Disclaimer: Belongs to JK Rowling; just mucking around

Not Playing Anymore

Chapter Two

"What the hell just happened?" Asked a shocked Ginny.

Harry was equally flabbergasted. "I have no idea, like I knew they were getting along. But they're going to Hogsmeade together. That's serious."

Ron was still in shock; his best friend was on a date with his worst enemy? Their worst enemy. When in the hell did this happen? Hermione didn't even like Malfoy. She liked…well Ron wasn't sure who exactly Hermione liked. But he was darn sure it wasn't the bloody ferret.

She's just doing it to make Ron jealous, thought Ginny. Of course she was, look at him. He wasn't even looking at Parvati's chest anymore. It will work, got to admire the girl's bravery. The Slytherin girls were practically foaming at the mouth, their fair prince was off with a Gryffindor. What was the world coming to?

After recovering from their laughter Draco and Hermione began discussing what had just transpired in the Great Hall.

"It was truly disgusting…his spoon kept hitting his chin, so his milk was spilling all over his robes. But he was more than a little distracted."

"How so?" Draco enquired, he had seen the Weasel's face and it was gross.

"Parvati's chest. I swear, her and Lavender should just put a neon sign on their chests and say 'look here', because the guys are certainly not looking at their faces." Hermione looked down at her chest and wondered if guys ever looked at it.

"It's good." Draco interrupted her musings.

"Pardon?"

"Your chest is fine. In fact I'd say it was better than theirs," he said while staring at it.

"Uh, Draco? Up here." Draco looked up with a sheepish smile. "Thank you. Why is it better? Lavender's is clearly bigger…"

"Too big, besides tons of guys have touched it. There's something special about being one of a few and not one of many. I mean the girl should have a guest book, so she can keep track of them."

"Now I thought guys would have preferred them bigger…"

"Nah, you just need a handful." Draco said, reaching over with his hand making out like he was going to grab them. Hermione slapped his hands away giggling.

"So what do you think they're saying up there?"

Hermione pondered this. "Well Harry's probably thinking 'how could she do this to me?' Because clearly everything is done to Harry. Never mind the fact that he ignores me most of the time…"

"So you have issues with Potter?" This shocked Draco, he'd thought the Golden Trio was tight.

"Another time Dr Malfoy. Ginny will be thinking this is all a ploy to get Ron jealous, because god-knows I wouldn't do this because I wanted to for me. And Ron is probably fuming because I'm 'fraternising with the enemy' once again."

"Again?"

"Oh, the Yule Ball. You see Victor only wanted to go with me, to find out about Harry and the Tri-Wizard tournament."

"Bollocks."

"I know."

"So all is not so rosy in the Golden Trio."

"I think we are just growing up at different rates and going different places. It'll be alright in the end." Hermione finished with a sad look on her face.

Draco decided that she needed some major cheering up.

"Ok Miss Granger. What do you want to do in Hogsmeade?"

Hermione's face brightened up. "Well there is a new book out that should be in the bookstore, but we don't have to go…"

"You don't want to go to the bookstore?"

Hermione shook her head, "I would love to go to the bookstore. But whenever I come with Harry and Ron they always want to go to Honeydukes or to the Quidditch Store. So I just thought that you wouldn't want to either."

"Hermione please, do not compare me to Potter and Weasley. I personally love the bookstore, and would be honoured to accompany you there." Draco was shocked at the smile that lit up Hermione's face. Gods you'd think Pothead and Weasel would take her to the bookstore just to see that smile.

"Ok, so if we go to the bookstore then you get to go to the Quidditch shop. Harry and Ron were talking about some new broom that has just come out. We can go look at it – if you want?" She asked with a hopeful look on her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You hate Quidditch and flying, why do you so want to check out this new broom?"

"Well…I'm thinking about learning how to fly…"

"Really?" Hermione nodded, suddenly becoming very interested in the scenery outside the window. "And you want to buy a broom? I don't blame you - those school ones are shocking. Who's going to teach you?"

"No-one, I've been reading lots of books. I'm just going to do it myself…"

"Oh no! You need someone to teach you. Some things cannot be learned out of books," Draco stated earnestly.

Hermione seemed to be deep in thought. "Could you perhaps…do it?"

Draco thought about it for a second. "Ok, we'll get you a new broom today. And we'll start tonight. One question though."

"Yeah?"

"Why me? Why not Potter or Weasley?"

"Well Harry's too caught up in his world, and Ron would just laugh at me. I thought you would be perfect."

Draco tried to hide the smile that was threatening to overcome his whole face…you would be perfect

Once they got to Hogsmeade, Draco and Hermione headed down the main street deciding where they were going to go first. Some students looked on in shock, others just assumed it was Head student duties. The couple were oblivious to the storm that they were creating however.

