Hermione found herself lying awake for hours later that night, unable to sleep and contemplating those last few moments with Malfoy again and again. She dissected, with an almost distant cruelty, each action and glance that he made and her own reactions and feelings towards this. Why had his last glance unsettled her so much? She felt as if at that moment, his eyes were looking at something more than her. Something within her, as if he was looking for something in Hermione that she had no idea she even had. His glance was piercing to say the least.
Hermione did not delude herself on any romantic notions. Sure he was attractive; any girl with a pulse at Hogwarts would acknowledge that. And already, Malfoy was garnering himself a reputation of sorts within and without the school.
"Fancies himself as something of a modern day Casanova does he?" Hermione snorted. It was true that Malfoy treated the girls that he was with as mere playthings, and yet most girls would be happy to be treated like that if it meant that they could be with him, if only for a few sordid hours. But Hermione was not one of those girls.
"It must be his arrogance, his confidence that girls are attracted to" Hermione reasoned to herself, at a loss at who could possibly not be repulsed by the superiority complex he obviously has. And yet the change in him, only today, was unlike anything she had ever seen from him. First the small, careless, almost insignificant favour that he rendered to her, then the guileless apology and then the compliment? Then there was that look that bothered Hermione so much. Lost in a turmoil of emotions, Hermione conceded to herself that it must be her lack of sleep and rush of hormones that prompted her reaction, as she fell asleep in the early hours of the morning.
"Hey, what did you two get on that question about the Floating Charm? I said that it was due to the difference between the mass of the object and the upward force of the water that caused it to react that way. But then Parvati said that it was due to the difference between the downward force of gravity, not the mass of the object, and now I'm scared that I might be wrong" Hermione was found to be complaining anxiously later on that afternoon to Ron and Harry.
"First of all, you're Hermione and your knowledge pretty much trumps anyone's in the class, especially Parvati's. And secondly, even if you got that wrong, it was only worth, what, half a mark?" Ron asked Harry exasperatedly who nodded in weary amusement. "So you have nothing to worry about."
"Oh yes, but -" Hermione continued to fret.
"But nothing Hermione!" Ron interjected with some annoyance which caused Hermione to continue fretting in silence.
Throughout dinner, Hermione continued to ambush anyone who would listen about the Charms Quiz of the day.
Finally, during dessert, Hermione abated all discussion of the earlier Quiz which Harry and Ron decided to reward her with their conversation again.
"So Hermione, going to help us out with that Potions essay tonight eh?" Ron asked roguishly with a small wink. Unfortunately, this did nothing to soften Hermione up or lessen her next tirade.
"Honestly, Ron, we're supposed to have finished that for tomorrow, don't tell me you haven't started it yet?"
"Yes, I have but, Quidditch – " Ron tried to explain incoherently.
"But nothing Ron!" Hermione echoed his earlier words. "I've already finished it and will be off working on Professor Lanselius's scrolls tonight."
"Oh yes, I forgot, back to your precious scrolls, working with your precious Malfoy. Just exactly what do girls see in that little ferret anyway?" Ron argued angrily.
This seemed to have touched a nerve with Hermione who went deathly silent before her shaking hands quickly packed her things away. She gave Ron a hateful stare before running off abruptly with tear-filled eyes.
"Okay, things were going so nice and friendly between you two for once. And then you had to go and open your big mouth" Harry said exasperatedly.
Ron sat there at a loss for words.
"What was that?! She spends almost every night in the Library with that little creep."
"So? Hermione and more homework, it's like a match made in heaven for her. What's getting you so worked up?" asked Harry with concern.
"Well, the fact that she and Malfoy have been working together for months and neither of them have been cursed into an oblivion for a start" Ron explained angrily.
"Yes" said Harry slowly as if explaining something to a small child, "and that is a good thing."
"I don't know, something just doesn't seem right" wondered Ron.
Harry could only shake his head, bemused at how two of his best friends could spend most of their time at each others' throats.
Impatiently brushing her tears away, Hermione made for the Library, forcing the oncoming ones down with a massive force of will. She had no idea what had made her overreact in such a way. Really, if she went back to the conversation, Ron hadn't said anything as horrible as he usually did. Perhaps she was tired and that was why she was so on edge tonight. And after the stressful quiz and getting nowhere with the Scrolls, who could blame her for her emotional outburst? In any case, she would go and apologise to the boys tonight. Feeling better already and almost a little embarrassed, a wicked thought decided to surface its ugly head at that moment.
"What if Ron was just a little too close to the mark? Maybe you do enjoy working with Malfoy alone into the late hours of the night."
"Rubbish" came the rational part of Hermione's mind. "I just like discovering the wonders of ancient texts. Can't you just leave it at that?"
"Perhaps. Although Ron's earlier statement would explain what you felt last night"
Hermione's rationality had no reply to this as she was already in the room and Malfoy was already working there as usual. "Honestly, does he ever eat dinner if he can get here so early?" Hermione wondered to herself. This time, however, instead of making straight for her chair, Hermione stumbled over to the couch and lay onto it, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes.
"Tired?" came the curious inquiry from Malfoy.
"You could say that" Hermione said before yawning.
"Late night studying?"
At this, Hermione was glad that she was lying on the couch and therefore not facing Malfoy for her face had reddened quite obviously.
"Something like that" came the mumbled reply.
"Not that it mattered I'm sure. I knew you'd ace it anyway." Malfoy said lightly.
"And how exactly would you know that Mr Malfoy?" asked Hermione mock-indignantly. Hermione rose up to kneel on the couch and face Malfoy who had a small smirk on his face with his eyes lighting up mischievously.
"Oh yeah, like you didn't check for the answers during dinner in the textbooks" teased Malfoy.
Stumped for a reply to this, for it was true that she had been sneaking glances at The Standard Book of Spells Grade Seven, during the roast beef, Hermione looked away in playful outrage. But looking back at Malfoy made her heart beat faster, in as may hours, as what was unmistakably lighting up his face was none other than a smile. A true, genuine smile of laughter and joy – not a sneer, or a smirk or a malicious grin. His joy was infectious as Hermione could only laugh and smile at him in return. It was strange, the way his features changed so drastically when lighted up like that. It was as if every horrible thought of envy, malice and cruelty was stripped away to be replaced by something carefree and happy. Hermione found herself wondering at this, but then his face changed abruptly back into the distant and sombre expression it now mainly partook in when in this room.
"I made Malfoy smile" wondered Hermione as she stood up and made her way to the worktable. "This is either going to be very interesting or disturbing."