Hey everyone! Oh thank you so much for the reviews!
FreeSpritSprite: I would like you to elaborate on the 'writing isn't very smooth' bit. What do you mean?
Be Confident: Yes I guess you are right and I have changed it! Thanks a lot!
Freaky neakie: Thanks for the vote of confidence .
Thank you to everyone else too! And don't stop now, keep reading and let me know what you think I can do to make it even better!
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"No! I will not have that disgusting thing in my room!"
"It's called art! And it's our room, not just yours."
Hermione and Draco had encountered many decorating disagreements over the past three days since Draco had bought his things over.
Hermione had refused point blank to hand a painting of Malfoy Manor with a family crest as a watermark in the centre in their bedroom.
"It is not. I'm not going to wake up and look at that every morning!" Hermione stood with her arms crossed, looking flustered.
"You are going to be a Malfoy so I don't see what's wrong with hanging this here." Draco by contrast was calm and leaned against the door frame casually.
"I may take that back! It feels as thought we can't agree on anything!" She gave the painting a frown.
"It's not my fault. You're apartment is so cluttered with useless objects, can I help it if I wanted to tidy it up?"
"What about me? I let you bring in that drab coffee table, the boring white outdoor furniture and your 'art' is hanging all over the place! What about what I want?"
Draco stepped forward looking at the picture. He did always think it was a little dull, but tradition told him to keep it hanging. Tradition also told him being with Hermione was bad. He felt whole, so it obviously wasn't all that bad.
Maybe tradition had been wrong and perhaps it was wrong again.
"Alright, you can put it back in my apartment." Hermione stood in shock. She couldn't believe he had just given in to her like that. Every single time they argued, he had to get his way. But this time he let her have what she wanted; it was a little frightening.
"What?" She asked, still stunned.
Draco smirked "I'll take it back. Fix me a coffee will you?" He pulled out his wand and levitated the painting out of the room.
Hermione hung up the night shot of Paris and went to the kitchen to make her fiancé some strong black coffee.
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Dear Hermione,
I'm glad we all reached an understanding. I've been reading some other articles about you and Draco, society is split at the moment. Some people believe you but others are sceptical.
I've arranged an interview for you with Wireless Entertainment. It'll be on the radio ( like the one Mrs Weasley has) The interviewer wants to see you at the studio around two in the afternoon on Monday.
I hope things go better this time.
And thank you for not tearing me to shreds for setting you two up. If you think about it from my point of view, you two are good together.
Just give it a try ok? Thanks a bunch!
Harry
Hermione smiled as she quickly scribbled down her agreement for the interview time and gave Hedwig a treat for his journey.
"Draco!" She called getting up and letting Hedwig out the window.
Draco came out to the lounge "Yeah?" He had just come out of the shower by the look of his damp hair.
"Interview is on Monday at two." He nodded, sitting down on the couch. It had been five days since he moved in but they hadn't slept in the same room.
Hermione forced him so sleep on the couch. "Well it's certainly big enough to have as a bed" had been her argument.
Draco had once again given in to her whims but said they couldn't do it forever.
"Draco, you're so bored here, just go to quiddich training and stop moping around like your life is over." Hermione sat next to him.
Draco shook his head. "I'm okay." But Hermione knew he wasn't, it was so obvious even Crabbe and Goyle would have been able to see it.
"Go on! I'll come up with out and watch okay?" She nudged his knee with her own.
He looked up at her but said nothing.
"Oh come on! If I'm there watching you with googly eyes it'll just add authenticity."
Draco looked away "You'll be there, looking at me with googly eyes?" He tried to hide his smiled.
Hermione laughed. "Yes, because I simply cannot take my eyes off you!" They laughed together. "But seriously, come on Draco!" She wined and nagged.
And whined and nagged. Until he finally threw up his hands in surrender. "Okay, alright! I'll go. Let me get my stuff."
He got up and Hermione smiled triumphantly. 'Score! That's three for me.' She thought happily.
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Draco played for an English quiddich team, or so Hermione believed. Harry played for an English team as well, but a different one.
When they arrived at the training grounds, many odd looks were cast at Hermione but she just stepped closer to Draco who wrapped an arm around her shoulders protectively.
"You will be fine here won't you?" He had bought her up to a seat where she could see all of the field. She saw a few figures milling around wearing green and gold uniforms. He followed her gaze and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "They won't come near you, I'll speak to them. If anything does happened, just call for me."
Hermione wrapped her coat closer around her frame and nodded. "Sure, now go out there and show me what you've got." He laughed and kissed her forehead.
"Gladly." He trooped off to the changing rooms.
While Hermione waited she thought about her relationship with Draco. She liked him and was sure that he liked her too, but she could still remember his old self; the arrogant prat who called her Mudblood.
He was a servant of Voldemort and according to him he had murdered an auror during that time. The thought chilled her, but she knew she had killed too. She had seen her enemies die and felt triumph.
It made her sick, but that past could not be altered. She could only hope that there wouldn't ever be another war in her lifetime, because she hated the way it brought out the worst in everybody.
"Granger is it?" A voice came from behind her. She jumped out of her seat and turned around to face the speaker.
He was a man of average height with dark brown curly hair and brown eyes.
"What do you want?" She demanded, her hand sub-consciously gripping her want in her pocket.
The man held up his hands and smiled. "Malfoy certainly taught you to be careful didn't he?"
Hermione remained standing as the man came forward and sat in the row behind hers.
"No, the war taught me that."
The man laughed without humour. "Yes, I think that's a valuable lesion we all learnt."
Hermione refused to let her guard down. She hadn't been worried but what Draco had told her made her a little wary. "Who are you and why are you here?"
