Disclaimer: I don't own the wonderful world of Harry Potter. I'm not that smart, or creative.
A/N: Ok. So this is my first story, and like I said it's not that original but I thought I'd try my hand at writing so any comments you could give me would be awesome. And this is mainly a test to see if writing could be one of my talents or if I should stick to reading and that's where you come in.
Hermione woke up to a light tapping coming from her door. She hurriedly glanced at the window to help her guess at what time it was. The only answer she got was that it was dark. With a small huff of disappointment and resignation, she pulled her covers off and quickly walked over to the door. She hoped that the consistent tapping noise wouldn't wake the rest of her roommates. Lavender would surely complain nonstop the next morning if her "beauty sleep" was interrupted. Hermione briefly considered waking up Lavender anyway in spite of her and then ditching breakfast the next morning, but quickly decided against it. She didn't want to punish everyone else in the process.
When Hermione opened the door, she was shocked to find a crumpled up piece of parchment, maybe it had once been a bird, ramming its self into the door over and over again. She reached out to grab it, but then it fell lifeless to the floor. She bent to pick it up and opened it.
Would you like to join me? At the usual place?
Hermione couldn't help the smile that found its way on her face. How long had she been sneaking out of her dorm to go spend hours with that boy? She didn't care to remember. She also didn't care to think about what people would say when they found out about her and Draco Malfoy. Her smile grew even bigger.
As she approached the library doors, she slowed down and tried to walk as silently as she could. Moments of catching Draco Malfoy off-guard were rare, but she treasured them. Peeking through one of the library windows, she could see him sitting on one of the tables. Silently she scoffed at his disregard for school property. But of course it's still Malfoy, she thought to herself.
She kept watching him for another minute. He looked so young, even though he had a bored expression on his face, or maybe that was why he looked so young. His usual smirk seemed to hold year's worth of practice and use. Hermione wondered what it would be like, always having to wear that façade and she pitied him for thinking that he needed to in the first place.
She couldn't keep herself from glancing at his hair. He always keeps it oiled and coifed perfectly, except for when they sneak out. Then he just lets it hang down, framing his face. Hermione always thought he looked even more handsome with his hair down. Then she looked at his eyes. They were gazing down at the table where he was drawing pictures in the dust. His gray eyes were usually bright and penetrating. But now his eyes were flat, unresponsive. He must be thinking, and she wondered what about.
Abruptly, Draco swept his arm across the table, wiping it clear of his dust drawings. Hermione figured it was time to go in. she crept back to the beginning of the hallway down to the library and took normal steps to the doors, opened them, and walked in.
***
Draco had just sent his enchanted bird up to Hermione's room. Hopefully she gets it this time. Blasted cat.
Draco let his feet carry him to the library. He didn't even need to think about it anymore. He smiled at that. Meeting up with Hermione after dark was the best part of his day, or night. And it had become so routine he could hardly remember when it wasn't like that. Well, he could, but he'd rather not. It was a miracle that Hermione had even agreed to that dare or that she continued to see him after the first night…
Draco wandered into the library. It had been ages since he had last been here. And he was only here now for that stupid charms essay. Twelve inches on the proper hand motions and incantations for the Episkey spell. What a colossal waste of time. He wasn't going to be a healer for crying out loud. If anything, he was going to be the reason people needed the Episkey spell in the first place.
He had just finished combing the first shelf and he rounded the corner to start on the other side when he saw Hermione seated at one of the tables. She had four piles of books stacked in front of her and a myriad of papers scattered on the table. He watched as she got up, still reading one of the books, and started walking towards the shelf he was standing by. He didn't step back or to the side; he didn't even move an inch. Instead, he let Hermione plow book-first straight into his chest. Her momentum carried her forward, squishing her face into the book that was pressed against Draco's chest. She bounced back and immediately became angry.
"What's wrong with you, you big oaf. Move next time." She bent to pick her book up from the floor where she had let it go when she used both hands to rub the pain out of her nose.
When she stood back up, Draco snatched the book out of her hands and said, "Hey Granger, I wasn't the one not looking where I was going because I was trying to read a book while I was walking." Draco briefly considered if his comeback was weakened by his convoluted sentence when he was interrupted by Hermione.
"Nice try, Malfoy. I saw you standing there for a whole minute."
Draco was taken aback for a second, She noticed that?, before he saw the flaw in her argument. "Well then, if you saw me, why did you try to run me over?" He added his signature smirk to add emphasis on his small victory.
