Reviewers:
LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL, MissCrazyWacko, missygrace101 , Karate Chic, beautifly92, sarlovesoccer Thanks for your encouraging reviews:D shadowontherunthanks! It was one of the things i was worried about at first, but I'm glad you think I managed to write it out and describe it. CourtneyUchiha94 Hehe thanks I love the show too! Rachel-Not Yeah I'm trying to pace it. Thanks for your reviewing, and yes, Wicked is the loveeee. I hope you're happy:p LadyOfTheLancashireManor Hahah oh man! Would it be helpful if i included the meanings of the terms the next time i use them? Seven years of ballet, cool!Nicconicco Thanks so much. Yes I will be posting the link for their dance on my profile!

Chapter 10. Getting to Know You.

"When you were dancing, it was like...it was like I could hear how the music sounded just from watching you."

Draco stared at her for what seemed like eternity. He expected her to blush, or turn away, or do something else Granger-esque but she just kept holding his gaze. For the first time in his life, he had no clue whatsoever on what to do. Granger had just complimented him, and it probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him before. Warmth was spreading from his fingertips to the rest of his body, and he was fighting the urge to reach out and take her hand in his, to run his fingers through her hair, to thank her sincerely. But it would be a fool thing to do. Any displays of emotion were unheard of when he was growing up. He was accustomed to being cold and reserved. He didn't really want Granger to think he was getting all soft, did he? He adopted a cool expression and opened his mouth to say something, although he didn't exactly know what, but Granger beat him to the punch.

"Please don't say something snide to make me regret boosting your already bursting ego." She looked embarrassed.

Draco feigned shock as he sat down. "Bollocks, Granger. Why would I do something like that?"

She looked at him wryly. "Right."

He decided that a little friendliness wouldn't hurt and offered a tentative smile. "Thanks."

He was rewarded with a huge beam from Granger. She looked a tad relieved too and scooted nearer to him. "You're very wecome, Malfoy!"

Awkwardly, Draco proffered his right hand. She looked at it incredulously before bursting out into peals of laughter. Its was nice to listen to, he mused. It made him want to laugh too. He scowled, to hide his thoughts, and his scowl deepened when it registered he was being laughed at.

"A handshake? Really, Malfoy! Aren't you the epitome of everything prim and proper."

"I was taught to handle all things with dignity," he informed her snottily.

"Apparently no one taught you to handle things normally," Granger snorted and yanked on his arm, bringing him into a side-hug. He was so tall, even when seated, that she had to shift her position to get her arm comfortably around his shoulder.

"Now that's how normal human beings respond to situations," she told him, ever the smart aleck.

"So," he said sarcastically, tugging on her arm. "Are we friends, now, Granger?"

"Yes! Of course," she cheered, exaggerating her words. "Friends!"

In a bold gesture, he reached over to tweak her nose.

"Ouch!" she protested, but she was giggling in a decidedly un-Hermione-ish way as she slapped his hand away.

"That's for kicking my hand earlier."

"You do know how to cling onto grudges."

"I try."

What was wrong with her? She had been acting on impulse all day, rashly complimenting Malfoy on his dancing, recklessly pulling him into a hug! What on earth had she been thinking? Well, she hadn't. Hermione realised that hanging around Malfoy made her more uninhibited, made her less conscientious of her actions. Her newly acquired harum scarum behaviour was shocking even to her. It seemed like he was drawing out her impetuous alter ego that had been lying dormant all these years.

"I'm not usually like this." She thought it imperative to inform him.

"Like what?" he questioned. He had been surprisingly congenial all day.

"Impulsive. Spontaneous. All that sort," she waved her free arm about carelessly but found it hard to concentrate because Malfoy's thumb was moving in a circular movement on her shoulder. It seemed to be something he did unconsciously.

"I noticed, Granger. Aren't I such a good influence on you?"

"Typical, taking all the credit."

"Typical, can't shut up."

Trying to act offended, she twisted away and his hand slid off her shoulder. Immediately, she regretted it, she missed having his hand rest on her shoulder so comfortably, like it belonged there.

Malfoy gave her an odd look, tilting his head to the side disconcertedly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked.

"I don't know." He seemed to be honest.

Hermione felt the atmosphere starting to shift again, bordering on uncomfortable. To lighten up the mood, she stuck out her tongue at him. He laughed and got to his feet.

"I won't stand for your cheek," he said mock sternly, shaking his head. "Now you seem to have lost track of time. Although you are content to waste your time away in here, I don't want to miss my dinner. So," he swept into a gallant bow, "I bid you adieu."

He turned and strode from the studio, leaving behind an unsettled Hermione.

