Knee Jerk Reaction by Luvscharlie


"I am just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her."-- Notting Hill.


"You have to stop this nonsense."

Draco looked up from behind his desk. Hermione was standing before him wringing her hands and awaiting a response. He'd never seen her like this. "What nonsense are you referring to, Granger?"

"Don't call me that. You know perfectly well what nonsense. You won't return my owls, you avoid me at the office, and yesterday you passed me in the hall and didn't even say hello."

"You're overreacting." Draco leaned back in his chair.

"I'm not. I won't do this anymore—this sneaking around and—and I admit, it was exciting at first, the air of secrecy about the whole thing, the knowledge that we might get caught at any moment, but no more. I'm done. I deserve a proper boyfriend. I won't be your dirty little secret anymore."

He grinned the half smirk that he knew irritated her. He did it on purpose. He'd never seen her so flustered. She was falling over her words; her eyes darting around the room and lighting anywhere but on him. He hadn't actually not returned her owl, but the silly thing must have gotten lost (she did have a way of picking rubbish pets) and he'd only actually received it the hour previous. He could clarify that the not speaking at work had been her idea, 'so no one would become suspicious.' For now, he'd play along. "So that's it then. No more dirty little secret, eh? We're through."

She bit her lip. He'd clearly caught her by surprise. "I—I guess we are." She turned on her heel and started for the door.

"Or…" He drew out the word and she stopped.

"Or?" she asked tentatively without turning around.

"Or I could shag you one last time on this desk, you know, for old time's sake."

"You bastard!" She spun back around, picked up a paperweight from the corner of his desk and lobbed it at his head. She was a better aim, apparently, when angered.

He clutched his head, blood spurting through his fingers. "I was teasing you daft bird! Are you completely insane? Of course, we don't have to keep it a secret any longer if that's not what you want."

She leaned over him attempting to staunch the bleeding with her handkerchief. "Well, you shouldn't be so bloody convincing. The story of my life," she muttered under her breath. "I finally get a proper boyfriend, and I murder him."

"You know, Hermione, that might well explain why the competition to date you is nonexistent."

"Shut it. Let's get you to St. Mungo's and see if the Healers can repair what damage to your brain I might have caused. We might see if they can fix your sense of humour while they're working you over."

Fin.

A/N: Originally written for the dramionedrabble 2009 Valentine's Fest where the prompt was "I am just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." from Notting Hill.