A/N: Hey there, everyone! It's been a very long time since I've updated this story, but I promise that I do not intend to abandon it. I've recently come across a renewed inspiration for this pairing, and I've missed writing for them. So, here's the next chapter, and I do apologize to any followers who might still be out there ;P Please continue to be patient with me and I'll try to put more of an effort into pursuing this fic! I have so many ideas for it. A merry belated Christmas to everyone, and a happy New Year!

Chapter 11

Companionable Partying: The Challenge

July 20th

As Hermione walked out of the café's kitchen the following morning, she suddenly halted in her steps as she spotted Draco and his father sitting at the table directly across. Upon spotting her, the younger Malfoy instantly grinned and lifted his hand, waving it enthusiastically.

Closing her eyes a brief moment, the Gryffindor collected herself before venturing over to the pair and eying them both as cordially as she could. They really tested her patience sometimes. 'And right at the start of my morning too,' Hermione thought as she withheld a sigh.

Sure, she and Draco had reached an understanding, but that didn't he mean he failed to try her endurance time and time again.

"Mr. Malfoy," she began, looking to Lucius. "What brings you back so soon?"

"Miss Granger," the man nodded before looking to his beaming son, "Draco…insisted."

Hermione tilted her head as she looked to Draco, brow raised. "Did he?"

"Good morning," Draco greeted, eyes shining with mirth.

Hermione marveled at how someone could look so merry at this early hour.

Besides that however, she wondered at the reason Draco so openly, and blatantly, displayed his eagerness to see her while within his father's company. Did he not consider the fact that she was someone his family detested? Did he not fear any repercussions at all?

Looking again to Lucius, she saw no disdain or disapproval, only the obvious annoyance at the behavior of his son.

"Can I start you two off with something to drink?" Hermione inquired then, deciding to simply maintain an aura of professionalism. She raised a brow and positioned her pen above her notepad.

"Coffee," Lucius replied simply.

Nodding, Hermione then looked to Draco. "Coffee for you as well?"

However, before Draco could respond, his father swiftly intervened. "No," he said firmly, causing Hermione to furrow her brows slightly as she shifted her eyes between the pair in confusion.

Settling her gaze then on Draco, as no further explanation was offered, she observed him as he eyed his father with a look of irritation. It took him a moment, but he shook his head and then returned his attention to her. "Yeah, no coffee for me. I'll just have an orange juice."

"Alright then," Hermione replied, writing down his request before turning to go. "I'll be right back with those."

As she returned to the kitchen, she couldn't get the odd interaction off her mind. What had that been about? However, in the next instant, a smile slowly spread as a theory presented itself. Perhaps Draco was much like a child in the sense that coffee only served to hype him up to an uncontainable extent.

It was a highly entertaining thought and she had to keep herself from chuckling.

Despite the unexpected intrusion, she was grateful that Narcissa had not decided to join them. Perhaps her last experience had been so unbearable that she had decided to never return. One could only hope, right?

Pouring the java and making sure that there were no deserter grinds or unwanted particles within, Hermione then remembered that Lucius enjoyed only a small amount of cream. She quickly prepared it to his specifications, and felt so relieved that her memory was so practiced. She would hate to inspire any form of annoyance from the man. A forced civility suited her just fine where he was concerned.

After placing his mug upon her tray, she grabbed a glass and hastily dispensed Draco's juice before walking out into the restaurant, fixed smile in place.

"Here you are," she stated, setting the drinks before the two Malfoys.

Lucius' face betrayed no reaction upon seeing that she had recalled the way he preferred his coffee to be prepared.

Draco, however, smirked widely. He could always be counted upon, it seemed, to spout off any and all thoughts that had entered his mind. "Nice going, Granger! He's always so particular about the way he drinks his coffee."

Lucius sent a brief glance to his son before merely nodding to Hermione.

Hermione merely shook her head as she gazed down at Draco before taking out her notepad once more, placing the tray securely beneath her arm. "Have you two decided on anything yet?"

"Same as my last visit," Lucius replied before, after sending a swift glance to Draco, continuing. "And, since you have such a commendable memory, I will save myself the trouble of explaining my provisions."

Hermione fought the urge to retort his blatant sarcasm before settling for a stiff nod, "understood."

Looking to Draco then, she held his gaze a moment before prompting him to relay his order.

"I," the boy began, still smirking, "would like…." He examined the menu pointedly for several moments, seeming to find amusement within Hermione's impatience. And impatient she was, as she recognized how purposeful his stalling was.

