.x. I hope you like it! Please review and give it a favourite if you like it .x.

Saturday

It was 9.30pm and Hermione had been talking to Peter Barrington for half an hour at the bar of Quest. He was nice enough… not handsome as such but he looked like a nice guy. He was probably only a few inches taller than her, unlike the man she was definitely not thinking about. No, he was at least six or seven inches taller than her. Peter Barrington hard dark curly hair which made him look young; which he was, he was only twenty. But the man she wasn't thinking about was her age, and his hair was blonde and he looked like a man. The type of man that would take control. Not like Peter Barrington who looked like he could take control of his own wand let alone a woman.

As she looked at him she thought about what it would be like to kiss him. His lips were thin and pale, no shape to them at all. As he sipped his butterbeer the frosting sat on his top lip and a small amount dribbled down his chin falling on his purple shirt. As he mopped it up with a napkin she noticed his awkwardly large hands, how they looked to big for his body. Unlike the blonde; who again, she was not thinking about whatsoever; who was perfectly proportioned in everyway... well in everyway she had seen. She had only imagined the other...

"And Davis, Davis in my office said to me, well he said… erm… oh yes that's, he said to me that I'd got it wrong and it wasn't Morgana that defeated Merlin, but Merlin that defeated Morgana you see so I…"

As he continued his dull story she turned to look for her friends. She spotted the red head she was looking for sat in a booth to her right on a sofa wrapped round a black table with Luna, Neville and Harry. The four of them at that moment were lifting a shot glass of bubbling red liquid into the air, chinking them together then quickly drinking them and smashing the glass back on the table with a cheer.

She smiled over at them all, the love for each one of them radiating from her in waves as she continued to watch them laugh and joke together. It was lovely having them all together but she felt like a spare part always on the edge of the couples. Since the night wore on and the drinks were flowing, Luna and Neville only came up for air from kissing one another when another shot came on the table and Harry and Ginny kept whispering goodness knows what into one another's ear. So Hermione took solace in Peter, but in all honesty she was bored. Very, very bored.

He wasn't doing anything for her no matter how much she had already drank and that was a lot. Enough for her to pluck up the courage and start chatting to a random guy but not enough for her to go home with him. Her plan for tonight had failed miserably. No one she looked at even compared to him... and she was having trouble concentrating on this simple conversation with Peter. So she made the decision to go home, on her own and re group tomorrow.

"I'm sorry Peter, I'm not feeling great I think I'm going to go home." She stroked her forehead with the tips of her fingers, faking a headache.

"Oh okay. It's been really great talking to you….?"

"Dolly." Hermione said. Of course she didn't give him her real name.

"Dolly, such a lovely name. I was wondering Dolly if you would..."

"I'm sorry, I really have to go. Goodbye Peter." She said suddenly and walked away. When she arrived back at the table she was greeted by a very drunk Luna.

"Hermiooonnneeeeee." She called out, giggled then went back to snogging Neville.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "He seems nice, who is he?" She asked looking behind her to Peter at he bar. He had started bobbing his head to the music and tapping his foot on the floor. He couldnt even coordinate that properly...

"Oh no one… look I'm going to head home."

"You're going home with that guy!" Luna piped up excitedly.

"No! Gosh no he's not much good company as it goes. I'm just not feeling it tonight."

"Don't be silly we haven't been out in ages!" Luna moaned. "We haven't even danced yet!"

"I know I'm sorry it's just been a rough week."

Ginny knitted her eyebrows at her comment. "'Come on stay for a bit longer, the boys can go get us some drinks and you can tell us about your week." She looked at Harry with a smile and he smiled back. She then nudged him in the ribs to give him the hint.

"Okay!" he yelled rubbing his side. "Same again?"

"I'll have something pink this time, and fizzy!" Luna said to Neville as he got up, not leaving before he gave her another kiss. As he walked away Luna gazed dreamily after him. "Isn't he lovely."

Hermione and Ginny looked to one another and giggled. Ginny grabbed her hand and pulled her next to her on sofa. "Come on, what's up." She pressed.

"It's just been busy, that's all." Ginny knitted her eyebrows to her blasé response.

"Stop it." The red head said.

"Stop what?"

"Stop being weird about this… Did he say something to you?" Her look of confusion turned to concern.

"Who?"

"Malfoy!"

"No! Not like that." Hermione shook her head. No it wasn't that... it wasnt anything he had said.. he was perfect, all week. It was what wasn't said that was the problem.

"Then what is it? You said you were getting along well, what changed?"

"Everything changed… I… I don't know Gin." She didnt know how to explain it. How could she explain that she faniced him?

"It must be hard to express your feeling for someone who was so mean to you for such a long time." Luna piped up, taking a last sip of her drink through her straw.

