XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Chapter 6 –

Draco Malfoy thought Hermione Granger was pretty. Now wasn't that a kick in the pants. When did that happen? What was she supposed to say or do now? She decided not to say a word, instead, she smiled and looked down at her feet. When she looked back up in his eyes, she was surprised that he was smiling. She didn't know what to make of a happy, smiling, Malfoy. This was brand new to her.

She was about to say that she thought he was pretty too, as stupid as that may have sounded, when someone opened the door to the shed.

"What the hell are you two doing in there?" Harry Potter asked.

Harry always had terrible timing. "I was hiding so I wouldn't have to pretend I wanted to catch the bouquet. I'm not sure why Malfoy is in here," Hermione lied. "Why are you in here, Malfoy?"

Oh, she was an evil little thing, wasn't she? Draco decided to call her out, so he said, "I was minding my own business, about to go join the other chaps to catch the garter, when you pulled me in here with you," he smirked. He turned to Harry and said, "I can only assume the little tart wanted to snog."

Hermione looked indignant, but Harry knew the truth. He said, "Well, Malfoy, you're in luck, for the 'chaps' haven't been gathered to catch the garter yet. Come on out with me and maybe you'll get lucky." He grabbed Malfoy's sleeve and dragged him out of the shed.

Hermione laughed and he looked back at her and said, "Help me."

She said, "You wouldn't want me to help, I'm nothing by a tramp, a trollop, a common scarlet woman who pulls men into sheds to snog them."

"Granger!" he begged. "I only said you were a tart!" he reminded her with a strangled voice."

She followed the men to the backyard. Harry yelled, "Here's Malfoy, gents, let's get this over with."

Ron made a right spectacle of himself, taking off Pansy's garter with his teeth. Hermione blanched. If he had done that to her, she would have been so embarrassed that she would have hexed him. Pansy didn't seem to mind one bit. Stupid slag.

Draco stood near the back, and turned to look at Hermione once more. She shrugged. She then got a wonderful idea. As soon as Ron let the garter go over his shoulder, she took out her wand, said a little silent spell, and it landed right in Malfoy's hand. He was more surprised than the rest of the men. He looked quickly at her and mouthed the words, 'you did that!' She laughed again and doubled over with mirth.

Everyone started to yell for Malfoy to put the garter on the witch who caught the bouquet. If Hermione had known that was going to happen, she wouldn't have aimed the garter toward Malfoy, for a beautiful black haired cousin of Pansy's, apparently the only non-pug face female in her family, was the recipient of the bouquet, and would have to have Malfoy's hands travel up her leg to place the garter under her skirt.

Draco looked to be enjoying himself as he did the task. Hermione moved back around the same side of the house she had just come. No harm, no foul. He was a free man. It wasn't as if he was her date or anything, even though in a way she felt as if he was. They weren't even friends before today, and they would probably not be friends afterwards. He could stick his paws over all the bare legs he wanted. She felt down right glum again.

She took off over a meadow, not even knowing where it headed. She had enough of brides, grooms, garters and bouquets, to last her a lifetime.

She found a field of wildflowers, and sat down on the ground. The flowers were higher than she, so no one could find her. She lay back on her back, with her arms under her head. She looked up at the white clouds passing by. It really was the perfect day for a wedding. The type of day she dreamed about for her wedding. It was June, the perfect wedding month. The sky was a brilliant blue. The clouds were white and puffy, and few. The temperature perfect, the wind minimal. Merlin, how did Ron and Pansy get so lucky? It would probably rain, snow, sleet and hail on Hermione's wedding day.

She closed her eyes. She heard a voice calling her name. She strained to listen, because depending on who it was, she might call back to them, or she might not. "GRANGER?"

It was Draco. She sat back up. He called once more. She finally said, "Over here!" She waved her hand in the air, so he could see.

He plopped down on the ground beside her. Hermione had a white daisy in her hand. He took it from her and played with it a moment. Then he leaned over and put it in her hair, behind her ear. It was one of the most romantic things anyone had ever done, and her heart skipped a beat.

She looked at him and said, "Did you and the tramp have a nice time with the garter belt."

"Yes, it was rather pleasant," he said, lying back on the ground.

She remained seated. She picked another small flower and twirled it in her hand. She felt his fingers lightly travel down her back, and then pull away. She turned to look at him. "Come here," he said.

Was he daft? She said, "I am here, what do you want, anyway?"

"Come down here with me, and let's see what animals we can make out of the clouds," he said. That wasn't at all what he wanted to say. When he first reached out to touch her back, the feel of her silky dress grazed his fingertips, and he wanted to tell her to come to him so that he could kiss her. However, since this was a new relationship, based more on friendship than anything else, that wouldn't have been prudent.

She lay down beside him. Their shoulders were the only things that touched. He pointed up at a cloud and said, "I swear, that cloud up there looks like Professor Snape's profile."

Hermione giggled so hard that her knees drew up to her stomach. She playfully touched his left wrist with her right hand and said, "You won't believe this, but I honestly was going to say that right before you did."

