She was dying.

Well, not literally, but damn, she really felt like it. The sun shone bright on this day of March, the first Tuesday of the month. Daffodils were slowly coming out of the earth, trees shyly showing their leaves. Students were walking outside, or biking, enjoying the pleasant warmth. And yet Molly Hooper was sitting alone at a large table on the fourth and last floor of the main library, trying to learn her bloody chapter.

She had always been a good student, determined, ambitious. Never had any trouble for learning anything, top grades, teachers' favorite. But right now, she just couldn't. She had had a bad term for the first time in forever, and so far she doubted it would improve.

Giving up, she dropped her pen on her book with a sigh of defeat and stretched out on her chair. She finally stood up and walked around the empty room to shake her legs a little. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she simply focus? She had done that a million times, and now her exam was in less than a week and she could not possibly find a single drop of motivation in her. It was a terrible feeling. Never had she felt so helpless, and the problem came from her. Of course, to anyone, she'd pretend that it was just the pressure that made her, well, unwell. But deep down, she knew the truth and she didn't like it a bit, for the truth was a tall skinny black-haired jerk named Sherlock Holmes.

That guy was everything she hated. Rude, haughty, arrogant, selfish, cold, scornful… and she could find at least an other dozen of synonyms to describe him. He never smiled to anyone nor showed the slightest sign of emotion. He barely spoke to his classmates, having apparently decided that he stood above them, mere mundane mortals. No need to say, she had never seen him at a party or at a pub. They only shared their chemistry lecture and had the misfortune to have their names next to each other in the alphabetical order – Holmes, Hooper - thus making them partners from September until May.

A smile crept on her lips as she remembered their first meeting. He had ignored her for most of the lecture and then had decided that he would single-handedly take care of their project because he was cleverer, and he did not want anyone to mess this up. However, the worst was clearly the deductions, as he called them. The concept was quite simple: it was about observing someone, commenting out loud and putting 2 plus 2 together in order to give a painfully accurate description of the chosen victim. Luckily enough, Molly Hooper had only been a witness, never a subject, to such deductions. She wondered if Sherlock had kept his mouth shut because she had demonstrated that she too was very good at chemistry and did not intend to give up at all on that lecture, or because he knew that drawing the wrath of his new partner on him would not be the best of all ideas. It would have been so easy to despise him. Holmes was, after all, a spoiled brat way too arrogant for his own good. And yet, sweet and kind Molly couldn't bring herself to hate him.

Not only because he was terribly handsome – black curls falling just above his ice blue eyes, cheekbones and a jawline to die for, he looked like a god – but also because Sherlock Holmes was brilliant. Genius-like brilliant. His mind worked faster that she could have ever imagined, and in such a way that he was never wrong. Oh, and the joy on his face when he his experiments were successful… Sheer pleasure spread on his face, and his eyes would sparkle with pride, his cheeks reddened by the excitement… yep, that was it. Molly was in love with the guy everyone hated.

She had stopped at a window, gazing outside, lost in her thoughts. She felt like a silly teenager, swooning for that one guy – and she could not bear it. She would graduate in a few months. Wasn't she supposed to work hard and get her degree with honours? The field of pathology was waiting for her but she doubted they'd understand if she explained her exam failure was due to her being madly in love. Nah, that wouldn't do it.

She couldn't even talk to him! She knew nothing about him. Where did he live, what did he like? He was a perfect stranger – no, he was more like a ghost. Only showing up when convenient for him, manipulating the world to fit his expectations. They only shared two hours a week, and she had never seen him anywhere else... yet he had taken the entire spare room in her mind and now, now, she had no extra thoughts left for learning anything else. Frustrated, desperate for a break, she went to the first floor to grab coffee. Caffeine would do her good.

When she came back, an other bag was facing hers on the table. Pens, books… she rolled her eyes. Couldn't she be alone in her misery? But, coming closer to the table, her heart skipped a beat. She knew this set of stuff by heart.

"Ah, Molly, good morning. I was looking for you." She turned around, facing him as he emerged from behind a shelf, book in hand. Wait, what ?

"Oh, w-well, I'm here." She managed a smile.

"Have you finished Smith's book ? I'd like to have it." With a nod, she took a heavy book out of her bag. Her fingers gently touched the cover, but she didn't give it to him.

"How did you know I had it?" He smiled – genuinely this time, and she felt her insides melt.

"The only copy in the library is missing. You're the only one I know who'd borrow it for the exam, it's the best book there is."

- Oh. Right. You guess everything, as usual", she said in a whisper. She was so lost in his eyes that she didn't hear what he said next. "Hm, sorry what?"

"Can I have it or do you intend to keep on staring?" She could feel her cheeks turn crimson as she stuttered a somewhat coherent answer. "The thing is that I-I'm not quite done yet, a-and I'd like to keep it a bit… I can't really afford to buy it only for the exam, so…"

He looked at her, seemingly amused by her nervousness. "We can share.

- What?"

He frowned, and suddenly she understood.

"Oh, you mean the book! Share the book, yes, sure, yes. Are you staying here to study?" He answered positively while getting back to his chair, and she joined him.

"So", she asked carefully. "How are your revisions going?

- Boring. I've stopped it days ago.

- Oh, you're not…

- No. What for? It's going to be absurdly easy anyway.

- Speak for yourself." She was expecting a snort that never came.

"Are you having trouble learning?" Molly searched his eyes, a bit surprised. Was he serious? She decided to go for it.

