uproariously at her own private joke.

"Uhm...Mione?" Ron asked, stupefied. "What's so funny?"

Hermione wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as her grin couldn't be contained and she noticed three sets of eyes watching her with amusement tinged with confusion.

"It's nothing Ron."

"It's clearly not nothing, Hermione."

Theo's voice was challenging, and Hermione just rolled her eyes at her cousin.

But apparently Harry and Ron weren't convinced it was nothing either, and Hermione just started laughing again as she simply couldn't get the inappropriate thoughts out of her head.

"Come on, Sis...share!"

Harry was smiling, his green eyes filled with happiness at seeing his Sister so carefree after she'd been understandably wallowing the past few days.

"It's really nothing." She admitted sheepishly. "I was just thinking about the strange names that are used for Quidditch."

The three boys just looked to each other—clearly not getting what was so funny about that.

"Oh come on!" Hermione snickered. "Bludger, beater, chaser...seeker?

The three boys were still staring at her, but Hermione just shook her head and mumbled 'thick' under her breath before standing up.

"I'm going to find the trolley and you three can go on and discuss Quidditch to your heart's content."

Ignoring their protests and requests for sweets, Hermione found herself walking towards the back of the train, saying hello to a few people here and there and squeezing past a few more.

The back part of the train was rather crowded so she didn't immediately notice the shock of pale blonde hair in one of the compartments nor that same person sneaking up behind her until she was nearly to the far back of the train...where the trolley was currently located.

"What are you doing out here all alone, Princess?"

Hermione squeaked and turned around with her hand to her heart, before letting out a small huff at Draco's playful smirk.

"Sweets." She replied and Draco just nodded.

"Hmm," he pulled her next to him as he gazed over her head at the trolley. "I think you're sweet enough."

"Cheesy."

"Is it?" He flashed a grin.

"Definitely."

Moving up to next in line, she felt Draco's hand seek her's out and blushing slightly, she allowed the concession as her fingers entwined with his.

His hand was cool, slightly calloused and her magic hummed happily at the simple touch, causing her to sigh.

"What?" He leant down and whispered into her ear. Her blue eyes gazed up into grey and she just shook her head subtly as it wasn't something she wanted to discuss with others present. They were already catching some attention as it was with their close proximity to each other.

"Something from the trolley, dears?"

"Uhm...I'll take a package of sugar quills and a pumpkin pasty."

"Ice mice and fizzing whizzbees please." Draco drawled.

The trolley lady handed over the treats and Draco gave her the requisite galleons before leading Hermione back to the compartment he was sharing with Blaise, Goyle and Crabbe.

He kept ahold of Hermione's hand, ignoring the veiled whispers and open stares from everyone they passed along the way. When they finally got back, he opened the compartment door and ushered her inside, tilting his chin at Crabbe to scoot to the other side so he could sit down next to his witch.

"Hey Prewett." Zabini smirked at his best mate who just rolled his eyes at him.

"Zabini."

Hermione glanced over at Crabbe and Goyle, but they were more interested in the treats that Draco had handed to them both. She glanced at him questioningly. "Didn't you get anything for yourself?"

"Nah, I wasn't really planning on visiting the trolley today, but I happened to see you walking by and figured that's where you were headed. These two tossers demanded I bring them their favorites back."

Hermione expression softened as she watched Crabbe and Goyle wrest the goodies from each other as they shared their bounty. Even Zabini seemed amused by their antics.

"Do you want to share mine?" She offered shyly, and Draco just shook his head.

"I'm not a big pumpkin pasty fan, although I have been known to indulge in a sugar quill or two. Perhaps I'll get to later." He winked at her and she blushed at the clear double meaning. Blaise just scoffed and shook his head.

"What's the matter, Blaise? Amused?"

"You know me so well, Draco...I find everything amusing."

Hermione's gaze moved back and forth between the two as she clearly was missing something.

It was hard not to be nervous in the presence of those whom had once tormented her blood status, her bossy know-it-all nature. It also saddened her to think that she was essentially the same witch, just with a different last name—but it seemed to make all the difference in the world to some.

