Chapter 10

Draco's POV

I took my usual seat by the window when I entered the Runes classroom. Surprisingly, Hermione was not there yet. I sighed in relief, because I needed a moment to collect myself before she arrived. I had been preparing all day and night for this. I needed to confront her and tell her we needed to stop this nonsense. I started it, I needed to finish it, because I knew, if I let it go any longer, I would be trapped without escape. I had to admit to myself that I did start to care for the little Gryffindor bookworm, but it wasn't too late. I could still detach myself from her, I could still listen to Snape and do the right thing, the obvious thing, the thing I was meant to do the whole time. I just needed to let her go. Easy.

I felt her sit down next to me and tensed up. I cleared my throat, preparing myself to talk to her, but at that second her devilish scent came rushing towards me like a storm and I was only able to close my eyes, inhale deeply and drop my head on my hands.

"Are you okay?" She asked and I groaned in frustration, nodding. I didn't lift my head for several seconds; I didn't want to see her because it would make everything much more difficult. She inspired a raw animal instinct within me, and once those luscious lips smiled at me, it would be impossible to stop my thoughts. I would go from seeing her there next to me to imagining my hand between her thighs and my mouth on her neck within seconds.

When the lesson started I looked straight ahead and made my best effort to ignore her questioning eyes on the corner of my sight. It wasn't until I started taking notes that I noticed her eyes weren't on me. Perfect. Now I could focus again on my speech.

All air left my lungs when I felt her warm and soft hand sitting atop of me knee under the desk. This witch was going to kill me. She was going to be the death of me.

I cleared my throat again, trying to get my point across but that only made her move her hand higher up my thigh. Fucking hell. I never thought after our encounter last night when she devoured me like a prey, she would still feel this much need to touch me. The thought excited me and filled me with emotion and pride, but it was going to make things so difficult.

I turned my head slightly towards her and noticed she was smiling sheepishly and writing with her other hand, apparently not paying attention to my confusing struggle.

That was it. I knew I wouldn't be able to face her and tell her I needed to stop seeing her behind closed doors. Tell her I needed to stop kissing her lips, touching her hair, feeling her skin on mine. I needed to stop pretending she was mine, but I couldn't do it with her hand halfway up my thigh and a smirk on her face. So I decided to write to her instead.

I forgot about my notes and started using my parchment to communicate with her. In runes, because somehow it felt right…like a sort of tradition even thought it had only happened once before. Like it was ours.

"Could you please take your hand off my leg?" I passed the parchment to her without looking and she took it silently. I heard her writing and after a few moments handed me the parchment back.

"Why? Is it distracting you?" I sighed and replied.

"Yes, Granger. It's bloody distracting. It needs to stop," She smiled while she read my response and I knew I needed to be more direct than this.

"Oh don't be such a baby it's just a hand," She wrote.

"No. I mean everything, this thing with us, it has to stop," I braced myself before I passed her the parchment and tried my best not to look at her to see her reaction, but it was impossible and I noticed her body tense up at my words. She removed her hand from my leg and placed it on top of the parchment and began to write.

"Why? It is because of what Snape said? He's not that serious, is he? We're not doing anything bad, Draco," I bit my tongue and tried not to think of all the ways in which this didn't feel bad at all, but would still turn into something terrible when the time came.

"It doesn't matter. It's fucked up and I don't want it anymore. So we're stopping,"

It was her turn to bite her lip while scribbling her reply.

"I don't believe you. You wanted it yesterday, what changed? Did he say something else to you? Snape can be very intimidating, but he was no right to intrude in your life,"

"You don't understand, Granger, so quit it. Just leave me alone from now on,"

She didn't reply for a long time. I almost thought she wouldn't at all, but eventually she sighed and began to write.

