Granger Danger

(19) - apologies and surprises

"Hermione, we've missed you. Even if I don't show how much I've grown to like you, I really do adore you as a great friend! So please come home. Please! We all miss you, and Draco is always so moody and distant.. Please come home!" Pansy begged. Hermione just stood there and sighed.

"Is that what you wanted to tell me? I'm sorry, Pansy, but i can't. I'll see you all at Hogwarts, but I can't face Draco. Just please tell him that I shouldn't care who he kisses, why should I? Why does it have to even concern me, not you two? We ain't dating, he can shag as many girls as he bloody wants!!" Hermione exclaimed, not even realising the lots and lots of annoyance and anger in her voice as she spoke.

"Hermione.. Hear us out." Blaise finally tried to intervene, stepping a step closer to Hermione. Hermione sighed and her shoulders dropped in, somewhat, defeat.

"Okay, fine. What is it?" Hermione asked in a kind of whisper, looking between Pansy and Blaise. Pansy and Blaise both looked Hermione up and down.

"Good, your dressed appropriately. Now lets go!" Blaise exclaimed, grabbing hold of Hermione's and Pansy's hand to apparate them both somewhere. Before Hermione could reply to that, a swishing movement filled her body in the process of aspirating, and then their feet landed on the floor, the grass tickled their ankles slightly as Hermione gazed around.

"Where are w--?" Before Hermione could finish, she stopped herself from finishing her sentence when a bright light came into view.

"Go over there." Pansy pointed in the direction of the light. Hermione obeyed with slight hesitation, but stopped after making a few steps and turned back around to Pansy and Blaise. But they were gone, they must have quickly apparated before Hermione could notice.

Hermione spun back around and slowly strolled over to the light as her hair and dress flung behind her from the wind. Once she reached the 'light', Hermione found a small tent. What was this? Hermione opened it slowly and peaked her head inside. Inside, someone must have charmed it as it was gigantic, like an expensive restaurant. Hermione's eyes travelled over the room. There were candles in every corner visible, and a small table for two in the middle. Hermione's eyes finally fixed on the familiar Grey ones and Hermione's heartbeat increased.

Draco Malfoy was standing there, with a suit on, just leaning on his hands backwards against the table.

"Dra--Malfoy?" Hermione hushed, taking a cautious step closer to Draco.

"Wow... You clean up nice." Draco whispered, also taking a step closer to Hermione.

"What do you want, Draco?" Hermione asked, trying to sound polite but it ended in a sort of hiss. Draco glanced down at Hermione's hand and his face brightened up massively.

"I see you got my present." He smirked, gesturing to the beautiful ring on Hermione's finger.

"Why did you buy me this, Draco!? What are you trying to tell me!? People only buy others promise rings if they are dating, engaged or married! We are none of those things, so why did you get me this!?" Hermione exclaimed, holding her hand up with the ring on it and gesturing to it continuously.

"Because I thought I needed a way to promise something to you." Draco casually answered.

"Draco... Like I said before, we are not together so it's none of my business who you kiss or sleep with, okay? So don't try and feel guilty, because there's no point." Hermione sighed.

"Hermione, I know it's none of my business. But I will still feel guilty, I will still buy you rings and necklaces with other jewellery, and I will do anything to get you to come back home. To except me as a friend!" Draco explained, taking another step towards Draco.

"I forgive you, Draco. Okay? But I can't go back, I don't belong there. I'll stay at the burrow with my best friends, and all we will do is work together on the mission and the vanishing cabinet." Hermione stated, trying not to meet Draco's piecing gaze.

"I wish you could come back, but I can't stop you from doing what you want. Could you at least come and sit here with me? I made dinner, I put up this tent, I brought candles, this 'hang out' is made for two people." Draco chuckled, moving aside to reveal the food on the table and a candle in the centre.

"Okay, fine. I'll stay, but this is not a date." Hermione strictly screeched, stepping another step towards Draco to sit on the table. Draco kindly pulled Hermione's chair out for her and they both took a seat on each side of the table. Hermione couldn't help but smile as she looked into those dark grey orbs, Draco's eyes. It always seemed to cheer up Hermione one way or another. This might actually turn out to be fun, on their 'hang out', not date!!

..........

The next chapter: Hermione and Draco finally start to have fun. And, in the middle of the 'hang out' (but it's really just a date in Draco's point of view), they both received a letter brought into the tent.