A/N: Okay guys. This was my first one-shot I ever wrote. I enjoy it immensely…let's hope you guys feel the same.
"Ugh!" Lavender Brown screamed as she stormed into the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione looked up slightly from her work and raised an eyebrow at her obvious lack of care as to whether or not anyone else in the room wished to hear her exasperated outbursts.
"Honestly" she whispered to herself, shaking her head as she turned her attention back to her project.
"Lavender!" Padma Patil yelled as she came through the portrait hole. "Oh come on, Lav! He's not worth it!" she continued funneling her sound up to the girl's dormitory.
Seeing her cause was lost she turned around defeated to find the entire common room staring at her with questioning eyes.
"Well, go on about your business! Nothing to see here!" she huffed as she headed over to an arm chair and sat with a sigh.
"Ow!" she screamed once she sat down only to spring back up. She looked beneath her to see what she had sat on. She bent down and retrieved a stapler.
"Sorry Padma." Hermione said apologetically.
"What is this thing??" Padma asked in a slightly disgusted and questioning tone.
"It's a stapler." Hermione explained. "I'm using it to help me work on my scrapbook." She stated matter-of-factly.
"A scrapbook?" Padma asked with a confused expression on her face at the head girl on the floor who had created quite a mess creating what appeared to be just a book of pictures.
"Yes. A scrapbook." Hermione started. "It's a collection of pictures, quotes, descriptions, and other important things that are out together in a book to be kept for remembrance.
Padma looked at her for a brief moment before realization dawned on her.
"A muggle tradition is it?" she asked.
"Yes it is." Hermione answered without looking up as she pasted down a picture under Ginny's name.
Hermione hadn't really done anything this elaborate memory-wise in years, but she had decided over the summer before her seventh year that, as it was her last year, she definitely wanted to keep a scrapbook so she could remember everyone. Everyone. She was making no exceptions. Even if it was just a small picture, she was going to include them all. Pleasant and unpleasant. After all, she knew she would want to look back on this one day and laugh at her stupid school-girl crushes and enemies.
"So what was wrong with her?" Hermione asked pointedly throwing her head toward the stairwell as if pointing out who she was referring to even though Padma already knew.
Padma sighed and settled her forehead in her hand which was on the arm of her chair.
"Lavender is just seriously deluded is all." Padma said half laughing and half sighing. "You see, she had this thing for Draco Malfoy. Yes I know he's absolutely despicable, but hey its her not me. Anyways. She has been like following him around for the past 2 months! But you know he wouldn't even give her the time of day. Every time she would try to get near him, he'd roll his eyes in disgust. Well, finally, he got sick of it today and told her to sod off because it would never happen, and that he only pursued those who did NOT resemble a rotten tree stump." She finished this with a slight giggle, but she quickly sobered up as she knew Lavender was her friend.
Hermione was completely aghast. How horrible! She shut her mouth which had fallen open and blinked several times.
"Well," Padma began. "I'm gone. I suppose she's calmed down a bit, and it is my duty to comfort her." She stated as she stood up. "See ya later Hermione!" she called over her shoulder as she headed toward the stairs.
"See you, Padma!" Hermione replied and turned her attention back to her project.
She sighed deeply and thought about how hurt she would be if a guy were to tell her something so …so….mean. Draco Malfoy was simply the most loathsome prick in school and she honestly did NOT understand why everyone found him so damn attractive.
She looked through her pictures. As long as her mind was on Draco Malfoy she might as well paste his picture down and get it over with. She searched for a good 5 minutes before she gave up.
"Where is that picture?" she said to herself. She looked around her to make sure it wasn't stuck in any of the other pages or underneath a pile of paper. She angrily placed her hands on her hips. She knew she had a picture of Draco. She had taken it the morning before in their common room while he was watching the fire from the couch.
"Well I can't just leave him out!" she thought with frustration. If their was one enemy she was looking forward to laughing about it was him. In about ten years, she envisioned that perhaps he would grow up slightly and he would be tolerable enough to laugh about. Well…either that or he would grow even more insufferable and would throw darts at it.
