Story Notes

Apologies for posting this a little late, we were away this weekend, usually this story will be updated on Sundays.

Thank you as always to champagneandliterature for the awesome alpha/beta work, and also to krysKrossZee for the beautiful artwork that accompanies this story! (it's up on tumblr if anyone would like to have a look, I'm on there as phoenixofslytherin!)

See you all next weekend! Xx

When Hermione woke for the first time it was still dark, Harry was still wrapped all around her and she couldn't see the clock without moving and waking him up. She knew she hadn't been asleep long, but suddenly her brain was sharply awake. "Nooooo," Harry mumbled in his sleep, tightening his grip on her arm as he continued to snore softly.

She hadn't been asleep long enough for a hangover to develop, in fact, she could still feel the effects of the alcohol from the previous evening. Her head was spinning slightly and she was feeling emotional all over again, despite having cried herself out before falling asleep.

She felt as if something fundamental inside her was changing. A long hidden part of her conscience was waking up and refusing to be silenced any longer. Recently she had felt blinded by a fear that was creeping insidiously into every aspect of her daily life, but tonight some of that finally seemed to be giving way.

The spark of fire that she had so recently rediscovered was starting to burn brighter. Suddenly new possibilities felt within her reach.

Maybe she'd needed to hit rock bottom before she could start to see the way up again. Laying sobbing with fear on the sofa and drinking her way through yet another bottle of wine had seemed to be the only possible solution last night, but this morning it no longer seemed acceptable at all.

She moved slightly, getting comfortable within Harry's warm embrace. It felt so right to be cuddled up beside him. They had slept like this for a long time after the war had ended and they were both living at Grimmauld, but when Harry had gone through a brief spell of bringing different girls home they had just stopped, and never spoken about it, nor done it again. Until tonight.

Hermione sighed, thinking back over the previous five years, trying to understand when and why she had started slipping down the emotional slope that had caused her to end up in such an anxious mess.

Her fledgling relationship with Ron had crumbled shortly after the war had ended. Both of them had been subjected to the spotlight, and the subsequent fame had suited Ron perfectly, whereas she had shied away from the limelight and turned introspectively in on herself.

A similar fate had befallen Harry and Ginny. Ginny had wanted to live the high life, free from the fear of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. She had thrown herself into life on the road with the Holyhead Harpies and her frustration at Harry's lack of interest in socializing had culminated in her leaving him, and him just letting her walk away.

After that Hermione had briefly found comfort in Harry's arms, but then even he had started going out, drinking too much, and bringing unsuitable witches home. Whereas Ron and Ginny had been doing it for fun, Hermione knew that Harry was partying, taking risks and putting himself deliberately in harm's way to block out the lingering war trauma that he had never properly dealt with.

When Harry had distanced himself from her she had felt distraught. That had been the point that her self preservation had kicked in and she had fully closed herself off from the world. She was no occlumens but she had built better defenses around her heart and mind than some of the best mind guardians could attest to. For a while, she had lived comfortably behind her protection, but her self imposed prison had gradually become suffocating and she had slowly started dying behind her own handbuilt defenses.

But then, suddenly last night, she had kicked a small hole in the walls she had so carefully built, and peering out at the outside world had felt tantalizing. She knew she could emerge from her cocoon if only she was brave enough. She'd hidden herself away, therefore she could choose to come back out.

Harry's warm body distracted her from her thoughts. His arm was draped possessively over her and she snuggled even closer, pressing into his warm chest and hoping that he would reach for her again, even if he was asleep and probably dreaming that she was Draco.

Her breathing hitched as something hard and unmistakable male, something she hadn't felt for a very long time pressed sharply into her back. "Hey," he smiled in the darkness, lifting his head as he squinted sleepily down at her.

"I thought you were asleep," she said, whispering unnecessarily since there was no one else to wake up.

"Your overthinking woke me."

"Sorry." She smiled as he pulled her closer still. "Harry?"

"Mmmhmm?" she ran her fingers in little circles over his arm, playing with his soft hairs as he rolled his hips forwards into her much more deliberately than he had last night. In answer she pressed back against him, wiggling her bottom and smiling at his answering gasp.