"Draco, please let me help you. I don't know what's going on, but I know I can help," After I finished reading I felt her hand again on my knee. I turned my head completely around this time, staring at her eyes as she stared into mine, with a soft smile on her lips. I swallowed hard and placed my hand over hers. She smiled wider. I smoothly pushed her hand away from me and returned my own to the spot where her hand had been. Her smile faltered and instead her lips where a thin line. She turned to face the front of the class but I couldn't tear my eyes away. It was only when her big eyes started to get red and watery that I was able to close my eyes and drop my head, silently scolding myself. Silently hating myself. Silently asking for her forgiveness.

I lived my days according to a very detailed plan on how to avoid her. I sat myself on a different side of the Slytherin table so I wouldn't face her. I took different routes to all my classes, even though it took much longer. I took a new seat in the Ancient Runes class. I even avoided the library.

It had been just two weeks since I told her to leave me alone. And she had. Somehow, I half expected her not to follow my request. I thought her inner fire wouldn't take no for an answer, and I secretly wished she wouldn't. But again, against all odds, she had taken me by surprise and I hated how much more that made me like her. She was unpredictable in the most delectable way, and I was weaker than I ever thought. For two weeks I felt like I would crumble any second, like I would crack and run to the Gryffindor common room, and beg her to take me back.

But I knew I only needed more time. More time without her hair, back, legs, cheeks, lips, hands, eyes, voice…or bloody scent. And maybe I could be normal again…maybe I could survive Hermione Granger.

I worked very hard with Snape, trying to drain my body of magic in every session, trying to keep up with him.

"I have noticed your appearance the last few weeks has not improved at all, Mr. Malfoy. If anything, it has gotten worse. Care to tell me the reason? We seem to have made an awful lot of progress; that should make you feel better. Some might even say…proud," Snape questioned me in his disturbingly deep voice and I shrugged.

"There is no reason. It's just the way I am," I replied and he nodded.

"So I take it you have followed my advice from the other day and stopped nonsense that was going on with Miss Granger. Correct?"

I only shrugged and tried not to think about it. The mere mention of her name brought a thousand flashing images in my head, both real memories and day dreams.

"You do know she's not right for you? Or rather…you're not right for her. You would only hurt her, Mr. Malfoy. Trust me," At his words I looked up at him. His eyes were tired and sad, not angry like usual, and his posture had dropped slightly.

"How could you possibly know that? You don't know her. You don't even know me," I snapped, angered by the prospect of her being too good for me.

"Oh, but I do. I know you both too well. Tell me, how were you planning on letting her know about your interest in the dark arts? How were you going to show her this?" He motioned with his wand towards my left forearm and poked me there. I winced and he continued, eyeing me down, his face almost touching mine.

"How were you going to face her, after all this time of sneaking around in secret, and tell her that you're a Death Eater who could never possibly be with a mudblood?"

I immediately took a step back and drew my wand out, pointing to his chest.

"Stop," I demanded and he laughed darkly.

"What a poor idea, Mr. Malfoy. Please lower your wand, I am only trying to help you,"

"You don't know me. You don't know the situation!" All my sleepless nights and frustrations were catching up to me.

"I understand more that you would even believe. I know how this ends,"

"No you don't!" I screamed, my voice raw. "You have no idea! I am nothing like you. I don't have interest in the dark arts, I didn't choose to have this burned on my arm!" I rolled up my sleeve to display my dark mark. "And I do not think she is a mudblood, so shut up before I make you!" I pointed my wand at him again and he didn't move. Didn't even flinch.

I was breathing hard and before I knew it, I had lowered my wand. We stayed in silence until my breathing evened out. His eyes weren't tired and sad anymore, but seemed more alive than before. Even hopeful.

"Perhaps this was enough for today. I will contact you for further sessions. Good evening, Mr Malfoy," He spoke as he strolled past me and left the Room of Requirement.

I slept there that night. Curled up in an old sofa, wiped out by fatigue and sadness.

The next day I woke up in a haze, blinded by the strange brightness that filled the room. I was used to waking up in the dungeons, with barely any light or warmth, but the Room of Requirement had giant windows that made my eyes hurt.

After finding the strength to sit up, I rubbed my temples and tried to focus my eyes. I would probably be late for my first class, but at least I had finally gotten some sleep.

