DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING.

Beauty and Madness

Chapter 5: Why Can't We Be Friends?

"My Nearest and Dearest Enemy." Unknown

Draco looked at the mirror one last time before leaving his room and descending down the stairs. He could not believe he was going on a date with Granger. It was the least likely thing he ever imagined, but he did noticed something about the girl, she was fun to be around. Nothing like he ever pictured her, he always thought that she had her nose in a book to often to even have a life, but the girl was quick with her wit and valued knowledge as much as he did. He about made it to the door when his mother spoke. Biting back a groan when she called him into the sitting room that was to the left of the foyer.

"So I take it you found a date?" Looking stunningly amazing in a royal blue gown, she delicately pour herself some tea. And looked at Draco expectantly.

"Of course mother, I am everything you said I was this morning." He said before he even reached the room. He leaned on the door jam and smirked. He knew what his mother was doing and he was not playing in to her little game.

"Mind telling me who?" She enquired, curiosity was always his mothers downfall. She was like a cat, she couldn't help but ask.

"No." Draco said simply and turned to walk out without another word. Knowing that by doing this he was irritating his mother beyond belief. Which it did, she scowled at the spot her son was just at.

A dark chuckle rang out from the foyer, Narcissa knew it was her husband. "I do not find this amusing."

"Dear wife, I do. Looks as if you will have to wait," He look at the clock, "Oh my another hour to know who your son is taking to this Gala, let us hope it is someone with two brain cells." he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"He better, wouldn't want to sabotage another relationship." She smirked. She hated the girls that Draco was attracted to, she gave up hope that him and Pansy would look past years of friendship and suddenly fall in love. It was useless. So she felt she needed to help Draco realize in order to find someone suitable he had to look further than the next club.

Draco arrived early at Hermione's flat. He could not take his mother's antics any longer. Knocking sharply he waited. Hoping that she wouldn't be irritated that he was here before the time he said. He surprised himself when that thought went through his head. When did he ever care about what Hermione felt. Since when did he care if he irritated her or not; he used to live for making her angry. The angry pout on her face, well he had to admit that it was kind of cute. But that was besides the point, he did not know when theses feeling for her feelings started and he did not know if he like that or not. And the more he thought about that the more upset he got. So he knocked on the door a bit impatiently to become distracted from his thoughts. Whatever was happening with this…this strange friendship, partnership what ever the hell it was he did not want to think about it right at the moment. Specially when said girl was behind the door he was knocking at.

"Just a minute" he could hear her yell out. One of the many reasons he believed people needed house-elf's. He could be relaxing on the sofa with a cool beverage by the time she answered the door. But if Granger was anything like she was in school he knew better than to suggest it to her. He laughed quietly when he heard a loud crash and a string of curses that followed. Finally she answered the door wrapped in a bath robe. Draco gave her an amused smirk and with a raise of an eyebrow he opened his mouth and started talking. Ruining the moment for Hermione because she found him looking amazing.

"Why Granger you look….."

"Oh knock it off you prat." She cut him off. "You owe me so much for this you don't even know. So I would wipe that smug look off and start worrying about how much this going to cost you."

Draco frowned. "Why are you snapping you could of just said no." Feeling a bit insure, not a feeling he was used to feeling, and he cursed her in his mind for bring it on.

"Your early and I am far from ready." she whined a bit, after she left the office her day was nothing but stress.

"So this is about me seeing you in your fluffy purple bathrobe then?" he asked with an amused smile.

"I hate you." she said as she opened the door further so he could step in.

"Granger that hurts." Still smiling, more playfully. She relaxed a bit at the smile.

She smacked him lightly before asking "Why are you here so early?"

"My mother. She is impatient to see who I am taking to this Gala. One hundred questions before I left and everything. She has been acting oddly ever since we started planning for the Hogwarts event."

"Your parents are going to be there?" She paled a bit. Hermione felt her heart drop into the bottom of her stomach.

"Yeah, why wouldn't they be there." Draco was scared she would back down now. His father was a reason her life was terrorized as it was being one of Voldemort's followers. Strongest enforcer until he ran to the other side when he noticed how far Voldemort insanity stretched. "That's not going to be a problem is it?" He asked in a gentle voice knowing that it would be a touchy subject for her.

"No. I'll be fine." she was not that convincing but he took her word for it. She walked down a hallway telling him she had to get her dress on.

