Hermione and Draco were sitting by the window in a quiet lunch café. She suspected he was lying about what had upset him earlier but had decided not to pry. She was just happy that he had apologized, she like spending time with him he made her feel confident, and pretty. She blushed as she recalled the compliment he had given her in the dressing room. She hated the way she was always mentally comparing him to Ron especially since they weren't dating, but Ron had never given her a compliment that wasn't followed by an insult it was refreshing to have someone other than your parents tell you that you looked nice.
"Okay, so what's your favorite color."
Draco asked as he sat across from her sipping seltzer water from a straw. Hermione frowned a bit as she contemplated this and shrugged.
"I honestly don't know."
She said smiling and shaking her head. Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes
"There is no way you don't know your favorite color."
He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"I'm serious!"
She giggled as took a sip of her tea.
"What's your favorite color then?"
Draco took a sip of his drink before answering.
"Black"
He said without missing a beat.
Hermione looked at him quizzically.
"That's really your favorite color."
She said playful judgment evident in her voice. Draco's mouth fell agape as he listened to Hermione.
"You don't even have a favorite color, but you're going to judge mine?!"
He asked incredulously chuckling. They both sat laughing to themselves and to anyone passing by they would have looked like old friends. Conversation was beginning to come easily and laughter easier.
"Okay, okay next question."
Draco said quieting his laughter.
"What's your favorite book"
He asked looking at her.
"Oh, that's easy, I love the great Gatsby."
Draco put a hand on his forehead and flopped his head back dramatically.
"Granger, that is so cliché"
He said his eye sparkling lacking the fog that had been over them earlier. She shook her head and laughed indignantly.
"It's a good read."
She said as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand.
"What about you, what does Draco Malfoy like to read?"
She asked as he tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at her.
"Insomnia by Stephen King"
He said shrugging and looking out the window. Hermione scrunched her nose.
"How do you read that stuff, I went with Ron to see one his movies and we had to leave early."
Draco whipped his head back to face her and small smile beginning to slowly appear on his face.
"Then it's settled."
He said wiping his hands on his pants while raising an eyebrow at her.
"Next time we hang out we're going to see a horror film."
Hermione tried not let her eyes widen as she replayed his words in her mind
"Next time"
Her stomach flipped and a lopsided grin appeared on her face as she fully comprehended what he had said.
"Next time?"
She asked cheekily sipping her drink and looking up at him. Draco rolled his eyes at her and laughed loudly.
"We're supposed to be lover of two years, we're going to have to hang out more than once."
He said as looked at his lap a smile still playing at his lips. Hermione couldn't help but let her gaze linger as she watched his hair fall forward. He looked like a statue. He looked up suddenly as if someone had called his name and locked eyes with her. She blushed furiously, but he seemed not to notice.
"I have a real question."
He said leaning forward on his elbows. She nodded trying to ignore the smell of spearmint that came from his breath.
"How come you call me Draco? No one other than my mother calls me that."
He said curiously. Hermione who had become very aware of how close her face was to his had to blink before the question registered in her mind. She leant back in her chair putting space between them and crossed her arms in her lap.
"Honestly, I did it to annoy you in grade school, but I guess it just never felt right to call you Malfoy after that."
She said shrugging and looking at him wondering why he'd brought it up.
"But you called me Malfoy in the car earlier"
He said a dark expression briefly passing over his face momentarily.
Hermione leant forward again their arms only separated by their two cups.
"Well, I was upset with you earlier."
She sighed and turned her head to the side.
"Why? Do you want me to call you Malfoy?"
She asked as she turned back to face him. Draco now leant back in his seat and shook his head.
"I quite like it when you call me Draco."
He said plainly sipping his drink.
"You say it nicely."
He finished answering the unasked question dancing around her mind.
She shook her head and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear trying to suppress the grin that threatened to spill across her face.
"How come you call me Granger?"
She asked playfully already knowing the answer. She began to laugh to herself waiting for him to respond.
"Because nobody else does."
He said cutting off her laughter. She looked at him trying to decide if he was teasing or not.
"Don't be silly, you call everyone by their last names."
She said making it sound more like a question than an actual statement. Draco shook his head.
"I stopped doing that after grade school. You're the only person I still call by their last name religiously."
Hermione stopped and thought about it she had never noticed before, but he had stopped.
"Wait, so why don't you use my first name?"
She asked staring at him her face a mask of confusion.
"Maybe I'll tell you some other time."
He said looking away staring out the window solemnly.
Hermione was about to tell him that he hadn't really answered the question when the waitress came back to grab their abandoned plates. She fought the urge to roll eyes as she saw the girl approach. She had been drooling over Draco the whole time she had been taking their orders and Hermione suspected her behavior would be the same.
"Do you need a to go box?"
She asked angling her body away from Hermione and toward Draco putting her chest dangerously close to his face as she leant forward to grab their plates. Hermione turned away from the scene and tried to ignore the pit in her stomach as the girl laughed flirtatiously at something Draco had said.
"I think she might need a box."
Draco said nodding his head towards Hermione causing the girl to turn and acknowledge her. Hermione turned her head towards Draco and saw that he was staring at her intently. Blushing under his intense gaze she quickly shook her head.
"oh, no thank you I don't need a box."
She said smiling sweetly at the black-haired girl.
She gave Hermione an unconvincing smile as she mumbled something about a check before walking off. She shifted in her seat as she tried to busy herself by digging in her purse for Chapstick. Realizing she had left it in Draco's car she let out a frustrated sigh and looked up at him.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
she asked feeling self-conscious as she placed her hands awkwardly in her lap. The waitress came back holding a miniature leather folder before he could respond. She placed it on the table and paused looking at Draco.
"If you're paying cash just put it inside and hand it to the women at the front counter, if it's a card or check I'll have to come back by and get it."
She said putting extra emphasis on the last part. When Draco only nodded without looking at her she huffed and walked away leaving the two alone again.
"Draco-"
"Are you ready to go?"
He asked as he looked down and pulled his wallet out of his pocket. Counting out the amount owed for both of their lunches.
"You don't have to pay for mine."
Hermione said reaching her hand out to stop his without thinking about it. He looked up at her sharply and held her gaze for what felt like hours even though it was for a second or two.
He smiled a small smile and shrugged her hand off of his continuing to put the money in the small folder.
"What type of man do you take me for Granger?"
He said standing up with the black folder in hand. Hermione shook her head and stood up still confused from his prior behavior. Draco reached an arm out and grabbed her purse off the back of her chair and slung it over his shoulder like a coat.
"After you Watson."
He said referring to their previous joke. Hermione walked around the table eyeing him oddly before heading to the front desk as Draco trailed behind her. They stopped briefly at the counter to drop off their payment and headed to the car.
"So, do you want me to take you home now…"
Draco asked trailing off has he turned to face her his arm resting on the glove compartment. She didn't necessarily want to go home, but realistically she no longer had a reason to be out with him.
"It doesn't matter."
She said no longer able to make eye contact with him as she spoke. Draco shrugged and turned to start up the car.
"Well, I don't wanna go home yet; neither of my parents will be there."
He said pulling out of the tiny parking space he had skillfully parked in earlier.
"So, I guess I'll have to hold you captive for a few more hours."
He finished; quickly glancing over at her and winking, and although Hermione had never been that type of girl, she bit her tongue just in case a squeal slipped out.