a/n: I am SO sorry. I finished my exams so I officially have no more school ever. However then I spent 4 days drunk before going away with friends for 5 days and I was planning to update before I went away but I had parties and shit so I didn't get it done which is why I haven't updated in ages. ALSO:

THANK YOU ladyjaye I did not know! Anonymous reviews are now enabled. I don't know if this changes much, but if you weren't reviewing because you couldn't b/c I wasn't allowing you, PLEASE review now. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. I came home from my Physics exam (arguably the hardest) and had about 12 reviews waiting for me. Sure one was in Spanish and I wasn't entirely sure what it said but I recognised the word bueno which means good right? It's great to have people liking my story.

Lastly (sorry this is such a long note) I am about to go on schoolies (party week when you go away) so I wont update for at least a week after this, but then I'll have heaps of time to write (4 months holidays approximately).

Disclaimer: JK owns Harry & Co.

CHAPTER EIGHT – I'm picking you up.

The next morning Hermione and Draco woke up to find that once again they were entwined together. Instead of being angry, Hermione blushed when she realised that her legs were completely tangled with Draco's legs and that he was cupping her cheek as though about to kiss her. She noticed Draco stirring and quickly closed her eyes again. It would be incredibly embarrassing if he woke up to find she was awake and hadn't made any effort to detangle herself from him.

Draco slowly opened his eyes and stared sleepily at the (seemingly) still sleeping Hermione. He carefully withdrew his hand from her face tried to slip his legs out from where they were tangled with Hermione's. The only problem was, she was sleeping on his arm…Looks like I'll be staying here until she wakes up. Hermione realised what had happened and decided it was time to get up. She opened her eyes and gave a little groan, all the while thinking I could so be an actress. She smiled groggily at Draco before she gave a fake 'Oh' of realisation and sat up so Draco could reclaim his arm.

"Sorry."

"No problem."

"D'you mind if I have first shower this morning?"

"No. That's fine." Hermione smiled at Draco and grabbed her clothes before heading to the bathroom. She loved this time of the morning, waking up fully in the shower, being alone and having time to think without anyone intruding. The thing was, for the past few days her thoughts had been centred on Draco, and occasionally (like now) her hair. It's times like these I really want to shave my head. Having to wash your hair every single day is incredibly annoying. Thank god I found those spells for drying and all that crap last year. Pretty mundane stuff.

Meanwhile, Draco was sitting in the living room flipping through Hermione's book. Strangely his thoughts were also centred on his hair. I wonder if my hair is getting too long and needs a trim. Again, pretty mundane stuff.

After Draco showered and had decided that his hair was fine the length it was, the two walked down to breakfast together. Despite the fact that the halls were basically deserted, since almost everyone was already at breakfast, it seemed perfectly natural for Draco to have his arm around Hermione's waist. When they reached the Great Hall, Hermione blushed a little before asking,

"Do you want to have breakfast with us this morning?"

Yes I would! Yes! Yes! Yes!

"Sure."

Nice work Draco, cool and collected. Draco smiled inwardly at his successful attempt at appearing aloof and steered Hermione over to the Gryffindor table.

"Hey guys," Hermione greeted as she and Draco sat across from Harry and Ron. Two grunts were all she received in return.

"Uh hello?" She and Draco exchanged quizzical looks until Ron spoke up.

"Up till four this morning doing charms stuff for Flitwick." As Hermione looked on disapprovingly, Harry's head drooped further and further towards the table before it hit his plate with a bang and he woke with a start."

"I'm awake!"

"Harry, it's breakfast time and you have jam in your hair." Hermione laughed and handed him a napkin. Harry just stared at the napkin as though he wasn't entirely sure of what to do with it before Hermione laughed again, grabbed the napkin and wiped his fringe off herself. She looked over at Draco and rolled her eyes and he laughed with her. Harry and Ron continued to sit and look dopey until it was time for class and the four headed to the dungeons together for potions. The rest of the day sped past and before long Hermione and Draco were heading back to their apartment together. Draco had almost abolished his hesitancy at putting his arm around Hermione's waist (one thing to put your arm around any old girl, totally another when it was Hermione), and now they were walking along, light-heartedly bickering about potatoes, Draco's arm wrapped around Hermione.

"There is no such thing as a potato vine Draco, this conversation is ridiculous since you have no idea what you are talking about. Moving on to matters where we both can be active participants in the conversation, what time do you want to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"Whenever. Morning I guess so we can have lunch in the village."

"I was kind of hoping for something a little more specific but I guess we'll play it by ear."

When they went to bed that night, each kept to the opposite side of the mattress, despite the fact that every morning they had woken up spooning each other.

The next morning, they woke up spooning each other.

…………………………….

Hermione was standing in the middle of the bedroom staring at the outfit laid out on their bed. Jeans were ok – it was hard to go wrong with jeans. White shoes were ok. Pale green top – passable if there was nothing else. Was there something else? Daine's voice echoed through the apartment.

"You have a visitor."

"Draco could you get it? Draco? Alright I'm coming!" Hermione quickly threw on her outfit and ran to open the door. Draco was standing on the other side smiling at her.

"Draco what are you doing? I thought you were in the bathroom."

"I'm picking you up for our first official date. Are you ready?"

"I suppose. I'll just get my purse." Hermione ran inside and collected her wallet, makeup, general crap that you find in a handbag. Oh my god he is so sweet, Hermione smiled to herself as she shoved it all in her handbag. She went back outside into the hallway where Draco was leaning against the wall looking a little nervous, but smiling all the same. Hermione pushed the portrait closed and blushed as Draco took her hand.

What the hell is going on here? I need to stop blushing. I hang out with Draco all the time. AND we have to hold hands or something like that. Stop blushing now Hermione!

They walked through the entrance hall together, still after a week of being seen together, watched eagerly by curious parties. They boarded the coaches to Hogsmeade together and were joined by some random fifth year Ravenclaws. The sat, holding hands, in silence all the way down to the village, while the Ravenclaw girls whispered and giggled behind them.

a/n: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I am perfectly aware that it is crappy and short but I am going away again tomorrow and I have been recuperating from my first holiday before schoolies (week of beach parties and getting smashed) and have been sleeping heaps. Anyway I am aware that this chapter is crap and short but bare with me, in approximately a week (prob. A little longer) you will have a new good chapter.

Just a quick note, I keep mentioning Paullina Simons in my story and I meant to write about this in a chapter when she was actually mentioned but I forgot. Anyway she is one of my favourite authors (probably top 5) and I am SO excited because her new book The Summer Garden is out and it's the last of the Tatiana and Alexander books! SO FANTASTIC. For anyone who has read the Bronze Horseman and the Bridge to Holy Cross then READ THIS! (that was a little free advertising for summer garden as well as my excited ranting – I have been reading these books for 6 years!)

Really long authors note….