Art of Fun

By: Etern

Disclaimer: I hereby proclaim that I do not own Harry Potter and co, cuz if I did Draco would be everywhere.

A/N: This is my first multichaptered story, and I'm so excited! I originally made it a oneshot but I had far too many ideas for this story I just had to make it longer. I hope you emjoy and forgive my crappy humor, I'm more of an angst writer. Oh, and Hermione's my favorite character so i am in no way insulting her, I just think that there has to be something more behind her brains, you know?

Pairing: D/Hr

She was in her usual spot in her usual place—bent and pouring over an aged potions book that had rarely been looked at in the back of the library. It was a typical Wednesday night for her, and she was just beginning to enjoy the book and the normalcy of her situation when something came and disrupted her.

He found her in her usual spot in her usual place, bushy hair tied back in a loose ponytail as her eyes took in the words from the typically huge book in front of her. As his shadow fell over her and she felt the feeling of eyes on her, she regrettably looked away from the inked words on the aged page to meet the sadistically smirking face of one Draco Malfoy.

Starting slightly at the oddity of it all, Hermione was instantly on her guard before she even realized it.

"Can I help you Malfoy?" she asked in bitter tones, and scowled as the haughty smirk on his face only seemed to widen.

"Well no you can't Granger, since I doubt there is anything a Mudblood like you could help me with."

After years of enduring the same vein of insults, Hermione couldn't even feel the stirrings of anger anymore, only annoyance. Rolling her eyes, she just sighed heavily and pushed her book aside, turning all her attention to the suspicious blonde in front of her. "Now really Malfoy, what do you want?"

He raised an eyebrow at her before, to her horror, pulling up the seat across from her at the table and sitting down at it, making himself completely comfortable.

"Now Granger," he leered, "Can't I just come to study? After all, as I'm sure you know that is the point of a library."

She didn't fall for this excuse for even a second. "Yeah right Malfoy," she snorted, "and of all the tables to study at here, you conveniently chose the one I'm at? Really, just tell me what you want."

He did not appear to be phased by her accusations at all, instead shrugging elegantly as he looked from her to the typically huge pile of books she had stacked all around her.

"Studying again, Granger?" he commented, tsking, "Is that all you do?"

With that comment she felt her anger finally start to awaken. Really, why did people always assume that? Just earlier that day Ron had been pestering about her studying habits and now here was Malfoy doing the same thing. And they thought that they had nothing in common?

"No," she almost snarled, "it's not all I do!"

If Malfoy was taken aback by her angry tone, he did not show it. He reached out and plucked the nearest book from its pile and glanced at the cover, shaking his head. An amused smirk was quirked on his lips when he looked back to her scowling faces.

"Granger, why in all the entire magical kingdom are you reading on Quidditch? Correct me if I'm wrong but I had thought that you were never fond of it."

Hermione just barely managed to fight off her blush. "It's none of your business Malfoy," she replied primly, making a promise to herself not to give away any information to the pesky git. She should have known he would not give up without a fight.

"Oh come now Granger," the blonde stated, pretending to be hurt, "I thought that you could trust me!"

She let out a bitter, stunned laugh, arching a brow at him. "Yeah, right. Why don't you just leave? I'm not so amusing that you should continue to harass me."

"You're right," Malfoy sighed, leaning back in his seat. Hermione felt the flickering of hope in her chest that she might just have gotten the git to leave when he leaned forward again, his face holding his infamous smirk, and that hope that had just been born was slaughtered.

"You really aren't amusing," he told her. "At all."

Appropriately, Hermione was offended. "How do you know Malfoy?" she sniffed, "it's not as though you know me! You don't know my habits, my hobbies, what I do for fun—"

"Oh Granger," Malfoy smiled at her, but not in a kind way. No, he smiled at her as though she was three years old and daft and he was trying to teach her something she could not get. "I do know you, actually. And I know for a fact really that beyond all your brains and outside of this library, you do… Well, you do nothing."

Infuriated, Hermione pushed herself up from her seat to tower over him. He appeared nonplussed. In fact, he only widened his smirk and arched his goddamn eyebrow again. Again. Really, she was considering shaving it off with one well placed jinx.

"Silence Malfoy," she snarled, "you have no idea what you're talking about! I do plenty of things! I sit by the lake—"

"Really?" he drawled, "And what do you do by the lake?"

"…" There was no way in hell that she was going to tell him that she studied there. "…I read."

He rolled his eyes. "Reading? That's not far off from studying."

"It's different!"

"It still involves a book," he pointed out, "and going down to the lake sounds just plain boring to me. Anyone can do it Mudblood, even you."

"I like the tranquility of it!" she snapped, gathering together her books. "But my god, why am I explaining myself to you? I don't care if you find me boring. Frankly, I find you boring too. Good day, Malfoy."

She made an impressive attempt to sweep away from him and out the library, her robes fluttering behind her and her head held high. She was about two steps outside the library doors when she heard his voice behind her, and her impressive exit fell flat.

"We're not done talking Granger."

Whirling around she had every intention on cursing him out, however undignified it was. But Malfoy, being Malfoy and incapable of shutting up, continued on.

"It was quite rude of you to leave me there. Although I expected no less from a Mudblood."