I stood up to pick up my things and there was a note rolled on top of my bag. I took it and started reading with a frown.

"Mr. Malfoy, I need you to pick up some books for our next meeting. You will find them in the Restricted section of the library. Be there after dawn, when everybody else has left, I have patrol duties tonight so I can't join you. The password is SCRIPTOR. You will find the names of the books in the list below. Please dispose properly of this note."

No signature, but it wasn't needed. There was a list of 6 books, so I decided to get rid of the note later, after finding the books. I couldn't memorize all those names. I folded the note neatly and placed it in my pocket before grabbing the rest of my things and heading out.

I thanked Merlin tonight was not perfect Hermione's night to patrol the third floor; otherwise I would have to face her on my way to the library, and I didn't think I had the strength to walk away from such a familiar situation. Her and I, in the library, it just felt right in every way, like we belonged there somehow. I knew she always felt like she belonged in the library, but I had never felt I belonged anywhere, much less a school like this.

But this was okay. This was the way it was supposed to go.

I stood in front of the door to the Restricted Section and whispered.

"Scriptor,"

The door creaked open and I slipped inside, immediately casting a "lumos" and taking out Snape's note from my pocket. I needed to get this done as fast as possible.

As soon as the door closed behind me I heard a loud click and another illuminated wand appeared in front of me. I jumped and cast a wordless shielding charm. The other person was sent flying backwards until they knocked a book shelf. A feminine voice screamed.

Hermione.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I yelled as I walked over to her.

"Me?" She replied, trying to stand up from the mess of books "You're the one who attacked me!"

"I was just protecting myself; I thought you would attack me. Is not my fault my spells are that strong," I offered her my hand and she took it, standing up.

"Why would I attack you?" She asked, straightening her clothes. It reminded me of when she did that after we finished fooling around.

"I didn't know it was you. You scared me,"

"I'm not surprised. Since when do you know wordless magic?"

I stared at her and couldn't help a smirk forming on my lips and she rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing here anyway? It's after hours and you haven't been coming to the library," She asked, cocking her hips to the side and folding her arms I front of her.

"What are you doing here? It's after hours for you as well; you're not supposed to be patrolling here," I retorted.

"Well…prefects are allowed certain privileges…but it doesn't matter, I asked you first,"

"That's not true, I…" I started but then reconsidered my question "How do you know I haven't been coming to the library?"

Her eyes widened slightly and the came back to normal. "Well, you know I fancy this place, so I've noticed you haven't been around,"

"You've been waiting for me to come around, haven't you?" I asked, looking hard into her eyes this time, even though I already knew the answer.

She hesitated for a second and the sighed "Seeing as you have been avoiding me at all costs, I thought my only option was to wait at one of your usual places to try to talk…it took longer than I expected," She admitted and I smiled to myself because…bloody hell she had waited for me for weeks.

Bloody hell.

"Well, I'm not here to talk to you, so I'm sorry your wait was unsuccessful. Excuse me," I tried to walk past her but she grabbed my wrist and pulled me backwards.

"Granger! I'm serious. Let me go!" I snapped but she wouldn't budge.

"No! I'm trying to talk to you, and you're going to listen!" She yelled back and I had to close my eyes because seeing her this mad made me want to shut he up with my mouth. I had to be strong.

I quickly pulled my hand back in one smooth movement and left her standing there with her mouth open.

"Don't ignore me!" I heard he yell again from behind, but I was already where I needed to be. I pulled the list from my pocket and memorized the first two books.

"I'm still going to talk, whether you like it or not," She stomped all the way next to me, but I simply continued finding the books.

"I honestly don't understand why you did what you did the other day, and I just want to say that if Snape is involved in any way or form, you're a complete and utter idiot, because there would be nothing anyone could tell me that would stop me from seeing you, because it is my decision. For a while I thought you felt the same way, because you said you had nothing to lose anymore. Were those just empty words, Draco? What the hell have we been doing? Were you just trying to shag me all this time? And now you gave up because it was taking too long? Is that it?"

