I hope that you enjoy this chapter and accept my apology.
Creds to the genius JK Rowling
Draco gave a start as a hand clutched his arm. Shrinking away from the unwanted contact, he turned toward the source snapping, "What!?" Catching sight of bushy hair and a warm, eager face, he recognized the intruder.
"Oh. It's you Granger." Pausing, he added, "Hi."
Hermione looked slightly taken aback before recovering and returning his greeting.
"Hi. Listen, I wanted to talk to you."
"No, really?" Draco said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously, unsure if he was joking around or being his usual rude self. She was pacified when Draco shot her a grin and said,
"I'd be surprised if you didn't want to. Smart as you are, you're still human Granger."
Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.
"Oh, real mature," Draco said.
With rather impressive resolve, Hermione ignored the jibe and said, "Anyway, before we got sidetracked I was saying I had something to—"
"Before you got sidetracked by my impeccable physique…"
"Would you shut up!" Hermione finally burst out.
Draco looked slightly taken aback before expertly smoothing his face into a mask of indifference and replying,
"Go on then" sulkily.
Once again, Hermione hid her surprise, this time at the fact that he listened to her. She had seen him give Slytherins a harder time than he had just given her. With a rush of excitement, Hermione couldn't help thinking that maybe, just maybe, Draco was beginning to think of her as a friend.
"So, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," she began for the third time, flashing him a smile so that he knew she was half joking, "I spoke to Professor McGonagall, and our excursion will be taking place next Thursday evening."
Draco felt his stomach twist with worry. That was exactly a week away. Seven days until he had to spend an evening in the muggle world, not to mention an evening with Granger. Surprisingly, it wasn't disgust that made him nervous to spend the evening with her, but worry that he would mess things up. What was happening to him?
"What will we be doing?" He asked, feigning calmness and indifference.
Smiling, Hermione replied, "That's a surprise."
"How am I to prepare?" Draco was beginning to feel exceedingly nervous. He hated surprises, especially when it involved muggles and a girl who just a few weeks ago was one of his worst enemies and who he still did not entirely trust.
"Don't worry about that. Just dress formally and bring a change of casual clothes."
"What are we going to do, participate in a fashion show?" Draco asked genuinely, wrinkling his nose.
Stifling a laugh, Hermione said, "No no, I just want to squeeze in as many events as possible, and they're varying levels of formality.
All Draco could think was that he had to survive more than one event. At the moment, he'd rather duel the Dark Lord himself.
"Well, I think that's everything, I'll leave you be now…" Hermione's voice trailed off uncertainly.
"Okay….See you." Draco said softly.
This time, Hermione was not quick enough in masking her emotions. The happiness that crossed her face at his simple words caused something to stir in Draco. He truly had never met anyone like her. He deserved the very worst from her for all the pain and suffering he had caused her, and yet she treated him better than the other Slytherins did. Draco couldn't help feeling drawn to her whenever he was around her.
xxxxx
"Hey bitch!" Ginny Weasley called to Pansy Parkinson.
"Yes dog?"
Ginny heaved a huge sigh, as though her next words were tearing her up. "Wh-what are we going to do for our hang out?" Her voice twisted the words as though they were the most toxic words she had ever had to utter.
"How about I kill you, and bury you?" Pansy asked innocently.
"Ugh the last thing I want to do is spend any amount of time alone with you. This is pure torture!"
Suddenly, Ginny's face lit up as though a lightbulb had gone off, which metaphorically, it had.
"That's just it! Neither of us want to spend any time alone together!"
Pansy spoke slowly as though Ginny was stupid. "Yes Weaselette, but we have to so I really don't understand your excitement. Unless you've finally gone insane, not entirely impossible."
Ignoring her, Ginny continued, "Why don't we ask McGonagall if we can plan a party for the other people in our class? Then we have something concrete to work on together, and then the actual evening we won't be alone together, we can actually avoid each other. I'm sure she'll go for it, it'd be another event where the class has to hang out!"
Pansy hated to admit it, but the redhead had just had a good idea. She only had one question:
"What kind of party?" She asked suspiciously.
