My rambles are after the chapter this time, so enjoy:

The Moonlight Glares

Disclaimer: I don't own any of JK Rowling's wonderful world or characters.

Chapter Four

Anna set the bread basket down on the table and looked up, grinning, at Phe. "Don't you think it's brilliant?" Anna squealed.

Phe scrunched her nose and then smiled as she set down the last set of silverware. "Yes. It will be so funny to see his reaction. But we'll need to both work on it, right? I mean, I can prod Draco some, I've heard him talk about your sister since he started school."

"Yeah, and I can 'help' Hermione," Anna said, grinning, "I'm sure she wouldn't object to some fashion advice from her sister. This will be quite a year."

"Yeah, plus we'll be there the whole time!" Phe squealed, "At Hogwarts!" The two girls laughed and went skipping off into the kitchen as Draco entered the dining room from a back door. He sauntered over to the table and lazily sat down, leaning back after grabbing a roll from the basket.

He didn't notice Hermione until she pulled up a chair next to him, her nose in a book. He smirked. Apparently, she hadn't noticed him either. He looked pointedly out the window as he said, "So, Granger, I hear Muggle town is nice this time of year."

Hermione didn't freak this time, but said coolly, "Actually, it is, not that you'd know." And then went right back to reading her book.

Draco frowned for a moment. He hadn't thought she'd be so calm. He turned to her and took the book out of her hands, "What're you reading so avidly anyway?" He flipped the book closed and read the back as Hermione tapped her foot impatiently.

"Nothing of your interest," she said, grabbing it out of his hands and setting it roughly on the table.

Draco craned his neck over to read the title. "A Great And Terrible Beauty… I'd never have taken you as one for Romance, Granger."

Hermione felt a flush rising in her cheeks, "It's not Romance," she said, slipping it under the table, "It's a fictional book about girls at a boarding school in Victorian England, and the supernatural things they discover there."

"Sounds like Romance to me," Draco said, putting his arms behind his head and tipping his chair back.

Hermione made a face, "Well then, what do you read, Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, to study your idols?"

Draco's face darkened, but his reply was cut off by Anna and Phe entering again, this time with salad and glasses.

"Mum said she'd be back at five," Anna said to Hermione, "and Daddy should be coming in any minute too."

As if on cue, the fireplace blazed green and Mr. Lane stepped out, followed by Elizabeth, and then Narcissa Malfoy. Hermione nearly felt her mouth drop, but refrained herself. Draco quickly sat up straight, and Phe ran over to her mother and hugged her.

"I didn't know you were coming to dinner, mum!" Phe exclaimed. Narcissia smiled and pried her daughter off her as she made her way to the table.

"Well, Mrs. Lane had the courtesy of inviting me, since otherwise I would have been at home alone."

Phe ran back over and she and Anna sat directly across from Draco. Mr. Lane sat down at the head of the table as Elizabeth ran off to the kitchen. Narcissia placed herself to Mr. Lane's left. She smiled at Hermione as she sat down, and Hermione wasn't sure what to think. It was silent for a moment, in which Phe bounced into a seat next to Anna's and the group calmly watched.

After the meal had started, Narcissia attempted to make conversation with Hermione.

"I'm Narcissia Malfoy," the older woman said smiling, "You're Elizabeth's girl, aren't you?"

"Yes," said Hermione, "My name is Hermione Granger,"

Narcissia's face seemed to look shocked for a second, but then Hermione thought surely she had imagined it, for the women was talking again as if nothing had happened, "Oh, you go to Hogwarts, don't you? I think Draco has told me you're the top fo your class, is that right?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes, but I don't try to flaunt it."

"Of course not, dear," Narcissia said, turning to Draco, "I don't believe Draco flaunts his good marks either, it's just rude,"

Hermione felt herself nearly choke. The ferret had good marks?

"I doesn't help when all you can say is you're second-best in every class," Draco drawled.

Hermione felt herself really choke this time and had to spit the extra water back into her glass.

"Are you alright dear?" Narcissia said.