She said all of that really fast, and her voice cracked in the last sentence. My brain was getting fuzzy from all this information and I needed to swallow hard and concentrate not to turn and see if she was crying. I wanted to assure her it wasn't like that, I wanted to hug her and tell her that I didn't care about sex anymore. There were things so much bigger in my life, and she had no idea.

She placed her hand on my forearm. My left forearm. She didn't know it, but she was touching my dark mark. Her pure and lovely hands over something so ugly. Over my doom.

"Alright. If this is how you want things to end, fine. But I just have one more thing to say, and then I'll be gone, if you want," Each word stung like a needle in my skin. This was it, after this she was going to be out of my life forever, and I couldn't do anything about it. Not if I wanted to live to tell the tale.

"I know, Draco. I know you're doing something…something dangerous. And I just want to tell you that…I really wish you'd stopped before you hurt yourself. There is always something to do. And I could help you. Anytime you want. Even if this ends now, you can always ask for my help,"

Her voice was quivering and she took her hand away from my arm. I felt her walk away and my insides tightened with every step.

"Wait," I heard myself say, and she stopped. I turned around and choked back tears, because she couldn't leave now. There was so much to say.

She looked straight at me with big, watery eyes, making my heart stop.

"What do you think you know?" I asked, and she slowly approached me, drying her eyes with the sleeve of her jumper.

"I…I saw the books you were carrying in your bag the other day. Dark artifacts…dark magic. You lied about the kind of books you checked out from the Restricted Section. I don't know what you're doing but,"

"This isn't what you think it is, Granger," I interrupter her "Those books are nothing more than an interest to me. You always over-analyze everything, so I shouldn't be surprised that you believe I'm some dark wizard just because of a couple of books," Great. I had just told Snape I wasn't interested in the dark arts, and now Hermione believed I did. I was completely terrified and didn't know what to do. I didn't even sound convinced.

"I don't think you're evil. I don't know what it is, Draco. But I'm going to find out," She walked towards me as she spoke, determined, on fire. She was right up against me when she continued, eyeing me up.

"And you're going to have to fight me, lock me up and Obliviate me to stop me from getting involved. Because I bloody care about you too much, Draco Malfoy," Her voice didn't crack this time. It was solid and fierce and I immediately could tell it was true. She would stop at nothing.

I couldn't do this again, it was taking too much strength being this close to her and not being able to be with her. I felt the tears trying to come back, so I pushed her off of me and moved towards the door. I had to get out of there before I complicated things again. I only managed to find one book, but Snape would have to deal. I quickly reached the handle of the door and pushed, but nothing happened. I kept pushing but the door was apparently locked.

"What…" I said and dropped the book I was holding, hitting the door as hard as I could and trying not to break down.

"What are you doing?!" She asked, getting closer again.

"It's locked! The damn door is locked!" I yelled back at her and she frowned.

"No way. That doesn't happen, it doesn't lock form the inside, you must be doing it wrong,"

"How can I possibly do this wrong? It's a fucking door!"

She tried opening it but couldn't either.

"Scriptor," she called in a clear voice but nothing happened.

"Fuck!" I screamed through gritted teeth and started pounding the door again, kicking it, slamming it. Maybe I could break it.

"Stop! Draco, it's not going to work,"

"I need to leave," I breathed, my heart racing and blood boiling.

"Please, stop!" She screamed and placed both her hands on my arms. I stopped.

I couldn't remember giving up on my thoughts, I couldn't remember deciding to do anything else, but the next thing I knew, was that I was kissing her madly, with both my hands cupping her face and my body pressing her against the door. That damned door.

She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me back, washing relief all over me.

Our tongues met and I was sure I was going straight to hell. She was dragging me there and I didn't have the strength to stop it; I just wanted more of her, everything, as much as I could take. I bit her lip and she moaned, her soft voice making me hard in just an instant.

