Hermione Granger has always been a clever girl. She would always seek knowledge despite her already brimming mind. The young fair witch always find solitude in the room filled with idea, philosophy, fact and wisdom that she could reach out everytime she wants too.
At times she is not visible near Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, it is a given she is in her comfort zone, reading away the time. She would always bring her treasure on a table she most likely claimed for her own as she always use it almost everyday and none have dared sit there except when they needed her which is very little possibility.
Hermione has a kind heart, she wants an equality in the wizarding world. Freeing elves from slavery, freeing a hippogriff from an execution, and teaching a giant human language, kind heart indeed but disturb her from her study and you'll get the sucker punch you never expect. During her third year in Hogwarts, a boy she never get along well has tried it, the punch, and he visited the hospital wing with a crooked nose.
He was a rich young lad raised in a family unfamiliar with her race, he was Draco Malfoy. Poor boy, ever since then he had avoided her though without any realization he became aware of her. In a crowded corridor filled with students changing classes, he could pin point her without a second glance.
And during their fourth year, at the yule ball, packed with men and women dressed elegantly. A girl in peri-winkle dress robes came down the stairs, if everyone's heart was caught in their throat, then his must have immediately flew to her. That night was a riot, her friends didn't recognize her at first yet him, her natural enemy didn't need any second glance. Well, how could he not when he goggled at her for a good few minutes, his partner, Pansy Parkinson was trying hard to cease his "daze-like state" as she describe it.
That's the moment he realized he might be in love with Hermione Granger, the girl he had been avoiding this past year.
Now that he have thought about it, why was he avoiding her? Certainly he is not afraid of her, her punch did hurt but he is a lot stronger. He wracked his brain with the question why, before he knew it, he was still avoiding her and it was already mid year of their fifth.
As usual, Hermione Granger was in the library, one would think she made a fort of books to hide at but of course, she is only light reading. It was 10 minutes before lights out when she snapped out of her immersion with Dancing with Dragons. She closed the book and stacked it with the others she took five hours ago, and with haste returned it at their proper shelves. Madam Pince, the librarian, would give out detention to those who does not obey her policy of returning books properly. But it is curious that her stock are now differently arrange from earlier, she shrug the thought off and mark it as cause of fatigue.
Everyday was the same, being caught up with her bestfriends hazardous adventure, and, or spending peace time on her own in the confinement of books. But it really was odd, rumors that she meet up with the blond ferret, Draco, was flying around the castle. If she was asked about it, she actually have not seen him outside classes. The Gryffindor have been protecting her against the other houses sneer since they knew that the boy was avoiding the girl. Poor bloke, they thought, falling in love with the other house's princess.
In the past few days, she holed herself up in the Gryffindor tower, another haven, safe from the other houses' tongue. But she can no longer hold off her trip to the library. The rumors died down quite drastically, avoiding public eye has paid off.
In the library, on the same table with her fort made of different books from last time, but every now and then she would reread a book or two. Most of her book this time are from the muggle section of the library. She was rereading a favorite book of her, engrossed with it, she forgot the time yet again. Packing her things, she took what books she want to read during the night and proceeded to returning the others she have already read.
But the next day, another wave of rumors washed her morning. It was the same stupid nonsense, her and him in the library together. It was so ridiculous. The other party was not affected and does not even bother denying it. This frustrate her even more.
But just to finish the rumors, she would once again, avoid the library, once she returned the book she borrowed yesterday, that is. After classes and dinner, she went to the library for a quick swap of book, she can just ask Harry to borrow for her in the next few days. She returned Don Quixote and took another muggle book, The Little Mermaid. She sat on her favorite spot and opened it. After a few minutes, she remembered she needs to tutor Harry and Ron, she peered above the book to look at the clock but then almost fell backwards. Beside her sits the other end of rumor, she wondered what despicable thing was the git planning. A few moments of observation, he was so focused at his assignments that he didn't notice he was being watched.
Finally, he was done with Professor McGonagal, the transfiguration teacher's six-inch essay, he looked at Hermione and found that she was still immersed with a book about that vile merpeople. He doesn't understand how she can be interested with the creatures that almost killed her just last year, so he took a mental note to read that book too. He quickly packed his things before she finish the book and take a leave as quiet as he arrived.
Hermione breathe a sigh of relief, she faked reading the book when she noticed that Draco was almost done. The rumor might be true if what she witnessed today happens every time. But why would he sit beside her when there are dozens of free chairs and tables, and even if he chose her table, there is 3 other chairs that is not beside her.
Another few days have passed since Hermione's last visit in the library but Draco kept sitting in the chair he usually take. At first, he just wanted to end his evasion and throw some insult that'll prove that he was really not scared and what he thought might be affection. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything rubbish, she laughed. A genuine smile across her face, while he was left standing there, love struck. Then he kept coming back, just sitting beside her, enjoying the laughter, the gasp and every emotion she make by the book she reads. Curiosity got the best of him, he started reading books from the pile she always bring. He was caught on her pace, soon it became a habit to visit the library half an hour past after dinner.
It was already the last day of school before returing home for Winter break, and the girl still haven't visited. During the time she is not around, he would read the muggle books she was reading before.
In their manor, there is very little amount of muggle book in their vast library, before he forgets it, he grabbed the book with little merpeople, he took his seat and begun reading. Somewhere in the story, he became hooked and was lost reading like in the other book he saw Hermione reading. She really has a good taste in books, he praised her mentally.
He closed the book with heavy heart, propped his elbow on the table and leaned his head against his hand. After a few moments of thinking, he sighed with frustration. Then he noticed, he was not alone, beside him was Hermione, silently reading. He was sure she wasn't there when he started reading.
He thoughtlessly watched her like he always do. He missed her. He will miss her. He was startled when she suddenly closed her book and stood up and made a bee line past him. But before she rounded the shelf, she half turned, smiled and said with a low mellow voice.
"Same time after vacation?"
And made her way out the library leaving the flustered boy speechless and in deep.
a/n: excuse my typo, my laptop is not yet fixed and i don't know it will even be fixed since i am a poor college student. I typed this in my phone and it was so hard T^T .
I am not dropping GPP, i'm fixing it little by little so it'll connect in the future chapters. Please be patient. In the meantime, i may write other one shots or stories, please still support me by reviewing. Thank you!
When i heard Alan Rickman's death, honestly, i felt a part of me died. Snape is one of my favorite character and he will always be Snape for me.
RIP Sir. You will always be loved.