As the play ended, Hermione and Draco began the long walk through Hogsmeade heading back to the school grounds. Winding their way back and forth through other patrons of the play, Hermione swayed slightly to and fro with Draco having to pull her out of the way so as to avoid running into other people.

"Granger are you dru-...are you alright?" Draco asked not wanting to antagonize her if she was. He wondered how it would look if he was seen by someone who recognized him, walking down the streets of Hogsmeade with a drunk girl... young woman. He had to face the fact that the snotty know-it-all he had met at Hogwarts 4 years ago wasn't just some snot nosed little brat with frizzy hair and buck teeth anymore. For some reason the thought made him somber and sober up very quickly.

"I'm fine." Hermione answers happily, wrapping her arms around him to keep herself steady as she stumbled along. She couldn't help but want to touch him, to feel the electricity between them again but she knew she had to keep her self-control, slightly…well very intoxicated or not.

"Sure you are Granger. Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil." He said as she wrapped her arms around him. The minute they touched he felt it again. The power...the electricity. He didn't stop her because deep down some primitive part of him craved her touch. She was like a drug. As they trudged up the snow layered path to Hogwarts he noticed her shivering. "You know I would think someone as smart as you would think to bring a heavier jacket." Draco said as he stopped them and pulled off his jacket and slipped it around her shoulders.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered with a blush and pulled the jacket tighter around her shoulders. She tilted her face down and breathed in the smell of his coat and she instantly smelled the sweet aroma of mint. She was still walking a little bit too close to Draco, but she couldn't help it. The logical part of her mind told her not to let herself get too close, that she would regret it. Draco had told her it was only for the winter. She didn't want to risk the heartache of him telling her it was over when the holidays ended but his touch felt so sweet.

Noticing she was still shivering even with his coat and he'd admit it only to himself that he craved her touch, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder to warm her up. "So what do you want to do tomorrow Miss. Granger?"

"Tomorrow?" Hermione asks, looking at him. "I mean...another date...as friends of course...but, so soon?" She asks looking at him in shock as she caved in to his touch, laying her head on his shoulder. Don't get attached, Hermione continued to remind herself, repeating it like a mantra over and over again in her head. This is only to free his time, she reminded, continuing to berate herself.

"Are you saying no Granger? Have you got something better to fill your time off?" He asked with a smirk knowing what her answer would be.

"Well, I was going to spend the day studying but...I mean...if you want to do something else..." Hermione answers, trying to think of what they could possibly do. "Have you ever considered just talking to a girl instead of extravagant dates and fancy wines?" She asks, the wine giving her the courage to do so. "There is a spot I know of, by the lake that is rather nice."

"You and your studying, Granger. Don't you ever give time to the rest of life? There is more to it than that you know. But if you insist...where is this lakeside spot?" Draco asked hesitantly. Maybe he could deal with her habit if he could at least stay outdoors.

"Well, I wasn't going to study with you." Hermione answers, "I was just saying that's what my plans were before you mentioned wanting to see me tomorrow. But there are other things you can do with a woman besides spend a fortune." She says, thinking about it. Draco had shown her something new and exciting, she wanted to return the favor but she knew Draco wouldn't agree to doing anything muggle. This would have to suffice, a small date. Maybe a picnic.

"Like what?" Draco asked wondering just what it was exactly she had in mind.

"We can go on a picnic." Hermione answers happily. "If we stay in the sunlight, it shouldn't be that cold. Or we can just sit out there and talk if you'd rather." She says, laying her head on his shoulder.

Draco instantly relaxed at the feel of her on his shoulder. "A picnic? It sounds so...so...muggle. Your word, Granger, that no one finds out?"

"How would I explain that I went to a play or a picnic with Draco Malfoy?" Hermione asks with a laugh, even herself realizing how silly it sounded.

"Touché. Ok so a study picnic at the lake tomorrow. I'll bring the food if you bring the books." Draco said with a smirk knowing how he could still rule the day with Hermione Granger. He prided himself in know excellent food and if he couldn't deter her from studying at least he could do it on a full stomach.

"A study picnic?!" Hermione asks, honored and respected that Draco was still willing to respect her studies. "What are you needing help with?"

Draco laughed before saying, "Who says I need help with anything Hermione? I'm the smartest guy in Hogwarts. Didn't you know?"

"If you are, then why are you still only second best in all of our classes, minus Study of Ancient Runes, which I still don't understand." Hermione answers firmly shaking her head. "It seems like I can study them all day long and I still get something wrong."

As they approached the school gates Draco smirked at her comment. If she only knew the truth and he was half tempted to tell her, but no he didn't want to ruin what they had going for the short time they had it. As they stopped at the main entrance to the castle, Draco turned to her and said, "Well maybe I don't want to be number one. Maybe I just want to stay under the radar. I'll help you with ancient runes tomorrow. What time?"

"Noon, since we are eating too?" Hermione asked, thinking about it. That would probably be best and since Draco was persistent on being discrete, no one would see them if everyone was eating in the Great Hall. "Why though? Why would someone who is as persistent as you on acting like you are the best at everything, want to stay under the radar?"

