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Draco opened the door to his room as he heard footsteps. Potter and his peanut gallery were going by, all with coats and cloaks on. Draco grabbed Hermione's arm.
"What's going on? Where's everyone going?" he asked.
"Diagon Alley," she said, fixing her hood. "We need supplies."
Draco simply lifted his brows at her.
"Did you want to come?" she asked slowly.
Draco gave a quick nod. "Hang on." He came back quickly adjusting his cloak around him.
"Hold on there mister." Hermione held up her hand to stop him. He frowned at her. "We need to do something about that hair. You'll be spotted immediately." She gave him a considering look, while he studied her in return.
"What about yours?" he asked. "It doesn't exactly scream anonymity."
She huffed and gave him an exasperated look. "Don't worry about me. Now, I think instead of a hat, we could just change the colour. How about…red?" she suggested with a slight grin.
Draco made a face as predicted. "Another Weasley twin? I think I'll pass."
"Well, then really dark brown, I guess. You should have Ginny do it though. I'm terrible with cosmetic charms," Hermione admitted with a grimace.
Smirking at her, he pointed his wand to his hair. It turned the darkest brown, almost undistinguishable from black. "So. How do I look?"
Hermione gave a brief glance to his hair and nodded. "Like you dyed your hair. Come on," she turned to go.
Malfoy followed her. "Died? What died?" he frowned at her.
Hermione glanced sideways at him, then rolled her eyes. "It's the Muggle way of changing one's hair colour."
"You kill it?" Malfoy asked, near incredulous. Maybe everything Lucius taught him wasn't bull.
"No, you pouf. You use dye, which is a potion mixed to colour your hair."
"And it's called 'die'?" Draco asked for verification.
"D.Y.E. yes, dye."
He was silent so she looked over at him as they reached the Apparation room. He was in deep contemplation.
She huffed and shook his arm, giving him a questioning look when he looked at her.
"I can't help but have images of avadaing my head now."
Hermione pulled her lips together to stop a smile. "Come on." She held her hand out for his and he took it.
They Apparated to the Weasley's store room in Diagon Alley. Draco followed Hermione out of the back room into a crowded store.
Draco made a face.
"These people still go out to come here?" he sneered. He figured everyone would be tucked away at home, instead of venturing out into the streets plagued by Death Eaters.
"Shove it, Malfoy. People need a good laugh more than anything nowadays," Hermione told him calmly.
She walked over to Harry and he watched them talk and laugh. Not realizing he was glowering, he stalked up to them. Their laughter broke off as they noticed him. Rather than address him, Harry called out to the Weasleys.
"Alright, we need potion ingredients, healing supplies and food," he addressed everyone.
"I'll get the food," Ron offered.
Fred smacked him in the stomach. "Yeah right you will. Last time you bought all junk food. Mum was pissed."
Ron rubbed his stomach and frowned at his brother. "I did not," he protested.
"Mickey's vegetable-shaped curliques do not count as healthy," George smirked.
"Alright, I'll get the food." Harry said, cutting off Ron's reply. "Ron, you get the healing supplies, Hermione could you get the potions' stuff?"
She nodded.
"Alright. We go in pairs. Kingsley and Mad-Eye insist on coming with me," Harry said with a roll of his eyes. "Ron, take one of your brothers with you. Hermione, you take Draco."
"By herself?" Ron protested.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes, Ron. I can walk all on my own, too. Wanna see?" she said.
"Ron, she's the only one that can put up with him," Harry sighed. "Deal with it. Anyway, also get any personal items you want now, since this will be the last trip here. We'll meet back here in two hours. Squeeze your wand if in any trouble or call out. Hermione, at least should be able to hear you."
Draco was puzzled by his last statement as everyone headed out. Why would everyone be able to contact Hermione by just calling out? He forgot his query as he was separated from Hermione by the crowd and started pushing his way past.
"Hey," he said when he caught up to her walking a mile a minute.