"Hm…" he glanced up at her with an innocent tilt of his head, "what's good here?"

Fighting the urge to sigh, Hermione just smiled sardonically. "Everything's good here."

"Any suggestions?"

Seeming to recognize that his son was not going to relent, and so obviously aggravated by that fact, Lucius looked to Hermione. "He'll have the same as me."

"No! Father-" Draco began, his eyes wide and unsatisfied. "I don't want that!"

"Nonsense," Lucius replied.

Hermione couldn't help but smirk at the younger Malfoy as he continued to glare daggers at his father. It seemed she was not the only who easily grew impatient with him. It was even almost comical, their display.

"I'll be back in a moment," she stated before abruptly turning and ignoring Draco's eyes as they shifted to her imploringly.

Draco's father seemed to know exactly how to handle him and she admittedly found the reactions between the two of them extensively amusing. Their presence suddenly wasn't such a bad thing at all. It was only the first hour of the restaurant's opening, and so she didn't have any other tables to wait on. Therefore, she simply decided to pour a cup of coffee for herself as she waited for the Malfoys' order to be prepared.

When it was done, she inspected it all carefully, before venturing back out to them, another smile in place, thought its nature was a lot more genuine.

"Here we go," she stated, setting the plates down. "Nice and hot."

With a glance upward, she fought against a widening of her smile as she observed Draco's downcast, and displeased expression. He just stared at his breakfast with a certain loathing and reaffirming her assessment that he was just a spoiled child who hated when he didn't get his way.

Straightening then, she asked Lucius if he needed anything else and he dismissed her with a wave of his hand. However, considering the tip he'd offered last time, Hermione found the gesture much more tolerable this time around.

From then on, she made a point of only visiting their table a limited number of times. Draco's spirits seemed to have dampened and his father appeared quite content with the silence between them. It wasn't until she returned to ask if they were ready for the check that Draco seemed to perk up just enough to speak to her.

Staring down at his empty plate, he grimaced. "Hey, Granger?"

"Hm?" She asked after catching the return of the annoyed look on Lucius' face.

"This wasn't that great," Draco mumbled before looking up at her. "Some of them were kind of burnt."

"Really?" Hermione asked, noting the specks of powdered sugar at the corner of his lips. For being supposedly displeased with his breakfast, he hadn't hesitated to scarf it all down. She hid a little smirk at his expense.

"Yeah," he said only, before blinking as he apparently detected the amusement in her eyes. His tone changed, "what?"

She lifted a finger to her own lip, "you have a little something there."

Draco's eyes instantly widened and he lifted a hand to immediately remove the offending flaw on his face. Hermione fought desperately against a chuckle, but couldn't help the grin. Returning her attention to the boy's father then, she assumed a more polite expression. "I'll be right back with your check."

She turned and, when having safely retreated to the kitchen, unleashed a giggle. Printing out the meal ticket with a wide grin, she shook her head. What a moron. She'd always known Draco Malfoy to be an absurd sort, but even she couldn't have anticipated the extent of his absurdity.

Returning, she set the ticket down, which was received with a curt nod from Lucius. She turned to go, but then raised her brow as Draco suddenly smirked at her, seeming to have made a complete recovery from his earlier, sullen mood. How convenient that he could so hastily switch between tempers that way.

"Here you are, Miss Granger," his father smoothly voiced then as he stood.

Hermione shifted and ventured back to the table before taking the currency, with an even more generous tip included. Compensation for pain and suffering, perhaps? A genuine, undisclosed gratitude entered her gaze and she smiled appreciatively, "thank you, sir."

He only nodded again before standing and directing Draco to do the same. Hermione smirked to the Slytherin boy, before turning once more and making her way towards the kitchen. However, before she was out of earshot, she heard Draco shout out to her.

"See you tonight, Granger!"

With an immediate glance back, her own eyes widening, Hermione shifted her eyes between he and his father, but noted that the elder Malfoy's expression betrayed nothing by way of a reaction to his son's outburst. What was that all about? Why wasn't he even slightly displeased at the implication?

She felt an inherent suspiciousness take hold and, as she watched the pair turn the corner to the hostess station-where Draco exchanged a goodbye with Sara—Hermione furrowed her brows and then finally turned to place the payment in the till.

Her mind was whirling with questions, and she decided then that she absolutely had to question Draco on his father's behavior, even if it might be at the risk of provoking a negative response from him. She needed an explanation.