They decided to go to the Quidditch store first and find a new broom for Hermione.

The Quidditch store was a few blocks down the street so, Draco decided now was the time to ask Hermione a question.

"Why do you want to learn how to fly?" He asked because, even he knew that she was deathly frightened of flying.

"Well, it's a fear that I want to get rid of. It's like a weakness of mine, and I hate having weaknesses – so if I learnt how to fly, and became confident at flying, hopefully that's one more fear gone."

"You have more fears?" Wondering what the smartest girl he had ever known could possible be afraid of.

"Oh the usual teenage girl fears I guess. Will a boy ever like me? Then there's the failing of school…"

"Please, there is no way in Hades you could fail." Draco scoffed.

Hermione shook her head. "It's not the marks per se. More of having to prove myself, I'm one of the minority here. So it's like a constant battle to prove myself worthy – like I belong here."

"Believe me, you are more than worthy. You put the purebloods to shame with that brain of yours." Hermione smiled that brilliant smile of hers and gave him a kiss on the cheek in thanks. "Oh…uh…and well plenty of guys like you, it's just with the two bodyguards, not many are brave enough."

"You asked me," she pointed out.

"Please, I am so not scared of Potter or Weasley."

They continued on to the Quidditch store, unaware that two pairs of eyes were following them. Wide with shock. They looked at each other to confirm what they had just seen. They both nodded.

Bloody Hell.

Inside the Quaffle Hut they were checking out the new brooms, trying to one for Hermione.

"This is nice, but I think it will be too quick for you," Draco said about the Meteorite 360.

"Yeah, I think you're right. It's probably better for a Seeker like you, not a learner." She looked at the other brooms in the store. "This one might be good…"

"Yeah, it's a bit weak though. Don't want the grandmas to beat ya." Draco looked up; he had found the perfect broom. He indicated the broom to the salesman who got it down. "Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"I've got it." Holding it in his arms.

"Really? So this is the one you think?"

"Definitely, isn't super fast, but it handles perfectly. And you'll beat the grandparents on their brooms."

"Perfect." Hermione thought about it, looking it over. "Let's get it."

Draco nodded at the salesman, and he carried it over to the counter so they could complete the transaction. Draco noticed out of the corner of his eye a couple of Gryffindors with their tongues practically hanging out of their open mouths. He shook his head with a chuckle; people sure were in a tizzy today.

As Hermione was paying for her broom, an idea popped into his head.

When she was finished, "Why don't you go talk to those guys, there's something I want to get before we go," He suggested, indicating the Gryffindors. "I'll carry your broom."

"Ok," she said looking at him a bit strangely, heading over to the boys. It was Dean and Seamus.

"Hey guys, how are you?" She asked slightly nervous.

"We're good, Hermione – what are you doing here with Malfoy?" Seamus asked, not quite understanding.

"Oh, we're just hanging out. Going to the shops – you know the usual." Hermione answered as if she did hung out with Malfoy every day.

"Yeah, but it's Malfoy!" Dean exclaimed, "You know 'the enemy'."

"Dean, don't be silly." Hermione was getting a bit exasperated with her friends' attitudes lately. "Voldemort is 'the enemy', not Draco."

Draco came over carrying the broom, and putting a package into his pockets, "Are you ready to go Hermione?" He asked, not looking at the boys.

"Yes, definitely had enough in here," Hermione replied, giving Dean and Seamus a meaningful look.

She followed Draco to the door, which he held open for her. He then put his hand on her back as she was walking out.

Seamus and Dean's eyes widened at this, they looked at each other and the same thought was running through both of their heads.

What is going on here?

Later on in the Three Broomsticks, Harry, Ron and Ginny were sitting at a table having some Butterbeers. They weren't talking a lot; they were still each pondering Hermione coming to Hogsmeade with Malfoy when the twins joined them.

"Hello all!" Fred greeted, squeezing in next to Ron.

"And how are you all doing today?" George enquired from his spot next to Harry.

"Fine," they all responded listlessly.

"I can tell," George said.

"So…Malfoy and Hermione? Who would have seen that one coming!" Fred remarked.

Ron got very red in the face. "They aren't a couple. It's probably just Head duties, remember Percy came with Penelope to Hogsmeade all the time together when they were Head Boy and Girl."

"Yeah, but they were dating," Ginny pointed out.

"Yeah, and we didn't see Hermione kiss Malfoy today did we George?" Fred said casually, like seeing them kiss was an everyday occurrence.

"No we didn't, but I must say that pair did bear a striking resemblance to them." If Ron was red before, he was almost beetroot now.

"They were kissing! And you saw them!"

"It was just a little kiss, not a big snog or anything!" Fred soothed, knowing nothing would soothe Ron at this point in time. "Hey look! It's Dean and Seamus!" Trying to get Ron of this track, "How are you gents today?"

