Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or places, they're all JK Rowlings! Aren't we both amazing?

Hermione twirled her hair around her finger nervously. She sat with her back against the fence in front of the Shrieking Shack. It wasn't her first choice of places for her first real date, and it was raining, but it would have to do.

For a long time Hermione had written to some anonymous person; just explaining the pressures of her everyday life to them. And, for three months now, she had been getting a bouquet of white lilies every day with a card signed "-your secret admirer". White lilies had always been her favorite flower, and they had been the only person she had ever told that.

The cards had always said something sweet and were sprayed with cologne (because it was a guy of course). Her watch read ten after ten; she had snuck out of her common room to meet him so he better not have blown her off. Merlin's beard; she hadn't even brought a book with her! The only thing she had brought with her was a white lily that she wore in her hair so he would be able to recognize her when he saw her. She wondered who it was. It wasn't Harry (because he was in love with Ginny), Ron was allergic to flowers (they gave him horrible hives that he had had to go to St. Mungo's for once before), Neville was going out with Luna, and Seamus loathed her -so who could it be?

Hermione took the flower out of her hair and turned it around in her hands. It was eleven o' clock now. She was fed up with waiting. She had written to him for so long and she had fallen for him. How could she be sure he actually loved her? Maybe Lavender had been right the day she said that true love wasn't real. So, she threw the flower into the grass and started to cry.

Slowly, she trudged along through the mud as the rain started to pour down harder. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her robes were soaking wet, and her brown hair stuck to the back of her neck. She was sure was catching a cold. She was just walking, looking down at her feet as not to step in a puddle, when she ran into something hard. Immediately she threw her hands in front of her.

"Watch it mudblood!" Draco yelled.

Her hands were on his chest, which was rising and falling though it was damp with rain. When she looked up at him she took in his beautiful white blonde hair (that was messed up and very wet) that stuck to his handsome face and his deep slate grey eyes. Unlike when she usually saw him, he wore a deep frown in place of his trademark sneer. When she realized she had been staring she blushed and quickly pulled away.

"Finally! You're awfully slow aren't you? Well I guess it's not your fault I'm so gorgeous," he sneered.

"Oh, bugger off Malfoy! I've been having a really bad day," Hermione said.

"What? You got dumped or somethin', Granger? Can't really blame 'em…" he asked.

"Something of the sort… What are you doing here anyway?" she asked.

"Just thinking," he lied.

"Really? – I didn't think you could!" Hermione said sarcastically, making her smile.

"Never thought I'd make you smile, eh Granger?" Draco said.

"Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to help cheer you up a little more, since neither of us have anything else to do besides stand in this damn rain," he offered.

"Thanks," she said.

So, Hermione and Draco walked around together in the rain, just trying to hold a civil conversation. And to both of their surprise, it was turning out all right! They were both enjoying each other's conversation.

"Hmm… Let's ask each other questions," Hermione suggested.

"Okay, you can go first; since I obviously can't think I can't think of anything to ask," Draco grinned.

Oh, Merlin, he actually smiled! He looks so gorgeous when he smiles… I can't take my eyes off him! Hermione thought.

"Sure – What's your favorite animal? Oh wait, let me guess… a snake?" Hermione asked.

"Nope, I'm actually a dog person," Draco said.

Then there came that dazzling grin of his again. Honestly, Hermione wouldn't have thought she could ever imagine Draco running around with a puppy- ruffling its fur, speaking to it sweetly, playing around, petting its soft fur, and smiling- but now she could.

"'Ello? Anyone home? I just asked you a question!"

"Oh, sorry. Could you say it again?" Hermione asked, blushing.

"What's your favorite flower?" he asked.

"I adore lilies- white ones," she stated simply.

"Someone else I know likes them too," he said.

"Do you like her?"

"I never said it was a girl."

"Oh come on, just tell me!" she begged.

"Well… yeah. I love her; the only problem is I don't think she loves me. She stood me up tonight," he said sadly.

"Someone stood me up too," she said.

"Can't imagine why," he said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up!" she said and she punched him playfully on the arm.

Soon they both fell over with laughter and plopped themselves up against the fence. Then an awkward silence fell over them.

"This is where I waited for him; right here. I waited for him for two hours in the pouring rain until finally I gave up on him and left. So, then I bumped into you. I'll be fine, but I just wish that he loved me as much as I love him."

"I waited for her too: my dream girl. But maybe this wasn't completely useless – I got to be with you," he said making her blush.

He got up and then offered her his hand.

"Here- I'll help you up," he offered politely.

"Thanks," she said, taking his hand.

He helped her up but he never let go. How could he possibly decide between Hermione and the girl he had loved for so long? She started to walk, pulling him along with her, but he stopped in his tracks. Something lying in the grass had caught his eye. It was a white lily. Sure, the rain had savaged it, but it was a lily all the same.

"Wait- you were the only one sitting here, right?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah…"

"Then that lily is…umm… yours?"

"Yes," she said.

"Then I wasn't stood up," he said, emotion lighting up his eyes.

"And neither was I."

And then they kissed. And as they kissed they could swear there were sparks flying between them. Hermione ran her fingers through his rain-soaked hair and he wrapped his arms around her waist, never wanting to let go. But eventually they broke this kiss and just stared into each other's eyes.

"You know, while we were walking, I hoped that it was you," Draco said dreamily.

"I know," she said.

"So did I."

So, in the end, it turned out that neither of them had been stood up. Each of them had sat near a different part of the fence. Then, when they met, they didn't recognize each other. That's because she had taken off her lily and the rain had washed off his cologne. So, together, Hermione and Draco walked away. They walked away from the rain, their tears, and most importantly, all of the hate they used to feel.

The End