"O-of course," Hermione said, "Just got a little down the wrong tube,"

Narcissia nodded, smiling, and turned to Elizabeth to discuss the latest fashion trends. Hermione turned to look at Draco.

"You never said you teased me because you were jealous of me," Hermione said slyly.

Draco looked taken aback, but then regained his composure, "Jealous? What makes you think that, Granger?" he spit the word out as if it were some sort of filth.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "It's obvious, isn't it? You didn't just hate me because I was "muggle-born", considering you can live with muggle things, (she thought of the refrigerator) but rather because I beat you –and continue to beat you- in every class,"

"Except potions," Draco mumbled under his breath.

"That," she said, "Is only because Professor Snape favors Slytherins. You know full well I would do better than you normally."

"Really?" said Draco, "Then I can be expecting you in his class of only students with "Outstandings" on their O.W.L. next semester?"

"Naturally," Hermione stated, crossing her arms as she did so.

"Bah," said Draco, turning back to his dinner, "I have better things to do than argue with a mudbl—"

"Don't even think about it. I'm not one," Hermione said smugly, turning back to her own plate.

Draco felt himself anger and had to take a deep breath. Hermione, on the other hand, was near smirking, but refrained from it, and instead smiled and took a large bite of mashed potatoes.

Anna and Phe, on the other side of the table, had heard every word.

The hall was almost dark as Hermione walked down it in her white nightgown towards her sister's room. She held a candle in her left hand and was about to turn the corner that lead to Anna's room when she heard a sound from one of the guest room. Treading carefully, she opened the door a peaked inside to see nothing but a candle burning on the nightstand. She opened the door more and stepped in, only to see Draco step out of the door to the bathroom. He didn't notice her as he made his way to the bed, and wouldn't have too, until she turned to go and the door let out a squeak.

Draco turned around to see Hermione standing there, fairly shell-shocked, and for once in her life speechless. It took him a moment to speak.

"Come to see me, Granger?" He smirked.

"Never," said Hermione, "It just happens to be my house,"

Draco raised an eyebrow, "As far as I know, I've spent more nights in it that you have. Now, if you would be so kind as to get out of my room, I would like to sleep before I have to deal with you again—"

"It's not your room. It's a guest room."

"Actually, since Phe and I have stayed here a lot when mother and father have been gone, it is my room." He gestured at the walls, which Hermione hadn't noticed, had several posters over them of quidditch teams. "You're just lucky it isn't Blaise whose parents are best of friends with yours. Now get out." He turned around.

"Why?"

Draco felt himself turning towards her again and sighed, "He's not the nicest to girls. Will you leave?"

Hermione, however, had planted her feet where she was, "Why should I?"

"Damnit Granger, you're insufferable. Fine, stand there all night if you want to, I'm going to sleep." He sat down on the bed and began getting undressed (A/N: to his boxers, you sick minds!).

"Are your parents really gone that often?" Hermione asked quietly.

There was a pause, and then "Yes," Draco said, "I'm pretty sure Phe has lived here more often than not during the time we're at school. Now I'm old enough to watch her during the summer, but before that, we stayed here almost all summer while Dad would be off on business and mother would be off in her social realm, and plenty of the year before I was at Hogwarts. Uncle Jon and Aunt Elizabeth are great people."

Hermione felt herself shrink. ". . . Aunt?"

"Jon Lane is Dad's half-brother," Draco said, before blowing his candle out, "Good night." With that, he slid under the covers, and after a minute, Hermione felt herself turn and run away.

phew. . .another chapter done. Somehow the dinner scene was hard to write. I liked the Guest room scene though. What do you think?

Oh, and my thanks to : brokenflower / Cal8907/ jalapeno1011 / Jess-Granger / .x.X.x. xesha .x.X.x. / yenyen /The Future Mrs. Thomas Andrew Felton for reviewing. Wouldn't be able to continue without you guys!

Also, props to brokenflower for getting last chapter's question right! This chapter's question is: What was the controversy about Blaise Zabini before the 6th book came out?

Anyways, thanks for reading, and if you have time, drop a review: good or bad, praise or flame, they're all fine with me! -