The lock to Borrow Read Return gave a satisfying click, as Mr Rowland turned the key, nodding down at it before turning and nodding at Hermione. She smiled sweetly and waved him off, watching for some time as he shuffled down the street.

"I worry about him sometimes," Hermione muttered.

"Who?"

"Mr Rowland. He's in the shop, all on his own. What if something happens to him?"

"I don't know, he seemed pretty okay with being on his own, couldn't get us out of there fast enough." Draco grinned as Hermione chuckled, "And besides if anything does happen to him then -"

"HERMIONE." Draco jumped, squinting as he saw someone in a floral dress running towards them, waving her arms erratically.

"Friend of yours?"

There was no answer because Hermione had frozen, her face contorted in horror.

"HERMIONE."

"Oh geez, hide." Draco didn't have time to argue as the Gryffindor pushed him round the corner, grabbing his arm and pulling him along as she ran down the length of the street.

"I don't know where you think we are going to hi -" The words died in throat as Hermione turned into dark alleyway "Did we take a sharp turn into Knockturn Alley?" The alleyway was long, a damp smell lingering in the air.

"Just shhh would you, you'll get us caught."

"And Merlin forbid that should ever happen,"

"Shh," Hermione hissed as they came to the dead end, an old poster peeling sadly from the wall.

"Wow, the Gryffindor bravery is out in droves today. First, you try and stuff me into a cupboard, and now this."

"Look will you just -" Hermione sucked in a breath as a girl with red hair and a floral dress wandered past. "Oh my god, what is she doing here?"

"Well, now I'm intrigued."

"Don't – just don't even go there Malfoy."

"Go where? I think it's perfectly reasonable for me to be a bit curious given the situation." The redhead wandered past the alley again looking confused. "Is she a Weasley I don't know about?"

"What? No. It's nothing. I'd just rather not to talk to her if I can help it."

"Well, I guessed that, I'm a little more interested in the why?"

"You don't give up do you?"

"Learnt from the best, didn't I Granger?" Draco grinned wolfishly and Hermione rolled her eyes. "So, who is she?"

"Her name's Olivia, we – we used to be friends."

"Used to?"

"It's a long story."

"Well, I think we've got time," Draco commented, watching as the Redhead circled back, peering into a shop window, "She's a persistent muggle."

"Gah, I know. She was always like this. She couldn't ever let anything go." Hermione paused at Draco's incredulous look, "What? Don't look at me like that."

"I just think it's interesting that you find that annoying is all. Makes sense I suppose, you are notoriously easy going."

"I should have known you'd take this opportunity to be a jerk. Look, I know I get passionate," Hermione glared when Draco tried to stifle a chuckle, "but the thing with Olivia, it's different. Stop laughing at me."

"Fine. Fine. I'm not laughing," his eyes widened in mock innocence, "Look I'm not laughing. Please tell me more about the evil Olivia."

"No, you're making fun of me."

"I'm not. Come on, Granger, I won't joke anymore. Look I've got my serious face on."

She wanted to stay mad at him, but for some unknown reason, she couldn't.

"It's not really that big of a deal, we were friends – close friends at school. The muggle school I went to before Hogwarts," Hermione explained when Draco's forehead furrowed in confusion. "Anyway, after a few years she went off to this prestigious boarding school and when she came back, she – she just wasn't the same. I wasn't good enough for her, wasn't cool enough or smart enough. She had these new friends that would visit, and they'd all say and do hurtful things and then tell me to calm down because they were only teasing. When I got the letter from Hogwarts it felt like a new start, I'd be better and smarter and – gosh it's just pathetic."

"Kids are shits, Granger." Hermione let out a laugh.

"I know, and I know she's probably nothing like that now, I just – when I talk to her, I'm the teeth with hair they used to bully."

"Fuck Granger, you're also the smartest witch at Hogwarts." Hermione's head snapped up at his words, a blush flaring on her cheeks. Draco wasn't looking at her, but his eyes were serious. It was no joke. He meant everything he said. "I can't say anything about the muggles intelligence considering I don't know her, but I'd be inclined to say she a few Knut's short of a Sickle considering she's been looking for you all this time and hasn't even considered this sodding alley as a potential hiding place.

"That almost sounded like a compliment," Hermione mocked because it couldn't be, this was Draco Malfoy, he didn't compliment her.

"It's the truth. Now," He began rolling down his sleeves, buttoning the cuffs with exaggerated care as he spoke, "being a Malfoy I'm a big believer in holding a grudge – take that shit to your grave if you ask me – but that muggle out there is a twerp, and you aren't. Let's go fucking show her that shall we?"

