Disclaimer: Nooooothiiiingggg. It's JKR's.

Chapter 8

"Pansy? Are you here?" Hermione arrived in Pansy's living room and listened for a sound to show that her friend was home. After hearing nothing but the clock ticking, she decided to start making dinner for them both. She yawned and chucked her wand on the kitchen counter next the cooker. What to make? Checking the fridge, she spied some steak, and was about to rip off the packaging when she heard Pansy floo into the living room.

"I'm in here, Pansy!" She yelled, ducking down and fetching some peas out of the freezer.

"No need to shout, Granger." Came a smooth drawl.

"Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise and then swore as her head connected with the fridge door she had left open as she made to straighten up. "Where's my wand?"

Chuckling slightly, Malfoy handed her the wand and took the peas from her grasp, where he emptied them into a pan left on the side. "Who are you cooking for, Granger?"

"Myself and Pansy." She slammed the fridge and freezer door shut and placed the steak onto a grill pan.

"Shame, she's not eating here tonight. She's staying with the Weaselbee." Malfoy pulled himself up onto a counter and stared at Hermione as she stomped her foot angrily.

"No way! Why didn't she tell me, already?"

"She asked me to tell you. And she also said that I should stay and keep you company." Malfoy added a little stiffly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and stared at Malfoy. "No."

"Why not?" He protested something like hurt flashing in his eyes.

"Because you still have that damn Candy Floss stuck in your stupid hair." Hermione went back to cooking the steak and peas. "When you've sorted that out, you're more than welcome to stay."
Malfoy looked flabbergasted. He had Candy Floss stuck in his hair? How long for? He had walked through Diagon Alley! Heaven's above; he'll be the laughing stock!

He jumped off the counter and ran into Pansy's bathroom, ignoring Hermione's tinkle of laughter as she watched him.

He stared in the mirror and spotted a wisp of pink on the crown of his head. Hurriedly, he combed through his blond hair with his fingers, but the hair now began to stick together. Growling, he ran the tap and splashed the top of his head; now his hair just looked damn greasy. Stupid Muggle invention! Grabbing his wand from his pocket, he dried the wet part of his hair and checked his appearance once more, before strolling arrogantly back into the kitchen.

"Ah, much better." Giggled Hermione when she heard him enter. "I meant to ask, did you enjoy yourself today?"

Malfoy nodded and spotted a bottle of red wine in a rack. "Do you think Pansy will mind? And yes, it was a rather amusing day."
"No, she won't. It's a shame though, I really wanted twenty Galleons." Hermione sighed, wistfully.

Malfoy snorted. "You will never win a bet against me."

"Oh yeah? I bet you twenty Galleons I will!" Hermione grinned, prodding the sizzling steak.

"See, that's a bet right there; you won't win that, and therefore, I will win two bets." He said smugly, pouring two glasses of wine.

"How? You never betted that you would always win!" she shot back, trying not to laugh.

"I am now." He retorted childishly. "I bet that I will always win bets and I bet that you will never win bets, because I always win bets."

"I'm confused." Hermione paused stirring the peas and glanced at Malfoy who was watching her.

"So am I." He suddenly smiled another true smile, and Hermione felt something stir in the pit of her stomach. She blushed slightly and turned quickly back to making the food. 'You do not like Malfoy in that way. You do not like Malfoy in that way,' she chanted back to herself.

"How do you like your steak?" Hermione pierced the meat with a fork and saw that it was slightly bloody through the middle; exactly how she liked it.

"Medium-rare." Malfoy opened a drawer and grabbed some cutlery.

"Same!" She said brightly. "They're done now; do you mind laying the table?"

As he fetched the cutlery, Hermione checked the peas and then grabbed two plates. "I'm sorry it's only peas and steak."

"It's fine." Malfoy took both plates over to the table and sat down, waiting for Hermione to come and join him. "Thanks for letting me stay for dinner."

Hermione nodded and sipped her wine. "So, Mr. Malfoy. How are you parents?"

