****Hi everyone. I hope you're all well. I'm sad to say, I will not be updating for about a month. I am going away for a holiday and I won't have internet most of the time, nor my computer. However, to compensate, I will upload two chapters today, one of which is nice and long. I hope you enjoy reading them and please, PLEASE review! Thanks everyone xx****

As light began to filter into the room, I turned to Hermione, smiling weakly.

"Thanks." My voice was barely a whisper, disappearing into the silence of the dorm as soon as it left my lips.

She leant over and planted a soft kiss on my cheek. The spot where she touched radiated warmth.

"Breakfast?"

"Definitely," I agreed.

Roughly rubbing the heels of my hands into my sleep deprived eyes, I rose from the bed.

"I just need to change. Meet you in the common room."

Hermione left, gently closing the door behind her.

I strode over to my cupboard and pulled open the door, the mirror inside reflecting my rumpled appearance. I groaned and pushed the door further back, so as not to see myself.

Pulling a crisp, white shirt over my head, I fastened the transparent buttons almost to the top. I grabbed my silver and green striped tie and slung it loosely around my neck. My boxers were discarded on the floor as I hiked up my grey school pants. I stepped into my shoes and walked out of the door, down the spiralling stairs to the common room below.

"Hermione?" I called.

"Coming."

I heard a thud, thud, thud as Hermione came down the stairs from her dormitory.

"Okay, I'm ready."

I reached for her hand, as we walked to the Great Hall, together.

Breaking the silence, I said, "I uh… I'd like to take you on a date, Granger."

She smirked at me and quirked an eyebrow.

"Did I just get asked on a date by Draco Malfoy? The Draco Malfoy? I feel so honoured." She rolled her warm eyes and giggled. I shoved her sideways with my shoulder. "Fine, fine! I'll go, but only if you promise to behave. No swagger, okay Malfoy?"

"If you insist," I whined, "We'll go this evening."

"Alright. See you then, Malfoy."

"You better be on time, Granger!" I called after her retreating back, walking over the Slytherin table.

Dropping down onto the long bench, I grinned to myself.

I am so lucky.

My smile soon vanished however, as I remembered the date.

The date.

It was a spontaneous decision and to be honest, I had nothing planned.

It has to be perfect, I told myself.

The remainder of the day was spent furiously planning this last-minute, date.

I ran around the school, asking for favours and planning the special surprise.

When it was finally time to return to the Slytherin table for dinner, I could see Hermione eyeing me from across the hall. My stomach clenched and my palms began to sweat.

What if she doesn't like it?

After pudding, I looked over to the Gryffindor benches. Hermione's eyes met mine and I flicked my head to gesture our departure. She nodded and rose from the table, waving goodbye to Parvati Patil.

"Good luck, mate." It was Blaise Zabini, one of my 'favour-givers' for tonight.

I gulped, "Thanks, Blaise."

Straightening my tie, I strode towards Hermione and into the entrance hall.

"Hey, Draco." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek.

"H- Hey Hermione." I put my arms around her, somewhat awkwardly.

Why am I so nervous? She already likes me.

Yet somehow, I could not shake the writhing snakes inhabiting my intestines.

"You, uh, ready to go?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Of course," she replied breezily.

Screwing up my courage, I grabbed her hand, swinging it as casually as I could manage.

"Draco! Your hand's all sweaty," Hermione exclaimed, "You aren't nervous, are you?"

"What? No, it's just… Just warm in here, that's all. Let's head out."

I pulled her out of the entrance hall and down the steep stone steps, into the grounds.

"First stop, the Black Lake."

Hermione turned to me in surprise. "You've got to be joking," she cried. "It's frozen solid!" Her eyes were wide with incredulity.

It was indeed currently snowing, and the lake was a mass of ice.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see, Granger."

As we approached the lake's edge, I heard Hermione's quick intake of breath.

"Oh, Draco. It's- It's beautiful."

The frozen lake was alight with thousands of floating fairies, their glows emanating every colour imaginable. They were all dancing, mid-air, to the gentle sounds of an orchestra. Hermione's neck was craning as she attempted to find the source of the music. I knew exactly where they were; just behind a clump of bushes to our right, but Hermione's attempts were in vain.

Zabini's mother, the well-connected woman she was, had asked the band to play for me tonight. My money sack was, now, considerably lighter. Along with the orchestra, I had also hired the fairies through Hagrid, the gatekeeper. He had been most reluctant, due to our history, but after I told him I needed them for Hermione, he was more than willing to oblige.

