Hermione Granger had looked the same way for five years. Long bushy
brown hair that was always frizzy, immaculate school robes, natural looking
face and always with two boys, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. That's what
Draco Malfoy had noticed one day as he sat at the Slytherin table. Big
chocolate brown eyes, slightly bucked teeth, and with a book at all times
of the day. But she had changed since last year. She had grown, and
developed more. Her hair was no longer frizzy and bushy, but sleek and
ringlet curls. Her school robes were still immaculate, but they now had a
certain sex appeal to them, like something about them had changed. She was
wearing make-up now, more around her eyes then anywhere. But she was still
with the two boys, and that's what irked Draco. Still fawning over Harry
and Ron, always being the good one, always making sure they stayed alive.
Draco was jealous; no doubt by the way she nurtured the two all the time.
He watched her as she entered the Great Hall, to the left of Harry. 'Always to the left', Draco thought dully. She was smiling a dazzling smile; she had grown into her looks finally. He noticed this; he'd been noticing this. He watched as the trio sat down, Hermione by her lonesome, Ron and Harry next to each other on the other side. She quickly whipped out a book and set it on the table with an enormous thud that rang through out the Great Hall. It wasn't anything new, she always did that. "Draco, is something wrong?" asked a female voice to his left. He looked in the direction. Pansy Parkinson was looking worriedly at him. He smiled coolly. "No, just watching Dumbledore's pets. Why, something wrong with you?" he countered, arching an eyebrow. She blushed vividly. "N-no, you were just sort of staring so I assumed-"
"Ah well, there is your first offense. Never assume."
"Of course."
The power Draco had over people by mere logic and sarcasm was frightening really. Like Pansy, for example. All he had to do was look at her the right way and she'd wait on him hand and foot. He could make people think they're wrong, or that they were going to say something completely different. He could charm, he could scare. he could probably talk the Minister of Magic into resigning his post and allowing himself to take the place. He'd grown into a cunning linguist over the years, learning in large part from his father. Though he didn't need money as a power of persuasion, just his own knowledge and tongue. Draco sniggered to himself. 'Foolish people, they can't tell how easy it really is' he thought as he watched Pansy. She had gone back to her food, and when she had finally realized his eyes were on her, stopped to look at him. "Yes?"
"Have I mentioned how gorgeous you're looking today, Pansy?" he said, smiling his naturally tantalizing smile.
She blushed once more and hid her face. He leaned toward her and moved some of her hair aside, "accidentally" nudging her ear with his lips as he spoke softly, "Meet me in the common room before Lunch." Pansy gasped and nodded quickly then looked around guiltily before going back to her food. He stood up and smiled as he looked around. 'Like a snake to a snake charmer'.
Hermione watched Draco leave the Great Hall with a glare. But that was only the façade she put on in front of her friends. Her friends hated Draco Malfoy with an undying passion, and being loyal to them, she should have too. But she didn't, far from it actually. It was like an odd obsession she had with the "bad-guy". Maybe it was something like a change. Both her friends were always the good guys, always being noble and such. She liked it, of course, having such heroic people around her. But that didn't stop her from wanting someone. well. different.
She had been watching him since about the third year there, when she made skin-to-skin contact with him. Sure, she had slapped him across the face, but she had still touched him. Unnaturally soft skin against her hand, like satin on her fingers. She'd expected him to be rough, and hard. But he was like any other. only better. He hadn't always been good-looking. No, that had taken a couple years. But now. oh now, he was what every girl was looking at, if - of course - they weren't looking at Harry. She felt guilty for watching him as he walked in the halls in a supercilious manner, so proud and malevolent at the same time. He still wore his blonde hair slicked back like always, but he'd grown tall. maybe an inch or two shorter than his father. He'd grown into his looks, and had a slightly athletic build.
Hermione kept her eyes on the door after Draco left the room. "Hermione. what're you looking at?" a voice came from in front of her. She looked to Ron Weasley and smiled. "Nothing. Just wondering how Malfoy would look in a total body bind by the whomping willow." She lied. In truth, she had pictured him vulnerable, but certainly not by the whomping willow and certainly not binded by invisibleropes.
"Oh well. that seems happy."
"Very. Listen, I need to go to the library. fetch me if I'm not around ten minutes before class, okay?"
"Fine, fine. Don't get lost in any books." Harry replied sarcastically. She grinned at him and drank a little orange juice, then gathered up her bag and stood. "See you then." She said as a farewell, then walked out of the Great Hall and headed toward the library.
Everyone was at breakfast then, so the light tip-tapping of her own steps resounded off the walls loudly. It was nerve wracking how quiet the corridor was. There was usually at least a few last minute stragglers running to catch some food. But not today for some reason. This Friday was oddly quiet, and quite frankly, Hermione had the urge to scream just to make it seem as though she wasn't alone.
"Hey Granger!"
She stopped abruptly. Someone called her, and she knew exactly who it was. 'All right Hermione, stay calm.' "Yes Malfoy?" she called in her most annoyed tone. "Don't sound too happy to hear from me, Granger. I wanted to. err. ask you a favor." He said as he made his way toward her. He stopped directly in front of her and looked to his feet. She arched an eyebrow suspiciously. "Oh.? What sort of favor?" she asked curiously.
