HERMIONE'S PERSPECTIVE
"Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy," called Professor Snape
Hermione bit back a groan. This was wonderful, just great. Not only was she forced to share a Head common room with the great ferret, but also be his potions partner for the rest of the year. There was already enough awkward interaction for one day.
She walked over to his table at the back of the Potions Classroom. He didn't even glance up from his Potions book as Hermione approached the table. For some reason this made her disappointed.
What was she thinking? That he would look up and smile in welcome?
"Today, we will be attempting Amortentia," said Snape as the directions appeared on the board. "You will have all of this period and the next to prepare it for grading" He gave each of the students a piercing glare before adding, "If I find that any potion has been smuggled out of this classroom you will all get detention." He swooped behind his desk and sat down to grade papers.
"Alright, since we're going to be stuck together for the whole year, it's only logical that we can have a civil conversation," stated Hermione
The blonde stared at her for a moment before nodding and turning back to his book.
Hermione walked to the store cupboard to collect the ingredients. When she returned, Malfoy had already started the fire underneath the caldron.
For the next two hours, only a few words were spoken as they steadily worked. They finally reached the required mother of pearl sheen with fifteen minutes to spare. The fumes floated up in lazy spirals. Hermione glanced at Malfoy before leaning forward to smell the fumes. It smelled like freshly mown grass, new parchment, and a masculine evergreen scent… What? Last time in Slughorn's classroom, she had smelled Ron's hair not evergreen. What was that? The only other time she smelled it was when she…
Hermione gave Malfoy a panicked look to see if he had noticed, but of course he couldn't. Amortentia had a specific aroma for each person. He couldn't smell what she smelled. The only other time she had smelled this had been she had slammed into him on the stairs in the common room just last week.
She had been late to meet Harry and Ron in Hogmeade and was fastening her bookbag closed while rushing down the stairs when she suddenly ran into something solid. Before she knew it, she had ended up on the floor on top of Malfoy. Surprised face to surprised face. She had never really noticed how his deep grey eyes actually held specks of dark blue. Like the sea after a storm… STOP it Granger! What are you thinking?! This is Malfoy. Your enemy. The first person to call you a mudblood. The evil, cold hearted, conceited, conniving, Slytherin ferret. She realized that she was staring and quickly ran out of the common room bushy hair flying and face blazing. Since then, she couldn't get those stormy eyes out of her head.
She couldn't help but think that maybe he had changed since that terrible war. He longer walked around like he owned the school. He acted like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He rarely talked to anyone. He no longer had a posse around him at all times. The only time she ever spoke to him was when they were discussing Head business. She often found herself staring at him across the Great Hall during mealtimes trying to figure him out like a puzzle she wanted to solve. She told herself she needed to stop, but she just couldn't. For some reason, she felt drawn to him despite their rivalry throughout the years.
Little did Hermione know that the Slytherin was just as confused about her as she was about him.
DRACO'S PERSPECTIVE
As they worked, Draco found himself sneaking glances at his partner. Ever since the collision on the stairs, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He remembered those chocolate brown eyes and the scent of her unruly curls as they brushed his face. Draco couldn't understand why she distracted him so. He couldn't pay attention in lessons anymore. Instead, he would focus on trying not to stare across the classroom at her. He failed miserably. He noticed every time she unconsciously bit her lip while reading or concentrating. Every time she got frustrated, her curls would become wilder than ever to the point she had to bush them out of her face in annoyance. Draco couldn't believe he used to tease her about her hair. Now, he couldn't imagine her without it. It was as much a part of her as her intelligence. Those curls were one of the things he loved about her. Wait..love? He couldn't be thinking about love. She was Granger. Stuck up, know it all Granger. The girl he tormented throughout school. The brains of the Golden Trio. Despite himself, he couldn't think of her as a know-it-all anymore. She was intelligent, yes, but also compassionate and fiercely loyal. He had found that he didn't mind her presence anymore. It was more a comfort than an annoyance.
The fumes of the Amortentia wafted over to him…Rose scented shampoo, old books, hazelnuts. He snuck another look at Hermione only to find her staring at him with those chocolate brown eyes. She blushed and quickly turned away and busied herself with packing up her Potions kit. The bell rang and she rushed out of the classroom leaving the smell of roses in her wake.
Sighing, Draco stood and slowly walked out of the classroom to the common room to drop off his books before dinner. It was hopeless. She was never going to forgive him for his years of taunting. Besides, she had a boyfriend, the Weasel. Thinking about them together, made him want to knock his lights out. If only he could forget about her but that was impossible. Everywhere he went, he caught himself looking for her mane of curls. He would go to the library for the sole reason of being near her. That's where he found himself later that night.
He wandered around the stacks looking for a mildly interesting book to pass the time. As he passed the Herbology section, he heard crying. Draco walked down the isle and saw the mass of brown curls he had just been thinking about huddled on the floor. Hesitantly, he sat down beside her.
"What do you want Malfoy?" Hermione sniffled and looked up.
"Why are you crying?" he asked gently. Her eyes widened at his tone of voice as if surprised that hadn't taken the opportunity to hex her.
"Because Ron's a stupid prat," she stated simply, her eyes filling with tears again.
"What did the Weasel do this time?"
"I…I found him kissing Lavender Brown" At these words, she burst into a fresh bout of sobs. He felt like running up to Gryffindor Tower and cursing Weasly into the next century. How could Weasly do this to Hermione? She was probably the best he was ever going to get. Draco found himself putting his arms around Hermione and pulling her closer. She burrowed into his chest and soaked his shirt with her tears. Slowly, her sobs began to die down.
"Why are you doing this?" she whispered
"Hermione, I'm sorry" Draco said. She looked up as he said her name.
"What are you sorry for?"
"For the past seven years" He glanced down not wanting to see her face.
"I…I forgive you, Draco" He looked momentarily shocked before he broke out into a genuine smile.
"You said my name," he said. Hermione nodded smiling slightly. Draco never imagined he would ever hear her say his name. It sounded strangely wonderful coming from her mouth.
"I think I'm going to kiss you now" Draco said huskily. He slowly leaned closer, giving her a chance to pull away if she wanted to. Finally, their lips touched. Draco felt a great rush of warmth throughout his body. When they broke apart, he looked into her wide eyes.
"I can't stop thinking about you. You're everywhere and everything," he said.
"Draco, I…" His heart sunk. She didn't feel the same. He was so stupid to think she would like someone like him. He was deluding himself. He started to get up to save himself the embarrassment of being rejected and walked out of the library. Once out in the corridor, he heard footsteps behind him. Draco turned around to find Hermione running after him.
"Draco, I was going to say before you ran out on me, that… that I would like to give this…us…a chance" She looked nervous.
Hope blazed again inside him at these words. He walked quickly to her and cupped her cheek and tenderly kissed her again.
"You don't know how much I wished for you to say those words," he whispered.
She smiled as she took his hand and walked back to the Head Common room. Maybe, just maybe, they could make this work. At that moment Draco knew, that he would make sure to do everything to see that it will.