"Wha – What?" Hermione asked, eyes widening in horror when Draco had grabbed her hand, quickly lacing their fingers and pulling her out of her hiding place. Hermione winced at the brightness of the sun; the terror of the situation not able to fully sink in before she heard Olivia's voice cutting through the busyness of the village.

"Hermione, I thought it was you, Abbie said I was seeing things, but I'd have known your hair anywhe –" Olivia paused when she took in Malfoy standing beside her. Hermione cast him a quick glance and cringed. Even with the dirt on his shirt, he still looked the picture of aristocracy. It was evident in the way he carried himself; shoulders back, head up, bored grey eyes assessing everything and finding it wanting.

"Granger," the way he said her name made her shiver, it was so – intimate. He lowered his head, mumbling the rest into her ear like it was a secret, bringing their joined hands up to his chest, "you going to introduce us?"

Hermione blinked at their laced fingers, then at the glint of amusement in his eyes, mouth opening and closing as she turned to Olivia.

"Malfoy, this er – this is Olivia, an old friend of mine. Olivia this is Malfoy, we er – we erm – "

"Are you two-?"

"Together? Yes." Hermione tried not to balk at how easily he said it, at how he smiled softly down at her, bringing her trapped hand to his lips, and kissing it softly. The action made her breath catch, her pulse raging in her ears when he looked at her with the same intensity she'd seen in the attic room.

"Oh, that's fantastic, and he's so handsome. How did you manage it?" The smile was sweet, but the words stung a little.

"Are you kidding me?" Draco slipped an arm around her waist, tugging her against him, "Literally had to follow this one round to get her to notice me. Especially when she was catching the eye of celebrities, what hope did I have? Nah, I'm lucky she even gives me the time of the day." Hermione couldn't think, there was a ringing in her ears and something unfamiliar flickering in her chest. It was a beautiful, scary, hopeful feeling that nearly guttered out when he gave her a look that told her to play along.

"He's always exaggerating."

"It's so sweet though, a real love story."

"You could say that." Draco cut in before Hermione could open her mouth to protest.

"Enough about us, how are you, Olivia?" Hermione subtly dug her elbow into Draco's side as Olivia flicked her hair over her shoulder with a smile, getting lost in talking about herself.

"Well as you can tell I'm back for the summer, seeing the family before I have to go back. I've been put on an exchange program that is sending me all over the world, so I won't be back round here next year."

"Oh, wow that sounds- "

"And I'm currently in the process of working out my speech as I have been picked to oversee the presentations on away from home, Elm Boarding is trying to recruit as many new students as possible and they want me to be the face of it…"

Hermione couldn't hear what Olivia was saying, her words fading into nothingness as she felt the press of Draco's hands on her lower back, the warm searing through her top and making her heart race. He gently traced patterns with his thumb and when she looked up, she noticed that he was looking at her and only her. It felt like everything else had melted away and there was only them. It was ridiculous, she knew that. But she felt like Mina, caught in Edwards's gaze and unable to turn away. She'd thought she'd seen a hint of it in the attic room – his thumb had brushed her cheek and she felt as if time had slowed, warm and wonderful and she was there with leaning forward into some scary possibility.

"Hermione?"

"What? Oh erm, yes, that sounds great Olivia, I'm sorry we would stay and chat, but we have somewhere to be." Hermione tripped over the words, wondering why she was ever concerned about Olivia when her real problem was right beside her, one arm slipped round her waist, fingers tangled up with hers.

"Oh, yes of course. Well, it was good to see you, Hermione. We all missed you when you went off to your strange school. It's good to see that you have found some new friends, you always did struggle with that."

Hermione gave a small nod, waving half-heartedly as Olivia stepped round them unable to say anything as the redhead disappeared into the crowd. Draco quickly stepped away, dropping her hand, and clearing his throat. Everywhere where he had touched felt cold in spite of the sun.

"Well fuck me, what were you worried about? I don't think I've met anyone so dull, and I know Millicent Bulstrode."

"What was that?" Hermione asked, beginning to stomp down the street towards her home, pointing back at the scene of all his weirdness with an accusing finger.

"What?" Draco shrugged, "It worked, didn't it. You were too busy worrying about what I was doing, you had no time to let that muggle make you feel like crap." Hermione couldn't explain the ache in her chest at his words. He was pretending. She almost laughed at her own stupidity, because of course he was pretending. Draco Malfoy couldn't stand to touch her let alone be in a relationship with her. But then he'd done it all so naturally.