…

Hermione decided on wearing something simple and comfortable to the party. It was always helped, in her opinion, to face a potentially awkward situation if one did not also have to maintain a dressier style of attire. With a contented smile, she lifted her hair into a loose ponytail before shutting off her light and making her way downstairs.

After inhaling briefly and fighting the urge to disregard the entire foolish idea, she opened the door and saw Draco already waiting for her upon the porch steps. He turned when he heard the wood creak beneath her shoes and then stood in a leisurely fashion with hands in his pockets.

She noted that he had opted for a neatly pressed, button-down shirt, and a pair of jeans. However, despite the simplicity of the outfit, it still had a refined flair, most particularly with the addition of the Rolex on his wrist.

"Ready?" He asked with a casual tilt of his head.

"I suppose," she released a resigned sigh before adjusting the strap of her satchel and descending to the pavement.

"Your waitressing skills, by the way, are first-rate."

Hermione shook her head with a small glare, "and your public manner is somewhat lacking."

"Pff," he scoffed.

"Do me a favor and never sit in my section again." She replied, thinking over his poor behavior. He was really acting like none of it had even happened. As if he hadn't spent the morning acting as if he were a toddler.

"Oh come off it, Granger," he replied with an easy smirk. "I'm already doing you a favor by going to this party."

"Don't make me regret it."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he responded only as his smirk grew.

Shoving her hands into the pockets of her sweater, Hermione simply contented herself with gazing out upon the street. It was a quiet and unassuming sort of evening, which was the perfect combination. However, she knew that in a matter of minutes, that serenity would be replaced with the thriving event that was a teen party.

What in Merlin had possessed her to accept such an invitation?

With a glance to the boy beside her, she decided that a better question would be why she had decided on a whim to invite Draco Malfoy of all people. Draco Malfoy for comfort.

And…along with this, she tried to determine when would actually be a good time to bring up the matter of the boy's father. She didn't want to create any tension during the party, and so decided that she would attempt to discuss it with him on their way back to her house.

When his gaze shifted to meet hers, he rolled his eyes. "It's gonna be fine. It's not like we're marchin' you off to my aunt's torture chamber or anything."

"Lovely thought," she responded sardonically before averting her eyes. "However, I might actually prefer it."

"…right."

Their conversation fell into silence for the remainder of the walk until, by the time they rounded the street corner and approached the apartment, Draco let out a whistle and Hermione grimaced.

Several cars lined the streets and the music from within reverberated through the walls in a low bass. Several people had decided to simply hang out on the lawn and they stumbled about and laughed in a drunken stupor.

Dread filling the Gryffindor, Hermione gripped her bag just slightly tighter before collecting herself and assuming a determined façade. If she could pursue Voldemort, she could certainly endure a damn party.

"There's the face I recognize."

"Oh shut-up," she responded to the boy who was now chuckling at her expense.

Striding forward, Hermione allowed for a slight smile as she attracted the looks of some of the other guests. Just how popular was Sara? Reaching the door, she lifted her hand to knock before deciding against the idea as it would likely go unheard anyway.

Upon entering the room, she sighed at the sight of the crowd and the many different activities going on around her. How did people find these sorts of gatherings enjoyable? A makeshift strobe light was hoisted on the wall and a table had been set up in the center of the room where two teams of four were playing a game of beer pong.

"Yay!"

Hermione looked over as Sara reached her, arms extended.

"You made it," the girl continued as she embraced Hermione before stepping back and looking over her shoulder. "Oh, and you brought Draco along."

"I did," Hermione responded with a small nod.

Draco stepped forward and Sara proceeded to offer him a hug as well.

"Welcome!"

"Thanks," the Slytherin replied with a smirk. "Hermione needed a little company."

Hermione shot him a swift glare, but Sara ignored it. "Well, the more the merrier. Come in!" She ushered them both forward before guiding them towards a group of her friends.

Hermione exchanged a greeting with Natalie, but noted that, as she had predicted, both she and Sara wandered off after a bit of small talk to associate with some of the others. With a glance to Draco, she felt a new wave of gratitude. As strange as it was to be with him, it was severely less awkward than it could have been. She did feel comfortable.

He looked to her and then motioned his head towards the drink table, "come on, Granger. We're at a party. Step one is to get yourself an alcoholic beverage."

She had to admit, it sounded nice. Just one drink and the edge would be taken off. With a nod from her, Draco turned and led her across the room before seeming to weigh his options. He probably wasn't used to any of these Muggle-brand bottles.

"Here," she said, reaching for the Coca-Cola and a flask of coconut rum. "This is a good place to start."

