Chapter 12: Sweet Surprises

"Keep them closed." Draco led Hermione through the corridors. After much talk, Dumbledore, who was very happy about the new inter-house alliance, had conceded to Draco's suggestion and had provided a room which Hermione could use when she wanted to get away.

She had been spending more and more time with Draco recently, in vain attempts to avoid Harry's perpetual bad mood. However, Harry seemed to have taken it upon himself to follow the pair around, scowling at Draco and completely ignoring Hermione. Often, the only way to escape him was to take refuge in Draco's room, which had earnt Hermione nasty stares and vicious comments from the Slytherin girls. But there had been no further developments in their friendship, both avoiding compromising situations, but not for lack of interest. They had seemed to come to the silent conclusion that now was not the time to develop a relationship, what with Harry's liability to fly off the handle, and of course the fact that Hermione was currently being stalked by a highly powerful and evil witch. So their friendship had developed over the last few weeks, which was how, in the week leading up to the end of term he was taking her along to her new room. It was to be a surprise for her, and Draco was silently praying that she would like it.

The room was exactly halfway between Gryffindor and Slytherin, so none who asked would find anything wrong with the situation. Draco would not have her being accused of being a traitor; he knew she was already getting some stick from her classmates about their friendship. The spells surrounding the room were similar to those in the cavern: the room could only be entered by its master or mistress, and those who were invited in. Draco had made sure of that point especially. With Harry's new temperamental nature, it was better that they were kept apart.

"I want to see! Draco, where are you taking me?" Hermione's voice was filled with excitement and hope, but he noticed the edge of doubt within. Although they were now good friends, he knew she had not forgotten their past enmity, and this was what tainted her voice.

"Shh you. Be patient!"

The blonde boy stopped in front of a portrait of two lovers kept apart by a wall.

"How appropriate." He murmured to himself.

"What?"

"I said, we're here. You can open your eyes now." Hermione took her hands away from her eyes and looked around bewilderedly.

"Why are we here? This is the fourth floor east corridor isn't it?" panic made her voice rise slightly. "No one ever comes here. Why have you brought me here Draco?"

"Calm down. I brought you here for one reason only." He smirked down at her shocked expression before he spoke the password. "Locus mihi." At the utterance of these words her confusion melted into surprise as the portrait figures sprang to life and the frame swung outwards.

"Oh Draco!" she breathed as they stepped into the magnificent room within. The walls were hung with purple and gold cloths, and already a fire was burning merrily in the grate. Before the fire there was a couch big enough to sit eight, and in front of it was a table with a bowl filled with brightly coloured fruit, some clearly of magical origin.

"You did all this for me?" Her eyes danced as she turned back to face Draco. "It's perfect!"

"Well actually I did it all for myself…" he smirked as Hermione ran up to give him a hug. But her close proximity had an effect on him.

"You sure you like it?" he breathed into her neck, half unwillingly. He did not expect what she did next. Her hand snaked up and cupped his cheek, and she gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. Hermione's eyes twinkled briefly as she pulled away, making Draco groan inwardly. He had frozen up completely; he had thought nothing was happening between them, physically. That was not what he'd done all this for. At all. That much.

Hermione looked confused at his apparent sneap, and at her unthinking actions. She turned around, examining the room as a cover for her actions, and noticed a door off to the side of the room. Leaving Draco standing amazed, she moved across to the door and opened it. To her surprise it did not lead to the bedroom like she had expected, but to a large library, with the desk from her own room back in Gryffindor next to one of the shelves.

"Hermione, what was that for? I thought we'd agreed…" Hermione cut Draco off as she, overcome by a fit of silliness, dashed past his frame in the doorway. He caught her mood as she passed, and he set off after her in a game of chase, the kiss forgotten in an instant. They dodged around the large sofa before she ran to a door opposite the library. Wrenching it open, almost falling over from laughing, Hermione found that she had indeed discovered her new bedroom, and finally collapsed in a heap on the huge feather bed within.

Draco followed her in, panting heavily, and stood over her with his hands on his hips, trying to look imposing. Hermione just giggled at his disheveled appearance, and his stern expression collapsed into a smile. He sat down beside her.

"I do love it. You…I…thank you."

His smile widened as he explained the spells surrounding the room.

"And anyone you invite can come in, so it's exactly like your cave. And you have it for the rest of the year."

She smiled at him shyly. There was a silence before Hermione voiced the thought currently occupying her mind.

"Why are you doing this for me? I thought I was just the dirty mudblood." She smiled slyly at his look of awkwardness. "Or has that changed now?" She knew the answer.

"Oh, it has changed. You are so much more…to me…" he leaned down towards her, whispering. Her eyes closed as their lips finally met, and Draco was awarded with a soft sigh of content.