She sat silently for a moment. She knew she wouldn't be able to catch Draco in a position like she had yesterday. She had snuck that picture in because he absolutely refused to let her take his picture. She didn't understand why. Sure he was a prat, but he wasn't bad to look at sometimes.
Quietly, she got to her feet with a slight smile on her face as she left the portrait hole in search of her red-haired friend.
Draco sat silently in a daze and yawned. Honestly, did Pansy really find herself amusing? She sat in front of him on the couch talking in animated tones about her summer vacation in Paris, and he really couldn't care less.
He was too busy thinking about his summer.
This summer was the first summer that he and his mother got to actually go on vacation. His father had never let them beyond the front gate when he was alive. Therefore, he and his mother took advantage of it. They traveled pretty much everywhere you could possibly want to travel for vacation. She claimed they were "making up for lost time". It didn't bother Draco. He had a blast.
Especially in Rome.
That's where he had seen her.
He had just finished eating with his mother and he walked out of the restaurant as she was using the bathroom still.
He stood on the sidewalk and watched the busy streets while the wind blew through his hair sweeping it across his eyes. He stared across the street at a small boutique when a girl stepped out.
She wore a teal T-shirt and rugged jean skirt with beige flip flops. Her hair was soft and long as it cascaded down past her shoulder in loose curls.
Draco remembered thinking that she was by far the best looking girl he had seen the entire summer.
It wasn't until she pushed her large sunglasses up on her forehead that he realized who it was.
Granger??
At first, he didn't believe it but there was no mistaking that slight smirk which he often thought could give a run to his own.
He heard his mother yell for him as she came outside the restaurant. He turned to acknowledge her calls, and by the next moment when he turned back around, she was gone.
He spent the rest of his Roman vacation searching for her, but he never saw her again.
When he returned to school, he instantly had the pleasure of seeing her shining hair and smile once again. They were heads of course. Everyone knew it would be the two of them. Who else was intelligent enough?
He was brought out of his thoughts when he realized that Pansy had finally discovered he wasn't paying any attention to her whatsoever.
"Pansy, as interesting as this is, I have places to be." And with that he stood swiftly and hurried out the Slytherin common room door.
"Okay, Ginny." Hermione stood looking at her friend. "Are you sure have the plan? We'll only have one shot to get it right and I NEED this picture." She finished with a pleading voice.
"'Mione!" Ginny said laughingly. "I've got it! I've got it! You've went over it 20 thousand times. "You're going to go up to Malfoy and ask him about potions homework…as if that would ever happen…." She mumbled this last part and Hermione elbowed her in the ribcage. "Okay okay…and then I'll snap the picture."
"Right" Hermione answered with a sigh of relief.
"'Mione, it isn't that complicated of a plan. Quite simple actually…especially for you."
"Yes well I didn't have much time to think it up since I need this picture." Hermione said as she straightened her robes and soothed out the wrinkles.
"Ready?" she asked her friend.
"Yeah yeah..." Ginny said. "Let's get this top secret operation over with" she finished in a sarcastic tone and Hermione elbowed her once again.
Sighing inwardly Draco trotted down the steps away from the darkness of the Hogwarts hallways into the brilliant sunshine of the courtyard. It was empty as everyone else was in dinner, but he didn't particularly feel hungry at that moment. He didn't want to miss a perfect opportunity.
He smiled at the thought and sat beneath a shaded tree and took out his book to read.
"Come ON!" Hermione whispered loudly behind her at her best friend who seemed to be dragging along very slowly.
"'Mione! I'm going as fast as humanly possible!" she called out in a breathless plea.
Hermione was jogging lightly peeking through the windows when she stopped suddenly causing Ginny to crash into her.
"There he is!" Hermione whispered excitedly.
"I honestly don't have a clue as to why you're going through so much trouble for some book that you won't look at after you've made it." Ginny said getting up from the floor and leaning against the wall with one hand at an attempt to catch her breath.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"This means a lot to me. I can't make a scrapbook of people I went to school with without mentioning the one who made my school days the least enjoyable. That would defeat the whole purpose of the whole looking back and laughing at how stupid it all was!" Hermione said to her defense.