"Draco…" she whispered slowly as I attacked her neck and she caressed my hair. I kissed her chin and the side of her face and she immediately pulled my back to her lips. We kissed like the first time, we kissed like last time, we kissed like we always do, because that's what we know how to do. Immerse each other in the other's mouth and hope for the best. That's certainly what I did.

After a while, I felt her hands move towards my neck, and come around to the front of my chest, to my tie. Her hands were fiddling with my tie.

Oh my god. She's undoing my tie.

I pulled away from the kiss to stare at her. Her hands stopped and her eyes were afraid, like I might reject her, like she might lose me with this. After the initial shock I was able to return to her lips and place my hands on her waist to assure her it was okay. She slid the tie off my neck and then she pulled away to remove her jumper. My heart was pounding in my chest, I was sure I could hear it over our desperate breathing. I took off my jumper as well and they both landed somewhere over a desk. Hermione moved her hands to the top of her shirt, to start unbuttoning but I stopped her placing my hand over hers.

"Can I…?" I asked in a low voice and she swallowed and nodded. I began kissing her again as I softly undid her buttons, one by one, making sure to remember every second, because this was finally happening and I needed to control myself if I wanted it to be as great as I imagined it would be. After I finished, I slid the shirt off her shoulders and she began working on my buttons, just as slow, just as gentle, and threw my shirt on the floor next to us. My eyes were still closed, our lips still touching and we began feeling each other's skin without looking; her round shoulders were like velvet beneath my hands.

"You're so…You're so…" I managed between kisses "Beautiful," I finished and she giggled.

"How can you know? You're not even looking?" She asked and we both opened our eyes.

"I was right," I declared with a smirk and kissed her forehead. I didn't know what was I doing, I didn't think over any of the things I did or said, all I knew was that I couldn't stop.

"Come," I said and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the desk where our clothes had landed. She stared at me with confusion and I raised my eyebrows and lifted her up by the waist, to sit her there.

"Oh," She said and blushed and I didn't waste any more time and positioned myself right up against the desk between her legs and devoured her lips again. Biting, sucking, licking and moving my hands all over her glorious body. I reached behind her and unclasped her bra and she shivered. Her skin was hot in contact with mine, but it was nothing compared to the heat of her breasts touching my chest. I couldn't help but moan into her mouth and she fisted my hair and kissed me harder. My pants were painfully tight against her inner thighs and I unconsciously began taking off my belt. I felt her inhale a sharp breath and I stopped. I remembered I needed to calm down and enjoy every single moment. I had no idea what came for my tomorrow, but she was everything in my mind now.

I pulled apart a little and I finally got to see her. Bare, almost naked in front of me, blushed and nervous. I looked her in the eye and slowly took off my shoes. Then I did my belt, unzipped my trousers and let them slid from my legs. She eyed me down and swallowed and then her eyes were on mine again. I wanted to show her we were both in this, I wanted her to know she didn't have to be nervous around me.

We kissed again and I slowly started to kiss down her face, her neck, her collarbone, and then her breasts. She caressed my hair to let me know it was okay and I continued to kiss down her stomach and belly. I unzipped the side of her skirt and she lifted her butt off the desk do I could slide it off her. Then I kissed her legs all the way down to her feet and took off her shoes. I came back up and kissed her again, more gently now but with the same purpose.

"Are you okay?" I asked between kisses and she nodded.

"Yes,"

"Do you want to do this?" She nodded again.

"Do you?" She replied and I bit her lip.

"More than anything," our voices low and deep, echoing in the empty halls of the Restricted Section.

It was funny, I thought. I always felt like we were kind of restricted too. Secret, concealed. On our own little separate section, away from everyone else, and always hiding something you wouldn't expect.

I placed Hermione's hands on the waistband of my boxers and kissed her. She caressed the area for a while and then gradually began pulling them down my body. They dropped all the way down form my knees and I braced myself; I had never been this kind of exposed before anyone, not even my own mother after I turned 12 years old. But Hermione wasn't opening her eyes, she was sliding off her own underwear and my stomach was twisting with anticipation and nerves.