Malfoy looked up from his food in surprise. "They're, uh, great thank you." He frowned slightly as if he wanted to say something. Opening his mouth, he began in an urging voice. "I want you to know that they have changed as well as me. I don't think they were as prejudiced as they seemed; I think my father put it up as a show and my mother just went along with it."

Hermione nodded and swallowed a piece of her steak. "I actually think that too, Malfoy. I mean, your mum actually said Harry was dead when he wasn't. That could have been the end of everything if she told the truth, but instead, that one act helped end Voldemort's rising."

"I've never really thought about it that way," Malfoy pondered. "But you do realise she was asking about whether I was still alive. I think it was safe to say that my mother did a selfish act, but that selfish act, as you say, helped finish Voldemort."

"You're a close family."

Malfoy didn't answer. Hermione wondered if she said something to upset him, but then after chewing thoughtfully on a piece of meat, he began. "Granger, I'm going to tell you my background. I just ask you to not go repeating this, alright?" He added, his eyes watching her face for any sign of denial. "I was an only child, like you, and you know how lonely it is when you're growing up. My parents always bought me the best toy broom or the new toys from the next trend. I had everything any child could want, but I was still lonely. I had the house-elves, but I had been taught to not treat any creature with the degree of respect I would treat a fellow wizard or Pureblood. My mother always played with me, but it wasn't playing. It was more, 'fetch your broom and fly around the garden whilst I read my latest fashion magazine.' I always looked up to my father; he was my idol, my hero. When I disappointed him, he would shout at me very angrily, but he would never ever beat me. I think many people thought he did, but my father never laid a finger on me. Hell, my mother wouldn't let him!"

He paused to take a sip of wine and a bite of meat and Hermione spoke quietly, "What happened in Sixth year?"

Malfoy's whole body froze. His eyes seemed to pop out of his skull and his knuckles, which gripped the fork, turned white.

"Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. Tell me…when you're ready." Hermione hastily apologised, turning a furious red.

Malfoy released a captured breath and he relaxed. "You think we are a close family. I guess, in a way, over the past few years we have gotten much, much closer. After the War, I left Britain and travelled Europe for two years with only very brief contact with my parents. I think that when I returned, my parents and I realised the importance of family and from then on, I spent more time with them."

"That's really good." Hermione smiled cautiously at him. "I completely understand about being lonely."

Malfoy gave half a smile before returning to his food.

"I think the rest of the wizarding world has gotten over your family's involvement with Voldemort." Hermione stated, watching his reaction. "Six years has been long enough for most people to get over the grief and resentment."

Malfoy scowled. "We didn't do anything. We never murdered anyone."

"I know, Malfoy," Hermione said gently. "But because your dad was a…Death Eater, people would have thought your whole family was, and so they would hold a grudge against you for anyone close to them who had died."
"My parents regret everything and so do I." He snarled. "They have done everything over the past six years to try and bring the Malfoy name from the mud and back up to where it belongs!"

Hermione sighed and closed her eyes. Great. She had managed to infuriate Malfoy. "Sorry. I didn't want this conversation to end badly. I'm sorry, Malfoy. I-I think your parents have done a really good job to try and restore their name."

His angry, twisted face seemed to relax slightly, and then it moulded back into the smooth expression of Draco Malfoy. "Thank you."

Hermione gave a hesitant smile and then finished off her meal.

"My mother hosts a ball every winter and summer." Malfoy mentioned suddenly.

"Oh." There was an awkward silence. "That's lovely. Does Pansy go every time?"

Malfoy snorted. "And they call you the brightest witch of our age! Of course she does, Granger! She wouldn't miss them for the world. She's had different dresses for each one."

Hermione laughed, her tight chest loosening. She had a close shave there! "Who usually goes?"

Malfoy thought for a moment, "Mostly my parent's friends, but they've had children who were in Slytherin so I know pretty much everyone. Lots of people go – they invite important members of the Ministry and so on. I think that maybe…you and Potter should go along to this Christmas one."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up into her hair. "Are you inviting me to a ball, Malfoy?"