"What you said... about, you know…. last night, did you...? I mean Draco's a man and I'm-"

Harry chuckled, saying nothing as she continued to stroke his arm. When she didn't elaborate he sighed. "It's a good thing I can understand you isn't it? Yes, I meant what I said about the three of us. I'm bisexual, 'Mione, that means I like men and women. A relationship with just one of you would always feel like the other is missing, although I don't think that's a common trait of being bisexual, so maybe that's just me. Although, maybe it's not, because Draco says he feels the same. It's all a bit confusing to be honest."

She nodded, tryng her best to understand what he meant. "I see. And what about the fact that it's me? I thought you and I were just friends, I barely know Draco, plus there's all the messy history between us..."

"You and I are friends. But you know as well as I do that we used to be a whole lot more, even if I was too stupid to admit my feelings for you at the time." It was too dark for her to see Harry properly and she was glad. This conversation was difficult enough without him being able to see the deep blush on her face. "It depends if you want us to be more than friends again?" he slid a hand lower on her stomach and she pulled in a shaky breath, squirming against him and starting to lose the ability to think clearly.

She swallowed hard, trying to clear her muddled thoughts. To date, Harry was the only person who had ever affected her this way. "What do you want?"

"I asked you first."

"You did." She moved onto her back, desperately needing to put some distance between them before she completely lost her mind to his touch. She stared up at the ceiling and sighed. "It's linked to what I said earlier, I want to stop feeling frightened, Harry. I want to find the girl I used to be, the one who was faced with certain defeat and instead of giving in, jumped onto a dragon's back and flew away with her best friends. The girl with fire in her soul and a dream in her heart. I feel like I lost that girl a long time ago." She sniffed as she wiped away another tear. "I think that you are a big part of all that for me, but I don't know how I feel about Draco just yet."

"When do you think you lost that part of yourself?" Harry asked.

Hermione was quiet for a moment thinking. She knew the answer, she just wasn't sure if she was ready to admit it out loud. Especially not to Harry. She sniffed instead of answering and another tear fell from her eye.

"Hey," Harry wiped it away with the pad of his thumb, "where's all this coming from tonight?"

In answer, she turned her face into his chest and lost herself to another sobbing fit. Harry held her, stroking her hair until she calmed. She took a deep breath, she had to tell him, and it was now or never. "I lost that part of myself around the same time I told myself I wasn't in love with you. You make me feel safe," she admitted, breathing in his familiar scent and using it to ground herself. "You make me feel whole. I do love you, I always have. I don't want to lose you to Malfoy but that's so selfish of me because you deserve to be happy-"

She was cut off by Harry scooting down the bed. He put a finger under her chin, tilted her face up to his and captured her lips in a kiss. It was hot, slow, and it took her breath away. He pulled her against him, she only hesitated for a split second of pure shock before she threw caution to the wind and kissed him back.

He tasted of familiarity, of fire, and of Harry. He rolled over, trapped her beneath him then pulled back to look at her. "Tell me to stop if you don't want this." His breathing was ragged as she wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him down onto her. She had no words, she just raised her head, kissing him back and pressing herself as close to him as she possibly could.

That was when she finally understood what had happened to her over the past couple of years. Harry had pulled away, but she had remained in love with him for all this time, and denying that had nearly led to her downfall. "I said, tell me to stop if you don't want me to do this. 'Mione, I've missed you, I want you and I've always loved you, but if you don't want this between us then-"

"Harry, shhh." She whimpered as he settled beside her and slid his strong hands under her top. She reached for him, needing to touch him, to stroke him, and to pull him closer still. She needed him as she needed air. It was as simple as breathing, with Harry she could be herself. She could relax because he knew her inside out, better than she even knew herself. "I want you," she whispered, kissing him with wild abandon, "and I love you too."

His fingers brushed over her nipples. He'd always known exactly how she liked to be touched, and how to squeeze with just the right amount of pressure to make her moan and whimper. She stroked a hand over the bulge in his boxers and felt him twitch against her. "I need you," she gasped desperately, suddenly aware of how much she had missed him.

"You've got me, love," he confirmed. With one hand he yanked his boxers down his legs and toed them off, and Hermione did the same with her own pajama bottoms. "I'm yours. I've always been yours." He kissed her neck as his other hand dipped lower. "Fuck 'Mione, you're-" he broke off, kissing her again as he stroked a finger through her silken folds. She was more than ready for him, being so close beside him had kept her that way all night.

