Disclaimer: All characters, places and things but those I create myself belong to J.K Rowling.

A/N: I suck. Not only has it been awhile, but also this is really short. I hope you find it in you to review anyways. I apologize but I have midterms, papers and projects due. After that I plan on another really long chapter. This was almost like a teaser ;]

August

Hermione:

Their second date was on August 5th. This time, she had asked him. He was eating an apple that was bleeding red juice, leaning against the headboard and smiling. He had chewed, said yes, swallowed and then took a large bite.

"Stop chewing so loud." She'd begged and he responded by waving it in her face and offering her a bite.

She had swatted his hand away but smiled. The other night was already completely forgotten. This was something she liked about Draco-something she'd never admit to him: He didn't hold onto things. Not her, not her breakdowns or her mistakes. Ron held too tightly and she felt like she was trapped. She never wanted to go back to that feeling.

She constantly asked herself if she was regardless. If she was opening herself to him simply because she knew it wouldn't work out. Then she remembered why she needed the self-destructive relationship and continued.

The mirror in her room was slanted back so she could catch her whole reflection. She wore tight black jeans and a green button down that caught a glint of color in her otherwise toffee colored eyes. She had let her hair down from the ponytail she had favored for the past month and saw that it now fell a little lower from the bob she cut it at. She ran her hand through it a couple times, hoping for the millionth time that she could have been born with straight hair.

"It'll do." She whispered and left for Draco's.

Draco:

He thought there was nothing left that could surprise him, but she proved him wrong almost every time. She showed up at his door wearing a simple outfit that still managed to flatter her and he felt almost embarrassed for being as dressed up as he was.

"You said…" he cleared his throat awkwardly and shook at his sleeves. "I'll go change."

"I'll wait." And she sat down at the kitchen table, grabbing an apple from the center and playing with it.

Draco studied his reflection in the mirror curiously. When he was fourteen and had to start shaving, he had grown fond of the smooth feeling that lasted for a couple hours and took to shaving daily as the years went by. Hermione briefly mentioned she liked it grown out a bit and since then he allowed stubble to remain. His hair wasn't slicked back anymore and remained chin length, as he knew she liked.

He wondered when he had become the type of man to change his appearance for someone else, and what this said about him but didn't think too much about it. Before he left back for the kitchen he put a little cologne on and tried out a smile.

It had never really struck him as something that improved his face before but he found it was easy to smile when he thought about Hermione waiting for him in the kitchen.

Hermione:

They held hands, which shouldn't be something weird for her-but maybe because it was she, or rather, her and Draco, that it was weird.

It was getting dark earlier now, the sign that summer was coming to a close. They had decided to walk to Alfred's, but while walking she got to thinking. Why didn't he ever apparate? Did he not have his license?

She reflected on when she herself had gotten it and realized that this was most likely the case. It didn't bother her, but she could tell it bothered him. She apparated them everywhere, and in a sense it was like her Dad always needing to drive the car, even though her Mum was a better driver.

"Hey Draco?"

He looked down at her briefly and a look came upon his face that was almost like her knew what she was thinking.

"Yes?"

"Do you…I mean…never mind."

She clamped her mouth shut and hoped that he didn't press her further.

"Yes?"

She mentally kicked herself for opening up a potentially sensitive subject.

"Do you…apparate?"

"No."

But his back stiffened and he released her hand.

"Well, I'm sorry I asked, I just-"

"It's fine."

He grinned down at her and she was taken aback by it.

Draco:

How horrible could it be to tell her the truth? To just let her know he no longer had any magic at all?

Bad. Very bad.

But he found that he was tired of lying and that he was running out of excuses for making her do everything magical for them. He was tired in general, but he kept going anyway.

Hermione:

She couldn't remember the last time she had sat down for a meal that included candles and low lighting in a room that was perfectly still. Alfred had taken a liking to her over the past couple months and she had pulled some strings to get him to open the place just for the two of them.

As soon as she was alone she whispered some spells and the place had cleaned itself up. She was proud of her effort, sure that Draco would like it. Instead he seemed antsy and uncomfortable.

"Remember how we met?"

He looked up, his eyebrows raised.

"On a train to Hogwarts. With the two losers you call friends."

"No." she smiled. "I mean met."

Draco:

"Do you?"

His eyes focused around the light lighting and he squinted in her direction. She really did look lovely tonight, and he wasn't sure if he had told her that yet.

"You look very nice tonight."

She blushed and pushed some wayward hair behind her ears.

"Thank you."

"And yes. I remember. I won, by the way."

"Won?"

"That rice eating competition."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not."

She cut a piece of chicken and put it to her lips. He winced and she paused, pulling the fork back and put it on her plate.

"What?"

"Well you know, Alred makes this little salad-"

A piece of chicken hit him below his nose and he picked it up from his lap and placed it into his napkin.

"Suit yourself." He said as she picked her fork up again. "I mean if you want to eat unhealthy…it's your choice."

She took a large bite, deliberately, and then smiled around the food. He felt a rush of emotion in his chest and looked away.

Hermione:

"What's this?"

She looked up from the couch where she was reading a book and saw him standing in front of her, a blue toothbrush in his hand. Her toothbrush to be exact.

"That's a toothbrush, Draco."

"It's not mine."

"Of course it isn't. It's mine."

He made a face and twirled it in his fingers.

"Well why is it here?"

She put the book down next to her and looked at him. It was silent and there was a lot of tension.

"I'm here almost every night. I leave books and shirts here on a regular basis. One time even a sock. Why is it so terrible if I leave something I actually need?"

"This isn't your home."
"I know."

Pause. Silence. More tension.

"Do you want it to be?"

The air felt like it was leaving her chest. She considered the idea briefly and almost laughed out loud. Live with Draco? Draco Malfoy? She swallowed the laugh and saw that he was serious. His face was still and for a second she wondered if he was joking after all.

"Yes."

"Ok."

-X-

Moving out of Madge's place was harder than she had thought it to be. She refused help packing the meager belongings she had brought with her, and after Crookshanks was secure in his case, she looked into the room and wondered if she was making the right choice. Living with Draco was not something she saw herself doing indefinitely, but then again neither was staying here.

"You'll come and visit?"

She had forgotten Madge was even there. She smiled but her eyes were brimming over. Quickly, she swiped at her eyes with the underside of her hand and hoped that Madge didn't notice.

"Of course I will."

It was a lie. She couldn't come back.

"You think I don't know you're lying?"

She winced and let herself cry. Madge hugged her and Hermione let herself breathe in the smell of her one last time.

"Don't be sad. You learned all that you needed to here. Time to move on."

She pulled away and looked at Hermione. She was at a loss for words.

"Well go on." She smiled. "Just know you're always welcome."

With a crack she was gone.