A/N: this was a really fun chapter to write for me! Make sure to Review!

Chapter 7:

Draco Malfoy wandered down into the kitchen to see if Hermione had made him some breakfast. She had: scrambled eggs and two slices of toast. Draco made himself a cup of nice strong tea because he had not slept well the past night; the only thing he could think about was how upset Hermione had gotten the night before. He had not meant to be malicious, but she had interpreted it as an insult. He knew she was strong and talented, and he did not think he had treated her like a child. What had he treated her like? His eyes narrowed as he thought on this question.

He grabbed his tea and his plate of breakfast and walked into the reading room. He smirked as his eyes fell on Hermione asleep on the couch with an open book resting on her chest. Typical Granger. He took a book from the shelf and began to read and eat at the same time. He finished his breakfast and peered over the top of his book; Hermione was still asleep. He wondered how long she had been asleep there. He looked at her sleeping face; her featured were soft and relaxed. He looked at her honey-coloured hair. It has smoothed over the years and now fell on her shoulders, forming loose ringlets at the around her collarbone. His eyes scanned down her body. She was skinnier than she had been in school. He assumed that the stress and aftermath of the war had done that to her. But – Draco thought to himself – she still managed to look perfect. She was curvaceous with the right amounts and proportions in the places that mattered. His eyes wandered upwards towards her breasts, but Draco stopped himself. This was Hermione Granger, not some Slytherin slag that drooled at his feet. However, Draco couldn't help thinking of how beautiful she was sleeping there in front of him. It kind of scared him.

He set down his book as he returned to kitchen once more, placing his dirty plate and mug into the sink. He returned into the reading room to see Granger awake, reading once more. Draco sat down and reached for his book, but Hermione spoke before he could open it, "You know it's awfully rude and strange to watch someone while they sleep." Draco looked down to his book trying to hide his embarrassment; he had been caught.

"Can't a man eat his breakfast and sip his tea with a book in hand? We live here together Granger. I am not forced to remain in my room all day and all night, and neither are you. We're both independent and can take care of ourselves."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "What are you getting at, Malfoy."

He cleared his throat, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry for being a git last night. We live here together, I think that we should be civil rather than bursting into argument every chance we get." He felt so uncomfortable; apologizing was not one of his strong suits.

Granger sat up, "You know what Malfoy, I don't need your apology or your pity for that matter. I don't need your help. I think you were the one who said that we are not friends."

"Then get your stories straight, Granger" Draco was becoming upset, "You always come knocking on my door as soon as you've had two or more drinks. I'm pretty sure you are always the one initiating contact. You're always the one who wants to talk, who wants to know more. I don't get you! Stop confusing me, it's not fair!"

"Well had you ever thought that I was lonely? Newsflash Malfoy, you are the only other person in this house. I can't go bother Harry or Ginny every time I want to talk. You're my last resort!" She was standing now, getting in his face. Draco wondered how this argument had escalated to this level.

He stood up as well, moving towards her, "Granger, you can't tell me that you don't enjoy talking to me. You've got to like me somewhere deep inside that big head of yours! There has to be a reason you keep coming back." He stretched his arm out to grip his hand around her elbow. What was he doing? It's not like he had feelings for her, right? He was touching her, trying to get her to calm down, trying to get her to stop being mad at him.

He did not grip her hard at all, but Hermione's eyes instantly went dark. She gave him the angriest glare that she could muster, "Touch me again Malfoy, and I'll call Harry. You'll be in Azkaban before you can sputter out another one of your lame apologies." Her tone was low, even, and calculated, "Stay away from me."

ooooooooooo

Hermione felt Draco's hand release her elbow as soon as she uttered her dark words. He looked up at her, and for a second she saw the sadness in his eyes, but just as quickly as it had come, it was gone. Draco put up his guards once more, stalking out of the room, emotionless.

She stood motionless for several seconds after Draco had left her. What had she just done? She was confused, like Draco, about their civility and potential friendship, but had acting out and threatening him been the right thing to do? She remembered the very beginning of her relationship with Ron: they had always fought. They had never admitted their love for each other until the circumstances had become dire and uncertain. Was this what was happening with Draco? Was she pushing him away in efforts to repress something? She sighed loudly as she sat back down on the sofa, reopening her book.