"Good, just in the Quidditch store," Dean said.

"Oh yeah? Check out the new Meteorite?"

"Yeah we saw it," Seamus answered. "Along with Malfoy and Hermione."

"They were in the Quidditch store? Hermione hates Quidditch," Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah, they were looking at brooms. Looking downright cosy if you ask me," Dean said with a disgusted look on his face.

Ginny was interested, "How so?"

"Well when they were leaving, he held the door open for her. And as she was walking out, he put his hand on her back as she left."

"What?" Now Ron was mad.

"Calm down Ron, where was his hand – exactly?" Ginny enquired, "Above the friend line. Or below it."

"What are you talking about Ginny?" Harry asked puzzled.

"Well, above the small of your back close to your bra strap is safe, it's not even remotely sexual. Like if Mum touched you there it's comforting. But below the small of your back, down close to your arse. It's heading towards a lovers touch. From the right guy – you are comforted, in a different way. So where was it?"

"Below the friend line."

"I'll kill him!" Ron spat out, standing up.

"Kill who?" Neville asked, having walked up to the group with his girlfriend Luna.

"Malfoy."

"Oh, he's with Hermione. Just saw them on the path to the Shrieking Shack." Luna said, like she saw then do that everyday. "They looked so cute together, they were eating ice cream."

Ron stormed away and out of the Three Broomsticks.

Hermione couldn't remember when she had had more fun. It was so silly, they were just eating ice cream, but for some strange reason it was better than all the times she hung out with Harry and Ron.

"Have you heard? It's supposed to be the most haunted building in all of Britain," Draco stated, as if she wouldn't know.

"Yeah," she answered with a small smile. "But not anymore, you remember Professor Lupin?"

Draco nodded his head.

"He was the 'ghost'."

"But he was a werewolf and if I'm not mistaken; still very much alive."

"They didn't hear a ghost moaning and clanging around, they heard a werewolf howling and trying to escape." Draco nodded his head to say he understood.

"Still, it's a bloody creepy house if you ask me." Taking a big bite of his ice cream, unbeknownst to him a spot of ice cream was on his face – right next to his lip.

Hermione looked up at him, and had a little giggle.

"What?" Hermione shook her head. "What is it? Tell me!" Draco was getting frustrated.

"Settle down. You have a bit of ice cream on your face…"

"Where?"

Hermione indicated the spot on her face. Draco wiped it off with his fingers, "Gone?"

"Yep," she answered distracted by his finger going into his mouth.

"Hermione?" He asked with that smirk coming back full throttle.

"Yeah?" She answered still in her daze. "What?"

"You're checking me out!"

"No I'm not!"

"Oh, yes you were. Don't deny it, you like me. I can tell."

"Whatever," she scoffed turning back to the Shrieking Shack.

"Hermione!" Came the enraged yell of Ron, Hermione could see the rest of the gang racing after him.

Hermione took a deep breath, "Yes Ronald?" Best not to bait the wild animal.

"Did you kiss Malfoy?"

"What? Who told you that?"

"Doesn't matter," Ron said dismissively. "Someone saw you kiss him on the main street."

"Well, I didn't."

"Uh, Hermione?" Draco interjected. She turned back to him, "You did. Or don't you remember snookums? After all, what's one kiss out of many?"

Hermione remembered now, she'd given him a kiss on the cheek. Bastard.

"Oh, that kiss. It was just a little one." Payback time Draco. Hermione turned back to Draco. Holding out her ice cream, she handed it to Draco. "Hold this. This Ronald is a kiss."

And then she proceeded to shock everyone, Draco included, by stepping close to Draco and connecting their lips. Now Draco was stunned for a bit, but then instinct took over, and he dropped the ice creams. All that mattered to him now was keeping that body and those lips against his. He bought his arms around her and pulled her close. Hermione responded in kind by putting her arms around his neck and threading her hands through his hair as she deepened the kiss.

To say the Gryffindors were shock was an understatement. They were as close as two people can be with clothes on, and they didn't look like they wanted to separate any time soon. Harry and Ginny pulled an even madder Ron away, because at the moment he looked like he was fully intending on carrying through on his threat to kill Malfoy. One by one they turned and walked away, the kissing couple oblivious to all that was happening.

They were snapped out of it, by the flash of a camera. Blinking their eyes they saw a grinning twin.

"Bye!" He stated very happily, before Apparating away.

They looked back at each other.

"Holy mother of Merlin," Draco managed to get out.

"That was interesting."

"Yeah…"

"We should…uh…head back to the carriages now. It's getting late."

"Good idea," Hermione was pleased that one of them was thinking clearly.

They left the Shrieking Shack, not really understanding what just happened. But knowing that there was definitely a storm brewing at Hogwarts tonight.

21/04/06: Beta read by cordy-angel, thanks!