Grinning evily, Ginny replied, "The best kind. The exciting kind."
For the first time in her life, Pansy Parkinson flashed a Gryffindor a sincere smile.
"So we'll need to go into Hogsmeade and get some firewhisky. I'm of age now so that shouldn't be an issue. And we'll have to brew Veritasserum for truth or dare of course, it's no fun unless there's complete honesty. As far as food…."
To someone passing by, the two seemed almost chummy as they planned their big bash.
xxxxx
Daphne shivered with happiness as she felt a large hand gently grab her arm and heard his voice say,
"Hey, shall we meet at noon to head into Hogsmeade Sunday or shall we go in a little earlier and grab lunch?"
"Lunch is good, I like the Three Broomsticks!" she said flashing what she hoped was a radiant smile.
"Great." Ron said returning her smile softly.
Daphne felt as though her legs were turning to jelly under his gentle gaze. Damn, she was falling hard.
xxxxx
"Hey Zabini!" Harry called as he caught sight of him in the hallway on his way to lunch.
"Well well well, if it isn't the boy who wouldn't die himself," Blaise drawled, winking as he did so.
Harry grinned as they fell into what was quickly becoming a comfortable routine of friendly teasing.
"So Hermione's taking Malfoy into the muggle world, and that made me think that maybe we could too. I'd love to see you at an amusement park." He added, grinning wickedly.
"That's one of those places with a rolling coast and ferret wheel?" Blaise asked suspiciously.
Harry laughed and said "Yes, they have rollercoasters and Ferris wheels," emphasizing the terms that Blaise had said incorrectly.
"Game on!" Blaise said, never one to back down from a challenge. "On the condition that we go to a bar after so that I can compare the hotness of muggle chicks to witches."
xxxxx
A week later, Draco found himself nervously waiting for Hermione in the huge foyer of the castle. He was donning a black tuxedo, his hair slicked back from his face. He couldn't help tapping his foot in anxiety. He was seriously regretting agreeing to this, not because of the fact that he would be going into the muggle world, though that wasn't helping, but because he would be spending the evening with Hermione. What would they talk about? Draco didn't want to embarrass himself. He wanted to impress her. He forgot all his worries momentarily as he caught sight of her descending the grand staircase. He sucked in a breath. There were no other words for it, she looked absolutely stunning.
She was wearing a flowy lilac coloured dress. It had one strap adorned with crystal decorations that matched the ones round her waistline. The dress flared out at her waist and fell to her knees, allowing for a view of her silver coloured pumps. She wore crystal studs in the shape of flowers, and her hair was pulled to one side, hanging over the other shoulder in a ringleted pony tail. What's more, it was sleek and shiny, just as it had been at the Yule Ball. Draco had found himself unable to take his eyes off her that night, and he couldn't right now. The difference was that then, he had been unable to approach her, and was expected to hate her. Now, he was supposed to like her, befriend her. He felt thrilled at the notion.
"Draco." She smiled up at him.
"So we're on a first name basis again?" he asked coyly.
"Well it feels strange to be spending an evening together and refer to each other by our last names, no?"
"I suppose so, Hermione." Hermione's heart raced at his words. Her name had never sounded so attractive.
"So uh, what do I do with these?" he held out jeans and a black t-shirt.
"Just shove em in here," Hermione opened the purple beaded she was carrying.
"…how?"
"Undetectable extension charm," Hermione said proudly. "This bag got me through last year," she added softly, almost absentmindedly, as a shadow crossed her face.
Uncertainly, Draco put a hand on her shoulder. "Shall we go to whatever hellhole you're taking me too?" He smiled to make it clear that his words held no malice.
Hermione's face seemed to clear. Gracing him with one of her radiant smiles, she said, "Yes, lets. McGonagall gave us special permission to apparate from within the castle just for this evening." Offering him her arm, she said, "Come on Draco!" Flashing him another smile which gave him the courage and willingness to nervously clutch her arm. The unlikely pair spun as one and disappeared from sight.