The man laughed again. "I'm Daniel and I'm here to watch the training." Hermione turned around to where the team were just taking off. "I'm not here to hurt you," Daniel continued "I'm a talent scout."
Hermione watched Draco kick off and fly up higher than the others.
"For what team?" She asked when he came to stand next to her.
"The World Quiddich Society is thinking of staring an international team made up of the world's greatest players. It's to promote world-wide co-operation."
Hermione laughed "That's all it's about these days."
Daniel gave her an odd look. "So you're engaged to the last Malfoy?"
"Yes, and it wasn't because of his money." She replied jokingly.
"I've read a lot about the Malfoy family over the years and throughout the war. Over the last few days there has been a lot about both of you. It's hard to decipher what is truth and what is rumour."
Hermione smiled bitterly "Yeah, everyone doubts us don't they? Well Malfoy isn't half bad, he doesn't deserve what everyone keeps giving him."
Daniel nodded slowly and watched Draco as he dived down at break-neck speed and when he finally rose, the snitch was caught firmly in his hand. His team mates clapped and descended to talk to their coach who was beaming.
"The Malfoy family has been notoriously evil for centuries, if Draco Malfoy thought he could change all that by saving a few lives, he mustn't be as smart as his school proclaims."
Hermione turned to retort but realised that the man was right. Draco could try but he couldn't expect everyone's opinion to change suddenly. But there was one thing she wanted to defend.
"He did more than just save a few lives." She whispered quietly.
Daniel turned to face her, a sad smile on his lips "Yes, he killed even more."
Draco flew up and landed softly on Hermione's other side. "Is there a problem?" He asked coolly. 'just like he spoke at Hogwarts.' She thought.
"No, nothing is wrong." She replied smiling.
"Who are you?" He asked stepping between Hermione and Daniel. Quickly she grabbed Draco's arm, a little alarmed by his reaction.
"He's a talent scout, you know? From the WQS." She spoke hurriedly.
Draco squeezed her hand but continued to speak to Daniel. "A talent scout?"
Daniel nodded calmly. "Mr Malfoy I presume?"
"Yes." Draco answered curtly. "Are you done?" Daniel smiled and nodded slightly to Hermione when he stepped past.
"I was done a while ago Mr Malfoy. Congratulations on your engagement by the way." Both of them watched until he disappeared.
"He was watching you." Hermione said looking out to the other players on the field.
Draco leapt smoothly onto his broom and hovered in front of her. "Yeah? Was he impressed?" He smirked.
"I couldn't really tell." Hermione replied honestly. "He was talking about … other things." She was unable to summarise what Daniel had told her.
"Oh I see." Draco said looking around casually. "If I find out these things could be classified as flirting, I'm going to shove my broom so far up his arse he won't be able to move, and then I'll show him what Voldemort taught me to do with my enemies."
Without another word, he flew off to his coach who had been trying to get his attention for a while. Hermione was left with a disturbing image and many troubling thoughts.
Draco felt the need to protect her, obsessively. She was a confident woman and wouldn't be able to stand it if he tried to protect her all the time.
He was also very dangerous. She felt sorry for any man that Draco thought was flirting with her. She got the feeling, no matter what she said, he wouldn't let anyone walk free.
What her mind chose to bring up was the fact that she would never be afraid of him hurting her. Somehow, she knew he was doing this because he cared and he was jealous.
She also came to realise the fact that she liked it.
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After training, Draco met Hermione at the bottom of the pitch.
"You are very good." She said jogging towards him
He smirked "Of course."
"Don't get cocky now." She tapped his nose gently with her index finger.
He frowned as he brushed her hand away. "So what now?" She said giggling.
"Come ride with me." He said holding his broom out to her.
Hermione backed away "No, I don't like flying."
Draco stepped forwards smirking "Afraid of height dearest?"
"I… I just don't like brooms." Hermione swallowed audibly at the thought of being so high up; so far from the ground on a stick.
Draco however, was stuck on the idea. "I'll be right behind you. Come on, it'll be romantic."
Hermione snorted "Romantic? Give me a break." She turned away and Draco went to grab her wrist, but she anticipated it and dodged out of reach. Draco went to grab her again, but she jumped away. He sighed in frustration as he jumped on his broom, flew past and picked her bodily from the ground.
Hermione screamed making Draco think he should get now ear drums afterwards.
"Will you stop it!" He yelled as she continued to scream.
She was seated in from of him, her hands clutching the handle so hard her knuckles were white. She did stop but was literally trembling like a leaf.
Draco wrapped his arm around her tightly and pulled her closer to him so he could speak in her ear. "It's alright, I won't let you fall. Just calm down." He coaxed gently.
Slowly she stopped trembling but her rigid form refused to relax.
"Say something Hermione." He chuckled as they circled the pitch.
"You're a bastard and when we land I'm going to hex your balls off." She snapped.
Draco laughed "I guess we won't land then." He tilted the broom and they rose even higher.
"Stop! Stop! Let me get off!" Hermione screamed.
Draco slowed down but remained at goal-post height. "There really is no reason to be afraid, trust me."
Hermione shoved her elbow into his ribs. "Let me down!" She yelled again.
Draco winced and let go of the broom to rub his ribs which were probably bruised. The broom wavered a bit causing Hermione to shriek even more.
"Let me down!" She yelled into his ear.
'Does she think I can't hear her?' he thought, quickly deciding that it wasn't really worth the trouble and heading towards the ground.
When they got there, Hermione leapt off and ran away. Draco stood there, still massaging his ribs thinking that he really had done it this time.
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Okay I know that the whole Hermione-Draco flying has be done a lot and I didn't exactly produce an original version but it just sort of felt right. Yes it is rather sneaky of Harry to try and stop Draco from playing…why? Dun dun dun! Haha you'll find out soon enough.
Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!