Draco was a man of opportunity. So when she walked down the hall he turned around in the tiny apartment and saw opportunity. Checking once down the hall he started to look threw her things. It was mostly books, he figured anything important or of extreme value would be in her room. He found a stack of letters though he shifted through them getting caught up in one that Krum wrote her when she screeched.

"Draco Malfoy are you snooping through my things." Hands on her hips fuming, looking like an angry goddess.

"Love, there are certain rules that I live by. And this situation is one of them. I firmly believe that going through peoples things is a bonding experience. We are bonding." He gave her a charming smile that usually worked on most ladies when they were upset at something that he had done, but that did not work quite the way he remember it.

"Well give me twenty minutes in your room and you will se how much we bond." Draco noticed then how amazing she looked was in a daze for a bit but quickly recovered. "That sounds kinky Granger. My room is always open to you to bond with me."

She rolled her eyes. she could not believe the words that rolled off his tongue. Even the wicked look in his eye as he said it.

"You need to help me zip my dress than we will be ready to leave." Draco grinned at her and stood from the couch, leaving the letter on the coffee table.

"Yes ma'am." If ever there was a predator it was Draco. He stalked towards Hermione with a dangerous hungry look. He moved around her gracefully letting his finger brush against the base of her neck. She held in a gasp, amazingly. Lightly tracing the contour of her back he grasped the zipper and slid it up letting his fingers lightly touch her back. She had Goosebumps; of all the times that Harry or Ron done the same thing for her they never done it as tantalizing as the man behind her.

They embraced the moment awhile before Draco stepped closer. "You are beautiful and you look…ravishing." Draco whispered in her ear. He stabled her thankfully because she felt her knees go weak from his teasing. Hermione had no clue what had come over her. She never acted nor felt like this ever in her life.

"We should get going." Draco said checking his watch he seen they were going to be late. His mother must be throwing a fit by now. "Definitely."

Hermione turned and faced Draco, "I will appartate us to a safe spot then you can appartate us to the Nott's." She and who ever she let could appartate from the apartment.

"You should just wire me into your wards."

She gave him a look, "Planning on stopping by a lot?"

"Maybe, maybe not, all depends on my mood. You never know how unpredictable my actions might be."

She smiled at him and took his arm and with a pop they were gone. They appartated quickly but they still had to walk the long drive of the Nott Estate. Draco started complaining about how if the Gala was bring held at the Malfoy Manor his family would of offered a horse and Carriage to escort the guest to the front door.

"It is a beautiful night Malfoy look at the stars." Hermione was amazingly immune to his whining and ignored what came out of his mouth and gazed at the beauty the night possessed.

With Diagon Alley so close to London seeing stars was a rare sight. He watched her watch the sky. It was an amazing sight indeed, her eyes lit up when ever she took interest in something. And he loved watching it. Not that he admitted that to himself yet.

"I guess but we are late and my mother well she is going to be stark raving mad. And my father well he will get this disappointed look in his eyes. This whole thing is just a pain in the ass to tell you the truth."

"So you have said." She laughed Malfoy was amusing when his feathers got ruffled, "See that wasn't long at all."

Narcissa was pleased indeed when Grangers name was announced on the arm of her son. She was sure that Draco decided to take some floozy that would embarrasses the family and flirt shamelessly with her husband. Granger was a good Match for her son. And she could not wait till they realized this, match making was a long process. Malfoy men were hard to manipulated. They had to believe it was there idea in the first place, unfortunately Lucius caught on to her plan already. For he smirked at her when the announcement was made. "So Dear how does it feel to get your wish."

"I do not know what you are talking about." feign innocence.

"Sure you didn't sure you didn't." He smile indulgently.

Theo stood towards the back of the dim overcrowded bar, his dark eyes narrowed as they moved methodically through the room. He felt another swell of intense irritation hit him as he realized the disadvantage of his situation.

He hissed out a sigh under his breathe as he continued to scour the room, seeking out one female. He seen her arrive elegantly on the damn arm of Draco Malfoy. The blond buffoon was a thorn in his side. Always messing with things that should be left alone. Like granger.

"May I help you, sir?"

Theo's dark impatient gaze focused on a small woman dressed in a waitress's uniform standing next to him, peering up at him, her oval face tinged with pleasure. He was used to this kind of reaction from the opposite sex and normally he would have automatically fallen back on his charm and flirted with the pretty thing hovering with her tray tucked neatly under one arm. But this was not a normal situation. Granger was here dangling provocatively in front of his eyes. Just the thought of it made him catch his breath in another surge of frustrated anger.