Draco only nodded and then intently watched as she first poured the alcohol into a pair of plastic cups, before following it up with the soda. When finished, she handed one to him and extended her cup forward. "Cheers."

A light 'tap' sounded as their cups collided, before he followed her lead in taking a sip from its contents. She watched as he lowered his cup then before wiping the condensation from his lips. He nodded, "that's not bad."

"Not bad?" She smiled good-naturedly. "It's one my favorites. Even better with a slice of lime."

Draco just shook his head, before looking out across the small living space and towards the ruckus at the far end. Hermione turned with him, eyes also set on the beer pong match.

"What is that they're doing?" he asked.

"It's a game," Hermione instantly explained. She could get used to sharing endless supplies of knowledge like this. It was something she had always enjoyed, no matter how miniscule the information might be. She lifted a finger and pointed, "two opposing teams rack up an arrangement of cups filled with alcohol, and the objective is to toss the ping pong ball into the cups of your opponents. If you score, they have to drink from the one you landed. The winner is determined once all of the cups have been cleared."

"Huh," he said, eyes shining with interest as he continued to follow the movements of the players.

For the next few moments, Hermione simply watched absently from beside him. She had never actually endeavored the game herself, but she realized that it was just the sort of thing to interest the Malfoy boy. He'd been very skilled at Quidditch, and so reasoned that he was probably drawn to any opportunity to exercise his reflexes.

She hoped he wouldn't ask her to play though, or try and use her acceptance as compensation for his attending the party with her. It'd be just the sort of thing he'd do, wouldn't it? Truth was, she just wasn't very skilled where sports were concerned, or anything of the like. It'd be an embarrassing thing, and many people would be around to witness it.

Her insecurities were always a little more prominent within places where she felt most out of her element. But, more than that, she knew it'd be a major blow to her pride. And so, with a swift glance to Draco, she absolved to redirect his attention.

"Hey, Dr-" But she was cut off by another voice, a voice she begrudgingly recognized and mentally repelled.

"Hermione? Is that you?"

With widened eyes, she looked behind her and at the individual whom was sauntering towards her. He stopped, drink in hand, as a confident smirk spread across his face.

She fought against herself then, determined not to give way to slight panic this boy had instigated. "Billy," she managed firmly.

He whistled then, eyes roaming unashamedly across her figure. "Damn. You look great! I hardly even recognized you!" He stepped closer, and Hermione ignored the urge to step back. She couldn't let him intimidate her. She didn't like the look in his eyes though. It was similar to the look of the drunken man whom had approached her in the club the other night.

And then she suddenly realized. He was objectifying her. Just like the waiter, and the doorman at the Broadway showing, he found her attractive, but, unlike them, there seemed to be a much more primal motivation behind his advances.

A severe discomfort wound its way up her spine then. She didn't like this. All she wanted to do was turn around and go home. It had been a huge mistake to come to this party. He looked down at her and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. She wouldn't put anything past him. He was absolutely someone she could never trust.

"What is it you're up to these days?" He asked, and the tone of his voice reminded her of a snake. Hissing, menacingly soft, suggestive. His eyes roamed up and down her body then, more pointedly and more deliberate. He still felt he had power over her, didn't he?

'But, is he wrong?' She asked herself, noting the increase of her own discomfort. She wanted to turn and run. Where was her courage? She was a Gryffindor for goodness sake! Why couldn't she stand up to this boy?

She swallowed and Billy's smirk widened.

"Excuse me," another voice broke in then, a much more familiar voice. A somehow warm voice. "Do you two know each other?"

Billy's eyes lifted and Hermione then remembered the person standing at her side. The discomfort eased considerably and she looked up at Draco, who was only staring between the two of them curiously.

"Who's this loser?" Billy asked, indicating the Slytherin.

"Loser?" Draco asked, expression immediately shifting and his gaze narrowing.

"That's what I said," Billy replied before shooing him with his hand as his voice took on a highly condescending edge. "Why don't you run along now, priss boy? Leave this lady to a real man."

Hermione instantly felt a fury at that, and looked to Billy with a fully recovered sense of disdain. Who was he to tell her companion off like this? Knowing Draco, she assumed he'd soon resort to spouting off some nonsense about his father and whimpering his way out of this confrontation. He wasn't much of one for taking bullying, as often as he resorted to dishing out that very thing.

She prepared herself to intervene before this got out of hand, but was surprised when Draco beat her to the punch.