"All yeh've got ter do is feed 'em some Puffapods," he'd said, "They like the seeds they do."

After I'd payed the fairies most generously in Puffapods, they'd happily agreed to provide their services.

Hermione was just about to go looking for the orchestra, when I drew two pairs of ice-skates from a bush nearby.

"Now, I've borrowed these from Pansy and Blaise," I said, regaining her attention, "So, we have to return them tomorrow. But for now," I gestured to the glowing lake before us, "we skate."

We strapped ourselves into our skates and stood, moving cautiously towards the lake. I had never actually skated before but, how hard could it be, if muggles do it?

I had only put one bladed shoe onto the lake before I slipped, tumbling clumsily onto the glassy surface.

"Shit!"

Beside me, Hermione pushed off from the edge of the lake, gliding ten metres before coming to a swift halt.

"I'll let you in on a secret," she called, "I've been skating since I was eight." Her smirk was slightly warped in the pulsating lights from the fairies above.

"Well, I have never done this in my life," I admitted. "I may need some help up…"

Chuckling, Hermione drifted over, extending a hand. "It's easy, I'll show you."

With much help from Hermione, despite my wandering feet, I managed to scramble up from the ice and was soon haltingly skating across the glossy surface. My arms, held away from my body, were flailing wildly in an attempt to keep my balance.

"This is harder than I thought," I muttered, distractedly.

Hermione laughed her beautiful, tinkling laugh and grabbed my hand.

"You aren't scared now, are you, Malfoy?"

"No! Of course not…" My voice trailed away, as Hermione pulled me faster and faster. "Hey, slow down!" My feet were slipping and sliding out of control.

Suddenly, the front brake of the skate made contact with the ice. It dug deeply into the smooth surface and I flew forwards, the momentum carrying me high into the air. I fell, spectacularly, back down onto the lake, with a loud smack.

"Ow…" I groaned, flat on my stomach, face pressed against the freezing cold ice.

Hermione was doubled-up with laughter, tears leaking from her eyes.

"You-"

Laugh, "Are so-"

Wheeze, "Bad at this!"

I craned my neck and looked around at her; she was actually clutching her stomach, her face scrunched in a torrent of giggles.

Not exactly like I planned, I thought.

On all fours, I scrambled across the painfully cold surface towards Hermione, grinning wickedly.

"You are so dead."

Straightening, Hermione spotted me and squealed, skating away hastily.

Try as I might to catch up, my floundering limbs simply could not work fast enough. I soon collapsed in a heap on the ice, puffing and panting. My hands and knees were wet and stinging.

"Ok," I puffed, "I surrender. You're too good."

"A mudblood like me, beat a Malfoy?" She laughed, contemplating my woeful form.

Getting to my feet slowly and precariously, I managed to haphazardly skate over to her. As I reached her, the atmosphere sobered and I relished in the warmth within those great brown eyes, at such contrast with the freezing surroundings.

"You would never be… You're not… Hermione, I don't think…"

She reached for my hands and held them, tight.

She nodded, "I know."

Our voices were barely above a whisper.

"You are the single most beautiful thing, I have ever witnessed."

A dull flush crept up Hermione's already rosy cheeks.

We were very close now. Her warm breath rose in steamy clouds between us.

As my lips met hers, I held her face, gently, in my hands.

"I love you." My lips moved against her skin.

"Your hands are cold," she replied, "but, I'll look past it. I love you too much."

I laughed and let her go, grabbing her hand and tugging her towards the castle.

"C'mon. Let's go."

I looked around and saw that Hermione's eyes were overbright. I stopped trying to pull her away and tilted her chin up to face me.

"What's wrong, baby? Everything okay?"

A large tear trickled down her glowing cheek, reflecting the thousands of colours from the fairies above.

"I just… I wish Mum and Dad could… could have met you. I know they would have loved you."

"Hermione, angel, I would give everything to bring them back to you. It hurts me to think I will never meet the incredible people responsible for your existence. I'm sure, where ever they are, your parents are so proud of the person you are, and the person you will become. You're destined for the stars, 'Mione, and I'm here to help you reach them."

I gestured to the twinkling mass above us and, as if on cue, the floating lights formed constellations, illustrating pure, blinding splendour; flowers, sunshine, renowned art, swallows swooping and diving, freedom itself. It was inconceivably beautiful. Yet, all I could do was watch the girl standing less than an arm's length away, gazing up into the infinity spread before us. Her hand was raised, as if to connect the dots.

Silently we stood, seeing the possibilities the future held, written in the stars, or should I say, fairies.