"I am looking for someone." He said as he gave her a brief glance before searching the room again, totally dismissive.

"Maybe I can assist you?" She said eager to please.

Theo sighed in an aggraded annoyances. "Love, if this was any of your concern I would of already asked for your assistances. Since it is not I would really appreciate it if you would leave me to my business." He said in a cold, detached voice that made the woman leave without a word.

He spotted her than, standing alone. Perfect. Malfoy was annoying and his pompous attitude would ruin his mood even more.

"Well, well, well. Hermione." Theo purred. Not satisfied with how she was not responding.

"Nott." She said curtly.

"Theo, call me Theo. So I see you came with Malfoy, if I knew that you were interested in these sort of things I would of asked you instead of the ditz who is currently in the powder room for tenth time."

Hermione decided then that she did not get the Slytherin house. They paid her no attention back in school and if they did it was only to humiliate her. "Why don't you go and find a date that you can actually talk to then, instead of regretting your choice."

"Hmm, no one compared to the legendary Hermione Granger when it comes to intelligence. I am afraid that I could never find someone quite like you love." Theo was defiantly charming and she already forgave one, well two Slytherins. "So where is your idiot date? Surely he would not leave you alone, if you were my date, I would never of left your side." Hermione smiled, even giggled when the voice interrupted Theo.

"Well Nott, then surely your date would of died of thirst. Here Mione, white wine right." Draco said as he came up behind Nott. Smiling towards Hermione then glaring at Nott. "Now if you will excuse us I see my mother beckoning us."

Hermione's amusement at the boys reactions to each other was cut short at the thought of talking and being civil towards Draco's parents. Taking a deep breathe she said goodbye to Nott and followed Draco's lead towards his parents. Hermione got nervous, upset, afraid a new emotion with every step to the blond goddess, who eyed her with interest as if she was some piece of art new to her collection.

"Miss Granger." Lucius said as he held a hand out toward her. A simple gesture that was in many civilization a gesture meaning hello and she was sure that once Hermione put her hand in his hand he would kiss the top of her hand, like many gentlemen did. But even with gentleman Lucius looking every inch the part she could not stop her memory from reminding her of Death Eater Lucius. A monster so viscous, he still haunted her dreams. But Draco was looking at her expectantly, and for the first time in her new found friendship with the Malfoy Heir she felt tested. She could walk away on friendly terms with Draco but there would never be any depth to their friendship or she could take the mans hand and truly see Draco and not some mask that he put up for the world to see. And the Gryffindor in her was curious to see who Draco really was. So putting the fear that the Blond aristocrat would grab her and drag her to his lair she gently put her hand in his and as expected he pulled her hand so that his lips graced her knuckles. "It is a pleasure to meet you again."

Taking in a shaky breathe she raised her head and looked at the man straight in the eyes and said "Likewise."

Draco could see how nervous she was, and he wanted nothing more than to take her from his parent, mostly from his father and protect her. But he knew that his father would cause her no harm and chanting that in his head for a good five seconds is what kept him in place. "Drakey, why did you not tell me that you planned on escorting miss Granger, we could of made a day at the spa." His mother said in an airy voice. Pleasant even. If Draco did not grasp Hermione's hand hardly she might of choked on her drink.

Hermione gave Draco a look, one that said, I am pretty sure your mother hated me till this moment.

"Well mother given the fact I was informed on such short notice and also we are extremely busy planning the ball a spa visit could not be fitted into the schedule."

"Next time then." And she smiled a smile that chilled Hermione to the bone. She was beginning to think that it was silly to be scared of Lucius when this Lady looked like the queen of the underworld.

"Well it was lovely talking to you but we are going to mingle a bit." Draco said and quickly led Hermione away. "You did great."

"Now I know that you are just saying that, I barely said anything."

"Of all the things that I learned living with my parents you will see less is more." Draco lead her to a corner and pulled out a chair.

"I thought we were mingling?" Hermione asked as she sat.

"See normally I would mingle, but I really do not like these people."

"SO what are we going to do than?"

Draco signaled a waiter, order a bottle of fire whiskey and said, "Get drunk and make fun of people."

"That doesn't sound that fun or even that nice."

"Well look over there, to the lady with blue hair, do you not even wonder how that came about, or why she would come to this gala looking like a fool who couldn't even handle a simple hair coloring glamour. It may not be nice, then again I am not nice, but it is fun. Rebel Granger, let loose and be free and you will be amazed at how that feels."

