Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling's world, not mine.

Hermione had slept well. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a good night's sleep like that, a feat in and of itself considering what happened the day before. She stretched on the couch and pulled the blanket closer to her body, shielding her from the cool breeze of the ocean. After she had fallen asleep last night, Draco must have covered her with the blanket and opened the doors. Was it because she told him how much she liked to sleep with the doors open when she was little? At any rate, Hermione was grateful for his gesture.

She got up and folded the blanket back up, setting it back in its place over the couch. Hermione left the library and decided to make some tea before getting ready for the day. It was Sunday, and she never did get herself prepared for the Order meeting that night. Hermione also needed to run to her parents house as well, and let them know what was going on with her. They should know that she would be staying at Mariner's Cove for the time being.

Hermione walked into the kitchen (still in her pajamas) to find Draco already there.

"Morning," he said as she walked over to him. Draco handed her a cup of coffee which she took gratefully and sat down at the table. Hermione held the warm cup in her hands for a minute before taking a drink.

"Where," she asked, "did you learn to make such good coffee?" He smirked and she rolled her eyes and took another long swig.

"You learn things quickly when you're on your own, Granger," he said drinking some coffee from his own mug. "Are you hungry? There isn't much food around here but I can make you something." Hermione nearly choked on her coffee and it was Draco's turn to roll his eyes. "Yes Granger, I can cook for myself! I'm still alive aren't I? Well, partly thanks to you and all, but even before then it's not like I poisoned myself with my own cooking. Actually," he said, "if you can believe it, I actually kind of enjoy cooking. It relaxes me."

"Interesting. I learn more about you everyday."

"Yes, well I have lots of layers, Granger," he said with cheek.

"Very much like an onion," she told him. "And the more layers you go through, the stinkier you get."

"Ladies and gentlemen the comical stylings of Miss Hermione Granger." Hermione laughed and drained her mug.

"And I didn't know you could play the piano either."

"And I didn't know you could creep up on people with out them knowing about it. How long were you there for anyway?" he asked her.

"Well, I heard Chopin's 'Moonlight Sonata'"

"Beethoven," he interrupted.

"I thought Chopin wrote it? I'm wrong?"

"Yes, Granger, you're wrong."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Positive."

"All these years–"

"Yes, well you were wrong about something for a change. How does it feel?"

"Very funny."

"So you heard Beethoven?"

"Yes and then I was out like a light."

"Well, you don't snore. I didn't even know you were there until I went to leave and saw you sleeping."

"And you opened the doors and covered me with the blanket?" she asked him.

He cleared his throat and looked away, "Yes well, I thought it might get stuffy in there so I opened the door, but then I thought you might get cold from it and blame it on me, and well, that's the last thing I want to hear about–how I got you sick even though you were in there without my knowledge and I very well could have opened the doors and not seen you there and you still could have caught a cold or something, and blamed me even though I didn't know you were really there, but you and I both know you'd blame it for me–but since I knew that you were there, were you to get sick from the open doors, you would indeed blame me and I would never hear the end of it, so I covered you with the blanket," he finished lamely.

"To spare yourself from my wrath had I gotten sick?"

"Yes."

"Alright," she said cheekily, "because I thought–"

"Yeah, yeah, don't read too much into it Granger," he said brushing her off.

"Fine," she said giving him an amusing look. "So where did you learn to play piano?" she asked him. Draco's face faltered and he still wouldn't look at her.

"My mother," he said. Hermione nodded and decided a change in subject would be best.

"So," she said, "you said you can fix me something for breakfast?"

"I did indeed."

"I thought we didn't have much food."

"There isn't much, there's some porridge in the pantry and that's about it."

"So I guess I should go food shopping then," she told him as she got up and stretched.

"Why you?" he asked her.

"Well, this is my family's place and it's my responsibility to keep the kitchen stocked," she answered.

"That very well may be, but seeing as how I will be doing to majority of the cooking around here–"

"Woah, woah, woah," she stopped him, "why do you get to do most of the cooking? You think I can't cook?"

"Granger, whether you can or can't doesn't matter here. The reason why I will be doing most of the cooking is because I'll have enough time. You on the other hand, still have life–your Healer training, your Order meetings, that's today by the way, your friends and family. What else have I got to do here? I can at least feel like I'm earning my keep if I make sure you eat properly," he said. "And besides, like I said, cooking relaxes me and Merlin knows I could stand for a little more relaxation in my life."

"Fine," Hermione said begrudgingly as she crossed her hands across her pajama clad chest. "But good, healthy food."

"Yes, Healer Granger."

"Shall we go food shopping?" she asked him.

"The two of us? Do you reckon it's a good idea?"

"Well seeing as how you've no idea where you're going I would say yes, Draco, it is indeed a good idea that I accompany you. Go on and get dressed then."

Hermione and Draco returned nearly two hours later laden with groceries. Of course, that was after they argued about who would push the cart. Hermione wanted Draco to push the cart so she could just get everything on her list, but Draco told her that 'you cannot simply shop from a silly list', and that you needed to buy what you felt as you went along. They also fought over fresh herbs as opposed to dry, which only ended when they decided to buy both fresh and dry herbs.

It also didn't help that Draco's definition of 'healthy food' didn't quite match Hermione's. He then got on her case for being the child of not one, but two dentists, which meant that her, 'childhood must have meant deprivation of sugar' which is why she, 'never cared much for sweets'. And of course, he was in fact right, but Hermione would be damned if she let him win the argument.

