A/N- Some of you might not even consider this a proper romance, but this is as close as it gets for me, with these two characters. Besides, nothing else seemed to fit.
***
“We’re stuck!�

Draco swore loudly, and pounded his foot into the ground, spraying mud everywhere. Hermione looked at him, scandalized, before pulling out her wand and starting to clear off her robes.

“There’s no need for that,� she said calmly, though with an edge of malcontent. Perhaps he could sense it, because Draco stopped swearing soon after. “And anyway, I’m sure we’re not really stuck.�

“I’m telling you, Granger, we are. You can’t Apparate away; the weather’s too bad.� Malfoy sat down on the roadside bench next to them and scowled. He was in a foul mood, wet, hungry, and with no way to get away from that Granger cow.

“Well, I’m going to have a stab at it, anyway,� she said, drawing herself up and glowering at Malfoy.

He looked at her incredulously. “I tell you, you can’t—!�

But she wasn’t looking at him. Instead, she made her way purposefully across the road toward a light. It was a dirty, cheap motel, not like anything Draco had been used to in childhood. There was a glowing, neon sign hung above it, that read Wayside Motel. Even at he watched the ‘D’ flickered and went out. He snarled involuntarily. But I suppose this is what Muggles do, he thought, sneering. And she’s one of the worst Muggles I’ve ever seen. But despite his thoughts he was rather glad that Hermione wasn’t an accomplished Legilimens.

Hermione marched into the lobby, shivering with cold. The true enormity of the rainfall only became clear at they came out of it. Draco looked out the window, only to find the rain coming down in torrents, and lightning striking every few feet.

“H-hello,� said Hermione uncertainly, taking charge. “My – my friend and I are stranded out here, and – and were wondering if you c-could give us room for the n-night?�

Her teeth were chattering with the cold. The receptionist looked at the bedraggled pair sadly. “Sorry, miss,� she said, casting a withering look at Draco, “but we’ve only one room tonight.�

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but she looked at Draco first. The question in her eyes was alarming. Surely … surely she didn’t …

“That will be fine,� she stammered, averting her gaze from Malfoy’s angry eyes. “After all, it’s only one night.�

The receptionist handed them two keys, looking as though she knew this wouldn’t go over well, but hadn’t the courage to truly show it. Once out of ear-shot, Draco rounded on Hermione.

“Are you bloody mad?� he roared. Hermione thought she heard a shriek or two from neighboring rooms.

“I most certainly am not,� she sniffed, opening the lock. “We’re both stranded here on a rainy night, and neither has a way to get home. The weather’s too bad to Apparate back – you said it yourself.�

Malfoy smacked his hand against his head. “I’m engaged, Granger! Bloody engaged!�

Hermione sniffed again, and held up her hand. The diamond there caught the light and cast a tiny rainbow onto the wall. “As am I, Malfoy, as you no doubt remember,� she said coldly, opening the door. “Needless to say, neither of our partners will take this lightly. However, unless you prefer to make a lady sleep out in the rain – or do so yourself – this will have to do.�

Malfoy opened his mouth to argue, but bit back his tongue. He knew from years of experience never to argue with a woman.

“But of course,� she said, in a rather business-like manner, though Malfoy thought she looked rather annoyed. She turned to look at Draco. “There’s only one bed.�

At this point, Draco began to feel rather faint, but he said nothing. “I suppose I’ll have to sleep on the floor, then,� he said glumly, getting down on hands and knees and searching the space under the bed for spare sheets.

“That’s very gentlemanly of you, Mister Malfoy,� said Hermione brusquely, concealing a small smile.

Malfoy didn’t reply, but then again, she didn’t seem to require an answer.

It wasn’t long before Malfoy had organized a sort of camp bed. There were spare pajamas in the closet, rather too big for her and too small for Malfoy. He sighed. “You can wear them,� he said, shaking his head. Hermione thought he distinctly heard him say, “What Pansy would say …� and she smiled again.

“Well,� she said, setting down her toothbrush. “Good night, Mister Malfoy.� She climbed into bed and turned out the light, snuggling down under the sheets.

“Good night, Granger,� he said almost inaudibly, wishing already that he hadn’t said it.

Draco woke the next morning to the crash of a tray outside the room. Cursing under his breath, he sat up, wiping his eyes. Their tiny room was flooded with sunlight, cast in strips on the floor, falling through the blinds. He suddenly noted how much his back hurt from sleeping on something that felt remotely like Astroturf. Apart from the untimely crash in the hallway, it was perfectly silent inside the room. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking around. Something was missing …

He spotted a piece of paper folded on the desk above. That was it! Granger was gone already, he thought angrily. She could have at least helped pay. Grudgingly, he stood up, supposing he should read the note. He reached for it, and unfurled it with a bit more force than was necessary.

Mister Malfoy –

I hope you slept well. You were tossing and turning after you fell asleep. I do hope you aren’t too sore this morning. First, I thank you for your tolerance at sharing a room. Last night and this morning, you have shown more tolerance than I ever thought possible of the great Draco Malfoy. Second, I thank you for your companionship. You weren’t about to leave me out in the rain, despite what you said, or even what you thought. I’ve paid for the room, and left early – I hope you don’t mind. Thank you for your kindness.

Hermione

P.S.- By the way, I don’t think you’re quite as bad as even youthink.

Draco stood up, crumpling the note in his hand. He should have known. But still – it wasn’t anger coursing through his body. It was gratefulness, a rather different – though welcome – emotion. He stood up and walked down the hall toward the front desk.

He had half a mind to pay himself and send the money back to Granger, but he couldn’t swallow that much of his pride. At any rate, all his had was a slick tongue and a jangling pocketful of Galleons. The clerk waved him goodbye, and he raised a friendly hand of farewell.

Outside the motel, the sun was still shining. He smoothed out the note and read it again, just looking. He looked down the street both ways and sighed.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Granger,� he said in a voice that was quiet, but carried out into the wilderness around him. "Not so bad yourself." He Disapparated, back to civilization, a slightly different man.