"Because if I'm always the best, everyone's going to want to know how and why I do it. This way I stay out of the light because truthfully I kind of like it in the darkness. Well I think this is where we part ways . Until tomorrow then..." Draco said with a grin and a slight bow. He then turned and left Hermione standing at the main doors as he walked toward the dungeons.

Hermione stared on, taking a gulp before running up to the Gryffindor Common Room. She was excited and couldn't help but look forward to the next day when she could see him again. That night Hermione didn't sleep very well. As she walked to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning, she felt her heart sink when Draco wasn't already at his usual spot at the Slytherin table.

"You going to stand there all day Granger or can I get something to eat?" Draco said with a bit of scorn in his voice. He had a headache from the wine the night before and was in no mood to be delayed from his food.

"Sorry," Hermione whispers, moving to the side. She couldn't help but wonder with the mood he was in, whether or not they were still meeting up for lunch or if it was just part of some crazy dream she had had in her unfit full night of sleep.

"Hey c'mon, there's a table over there. Let's eat cause I'm famished." Draco asked as he pointed and began to walk over to one of the many empty tables in the room. Sensing her hesitation he turned back to her and said, "Coming or not Granger? I haven't got all morning."

"Let's eat?" Hermione asked in confusion. "You...you want me to join you?" Maybe it wasn't all a dream. Maybe Draco really did want to spend time with her for some unknown reason, though she still wasn't sure if it was all part of some ruse to make her look like an idiot.

"Well, the way I see it there's no one in this castle who knows us at the moment other than the teachers and I really don't think they give a damn who were talking to with the tournament going on and all, so were plenty safe." Draco said sitting at a table and loading up his plate with food.

Hermione nodded her head in confusion, taking a few things and placing them on her plate, trying to still leave room so she would be hungry for lunch as she looked at Draco's plate. Please don't let him eat like Ron, she thought to herself with a queasy stomach from the night before, I don't think I could stomach it this morning. "So, are we still on for lunch then?" She asks, trying not to sound hopeful.

"Why? You wanting to back out?" Draco asked, surprised at how much the thought of her backing out bothered him. "I've already got the food picked out."

"No, I just thought with how you were talking earlier that you really didn't want to." Hermione answers, looking down at her plate and continuing, "I didn't want to be a nuisance."

"Granger! I'm touched that you care what I think. No, if I was that worried about it then I wouldn't be "hanging" out with you at all," Draco said as he began to cut his food and take the slow meticulous bite his mother had always taught him.

"I was just wondering then…." Hermione tried to think of a way to phrase it without offending him.

"Spit it out Granger. Like I said earlier I don't have all morning you know," Draco replied between bites.

"Why are you like this?" Hermione finally asks boldly.

"Like what?" Draco asked off handedly. He already knew what she wanted to know but he wondered if she was brave enough to ask.

"Why are you so...cocky...whenever you're here at Hogwarts? When we went out to the play last night, you were decent. You were a gentleman even. Now you are back to being a twit." Hermione answers, hoping Draco listened and didn't just take offense to what she said.

"A twit?" Draco asked surprised at her boldness. "Of course I'm a twit! I have to be. How would it look if a Malfoy wasn't being one? You think I like acting like a twit? I don't have a choice!" He said angrily as he slammed his fist on the table which caused a group of first years to look strangely in their direction. Draco eyed them back, daring someone to say something and they all instantly had more important things to look at or discuss. Turning back Draco eyed Hermione before saying, "I don't enjoy being this way Hermione but I don't have a choice."

"Well, I don't see why not." Hermione answers matter-of-factly. "It's not like anyone's making you act like this. The Draco I saw last night was decent. Someone I wouldn't mind knowing better. Wait?! What?" Hermione asks, looking at him shocked as her stomach dropped from the sound of him mentioning her name. She couldn't hide the butterflies it left her with. "What did you just call me?!"

"Hermione. Why?"

"Oh," Hermione answers in shock, blushing lightly as she felt her stomach spin again, wondering if it was from him speaking her name or the wine from the night before. Either way, she didn't want it to stop. "It just threw me off, is all." She says, looking at the table in front of her.

"What? Why? That is your name isn't it? Or do you just let Weasley-bee and Potter call you that for the fun of it?" He asked not understanding why she was making such a fuss over it.

"No, it's my name. It's fine. It just...startled me is all." Hermione answers.

"Don't see why," Draco says continuing to eat. "It's not like I've never called you Hermione before..."

"You haven't...not to my face anyway." Hermione answers. "It's always Granger or...that other word...I like it though."

Draco sat back in his chair and thoughtfully rubbed his chin. She was right as loath as he was to admit it. He had never really thought about it before but her name did seem to roll around his head in a pleasant sort of way. "Hermione. Hmmm... I think I could get used to saying it. When were alone of course..."

"Of course." Hermione answers, gathering up her stuff. "So, I'll meet you at the rock where I punched you last year, okay?" She says with a smirk as she stood collecting her books, smiling to herself all the way to the common room at the shocked look on Draco's face.