"I don't want to shag you Granger, I just want your help."
"On what?"
Malfoy sighed heavily and tapped his foot impatiently. "I just want your help in. well, studying a little on a certain subject." She blinked in obvious confusion, so he growled quietly, then sighed. "IneedyourhelpinMuggleStudies." He mumbled quickly. She stood there with her mouth open slightly, furrowing her eyebrows. "What?"
"I-need-your-help-in-Muggle-Studies." He said through clenched teeth, looking to the ceiling. She knew what he wanted now; of course, she simply wanted to hear him say it clearly. "Malfoy, can you just speak normally? It's hard to understand what you're-"
"I NEED YOUR HELP IN MUGGLE STUDIES, ALL RIGHT!?" he yelled, his voice echoing a thousand times off the walls. She was sure the Great Hall had heard this announcement, and was slightly taken aback, but remained cool in her manner. "Uh huh, so you're just going to say 'I need your help' and assume I'll give it to you? No, no, Mr. Malfoy, ask. like normal people do." She replied coolly. He looked to the side and huffed quietly, shoving his hands into his pocket. "Okay, fine. Granger-"
"Ah, ah."
"FINE. Hermione, can you please help me with my Muggle Studies?"
"Oh. that's so nice of you to ask. Of course, Draco, I'll certainly help you." She said in a sarcastically sweet manner. "But I have a question. why are you taking Muggle Studies?"
"My mum wanted me too, so I did. being the wonderful son I am."
"Ah, I see." Hermione replied simply, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "So, give me a convenient time and place for you, and I'll certainly help you with it." She said with a smile. He sighed, looking a little relieved. "You'll seriously help me?"
"Of course. Unity of houses and what not."
"Okay, good. Then I'll say. midnight, on Thursdays and Fridays. err. in the Room of Requirement."
"At midnight? Merlins Beard, why so late?"
"I never sleep, so it's just a good time for me."
Hermione sighed. "Fine, Thursdays and Fridays in the Room of Requirement. We'll discuss how long, as in time per night and how many weeks tonight."
"Tonight!?"
"Yes, today's Friday. First lesson Draco. See you around midnight." She turned on her heel and walked away from him gingerly, feeling her stomach doing back flips inside her. "Gr-Hermione!" Draco called, sprinting towards her. She turned back to look at him, just as he approached her. "I just wanted to say. thanks."
"Not a problem. Just. be serious about this. Don't lure me there for something stupid, okay?" her superior guard let down as she had been thinking. He could've set the whole thing up, and then she'd be the laughing stock of the school. "No. I really need help with this. I'm not stupid enough to chase off good help." He flashed her a smile before turning on his heel and starting away. "Midnight!" Hermione shouted.
"Midnight!" Draco called back, then he turned the corner, and he was out of sight.
He watched her as she entered the Great Hall, to the left of Harry. 'Always to the left', Draco thought dully. She was smiling a dazzling smile; she had grown into her looks finally. He noticed this; he'd been noticing this. He watched as the trio sat down, Hermione by her lonesome, Ron and Harry next to each other on the other side. She quickly whipped out a book and set it on the table with an enormous thud that rang through out the Great Hall. It wasn't anything new, she always did that. "Draco, is something wrong?" asked a female voice to his left. He looked in the direction. Pansy Parkinson was looking worriedly at him. He smiled coolly. "No, just watching Dumbledore's pets. Why, something wrong with you?" he countered, arching an eyebrow. She blushed vividly. "N-no, you were just sort of staring so I assumed-"
"Ah well, there is your first offense. Never assume."
"Of course."
The power Draco had over people by mere logic and sarcasm was frightening really. Like Pansy, for example. All he had to do was look at her the right way and she'd wait on him hand and foot. He could make people think they're wrong, or that they were going to say something completely different. He could charm, he could scare. he could probably talk the Minister of Magic into resigning his post and allowing himself to take the place. He'd grown into a cunning linguist over the years, learning in large part from his father. Though he didn't need money as a power of persuasion, just his own knowledge and tongue. Draco sniggered to himself. 'Foolish people, they can't tell how easy it really is' he thought as he watched Pansy. She had gone back to her food, and when she had finally realized his eyes were on her, stopped to look at him. "Yes?"
"Have I mentioned how gorgeous you're looking today, Pansy?" he said, smiling his naturally tantalizing smile.
She blushed once more and hid her face. He leaned toward her and moved some of her hair aside, "accidentally" nudging her ear with his lips as he spoke softly, "Meet me in the common room before Lunch." Pansy gasped and nodded quickly then looked around guiltily before going back to her food. He stood up and smiled as he looked around. 'Like a snake to a snake charmer'.
Hermione watched Draco leave the Great Hall with a glare. But that was only the façade she put on in front of her friends. Her friends hated Draco Malfoy with an undying passion, and being loyal to them, she should have too. But she didn't, far from it actually. It was like an odd obsession she had with the "bad-guy". Maybe it was something like a change. Both her friends were always the good guys, always being noble and such. She liked it, of course, having such heroic people around her. But that didn't stop her from wanting someone. well. different.