"Erm… yes... the fourth chapter. Well I know the most important stuff, but I can't learn the formulas and it is driving me mad.

- Do you want help?" He had spoken after a short silence, and his voice had a soft tone that made Molly's stomach flip. Raising an eyebrow, careful not to look at him, she dismissed the question with a little laugh.

"No, I can make it. I just need to focus. I don't want to bother you, just do whatever you have to do, Sherlock." It was the first time she said his name out loud, and she instantly loved the way it rolled on her tongue. When she finally raised her gaze, she found him a bit upset.

"Molly if you can't focus, this is bad. You need to ace this exam". She felt suddenly upset. How dared he?

"What do you mean, I need? Why do you even care?" Suddenly, the concern faded from his face and she bit her tongue. Crap. Where they having some kind of moment? Did she just ruin everything?

"I don't. But you're the best partner I have. You're working harder than these idiots. You deserve it, don't get distracted."

She bit the inside of her cheeks as the heat spread once more on her head and neck. So he did care, right ?

"But maybe I am distracting you."

A soft "no" escaped her lips, but as Molly suddenly found her feet very interesting, she couldn't see him smile.

"Excellent. Then I'll stay. If you need help, ask me."

They worked in silence for about an hour, and quite surprisingly, she felt more focused with him at her sides. They would pass each other the book from times to times, fingers just delicately touching - it felt marvelous. Molly really expected him to leave, or at least not to last more than twenty minutes. But not only was Sherlock staying, but she suspected he enjoyed it. Was it the quiet atmosphere? Did he find her presence... soothing? She could not help but look at him sometimes; at his face's expressions when he read or thought: he looked so much more relaxed now than ever before.

Then Molly broke the silence with a soft murmur.

"Sherlock?" He didn't bother replying. "I'm going to go now. I've had enough and well, I've gotta go home now, it's late and...

- Coffee ?

- What ?

- Coffee. Do you, erm, do you want to have coffee ?

- Sherlock it's half past six... nobody ever drinks coffee at that time.

- Well I do !

- And I don't. But... what about a beer ?

- God no.

- Tea ?

-Not in the mood.

- Cocktails ?

- Are you kidding me ?

- Alright, alright, you win, then coffee it is.

- Perfect."

He gave her a triumphant smile, and in a blink he was up and ready, offering her his hand like a prince. She giggled and took it, rather proud and amazed by this sudden burst of affection.

They sat in the grass as the sun went down, shining its last rays onto the yellow and gold daffodils, coloring the sky in purple and pink. Warm coffees in their hand (Molly only took a latte, but Sherlock had his classic black, two sugars), they were mostly staring, not talking much.

"You're gonna ace that test, I promise.

- Do you really think so ?

- Yes, Molly. You're the best. I mean, I'm the best, but you're like, second best."

She rolled her eyes, trying to look offended but the compliment didn't go unnoticed. But he continued, his blue irises fixed on a golden flower.

"I'm glad I found you today.

- Yeah, about that… why did you come to me? You hardly ever talk to anyone. I never see you anywhere. You're so... mysterious. Don't laugh !

- You're my lab partner. I have to see you anyway. And… you're like… you're... nice".

She heard the question mark at the end of his sentence, as if he was unsure of the awkward compliment. Well, it wasn't what she expected, but it was still better than nothing.

"Sherlock, look… if you ever feel bad, or hurt, or stressed… I mean, if there is anything wrong, come to me.

- Why would I need you ?

- Because I can be more than just nice. I can be your friend, if you let me."

He didn't answer, and Molly fought the urge to grab his hand or to hug him, just to feel his skin under hers, his warmth, his body.

"Molly, I don't have friends.

- There's a first time for everything.

- No, I don't need friends, Molly.

- You just don't know you need friends, there's a difference. Look, how about a little experiment, since you're so fond of them? You let me be your friend. For, let's say, a whole month starting tomorrow.

- A whole month?!

- It won't give any good result otherwise. Friendships stretch over years, not weeks. But a month will give you an insight. So, yeah, a month. And if you like it, then our friendship will go on. If you don't, things will go back as they were."

She then looked at him, and smiled. It was definitively a shot in the dark, but somehow her instinct was telling her that he wouldn't reject her.

"And what makes you think that I would even consider being your friend?"

The question took her aback. Rude. But now she was determined to go through this.

"Because I'm your best option. I'm the only one you speak to. Besides you're already here. You came looking for me at the library so... I think you're maybe a bit lonely. And me, well, I'm here, I'm always here. I'm not like you… I'm no threat to you. And you want to be my friend because you think I'm nice. And clever. And worth talking to. Otherwise you wouldn't even be there."

For a while he didn't respond, then rose slowly. Molly's heart started beating fast; had she said anything wrong ? She started to mumble and apology, but he cut her short.

"Right. See you tomorrow, Molly Hooper."

And he left, his long silhouette disappearing in the sunset. Molly's smile broadened, and, ready to leave as well, picked up a daffodil. She loved those flowers.

"Looks like I made a friend today", she whispered to herself.

No need to say, she was looking forward for the next day.

Hello guys! Happy New Year x

Here's my second Sherlolly fanfic, first Uni!fic ever as well. And as you might have guessed, I started to write it in march but you how things go... anyway I'm glad I finished it. Don't forget, english is not my first language so if you see any mistakes let me know and I will correct them !

I was also wondering if I should continue with this story ? I first thought of this as a one-shot, but now I feel like it be fun to continue a bit with these two. Let me know what you think !

Thanks for reading, I wish you all the best for the year to come x