Author's note: This is a collection of ficlets written for a livejournal Dramione Last Drabble Writer Standing competition that I won in 2008. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: JKR's, not mine.
The Allure of Libraries
prompt: Leather and Librarians
"I've figured it out."
At the sound of her boyfriend's voice, Hermione snapped upright. "Draco?" She rubbed her eyes. "What are you doing here? What time is it?"
Ignoring her, Draco continued. "You have a fetish."
She gaped at him before hissing, "I have a what?"
"A fetish."
"I do not! And keep your voice down, we're in a public library!" Hermione looked around, but the basement of the new Bathilda Bagshot Memorial Library was otherwise deserted.
"Exactly." Draco sat next to her. "Why else would you spend all your time here doing this-" he waved his hand at the parchment and leather-bound books stacked around Hermione "-when you could do it at home? I think you have a fetish."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, honestly."
Draco hid his smile. He never stopped marveling how long it had taken him to see how pretty Hermione was. Even with her disgruntled expression, her bushy hair pulled back in a Pince-like bun, and a crease on her cheek from falling asleep on her book, she was still the most beautiful woman Draco knew.
He continued his mock assessment. "The question now is what fetish. It couldn't be just for the books. Between your collection and mine, that's enough to satisfy anyone." She ignored him and propped a leather-bound book in front of her face. "Is it for the librarians? Because I did notice your new hair style." She shot him a deadly glare over ToServeMan:ElfCaseStudies, and he grinned. "No? Too bad." He paused and watched her read. Her fingers subconsciously stroked the binding. "Oooh, a leather fetish. Even better. Am I right?"
She became aware of her actions and slammed the book shut. "I do not have a leather fetish!"
"'First step to recovery' and all that..."
Hermione almost argued but found herself laughing instead. "You're mad."
"No, I'm worried." He was suddenly serious. "You're working too hard." He cupped his hand over the back of her neck and pulled her close to kiss the pink trace on her cheek. "Can't you come home?"
She wrapped her arms around him tightly and tucked her head under his chin. "Presenting to the Ministry is so huge, so much bigger than S.P.E.W., I just want it to be perfect. That's why I'm here," she kissed his throat, "-certainly not because of a leather fetish. I could work at home tonight, though."
Draco pulled his wand and sent Hermione's parchment sailing into her bag. "We'll make it just like the library," he said with satisfaction. "To make you happy, I'll even create a leather smell somehow."
Hermione took his hand and said casually, "You could always wear leather trousers. That would make me quite happy."
"I thought you said you didn't have a leather fetish."
"For you, I could develop one."