Hermione turned to the next page in her Potions textbook, and then added a few more sentences to her essay. She was currently sat in the library at Hogwarts, finishing off her Potions essay. It was due in tomorrow. She'd finished it a few days ago, but had come here to look it over and change a few things. She wanted it to be perfect. She'd told Harry and Ron to come as well. They hadn't even started theirs yet. But they said they'd come down later, they had just started a game of Wizard chess. Hermione sighed in frustration at both of them, if they didn't study, then how did they expect to do well at the end of the year? Now that they were in sixth year, the teachers were giving a lot more homework. Hermione knew this was an important year for them all, which was why she was here in the library, but apparently Harry and Ron didn't understand that. They were seventeen now, they had to do well in their NEWT subjects so they could do well in the exams. However Harry was Professor Slughorn's star student, he would probably get full marks in his essay, whatever he wrote, and all because of that book. Hermione sighed, and looked around. The library was empty of students. It was only Hermione and Madam Pince in the library this evening. Hermione's thoughts were interrupted by someone entering the library, slamming the door behind them. Hermione was wondering who it was, when Madam Pince answered her question.
"Master Malfoy! This is a library! When you enter, please shut the door quietly behind you!"
Hermione heard Malfoy murmur something in reply. He was probably asking her if she knew who his father was or something along those lines. Hermione was chuckling to herself, when a shadow fell over her book.
"Granger. You wouldn't be laughing at me, would you?" Draco sneered.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "What are you even doing here, Malfoy? Did you get lost? This is the library." Hermione said, imitating Madam Pince.
A smile played on Draco's lips, before it disappeared and was replace by his usual sneer.
"I don't see how it's any of your business, mudblood." Draco replied, jumping to his favourite insult. Hermione ignored him, and carried on writing. Draco paused, then moved past her looking through the books in the Potions section of the library. Hermione watched him scour the rows of books, through the corner of her eyes, before she sighed. At least he was trying to do his homework, she should at least help him get on the right track, as a fellow student. He was at least doing better than Harry and Ron. He was in the library for a start.
"This is the book you want." She told him, gesturing to the one in front of her, without looking up.
"There's only one copy?" He asked, surprise in his voice.
Hermione nodded, still not looking at him. "We'll have to share."
At this point Hermione decided to look up and she saw the horror on his face, mixed with disgust. She sighed loudly, and rolled her eyes.
"Oh relax, Draco, it's just a book. It's not like I'm asking you to marry me."
The disgust on his face was replaced with resignation, and he sat down next to her.
"Not that I'd ever say yes." He said to her.
"Not that I'd ever ask." Hermione retorted. She looked at him and saw the ghost of a smile hovering on his lips. She turned back, smiling slightly. It seemed the arrogant Draco Malfoy had a sense of humor after all. She carried on writing, and heard him turn the page. She looked up, and turned the page back.
"What are you doing?" He asked her, irritation in his voice.
"I'm using this page." She replied, continuing to write.
"Well, I need that page." He shot back.
"Well, I need this page!" Hermione exclaimed, turning to face him. She suddenly realized how close they were sitting. She could feel his warm breath on her skin. He seemed to realize too, as he shuffled his chair backwards. Hermione looked up as Madam Pince appeared in front of their table.
"Miss Granger and Master Malfoy! This is a library! If you want to argue amongst yourselves, I suggest you go somewhere else! You are a disturbance!" She screeched.
"But there's no one here to disturb?" Draco frowned at her.
"Master Malfoy! How dare you contradict me! I –"
"We're sorry, Madam Pince. We'll keep it down from now on." Hermione cut in.
Madam Pince frowned at her, but then huffed and walked away.
"I didn't need you to do that." Draco said to her. "I was doing fine on my own."
"Maybe. But what you don't understand, Malfoy, is that this is a library!"
This time Malfoy grinned before he realized what he was doing. He quickly replaced it with a sneer, and reached out to turn the page again. Hermione sighed and let him turn it, she had almost finished anyway. She carried on writing. They worked quietly for an hour, and other than a few arguments over which page to turn to, Hermione gradually realized that she could tolerate Malfoy's presence, when he wasn't talking of course. Their silence was interrupted by the door to the library opening. Hermione heard two students entering, noisily.
"I let you win, you know." Ron commented.
Hermione heard Harry laughing loudly.
"If you want to tell yourself that, be my guest." He replied, still chuckling.
Hermione heard Ron grumbling about the unfairness of chess.
"This is a library." Hermione murmured to Malfoy, seconds before Madam Pince repeated it.
"Master Potter and Master Weasley, this is a library!" Madam Pince continued to screech.
Hermione chuckled, and turned to Malfoy. She was surprised to see him grinning, and she noticed he was a lot more handsome when he smiled. When he saw her looking, his smile vanished, and he continued writing again. Soon Harry and Ron found them.
"Malfoy. What are you doing here? Got lost trying to find your common room?" Ron mocked, making Harry grin.
"No, Weasley. Actually I was just leaving, see some of us have a life." Malfoy sneered.
Harry sighed. "Get out of here, Malfoy."
Malfoy turned to go. "My pleasure, I wouldn't want to hang around your mudblood friend any longer anyway." He scoffed.
Ron whipped out his wand, and within seconds Malfoy and Harry both had their wands out too. They held them out, glaring at each other.
"Apologize, Malfoy." Ron spoke quietly, but Hermione grabbed his arm.
