Seeing Red (Vday DraMione)

Chapter 2

They walked down the path towards Hogsmeade, Hermione trying to keep up with Malfoy's longer strides. Malfoy noticed and slowed his pace a little. When she caught up with him he caught her hand with his.

Startled, she looked up at him.

"Cold, isn't it?" he asked with a smirk.

"Cold?" Hermione questioned.

He entwined his fingers around hers and pulled both their hands into his coat pocket, inadvertently pulling her closer to him.

When she accidentally bumped into him, he chuckled under his breath. Maybe not so inadvertently. Hermione didn't try to pull away, instead she snuggled against his shoulder. It really was cold outside.

"Before all this" -she gestured with her free hand in the general area between them- "what were you planning to do today?"

Malfoy's hand squeezed hers. "There wasn't another plan."

Hermione tipped her head to the side. "What do you mean? You couldn't have planned out what happened in the library..."

He smirked down at her, his face inches away, and asked, "What makes you sure?"

"Don't try to make me believe that everything worked out just how you wanted."

"Of course not, you think I wanted that fight outside of the great hall?"

"You were being rather stupid," Hermione agreed.

He watched a group pass them into the entrance of Hogsmeade and then he looked back down at her, his eyes startling grey against the almost white sky.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"That depends," Hermione answered.

"I'm hurt."

"No, you aren't. You are still Draco Malfoy and we both know I shouldn't blindly trust said person."

He rested his chin on her head. "You're learning."

"I've always known this. Having my heart stolen doesn't mean my wits went with it."

"If only I'd been a more clever thief," he sighed into her hair.

"Stop that, it tickles."

Instead, he did it again and she shoved him in the chest with her free hand. He stumbled but tugged on her arm so that she fell after him.

They stumbled into the wall of one of the shops and Malfoy's hand let go of hers to wrap around her, catching her as she fell against him. "Do you friends hate me?" he asked more solemnly, his arms still around her.

"They just don't know you," she told him.

He muttered something so quietly, she didn't heard it despite their faces being so close.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Hermione arched her neck to try to see his face. By the time she saw it, he was smiling mischieviously, looking across the path. She followed his gaze to The Three Broomsticks, where all her friends were visible through the window.

"Malfoy-"

"Just trust me on this. It will be all in good fun."

Hermione frowned at him, he still had that smile that meant he wasn't up to anything good.

"I promise no one will get hurt." He crossed her heart solemnly with his finger but it was ruined by the glint in his eyes.

"You ruin this and there will be no way I trust your next promise, Malfoy," she said seriously.