"You arrogant—"

"And where are you going now Granger? To study some more, I'm sure."

"—son of a bitch—"

"Good, don't your eyes ever hurt from reading so much? I'm surprised you don't wear glasses, like Potter. Then you would match your boyfriend."

"Ugh!" she could only scream in frustration, not even caring that her retort was far from witty. "That's it Malfoy, that's it! You want me to prove that I can do something other than read and study? Well then, fine, I will!"

In response to her passionate outburst, Draco merely shrugged. "Whatever Mudblood," he told her, "Go find yourself some fun."

"Oh I will," she vowed to herself as he walked away, clutching her books to her chest. "I will."

--

Hermione knew that if she ever wanted to find a hobby and something to do, she would need help. And so of course, there were only two faithful friends she could rely on. Sid two faithful friends were found in the Common Room half asleep over their half finished (and half-assed, no doubt), Potions essays when she arrived through the portrait hole, lounging by the fire. She was upon them in seconds.

"Harry, Ron!" she exclaimed as she approached them, barely repressing her amusement as both boys jumped about a foot and turned wide sleep glazed eyes on her, both of them freezing up as they knew they had been caught. She knew that they expected her to start nagging on them about falling asleep instead of finishing their essay, but in light of her new mission she ignored that urge and instead smiled sweetly at them, taking a seat next to Harry on the couch.

"Er, hello Hermione…" Harry hesitantly replied, watching her wearily as he picked up his quill again, as though he expected her to stop smiling and start admonishing him any second. Which really would have happened if it were any other day.

But no, Hermione went on smiling at them as they shifted uncomfortably, no doubt wondering what had happened to her.

It was Ron who tentatively tried to figure it out. "Oi, Hermione… What's got you so happy tonight?"

"I'm not happy Ron, I'm excited," she automatically corrected.

"Excited about what?" both boys chorused, Harry looking startled and Ron looking slightly suspicious.

Her smile widened to a grin. "I've decided that I don't want to spend every night studying in the library anymore," she announced, "In fact, I want to change my study habits."

You would think that she announced that Voldemort was running around the school wearing a tutu by the looks that crossed her friend's faces.

"C-Change them?" Harry repeated, blinking, "By what, studying more…?"

Next to him Ron's face turned an extraordinary shade of white.

"No, no," she shook her head, ignoring Ron's sigh of relief. "I want to study less, actually."

The shocked looks returned, if not more intense then before. Hermione silently had a bet going in her head that Harry would recover first, considering he was more sensitive and less attractively stupid.

And sure enough, after a long pause Harry managed to find his voice. "Er, Hermione, not that I'm objecting to your plan but I can't help but wonder…why?"

"Do I really need a reason?" she replied, stealthily avoiding an answer. She could never very well tell them that Malfoy, of all people, had been the reason. "I just want to change some, that's all. I want to…have a little fun."

"But I thought you thought studying and cramming useless things in your brain was fun?" Ron piped up, and she sent him a glare.

"Yes, well, I think I've learned all I need," she said shortly, "Especially about useless things."

Ron shrank a little under her glare. "I'm just saying," he muttered to himself, looking away.

"Yes, well, anyway," she said, "I want to do something other than studying so…Teach me something else to do."

"Wha…?" Harry elegantly responded, "Us?"

"Yes," she sighed, rolling her eyes, "Honestly, you are both so thick! Yes, I want your help, believe it or not. What do you normally do for fun?"

They both looked at her strangely.

"Er, Hermione, you should know," Harry said carefully, "I mean you're with us everyday…"

"I know, I know," she waved it off, "What I mean is what do you two do other than eat, play chess and play Quidditch?"

"Other than stalk people from under my Invisibility Cloak?"

"Other than bet and play Poker with Seamus and Dean?"

"…preferably, yes."

"Oh well, I angst a lot. But well, that's to be expected I guess."

"And I like to Prank Slytherins. That's to be expected too."

"Well, other than those, too. Look, do you boys do anything…I would like?"

"Uh…"

"Well…"

"Okay, never mind," she sighed, feeling her excitement diminish rapidly as she fell back against the couch and massaged her temples. "I would ask the other girls, but all they ever do is try to fit in clothes that are too little for them and paint one another's nails."

"Well, yeah," Ron said, "they are girls after all, and so are you. I haven't forgotten this time."

"Well spotted Ron," she groused, "maybe I should just find my own form of entertainment…"

"Or you could just tag along with us tomorrow and try our hobbies," Harry suggested, "You never know, you might like Quidditch, or chess, or Poker, or stalking, or pranking?"

"What about the angsting mate?" Ron asked, and Harry sighed heavily.

"Alas that's just for me."

She stared at them morosely, taking in their suddenly eager faces. She really, really wanted to decline, almost desperately actually. She knew that none of those things would ever grow on her, and yet…

She had to prove Malfoy wrong, she just had to. She needed to show the slimy git that there was more to her than just knowledge and books; she needed to prove that she could have fun and be a little…spontaneous once in awhile.

Only once in awhile, mind you.

And so, against everything inside of her but her pride Hermione nodded, and watched with a slightly ill stomach as Ron and Harry exchanged devious smiles. Devious smiles. Oh dear she thought, staring at their half finished Potions assignment. What had she gotten herself into?

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