"And Potter," he corrected, "but essentially, yes."

"Wow. Is this just a ploy to get your reputation even higher, or are you genuinely asking." Hermione asked shrewdly.

Malfoy smirked. "A bit of both, really. I think it's edging more towards getting our family's name high again."

"Well, then. No." Hermione folded her arms from across the table and glared at him.

"No?" He quirked an eyebrow. "Granger, many witches would kill to be given this opportunity and you've just turned it down." He shook his head. "Crazy."

"If you can prove to me that you actually want me and Harry to go, then maybe I'll say yes!" She raised her voice loudly. "You can't expect me to go to a ball which you and your parents don't even want me there for, except to raise the Malfoy name!"

"I bet I can you make you go by the date of the ball; Christmas Eve."

"How much?" Her eyes narrowed.

"One hundred Galleons."

"Two hundred."

"One fifty."

"Two hundred and I'm not budging." Hermione folded her arms and pursed her lips.

"Fine, two hundred." He snapped, irately. "You'll be sorry, though, when you have to pay up."

"Fat chance." Her lip curled.

Malfoy only raised his glass and stared at the blood red liquid. "So, Granger. Tell me a little more about yourself."

Hermione sighed and clasped her hands together under her chin. "As you know, I was an only child. My life was obviously very different to yours; for a start, I was Muggle-born. I was brought up in the Muggle world and had a very different way of life. I went to a primary school in west London, and you could probably guess that I was bullied." Her voice sounded quite strained as she continued. "I didn't have very good 'friend-making' skills and I spent most of my time sitting on the bench reading a book in lunch breaks. I think my parents realised that I didn't have many friends at school, and they knew people called me names because of my teeth, appearance and the fact I spent so much time on my own reading."

"And that basically carried on when you arrived at Hogwarts. From me." Malfoy averted his gaze. "Sorry." He murmured.

She laughed, shaking her head. "It's fine, don't worry about it. That all happened six years ago. Anyway, my parents and I were close. We spent every weekend doing something together; going to the park, visiting family, going to Museums and so on. Then, the letter arrived from Hogwarts." Her eyes seemed to come alight, and she smiled as she spoke, "I was amazed, ecstatic. My parents were shocked and down-right speechless. But they were extremely proud. When Dumbledore came, my parents were asking so many questions about our world that he stayed for about three hours. Then, you know the usual; we went along to Diagon Alley, got the stuff, and went to Hogwarts…I think my parents missed me quite a lot. They sent me a lot of sugar-free sweets and a letter twice a week for my first two years at Hogwarts, until I insisted that they just send me a long one once a month."

"What's the point of having sugar-free sweets? They're supposed to taste sugary." Malfoy chuckled, his expression confused.

"I told you; they're dentists. My parents didn't want my teeth to be ruined. Dentists look after our teeth. If there's a hole in one – decay from too much sugar, for instance – they put a filling in it otherwise it's very painful. They even take out teeth if it's too crowded in your mouth."

Malfoy winced. "Sounds lovely."

They both fell silent and the only noise was of the kitchen clock and Malfoy's knife and fork picking up the food. He finished, took a sip of wine, and stretched his arms above his head, his back cracking loudly.

"Thanks for that, Granger."

"Its okay, Malfoy; it was a pleasure. I wonder how Ron is…do you think Pansy will come back tonight or stay with him."

He shrugged. "No idea."

"What's the time…?" she trailed off glancing at the kitchen clock. Noticing it was only eight o'clock, she decided there was more time to get to know the mysterious man in front of her. "I'm curious to know, Malfoy, where do you live?"

"Oxford. Why? Planning on stalking me, Granger?" He teased. "Where do you live?"

"Vauxhall," she replied with a grimace. "Not the nicest of places, I know, but I'm planning on moving soon."

"Oh? Where to?" Malfoy seemed genuinely interested.

"Kew. I love the gardens there; absolutely gorgeous." Hermione said brightly. "I've been looking for a flat or small house there, but I can't find one."