She gasped as he slipped a finger inside her slick heat. He took his hand away then nudged the tip of himself against her. She squirmed impatiently, crying out as he sheathed himself deliciously inside her. "Oh Gods," more tears slipped out of her closed eyes as Harry started to move, sliding slowly in and out. "Feels so good," she muttered as he picked up the pace.

Neither of them lasted long. She shattered around him with a groan and he collapsed, spent, on top of her, breathing hard and clinging onto her desperately. She was shaking as she gripped him just as tightly in return.

They finally slipped apart and Harry held her close as she wriggled back into his arms, trying to keep as much of herself in contact with him as possible. Harry sighed contentedly, "I've missed you so much. It's always so perfect with you."

Hermione nodded. Her eyes closed as she settled contentedly in Harry's arms. Images of raven black hair and piercing green eyes often haunted her dreams, but tonight she also thought of moonlight blond hair and eyes as grey as smoke, and strangely the two melded together perfectly as she drifted back to sleep...

Morning came, accompanied by the hangover that she'd been hoping to avoid. She opened her eyes to find Harry standing beside the bed, smiling down at her with a cup of coffee and a hangover potion in his hand. "Come on sleepyhead, here you go. You were muttering about going shopping today. It's nearly lunchtime now."

Harry's injured eye was black and swollen. Hermione gasped as she squinted at it in the bright daylight, "that looks sore."

"The other guy looked worse, don't worry."

She laughed despite her concern. "Really?" She downed the potion, sat up, and swung her legs out of bed, blushing as a different twinge of soreness reminded her of what else had happened last night.

She left herself plenty of time to get ready for their night out. It had been a strange yet satisfying day, the first in a long time where she hadn't been crippled by any debilitating panic attacks. The day had started well, Harry had made her a very late breakfast, and after a shower she had apparated to Diagon Alley, intent on shopping for something new to wear that evening.

She had paused for a few moments in the lounge before she left, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, the way April, her mind healer, had taught her to calm herself. She ran through her sensory checklist. Five things she could see, done. Four things she could hear, done. Three things she could touch, done. She closed her eyes to concentrate, two things she could smell, done. One thing she could taste. Oh! That would be Harry then. She opened her eyes as he kissed her deeply then stood back grinning. "Did I get the timing right? One thing you could taste?"

"Yes. It was perfect." She leaned in for another kiss before saying goodbye, taking a deep breath, then apparating away.

She went to all her usual stops, in the usual order for reassurance. She felt fine today, being out and about in public on her own was proving to be okay. The war had ended five years ago, and she reminded herself that there was no need to check every doorway or alcove for Death Eaters. It was peacetime now and she was safe.

She visited Flourish and Blotts, the apothecaries, and Gringotts, and then having completed all of her necessary tasks she hesitated. She could apparate home and do nothing for the rest of the afternoon. Or, she could do something she never usually bothered with.

Taking a deep, calming breath and running through her checklist again she walked to the apparition point, shook her hair back determinedly then turned, folding away into nothingness. For the first time in years, Hermione Granger went clothes shopping in muggle London.

When she finally arrived home she felt thoroughly pleased with herself. She had successfully kicked a few more bricks out of her self imposed walls, and conquering some of her fears felt liberating .

Harry looked up with a smile. He was sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by work related paperwork and he looked delighted to see her. She plonked a couple of containers of takeaway on the table for their dinner then hesitated, wondering whether to kiss him hello or not. He solved the problem for her by standing up, wrapping his arms around her, and kissing her very thoroughly indeed. "Hi," he breathed, pulling back before she was quite ready.

"Hi."

"What did you buy?" he tried to peek into her bags but she twitched them away with a smile.

"Something new to wear tonight. Plus a couple of other things." She grinned at his raised eyebrow, ate dinner with him then shut herself in the bathroom to get ready.

It had been a long time since she had gotten dressed up for an evening out. It was something she had done very rarely even when she had been feeling good about life, but today was a new start. Flushed with her shopping success, she had emailed Unspeakable Z in the Department of Mysteries to accept his offer of a job. She wasn't expecting a reply at this time on a Saturday, but at least it was done and she would appear keen.

