Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Authors note: Reveiw, please! I love constructive critisism :)
Summary: Hermione finds her best friend sitting down by a river, "thinking about nothing". But what on earth is that supposed to mean? And exactly where will her non-thoughts take her?
Thinking About Nothing
Hermione approached the blonde boy quietly, her steps making virtually no sound against the soft mud of the bank. He was sat on the very bottom stone stair, his bare feet hanging in the water. They moved slowly with the current, and the gentle rush of water was the only sound. It was so peaceful, so relaxing. The perfect place to study, Hermione thought, making a mental note to bring her books next time.
"What are you doing?" She asked him, startling the boy in the silence. He looked up at her and immediately smiled - not the usual sneer he wore publicly every day, but the real, day-brightening smile he reserved for only his best friend.
"Hey, Hermione." He greeted her as she approached, descending the stairs towards him. He watched her remove her trainers and socks before planting her feet beside his own in the water. Her smile matched his, and her chocolate eyes sparkled brightly.
"Hey there, stranger." She grinned. Draco laughed, taking her hand in his. They hadn't been able to talk for a while, as they had to keep their friendship a secret if she and Draco were to remain safe. Because of this, they were forced to keep up the facade of total detestation, throwing disgusting insults at eachother in the halls of Hogwarts.
"This is a new place. I've never seen it before." She smiled at Draco, a teasing light in her eyes. "It's a good thing I perfected that tracking spell last summer, or I might have had the worst summer without you. You would've been here the entire two months, wouldn't you?" They laughed for a while before Draco replied.
"I probably would've, but not alone. I'd need to have you with me, Hermione. I don't do lonely well." He smirked, but as he thought about something, it fell slightly. He repaired it before she could notice, turning his worry into a joke instead. "I mean, you obviously would've come with me. I'm too wonderful to resist."
Hermione poked her tongue out at him, nudging him with her elbow before relaxing into him, laying her head on his shoulder. Her eyes closed at the peace away from motorways and loud crowds.
"I would've you know. If you asked me." She swore she felt Draco's shoulders shrink, as if they had been tense. Eyes still closed, her brow furrowed in blind confusion.
"Of course you would." He responded. She could practically hear the smirk and rolling eyes.
"You know, you never answered my question." He hummed quietly in response, encouraging her to go on. "What are you doing?" He seemed to wonder about it for a while before he finally responded.
"Thinking." He decided. Hermione waited for further explanation, but received none. She opened her eyes to watch the water running between her toes.
"About?" She probed. He shuffled to look down at her, and she glanced up to see the "best friend" smile on his face. Oh, how she loved that smile.
"Nothing." He claimed.
"Thinking about... nothing." She repeated. She felt him nod. "Because that makes so much sense." Draco laughed; a strange sound, as if she were a child that would struggle to understand the complexity of the simple situation.
"It's very effective. Brings your attention the things that really matter in life." He watched her reaction (another furrowed brow) out of the corner of his eye, before adding, "you should try it sometime."
"Teach me." She demanded. Draco chuckled, before wrapping an arm around her shoulders to bring them closer. She wondered if his heart stuttered as hers did.
"Well, it's easier of you focus on one thing you can see. A tree, for example. The water, or a rock perhaps. Take your pick." Hermione immediately glanced down at the river, seeming to almost instantly zone out. "Good. Now just think about the details of what you see, until you simply stop thinking altogether. Soon enough, random - though important - thoughts will start steadily filling your mind. Try it." He insisted.
As she followed his instructions, Draco chose to focus on Hermione. He mentally traced the bounce of curls that fell over her shoulders and down her back. He tried to define the exact colour of her beautiful eyes. He counted every individual long eyelash. Eventually, he found himself staring longingly at her rosy lips that were pouted in annoyance, and shook himself from his trance as she stood up, frustrated.
"I can't do it! I tried, and I just can't!"
"Hermione, it doesn't happen instantly!" Draco laughed at her impatience. "It takes time, and you need to relax!" She just glared at him, before storming up the stone steps and back the way she had come. Draco shook his head in amusement, staring back at the water. But every time he lost focus and his thoughts drifted, Draco had to shake them away from a certain beautiful bruntette.
A week later, Draco was heading back to the river. He was just about to head down the steps when something stopped him. He ducked behind the nearest tree and just watched, silent.
There was Hermione, waded into the middle of the river and waist deep in the clear water. Only, her clothes were in a pile at the bottom of the steps. It appeared she was taking a bath, in a place she clearly thought no one but she and Draco knew about (which would be true). Unfortunately for her, though, she seemed to have not taken into account that Draco could stop by at any moment, and was now transfixed by the rare beauty before him.
He felt like an inexperienced child, seeing a woman for the first time. The tingles of excitement that seeing his best friend sent up his spine were thrilling. Nobody could deny she was beautiful. The most beautiful, in Draco's opinion. His best friend - only he had been thinking of her differently recently. In a way he wasn't entirely sure she wanted to be thought about by him.
Shaking himself out of his stupour, Draco reluctantly tore his eyes away from the naked goddess.
The loud crack startled Hermione, and she jumped around with fear written on her face. When she could see nothing, however, she put it down to a rabbit or bird stepping on some twig. She never even considered how strangely similar it sounded to the crack of somebody dissaperating.
When Draco returned again the next day, he was secretly hoping that he would find her in the same position. Thoughts of her had kept him up all night, but at the thought of witnessing it once more, he was brightly awake.
To his slight dissapointment, however, rather than a naked Hermione, he found a fully clothed and relaxed yet equally beautiful Hermione. She was sitting in much the same position as he had been when he had first been found, and he jumped down the steps to sit beside her.
"What are you doing?" He asked her, curious.
"Thinking about nothing." She immediately replied.
"Ah, so you finally got the hand of it then," he smirked, thoughts of her naked body leaving his mind for the minute, "told you you would." She smiled at him briefly before returning her attention back to the water. Feeling oddly lonely, Draco moved to sit behind her. One leg hung either side of her own, his arms wrapped around her delicate waist and his chin rested on her shoulder. He closed his eyes in the bliss of being so close to the woman of his dreams.
"I love you." She suddenly blurted. Draco's heart stuttered pathetically before he regained composure. He unconciously pulled her tighter into his chest.
"Of course you do." He teased lightly, "I'm your best friend - I'd be offended if you didn't."
"That's not what I -" She sighed in exasperation. "Draco, you told me that when I thought about nothing, it would bring important matters to my attention. You're right, and I've realised a few things lately. And one of them," she breathed in deeply, and felt Draco tense behind her. She tried not to melt in the pleasure of being in his arms. "And one of things I've realised," she repeated, "is that I am completely in love with you, Draco Malfoy."
Immediately, Hermione found she was spun around and kissed furiously by the very boy she had just proffessed her love to. He was showering her with passion and pleasure, and Hermione found herself falling apart in his embrace. When he finally pulled away, they were both panting.
"You have no idea how glad I am you realised that." He admitted, before kissing her again.
"Do you mean that-" She didn't get a chance to finish before he interrupted.
"Yes. My God, do I love you." He confessed, before laughing. Now was a better time than ever to bring it up, he decided. "Who wouldn't love you?" He asked, honestly baffled, "you'd infatuate anybody who saw you naked - I'm not the only one."
As Hermione just looked up at him with wide eyes, filled with an amusing mixture of shock and embarrassment, Draco simply laughed before pulling her into another adoring kiss.