"Hey, Granger," Draco appeared at Hermione's shoulder outside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom and Harry and Ron instantly went to their wands.
He frowned at them and held out something to Hermione, "Thanks for the loan."
She took the quill he was offering and tried to send him an apologetic look, but he'd already turned away and entered the classroom.
"What the heck was that?" Ron demanded.
Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "I loaned him a quill, he wasn't about to attack me."
"When did you lend him a quill?" Ron looked like he was having a strange dream and couldn't wake up.
They entered the classroom and took their seats, "In the library at the weekend. He was studying and needed a quill, I leant him one, it's not exactly a big deal."
"Only a few years ago you punched him in the face!"
"Yes, because at the time he deserved it, but when he asked to borrow stationary I wasn't overcome with the same kind of rage. I can't think why."
Harry was picking up on her sarcasm and said to Ron "It is just a quill, leave it alone."
"It was just weird, him being nice to you."
"Would you have preferred it if he were horrible?"
"I would have preferred it if he hadn't spoken to you at all," Ron muttered and Hermione did roll her eyes.
Harry sighed, knowing they'd probably argue about this for days. He glanced across the classroom and caught Draco watching their argument out of the corner of his eye, he was trying to be sly about it, but he was definitely listening to Hermione and Ron bicker. When she finally had enough of his temper she snapped at him not to speak to her for the rest of the lesson, and Harry swore he saw Draco turn away with a smile.
He didn't have much time to think on it, because at that moment Snape entered the room and slammed the door behind him in his cursory way of beginning the lesson and a silence fell on the room. They were working on non-verbal spells so the lesson was mostly held in a frustrated silence with people screwing up their faces as they concentrated, but just before the bell Hermione successfully managed to summon a book from across the room without uttering a sound, and several Gryffindors let out impressed whoops.
Snape was instantly riled, "That is enough of your childish nonsense! This is a classroom, not the Quiddich pitch! Miss Granger, retrieve that textbook from the floor immediately."
Hermione did as she was told with a rush of heat in her cheeks and Harry felt his fists clench, if it had been any of the Slytherins who had successfully managed the spell then Snape would probably have given them fifty house points. The bell rang and the class was dismissed, and Hermione shoved her wand through her belt and left the classroom with an annoyed grimace.
In the corridor Harry caught her and tried to cheer her up, "Listen, Hermione you know what Snape is like. You're the first person in the year to manage a non-verbal spell without passing out in the attempt, and that's amazing."
She gave him a small smile, "Thank you Harry, where is Ron?"
They both turned and saw him stalking off down the corridor in the direction of dinner, "Of for goodness sake," she snapped, "He only returned a borrowed quill, honestly what is Ron's problem?"
"He's stressed," Harry tried to explain, "Quiddich practice hasn't been going that great and people are beginning to think I should have picked someone else."
"You mean McLaggen?"
Harry shrugged, "He's too arrogant if you ask me, and Quiddich is a team sport. Ron will get better, he's just putting himself under too much pressure."
She flicked her hair over her shoulder, a few strands getting stuck under the strap from her backpack, "Well I'm fed up of Ron only being nice to me when Quiddich is going well, it's hardly fair. Tell him he can apologise next time he saves a goal won't you?"
She turned and made to head back to Gryffindor Tower, her annoyance making her less hungry, only when she rounded the corner she bumped into someone.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked.
"You mean because my best friend is being an ass, or your head of house is biased and also an ass?"
He gave her a sympathetic look, "Both?"
"I'm fine, just annoyed."
"Are you not heading for dinner?"
"So I can sit and have Ron passively aggressively eat his next to me? No thanks, I thought I'd have an early night."
"You can't just sit by yourself in the Common Room all evening."
"Well I'm not in the mood to study."
Draco made a face, "Not in the mood to study? Are you feeling alright, Granger?"
She gave him a beseeching look, "I have other interests."
"Like what?" When had he taken a step closer?
She swallowed, "I like reading."
"That's pretty close to studying. What about art?"
"Oh no, I'm terrible at drawing."
"Music?"
"Never learned to play an instrument."
"Sports?
She laughed, "If you want to talk about Quiddich I will walk away right now, I get enough of that from Harry and the Weasleys."
"Then what do you like, Hermione?"
She cleared her through, "I like Astronomy- not just studying it, I like to look at the stars. If Divination wasn't such a con I would probably like the stories behind the Astrology side, but I just can't take it seriously. My dad used to take me to the Planetarium –a muggle thing- where you can view the stars. I also like to dance, but I don't think that's something I can really do at Hogwarts."
Draco laughed, "Not unless there's a secret disco we don't know about."
"Not that kind of dancing," she joined in his laughter, "I took ballet lessons as a child, I had to give them up when I came here."
"It sounds like you had to give up a lot to come here," he commented.
It wasn't something she liked to give much thought to, "Nothing is perfect," she said finally, "I miss my family and elements of my old life, but this one is much better…" she realised that he was staring at her, "You know… with magic and everything."
Draco leant against the wall, "I've never had a life without magic."
"It might do you good," she said dryly.
"Perhaps it would…" he mused.
They were left standing in a semi-comfortable silence, Draco leaning against the wall and Hermione only inches away, watching him with interest. She had never really studied Draco Malfoy before, usually she saw his sneer and turned away. Now she could see that he all the bearings of a high-born; sculptured cheekbones, a slim neck and delicate, winged eyebrows. He was pale too, chalky skin and platinum hair, he was almost like a ghost. And his eyes, that were staring right back at her, were like chips of flint, with just a hint of pale blue… he had moved off of the wall and was standing right in front of her, "I should probably go."
She nodded, suddenly unable to speak.
He brushed past her but before he disappeared he said, "That was really impressive today by the way, you really do put the rest of us to shame."
A slightly longer chapter today- I really am hoping that those of you reading and following (much appreciated) are enjoying this as much as I'm loving writing it. Would really love some feedback at this point. The pace of the story will have to pick up in the next few chapters so I hope it doesn't come across as rushed- but if there's anything that you'd like to see more of (or less of) let me know!
-H