Noticing the look on her face, Draco cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Don't think too much into it, Granger. You spoke to the muggle, it was relatively painless, so let's leave it at that." Hermione nodded quickly, lowering her head to hide her blush.

"Yes, I suppose so. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Hermione didn't want to mention it, but questions still burned in her mind as they began the walk home, only silence between them. Yes, he had been pretending, but Hermione couldn't deny the fact that he had been different. There were moments when he had been considerate and, dare she even think it, paying her compliments. Then there was the moment they'd shared in the attic. What had that been? She couldn't even name the emotion she'd seen burning in his eyes, or pinpoint exactly what she'd call the feeling that had bloomed in her chest. She cast a quick glance at her companion, both saddened and annoyed that he seemed so unfazed by it all – his hands in his pockets, his gaze following passing cars curiously.

Draco mentally berated himself with each step he took. Of all the terrible ideas he'd had, pretending to be with Granger to distract her from the muggle was up there as one of the worst. He tried to trace the madness all the way back to its point of germination, wondering what flight of crazy had let that take root. Because, fuck, it had felt far too deliciously good to hold her against in, small hand in his. He'd pressed his lips against her soft skin and breathed her in and thought her scent was enough to get high off. He'd blinked, dazed at the muggle as she'd muffled her way through some random crap, his mind screaming with how much he wanted her, how much he wanted to have her pressed against him just like that.

Together.

What would that look like? He'd stared down at her and imagined it, all glowing round the edges with delusion. Her wide eyes had lifted to meet his and he could have sworn that his heart no longer beat, that he no longer breathed, and the earth was no longer beneath his feet. The two of them were in the foggy between of the Sensieve, when a memory hadn't yet settled, and they were falling – emotions hitting them and ripping through them. Of course, he reminded himself, there had been a reason, but he knew it was a pathetic reason. He was still dizzy from it, panicking that any more time spent with her would lead to stupid mistakes being made. Just like in the attic.

"Hello." Hermione's voice smashed through his thoughts as she stepped through her door and slipped off her shoes. Blinking owlishly, he followed suit, trying to conjure any excuse to get him out of having dinner with her family. He was already teetering dubiously on the edge of insanity, a meal with her parents threatened to tip him over the edge and straight into the oblivion of wanting something that would never be his.

"Ooo hello," Hermione's mom popped her head around the door, smiling brightly at them, "Did you have a good day?"

"Yes, we found lots of useful things," Hermione muttered, looking up at Draco then looking away almost immediately.

"Why don't you go and show him your secret room." Hermione's mom hinted.

"Mom!" Hermione exclaimed, blushing profusely. "There is a reason why it's called secret."

"Oh nonsense, you should show him, I think Draco here will find it quite interesting."

"No, absolutely not," Draco winced at the sound of Hermione's dad's voice filtering in from the front room. "I'll have no bo-" Hermione's mother shut the door, cutting off whatever argument he'd been about to make.

"Off you go," she stated, waving the two youngsters towards the stairs.

Hermione sighed, leading Draco up the stairs towards her room, feeling aware of every step up the stairs, knowing that he was behind her. Knowing that he was looking at her. She did not want him to get any closer, he was skirting close to her private world, muscling in and making her feel things that she wasn't ready for. That she knew would only lead to hurt.

"So er, a secret room?" He didn't look at her and for that Hermione was grateful. The air was still heavy between them, al those pesky unanswered questions taking up all the space and making it difficult to breathe. Wiping her palms on her shorts Hermione moved over to an ornate bookshelf that her father had fitted. Feeling down the side she lifted it and let it swing open, revealing a hidden doorway.

"I'll admit, that is impressive," Draco murmured following Hermione into the adjacent room. When he looked around his mouth dropped open. Though small, the space felt vast, every inch of the walls covered with newspaper clippings. When Draco examined them more closely, he noticed that every one of the headlines reported the strange and unexplained; sightings of people on brooms, run-ins with dragons, disappearing objects, and strangely dressed individuals visiting establishments and mayhem following. It was magic. Everywhere he looked the presence of it was obvious.

"Before attending Hogwarts, my dad started collecting these for me." Hermione gestured to the clippings, smiling shyly, "It was a - a connection I suppose." She shrugged, turning away from the Slytherins gaze.

Draco couldn't speak. Guilt burned in the pit of his stomach as he remembered how often he'd told her she didn't belong in the wizarding world. He could see now belonging was all she wanted, all she needed.

"Granger I…" He stopped as the walls began to change, green pillars replacing the delicate floral wallpaper of Hermione's bedroom. The Sensieve rose from out the floor, allowing only a moment for the pair to look between each other before they were pulled into its depths.