Almond Milk
Hermione thought it only fit that, after a long day of studying, she deserves a big glass of almond milk. And of course, the fact that no one else had worked out where the kitchens were, bar Harry and Ron of course, and it would therefore be empty, rather appealed to her today. She started walking down towards the dungeons, not bothering to change into something more decent than just a tank top and pyjama shorts, how likely was it that she was going to bump into someone tonight? Not very! And so, she tied her hair back in a ponytail and continued forth on the long journey from the tower to the dungeons.
Unknown to her, Draco Malfoy was having the same thoughts. He just felt the need for a large glass of almond milk. He was hoping that the house elves had got his favourite, the slightly burnt tasting one. Mmm, yes he could definitely have one of those right now.
And so, this lead both to the portrait of the fruit bowl, at the exact same time!
"Malfoy?!"
"Granger?!"
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and he mirrored her actions.
"What are you doing here, ferret?" Most of the animosity had been lost between the two over the last year, but right now, she didn't give a damn how rude she was being.
"I could ask you the same thing!" he snarled at her, trying to get away from answering the question.
"I… uh… umm…" Hermione gulped, caught out. She didn't want to say what she was doing, lest he not know where the kitchens were.
"Where's that quick wit gone, Granger?" She just then noticed his state of attire, just a pair of plaid pyjama bottoms. She almost sighed at the sight of his bare chest. Then quickly shook her head to clear that thought. He noticed the movement and smirked.
"Like what you see, Granger?" She rolled her eyes.
"Do you enjoy being so arrogant?" His smirk grew.
"Avoiding the question, are we?"
She sighed, "Can you please go? I just want a drink."
"So you know where the kitchens are, as well, then?" She nodded slowly and he reached up to tickle the pear, without breaking eye contact. Hermione felt a little firework display go off in her belly as coffee-coloured eyes searched his slate ones. She looked away quickly and blinked, wondering what on earth had just gone on in her stomach.
Draco stepped into the warm room and motioned for Hermione to enter. Trixie, a nice house elf, appeared at their side,
"What would Mister Malfoy and Miss Granger like tonight?"
"I've told you countless times to call me 'Hermione'." Hermione said softly to the small elf.
"I know but I like calling you Miss Granger!" The house elf replied. Hermione grimaced and opened her mouth to spout off some information about how house elves were treated unfairly, when she felt a warm hand on her bare shoulder. She looked up at Malfoy in surprise.
"Hey Trix. Could I please have some almond milk? Preferably the slightly burnt kind, if that's ok?" He asked. Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.
"Could I please have the same?" The elf nodded and scurried off. Hermione noticed that Malfoy still hadn't taken his hand off her shoulder. She also noticed that she didn't mind, and he didn't seem to either.
Draco led her over to a pair of squishy armchairs, that were set in front of a blazing fire, and sat down in another.
"It's best to let them call you by your title if they want to. Otherwise it seems, to them at least, that you don't want them to do your work. They love to do work. Its why they were first introduced as slaves to wizards, did ya know?"
"No, I didn't know that. How did you?" He looked down and Hermione could swear that she saw a bit of a blush upon the youngest Malfoy's cheeks.
"I went to see one of your S.P.E.W thingys and then got interested in the area and did a bit of research." Hermione grinned and said,
"Hey, it's cool! I don't mind!" She giggled and he looked up at her. He chuckled lightly. It quickly escalated into hysterical laughter, for reasons neither could even begin to explain. Draco couldn't help but admire her as tears ran down her face and the crinkles in the corner of her eyes showed, as she rolled on the floor.
When they recovered, Hermione shook her head with a smile and Draco looked at her with a confused smile of his own. "What?" he said.
"I was just thinking about how far we've come this year. At the start, I was dreading working as a head with you, but now, I dunno, I guess we've just grown up." She said softly, watching the flames flicker in the fireplace. He nodded.
Suddenly, Draco sat up from his slouched position. Hermione cocked her head, "What?"