After going through the whole store and losing each other twice–the first time Draco was pushing the cart when he went off, leaving Hermione with an armful of vegetables. The second time was when Hermione (having been annoyed by Draco leaving her the first time with all those vegetables, she decided to push the cart) left Draco for what would have been a minute to run and get some cheese only to come back and discover him gone, finding him nearly fifteen minutes later down the hygiene aisle deciding between two types of soap–they had their last argument of who would pay. In the end, Draco won, as he was quicker to pull out cash than Hermione, and also closer to the register.

When they finally got everything away it was the middle of the afternoon. Draco offered to make lunch but neither he nor Hermione were hungry. He went into the library and Hermione went back up to her room and readied herself for the meeting that day. She was going to visit her parents afterward as they were expecting her for dinner. At nearly three o'clock she went back down the library and told Draco that she would be gone for the rest of the day. He didn't ask questions and barely looked up from whatever book he was enamored with but made it clear that he understood. He told her he'd see her later that night as she stepped to the fireplace and Floo'd to somewhere inaudible. Hermione made sure that Draco couldn't hear where she was going, not that she didn't trust him, but in case the worst should happen, he wouldn't be lying if someone slipped him a certain truth-telling potion.

Hermione stepped out of the fire place at number twelve, Grimmauld Place though no one was there to greet her. She made her way into the drawing room where the regular Order meetings were held to find the room bustling.

"Hermione!" Harry called out, running to her. "Where have you been?" he asked her somewhat frantically.

"I stayed at our shore house last night. I needed a break and my parents thought the sea air would be good for me." Yes Hermione, lie to your best friend who is merely concerned for you, she thought to herself.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't think it would be an issue, Harry, why?" Hermione hated lying to Harry but what else could she do?

"Nothing, come on, we're ready to start."

After Hermione greeted everyone, they all sat down for the meeting. Harry had somewhat taken over the Order after Dumbledore's death and today was no different. He stood in front of the Order and spoke frankly about the remaining Horcruxes. There were only two left until Harry went head to head with Voldemort. Harry was currently looking for the Goblet of Fire, though the final Horcrux was still a mystery as far as the Order was concerned. The meeting went on longer than usual. When Harry had something rather important, he liked to save that for last.

"We have received information that the Death Eaters are after one, Draco Malfoy." The contempt in Harry's voice could not have been more apparent but Hermione kept still. "Last night there was a Death Eater attack on a Muggle pub, where it is believed Malfoy frequented." Harry finished while Hermione sat, acting as if this was all new to her. Once the meeting was over she took her leave, telling everyone that her parents were expecting her for dinner and since the meeting had run later than normal, she needed to be quick about it.

She asked her parents at dinner if it would be alright if she stayed at Mariner's Cove for a while, until some things got sorted out. After some probing questions, Hermione eventually told them about Draco; how he was running from the Death Eaters, and, until yesterday, living a fine life by himself with only Hermione for company; how she knew that his alliances weren't with the Death Eaters and that yes, she was completely safe with him. Hermione just explained to them that they needed to trust her judgement, and how she would never put herself in jeopardy like that. Furthermore, Hermione also had incredible intuition. They couldn't argue with her of course, the Grangers knowing how stubborn their daughter was. When she was getting ready to leave her parents just asked her to be careful and watch out for herself. She kissed her parents good bye and promised she would.

Hermione then went back to Draco's flat to find it unscathed. The Death Eaters must not have known where he lived or the Aurors had cleaned it up. Either way she was grateful as she got to work, going through his things and packing what he would need. He couldn't very well live in one set of clothes, though everything Hermione seemed to be going through was all black. Her face reddened just slightly when she found his underwear drawer and simply shoved nearly all its contents in a bag. He would be needing as much as he could get.

Hermione's arms were full as she arrived back at Mariner's Cove that night. She set Crookshanks down and he scampered off up the stairs, Hermione following behind him. She left the bags she packed for Draco at the end of his bed. Then Hermione went back down to the library. Draco was in the same spot she left him in hours ago. It didn't even look like he had moved the entire time she was gone, though she could see he was nearly done with the book he had been reading. He didn't notice her until she sat down next to him.

"Did you eat dinner yet?" she asked him. He told her he hadn't and she let him finish his book. Five minutes later he was done and Hermione gave Draco the container she was holding onto. He took it and looked at her questioningly. "Steak and kidney pie. My mum sent it for you." He smiled at the thoughtful gesture and began to eat while Hermione sat with him.

Author's Note – I haven't updated in so long, I'm so sorry guys! I went away for a few days last week and then had a long weekend in Atlantic City to celebrate a friends' birthday. A fun time was had by all in case you were wondering. Anyway, I was originally going to end this chapter at the grocery store, but I figured since I've been horrible at updating lately, I would keep on going. I think I ended it in a good place (at least it's not a cliff hanger). I think there was enough comedy and drama and also some information in this chapter that will factor in later on. Oh and the divider thing isn't working for me, so apologies for that.

The whole Chopin/Beethoven thing was my typo from the last chapter. I wrote that Chopin wrote "Moonlight Sonata" and then a reader pointed out that it was Beethoven, but this way it's like I meant to do that (there's a Pee-Wee Herman moment for you, and if you don't know what I mean or who Pee-Wee Herman is please don't tell me because it will break my heart!). That's it for now I guess. I keep on putting off the Ron/Harry chapter that we all know is on it's way–it's coming soon even though I hate writing them! My AN's are getting way too long but you guys always read them which I appreciate. Once again, thanks for reading.