Hermione stepped out of the Great Hall and heaved out a sigh of relief. The NEWT's were finally over and she couldn't be happier. She had been studying for it for the past three months and now she could finally go outside and enjoy the early June weather that is beckoning her. She was so happy at the moment that she forgot all of her worries, stepped out of her shoes and started running down the hall to big doors that led to the courtyard.

She breathed in the smell of fresh grass and daisy flowers that scented the air. She flexed her toes and felt the moss of the grass under her toes. It felt great to be outside of the stuffy library, she loved the library don't think otherwise, however for the past two weeks she had been stuck inside studying last minute for the NEWTS that she forgot what it was like to have the sun beating down on your face.

She looked around her and noticed that students were lazing around, enjoying the early summer weather. She decided that she was going for a swim and quickly ran up to her dorm, passing students who gave her strange looks, and searched her trunk until she found what she was looking for. Changing quickly she put on her black bikini and pulled a t-shirt and shorts over it, she ran outside (once again, getting weird looks from people) and stopped in front of the Black Lake where she can see the octopus waving his tentacles in the air as if he was surrendering.

She laughed a merry laugh and started taking off the t-shirt and shorts. She squealed and prepared herself for the freezing cold water as she jumped in, she was met with a splash as she went deeper though it seemed calm. She rose to the top and started breathing heavily through her mouth.

She didn't know why she was doing this, all of this. She guessed it was because she had been cooped inside and because since the war she hadn't been able to do anything free-spirited. Back then she was worrying about where her, Harry, and Ron were going to camp without getting caught by the deatheater's or what kind of dirt food is safe to eat after it's been cleansed with water. But now, she didn't have to think about the hocrux's or how Harry fits into the prophecy.

She felt free as the NEWTS finished and she just had to get through graduation. She had already accepted a job in the Ministry of Magic as a lawyer for all departments, so she had had to study all of the laws for every department for the past 10 months. She was hoping to work mostly for helping the house-elves who deserved getting represented; she also wanted to do it because she had to represent Dobby in some way. Studying all of those laws had resulted her missing the Graduation Ball and the Christmas Ball. She couldn't go home for Christmas and Easter because she needed all the books in the library. All in all she didn't have fun this year and she loved it. For once in her childhood of attending Hogwarts, she had a very boring year and she loved it. She didn't change into a cat, she didn't get petrified, she didn't chase a so-called serial killer and a werewolf through the Forbidden Forest, her best-friend wasn't in a dangerous game, she almost didn't get killed, her headmistress didn't die, and she didn't waste her seventh year get chased by Deatheaters. She loved her boring year because for once her life wasn't in any sort of danger.

"Didn't expect you to be here." A voice drawled, and she looked up to see Draco Malfoy's smooth pale and….smiling face. She could honestly say she had never seen Draco Lucius Malfoy smile in her entire lifetime. She realized she was gawking and she quickly shut her mouth with an audible smack. She blushed and looked down.

"It's ok, Granger, I don't mind the staring," Draco said. "What are you doing here then?"

"I wasn't staring, I was merely observing." She said defensively, "and I am having….a day off, I suppose."

"Yeah, yeah , you were observing," he said putting air quotes around "observing,"

She rolled her eyes and decided to get out. She didn't like him looking down on her and she felt uncomfortable as his eyes roamed her body up and down. She knew she was blushing, she could feel the heat dissipate everywhere on her body. She searched around for a towel, then she realized in her haze to swim she forgot to bring a towel down. "Stupid, stupid." She muttered as she hit her forehead with the palm of her hands. Realizing that Malfoy was still staring and she quickly put on her shorts and t-shirt.

"Well Malfoy, it was…pleasant talking with you but I have to go. See you around." She was preparing to leave until he ran up to her and caught her wrist in his large hands.

"Wait…I wanted to ask you something actually. Theo said you would be here." He rushed out quickly, were his cheeks turning red or was she imagining it?

"Uh-huh," she urged.

"Um…I was…wondering if…youwantedtogooutwithme?" He, again, rushed out.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out and come to the graduation party I'm throwing after the graduation. Theo's coming and I was wondering if you wanted to…come. It's at the manor and you can floo in." He was scratching the back of his neck by then, looking up at her with tints of pink in his cheeks.

He was looking at her with hopeful eyes, and she realized she liked the look instead of an indifference mask. She bit her bottom lip and tugged at it, weighing her options. She didn't want to be rude and say no, as well as killing his optimism. She also needed to go somewhere and she knew if she said no, Theo would kick her ass. Also she needed to go out since she had been cooped up in her house or dorm room all night. So with that in mind, she nodded her head at him and walked away, missing the big smile that spread across his face.