A severely critical gleam entered his gaze, and he looked to Billy as if he were nothing but the scum beneath his shoes. "Are you really ordering me about? You?" He scoffed, and Hermione tilted her head, then reaching the conclusion that Draco wouldn't back down from the provocation of a Muggle. It'd be entirely beneath him and he had absolutely nothing to fear from this individual, wand or no.

Draco glanced to her briefly, before refocusing his attention on Billy. "Seems to me this lady prefers my company." He boldly stepped forward, "so, be a real man and accept your defeat before you embarrass yourself."

Draco Malfoy had changed, Hermione realized then. He was no longer the whimpering child she'd always known him to be. After his direct exposure to the horrors of Voldemort and his followers, he'd developed a faint sort of courage, a resistance to being pushed around or even on relying upon his father. He'd had to step up and he'd matured as a result.

Billy's hand fisted, and he threateningly raised it. "I'll kick your ass, scrawny. I'll beat that pampered face of yours!"

A brief look of alarms crossed Draco's face, before he composed himself. Then, a sudden glint of inspiration entered his eyes. True to his nature of a cunning serpent, he announced an alternative. A competition that Hermione knew Billy wouldn't be able to refuse.

"I've got a better idea," Draco stated confidently, before glancing to the table across the room. "A challenge." He adopted an arrogant smirk, "A beer pong match. I win, you back off. You win, you get a punch in on me and I leave this party."

Billy glared and reached out to jab Draco in the chest, "you're on."

Draco tried to conceal a wince before watching as Billy stormed off towards the table, barking at the others to set up a new game.

Hermione looked to Draco then, brows creased in slight worry. As skilled as he was at Quidditch, he'd never played this game before. It was highly likely that he would lose, and she didn't want him getting himself hurt at her expense. "Draco, I really appreciate this, but you don't have to go through with it. We can just leave."

The Malfoy looked to her, and she noted his surmounting eagerness. He shook his head, "what? No way!" He looked towards the table with a smile, "I'm looking forward to this."

"But, Dr-"

"No worries, Granger," He winked at her, and the gesture took her by surprise a moment. It was so natural. "I won't lose."

Then she helplessly watched as he crossed the room, meekly following after him and trying to ease her nerves. Why did boys always have to behave so egotistically? She appreciated his intervention, but why did he have to go and risk something like this?

Along the sidelines, she watched as Draco lifted one of the ping pong balls, observing it and bouncing it once. He then tossed it to Billy, defiantly meeting his opponent's stare with a smirk and a complete air of confidence. "Start us off."

Though it seemed as if he were only being pompous, feeling unthreatened by allowing his opponent the first throw, Hermione recognized it as a clever tactic. Draco was only barely knowledgeable in this game, and so wanted a chance to observe how it was done. He was actually a highly intelligent individual, despite his behavior frequently serving to mislead people from that fact.

Billy tossed and overshot, which was followed by a howl of displeasure, and an order to one of his pals to retrieve the ball. Draco only clapped his hands, eager to get started. He had a grin in place, all hyped and ready. When he was handed the ball, he paced back and forth, eyes on his target.

Hermione held her breath in that interval of time before Draco stopped his pacing and readied his strike. He expertly positioned himself, squinted one eye, then precisely aimed and tossed the ball directly into one of the red cups. This score was followed with an eruption of cheers around him as several bystanders gathered to watch the little duel.

Draco bowed his head, smirking and raising his hands above him in a show of victory. He straightened and remained undeterred as Billy angrily lifted the cup, drank its contents, crumpled it and threw it down.

The Slytherin was entirely within his element, Hermione noticed as the game continued. Shot after shot he scored, with only a few that he'd miscalculated. His years of Quidditch did serve him well here and Billy had only so far succeeded in landing three of Draco's cups.

The onlookers had grown, and most were rooting for the talented blonde, who seemed to feed off of their enthusiasm. He was just so naturally intended for the spotlight, it seemed. Hermione had never seen him enjoying himself so immensely. Which, when considering that he'd spent so long feeling envious of all of Harry's fame and praise, it made perfect sense that here, where he was in that very position, he thrived and glowed within the admiration.

She watched as he bit his lip and pumped his fist into the air after yet another successful shot. An eruption of applause and cheers sounded from throughout the room, and she found herself grinning in response. The tension rose then, as he and Billy faced off for the final strike. It was one to four now, and Draco only had to land this final score.