She eyed the half empty bottle of wine that was still in the bathroom from a previous evening as she let the bath run, then determinedly turned away. Tonight she would not get drunk because there was no need. She could do this without alcohol. Instead, she tipped bubble bath into the running water and settled in for a long soak.

When she finally emerged nearly two hours later Harry did a double-take. "Umm, wow!" he said, his jaw openly dropping as he took her in. She smiled, stretching up to kiss him hello. "So, is this new look because you're feeling better, to impress me, or to impress someone else?"

Hermione smiled, delighted that her efforts were paying off. "Maybe a bit of all three."

Harry nodded, his eyes raking over her black velvet skirt, her dark blue glittery top, and her flowing chocolate curls. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I like this skirt very much, and I know Draco will too."

"In that case," she smiled softly, "Mission accomplished. Shall we go?"

Harry nodded, took her arm, and apparated her away. They landed back in Diagon Alley and Hermione faltered, the bright lights from the shop windows contrasted strongly with the menacingly deep shadows, making her fingers twitch nervously on Harry's arm. "Why on earth do we have to meet in Knockturn?" She shivered, pulling her jacket around her, feeling suddenly uncomfortable in her short skirt and heels.

She fought to stop the fingers of darkness that were creeping further across her heart with every step they took. The bottom of her stomach felt poised to fall out and her breathing picked up as they turned into the notorious alley. "Why couldn't it be a pub in Diagon or Karkitt?"

"I think Draco still feels uncomfortable in some of those places. They've come here for years anyway, it's what they do. They invited us, remember?"

"You seem to know exactly where you're going too." She forced herself to keep her tone light. She wouldn't let the darkness win, she hadn't come this far today to wimp out now.

"Do I?"

"Yes Harry, you do. Which I'm guessing means you've been here before."

"Maybe." Harry grinned as they followed the narrow, dimly lit alley past Bougin and Burkes. Hermione faltered again, gripping his arm tightly. He stopped and turned her to face him. "Five things you can see, 'Mione." She looked around. Shops, lights, roadsigns, bricks, windows. "Four things you can hear." Swallowing hard she nodded. The wind, chatter from passing people, a bird, and the sound of her coat rustling as she moved. "Three things you can feel." Her uncomfortably high heels, Harry holding her hand, and the cool night air. "Two things you can smell." Fresh air, Harry's aftershave. "And," he leaned in and kissed her again, lingering as he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth.

Saying nothing more they continued on as if nothing untoward had happened. Harry led her past the tattoo shop then up a narrow flight of steep steps. He pulled the door of the White Wyvern open and they stepped inside. It was warm and relatively welcoming inside, full of chatter, music, and people, and while some of them did look decidedly dodgy, others looked just like themselves, young people out for a good time.

"How often have you been in here Harry?" Hermione asked as the tall, pale-skinned bartender greeted him like an old friend.

"He's a vampire," Harry said, deliberately avoiding the question as he led her over to a table in the corner of the pub.

She faltered as Draco stood to greet her with a slow smile. His eyes slid very obviously up and down her body then settled firmly back on hers with an approving nod. "Granger," he held out his hand. She took it, mesmerized by his eyes as he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them, before lowering her hand back down again. "You look exquisite tonight."

Hermione blushed. "Umm, thank you."

He smirked as he turned to Harry, "You've been keeping her tucked away, Potter. And seeing her like this, I can't say that I blame you."

Harry grinned, "You don't know the half of it mate." He shook hands with Draco and they hugged, both of them holding on for a couple of beats longer than was proper. Draco turned back to the table at large and Hermione gasped, seeing most of Slytherin house from Hogwarts smiling up at her.

"Good evening!" Blaise Zabini stood up to greet them both, as did Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, and slightly more reassuringly, Neville Longbottom.

"'Mione!" Neville said, looking surprised to see her. "How long has it been since I saw you last?!"

"Far, far too long." Hermione let Neville pull her into a bear hug. He set a stool between himself and Blaise, and Hermione gratefully sat down. Blaise poured her a glass of wine and she sipped it slowly.

It was so easy to talk to Neville, it was as if they had never been apart. They chatted about everything, their Hogwarts days, Neville's newish position as the Herbology professor at Hogwarts, his relationship with Pansy, and everything in between. In return Hermione told him about the new job she had just accepted, and all the time they were talking she was aware of Draco watching her subtly as he laughed and joked with the others.