"What?" Ginny questioned with a very confused look on her face. "Her feelings?" She looked over at Hermione but she stayed quiet just staring at Luna.

"Well…" Luna directed to Hermione, "Your pupils are dilating when you talk about him and judging by that blush on your cheeks, I'd say you fancy him."

"What!?" Ginny exclaimed. Hermione looked at Luna like she was going to kill her.

"Tell me this isn't true?" Ginny asked. Hermione looked at her and shrugged. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't lie to her best friends. It was true, she did have feelings for him. Ginny's mouth fell into an 'O' shape, her eyes popping out of her head, waiting for an explanation.

"Look it's not a big deal okay… I've spent a lot of time with him this week, and it's not like I'm going to do anything about it okay. I'll get over it, it's just a crush."

Ginny looked more confused than before. She opened her mouth to speak a few times but closed it, as if thinking carefully about her next words. Even though Hermione knew exactly what she would say. "I don't understand how you can like him after all this time?"

Just as she knew what Ginny was going to to say, she knew exactly what her response would be. "It just happened." Because that was the truth. She didn't understand it either.

"I understand." Luna said.

"Do you? Because I don't." Hermione huffed and placed her elbows on the table in front of her and her head in her hands. Atleast she could talk about it now. Even if they judged her for it.

"He's not the same person he was to us in school. He's miles apart from anything like what he was. He's a genuinely nice person. Why wouldn't you fancy him? He's a good looking guy! I fancy him and I bet Ginny does too."

"Luna!" Ginny said loudly. "I do not! Yes, he's good looking but…"

"But what…" Luna interrupted. "Should we all be judged solely on our past? Or should we be given a chance for the changes we've made? I'd rather people see me as me now and not who I used to be. The past is the past for a reason."

"No... no you're right." Ginny sat quietly looking down at her hands. Hermione smiled at Luna. For all she was a bit nutty, but she made sense. It took Luna talking some sense to make Hermione realise what she had been seeing all week. It was like it all clicked into place.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"I don't know… nothing probably. He wouldn't even be interested so what's the point. It's best if I just ignore it and it will pass I'm sure."

"Well now is a great time to test that theory." Luna said with a smile. "He's coming over."

"What?" Ginny exclaimed as Luna nodded to her left. They both looked in the direction of her nod and there sure as anything was Draco Malfoy walking over to their table. Dressed impeccably in charcoal trousers and a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled up, FireWhiskey on the rocks in hand. As he caught her eye her stomach flipped and she looked back at Ginny and Luna for help. She didn't know what to do. Should she leave? Should she talk to him? Before she had chance to make her decision he stopped in front of their table. She saw Luna and Ginny turn to look at him before she slowly turned her own head to meet his gaze.

"Hi Granger." He said as he smiled. He turned his attention to the two other ladies on the table. "Miss Weasley, Miss Lovegood. How are you doing?"

"Very well thanks." Luna responded.

"How are you?" Ginny asked.

"I'm great. Didn't expect to see you girls here tonight." He looked at Hermione again, expecting and answer from her. She didn't know what to say.

Ginny stepped in, "Err… I got sent an invite through the Quidditch team so I invited these guys along with me. Harry and Neville are at the bar."

"Oh Great." He nodded. Still looking to Hermione who tried to avoid eye contact with him.

"Who are you here with?" Luna asked, filling the silence.

"Blaise and a few others. He owns this place so I thought I'd come down, offer him some support."

"That's nice." Luna smiled at him widely then looked at Hermione and raised her eyebrows, signalling her to talk to him.

"Are you having a good time Granger." Draco asked, as he placed his hand on her shoulder. A tingle ran down her spine. She had such a strong reaction to his touch... she had to try to control herself around him. She had to look at him now. She couldn't avoid it.

"She's having a much better time now I expect." Ginny said quietly, which made Luna giggle. Hermione glared at them both. He pulled his hand away and rested it at his side. She felt colder without it.

"Yes, thank you I am. It's a nice place." She looked away from him, feining distraction from the other customers at the bar.

"Gin, why don't we go see where the boys are with our drinks? Draco, maybe you can keep Hermione company?" Luna smiled widely at the both of them as if she had been planning this all along.

"Of course." He responded.

Ginny scooted round the sofa towards Luna, dragging Hermione further into it as she did, making room for Draco to sit down. She pushed Luna towards the bar and looked back at the two of them now sat at the table.

"We won't be long!" Ginny directed towards Hermione before flashing her a wink. Hermione mouthed 'I'm going to kill you' before Ginny smiled, stuck up her middle finger and carried on to the bar.

Hermione turned towards Draco. He was sat close, body twisted towards her and his arm draped around the back of the sofa.

.x.