She turned and smiled benignly. "Oh, you're still there? Bugger."
He looked down at her bemused. Before he could think of a reply, he noticed hair falling over her brow. Hermione looked startled as he reached out to push her hood back. He was stunned to see her voluminous chestnut curls transformed into long, straight, midnight black locks.
Seeing Malfoy shocked like this was rare, and it made Hermione's mouth curl up at the corners slightly.
"I told you not to worry about me," she said cheekily. Then she spun, and left the dazed Malfoy behind.
He quickly shook himself and hurried after her again.
While Hermione stocked up on supplies, Draco wandered the store. He was grimacing at a bowl of live newts when Hermione approached him.
"Ready?" she asked.
He glanced down at the small package she was stuffing into her robe. He nodded. Opening the door, he let her pass through before him, following her out. Hermione thought this odd.
They'd spent half an hour getting potions' stuff.
"I'm going to the book store," Hermione said over her shoulder to him.
"What you don't own every book there yet?"
She gave him a glare over her shoulder. "Not yet."
Draco's brows drew together in a frown. He'd only been half serious. When he glanced up again, he noted Knockturn Alley right ahead.
Quickly, he grabbed Hermione and pulled her into the space between buildings, pinning her against the wall.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Draco demanded.
She frowned furiously back. "You first."
"Death Eaters are no doubt wandering Knockturn right now."
Hermione looked at him confused. "I wasn't going down Knockturn Alley, you wanker. I can't help that Flourish and Blotts is close to it."
"Well, we shouldn't go there then." Draco looked resolved in this.
Hermione gaped at him. "Are you mad? We come to Diagon Alley once in a blue moon, I'm going in that book store." She shoved at him, but he held her firmly. "Let me go."
Draco shook his head.
Hermione huffed. "Look, Malfoy. I know you're scared of being discovered…"
"Don't presume to know me, Granger," Draco said disgusted. "I'm not scared and were I, I would not need your pity nor concern."
"Fine. If you're not scared, let's go then," Hermione challenged with an up tilted nose.
He glared at her a moment longer before releasing her shoulders. How could someone so infuriating captivate him so?
The cold malice in his gaze made shiver involuntarily as she turned to go. A hand on her arm stopped her though.
Malfoy pulled on her forearm, releasing it from her cloak. Slowly she turned as he pulled, sliding his hand down her arm to her wrist, lifting it up. He blew hot air gently on the inside of her wrist before meeting her gaze as she twisted her head to face him. She shuddered.
"Don't fear me," he muttered. "Remember? I can't harm you…" Her gaze drifted down as he fingered the ring he gave her.
"But you would if you could," Hermione breathed.
Draco shook his head. "You are no longer my enemy."
"Than I fear what you will do to your enemies when you happen upon them." She let her gaze drop slightly before meeting his gaze once more. "Excuse me." And she took off, Draco letting her arm slip out of his grip. He took a moment to compose himself and followed her.
He didn't immediately see her as he entered the shop. He headed towards the back and found her looking through the "Dusty Tomes" section.
Her nose was buried in a book. She turned her back to him as he neared. He smirked at this and peered over her shoulder.
"Anything interesting?"
"No, nothing about ridding the world of ferret-faced intrigue," she answered without looking up.
In retaliation, Malfoy gripped her waist, making her jump. He bent close to her ear and spoke, "Come on, Hermione. I'm trying to make nice here."
Hermione's gaze lifted while he spoke but she held very still.
Suddenly, she spun and faced him before slamming the book shut. It released a horrendous amount of dust into his face, sending him into a coughing fit and backing away from her.
She moved away from him as well, replacing the book on the shelf she found it. He disturbed her, using her first name. It made her insides squirm and not all entirely unpleasantly.
Draco rubbed his assaulted eyes and glanced about for Granger, glaring. What he saw made his eyes widen instead.
