AN1: I love all of you guys! I have the most amazing and dedicated reviewers who say the nicest and funniest things! Thank you all so much!! I couldn't be this far without you, I really couldn't!

NOTE: I had a different chapter halfway written for this, but because I wanted to update sooner and didn't want to rush the chapter I'd been working on, I decided to make a new one!

Do you have any idea how long I've been wanting to get this written and posted?? This was actually supposed to be chapter 40. (Laughs) That worked awfully well, wouldn't you agree?

Disclaimer: Must you even ask? I don't own Harry Potter nor did I draw this amazing piece of fan art...that will be available for viewing after you go to my profile. Do it. I DARE you!!! No, actually, I DOUBLE DOG DARE you! Aha, what now?

PS: SIRIUS IS ALIVE! You wanna know why? (Why?) You wanna know why? (Why?) You wanna know why? (Why?) Because (when JKR killed him) I got my feelings hurt.

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It was a beautiful day. Even Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire agreed with Harry and Ron when they said that it was too nice a day to spend it inside reading. Just to irk them, Hermione suggested that they instead go read outside by the lake.

Needless to say, Harry and Ron didn't agree.

"C'mon Hermione! You can't be serious," Ron exclaimed dramatically.

"You're right, I'm not," Hermione joked, a broad grin stretching across her face.

Harry and Ron ignored the terrible pun that not even Sirius would have laughed at were he at Hogwarts with them instead of at Grimauld Place.

"You aren't really considering reading—a book you've read thousands of times—outside when the day is gorgeous and it's a Hogsmeade weekend, are you?"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

"It's a Hogsmeade weekend," Harry started.

"The first one of the month actually," Ron added in helpfully.

"You've read that book before."

"And—" Ron began to ramble off another reason why Hermione should go to Hogsmeade when she interrupted him.

"I'll go," The boys high-fived triumphantly, "on one condition."

The excitement on their faces dimmed slightly. "If I go with you, you have to promise me that you won't ditch me the minute we get there to go into Quality Quidditch Supplies."

"Okay, we won't ditch you the minute we get there to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies," Ron and Harry said simultaneously.

"The second we get there we will," was Ron's smart remark which earned him a light smack on the shoulder from Hermione.

"I'm not joking, you guys. Every time I go there with you, I'm left sitting by myself in The Three Broomsticks looking like an idiot. Then I usually go to the bookstore and buy book that I can read outside," she said pointedly, "during the next Hogsmeade weekend. But somehow, I never end up doing that."

"This time will be different, we promise," said Ron hastily.

Hermione sighed in defeat. "Okay, let's go."

Twenty minutes later as they were making their way towards The Three Broomsticks, Harry and Ron stopped cold in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Is that...what I think it is?" Ron asked, while looking at the display window with a glazed look in his eyes.

Harry, who looked just as dazed, replied after a beat. "Yeah, mate, I think it is."

"The new Dragon Flame 3000," the two boys whispered reverently.

"I didn't even know that it was available yet," Ron sighed wistfully. "Do you think they'd mind if we just asked them to take it down just so we could touch it?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You guys, hurry up! We want a table, don't we?" They looked back at her in surprise, almost as if they had forgotten she was standing right there.

"Er, Hermione?" She threw her hands up in the air and groaned.

"You guys have got to be kidding me! You said that you wouldn't do this!"

"Hermione, just look at it."

"Yes, it's a broom. Incredible. Absolutely amazing. I have never seen one before in my life." She laid on the sarcasm thickly.

"Please?"

"Fine, whatever. I'll see if I can get us a table at the Three Broomsticks."

Harry and Ron engulfed her in the biggest hug ever and ran into the store eagerly.

"Boys," she muttered disdainfully as she continued to make her way down through Hogsmeade. "Next time I really will just stay on the grounds and read."

Upon entering the pub, Hermione spotted an empty table and hurried over to it. It was the last available one. Priding herself on finding an empty table, she sat and waited.

"Would you like to order something, dear?" Madame Rosemerta asked her politely as she stopped at Hermione's table for a moment.

"Oh no thank you, not just yet; I'm waiting for my friends."

And wait she did. Ten minutes, fifteen minutes, twenty minutes. Hermione was furious and humiliated, again. How long did it take to gawk at a sodding broom?! Just as she was about to leave, Madame Rosemerta came up to her again and set a large glass of butterbeer in front of her.

"I didn't order anything," Hermione said rather crossly.

"Oh I know dear, this one's on the house." The Gryffindor looked confused.

"That handsome young man over by the bar bought it for you."

Hermione looked back at the bar and saw none other than Draco Malfoy casually leaning against the bar. His shaggy platinum bangs hung slightly over his eyes, giving him a mysterious and alluring look. He does look quite handsome, Hermione thought.

As if he had read her thoughts, Draco smirked at her and she turned away.

Too bad his personality doesn't match up with his looks. He'd be a real catch then.

Hermione was musing to herself, purposely leaving the butterbeer untouched, when she heard someone sit down beside her. She didn't even have to look up to know who it was.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

He chose to ignore her question. "Did you know that it's quite rude to not drink something that some random but extremely charming and good-looking stranger buys for you? And did you know that it's also rude to not thank him and then invite him to sit with you?"

"No I didn't, Malfoy," Hermione replied coolly. "I'll be sure to remember that when some guy who fits that description buys me a drink."

Malfoy scowled and stomped off, quite obviously put out. Right before he walked out the door, Hermione called out to him.

"Hey, Malfoy,"

He turned and looked at her impatiently. She took a large sip of the butterbeer and lifted her glass. "Thanks."

With his ego boosted, Malfoy walked out the door, a grin in place. At the same time that Malfoy was heading out, Harry and Ron were (finally) walking into The Three Broomsticks. Harry roughly shoved Malfoy against the doorframe.

"Watch where you're going, Pothead," Malfoy growled.

Ron ignored Malfoy and yelled out to Hermione over Harry's shoulder. "Oy! You could have waited for us before you went and got yourself a drink!"

"I know, but it's rude not to drink something that some random but extremely charming and good-looking stranger buys for you."

Hermione caught Malfoy's eye and winked. Ron, who'd missed the whole exchange, just looked at Hermione as if she were crazy.

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AN2: Please review! The URL for the fan art that was the inspiration for this is on my profile. Very top. You seriously can't miss it. If you do, then you are legally blind. (Woo for Thumbtanic! Haha, I advise you not to ask.)

Lovelove, Amanda