I'll Always Love You.

Hermione looked around with a smile as she remembered the memories she had here with Harry and Ron, even though it made her feel happy and sad at the same time. Now, she would have a memory involving Draco Malfoy and wasn’t sure if it would be a good or not.

“Where do you want to go first?” he asked and looked at the clock tower. “We have to be back in a couple of hours, but we should be able to go to some stores.”

Hermione shrugged in response and continued to observe the place around them.

“Let’s get a Butterbeer,” he mentioned and started to walk towards The Three Broomsticks.

Without arguing, Hermione followed suit. She knew no one from school would be here, so there was no need to worry about being seen by someone they knew. Plus, she could never turn down a Butterbeer at this time of year. Once they entered through the doorway, Hermione could feel another smile forming. It was same. From the warm, and a bit smoky, but clean atmosphere to the welcoming company. It made her think that maybe this date wasn’t so bad if she could relive her memories.

“What can I get you two?” Madam Rosmerta, the owner said as they sat down near the back.

“Two Butterbeers please,” Draco ordered.

“Coming right up.”

Hermione watched their waitress walk away then looked at Draco with interest, “So, why did you ask me on a date?”

“Calling it a date now are you?”

She rolled her eyes in annoyance, “Just answer the question.”

Draco leaned back into the chair and crossed his arms, “I’m curious about you.”

“Curious?”

He nodded.

“Why?”

He sighed and shrugged, “When I was home, I felt like an outcast and you should know that was something I wasn’t used too.”

“No kidding.”

Draco stared at her and Hermione held her hands up in defense.

“I felt like I lost a part of myself, a part that couldn’t remember what it felt like to live.”

Hermione almost felt sorry for him. She could remember the way Draco lit up when he was causing trouble, even when her and her friends were the target. It was heartbreaking to think he nearly lost that fire.

“That disappeared when we started bickering like usual.”

Hermione was now confused, “I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I,” Draco leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table to look at her closely. “All I know is that you’re mostly the reason why I feel like my old self again.”

Hermione sat back and stared at him, remaining silent. She couldn’t understand how she was feeling. It’s not every day you hear Draco Malfoy say you’re the reason his living again. It would be romantic if it was someone else, but it obviously wasn’t. She also couldn’t figure out if returning to his old self was a good thing. He was a complete prick back then and deep down, Hermione kind of like him the way he was right now.

“Here you go,” Madam Rosmerta returned with their drinks and looked at them with a smile. “You two are a gorgeous couple.”

“Oh,” Hermione began, “We’re not—“

“No need to be shy dear,” Madam Rosmerta interrupted with a grin. “I understand about the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin.” She leaned down to whisper, “Your secret is safe with me.”

Hermione gaped as she walked away and Draco laughed from amusement.

“You think if we kiss in front of her,” he began and gathered himself to grab her hand with a grin, “we could get our drinks for free?”

Hermione snatched her hand back and placed her head on the table to hide her embarrassment. For the next hour or so, Draco continued to tease her until he decided their date could use a little more excitement, which was how Hermione found herself standing in front of the Shrieking Shake. It was an abandoned house, with the windows and doors boarded up. The last time she was here was when Peter Pettigrew was caught, but that wasn’t the reason why she was feeling a little uncomfortable. This place just gave her a wrong vibe.

“Come on then,” Draco told her and began walking towards the front door.

“You can’t be serious,” she answered and felt slightly uncomfortable.

He wasn’t really going to make her go inside was he? Draco turned around with a smirk and Hermione sighed from defeat, already knowing the answer.

“Are you scared Granger?” he asked with a taunting tone.

“No.”

He walked closer until they were a few feet apart, “It’s not nice to lie.”

Hermione crossed her arms and tried to prove a point, “I’m not.”

Draco grinned this time and took a step back so she could pass, “After you then.”

With a sigh, she marched up the walkway and stopped at the front door. Grabbing the doorknob, the hinges squeaked as they moved passed the doorway, echoing through the building. Hermione stopped in the center of what looked like an entrance hall as Draco stared around in interest. The rooms and everything else around them were dirty, covered with dust and the furniture was cracked from terminates as a chair in the far corner was missing a leg.

“See,” Draco began and came to stand near her, “it’s not so bad.”

“Easy for you to say,” Hermione shivered from the draft. “This isn’t any different from the Slytherin dungeons.”

“True enough,” he replied and placed his hand on the small of her back to push her forward. “Let’s go explore.”

They continued to the next room and separated from each other to observe. Hermione found herself staring at an ancient painting of the Forbidden Forest as Draco wondered towards the bookshelf, looking at the different descriptions. As the time passed, they remained silent and continued to look around until Hermione looked at Grandfather clock near a fireplace.

“It’s almost—“ Hermione turned around to talk to Draco, only to find out he disappeared.

Hoping he was in another room, she walked forward and couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching her. Continuing towards the front door, a light from the outside streamed through a cracked window, casting eerie shadows on the floor as the faces in the portraits on the walls seemed like they were staring at her. Hermione started to panic and tempted to leave without Draco, but a low chuckle broke through her thought process, making her swallow a nervous whimper.

“Come on Malfoy,” she said and felt her heart speed up. “Stop messing around.”

Not receiving an answer, Hermione gave up and started to run, only to be stopped by a hand that grabbed her shoulder. With a scream, she turned around and found Draco laughing his head off.

“You should’ve seen your face,” he told her and held his sides.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she yelled and punched his stomach.

“It was just a joke,” he frowned and rubbed the sore spot.

“No,” Hermione’s eyes began to water as her heart slowed to a steady rhythm. “It wasn’t.”

Realizing he really scared her, Draco gathered her small frame into his arms, and she let him. She should’ve pushed him away, but Hermione felt some kind of comfort and closed her eyes.

Who would’ve thought she would feel safe in the arms of a Slytherin.