After a moment of hesitation, Hermione too stood up and left, apparating to the entrance of the dining hall. Tantalizing smells wafted from the area, and her stomach rumbled. Merlin, she was hungry! She peeked inside. Seeing Malfoy was already there with Blaise and Iris and a couple of other girls piling up on food, she was reluctant to enter, and anyways, she couldn't spot anyone she was familiar with. Disappointed, she resigned herself to trudging back to her room to drag Ginny to accompany her for dinner, but as she turned, she walked smack into Sean.

"Nice to see you too!" He smiled cheerily and Hermione was mortified.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried, rubbing the side of her head with her hand.

"No worries! I bet you hit yourself harder than I did," he laughed and slung his arm carelessly over her shoulder, which reminded Hermione of how Malfoy's arm felt draped around her shoulder. A new sensation it was, but one that put her at ease. It felt different. It felt right. Hermione mentally berated herself. Since when had she started comparing other's traits to Draco Malfoy's and deciding that the peacock was in all ways superior? She turned her attention to the man beside her.

"So," Sean continued, unaffected by her lapse of attention, "Does the missus need an escort to dine?"

Hermione rolled her eyes affectionately. "Yes, the 'missus' does."

"Shall I offer you my arm?" He held out his hand and Hermione pushed it away.

"You are a ridiculous boy," she told him, then grinned to show she was only kidding. "But since I am completely famished, I will have to put up with you."

Together, they entered the hall and sat down at a table to eat. Both ordered simple meals of bread and stew, and soon settled into easy conversation.

Hermione took a sip of Butterbeer after downing a mouthful of delicious beef stew, rich in flavour and delightfully warm.

"How's your dancing going?" she asked between bites.

"Well, I'm dancing with Galinda, and she is ruddy brilliant," Sean mentioned after swallowing his food. "So much better than me. Seems flawless in everything she does. Her technique, her expressions, her flexibility constantly awes me and she is feather light too."

"Suppose that you two are the couple to beat now," Hermione remarked, rather peeved by his waxing eloquent on Galinda's faultless characteristics.

Galinda was the golden girl, the respectable pureblood witch from Ravenclaw, with goldilocks tresses that cascaded smoothly down her back, a fresh, young face and an elfin body that every dancer would envy. Hermione didn't dislike her, on the contrary, Galinda was amicable and humorous. Despite her friendly demeanor, she knew that Galinda was a force to be reckoned with, the one to beat. She appeared delicate at first glance, but when she danced, she commanded attention and dominated the stage.

"I doubt so," Sean said ruefully, "You and Malfoy are good too when you two stop being snarky"

Hermione merely shrugged.

"Ah well. At least I'm getting better. Galinda keeps me on my toes..."

He trailed off, spotting the woman of whom they spoke, and waved her over.

"Speaking of the devil," Hermione muttered under her breath as Galinda slid into the chair beside Sean.

"I see you've started already!" Galinda said brightly, gesturing towards their half eaten bowls of stew.

"Yeah, we were starving," she after a moment. She had been staring at Malfoy's table. He seemed to be arguing with Blaise about something, but she couldn't hear anything due to the buzz of conversation around her.

Galinda ordered a salad and a bowl of soup. Hermione watched with wide eyes as a plate of leafy greens materialized.

"That's all? For dinner?" She couldn't hide the incredulity in her tone. She looked at her hearty meal and felt slightly ashamed.

The pretty petite witch replied in turn but Hermione didn't notice. Her eyes were fixated on the shadow cast on their table by a certain blonde wizard exiting the dining hall, a certain blonde wizard that refused to acknowledge her, refused to meet her gaze. His detachment, in stark contrast to the lively, laughing boy of an hour ago, vexed and disappointed her. He wouldn't admit to their friendship. But then again, she realised, neither would she.

So he wasn't waving enthusiastically at her whenever they crossed paths. If you wanted to compare, she wasn't doing that either. So he didn't come over to specifically talk to her. She wasn't exactly bounding up to his table to engage him in intelligent conversation. Hermione wrinkled her nose at the revelation. Maybe she was being a little unfair. Maybe she had to take the first step, shake things up a bit. It couldn't be easy for him, to be seen with her. He probably was going against everything he was brought up to believe by even deigning to dance with her.

"Excuse me," she blurted before she could change her mind and rapidly got out of her chair to follow Malfoy, leaving a stunned Galinda and Sean in her wake.

Her hurried footsteps echoed her turbulent thoughts as she tried to catch up with him. His long legs took even longer strides, widening the gap between them as she brisk walked along. What was she going to say to him when she caught up, that is, if she ever did? Take it one step at a time, she told herself. Hermione decided to do something that she usually scoffed at, something that her meticulous and conscientious behaviour would not allow under normal circumstances. She was going to wing it.

"Malfoy!" she shouted.

He turned, shoulders rigid, his steely grey eyes piercing through hers.

Shucks, she thought. He looks mad.