The days following their huge argument were slow for Hermione. She did not see Draco once, and was starting to sort of miss his presence. She still cooked for him, and she had evidence that he was still eating, but she had not seen him for three days straight. Hermione was beginning to feel lonely, and there was only one person to contact when she felt lonely – Ginny Weasley. She gathered a small piece of parchment and got her quill, and started her letter to the redhead,

"Ginny,

Malfoy has stopped talking to me and disappeared into the depths of his dark room. I'm getting rather lonely. I think this calls for a Girl's Night."

XO,

Hermione"

Hermione waited for Poppy, who was to arrive later that day, and attached the small note her to skinny pink leg. Hermione smiled as she saw the owl return three hours later with a small note attached to her foot. She could already tell that Ginny would say yes; Poppy never returned back to Grimmauld Place this fast. She gave Poppy a treat as she untied the note from her leg.

"'Mione,

Talked to Harry, he says it's fine for you to have a night off, just put the wards around the house before you leave. He says you know what he's talking about. I hope your lonely self can stay occupied for two more days! We'll go get drunk and dance with attractive Muggles. I'll floo over at 9 on Friday.

Can't wait,

Gin"

The next two days went even slower for Hermione. She became fixated on the 'Girl's Night' approaching and raided her small closet multiple times deciding what to wear. She had even asked Harry's permission to go back to her apartment to collect some clothes. He has smirked at her, obviously knowing about their girl's night, but let her go anyway. She wanted to look sexy, to be seen. She wanted to get back at Ron for dumping her, make him regret it. She wanted to show Malfoy that she was a woman now, not a schoolgirl reading in the library all day.

Friday finally came and Hermione awoke up late. She cooked for Malfoy, leaving him lunch and dinner, and went back upstairs starting to prepare for her evening. She took a nice, long, and hot shower, melting all the stresses of the past weeks away. She lathered herself in lotion until her skin was soft and creamy. She moved on to her hair, drying it, putting product in it, and brushing it for what seemed hours. It had to be perfect.

Pleased with her hair and body, she started her make-up. Hermione had never really worn much make-up, usually only wearing mascara and lip balm. She decided that she would not cake make-up on her face as other women did when they went out, but she would make herself look classic and effortlessly beautiful. She painted a thin line of eyeliner above her eyelashes followed by black mascara with a lengthening charm. She covered her lips with a sheer pink gloss, and pouted in the mirror. Perfect.

Hermione heard Ginny arrive a few minutes after 9. She put on her heels – golden sequined ankle boots – and sauntered down the stairs, trying to be as sexy and seductive as possible. "Oh. My. GOD!" Ginny squealed, "You look fabulous Hermione!" Hermione wore a small black baby doll dress. The skirt gently poofed out from her small waist, falling onto her toned and tanned upper thighs. The top of her dress clung to her upper body like a glove, accentuating her small waist. Hermione straightened hair fell past her collarbone as she grinned at Ginny.

"Well I'm trying to compare to you, Gin!" Hermione answered. Ginny was wearing tight black cropped skinny jeans, in which she had tucked in a sheer, loose fitting blouse. The blouse had been unbuttoned past Ginny's modest, black bra. Ginny's long, thin legs were accentuated by the suede black peep-toe pumps that she wore. Her long, fire red hair was slicked back into a tight ponytail, which fell just between her shoulder blades. The two women looked like English supermodels. "Thank god we're going into Muggle London because the Prophet would be all over this!" Ginny said as she grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her towards the floo.

"Wait, the wards!" Hermione remembered muttering a few enchantments. Ginny's face twisted into a confused look, "Don't worry," Hermione said, "The charm just says that after we leave, no one can come in or out except me or Harry."

"Good thing," Ginny laughed, "Harry might need to bring you home! THAT'S how drunk I'm getting you tonight!" Ginny pulled her hand into the floo, quickly apparating from the Leaky Cauldron. They reappeared outside a chic bar in Muggle London. Ginny wasted no time, and ordered three rounds of Tequila shots – Hermione's weakness.

Three rounds became seven as men began to buy the two witches drinks. Hermione grabbed Ginny as the clock struck 11, "Dancing!" she squealed drunkenly. The two women migrated to a club nearby with a group of guys they had met and drank with at the bar. Although Ginny had informed them that she was in a very happy relationship, one still clung to her: Mario. His skin was tanned and his hair was a dark brown; he was Italian. Hermione smirked; he looked like a tall and tanned model version of Harry. She looked at her catch, Jack. He was tall and stylish like his friend. His dirty blonde coif fell neatly on his forehead as he grinned happily at her. Her thoughts instantly went to Draco's smile as he laughed at the Prophet article. But she instantly scolded herself, Draco had ignored her for the past week! She was here with Jack, not Malfoy.