She had been watching him since about the third year there, when she made skin-to-skin contact with him. Sure, she had slapped him across the face, but she had still touched him. Unnaturally soft skin against her hand, like satin on her fingers. She'd expected him to be rough, and hard. But he was like any other. only better. He hadn't always been good-looking. No, that had taken a couple years. But now. oh now, he was what every girl was looking at, if - of course - they weren't looking at Harry. She felt guilty for watching him as he walked in the halls in a supercilious manner, so proud and malevolent at the same time. He still wore his blonde hair slicked back like always, but he'd grown tall. maybe an inch or two shorter than his father. He'd grown into his looks, and had a slightly athletic build.
Hermione kept her eyes on the door after Draco left the room. "Hermione. what're you looking at?" a voice came from in front of her. She looked to Ron Weasley and smiled. "Nothing. Just wondering how Malfoy would look in a total body bind by the whomping willow." She lied. In truth, she had pictured him vulnerable, but certainly not by the whomping willow and certainly not binded by invisibleropes.
"Oh well. that seems happy."
"Very. Listen, I need to go to the library. fetch me if I'm not around ten minutes before class, okay?"
"Fine, fine. Don't get lost in any books." Harry replied sarcastically. She grinned at him and drank a little orange juice, then gathered up her bag and stood. "See you then." She said as a farewell, then walked out of the Great Hall and headed toward the library.
Everyone was at breakfast then, so the light tip-tapping of her own steps resounded off the walls loudly. It was nerve wracking how quiet the corridor was. There was usually at least a few last minute stragglers running to catch some food. But not today for some reason. This Friday was oddly quiet, and quite frankly, Hermione had the urge to scream just to make it seem as though she wasn't alone.
"Hey Granger!"
She stopped abruptly. Someone called her, and she knew exactly who it was. 'All right Hermione, stay calm.' "Yes Malfoy?" she called in her most annoyed tone. "Don't sound too happy to hear from me, Granger. I wanted to. err. ask you a favor." He said as he made his way toward her. He stopped directly in front of her and looked to his feet. She arched an eyebrow suspiciously. "Oh.? What sort of favor?" she asked curiously.
"I don't want to shag you Granger, I just want your help."
"On what?"
Malfoy sighed heavily and tapped his foot impatiently. "I just want your help in. well, studying a little on a certain subject." She blinked in obvious confusion, so he growled quietly, then sighed. "IneedyourhelpinMuggleStudies." He mumbled quickly. She stood there with her mouth open slightly, furrowing her eyebrows. "What?"
"I-need-your-help-in-Muggle-Studies." He said through clenched teeth, looking to the ceiling. She knew what he wanted now; of course, she simply wanted to hear him say it clearly. "Malfoy, can you just speak normally? It's hard to understand what you're-"
"I NEED YOUR HELP IN MUGGLE STUDIES, ALL RIGHT!?" he yelled, his voice echoing a thousand times off the walls. She was sure the Great Hall had heard this announcement, and was slightly taken aback, but remained cool in her manner. "Uh huh, so you're just going to say 'I need your help' and assume I'll give it to you? No, no, Mr. Malfoy, ask. like normal people do." She replied coolly. He looked to the side and huffed quietly, shoving his hands into his pocket. "Okay, fine. Granger-"
"Ah, ah."
"FINE. Hermione, can you please help me with my Muggle Studies?"
"Oh. that's so nice of you to ask. Of course, Draco, I'll certainly help you." She said in a sarcastically sweet manner. "But I have a question. why are you taking Muggle Studies?"
"My mum wanted me too, so I did. being the wonderful son I am."
"Ah, I see." Hermione replied simply, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "So, give me a convenient time and place for you, and I'll certainly help you with it." She said with a smile. He sighed, looking a little relieved. "You'll seriously help me?"
"Of course. Unity of houses and what not."
"Okay, good. Then I'll say. midnight, on Thursdays and Fridays. err. in the Room of Requirement."
"At midnight? Merlins Beard, why so late?"
"I never sleep, so it's just a good time for me."
Hermione sighed. "Fine, Thursdays and Fridays in the Room of Requirement. We'll discuss how long, as in time per night and how many weeks tonight."
"Tonight!?"
"Yes, today's Friday. First lesson Draco. See you around midnight." She turned on her heel and walked away from him gingerly, feeling her stomach doing back flips inside her. "Gr-Hermione!" Draco called, sprinting towards her. She turned back to look at him, just as he approached her. "I just wanted to say. thanks."
"Not a problem. Just. be serious about this. Don't lure me there for something stupid, okay?" her superior guard let down as she had been thinking. He could've set the whole thing up, and then she'd be the laughing stock of the school. "No. I really need help with this. I'm not stupid enough to chase off good help." He flashed her a smile before turning on his heel and starting away. "Midnight!" Hermione shouted.
"Midnight!" Draco called back, then he turned the corner, and he was out of sight.