Draco, she noticed, also happened to be sitting very close beside Harry, and occasionally when their arms brushed, they both jolted and stared heatedly at each other.

"I love your skirt Granger," Pansy said, squashing into the booth on Neville's other side and accepting the arm he put around her. Hermione smiled, she had heard all about their relationship, it had been splashed all over the Daily Prophet for months as well, but she had never actually seen them together. While they weren't a pairing that she could ever have imagined, it was obvious that they had chemistry. It was in the way Pansy looked adoringly at him, and the way Neville constantly touched or attended to her. They were clearly besotted with each other and it made Hermione smile to Neville so happy.

She was conscious of drinking her wine slowly and of keeping up with the conversations going on around her. She was doing fine, she reminded herself, and in actual fact she really was. It felt so good to be out with people again, it didn't take long for a little of her old confidence to return.

She learned a lot about the others from just listening. Neville had been teaching at Hogwarts for a year now, and he appeared to be loving every minute of it. Pansy was currently designing award-winning fashion, she had managed the impossible it seemed, and combined wizarding dress robes with muggle formalwear to create something that was literally flying off the shelves.

Daphne was a healer at St Mungo's, specializing in accidental magic reversal and Theodore, her boyfriend was an artist.

Blaise worked at the Ministry as his main job, but he further filled his bank vault by modeling Pansy's clothing line on the side. "Where in the Ministry do you work?" Hermione asked, suddenly aware that although she knew Blaise relatively well through Harry and in turn, Draco, she had missed this little detail.

"Well," he said, leaning closer to her with a smile, "I suppose I can tell you now since I received your email of acceptance this afternoon, I'm an Unspeakable. I work in the Department of Mysteries and I'm set to be your new work partner."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Oh! Oh, Merlin, I had no idea I was emailing you!"

"Unspeakable Z?" he grinned, "Didn't give you a clue, no?"

"No!" She laughed as she shook her head.

Blaise sat back in his chair and spelled the wine bottle to refill all their drinks, "what made you finally change your mind about accepting the job? I've been offering you it for months."

A million things that she could say flashed through her mind but she settled on the blandest, "It just felt like the time was right for a change. I'm surprised you can even discuss it in the pub anyway. What happened to the shroud of secrecy Unspeakables are supposed to live under?"

Blaise just grinned, "a lot of that we build ourselves to come across as more intriguing than we really are. I find that telling someone I'm an Unspeakable works like a charm, they're usually in my arms before I've finished the sentence."

Hermione frowned at his outrageous words, "so, are you actually who I'm going to be working with then? Or are you just trying to chat me up?"

Blaise laughed. He crossed one leg over the other knee and gave her his best model's smile. She could see why he was so popular in the witches magazines, he was beyond attractive. "I don't generally embellish things to my friends even if I am trying to chat them up, which right now is proving rather tempting. Nice skirt by the way. But, I wouldn't dare try that with you. Draco staked his claim on you years ago. We might be close friends, but no one with half a brain cell crosses a Malfoy."

"Oh," she opened and closed her mouth uncertainly a couple of times, "even these days? I thought they'd all reformed?"

Blaise nodded. "Especially these days." He watched as she digested everything he'd said. "Well, Hermione," he tipped his glass to hers and she accepted his toast, "here's to finally working with a partner. I've held out for you for months you know, refused to accept anyone else because I only wanted you. To be honest, the workloads have been a bit much, especially with my sideline career, so I can say in all honesty that it's about bloody time you joined me." He grinned as he stood up to leave, "I'll see you at work on Monday morning."

At the end of the evening, when everyone had said their goodbyes Hermione waited for Harry to come back from the toilet. "Ouch," she said, standing up uncomfortably in the high heels she had bought earlier that day. It had been a lovely night, she had spent a lot of time chatting to people and moving around the table but now her feet were reminding her of the fact that she normally wore flats.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, seeing her frown as he followed Harry back to their table.

"New shoes," she muttered, feeling somewhat dwarfed as he towered over her despite the heels. "They're not very comfortable."

"They're sexy as fuck though." He pointed his wand at the offending footwear and cast a cushioning charm.

"Oh!" She wiggled her toes gratefully. "Thank you."

"No problem. So, you finally found out what Blaise's day job is then?"

