Disclaimer: We obviously do not own the Harry Potter World, as much as we wish we did. That genius comes from the one and only J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 4: The Gusto of New Found Love

"Draco!" I turned around to see a whirlwind of wavy blonde hair skipping towards me.

"Hi, Mariah." I smiled curtly. Lately, Mariah had been seeking me out around campus just to flutter her pretty blue eyes at me. Rather than get me aroused, her speedy eyes just made me wonder how someone could have such long lashes. They must have been magically grown. Too bad I had grown too passive to harass her about it.

"Draco!" She said impatiently, pulling my face in her direction. I silently wished that she wouldn't grab at my face again. Her nails were surprisingly sharp. "I have been relentlessly flirting with you for the past few weeks, and not ONCE have you noticed!"

"I… uh… M-Mariah…" I stuttered.

"You are daft, aren't you?" She laughed.

"No!" I replied defiantly.

"Then ask me to go out on a date with you." She demanded.

I hesitated. I guessed there really wasn't any reason for me not to. Hermione would never love me anyway. "Will you go on a date with me tomorrow night?"

"It's about time! I thought you'd never ask!" She squealed and jumped on me, wrapping her thin arms around my neck. Whoever said that 'girls aren't heavy' lied. A lot.

I lost my footing, but managed to stay standing by reflexively wrapping my arms around her waist. She thought I was hugging her back, of course, and squeezed me tighter in response. Girls.

"So, uh…" I said behind her golden hair. "What do you want to do?"

She pulled away from me. "That's you job to decide, silly. Just pick me up outside of the Weasley Dorm Hall."

Ugh. Weasey. I didn't need a reminder. Funny enough, that dorm used to be named "The Lestrange Dorm Hall." Yeah, that certainly changed after the war.

"I'll pick you up at seven?" I asked.

"Yes!" She responded excitedly and she embraced me again before running away to Merlin knows where.

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That evening Hermione and I were sitting at my kitchen table looking at recipe books trying to decide what she, I mean we, would cook our muggle "friends."

"This… spaghetti looks easy." I said.

"Spaghetti's a copout, Malfoy."

"Well then, can YOU cook anything better?" I snapped.

"As a matter of fact, I can. My mother is an excellent cook, and she taught me."

"Prove it."

"What?"

"Prove it. Right now. Make me cookies."

She gaped at me. "Excuse me? I will not bake on your command."

"What if I said, 'please'?" I questioned.

"I'd consider it, maybe."

"Pleasssse," I pleaded, sounding the least like I Malfoy that I have ever sounded. But if she made me cookies I doubt even my father could disapprove of me groveling at her muggle-born feet.

"Fine," she relented. "I'll make you cookies. Do you have ingredients?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed, pulling out eggs, sugar, flour, chocolate chips and the other essentials.

"Malfoy, where's the salt?" She asked.

"Salt? You put salt in cookies? Why in Merlin's name would you include salt?"

"Yes! You use salt! Now where is it?"

"Next to the stove."

I sat patiently as she busied about the kitchen. Her slender form adding ingredients here and there. She had the same concentrated face that she had always sported while working on a particularly difficult potion in the Hogwarts dungeon.

I admired her careful work and her beautiful face.

When she pulled the cookie tray out of the oven, her face was lit up with triumph.

"There!" She exclaimed.

I took one bite and smiled. It was the best cookie I'd ever eaten. I couldn't believe she hadn't used magic to make them. Instead the cookie itself was magic.

"Granger, this is amazing." I said over a mouth of cookie.

"So you believe me?"

"Do dragons breathe fire? Are hippogriffs bloody chickens?"

Hermione laughed.

"What happened to the bloody beast anyway?"

Hermione laughed histerically, but I never got an answer.

"Same time tomorrow?" Hermione asked me as I opened the door for her to leave.

"I…I can't tomorrow…" I stuttered.

She looked taken aback, "uh…okay…"

I smiled at her as she turned to leave, but then she turned back around. "Can I ask why?"

I hesitated. "I have a date… with Mariah."

"Oh." Was all she said before she left.

Watching her go, I realized that moving on was going to be difficult. But I'm a Malfoy, I thought to myself, I can handle anything.

I hoped.

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"Oh, Draco!" Mariah squealed as I approached. "You're early!"