Draco watched Hermione's brow furrow, as it often did when she was deep in thought. He'd always found her tendencies to overthink things both insufferable and exasperating. Now that he had been fortunate enough to actually get to know her on a more personal level, he'd come to understand that it was part of who she was. Her perfectionist nature stemmed from an eagerness to please and be accepted. She hadn't been readily welcomed into the Magical World because she'd been believed to be a Muggleborn—but just because she wasn't anymore—didn't mean that she had changed fundamentally who she was deep down.

"You okay?" Draco leant over and whispered lowly, watching as Hermione's gaze lifted to his own and he could see several emotions there.

Uncertainty, sadness and resignation.

"I'm fine."

He gave her a dubious look and then turned to his friends and said, "You mind giving us a few?"

Blaise smirked while Greg and Vince just grunted, but they thankfully did follow Blaise out of the compartment.

When they were gone, Draco cupped Hermione's cheeks and quirked an eyebrow as if to say, 'well?'

"You didn't have to ask them to leave."

"Of course I did," he scoffed softly, "talk to me."

Hermione instinctively knew Draco wasn't going to let this go, so she decided to bite the bullet.

"It's just odd, is all."

"What is?"

She waved her hand between the two of them and wasn't surprised when Draco chuckled and nodded.

"It is."

Hermione's gaze narrowed while Draco just pulled her into his side and kissed her temple softly, feeling her ire abate before it got a chance to flourish.

"I know this isn't going to be easy for us, Hermione. We are two of the most stubborn people I know."

He felt her body shake and knew she was giggling in agreement.

"But I'm sure as time passes," he forged on, "we will figure out how to not push each other's buttons, learn to compromise and have patience with the things we don't understand or can't change about each other. I'm a prat and you're a swot. I'm entitled and you're kind-hearted. I'm a snob and you're accepting. I'm a traditionalist and you're a feminist. But we are both smart, motivated and uncompromising when we feel passionately about something. Right now my priorities are you, my studies and my internship."

"Not Quidditch?"

Draco heaved a sigh, but he was biting back a smile too.

"Fine witch," he grumbled. "I would very much like to beat Potter just once before I graduate. Call it silly if you must..."

She lifted her head and cupped his left cheek in her right palm as she said softly, "It's not."

"Yeah?"

She just swallowed and nodded as she lost herself in softened grey eyes that were staring at her.

Then she suddenly remembered her earlier conversation with Harry, Theo and Ron and started to snicker again, earning a confused look from Malfoy.

When he went to pull back and his expression closed off, she just shook her head in silent apology.

"Sorry," she pleaded, "I was just thinking back on an earlier conversation with Harry."

"Not helping witch."

"No! Seriously!" She lamented. "They were obsessively discussing Quidditch tactics and my brain registered something I'd never even considered before, but it just struck me as funny. They didn't get it though."

"Oh?" Draco's expression went from cold to conspiratorial in a flash, eager to have a shared secret between the two of them.

"Yes...I mean it's silly really."

"Then share." He cajoled silkily, "maybe I'll get the joke too."

She eyed him speculatively. "You promise you won't make fun of me?"

Draco's expression immediately softened again and he put his hand over his heart and said with all the sincerity he could muster, "You have my solemn word, Princess."

"Alright," she said, as she breathed in a bit of courage. "I was just having a laugh over the names used in Quidditch. You know? Bludger, beater, chaser...seeker..."

Draco's brow furrowed as he wondered exactly what kind of connotation would make Hermione think that was amusing. He processed the words silently for a few moments and saw Hermione bite her lip in anticipation to see if he would get the joke.

It took him about four minutes total...but when he got the context his face morphed into a sexy smirk.

Then he chuckled deeply, pleased when his witch started to blush—but her eyes were alight with pleasure.

He shook head and growled out, "What a naughty witch you are, Miss Prewett."

She just bit her lip harder, desperately trying to keep herself from smiling.

So his witch liked to play, eh? Draco thought to himself as he tilted his head down and ran his lips softly on Hermione's neck, murmuring into her skin.

"So which one, my little deviant?"

Tiny kisses flowed up Hermione's neck as Draco barely touched her skin with his lips—which were oh, so soft and she shivered at the contact.

"I don't think bludger, eh?"

She shook her head and giggled softly as his lips moved from her neck to behind her ear and he gently bit down on the soft, fragrant skin there—earning a hitched gasp.

"And a beater?"

"No." She whispered, so he continued on the path from her ear to her temple.

"I could chase you...you might like that?"

"Mmmm..."