Hermione flushed, but recovered quickly. "I thought you would have enough courtesy or some common sense to move out of the way. I'm sorry, it was silly for me to think you had any decency, let alone courtesy, and judging by your friends, we can add intelligence to that list, also. So yes, Malfoy, I should have been paying attention. To whom I had to deal with. Now, if you'll excuse me."
She turned and walked away before he could reply. He couldn't let her get away with that, No way is Granger going to show me up like that. For crying out loud it's Granger. Draco quickly ran the opposite way, towards the front of the library, and back up on the other side of the bookshelf. Hermione had walked faster than he had expected and they ran into each other a second time, except this time Hermione held the book at her waist sending it into Draco's stomach when they collided.
When Draco caught his breath back and Granger had picked up her books again, he announced, "I surround myself with idiots on purpose!" Granger just raised an eyebrow at him. He faltered for a second, then continued, "They do whatever I tell them to and I don't even have to pay them. What smarter reason do you need?" Draco shrugged nonchalantly to show how effortlessly smart he is.
"Malfoy, that doesn't show you're smart. It shows you're manipulative. Now leave me alone. I have better things to do, like studying." Hermione went to step around him but he blocked her way again with a counter side-step.
"Geez, Granger. Why do you always have to be the perfect teacher's pet? A goody two-shoes who always follows the rules? It's sickening. You are as boring as one of the professors."
Hermione just glared at him. "It would be an honor to be a professor, Malfoy, something you'll never have any idea about. And rules are meant to be followed, that's why we have them." Now she stared up at him with confidence and a little smugness. He had to do something about that.
"On the contrary, Granger, I think breaking the rules would be good for you." He paused. For dramatic effect, of course. "Granger, I dare you to break the rules."
She had just opened her mouth to reply when she was frozen by his declaration. She stood motionless, with her mouth still open, staring at him in shock.
Draco, sensing weakness, moved in for the kill. "I DARE you to break the rules tonight, Granger. You have to sneak out of bed after hours and break..in here. You have to break into your precious library." Draco smirked at her knowing that she couldn't refuse to complete a dare, her Gryffindor pride promised him that.
Hermione still didn't respond.
"Have fun tonight, Granger." Draco was almost to the door when Hermione finally came back to her senses.
"I'm not doing it, Malfoy! It's a trap; you'll have a teacher waiting to catch me. I'm not stupid. I wish I could say the same thing for you."
Draco turned back around. "There won't be a teacher there, promise." Then he winked at her just to cause her more distress later.
"I don't trust you, Malfoy. And why should I?" She was holding her books to her chest and biting her lip.
He laughed silently at her discomfort. "You can trust me. Or not. But I know you're going to do it, because if you don't you'll hate yourself for being such a coward. Besides, it's in your best interest to trust me." He gave her one last smirk and walked out the door.
…
Draco had no idea what made him stop that day in the library, what made him talk to Granger, and finally what made him dare her to break the rules. Something about Granger caught his interest. He didn't see her as the insufferable know-it-all, well not completely. But he saw her as a puzzle, a girl that was different and interesting and worthwhile to figure out.
Of course Granger showed up that night, in her pajamas and peaking over her shoulder constantly on the lookout for teachers or Peeves. He himself had broken into the library and sat at this same table to wait for her. She was the same shy, nervous Granger he had seen before, but as he assured her they wouldn't get caught, she confessed to him how invigorated she felt. He laughed. He told her about some of the nights he snuck out, how he would often go to the kitchens for midnight snacks. Hesitantly, he asked if she wanted to see the kitchens for herself. And was surprised when she assented. It was then, in the kitchens, eating ice cream sundaes, when he confessed his fascination with the "crazy, fearless" Granger.
Many nights after that, Draco would send notes inconspicuously to Granger asking her to sneak out and meet him. He was surprised when she would always come.
Draco's vision came into focus as he remembered what he was doing. Oh, yeah. Waiting for Granger. He glanced down at the desk and saw all over its surface little 'D+H's and hearts drawn in the dust. He wondered what kind of sissy his subconscious really was. Please, that garbage is only for infatuated girls. Before his common sense could filter the thought out of his mind, he thought about how much he wanted the silly idea of him and Granger together to be true. With mild disgust at his selfishness and daydreams he wiped the desk clean, pretending to instead wipe away thoughts of him liking Granger before they could mess anything up.