A new story from moi, a dramione (once again). Sorry that i keep starting new stories, i can't help it, and don't worry, i haven't forgotten my other plots will most probably be a two-shot.

0000

She was so tired, so so tired. Her eyelids were trying desperately to close but she fought with them to stay open. Her back was hurting from carrying her books for such a long time without rest. Any second now she would collapse for sheer exhaustion and no one would now where she was. She thought of the worry she would induce on her two best friends if she gave up now. At this their faces loomed from the blank space behind her eyes, giving her strength. Stumbling and slipping she carried on, the sounds of her footsteps slapping against the worn stone floor becoming more and more irregular as she went on. Then she could see her destination in front of her, just at the end of the corridor. The painting seemed to be hovering just within in reach but she couldn't quite reach it. One hand stretched out in front of her, grappling for the paintings golden frame. Finally she managed to grab the rough edge and pulled with the last of her strength, letting herself being enveloped in the warmth and light that burst forth from the entrance.

0000

Draco Malfoy lounged on the sofa in front of the gently crackling fire with his feet crossed and resting on the opposite arm rest and his eyes focused intently on the book in front of him. The room was completely silent, which is exactly how he liked it. Nothing moved apart from the gentle rise and fall of his robe-clad chest and the flames dancing in the grate, throwing his aristocratic face into a soft relief. His normally pale eyes where dark mercury because of the light from the fire, which reflected the silver and blue shades that lurked in the quicksilver, orbs that were currently scanning the page lazily.

A long-fingered hand reached slowly for the page corner, pausing as if waiting for the body it was attached too to finish before turning it over, the small scrape of the page brushing against the next disturbing the silence for a minute second. He sighed a happy, peaceful sigh, a small smile gracing his gently-plump lips, reflecting his contentment.

And then his little slice of heaven was shattered.

Hermione granger, book worm extraordinaire burst in, sighing loudly and bashing the painting against the stone walls behind it. Draco quickly rolled of the couch and onto the floor before adopting a strange half crouch on the carpet, his book left forgotten on the floor, its spine bent and pages crumpled against it.

Yet she didn't notice, just dropped her bag to the floor where it landed with a loud thump and let out another impatient sigh. She then slammed the painting back into the frame with a happy smile on her face and bent to lightly grasp the handle of her bag. And then (top Draco's horror) began to drag it across the floor noisily.

Scratch, bump, screech, bump, scratch, bump.

Draco winced every time she pulled it forward and scowled when it got caught on the carpet and she emitted a loud grumble before planting both her feet shoulder-width apart and pulling with all her strength. It didn't budge, just sat there, and caught on the numerous folds of the carpet that Hermione had made whilst trekking over it. Slowly, clenching his hands into fists, then unclenching them, he stood up (and reached a good 6'7" )

'Granger! Stop that awful racket!' he spat at her, his eyes glinting

Surprised, she turned her head towards him, her rosy lips parted in an 'o'. She had stopped pulling and was just leaning back, trusting the bag to hold her weight. She spluttered indignantly, before sucking in a deep breath between the gaps in her gritted teeth.

'I was just passing through Malfoy! Do you know how far it is from the library to here when you go via the great hall?'

'No, because I, unlike some people, have the sense to not go via the great hall when coming back from the library, especially not at this time and with a bag full of bricks!'

'For your information its books, not bricks (this caused Draco to roll his eyes) and i had to go via the great hall or i would've risked getting caught by filch on his rounds!!'

'if you had any sense, which you clearly don't, you would've come back earlier and acknowledged the fact that your such a goody two shoes that you wouldn't take the risk of getting caught by filch if you came straight from the library and shorten your trek by half!'

'Just because i don't throw myself to the patrollers willy-nilly does not mean I don't have sense! And it wouldn't have shortened it by half, only by a quarter!'

At this Draco laughed bitterly, spite gleaming in his eyes.

'You actually measured the way from the library to here?! What a neek!' he sneered at her

Hermione looked affronted and searched for a good come back. Finding none she decided to lose with her head held high and calmly said...

'Fuck off and leave me in peace'

Well, that's what she would've said if she hadn't been interrupted by the large ripping sound coming from her bag. The handles snapped free of the worn satchel and she flew backwards, her arms wind milling in the air and her feet skidding all over the floor, trying to find purchase of the rumpled carpet. So instead it came out as...

'Fuck off and leave- oh buggeratioooooooo-'

She span as she fell, comically wailing with her eyes scrunched shut and her brows furrowed. She clearly intended to stop her fall by planting her hands in front of her to cushion her fall for she quickly thrust them forward. But (unfortunately for her) not all went to plan. Because her eyes where closed so tightly that she didn't realise she wasn't falling towards the clear carpeted area she had thought she was falling to but the small coffee table that was sitting in between the two sofas full of books and the occasional forgotten quill. Her arms flew past it, narrowly missing the edge but her head didn't quit make it and her nose collided with the corner of the table where it made a crunching nose and stars burst forth from behind her closed eyelids. She was still for a second before rolling of the table and groaning loudly, grimacing as her nose began to throb painfully.

And to her shame, her indignity, her embarrassment and her anger Draco burst out laughing. Laughing so hard that he was clutching his sides and his nose was crinkled up. His almost white hair fell in front of his eyes and his pearly teeth were glinting in the fire light.

'Shit granger!' he sobbed 'you are some stupid girl'

Hermione couldn't quite understand what he said (he was almost in hysterics and wasn't finishing the words properly) but got the gist. Her eyes were watering and she was trying to hold them in, there was no way in hell she was going to let Malfoy see her cry. Never the less, the tears were pricking her eyes so she had to quickly turn away and wipe them before blinking several times, which Malfoy didn't see, being too preoccupied by making sure that he let out all his laughter (it would be catastrophic if he started laughing every time he saw her- Malfoy's don't laugh in public... nor does Snape let people laugh in his lessons, which was first subject tomorrow).

Now that all signs of crying were gone (or most of them) Hermione was able to lever herself up, using the cluttered table that had just injured her and slowly waited for him to stop laughing. He sure was taking a long time to stop. She started tapping a foot. She crossed her arms. She sighed loudly. Looked at her watch. Sighed again. Cleared her throat. God, how long could he laugh for?! It looked like he had been keeping his laughter in a box and now the flood gates had opened and there was no stopping the floods of laughter that flowed freely.

During this time Hermione began to look at his face. She never seen him this care-free and to tell the truth it suited him. The way his pink lips (that were normally plump- but not too plump) were stretched over his gleaming teeth. Being the daughter of a dentist she could tell he owned a good set of 'choppers' and couldn't deny his grin was gorgeous...and infectious. Her own lips began to betray her, the corners turning up and her nose slowly crinkling.

Then she caught herself just in time. She scowled again making sure her features were fully rearranged before looking back at him. He was still laughing. She had to fight her features as they lightened up. She mentally cursed herself as once more her mouth turned upwards and her eyebrows strained to relax.

When he had finally was able to look up, still laughing mind you, he gasped and a jumble of emotions past over his face. Confusion, surprise, spite, happiness and bemusement. Hermione thought it was because of the fact she was straining so very hard to look angry but tried even harder to push her mouth into a straight line. And he started laughing again. A hand (not the one clutching his ribs, the other one) raised and he pointed at her face.

'Shameful granger-shameful' he managed to sputter, still bent over.

Hermione became really self conscious and put up a hand to cover her face. She gasped when it came away sticky and covered in wet- warm blood.