Her large brown eyes looked darker in the moving shadows of the club. She had one hand resting in her lap and the other on a large glass of wine on the table in front of her. She didn't say anything, just looked at him studying his face.

"I tried to catch you at the Manor yesterday." He said.

"I had somethings I needed to do… I… I had to rush off." She turned back to her glass, running her finger round the edge.

"I swung by your office too..."

"I must have been on lunch." She lifted the glass of wine off the table and to her lips, taking a small sip before returning it. Her hand stayed on the base of the glass, her eyes on the table. Her hair was down, in loose waves that fell around her shoulders. She wore a teal green dress that hugged her curves, falling just at her knee. The colour suited her very well, it would bring out her eyes, if only he could see them.

"Funny… it felt like you were avoiding me…" She didn't move her eyes off the table. He so desperately wanted her to look at him. He'd know then...

"Why would I be avoiding you?" She asked with a muted expression.

"Why would you be avoiding me?" He asked her. She didn't move. Look at me, he willed. He moved his arm on the sofa and reached out to stroke his thumb along her shoulder. "Granger..." Her skin was soft and warm. "I think weve been avoiding something thats been staring us in the face all week. Only I cant avoid it anymore, Hermione." He shuffled carefully on the sofa so his leg was resting against hers.

"Draco… don't" She turned to him but she looked down at the space between them.

"Don't what…" He asked, his thumb still circling her soft skin.

"I… I don't know."

"Then don't fight it. Just go with it." He reached out his free hand and placed it on hers in her lap. He stroked her soft skin and her hand twitched beneath his. He moved and wrapped his hand in hers, their fingers interlinked. She didn't pull away, but moved her other hand from the glass and onto his stroking his skin this time. His heart jumped and he smiled at her. She still wasn't looking at him, but just at their hands linked together, watching as his skin wrinkled under her fingertips. She felt the same. He wasnt going mad. This week had changed everything between them. He didn't know what was going to happen over the next few hours, days or months but he knew he wanted whatever this was for as long as he could.

"Everything you're feeling I'm feeling too." Draco said to her quietly, just loud enough for her to hear over the music. He moved his thumb on her shoulder and stroked beneath her hair, up to her neck, stroking her with his fingertips.

"I'm scared." She said quietly looking up now into his eyes. They were so close he could see the ripples in her iris', the lighter brows flecks dotted in the deep dark brown. She scanned his face, his eyes, his lips.

"So am I. But this… whatever this is… we can't not try." She clutched his hand in hers as if he were going to leave her at any moment. He smiled down at her then moved towards her slowly lowering his head. The fingers he had on her neck were replaced with the palm of his hand and he moved her gently towards him. He felt her shiver beneath him and watched her eyes flutter closed. Her plump pink lips parted and he finally closed the distance and placed his lips to hers. Warmth pooled inside of his stomach immediately as her soft lips brushed against his.This was the perfect end to a week of revelations for him. Here he was openly kissing Hermione Granger in the middle of a bar in Diagon Alley, in front of hundreds of Witches and Wizards who knew him and he didn't give a damn.

All he cared about was the beautiful woman in front of him, the feel of her lips on his. He moved his hand away from hers and placed it on her cheek. At the same time, she moved her hand and clutched at his chest, his heart hammering away under his shirt. Beating quickly for her. The kiss only last for a few seconds before they pulled away and looked at each other smiling. He moved his hand back down and rested it on her leg. She placed hers on top of his and squeezed lightly.

He could see her freckles dotted over her nose, her long dark eyelashes. He brushed his thumb over her cheek and kissed her again, breathing her in deeply. He had never felt like this before from just a kiss.

She pulled away from him. He worried for a moment she had changed her mind until she leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Shall we go somewhere quieter?"

Her breath was warm and it tickled the hair on his neck, exilciting a small groan from him. His heartbeat picked up speed. "Are you sure?" He responded. She nodded and smiled before leaning in and kissing him. This time it was hungrier and she teased his lips with her tongue before pulling away, looking around them.

"We can talk without people staring…" She said. He looked around at her words and noticed a few people looking their way, turning back around as soon as he met their stare. Yes, he wanted her all to himself. Whether they just talked... or whatever else they would do. He wanted her attention soley on him.

"Give me two minutes, I need to go find Blaise." He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her quickly one more time. She lightly nipped his lip as he pulled away, making his cock twitch in his pants and a small moan escape his lips again. "Don't move Granger." He demanded as he shuffled out of the booth, flashed her a smirk and walked quickly in the direction he left Blaise. He would say a quick goodbye then grab her and take her back to his house. He didn't want to rush things. He just wanted to talk to her and kiss her without half the bar staring at them. He had finally gotten what he wanted and he wasn't going to mess it up by going too quickly. Something that felt this perfect had to be savoured and he was going to savour every last drop of her.