I caressed her thighs and hips and then pulled her to stand up.

I picked up as much of our clothes as I could find and made a bundle to put on the floor.

"I…I think it's best if we do it this way first," I said and kneeled before her, and motioned her to kneel too. She did and we kissed, exploring each other's bodies with our hands. I slowly caressed her belly and moved my hand lower. She tensed up.

"Is this okay?" I asked and she nodded nervously. I moved my fingers and pressed them against the spot where I thought her clit was. She moaned and bit my shoulder and I thanked Merlin I was right. I kept rubbing her there and kissing every patch of skin I could reach. I gasped and grunted when I felt her fingers wrap around my cock. Her movements were unsure but I had never felt anything as good in my life.

I took my hand away and pushed her down slowly to sit. I parted her legs a little and positioned myself between them. She kept stroking me and I started to circle my fingers around her entrance. I moaned again because she felt better than in my wildest dreams; silky, wet and aroused. I looked her in the eye and she nodded lightly, so I began pushing one finger inside her. She didn't seem to be hurting so I moved it to the same rhythm her hand was working on me.

After a minute we were both panting and moving furiously and her moans told me she was ready.

She lay down with her head on top of the bundle of clothes and I hovered over her, with my arms at her sides.

"You're beautiful too," She said with a small smile and I leaned down to kiss her.

Snape was right, of course. How could I possibly be with someone like her? How was I supposed to tell her the whole truth? How could a Death Eater like me, be with a muggleborn like her?

I would have to figure out a way. Later.

I guided myself to her entrance and looked at her one last time before pushing in slowly. Her face twisted, and I couldn't tell if it was out of pleasure or pain.

"Are you," I began but she interrupted me.

"Yes, yes, go on,"

I continued, feeling her slowly accommodating me. I had been completely wrong before. This was the best thing I had felt in my entire life. I buried my face in her neck and moaned there. Before I knew it, she had her hands scratching my back and rocking her hips beneath me. I didn't even notice I was all the way in.

I started to move softly while I kissed her everywhere. I dropped down my head between her breasts and licked her left nipple, making her thrust her hips even more. After a while we were moving faster, sweating, panting, ravishing each other's mouths and necks and moans getting louder.

"Draco…" She whispered against my ear, making me shiver.

I tried to move as close to her as possible, making my body brush against her clit and push her to the edge. I has already far too excited to control myself, and I just wanted to feel her orgasm.

She started to repeat my name softly, driving me even more insane.

"You sound so beautiful, Hermione, I want to hear and feel and look at you all the time…I just want…"

And the she was coming right under my body. She was shaking and thrusting and fisting my hair with force, screaming my name.

"Oh fuck…Hermione…" I grunted before I let it go, kissing her one last time before collapsing over her body.

We stayed like that for a while, catching our breaths and feeling each other's warmth.

She kissed my cheek and I smiled and rolled off her, holding her hand.

"I can't believe it," She declared

"Me neither…"

"Are you serious?" I asked Hermione, sitting across from me on the floor, deep in concentration.

"Just give me one more second," She replied, not taking her eyes away from the board between us.

"I would have thought a brain like yours could take the simple task of making a move on Wizard's Chess," I mocked and she raised her eyes to mine.

"And I would have thought a mouth like yours could shut up for five bloody seconds," She snapped.

"Don't blame my mouth, Granger. You very well now it was your mouth that started this whole situation," I smirked.

"My mouth?!" She asked alarmed. "It was you who kissed me first, if I recall correctly,"

"Yes but only because you wouldn't shut up," I replied and she stuck her tongue out.

After we had sex, we decided it was best to put our clothes back on in case anyone opened the door. And it was already awkward being naked in a place like this. An hour passed and we decided to play some Wizard's Chess to pass the time.

"Do you think someone will find us before morning? She asked, finally moving her knight.

"I hope. It would be better to explain this to one person than to the whole school, as it's destined to be if they open the doors in the morning,"

"Oh god," She dropped her face on her hands and rubbed her temples.