Hermione tried not to smile, that would even encourage him more but she couldn't help it, specially when the man whose pants were tucked into his socks passed by their table.

A couple of hours later, they were drunk and even Hermione was adding in comments, not as crude as Draco but funny non the less. They were laughing uncontrollably and extremely loud when Draco's father approached looking extremely irritated.

"Draco Malfoy, what in Merlin's name are you doing?" Lucius said in a controlled voice.

Draco laughed not being able to help himself, he was so gone it was impossible for him to control it.

"Behave" Hermione said in a whisper that was loud enough for even Lucius to here.

"I am trying to behave." He whispered and giggled and then took another drink from the bottle.

"I don't think it is working." Hermione laughed as she tried to whisper.

"Me neither." Draco whispered

Lucius was very understanding when it came to his son's antics. But this display pushed him over the edge. He was in a public place. Uncaring of his reputation of a Malfoy. "Draco, I think it is time to bring Miss Granger home. I will see you at home." the warning rung clear in Draco's ears, sobering him considerably.

"Yes, sir. Come on 'Mione." Draco retreated quickly. Even Hermione sobered at the tone in Lucius' voice. Once they were a the coat clerk she whispered to Draco, "He's mad." She said as she grabbed her wrap from the lady.

"Extremely." Draco said grimly.

"So what are you going to do?"

"What do you think of sleepovers?" He asked, half serious half joking, depending on her answer.

"Coward." she smirked at him.

"you never heard his lectures about how Malfoy's are to act in public."

"Fine. I will save you from a lecture about Malfoy Decorum." she sighed, he did look pretty pathetic right now.

"You never heard the speech. It is intense."

"How often do you hear this speech." She asked laughing.

"More than you would believe." Draco said as he opened the door, not looking forward to the damn hike to the front gate.

"You know, you are sleeping on the couch." Hermione added off handedly as she stared up at the night sky taking in the sight. When she did turn to look at him he looked indignant.

"Malfoy's do not sleep on couches." He growled.

"Malfoy's don't get trashed in public either but you did, and I don't have a guest room and you are so not sleeping in my bed."

"Even if I promised not to do anything, well anything you don't want me to do that is." Hermione looked at Draco liked he grew another head. "No"

"Come on, I don't want to sleep on your old lumpy couch."

"My couch is not old and lumpy."

"I will fall off."

"Then go home and sleep in your own bed, or try this transfigured a bed from the couch."

"And then the spell will wear off and that would not be pleasant, come on we are both adults, you would let Harry or the red head weasel sleep in the bed. It is purely for comfort and I will not try to get in your knickers….today."

She shook her head in amusement. "I cannot believe I am agreeing to this." He smiled as he pulled her to him by the shoulders and apprated them to the alley by her house.

Draco despite his urges was a perfect gentleman, specially when he woke up in the bright light of morning and threw the cover off of himself and sat up on the couch. Granger should have been in Slytherin. She told him that he could have the bed, but she would take the couch. Bitch, he had half a mind to take her bed and let her sleep on the thing she called a couch. But no, when it came down to it she was shoving pillows and a blanket in his hand, all awhile he was glaring at her. Now his back was stiff and his shoulder hurt, he would of felt better if he would of faced his fathers wrath. Pulling his hair in frustration, he decided he was going to be nice, he folded the blanket up and picked the pillow up and put it all back into the closets in the hall way.

"Food." Feeling at home, he walked into her kitchen, once again wishing that she had house elf. He would of loved eggs, but he had no clue how to work anything in the kitchen, eyeing a banana on the counter he grabbed it. It was her last one but then a gain she made him sleep on the couch.

As he headed back to his 'bed' the front door opened. Draco would of grabbed his wand but he figured it was the other two thirds of the golden trio, but instead a middle aged woman walked in. and gasped in surprise. The woman eyes his appearance, clad in boxers and messed up hair.

"Hermione!" She yelled.

It did not take him long to figure out that the middle age woman was Hermione's mom, and it was not that hard to figure out that she was assuming the worst of the situation.

"Mother." Hermione rushed out of her bedroom where she was not hiding, but reading mentally cringing when she seen Draco only in boxers and holding a damn banana.

Hermione's mother eyed her, "You did not tell me you had a boyfriend?"

An: Please read and review. Sorry for the wait! But I hope the chapter was worth it.