"Okay, let's play a game," Hermione pulled them up short just outside of the bookstore, turning to face Draco with a serious expression.

Their fingers had remained linked since they'd snuck (more like walked, because Draco had somehow managed to get permission; from McGonagall of all people) out of the Entrance Hall. They'd both passed their Apparation test first time, but Hermione turned just seconds before he did, laughing at the shock on his face as he staggered upon landing.

"How'd side-along feel?" She'd asked once she'd stopped laughing at him, and Draco's annoyed front had dropped slightly with a twitch of his lips.

He'd sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "Bloody awful, next time it'll be you suffering." Hermione had pushed up onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, surprised by how simple it had felt despite the living, breathing complication growing in her stomach.

Draco sighed, but the wearied expression was ruined by the intrigue in his eyes. "Trust you to make shopping for books a competition."

"In addition to the books you needed to buy, you have to find three books you think I'll like. I'll do the same for you." Hermione ignored the jibe because coming from a Slytherin it was more of a compliment, and Draco studied the challenging look on her face before nodding.

He leant down to kiss her, a chaste brushing of lips. "See you in half an hour," he whispered before pulling away, leaving Hermione blushing and slightly annoyed as he threw a smirk of his shoulder. Hermione just caught the door as it was swinging shut, muttering about cheating as she took one look around the room before setting off.

They passed each other twice before finishing; the first time she'd been empty handed and he'd been carrying three books, but when she not-so-accidentally bumped into him, she saw they were what he'd wanted to buy initially, so she'd spent the entire time he was posturing and asking if she needed a Hufflepuff to help her find things smirking, because for all his bravado he was doing just a well (or poorly) as she was.

The second time, he'd deposited his jumper somewhere and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt; his tie had gotten lost and his top button was open. Hermione'd laughed at his muttering, one book in hand, and when she passed by the pile of his things he'd only just caught her before she checked what books he'd found.

Draco'd finished first, leaning against the counter and watching Hermione descend from the upper level, hair pushed back into a messy ponytail but smiling triumphantly as she ordered him to turn around.

"Okay, show me what you've got," Hermione ordered as Draco set down their tray on the table they'd snagged in a café close by, ruining the finesse of his levitation by a little coffee spilling and staining the stack of napkins.

Draco shook his head, clamping his hand down over where Hermione's had reached for the stack of books. "As the challenger, you have to go first." He left his hand on hers, the other picking absentmindedly at his slice of cake as Hermione pouted conceded, hair falling in her eyes as she reached down for the bag by her feet.

She watched him, an eyebrow raised in a challenge, as he pulled out the three books, but Draco could feel her foot tapping against his shin with nerves, so he schooled his expression into something neutral as he flipped through the paperbacks.

After a few minutes, he laid the three books out on the table, enjoying the way Hermione's expression faltered a little.

"Well?" she asked, setting her tea down.

Draco waited for a second, just because he could. "I'm surprised," he admitted, and Hermione's face relaxed into a grin.

"You like them?"

Draco shook his head. "I have them all at home." He pushed forward the first book Hermione'd found. "Present from my father on my fourteenth birthday. He disliked that I kept losing to Blaise at chess." 400 Plays of Wizard Chess was pushed to the side in favour of a slightly thinner, less dusty book. "This was my mother's, I was always amazed that the Muggles didn't catch on, but instead they thought he consumed mushrooms." Alice in Wonderland was pushed to the side. "And had I known that we could get non-fiction books, I'd have gone straight for the Potions section. I find it entertaining that two of the three are about competing, though." History of Quidditch joined the pile, and Hermione shrugged.

"Says more about you, doesn't it?" she pointed out, stealing a bit of Draco's lemon cake. "Are you feeling intimidated?"

Draco shrugged, leaning forward to take the cake back, popping it in his mouth and grinning. "I think I've done fine," he replied, turning to take his three books out of the bag; when he turned back, the rest of his cake was gone, and Hermione was smirking at him. "That's cute, Granger," he drawled, and Hermione's smirk widened.

The first book he gave her earned a snort, and she turned the cover to face him. "Really, Draco?"

"You may not like it, but it will help." She rolled her eyes at the sage tone he'd used, taking a sip of her tea and deliberately placing the cup on top of Opening Your Inner Eye: Divination for Beginners. The next book he slid across was a novel – Don't Hold Your Breath – and Hermione spent longer reading the blurb, starting on the first chapter before Draco clearing his throat brought her back to the present.

She blushed, putting the book down carefully. "Sorry, I think that's more than made up for your first try."

"I saw you attempting to hold a conversation with the mermaid in the Prefect's bathroom, and I assumed that you were interested." Draco lifted a shoulder in a shrug, hiding the smugness he felt with a small smile.

That smile fell away a little when he handed her the final, and much thinner, last book. Hermione read the cover, looking up with a small furrow between her eyebrows. "Okay, this time it's me who already has this. Doesn't every wizarding child?" She held up the copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

Draco swallowed, suddenly a little nervous. "Well, I thought you might want a new copy, considering…" He trailed off, watching as Hermione's face blanched. "Hermione, you okay?" he asked after a minute of tense silence.

"Yeah I just, I'm not feeling too good." She did look a little green, but Draco wondered how much of that was because of him almost bringing up the whole reason for the week. "Is it okay if we cut this short?"

Draco pushed his chair back, picking up both his and Hermione's bags. "Of course," He offered her his arm, disapparating as soon as they left the café. "Do you need me to walk you to the Hospital Wing?" He asked after a brisk and quiet walk back up to the castle.

She shook her head, staring at her feet. Despite that, Draco leant in and grabbed her hand, squeezing it briefly before leaving, wondering if there was any chance of her agreeing to his plan tomorrow.

On her part, Hermione sagged against the wall, torn between relief at the acknowledgment, and bitterness that their stupidity had finally caught up with them. As nice as it had been living the past week mostly in denial, the time was up, and she rested her hand on her stomach, frowning down at the slight bump there.