"I just saw Trixie with our drinks!" He grinned at this and Hermione began to see the real, playful Draco come out. Trixie wandered over and handed them their drinks. They thanked Trixie and took their drinks. Draco flopped back against the armchair and sipped his delicious drink that he'd been craving since that morning. Hermione followed his lead, smiling at the new side of Draco she was seeing.
Draco smiled lazily and said, "I really like almond milk. So tasty. Delectable even! Why do you like it? It doesn't really seem like your type of thing? I only say so cuz I've watched you before and you always only have water… That sounded really creepy… That's cuz it is. Am I creepy? I think I'm creepy. Yes, I have officially decided that I, Draco Malfoy, am creepy!" Hermione raised an eyebrow at his conversation with himself and giggled. He was still going! "… Yes that's right, get that into your fat head, Fireyio!" Hermione decided she should stop him now that he had named the fire and was pointing at it threateningly. She slapped a hand over his mouth, only to have him lick it.
"EWW, Draco!" She squealed and wiped her hand on his leg.
Annndd, he was still talking to the fire, just now he was smiling slightly and obviously just doing it to spite her. Hermione stuffed his tie into his mouth, and he spat it out and continued, undeterred. She gaped at him as he spoke sweet nothings to the fire.
She pondered what to do next, then smirked as she saw him let go of his glass of milk to reach out to the fire, mockingly offering a hug. She grabbed his glass and he stopped talking suddenly. He slowly looked up at her and growled lightly. She bit her lip and made a run for it. Draco took off after her.
Hermione ran around the island of counters where Trixie was working and dived into one of the cupboards. Draco grinned as he saw where she got to, but decided to play a bit first. "Ohhh Graaanngeerrr! Come out, come out, wherever you are!" He sing-songed. Hermione grimaced, knowing he knew where she was, but then remembered she was a witch and could distract him. She pulled out her wand and muttered a quick jinx that made a loud noise behind his head. Then another that tapped him on the shoulder, and kept repeating these on his body faster and faster, until she deemed him distracted enough to get out undetected.
She made her way out and was about to slip past him when a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her against their chest, with her back facing them. "I hope you haven't spilt my milk."
As it was, Hermione managed all of this without spilling Draco's drink once. "I promise I haven't spilt a drop."
"Can you please stop these jinxes; they're getting on my nerves." He said exasperated. She giggled and did so. He still hadn't let go of her, and he didn't seem to be doing so anytime soon, so she turned around in his arms to face him, once again realising that he didn't a have a top on and this time, super aware of this fact. She looked up at him realising that her eye-level only met his sternum.
Draco looked down at the small Gryffindor in his arms and smiled. She looked in his eyes to find flecks of green in the sparkling mercury. She smiled, a true Slytherin prince. He was surprised to find shards of gold and red, red, amongst the honey of her eyes. Could you even get red eyes unless you were an albino? A true Gryffindor princess, it seems, could indeed!
His eyes never left hers as she rolled up onto her tippy toes and he bent down to reach her. Their noses brushed, and he searched her eyes for consent. She simply closed her eyes and awaited his lips. He took this as permission and leaned down the last millimetre until their lips collided. To the Hogwarts royalty, it seemed as if the galaxies aligned and all the stars in the universe just exploded, as if the whole world were watching and there was a spotlight on them, but in reality, it was just two teenagers having a long-awaited kiss. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and tangled one hand in his hair. He tightened his hold on her waist and moved one arm up to untie her hair and then played with the tips of her long hair. Their lips moved together in perfect harmony, Draco only deepening the kiss once Hermione appeared ready to do so. Hermione smiled against his lips, perfectly content to stay this way forever.
When they pulled apart, Hermione smiled at Draco and pecked him again on the lips. Suddenly, she pushed him away slightly, staying in his arms, and muttered, "I never got to finish my almond milk!"
A/N: I rather like writing oneshots, not half as much commitment as a full-blown story!
I may write more oneshots when I feel like it, if I do, they'll probably be mostly Dramione, with maybe a few Jilly, Scorose and Hinny, maybe a Blinny? I dunno, don't expect anything.
Peace out, Moostashh XXXXX