An employee was levitating a book onto the top shelf of the book case Hermione was currently standing next to and the employee's charms work was beginner at best. Draco watched the wobbling 500 page tome in horror as the employee lost control.
Draco grabbed Hermione and yanked her out of the falling book's way.
Hermione yelped as she was pulled unceremoniously back into Draco's arms, which was followed by a loud thud, as a large book landed right where she was standing.
"Watch it, you oaf," she heard Draco yell at the man currently running up to her, apologizing.
"I'm so sorry, miss," he said worried. "Are you quite alright?"
"No, she not alright. Look at her. She's scared half to death." Draco answered for her. "Get out of my sight before I report you to the owner."
The poor man nodded and bowed and back away.
"Malfoy, you didn't need to be so rude. It was clearly an accident--"
"One that would've cost us serious head trauma, no doubt," he argued. "Me, because your friends would somehow think it my fault."
As she stared up at him, she realized she was still cocooned in his arms, and pulled away. She frowned when he gripped her tighter.
Looking up at him, he had that resolved look again. "Oh no, you are more trouble than you're worth, Granger. I'm not letting you out of my sight again."
"Even so, I'm certain your eyesight is better than merely the length of your arms, so if you'll please…" She pried herself out of his grip and hurried away.
Draco growled low in his throat and followed her. He was distracted momentarily by familiar voices. He peered through the stacks of books to the front.
His eyes widened and he cursed as he recognized Marcus Flint and Adrian Pucey. Draco slipped out of sight and hurried towards Granger.
"Granger, we've got company."
Hermione turned to him wide-eyed. "What? Where?"
"Up front. Flint and Pucey just entered."
"What should we do?"
Draco frowned down at her. "You're asking me?"
"Well, you know them better than I."
Draco just sighed and shook his head. Then he stiffened. "Wait, shh. I think they're coming this way."
Hermione listened and could hear shuffling footsteps.
She heard Malfoy sigh again before muttering, "Just don't hurt me," And then he pressed her back into a corner and kissed her.
Hermione's eyes were wide. She batted at the hands that held her face frantically. Draco lifted his mouth from hers and spoke into them.
"Look, currently you are the only girl of your height in the Order and they would never suspect we'd be snogging and it's really me they're after so go with it." Then he pressed his mouth to hers again.
She didn't struggle this time, but she didn't really participate. His insane logic somehow made sense to her.
Draco tried his best to coax her mouth open, taking advantage while he could, and succeeded when she gasped at the feel of his tongue on her lip.
It was shocking how good he was at this, and even more disconcerting to realize she wasn't immune to how it felt. She let her palms rest on his chest as she leaned into him. She'd never been kissed like this.
His hands slipped down to her hips and tugged her against him. Heat shot all the way down to her toes, her stomach doing somersaults, and her skin tingled as he rubbed against her suggestively. She let her arms wrap around his neck, actively kissing him back now.
She heard Malfoy growl softly into her mouth as she rubbed her tongue back against his. He pressed her harder back into the shelves and she was startled at the feel of his arousal against her stomach.
She faintly heard soft snickers as they were caught and temporarily froze, realizing what she was doing and tried to pull away.
Malfoy was having none of it and squeezed the top of her thigh as he held her lips with his.
"Get a room, mate," was heard as the two former Slytherins left the way they came.
Malfoy broke the kiss as they heard the front door slam shut behind them, and rested his forehead against hers. They let their breathing slow a bit. Malfoy lifted his gaze to hers. He stared at her intensely.
"Did you bewitch me?" he murmured. "I've never...damn."
Hermione let out a ragged breath.
"I…" she trailed off. She could've said the same thing…and it scared her. "I have to go." She shoved him and took off out of the store.
A/N: Yes, my main evil cliffie. I don't think there are anymore and I'll put up the next chap tomorrow. And I know it was cliche, their first kiss but its hard to avoid them all the timeP Thanks to you guys for reviewing continually and to the new reviewers, you are most appreciated too XD