"Fine. Whatever. Let's just get this over with." Ginny said grabbing the camera from her friend's hands.
Hermione smiled.
"Brilliant! Let's Go!" she squealed and walked out the door.
Hermione gave Ginny one last wink before she walked down the stairs and purposefully toward Draco who was reading under a shaded tree. He didn't even acknowledge he presence until she blocked the slight sunshine the escaped the shade of the tree.
He looked up at her with a look of disdain and raised his eyebrow slightly, but just enough to cause Hermione to immediately regret her decision.
"Yes?" Draco asked in a slight whisper as if daring her to speak.
Hermione suddenly lost her fear and grew only a large feeling of annoyance. Why was she scared of him at all? All he is is talk.
She cleared her throat and looked at him through unafraid eyes.
"Yes. I was wondering if you could help me with our potions assignment." She finished strongly.
Draco raised his eyebrow more at this.
"You – the all-knowing mudblood - need help from me?" he chuckled at the end as if he had made some grand joke. Suddenly he stood and swiftly switched positions so Hermione was closest to the tree and he pushed her roughly up against the trunk.
Hermione struggled beneath him trying to push him off, but this only encouraged Draco further.
He leaned for ward and captured the skin on her neck that she had exposed during her ranting and lightly sucked on it and licked it.
Despite herself, Hermione let out a groan that she wasn't sure came from her arousal or from her back which was being repeatedly scratched by the tree as she thrashed about.
She stopped moving and put her hands on his shoulders in a hopeless attempt to push him away.
Draco grabbed her offending hands and forced them beside her head on either side up against the tree. Hermione gasped at her helpless position Draco kissed his way up from her neck toward her ear and traced along her cheekbone.
He held his mouth mere centimeters from her own and looked as if he was about to close the gap before he stopped suddenly and whispered so she could feel his warm breath on her mouth.
"Is this view good enough for the Weasel or would you like something lower to the ground?" he smiled at his words and Hermione gasped audibly, but it was caught in her throat as Draco brought his mouth down on hers. He kissed her deeply and roughly as if he thirsted for something only she could supply.
Hermione gave in to the emotions overcoming her and kissed back. She knew she would regret it later, but right now, it felt so…heavenly.
She was shocked when she felt Draco's tongue slide gently along her bottom lip asking for entrance into her mouth which she eagerly gave. He kissed her passionately as he explored the contents of her mouth.
Hermione moaned at his actions and instantly felt the heat in her body travel downward. Draco leaned in closer to her and pressed his body tightly against hers causing Hermione to gasp at his obvious arousal.
Hearing Hermione's reaction to him fueled his fire further and he purposefully but carefully lifted his hand to cup her right breast and glide his finger across it teasing it lightly causing her to moan into his mouth.
Suddenly Hermione remembered what she was doing, where she was, and who was watching. With all the strength she could possible gather she pushed Draco away and breathlessly looked into his now steel gray eyes.
"I believe that will be sufficient." Was all she said before she grabbed her book and quickly hurried away.
As she rounded the corner she saw a very shocked Ginny sitting in the windowsill fanning herself.
"That…was…the HOTTEST thing…EVER!" she said in a breathy tone. She looked at Hermione as if she never knew she had it in her.
Hermione blushed brilliantly and grabbed her friend's wrist.
"Come ON, Ginny!" she pleaded dragging her friend physically away from what she was proclaiming "The hottest man alive".
Draco was standing beneath the bright sunshine looking up into the sky. He jerked his head to the side allowing his long blonde hair to sway to the side as well giving him better vision.
He thought about his encounter and smirk came to his lips.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture. He didn't care for the picture anyways. She didn't get his good side. Besides, the fireplace caused a glare on his face.
"Oh Well." He thought. "She has a better picture now." His smirk grew wider as he walked upright toward the stairs and into the door.
A/N: Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Sequel????...I may consider it. It was a blast to write, after all.