"Malfoys are never late." I replied tartly, but not rudely. "Ready?" I asked, holding out my arm.

She smiled and wrapped her thin arm in mine before we disapparited.

Surprisingly, I had an amazing time. Mariah was sweet and even made me laugh a few times.

I took her dragon watching, and then we had a picnic in a nearby meadow. The dragons scared her at first but after a while she seemed more interested than I was, and that was saying something! Dragons are my favorite magical creatures; my name is even "dragon" in another language.

Mariah and I stood outside the Weasley dorm. She had my hands in hers and was looking at me intently.

"I had the most wonderful time, Draco," she breathed. Surprisingly, Mariah hardly smelled of the wine we'd drunk. Even though she drank a considerable amount, it didn't seem to affect her at all. She was standing in front of me, batting her eyelashes, as sober as ever.

Mariah was leaning in closer. I could've counted the number of eyelashes that enveloped her stunning blue eyes, searching my own eyes for an answer to the unspoken question her closeness asked.

"Thanks again," she purred as the gap between us closed.

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So I had to admit, Mariah was fun to be around. She had a good personality, and a fun sense of humor, not mention the fact that she was a superb kisser. The thing was, did I really want a relationship with her? Or was I still in love with Hermione? I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe I was just idealizing her. Maybe giving Mariah a chance was the way to go. I didn't resent the time I spent with her. Sure, she was obnoxious, but it was cute. I could stay positive around her, which was much different than the relationship I had with Hermione.

I took out a quill and some parchment before sitting at my desk.

Mariah,

Thank you for accompanying me yesterday. I had a wonderful time, and hope to see you outside school again soon.

-Draco

It was weird to send owls in broad daylight in such a muggle community, so I sent a trained dove instead. Normally I would have sent my crow or raven (my flat had a whole separate room devoted to magically trained birds. I was a fanatic), but I thought a dove would suit her better, even though they weren't as intelligent.

A few hours later, I found that I was right.

Draco,

I simply adore your dove. He is so incredibly precious. I had a marvelous time as well and look forward to seeing you soon.

Sincerely,

Mariah

I smiled at her loopy handwriting and sweet whimsy.

"What are you smiling about?" I started and looked up to see Hermione standing in my flat. I didn't remember hearing a knock or even the door opening.

I blushed, "No reason."

She snatched the letter out of my hand, hardly giving me time to protest.

"Granger!? That is my letter! You can't read it! How did you even get in here?"

Hermione completely ignored me and proceeded to read the short letter from Mariah. She looked up at me and I tried to read her face. I'm pretty sure I placed shock as one of the emotions on her face but they flickered by so quickly I couldn't make out anything else. Then her expression went blank. Hermione had gathered her emotions and was now hiding them from me.

"Here," she said as she thrust the letter into my hands. "I guess Barbies are your type after all." She said matter-of-factly.

"I still don't see how Mariah relates to a plastic girls toy," I murmured. She was so full of life.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You really are stupid, aren't you?" she asked to herself.

"Only as stupid as you make me to be."

"You have a dove?" she asked changing the subject.

"Yes, let me show you something."

I led her to what was supposed to be the second bedroom of my flat. I opened the door and watched her face as she took in her surroundings. The room was magically enlarged, each wall was covered with birds; ravens, crows, owls, a few doves, and even some tropical birds such as parrots and birds of paradise.

Hermione slowly spun around, taking in the whole scene. She looked at me with wide eyes. "How? What? Where did you get all of them?"

"It's weird, I know, but I'm a 'wannabe' ornithologist."

"That's a muggle term!" she accused.

"I know." I sighed. "Birds are just so fascinating." She raised her eyebrows, questioning me. I then launched into a long speech about all the wonderful things about birds and how I had come to own each of the ones flying around in my flat. She must've thought I was off my rocker.

"Where did you learn that much about birds?" Hermione asked, astonished.

"The library, of course."

A/N:

K says: Sorry it's been so long since the last update. Exams are now coming to a close and we should have more time to write. we mapped out our story a bit and there should be roughly 22 chapters including the prologue and epilogue. you're welcome. please stick with us and prepare for the good stuff to come. :D

M says: Yes. Draco loves birds. Deal with it :P Oh and get ready for some REAL action! Please review!