He missed, however, the pressure contorting his expression from excitement to a sudden concentration. Then, by some hand of misfortune, Billy landed himself a lucky shot. The ball bounced and Draco did not deflect it fast enough. It landed and the Slytherin had to drink three of his four cups.

Concentrating further, Draco blinked and ran a hand over his eyes, before clenching and unclenching his hands. Preparing himself for another attempt. People shouted to him encouragingly and he did not take his eyes away from his goal.

Hermione panicked briefly before a sudden rush of belief in the Slytherin swept through her. He could do this. He'd come this far and lorded an immense skill over Billy, the boy whom had so plagued her youth. Seeing the pair face off this way blatantly displayed to her those differences which she had previously considered. They were worlds apart.

She looked in slight awe to Draco, eyes softening even without her fully realizing it. She was proud of him. He had started this whole thing, in part, in defense of her, though she imagined the thrill of the game was a significant prompt as well.

But, still…he had somehow become someone bordering likable to her. She was seeing this person in an entirely new light. In the ten years she had known him, she never realized just how much had gone undiscovered due to her indifference towards him. And, in contrast to his behavior that very morning, all pouty and childlike, the image of a man stood before her now, radiating in ease and confidence. There were just so many dynamics to him and she would be lying if she denied being at least a little intrigued. How much more was there left to discover? The prospect of that suddenly excited her.

With a newfound vigor, she raised her hands and shouted out to him. As she'd cheered for both Harry and Ron countless times at their Quidditch matches, so, too, would she support Draco in his endeavor here.

"YOU CAN DO IT, DRACO!"

At the sound of her voice, he instantly looked over and met her gaze, before returning the grin she was offering him. This seemed to give him the edge he needed, empowering him, as he regained his confidence and looked to the opposite side of the table.

Breathing in deeply, he let the ball fly before solidly landing it in the final cup and then immediately raising both hands as he banged his head along with the music, and in a show of victory. Hermione clapped along with the others, as they all began crowding around him. She could see the relief and pride on his face, his grin wide and unfaltering.

He high-fived some, received pats on the shoulder from other, and was met with squeals of delight from some of the surrounding girls. However, from across the room, Billy strode forward, shoving his way through and grasping Draco tightly by his collar.

The Malfoy's eyes widened and he instantly stiffened. Billy was enraged, and Hermione tried to move past the people blocking her way so as to prevent a fight from breaking out.

Fortunately, Sara was nearby and she looked to Billy sternly. "You let him go. He beat you fairly."

"I don't care!" He shouted, hatred glaring from his eyes. "I'll beat the shit out of this wimp."

"No, you won't," Sara argued. "Now let him go and get out of this house before I call the cops."

This angered Billy further and he ground his teeth before shoving Draco forward, causing him to stumble backward. The Malfoy crashed against the table, spilling the last cup there and then shaking the alcohol off his hand and narrowing his eyes at the stain on his shirt.

"Bitch," Billy muttered to Sara before turning and stalking off without even a final glance at Hermione, whom had finally emerged and was making her way to Draco.

"You aright?" She asked, lifting a hand to his shoulder.

Draco nodded, rolling his eyes and frowning just a bit before he stood. Looking to Sara then, he attempted a smirk of gratitude, though Hermione could see what a struggle it was for him. He could be such a proud individual sometimes.

"You did such a good job," Sara said, catching that look from him. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone play that well." She looked to Hermione, a slight mischievousness taking her gaze. "You got yourself a catch!"

Hermione cleared her throat and immediately withdrew her hand from Draco's shoulder. Sara chuckled and then went to grab some paper towels to clean up the spilled beer.

"I, uhm…" Hermione suddenly found herself at a loss for words. Why was it suddenly so awkward, and why was it so warm in here? She looked away from Draco then, eyes darting briefly between him and the wall before her.

"No need to thank me," he mumbled then.

At that, she fixed her eyes on him, forcing them to stay there, and noting that he was now deliberately looking past her. A small smile came across her face, "you were great." It was all she really needed to say, after all. He had handled the entire situation brilliantly. Even…impressively.

His eyes met hers then and, seeing her sincerity, she saw the familiar smirk return to his face. Somehow…she found she didn't despise it quite as much as she used to.

"I think I could use another drink, Granger."

She chuckled at that then as the inexplicable awkwardness dissipated some. "That sounds lovely."

[Preview]

Chapter 12 - Companionable Partying: "The Dare"

In which the party continues and a game of truth or dare is proposed. When Draco boldly selects a dare for himself, he is asked to do something that will test the fragile friendship he and Hermione have formed.

Will update soon!