~2~

"Lawyer," she hummed as she stole a fry.

He scowled at that and retaliated by taking a bite out of her ice cream.

"Hey!"

"You started it," he mumbled out around the mouthful of ice cream. "I asked you if you wanted any. You said no."

"I didn't want any," she agreed. "I wanted yours."

The scowl returned to his face.

"Lawyer," she repeated.

Draco huffed in exasperation. "Didn't you say just yesterday that you wanted to be a doctor? Save lives or something equally as useless?"

Hermione sputtered. "Useless? Saving lives is hardly useless. Don't you mean admirable?"

He shrugged. "Does it look like I care? My future's set for me anyway."

She bit her lip for a moment, knowing that it was a touchy subject. "So once you graduate-"

"Yes."

She saw the hard glint in his eye and knew he'd rather she dropped it. For now. She licked her ice cream and complied with his unspoken request. "Doctor is fine, but just last night – did you hear the news? – there were more ICE raids. Can you imagine? 4,000 people were deported just like that and it's hardly fair that they've come to America, come to look for a better life for themselves and their families, and yet, politics dictates-"

"I know what politics dictates, Granger. Son of a political dog remember?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you know what you have to do to become a lawyer, much less stay one?"

She frowned in confusion. "I'm top of our class, Malfoy."

He shook his head and she had a feeling that her academic standing was far from what he meant. The moment passed in tense silence while Hermione pondered his question. Do? Pass the bar, obviously. Become the best, clearly. Nothing was impossible so long as you worked hard and put in the effort. She glanced at him; he stared broodily at nothing in particular. She knew his family wasn't entirely... well, she knew they didn't go about things the way they should. Legally, morally, ethically. He never really talked about his family much.

Then, he chuckled. "You're only at the top because you have no life."

She gasped. "I do too."

Draco cast her a lazy grin as his eyes took in her figure. "If you had a life, you wouldn't be spending so much of it in my bed."

She struggled to calm the blush rising to her cheeks. He noticed.

"For your information," she started in embarrassment, "I do spend time outside of both the pursuit of pleasure and knowledge."

He rolled his eyes. "If you're not in my bed then your nose is glued to a book."

"Except when it's not," she said pointedly. "I have friends."

"Ah, Potty and Weasel. Whatever would you do without their constant pleas for your homework."

Hermione frowned. "They do just fine on their own."

"With your nagging."

"Oh shut up," she muttered. "They could do with some of my sources, you know. They're not all bad," she insisted when he snorted.

"You're such a know-it-all, Granger," he drawled annoyedly.

"As long as I know more than you, Malfoy."

He scoffed but she knew their banter was little more than harmless flirting. She laughed as the thought crossed her mind. Could this be called flirting? There were less insulting ways to flirt, after all.

"What's so funny?" He glanced at her curiously.

She didn't answer.