Last time:

Hermione had just started to rebuild her life after ending her marriage with Ron. She had been living in seclusion in Lyme Regis. Draco Malfoy had been dealing with his own hardships and had decided to live a life of solitude as well. His secret was blown when he came to her aid at a local muggle coffee shop. Both felt a spark, but didn't act on it. Hermione attended a ministry event where she was shunned by all except Harry who was considering how to become a little friendlier with his best friend.

Harry couldn't stand seeing Hermione alone. He couldn't believe what Ron had done. Breaking up the "Golden Trio". For what? His pride?

Harry knew Ron had always felt a little inferior to Hermione. He was always venting about how he thought she was too good for him, that one day he would wake up and she would have realized the mistake she made and leave him. Harry deducted that Ron just decided to take matters into his own hands and push things along a little.

Harry could appreciate how Hermione felt. He knew what it was like to be rejected and shunned. Times certainly have changed. Now although he was wanted by everyone, he felt alone.

He just wished he had someone to share his life with. Someone he could trust as much as he had Ginny.

Harry had lost Ginny years ago. It was never the right time for the two of them. They had gotten together in school, he broke things off with her to protect her. They got back together during her last year and truly enjoyed their time together. Molly was sure that she would hear wedding bells in the near future. But, after she graduated she was offered a chance to be a professional quidditch player. Harry broke things off with Ginny once again so she wouldn't feel guilty about being on the road. That was her dream and he didn't want to stand in her way. Harry had always regretted not having Ginny in his life but he was resigned to be alone forever.

Until Ron left Hermione.

Harry had always been friends with Hermione. Hers was always the opinion that mattered most to him. He could confide in her. He trusted her with his life. And she had become a beautiful woman. Her figure had filled out a little since school, a little fuller and softer. They had history together. Yes, Harry had decided that he was just the person to save her from being alone. While he knew he wasn't in LOVE with Hermione, he did love her.

Surely they would grow to love each other in time.

After her run in with Ron at the Ministry event, Hermione had returned to the cottage. She wasn't completely being a recluse but she enjoyed the quiet. She got up every morning, had her breakfast and went out to the garden. She enjoyed weeding by hand, it was cleansing to rid the garden of the weeds that threatened the well being of the plants. The things that threatened to choke their roots.

After the morning where Draco rescued her at the coffee shop, Draco and Hermione had occasionally run into each other. She would smile, he would wave. It was nice to see a familiar face. Over the next few weeks they continued to run into each other. Draco would ask if she wanted to run into him for coffee or at the market. As they continued to run into each other, they started developing a friendship.

To be honest, Draco had started to have feelings for Hermione, but didn't really want to approach the subject. He thought it was too soon for her; she was still grieving. Besides what would she want with him? He had made her suffer for so long, he wasn't worthy of her companionship.

To be honest, Hermione starting having feelings for Draco. She was having a hard time dealing with it. It was Draco Malfoy, after all. But he had changed over the years. He was respectful of her now. It was funny how much things had changed...

Hermione was working in the garden one morning when the paper boy delivered the paper a little too energetic. He was a sweet boy, always riding his red bicycle through town throwing the papers with everything he had. This morning he got a little carried away with this throwing ability and the paper wound up on the roof of the cottage. Not wanting to be caught as a witch, Hermione decided to climb onto the roof and get down the paper. She had done so as a child at home so she was familiar with climbing. What she wasn't familiar with was how slippery a moss covered roof was.

As she reached the paper, she slipped and lost her balance. She fell to the ground hurting her ankle and scraping her legs in the process.

Draco was walking by the house on his morning walk when he saw her plummet to the ground. Damn, if I had been here a second earlier I could have caught her. He ran quickly to her aid, scooped her up and took her into the house.

"Draco? What are you doing here?" asked a surprised Hermione.

"Saving you... I guess its becoming a sort of routine." he answered with a smirk on his face.

"Haha, very funny Draco. Ummmm... Please put me down." she demanded

"I don't know, maybe I should hold onto you just in case." he walked into the living room with Hermione in his arms.

"Malfoy! put me down." She smacked him.

"Nice way to show your appreciation."

Draco was enjoying the feeling of Hermione in his arms but gently placed her on her chair. "Let's see how much damage you have done shall we?" He said gently.
He kneeled on the floor in front of her and took her ankle in his hands. He picked up his wand and healed her ankle. "Now to do something about these scrapes. Where is your bathroom?"

"Down the hall to the left."

He went into the bathroom and got a wet washcloth and returned to clean her wounds. Yes he could have done it with magic, but washing her was so much more intimate. And that's exactly what he wanted.

Hermione was mesmerized by the way Draco was being attentive to her. He was so gentle as he washed her scrapes, she moaned at his touch.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Draco looked up at Hermione, his eyes filled with concern.

Hermione, a little embarrassed, snapped. "I'm fine."

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow at her reaction.

"Seriously. I'm fine. Thank you." She said reassuringly, trying to lighten the mood she changed the subject. "How ever can I show you my appreciation? I know! How about you come over for dinner tonight. I'll cook."

"Uh, I don't really know. Can you cook?" He teased.

"Draco Malfoy! Of course I can cook. I never had a house elf to take care of me."

Draco groaned at her comment.

"Tell you what, Lets go for a walk to town, get some fresh ingredients and I will make you a dinner you will never forget!"

"Its a date." Draco said

Hermione heard the words and started to panic, Its a date? I know what he meant, that it was just agreed that we would have dinner. But when he said it, I felt something. When exactly did I start falling for Draco Malfoy?