Her head tilted back slightly as Draco kissed each eye lid and wandered his lips down Hermione's cheek.

Right before he stopped and hovered his mouth over hers, their gazes locked and he said sinfully, "But right now? I think I'll seek out a kiss, instead."

When his mouth covered hers, he felt her entire body mold perfectly into his. The kisses were soft and sensual with lips pulling and pushing on each other in perfect synchronization. Then he felt her tongue shyly caress the edge of his lower lip and he growled and opened his mouth, allowing his witch to have her way with him.

He didn't know how long they were sitting there, ravishing each other's mouths but the clearing of Blaise's throat and his smarmy chuckle had Draco promising himself he was going to hex the blighter, even if he was his best mate.

Thankfully, Hermione's back was to the compartment door and as Draco lifted his head, it was to several sets of eyes staring at them both.

Blaise, Potter, Theo, Weasley...

He looked down at Hermione's face and she cracked open a single eye and smirked.

"Bludger..." she whispered and Draco threw back his head and laughed, pulling her into his embrace as they both lost themselves to their private joke, not missing the looks of confusion on the faces of their friends...

That brought him up short...

Was he now friends with Potter and Weasley?

A single glance at the Boy Wonder and his red-headed side kick, and seeing their mutual grimaces of disgust? Made Draco feel a bit better as he simply couldn't abide being overly chummy with the witless duo, no matter how much his witch might love the dunderheads.

He still had standards after all.

"We need to get ready, Draco. We will be getting to Hogwarts soon, so your little snogfest is going to have to wait for another time."

"Shut it, Blaise." Theo groused, shaking his head in warning. "Hermione, why don't you head back with Harry and Ron?"

Hermione nodded, and smiled as Draco stood and gallantly helped her to her feet, placing one last kiss on her knuckles as he gave her a playful wink in parting. He grinned as she flipped her hair and sashayed out of the compartment, grabbing her Gryffindors to go with her. When she was gone, Theo just stared at him, while Blaise sat back down on the bench and chuckled.

"Are you going to chastise me, Theodore?" Draco drawled while Theo just continued to stare at him.

It was starting to make him uncomfortable.

After a moment Theo moved into the compartment and shut the door and silenced the room.

"Did I miss something?" The Nott Heir bit out slowly.

Draco and Blaise eyed each other, but neither one of them were stupid nor ignorant.

"No, you didn't."

"So? You're snogging my cousin in public, and you've yet to send a formal letter of intent to her Grandmother? Or did I miss something?"

Draco sighed and gestured for Theo to do the same, which he did reluctantly after a moment.

"Theo? I haven't had that conversation with Hermione yet. She's still trying to get used to the idea of me being her likely bonded. You really need to allow her to take the lead and do what she needs to feel comfortable."

"And if you get to use her ignorance to your benefit?"

"Come on mate, that's uncalled for." Draco bit out, slightly hurt that Theo didn't know him better than that. "I'll admit it wasn't well done of me to forget to place a few privacy charms before I snogged my witch in public, but one thing you need to understand about my dynamic with your cousin—is that for all her Gryffindor bravado, if I do anything that makes her think I'm ashamed of being seen with her...her old insecurities about me and whether or not I'm a good choice is going to cause that brilliant, logical part of her brain to war again with her magic. Is that what you want?"

Theo's arms were folded over his chest in defiance but Draco could see that his words had hit their mark.

"You really think she'll feel..."

"Yes I do." Draco didn't even let Theo finish his statement. He knew Hermione well enough to know that she would most definitely feel insecure under those circumstances and that was the last thing he wanted her to feel. "I'm letting her take charge here and do what feels right for her. Don't get in the way of that Theo. You need to trust Hermione that she can do this."

"And I'm just supposed to blindly trust you, too?"

"I would like to think you would, but I'm a Slytherin and we both know that trust isn't something we throw around lightly. If you can't trust in my intentions, you know you can trust in my self-preservation, right? I'd rather not be turned to ash if my witch has a fit of pique and decides to punish some perceived slight."

Theo nodded and chuckled. He definitely could trust Draco's sense of survival. He was a snake, through and through.

"Fine."

"Gee, thanks mate. Don't sound so put out by the prospect."

"It's not that Draco," Theo offered, "I just need to know you'll put her first always."

"Of that you don't have to worry."

"I'm going to hold you to that."