A/N: This is a little oneshot I put together, just for fun. It takes place in fifth year with everything, more or less, how it was in the series. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: All rights to J.K. Rowling for content borrowed from the Harry Potter series.
Inquisitive
Draco picked up his pace when he saw a mane of bushy brown hair turn into the empty corridor ahead of him. She struggled with her overflowing book bag, and one side of Draco's mouth quirked up as she angrily shoved one of her precious books back into place.
"What did that book ever do to you?" he accused. As he expected she rose to the bait. She was almost as easy to bother as Potter and Weasley.
"Have you ever even picked up a book, Malfoy? She snapped, whipping around to face him. "Or do you just slag around with Parkinson while your daddy pays for your grades?" She adjusted the strap of her bag and moved past him. The comment about his father pissed Draco off, he worked hard for his grades, and he apart from Hermione he was top of their year. And what why would she bring up Parkinson, he thought as he stalked after her. He wondered if she was jealous, he hoped she was.
"Where's the Boy Wonder?" Draco asked as he caught up with her again, and was rewarded with her aggravated sigh. "And isn't the Weasel usually drooling after you like a lost puppy?" He could hear the bitterness is his own voice and almost regretting stopping to talk to her.
"They're out practicing for Quidditch, I suggest you try it some time. Or are you quitting the team after your team failed so spectacularly at your last match?" Hermione replied.
Draco was about to retort that he had caught the snitch, saving his team from an even more embarrassing loss, but the sharp clicking of footsteps silenced him. He could recognize the sound of Umbridge's footsteps a mile away.
Draco withheld a groan. If Umbridge caught him with Granger he would lose his position on the Inquisitorial Squad and who knew what ridiculous crime she would punish Granger for. His eyes fell on her small, delicate hands as he made his decision. He did not want to imagine how they would look scarred from Umbridge's 'discipline,' so to Hermione's surprise he grabbed her arm and yanked her in the opposite direction.
"Malfoy, what are you doing?" she snapped. Draco flinched at the volume of her voice tried to gesture for her to be quiet.
"Umbridge is coming," he responded, as he pulled aside the tapestry that he knew hid a secret room. "She's been trying to get you in detention for weeks." He pulled the door open and motioned for her to go ahead of him as he double checked the entrance to the corridor. The clicking was getting louder.
"I'm not afraid of Umbridge," Hermione retorted, still rooted to the spot, but he noticed her hand clench.
"You are so stubborn," he said, and losing patience, he shoved her into the room ahead of him. The door fell into place behind him, and they were encompassed by darkness. For the first time, Draco realized that he had not been in this little hideout since his second year, and it was much smaller than he remembered.
He could sense Hermione's closeness and felt his heart rate kick up. He could just register her form in the dim lighting and saw that she was awkwardly pressed into the wall. As far from him as was possible in the tight space.
The sound of footsteps grew louder and Draco knew Umbridge had turned down this corridor. In addition to her sharp steps, he could hear the muffle of several other pairs of feet. The rest of the Inquisitorial Squad must be with her, Draco realized and raked a hand through his hair in frustration. Umbridge might not know all the passageways and hideouts in the castle, but they would.
He heard a slight intake of breath, and his body turned to her automatically. Their eyes met and he raised a finger to his lips as footsteps got closer where they stood. He felt the warm air of her breath caress his neck as she exhaled and felt his body tense. At some point he had moved closer to her.
They heard rustling on the other side of the door as someone pulled back the tapestry. Draco waited holding his breath. If the person didn't know the tapestry was there, they would not be able to distinguish it from the rest of the stone wall. Draco's hope was short lived and he heard fingernails grate on the stone near the latch.
He turned back to Hermione's panicked expression, and did the only thing he could think of. Draco crashed his lips into Hermione's startling them both. He felt her sharp inhale just as the soft feel of her lips had penetrated through his brain. His hands found their way to her hips, and just as the door opened, Hermione caught on and tentatively placed her hands on his lower back. Light spilled into the room and Draco glanced over his shoulder, squinting to see who had caught them.
"What do we have here?" Blaise Zabini asked quietly, after quickly looking over his shoulder. Draco stood a little taller, to block Hermione from view.
"I didn't think I'd have to spell it out to you," Draco quipped. He purposely ran his hand down Hermione's thigh as he said so, letting his fingers linger on her bare skin, and drawing Blaise's gaze even further from her face. He felt her shiver at his touch, and hoped it was a positive sign.
Blaise checked over his shoulder again, smirking now. "Well, as a member of the Inquistorial Sqaud, Draco, you should be aware of the acceptable distance that must be maintained between male and female students." Blaise's voice dripped with sarcasm. His opinion on that particular rule was common knowledge. Draco returned his smirk, a little more confidant now. With a final glance over his shoulder, Blaise began to shut the door. "You owe me one," he hissed as it closed behind him.
As soon as the tapestry fell back into place, Hermione's hands fell away from him, and Draco reluctantly pulled his hand off her leg. He expected her to give him an ear-lashing about what had occurred, so he didn't move away, and prepared to shut her up if necessary. But Hermione surprised him, and moved in closer, to whisper in his ear, "That was really close."
Her lips had barely brushed his ear, but that combined with what she had said, made his body respond even more than their brief kiss had. "For the record," Draco said, his confidence back in full, "I'm usually a much better kisser." He saw her eyebrow's raise in surprise, and he moved forward more slowly this time, allowing her the chance to move away if she wanted.
He pressed his lips against her slowly, and deliberately, savouring the feel of her and yet wanting more at the same time. His hands found her waist again, and pulled her closer than before, so their bodies were aligned together in earnest. Her hands wove into his hair and she leaned even closer, pressing her breasts against his chest. Draco groaned into her mouth causing her to pull back and 'shh' him, reminding him that there were still people in the corridor.
He cupper her neck with his hand and moved his lips to her jaw, enjoying the sound of her laboured breaths. She pulled his mouth back to hers and her hand caught hold of his tie, holding him in place while she slipped her tongue into his mouth, thoroughly exploring it. After several blissful moments, she released his tie. At some point they had traded places, so that it was Draco against the wall. Hermione drew back.
"You can't tell anyone what just happened," she said firmly, looking him in the eye. Draco could have been offended by what she said, but he understood. If word of what had happened between them ever got out, the consequences for both of them would be unimaginable. He nodded his assent and was rewarded with the flicker of a smile. Then with a swish of her robes, Hermione slipped out from behind the tapestry.
Draco waited a moment before following after her. He kept his pace slow as he watched her mane of curls disappear at the other end of the corridor.
Draco had often wondered what it would be like to kiss Hermione Granger.
But he had never wondered what he would do if she kissed him back.
Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated. If you enjoyed this, I'm also currently working on a longer story called Till Death Do Us Part.
