The halls of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry were empty. The last remaining students had rushed into class late and most likely got a detention. The seventh years however had study at this time and most of them were in the library or their common rooms, their final exams were only two months away and everyone was up to their neck in revision and stress. Hermione Granger however, was the worst out of all of them. Losing sleep over her notes being in the correct order, had she wrote out that passage from her transfiguration textbook or what about that spell she hadn't quite perfected; well to her standard anyway.
Ron and Harry had wrote to her almost every day concerned about her health. Ginny had been writing home about Hermione sleeping in the strangest places, curled up in a corner in a corridor, leaning against the girl's dormitory stairs. But nevertheless, Hermione made sure she was wide awake for class.
"Honestly, Mione. I haven't even got half the notes you have for the exams and I get enough sleep. You need a break day, this isn't good for you. Even McGonagall is concerned." Ginny said to Hermione at breakfast that morning. True, Hermione had all of her notes wrote out that January yet she was determined to write them over and over to make sure the information was embedded in her head.
Hermione sat across from Ginny and Neville at the Gryffindor table, her head in her left hand as she stirred the cereal in her bowl. In her head she was going over the steps to a particularly difficult potion when she heard the last of Ginny's speech. She looked up to her best friend. Ginny sighed with concern, Hermione had deep purple bags under her eyes from her lack of sleep and her skin was breaking out from the stress.
"You know your textbooks back to front, inside out." Neville piped up from his tea. Hermione sighed, she knew they were right but she couldn't help it. It was like an addiction to her, to go over and over her notes. She'd already begged the headmistress for past papers on her subjects, the older witch sighed as she knew the girl wouldn't give up and so she handed the bundle of papers over with strict orders to take a break every once and while.
"I'll try and relax at the weekend, Hogsmade trip. I could do with a butterbeer." She admitted, putting her book down and tucking into her toast. Ginny and Neville sighed with relief and went back to their own breakfast.
Classes started at nine, both Ginny and Neville had classes yet fortunately for Hermione she had a study period and decided to head up to her common room for a nap...after she re-wrote her notes on muggle studies. The plates cleared from the house tables and the students piled out of the great hall and Hermione spread out her books on the table, she didn't notice the other student doing the same across the room.
After an hour of revision she decided enough was enough and that she should head up to her common room. Carefully gathering her notes, in the right order, she placed them into her book and put all her books in her backpack, shaking her head, trying to waken up she left the Great Hall. Unknown to her someone was heading the same way.
Her eyes were drooping at this point, she struggled to keep them open as she continued up the flight of stairs to the next floor. Wearily looking up she had another two flights of stairs to go. She cursed the fact that her house had chosen a tower for their student quarters. She stopped at a painting of a couple, both in discussion the woman oddly resembled Hermione; bushy hair, brown eyes and seemed to be telling her husband off. Hermione laughed to herself and spun around to the next stairs...except they had already moved.
Within milliseconds, she was falling, her sight a blur until someone abruptly grabbed her arm as she dangled over the edge. Her heart hammering in her chest. She looked up and it was the last person she expected to catch her fall, Draco Malfoy. Strange as it was, he seemed panicked and his eyes pierced into Hermione's.
"Hold on Granger." He muffled as he caught his breath, his blond hair falling over his forehead. She nodded slightly and then as he started to pull her up, his sleeve rolled up and in black ink was the worn out dark mark. He glanced at it quick and then worriedly looked back at the panicked girl. With a huff, he struggled but pulled her up and both of them fell back onto the cold floor.
A moment of silence passed as the two lay side by side catching their breath, Hermione bewildered at the entire situation; her heart still pumping in her chest. She looked to her side and Draco lay eyes closed, almost gasping for breath. She stood up carefully, her legs trembling still and brushed herself down. Draco opened his eyes and with his elbows moved away from the edge. Hermione held out a shaking hand for him, he glanced at it then her and took it as she pulled him to his feet.
"Th...Thank you Malfoy." She stuttered, as she realised he was incredibly close to her and her legs felt like they would collapse. She told herself it was because of the near death experience and not the previous bully of her life stood almost chest to chest.
"Guess it makes up for Potter saving mine." He looked at her then shrugged it off. He grabbed his bag that had been thrown on the floor and slung it over his shoulder and nodded at her before taking off up the next flight of stairs leaving Hermione speechless.
A lot of people are wanting me to continue this story...I've a rough layout so if you wish it to continue please tell me. The demand is high in the reviews. I'm working on it!