"It's rather expensive though, don't you think? Can you afford it?" He added in a disbelieving tone.

"I'll have you know that my bookshop is one of the best to go to in wizarding London; it's extremely popular." She sent daggers at Malfoy who only smirked in return. "I have plenty of money to spend."

He laughed. "Okay, whatever, Granger." He stood up and flourished his wand so that the plates levitated themselves over to the counter by the sink.

"Do you want to go into the living room?" Hermione asked, also getting to her feet, grabbing her wine glass.

"Okay." Malfoy took his glass and the bottle of wine with him into the living room, where he placed it on the coffee table and made himself comfortable on the sofa.

Hermione headed over to the armchair when Malfoy patted the space on the sofa next to him. "Do you want me to sit there?" Hermione asked, fairly shocked.

"Yes, if you don't mind. I prefer talking to people who are next to me, rather than on the opposite side of the room." He remarked, resting one leg on his other thigh.

Shrugging, Hermione curled up in the corner of the sofa and sipped her nearly-empty glass of wine, unsure of what to say.

"What do you think of Pansy and Ron's relationship?" Malfoy broke the silence suddenly, startling Hermione.

"As long as Ron is happy, then it's fine. I like Pansy and I think she's good for him." She replied simply. "Why? You don't like it?"

Malfoy sighed and ran a hand through his hair, making it ruffled. Hermione thought him rather handsome looking like that. Wait! No she didn't! Shut up brain! Malfoy interrupted her thoughts with his answer.

"Like you, I'm fine with it because she's happy, but I'd rather it wasn't Weasley."

"Why is it that you can't get along with him? You and Harry have started being civil with each other, but why can't you do that with Ron?" She pressed, scowling.

"Because. It's Weasley."

"That's an awful excuse for an answer." Snickered Hermione. "Even Lavender Brown could have thought up a better one."

"Brown? That dumb slag?" Malfoy snorted. "I doubt it. Didn't Weasley go out with her in sixth year?"

"Yes. I remember at the time I was pretty cut up about it." She mused.

"Over Weasley?" Malfoy sounded incredulous. "Why on Earth would you be upset about Weasley going out with her of all people?"

"Because I thought I loved him!" She said angrily, glaring at him. "As if you would know anything about love."

Instantly regretting what she said, she watched as Malfoy paled and sent her a death-stare. His grip tightened on the wine glass and she thought it would shatter in two any minute.

"Crap, I'm sorry, Malfoy. It just slipped out; I'm so sorry." She repeated, flushing. How much of an idiot was she?

Malfoy set his glass down angrily on the table and stood up. "See you later. Mudblood."

That hurt. That really hurt. But she guessed she deserved it, she thought as she watched him storm over to the fireplace and disappear within the green flames.

Groaning aloud, she shook her head and downed the rest of her glass. Frowning, she grabbed the bottle and poured herself another. How thoughtless and stupid could she get? She was having a perfectly pleasant conversation with Malfoy, then she had to go and ruin it by saying he didn't know anything about love! But she couldn't talk; she had never been in love with anyone herself. She thought that she loved Ron, but afterwards she realised she only was ever very fond of him. Groaning again, she finished off the wine in her glass and spied there was some more left in the bottle. Ignoring the nagging voice in the back of her mind, warning her that she would regret this later, she swigged from the bottle, trying to drown away the previous events. When she swallowed the last drop, Hermione felt that she needed more drink to forget and she stumbled back into the kitchen, grabbing another bottle from the rack. Removing the cork with her wand, very shakily, she began to drink the sweet tasting wine as she wandered back into the living room. Sitting back down, she knew she deserved being called a Mudblood.

"I'm such…a moron." She slurred, leaning back into the sofa, the new bottle tucked protectively under her arm.

She jumped when the fireplace burst into green flames and her spirits soared, thinking Malfoy had come back so she could sort things out and apologise. Instead, it was Pansy who tsked when she saw Hermione with the bottle of wine clutched in her hand, and looking as if she was to burst into tears.

"Hermione," She said gently, sitting down beside her. "What happened? Who was here?"

