Title: Quiet in the Library
Summary: All Draco wants to do is study for Transfiguration, and he certainly doesn't want to study with Hermione Granger of all people... or does he? One-shot, Dramione.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Yes, yes, we know, I don't own Harry Potter, and I never will.
Hey guys! kateodinson here! This is my first fic on my new account, I hope you enjoy! (Reviews are very welcome…)
Draco wound his way through the stacks and stacks of books that make up the Hogwarts library, groaning inwardly at the prospect of cracking open the dusty spines of his textbooks to study for his Transfiguration exam. He rounded a corner and found himself in front of Study Nook #9, which he had had reserved several weeks in advance, knowing that he would need it to pull an all nighter for this one. (Merlin only knows why he could plan ahead that far and yet still had such a nasty habit of procrastination- students.) As he pulled open the door his eyes widened in surprise.
A familiar brunette laid asleep with her head on the small table, using an open textbook as a pillow. Papers and notes were spilled across the table, and a quill was still clutched in her hand. Granger, he thought. He stood at the door, unsure of how to proceed. Normally he would have abruptly awaken her, but the way that she laid there, so innocent and unguarded, halted his actions. He couldn't help notice the small smile that was featured on her supple lips, and her mess of frizzy curls that framed her delicate face ever so elegantly. He stood there, dumbfounded.
It was at that moment that she decided to wake up. As she raised her head she slowly blinked the sleep away, and her warm eyes hardened as she noticed Draco standing in front of her, mouth slightly agape.
"Malfoy," she nodded curtly. Her voice snapped Draco out of his almost-trance and he straightened up as he donned an arrogant smirk.
"What are you doing here?" they asked simultaneously. Hermione rolled her eyes, and Draco crossed his arms.
"Seriously," Draco started, "What are you doing here? This is reserved under my name. So, please, get out, and take your filthy belongings with you." After seeing the look that flashed through her eyes, he felt a small quiver of regret run through him.
"Malfoy, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm the one that's had the room reserved for weeks. If you think that you can play some sort of cruel trick, then you're wrong, and you can leave, because I have my card right here proving that I am supposed to be here right now." She fumbled through her papers for a moment, then pushed the card at him with a smug smile. "See?"
Draco took the card, confused, and then slowly pulled the same card out of his back pocket. They were identical. Hermione snatched the cards out of his hands and compared them. After she cast a quick charm to prove the legitimacy of his card, she handed it back to him, slightly flustered.
"I don't understand! We can't possibly have the same time slot!" Hermione blurted.
Draco shrugged and replied, "Well, maybe Madam Pince made a mistake."
Hermione gasped. "Madam Pince doesn't make mistakes! She's the librarian for Merlin's sake!"
"Well sorry," Draco said exasperatedly, "But what are we supposed to do? I certainly can't be expected to share this space with you."
"Well I don't want to share with you either!" Hermione stood up suddenly, fists clenched, knocking one of her books over in the process. Draco bent over to pick it up, and noticed the title running down its aged spine. Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration.
"Hey," he exclaimed. "I've been trying to get my hands on this book for ages. How did you get a copy, and how did you even get past the enchantments?"
Hermione gave him a half smile and cocked her head to the side. "Spending all of my free time in the library has its perks." She stared at him for a second longer, and her expression softened slightly. "Well, maybe- maybe- I mean only if you really want to, we could share the book…"
He raised his head, surprised, and felt his heart swell the tiniest bit. "I- I suppose that could work, I mean, only if you promise not to be obnoxious or try to do some dumb know-it-all thing or-"
She quickly cut him off, "Only if you promise not to be a stuck up prat and let me go to the pages I need."
They stared at each other again.
"Okay, okay," he said.
"Fine," she said.
They sat down, facing each other, and began to work.
They worked for several hours, borrowing books, sharing papers, even asking questions. They moved in sync, Draco would reach for the ink, and she would lean away. She would turn the page, and he would read.
He found it difficult to concentrate. Every so often he would look up at her, mesmerized by the way the candle-light danced across her face. Once, she brushed the end of the quill against her lips, deep in thought, and he couldn't help but smile. Another time, he glanced up to look at her and he swore that she had been looking at him, but he didn't believe it- that or the faint blush on her cheeks.
Time continued on, and he found himself drifting to sleep. He yawned, and said, "Hey."
Hermione glanced up at him. "Are you done? Don't you think- don't you think that there's more to learn? Do you really think that you're ready for the exam?"
He let out a small chuckle and said, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Besides, I need to get some sleep… and you probably should too."
She looked down. "Yeah, you're probably right." She laughed out loud. "I can't believe that I just said that Draco Malfoy is right about something." She laughed some more, and her smile spread from cheek to cheek as she looked at him.
Draco decided that her laugh was beautiful.
He started handing her books and papers back to her, when he brushed against her hand. He stopped suddenly, leaving his hand barely touching hers. She drew in sharp breath. He was wide awake now. They stared each other down, two grey orbs equally matched with beautiful brown ones. Staring, staring, until suddenly he leaned forward and kissed her, his lips on hers, and they were warm and soft and kissing him back and he felt warm and tingly and so right until he realized how very wrong it was and they were both pulling away and it was wrong and he was cold again. He stared at her. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks were red, her mouth slightly open.
"I-" he started.
"You- she started.
They paused.
"I'm sorry," Draco whispered.
Ever so slowly, she smiled.
"Don't be."
And then she was kissing him and he was warm again and this time everything was very, very, right.
Far across the library, a knowing smile spread across Madam Pince's lips.