Hermione nodded. "It was quite a surprise. To me anyway. Did you all already know?"

"Yes," Draco said. "I also happen to know this is the third time he's offered you the job. He's very particular about who he works with."

"So he said." She pulled her coat on and followed them both towards the entrance of the pub. "Which makes me wonder why he was so desperate to wait for me. He also said he uses his job as a rather effective chat up line."

Draco laughed. "Zabini uses anything and everything as a chat up line. Judging by the number of women who drop their knickers in his vicinity it works too."

Harry grinned. "Maybe I should try using my job title for the same purpose. Auror team leader sounds quite good, don't you think?"

Draco turned and fixed him with a look that said more than any words ever could. Harry stopped, staring straight back at him as Hermione walked into them both. "I would have thought you had enough women fawning over you already. Being the "Chosen One" must be terribly trying," Draco said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Harry licked his lips, smiling faintly, "it wasn't a woman I was trying to attract, and you're right I do get enough of those already. That's why I like coming up here, you scare them all away nicely for me."

Hermione cleared her throat. Draco raised a brow and smirked, "if you'd prefer me not to it could be arranged." When they got to the bottom of the steps Harry stopped and stepped back against the wall letting Hermione pass. She took a hesitant step, not wanting to march out into Knockturn on her own at midnight. "Or, maybe despite your protests you quite like the possessive attitude. I care about what's mine after all." Hermione stared in shock as Draco caged Harry in, putting one hand on the wall on either side of him.

"You haven't told me I'm yours," Harry seemed to be having difficulty forming words. "Yet."

"Do you want me to spell it out for you?" Hermione stepped out into the alley anyway, despite her reticence it seemed preferable to spending any more time caught in the heat of Harry and Draco's exchange. If she stepped any closer to them she thought she might combust.

"Yes." Either Harry had a hidden submission kink or he enjoyed tempting the devil. Hermione averted her eyes then jumped as Draco's hand slid down her arm to her hand and tugged her back towards him and Harry.

"Wait Granger." With his free hand, Draco cupped Harry's cheek, tilting his face upwards. "Last chance to run, Potter." Harry didn't move. "In that case, you…. are….now... mine." He crashed his lips down on Harry's and kissed him with a passion that made Hermione's knees weak.

Harry kissed him back with just as much fervor and when they finally pulled apart they were both breathing hard and staring at each other in shock. "Mine," Draco said again, releasing Harry who sagged bonelessly back against the wall. "Understand?" Harry nodded, staring deeply into Draco's eyes as if hypnotised. "And where were you off to?" Draco asked, breaking their stare down and turning his attention to Hermione.

"I was, uh, trying to give you some privacy."

"You do know where we are right?" she nodded. How could she forget? "Don't go wandering off on your own in Knockturn at this time of night." She nodded again, the commanding edge in his voice sending shivers down her own spine. She looked down, he was still holding her hand.

"Are you always this, this-" she trailed off, unable to find the words.

"Yes," he nodded. "I am with the things I care about anyway." She nodded weakly, her heart thundering in her chest. Did that mean he cared about her? "Hermione, look at me." She did so, faltering at the intensity of his gaze. She knew he was a good enough legilimens to perform the spell wandlessly, it was one of the skills he used to such ruthless advantage in his job, after all. She wasn't sure if he'd use it on her though, especially without her consent." Seriously," he asked, backing up with a defeated smile, "what is it with Gryffindors?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, startled.

"You don't even try to put up a defense. You just turn those ridiculously trusting eyes on us and-" he broke off as Harry laughed.

"Mate, you've never once looked into my mind without my permission. You wouldn't do it to Hermione either so don't kid yourself that you would."

"Too trusting by half. Both of you."

"Are we?" Hermione giggled.

"Yes. Harry's told you I like you as well, hasn't he?"

She nodded again, as the door to the pub opened and a gaggle of people came out prompting them to move away from the steps. "He, uh, he mentioned it."

"So since we've established that I won't look in your mind, I guess I'll need to ask the question." He paused, shuffling his feet slightly as he stopped by a stone wall. He leaned back against it and she stopped in front of him, watching him in the lamplight.

"What question do you need to ask?"

"Whether I can take you both out on a date sometime?"

Hermione couldn't help the smile, that stretched slowly over her face. "Yes, please Draco, I think that would be lovely."