"Malfoy. And I'm such an…arse." Hermione mumbled and shook her head slowly.

"Why, what did you do?" Pansy placed a comforting arm around her shoulder and managed to coax the bottle out of Hermione's hand.

"I said that he didn't know anything about love!" She wailed miserably. "Then he called me a…Mudblood." She added in a whisper before bursting into tears.

Pansy rubbed Hermione's back soothingly as she continued to weep, her salty tears creating wet patches on Pansy's shirt. "You need to go to bed, dear. You've had way too much to drink, and you're crying over something which I think Draco overreacted to."

"Really?" Hermione sniffed, finally looking up.

Pansy nodded. "C'mon. Let's get you to the room." She helped Hermione up from the sofa and led her gently into her room. Hermione collapsed fully-clothed on the bed, with one thought stuck in her mind; Draco Malfoy was never going to talk to her again.

--

"Rise and shine, Grumpy." Pansy called cheerfully, banging open the bedroom door and opening the curtains with her wand.

Her response was a loud groan from Hermione whose head was stuffed underneath a pillow. "What time is it?"

"Half past eleven. You need to get up right now, because in half an hour, we're meeting Draco."

Hermione sat up in bed immediately, hair like a bush and head pounding. "What do you mean we're? I'm not going anywhere!" She said shrilly.

"Yes, you are. Now, get in the shower, I'll give you some Pepper-up and then we're going." Pansy said firmly, ripping the covers off Hermione's body.
Sending Pansy a glare, Hermione slowly managed to get out of bed and stumble tiredly into the bathroom where she had a long, hot shower.

Feeling more refreshed when she got out, Hermione bundled up her dirty clothes from yesterday, and scampered across the hallway and into the bedroom, clad in only a towel. Drying herself with her wand, she ignored the nerves which were making her stomach turn, got dressed and headed into the kitchen where she was handed a vial by a satisfied Pansy.

"Well done. Now drink."

Swallowing the vile tasting liquid, Hermione latched herself onto Pansy's arm, as she Apparated them both to the meeting point.

"I can't do this." Hermione whispered to Pansy, as they walked into the Three Broomsticks. "He hates me more than ever now."
"No he doesn't. Draco happens to say things which he doesn't mean when he's angry. I'm sure he'll be very apologetic."

"What the hell is she doing here, Pansy?" Malfoy appeared in front of them both; his face slightly pink and angry.

"Yeah, really apologetic." Hermione muttered sarcastically.

"She is here because I invited her, Draco. And you two need sort things out; I know Hermione didn't mean what she said to you, and I know you didn't mean what you said to her." Pansy pushed both of them into seats and sat down next to Hermione.

"Well she can go ahead and say it to me, then." Malfoy challenged, folding his arms from across the table.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Pansy cut across her in a sharp voice. "Quit being so childish Draco. You overreacted and you know it."

"She knows nothing!" he hissed back. "She doesn't know anything about my love life." He continued to speak as if Hermione wasn't there.

"You're right, Malfoy, I don't." Hermione agreed, sighing. "And I'm sorry for what I said to you."

Malfoy seemed to relax slightly. "I'm…sorry for calling you Mudblood. It was out of order." He managed to say stiffly.

"And Pansy's right. I didn't mean what I said." Hermione added, looking shame-facedly down at the wooden table.

"Me neither." She heard his reply just loud enough over the babble of voices.

Looking up, she grinned nervously at his imposing figure. He smiled hesitantly back and Pansy groaned loudly next to them.

"Honestly. You two are unbelievable." She shook her head scowling and began to mumble words under breath which sounded suspiciously like 'old married couple'.

"Shall we order lunch then?" Malfoy asked loudly.

Hermione laughed. "Anything to shut her up."

Pansy narrowed her eyes at Hermione. "How dare-"

She was silenced as Hermione flicked her wand and cast a Silencing Charm over her. Really, she was quite a bitch.

Hmm, how did you like that? Anyway, thank you ALL for the support in your reviews! :D