The Eighth Year - Under Major Reconstruction

10 - Thoughts

After Hermione and Draco finished their lunch, they decided to make a stop at Honeydukes for some sweets.

Hermione made a bee line straight to the fizzing whizbees and cauldron cakes, which were her favorite of all the wizard sweets. She grabbed two of each.

"Hey Draco... what's your favorite sweet?" She turns around and asks him but notices that he wasn't anywhere near her

Looking around, Hermione finally finds Draco standing with a box of peppermint toads, glacial snowflakes, and sugar straws.

"Who knew Draco Malfoy liked sweets?" She laughs at the sight as he jumps and almost drops the box of sugar straws

"I happen to love sweets. I was never really allowed to have many as a child, so I love them now." He smiles

"Hey, do you think we'll be able to make a stop in Diagon Alley when we head to yours for Christmas?" She smiles

She had just decided as they were walking into Honeydukes that she wanted to spend Christmas with him, she didn't know if Lucius and Narcissa would be there though, and she didn't know how the holiday would go if they were also staying at the Manor.

"You're...what?" He asks shocked

"I said, do you think we will be able to make a quick stop in Diagon Alley when we head to yours for the Christmas holiday?" She asks smiling knowing he was shocked by her statement

"Of course! When did you decide you were coming?" He smiles

Draco Malfoy sure has been smiling and laughing a lot...it had been starting to scare Hermione a bit. He never used to smile, let alone laugh.

"I just decided a few moments ago. We can talk about it when we get back... I swear this date has felt more like a therapy session." Hermione giggles thinking through their date

"What do you say we make this more like a real date and stop talking about all this heavy stuff...let's forget about the law for tonight, let loose! Here, give me your sweets so I can go pay. Apparently, gentlemen are supposed to pay for the women." He smirks

"Draco...I don't think you can hold all of my sweets and yours." She says nodding to her four boxes and his three

Without saying anything, he makes a small bag appear to carry their items in, pulling all seven sweet boxes in the bag.

"I'll be right back. Then I'm taking you somewhere." He smiles

Hermione couldn't help but wonder where he would be taking her...there weren't many places to go in Hogsmeade...and she had been to all of them.

Draco returned a minute later having paid for their sweets

"Thank you! But where are you taking me?" She asks curiously

"You'll just have to see. You haven't been to Hogsmeade in a while...there's a new shop you haven't been to yet, I'm thinking you'll enjoy it." He says and leads her out of Honeydukes and down the street toward Madame Puddifoots.

"Draco, I swear if you take me into Puddifoots. I will snap your wand." Hermione says a little too seriously

"Well... it's a good thing we're not going in there then. But we are here Granger." He says stopping in front of a yellow building with a large ice cream on the side of it.

"They put a Florean Fortescue's Ice cream here!?" Hermione exclaims

She loved this place in Diagon Alley.

"I know it's pretty cold out, but I figured you could use some ice cream...so, after you." He held the door open for her

"What can I get you two?" The witch behind the counter asks