Chapter 5: Plan: Cheer Hermione

-Draco's POV-

When I get home from the park Hermione is curled up on the couch with a glass of wine. She's biting her lower lip and just staring off into space.

"I hope you're thinking about me."

"Oh, Draco! You startled me! I didn't realize you were home. How was the park?" She's running off the couch and giving me a warm hug and keeps questioning about my day.

"What's wrong? Why are you yammering about my day?" She can't look in my eyes. Something must be wrong. "Mia, really, what's bothering you?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it. I did ask you an important question in there. Did you eat yet? Or would you like me to prepare dinner?" She's fidgeting with my shirt while I try to get her to look at me. There must be something wrong if she won't even look at me right?

"How about we eat out instead?" I grab her and pull her into a tight embrace and kiss her on the nose.

"That sounds lovely! Why don't we try that new restaurant on Diagon Alley. The one Blaise will not shut up about."

Plan: Cheer Hermione is a go. Objective one: us, sitting across from each other eating dinner. She will not be able to avoid me there.

-Hermione's POV-

We walked into The Top Hat, a swanky new steakhouse. The room is really dark and but there is a nice ambience from the candles dispersed throughout the room. The hostess is undressing Draco with her eyes and I grab his hand while she walks us to our table. I understand he's gorgeous but clearly he's taken, you shouldn't be doing that in front of his girlfriend, I mean come on! When she finally acknowledges that I exist I give her my best glare, one that Narcissa would be proud of. She quickly leaves us be at our table and soon we're sitting in an uncomfortable silence.

I try not to look at him and just look around. It is really dim in here and its hard to make out whose around us. You can hear the hushed whispers of the other tables but can barely make out what people are saying. I can make out some of the words and it doesn't sound pretty.

"Who is that with him –"

"Hermione Granger, what does he see in her –"

"He's so debonair –"

"She's practically dressed in a tea towel –"

I'm trying really hard not to cry. I stop looking around the room and just focus on the wine glass that Draco has served me. I quickly down its contents and pour myself another glass and about to gulp it all down as well when Draco grabs my wrist.

"Slow down there Mia! You don't want to get drunk before we even eat."

"I'm just really thirsty. I'll drink this glass slower, promise." I give him the puppy eyes he can't say no to. He lets go of my wrist and I sip at my drink but the glass never leaves my hand. I take a sip out of it every few seconds.

"Mia, that's not really keeping you're promise, now is it? What's going on? Do you not like the restaurant? We can go somewhere else, let's just go The Leaky Cauldron?"

As tempting as that sounds I don't want to seem a coward to the bigoted purebloods around me. I have to stay, I just want some liquid courage, but I'm not going to tell Draco that! "No, it's all right. Don't worry, I do want to try the steak here. The Quibbler gave this place stellar reviews so I'm intrigued. How was the park today?"

-Draco's POV-

Objective One is actually not working out so well. This place is too dark for me to really gauge her face. She keeps fidgeting and is constantly looking at anywhere except me. I don't know what I should do about this. How can I rectify the plan...I really need to find out about her day and what has put her like this. She hasn't been like this since we first got together.

Something had to happen today and every time I try to bring it up she just ignores me and asks about something else in my life. Her avoidance is starting to peeve me but I let her think she is getting away with it for now. I tell her about the park, minus the mention of our plans. I do tell her about all of our concern for her.

She scoffs! "Mia, something is clearly bothering you if Weasley is noticing. Wasn't it you who said he has, and I quote, 'the emotional range of a teaspoon'?"

Now she snorts! "You weren't there for that, how do you know that?" She is spending too much time with my mother. She's getting good at this avoidance game. Unfortunately for her, I've known my mother for longer so I can spot the game a pitch away!

"Nice try! I've heard the others use that line plenty of times. Now really, what's going on Mia?"

Silence. She doesn't respond. She's looking at the other tables. I look around trying to figure out what she's looking at. She has a frown on her face. Ok, this plan is really not working. Why are all the other tables so important? I don't understand!

The server comes back to us and asks if we want more wine. Hermione isn't giving her the glare she was giving her earlier. In fact, she hasn't been as possessive as she has been in the past. Hermione quickly says we don't want anything else and asks for the bill, not once looking at me. Is this just another change because of the Parkinson chit?

The Parkinson chit, what the hell has she said to Hermione to make her crumble like this. She really is acting strange. I'm going to hurt Pansy if she's the root of this, and knowing her, she probably is. What could Pansy have told Iris that would give her the ammunition to hurt Hermione like this. I just don't get it.

The waiter comes this time with the bill. I'm pulling out my coin bag to pay for dinner and for the first time tonight Hermione looks at me.

"Draco, why are you with me?"

I'm flabbergasted. She's never asked me this before. I know she's insecure about her looks with me, but she knows I find her beautiful and the swots like the server never catch my eye, hence her usual glare. Does she think I don't find her beautiful anymore? Does she think I don't love her. I'm fairly certain I said it today, and I know for sure I did last night.

I must have taken too long to respond. She gets up and walks out the restaurant before I can answer.

Objective One of Plan: Cheer Hermione – utter failure.