"Don't worry…I'm sure that won't be necessary," I lied and she knew it. She eyed me with disbelief.

"Oh well, I'm just trying to be positive, Granger," I paused to move my tower. "Besides, you should be really happy right now,"

"And why is that?" She asked with a frown

"Because…you just lost your virginity in a library. This should be paradise to you,"

She threw her king at me.

"Ouch!"

"You like libraries just as much as I do," She declared and smiled.

"Checkmate," I said and she dropped her jaw.

"You cheated!" She cried

"How?" I challenged, knowing she was bluffing.

"I don't know!"

"I didn't cheat. You're not too good at this,"

She was quiet for a while after that. Simply re-arranging the chess pieces in the board again, not looking at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked and she nodded, still not looking at me.

"I was just thinking…and I think I have to say this…I don't regret what we just did. But if your intention all this time was to just shag me, then,"

I was over her, kissing her before she got a chance to finish.

"Don't. Don't think that. It wasn't my intention. It isn't my intention, okay? I swear, Granger. I swear, Hermione,"

She smiled and blushed a little, and then looked down.

"You knocked over the pieces," She said and kissed me again.

Two more hours passed. It must have been around 2 in the morning, and we were both sitting with our backs resting on that blasted door. We had tried to open it about 50 times again.

"I don't understand. It doesn't make sense for this to happen, these doors don't do that. They are enchanted to open with a password and then the person inside can go out without a problem. It isn't logical to be locked like this," She spoke after a moment of silence and defeat.

I shrugged. "Maybe the door wanted us to be locked inside together,"

She snorted. "Yeah, why would the door want that?"

"I don't know,"

Maybe the door knew it was the right thing. Maybe the door knew we should be together. Maybe the door realized it had made a mistake.

Oh dear Merlin.

"Hermione… why were you patrolling around the third floor? Wasn't there another floor you were supposed to be watching over tonight? Or where you just pushing your duties aside to find me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice as un-amused as possible.

She rolled her eyes, just like I expected.

"Don't be so self-absorbed, Draco. I did want to talk to you, but I'm not about to break every rule to do so. Especially if I wasn't sure you were coming here tonight,"

"So, why were you here instead?"

"They asked me to exchange places with a teacher, it happens all the time," She explained.

Oh dear Merlin's beard.

"Did you exchange places with Snape?" I swallowed hard after that question and she frowned.

"How did you know?"

BANG.

The door suddenly burst open behind us, letting us both drop to the floor painfully.

"Ow, my head!" She complained. "What's the matter with this old useless piece of garbage?"

"Hermione," I called her, looking straight up from the floor. She opened her eyes and we both were speechless. Snape's form was looming over us, cocking an eyebrow at our bodies, lying on the ground.

"A prefect like yourself must be aware of the consequences of being found after hours in the restricted section, Miss Granger, correct?"

She nodded fervently, too petrified to talk.

"Then, I suggest you stand up and get to your house immediately, before I decide on a more severe punishment. Fifty points from Gryffindor,"

She nodded again and stood up, and I did the same.

"As for you, Mr. Malfoy. Twenty five points from Slytherin. Be thankful you're not a prefect, who should know better than regular students," He said this last part looking at Hermione. She nodded again and took off, walking fast away from us. When she was almost out of sight, she turned around to look at me and smiled again.

I contained my smile because Snape was still standing over me, eyeing me suspiciously.

"The door was locked somehow, Professor. We couldn't leave," I said and he didn't move.

"Does she know?" He asked after a while.

"No…I…I didn't tell her anything,"

"Hmm,"

After a minute of no more talking, I decided to leave. I was nearly out of the library when he spoke again.

"It's not too late, Mr. Malfoy,"

I took in his words and felt coldness all inside of me.

I nodded.

"Go," He commanded and I left.

Lying in bed awake that night, trying to come up with a plan, I had a feeling Snape was doing the exact same thing.