"Leave it." She said. "Just go." She told Malfoy.
He snickered. "Is this what its come to, Weasley? Needing mudbloods to protect you?"
"That's it!" Ron roared, before he threw himself at Malfoy. They fell to the floor, rolling around. Hermione gasped. "Stop it! Just stop it!" She shrieked. Within seconds, Madam Pince appeared.
"Enough! All of you out! Now!" She thundered.
Ron stood up, and followed Malfoy, who had already stalked out of the library, taking the Potions book with him. Hermione sighed, gathered her papers, and left, followed by Harry. When they reached the corridor, Malfoy was nowhere in sight. Ron was waiting for them, looking sheepish.
"Thanks a lot, Ron!" Hermione groaned. "I told you to leave it!"
He shrugged. "He was asking for it. I just wanted to punch that smirk off his face."
Hermione sighed and started to walk away.
"Well, where are you going?" Ron called after her.
She held up her essay. "To finish this in peace. I suggest you make a start on yours!" She shouted back.
She paused. She needed that Potions book to finish her essay, and Malfoy had taken it with him! She sighed in frustration. Now she would have to find him, and who knew where he was? Well, she knew someone who would. She turned around, and walked back to Harry and Ron.
"That was quick." Ron said, grinning. Hermione glared at him.
Ron pretended to shiver. "If looks could kill…I'm sorry about getting you kicked out of the library." Ron said sheepishly.
Hermione sighed, and her glare vanished. She had no idea why she was so angry with Ron, he'd only been defending her. A small voice in her head spoke up. You're mad at him, because he interrupted you and Malfoy's quiet time. Hermione ignored the voice, it didn't know what it was saying. She hated Malfoy, and was glad they'd been interrupted. It wasn't like they were talking ayway.
"I need the Marauder's Map, Harry." She said. He took it from his robes and opened it up, saying the magic words.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He said, quietly. The map came into view.
"Why do you need it?" Harry asked.
"I need to find Malfoy, he has my Potions book."
Ron started grumbling as soon as she mentioned Malfoy.
Harry quickly located Malfoy, who was sitting outside in the grounds. Hermione thanked him, then swiftly went outside, and found him. He was sitting underneath a tree. He had his books spread around him, but he wasn't looking at them. Instead he had his eyes closed. Hermione paused, unsure whether he was asleep or not. She studied his face, he was breathing evenly but his face looked troubled. He seemed like he was under a lot of pressure. Hermione remembered seeing him in Borgin and Burkes, when he had been asking about something in the shop. He'd seemed confident then, but it was clear he had a mission. Hermione vaguely wondered what his mission was. She remembered Harry telling her how he'd been bragging about a mission on the Hogwarts Express. Somewhere deep inside her, she felt a pang of sympathy for him, looking at his troubled expression. She sighed inwardly. The boy who made all the wrong choices. Her thoughts were interrupted by Malfoy speaking.
"Granger. What do you want? Come to apologize about Weasley?" Malfoy asked, raising an eyebrow, without opening his eyes. Hermione stepped back, surprised he had heard her, then blushed realizing she had been staring at him. Then she remembered his eyes were closed, and she felt more confident. The sympathy she'd felt evaporated.
"Please. I would never apologize to you. Actually, I came to take back my Potions book." Hermione retorted.
"Your Potions book? I believe it belongs to the library." Malfoy shot back, his eyes flying open.
Hermione nodded angrily. "Yes, but I loaned it out, so technically it's mine for the moment."
"Then why did you let me use it, back in the library?" Malfoy asked.
Hermione hesitated, and Malfoy smirked. "Why, the great Hermione Granger has been rendered speechless." He said, sarcastically.
Hermione glared at him, then bent down and snatched the book from his lap. He stood up, quickly.
"Give it back, Granger." He said, quietly.
"No." Hermione replied, turning her back on him. She then proceeded to walk away. She heard him chase after her, he soon caught up, and walked alongside her.
"Give the book back. I need it." Malfoy ordered.
Hermione simply shook her head. "I need it too." She snapped.
Malfoy put his arm in front of her, preventing her from walking on. She sighed, irritated, and turned to look at him.
"I'm not in the mood, Granger. Just give it back." He growled.
Hermione stamped her foot, then realized how immature that made her seem, so instead she shook her head stubbornly. Malfoy's hands flew out and grabbed the book, she reached out to take it back from him, and their hands touched. Malfoy withdrew his hand sharply, disgust etched on his face. Hermione took the book, hurt clearly written on her face. She didn't know why she felt hurt, she knew Malfoy detested her. She detested him too. She'd just thought that after they'd spent that hour together in the library, he'd be a little less disgusted at her.
"Well, I take it this is sorted. You'd rather let me have the book than face the horror of having to touch me again, right?" Hermione said, sharply, her voice full of sarcasm. She turned and started walking away, her triumph over getting the book overshadowed with anger at Malfoy.
"Granger, wait." Malfoy called out. Hermione paused, but didn't turn around. She didn't want to see the look of disgust, that she was sure still remained on his face.
"Make sure you return it to the library." He said, imitating Madam Pince's screechy tone.
Hermione smiled, in spite of herself, but continued to walk away, while Malfoy watched her retreating figure, his own smile gradually fading.
Hey guys, this is my first Harry Potter fanfic, so when you review (because I know you're going to) ;) please be really lovely :) thanks for reading though!