As Hermione entered the club, the beat of the music hit her body – she wanted to dance. She turned around, smiling at Ginny who was happily dancing with Mario and his friends, and grabbed Jack's hand and led him onto the dance floor. A mixture of music and alcohol coursed through her veins, and she began to dance, moving her hips to the beat. Jack moved behind her, hands finding her hips, and she began to move her hips in sync with his. She continued to dance with Jack, but her drunken mind wandered to what Malfoy was doing right now. Was he reading? Was he taking a shower? Had he even been to a Muggle club before? She wondered if he was a good dancer.

She was disrupted from her thoughts as Jack lowered his warm lips to her neck. Electricity jolted through her body. Jack's hands descended onto Hermione's thigh and started to move up, under her dress. Hermione paused. Did she want to do this? Sure, she was attracted to Jack, but some unnameable force was stopping her. "I like you, Hermione. You should come back to mine…for more drinks." She turned around and smiled, about to answer him, when she felt Ginny's firm hand tug her away.

"'Mione, it's 2am, we need to get going!" Hermione was not sure if she was relieved or sad that she was going. She was still quite drunk and had the need to dance the alcohol off. She also thought about going back to Jack's apartment. Would she have shagged him? Would this have been her first sexual encounter since Ron? She thought of Grimmauld Place. She had to go back, to baby-sit Malfoy. It was her job, she had to.

"Ok Gin, I'm coming." She gave Jack a chaste kiss on the cheek; he was clearly pouting that he had not gotten his prize for that night. She said goodbye to Mario and Jack's other friends and they were off. Hermione and Ginny stumbled into Harry's flat in London to see him sitting at their kitchen table still working. Ginny giggled and said something that sounded like 'I told you so'. Hermione slurred a greeting to Harry, thanked Ginny for a truly successful girl's night and walked into the fireplace.

She fell forward out of the floo at Grimmauld Place and onto the cold kitchen floor, "Ow, Shit!" She raised and composed herself. She was more intoxicated than she had thought. Damn Ginny and her Tequila shots! She stumbled up the stairs and looked down the hall. Malfoy. She should really check on him. She sauntered in her golden heels to his door. She opened it to see darkness and a sleeping Malfoy.

She walked in lighting the tip of her wand. He looked so calm and so innocent. His hair, which was usually meticulously coifed as it had been in school, was now shaggy and falling over his eyes. His face was calm; he wasn't smirking or sneering. He looked so innocent and nice, not like someone who had tormented her for seven years. She sighed. Why had she gotten so upset with him? He was only trying to be nice; trying to be her friend. She had messed everything up. Her tiny frame swayed and she stepped forward to catch herself. Her shoes had made more noise than she had anticipated, and she watched as Malfoy sat straight up in bed, now aware that there was someone else in his room.

"HI!" she said loudly, glad that he was awake. Realizing that it was just Hermione, he relaxed and collapsed back into his bed. She walked towards him and her eyes adjusted to the dark, "I've just come back! Gin and I went out us girls. I was going to tell you, but I didn't see you." He just stared at her. She continued, recounting the events of the night. Describing the bar they had gone to, how drunk she had gotten, the men they had met, the club they had gone to, and how she had danced with Jack. She had even started dancing for Malfoy as he silently watched her. "He asked me to go back to his apartment, he did. But I didn't go! I'm a good babysitter." She said as she removed her shoes clumsily.

Hermione then did something that proved to Malfoy that she was more intoxicated than she could handle. She climbed onto his bed and straddled him, setting her small hips onto his. Hermione could feel his heat under her, knowing that she was turning him on. She leaned forward, putting her hands on his broad shoulders, "I came back for you, Malfoy," she whispered as sexily as she could considering her current state. Malfoy finally moved, placing his hands on her hips, and Hermione's breath hitched in her throat. His hands became firm, and Hermione realized that he was moving her off of him and back onto to the floor. Her feet his the floor harder than she had expected and she almost lost her balance once more. Throwing his covers aside, he got out of bed, only in his boxers Hermione noted. He handed her her shoes and pushed her out of his door, promptly closing it in her face.

"Shit" Hermione mumbled, leaning back and resting her heavy head against the door.

A/N: let me know what you guys think! hope you guys loved it...do you think that Draco should have pushed her away? Review :D