"I'm psychic, I guess." He laughed.

She turned to her side. "If you're psychic, tell me what I'm thinking right now."

He turned to his side and looked deeply in her eyes. He reached over and took the flower from her ear, and held it in his hand. He really just wanted an excuse to touch her, but that was the next best thing. He said, "You're thinking that this is a perfect day for a wedding, and what a shame that it was wasted on those pathetic dolts."

Hermione sat up, abruptly and said, "I really was thinking that, weird, huh?"

He sat up as well and said, "Not weird, I was thinking the same thing."

She drew her knees up to her chest and tilted her head. She said, "So, do you want to get married someday. I think I asked you that earlier today, but I don't recall what you said."

"Yeah, I can see me getting married, someday. A long time from now," he said truthfully. "Why do you want to get married so badly, Granger? Is it just because all those around you are getting married, or do you have a need to start a family, what?"

She looked down at the ground and rocked back and forth, slightly. "I don't know, Malfoy. I hope I'm a big enough person that it's not jealousy. I mean, I do want children, more than one, and a man who loves and adores me. It doesn't have to happen tomorrow, but I would like to think I have a prospect of it happening before I die."

"I'm sure it will. You're still young. You have time," he said, trying to assure her.

"Sure, Malfoy," she said, not convinced. She lay back down, and so did he. She pointed at another cloud and said, "That one looks like Ron's private parts."

He made a terrible face and she looked over and laughed at him. "It isn't true to size, is it?" he asked.

Hermione laughed so hard at that comment that she snorted. Draco leaned over her, supported his head with his hand, and said, "I always liked a woman who really laughs."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes, let's see if I can make you snort again," he said. His hand came down on her stomach, and he tickled her ribs. She tried to hit his hand away, laughing (and snorting).

She managed to squirm away from him and said, "No fair. I wasn't prepared." She was out of breath. She sat up.

He got up on his knees, walked over to her, (while still on his knees) and said, "You have all kinds of weeds in your hair. Now Potter really will think we were out here snogging."

"Oh, screw Potter," Hermione said. That made Draco laugh.

"That's what I think!" he said.

She said, "We should get back."

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't know," she confessed. Actually, she could spend all day with him, and never tire of it. This day had been like the best date she had never had. She stood up and he followed. She started to comb out her hair with her fingers. She said, "I do have weeds in my hair," holding up one to Draco as proof.

"First rice, now weeds," he said, proposing, "Let me help."

His right hand came up to her hair, and he combed his fingers through it. It was so soft. He had thought so earlier, and now, he knew it. Hermione watched him intently. His eyes were on her hair. When he finished he dropped his hand and looked at her. He saw how intently she was staring at him. He felt a pull toward her, so he took a step closer. Her mouth was parted slightly. Her eyes, wide and clear. His eyes flickered with something. She wasn't sure what it was. She started to say something inane like 'we should get back', but then she remembered she already had said that earlier.

Instead, she took another step toward him. They were close enough to kiss, she thought. Maybe they should kiss. If he didn't kiss her in five seconds, she would pluck up the courage, and kiss him. They remained motionless, without words, merely staring at each other. She started the count down, five, four, three, two, one…nothing happened.

He didn't kiss her. Their close proximity to each other was borderline awkward now. Why didn't she just go ahead and kiss him. She put her hand up to his cheek. His skin was warm. It was a warm day, after all. She let her hand linger to his neck. He reached up and took her hand in his. He gave it a gentle squeeze, before laying it on his chest. He kept his hand on top of hers, while his other hand drew a soft line down her cheek. It ended cupping her face.

He said, "What are you thinking?" His hand was now on her neck. He could feel her pulse. Pump, Pump, Pump. Her pulse was rapid. He was sure his was, too.

"What are you thinking about, Malfoy?" she asked back. Her throat was so dry, she didn't know how she managed to speak.

"I'm thinking that I like being friends with you," he said.

That wasn't what she wanted to hear. She said, "Friends?"

"Don't you want to be my friend, Hermione?" he asked steadily. She thought her name sounded foreign coming out of his mouth.

Their postures had not changed. His hands were still in the same position, one over her hand, resting over his heart, his other hand now on the back of her head, playing with her hair. Her other hand went up to his jaw line, and traced a line down to his chin. She plucked up the courage she wished she had earlier, and traced the same finger around his mouth. She took a deep breath and swallowed hard before answering.

"Yes," she said to answer his question right before his mouth came crashing down on hers. It happened so fast, but anticipated for so long, that she was almost thrown for a loop. Her knees bent, unable to support her frame. He kissed her, pulled back, looked at her, growled, (growled?) and went in to kiss her again. He pressed his mouth hard against hers, and she hardly had time to respond.

Her head moved slightly to the side, as his kiss became gentler. It was still a closed mouth kiss, but one of the best kisses she had ever had in her life. He finally removed his lips from hers. Both his arms were now around her waist. She felt her heart beating out of her chest. She would have collapsed if he hadn't been holding her up.

"So, friends, Granger?" he asked.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX