Hermione fidgeted with the half up do Draco's hairstylist insisted she wear, not sure if she wanted to tear the pins out or to leave it be. Her scalp ached and felt irritated with the extra attention it had gotten over the past hour from the massaging, the rinsing and the pulling. Hermione never did anything more than brush it and put it in a bun, so she decided with a final touch to the side of her head to just leave it alone, focusing on the dress she wore.
Hermione had expected that the dress was to be picked up by another styling if Draco's but she found out that it was actually he who picked it out after having her measured. When she saw how open the back was, reassuring her she would not be wearing a bra for an evening she started to object:
"This dress isn't me at all! I reckon I'll look like a high end call girl." She ran a hand down the silky material and could feel a flush form in her cheeks as she thought of how she would look wearing it.
Draco had raised a pale but mocking eyebrow. "I thought you wanted to make him jealous? Is that not why we're going to the newest and most luxurious restaurant that is bound to be crawling with roaches like Rita Skeeter?"
She looked up from what she thought was an intimidating dress. "Well, yes but-"
"Then you shouldn't look like you. You should look like you're mine."
Hermione had blinked at him before a smile crept on to her face. Her nervousness was slowly giving way to excitement when she thought about what Ron's face would look like when she saw the papers tomorrow. Draco after Hogwarts- and the way for that matter- was much more likable she found. He was still vindictive when he wanted to be, but she was no longer at the receiving end of his wrath. He was cunning, witty and the looks he sometimes gave her like the one he was giving her now-
'There wasn't a look, my imagination is going wild.' She was so focused in the daydream of her memory that didn't realize he was behind her staring at her. "Oh!" She turned around to see him wearing a suit with material that complimented her dress, hands tucked into his pockets.
"You look stunning." His eyes gave her a slow once over and she felt a low pull in her stomach at how ravishing he looked in his fitted formal attire.
She cleared her throat to recover as she walked towards him. "Tell me, do I look like I'm yours, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco liked the way she said that more than he would care to admit out loud and discreetly licked the bottom of his lip before speaking. "Draco. It wouldn't do anyone any good if to hear us calling each other by our surnames." He gulped and realized his heart was beating too fast as he pulled out his pocket watch to check the time. "And we ought to get going now. Rita Skeeter won't write anything nice if we're late."
He expected Hermione to walk over so they could apparate to the restaurant, but instead she gave a hearty laugh. He looked up at her and tilted his head to the side in question.
She waved a hand as she calmed herself into a soft giggle. "Oh, she won't publish anything I don't want her to." Hermione glanced back at the mirror, taking in how she looked from behind before they left. She looked good, but most of all she felt good. Like this would be a real date instead of them faking a relationship for their own gains. She looked back at him with a huge smile on his face and walked over to lace an arm around his. "Now that we're acquainted Draco, allow me to tell you about the time I caught this rather annoying beetle..."