Another oldie. But it's been beta'd, so that makes it okay. More fluff. Wee...
Draco was thoroughly screwed.
He wandered through the library, knowing that he was going to fail if he didn't ace Prof. McGonagall's essay, which was due the next day. 'Father is going to kill me if I fail...' He thought desperately.
"Ah, all done!" Came a voice from behind a bookcase. Draco peeked slowly around it. "Prof. McGonagall's essay was the easiest assignment I've received this year! I've actually beaten my own record! It only took me one day and six rolls of parchment to finish!"
"That's wonderful Hermione. Just keep talking like we aren't here," Ron said, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"Oh, sorry." Hermione said, not really meaning it.
"How in the bloody hell are we supposed to finish our essays?" Ron groaned. "Pray to the essay gods?" Harry suggested.
Harry stood over his essay, dressed in a traditional Japanese Happi coat. He stretched his arms out slowly, east to west; his wand in one hand, a quill in the other. Then... "Get an A, get an A!" He chants loudly, dancing in circles around his essay.
"Don't be ridiculous." Hermione frowned. "Look, this is what you have to do." Draco stopped breathing, just to make sure he would hear everything she was about to say.
"Draco!" Pansy Parkinson popped out of nowhere.
"Flint told me to remind you that there's going to be a Quidditch meeting tonight on the field. You're coming, right? I mean, the last time you went to the meeting at night-"
"Yea, yea," He said swatting his hand at her. "Now go." From the bystander's point of view, it looked like a big brother was trying to ditch his little sister for the day.
"Huh?" Pansy noticed that Draco seemed to be focused on something behind the bookcase. "What are you-"
"SHHHHHH!" The librarian spat in their faces.
"Aww-"
"That's so gross-" "
Shhhhh!" A second wave of spit.
"Oh, all right!" Draco whispered angrily, wiping his face with his cloak. He had to think of a way to get rid of both annoyances, but how...
"Pansy has a late book." Draco pointed at her. The librarian narrowed her eyes at Pansy and grabbed her around the arm.
"Wait! Draco-" They disappeared behind a deep red bookshelf. Silence. 'Finally,' he said.
"Wow, you're right, that is easy Hermione." Harry said. "Yea, thanks a lot!" Ron said happily.
"Well, I'll leave you two to finish, then."Draco pretended to look at a book as Hermione left the table.
Hermione decided to check out a few more books for some 'light reading' since she had finished her essay. "Let's see..." As she was looking, she noticed Draco Malfoy was at the end of the aisle with his nose in a black book. She wondered why he was reading at all, but turned her attention back to the books.
A while later, after grabbing five books, she noticed Draco had moved a little closer. He still had his face hidden in the same book. She just shook her head, and wondered how many books she could carry to the dorm room without dropping any. After grabbing four more books, she felt satisfied. 'This will get me through today and tomorrow morning!' Hermione thought happily. Then, she turned to leave.
"AHHH!" She screamed.
Draco Malfoy was standing right in front of her, still behind his book, which Hermione's face almost ran into.
"Draco!" Hermione shrieked. She earned a 'shhhhh!' from the main desk.
"Hmm?" Draco peeked from behind his book. "Oh, didn't see you there Granger." Draco said jauntily, closing the book and holding it to him. He smiled his most winning smile, and faked respect.
"Okay, what do you want?" Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"What? Why do you think I'd want something from you?" Draco asked, faking curiosity.
"The words 'Draco', 'Smiled', and 'Jauntily' are never used in the same sentence unless you want something." She said matter-of-factly, which brought Draco out of his mask of politeness.
"Fine. We'll do it your way. Help me with my homework, Granger." Draco spat.
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "First of all, no. Second of all, you need my help?" She smiled. "The great Prince of Slytherin needs the help of a poor common mudblood?" She laughed.
"Look,"
"The mighty Dragon needs the help of a lion?"
"I just-"
"The lord of darkness is-"
"Shut up! Look, just help me." Draco said through gritted teeth.
"Sorry, but I just don't have the time. If you'll excuse me." Hermione brushed pass him, giving him the cold shoulder as she went.
"Get back here now!" Draco screamed, earning a 'shhh!' himself.
"Be quiet, Draco. People are trying to do homework." She waved as she kept walking. Draco could hear the amusement in her voice.
Hermione grabbed her books from the librarian and headed out to the lake. It was a nice day to be out, and she hadn't been out in a while. She sat in her favorite spot, underneath an old willow tree, and began reading.
Into her readings, she began hearing footsteps. They would get closer and closer and... Hermione stuck out her foot quickly, tripping Draco Malfoy. He landed on his bottom, like he always did. Hermione wondered why he always seemed to land that way. Maybe it was a spell his mother had cast on him to make sure he didn't hurt himself too badly, or perhaps it was karma, and his falling on his bottom was supposed to be some form of a spanking for being such a brat all his life. Hermione had actually written her findings on this, but never looked back at them again. 'I'll have to look that up again...' She thought. Draco grimaced at the pain, but did not get angry like he usually did. He just got up, dusted himself off, looking like he had failed.
"Sigh Granger- no, Her-Hermi...Hermion..." Draco looked like he was going to throw up. "Hermione!" He choked out. "I need...Oh, god. I need your-" He shook his head frustrated with himself. "Get it out! Okay, Please-" He doubled over and started gagging.
"It looks like father's just going to have to kill me..." Hermione saw a bit of fear in Draco's face. She thought for a minute before talking to Draco.
"I'll help you," She said. Draco's head snapped up.
"You'll help? Really?" He asked, surprised. "On one condition..." She smiled. Draco found himself feeling worse than before.
"Oh, bugger, I dropped my book..." Harry said, as he and his friends walked down the corridor to class.
"Draco, would you be a dear and get that for him?" Hermione asked happily.
"Yes...Master." He made a face and picked up the book. They walked a little further.
"My shoe lace is un-tied..." Ron smiled.
"Draco, could you take care of that?" Said Hermione.
"Of course." He got down and tied Ron's shoe, Harry and Ron shaking with silent laughter. When they got to the outside of the classroom, Hermione noticed a piece of dirt on the floor. She held her arms out to stop her friends.
"Draco, there's some dirt on the floor." Hermione said.
The boy grumbled and laid his cloak out on the ground.
"Harry, Ron," Hermione stepped aside.
"Thank you." Harry said. Ron merely smirked at Draco as he went by.
"Do I really have to do this?" Draco asked.
"Yes, you have to keep this up until lunch time." Hermione said.
"But that's right before McGonagall's class!" Draco almost shouted.
"It's really quite easy. You'll finish it in time." She walked inside the classroom.
"Now, for the other part of this condition. Bow to me!" Hermione said, loving the feeling of the power she had over Draco.
The color drained from his face and his eyes narrowed. "I hate you," he whispered coldly, letting himself fall down on his knees.
This caught the attention of the entire class. Draco bowed his head.
"Hermione Granger, Queen of all knowledge, smartest witch of our age, and much better than myself, will you help me with my essay?" He yelled, so that all the class would hear. 'He's a good actor...' Hermione thought, impressed.
She placed a hand to her face, milking it for all it was worth.
"Hmmmm...Okay." she shrugged.
"Thank you, oh great one." He said, sounding pained. Then, Draco bent down and placed his lips on Hermione shoe. The Slytherins gasped and the Gryffindors went crazy with cheering and laughter. Harry and Ron smiled and gave her the thumbs up.
"It's good being me." Hermione smiled to herself.