Draco was in a foul mood from dinner, with Blaise and Iris haranguing him about Granger. Going soft on the Mudblood, Draco? Blaise had taunted. What would your father say?More fool him. Did he honestly think he gave a damn what his father thought? Lucius was rotting in Azkaban and it was partly his own fault. Did the war teach Blaise nothing? Did he not know Draco fought against the Dark Lord? The mention of his father had really irked Draco, though he didn't show it. He hated to be reminded of the war, of what he did. Blaise had never even mentioned it up to that point.

Iris had become exceptionally clingy, warning him to 'put a fair amount of distance between him and that mudblood wretch" because "she wasn't worth a flobberworm". He honestly didn't know what to tell them, except to remark in an extremely snarky and arrogant manner about how nosy and irritating they were being. He was fuming, their snide remarks had gotten under his skin.

"Malfoy!"

Someone called his name. He spun on his heel ready to give a good tongue lashing to anyone who dared interrupt his brooding. Oh. It was her.

"What are you doing Granger?" he hissed, scanning the hotel lobby. Thank Merlin it was relatively deserted, save for the staff and the odd witch checking in. They were alone. He had a nasty urge to snap at her, to take his temper out on the bright eyed bushy tailed witch standing before him.

"I don't know," she shrugged nonchalantly. "I thought it would be nice if we could chat somewhere besides the dance studio."

Silly girl with her little notions. His anger slowly ebbed away, like the tide receding from the shore. He was mad at Blaise, at Iris, at himself even. But not at the muggleborn Gryffindor, no. The irony of it was not lost on him. How the tables had turned since the war. A sorry day it was, that Blaise's company was more vexing than Granger's. Crossing his arms, he tapped his right foot, the very picture of impatience.

"Haven't we had enough of each others company already? Merlin, I've spent the most part of my day dancing with you." He raised an eyebrow. "So, what exactly are you planning to talk about? Time is money, Granger."

"And heaven knows you have plenty of both," she replied sharply.

"Tell me something I don't know." His manner was languid, bored. "You ran over here and stopped me in my tracks to discuss my endless wealth? Don't get me wrong, I am more than open for such chitchats but I must say I am surprised."

"You are so full of it, Malfoy." Draco could tell her heart wasn't in it. She was avoiding eye contact and twiddling her thumbs. He waited, none too patiently.

"Are you all right?" she finally ventured. "I mean, you looked kind of cross just now."

'I'm fine," he said shortly in response.

"Oh." She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. A look of concern and a smack dab of disappointment crossed her face.

Well, what did she expect? Draco to lead her to to those plush armchairs with velvety cushions, sit her down with a cup of tea and have a tete a tete?

"Malfoy, I know it must be hard for you sometimes..."

To be around me. She didn't say it, but Draco heard it all the same. The unspoken words hung in the air, a reminder of the prejudices and lines drawn between them. He just stared at her. She assumed he was in a temper because he had to be around her? Well, it was a ridiculous, wrong conclusion she had drawn. And that was the problem.

It was too easy for him to be around her, too easy for him to let down his guard. And it wasn't supposed to be like that. She was a muggleborn. The most part of Draco's life had been steeped in elitism, with beliefs of muggles being filth being ingrained in him from a young age. These convictions were deep rooted and hard to shake, despite the war, despite the Dark Lord being overthrown. He was still a Malfoy. It was one thing he was trained never to forget, come hell or high water.

As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, she breathed a soft sigh.

"I'll be off to bed then," Granger told him.

"It's only nine!"

"I'll have an early night. I'm tired."

"Goodnight then."

"Goodnight Malfoy."

"Dracooooooo! Honey, will you be back for dinner?" Hermione Granger pranced over and threw her hands around Draco.

"No, I'm working late tonight sweetheart."

"Aww there's a good hubby, bringing home the bacon." She tiptoed to pat the top of his head. Really! That was too much. He gripped her waist and swung her round, letting her body tilt back. He lowered his head till their faces were mere inches apart. Her eyes widened.

"You know you love me," he said huskily. He let her body fall back more, and grazed her forehead with his lips. He shivered at the touch of her warm flesh. It was a pleasant feeling having her in his arms. Like she was his to protect and to love and to hold. Granger squeaked and Draco promptly dropped her to the floor.

"You prat!" she screeched and got up gingerly. "And that's why I'll never ever ever marry Malfoy!"

Draco made a big show of wiping his lips with his handkerchief. "Like I'd ever marry you either." He smirked.

"Okay thats a wrap!" The wizard behind the camera gave them a big thumbs up.

"Well done, we'll use that for your video clip tomorrow."

AN: Sorry if this chappie seems a tad disjointed, it was hard to write. Apologies if its a bit draggy too. But! Good news is, next chapter will be the second round of competition!:D so read and review, thanks ever so much guys:D