It was nearly 3pm when Cam smelled the aromatic goodness of coffee in her vicinity. She had fallen asleep amongst her books in a new location in the library. The entire day she struggled to keep her eyes open, she was exhausted. The night before she tossed restlessly thinking about Draco and Ollie, so the moment the sun showed it's shining face she left her room to throw herself into her research.

Her head lifted slowly to find a tin thermos in front of her face filled with the delicious liquid. All she could do was hum lazily and smile.

"Wake up CAM! You're planning our future here! Come to think of it, do I get any say in any of this, I do have to go along too…"

Too many words at once, and too fast… she blinked a few times and finally focused on Draco's handsome face right across from her, "…Re…wind…"

Draco bit the inside of his cheek, she looked gorgeous the moment she woke up, "Drink…coffee…" He ordered her.

Her head nodded, yes, she understood that.

He found her amusing as she took a few sluggish moments to drink the coffee and let it wake her up. He was smiling at her, because her eyes were closed, and she couldn't see he was doing so. Her dark curls fell in bundles around her chin and shoulders and he resisted the urge to move them aside so he could see her face proper. So, he lounged back in his chair comfortably to wait until she felt energized enough to make rational conversation.

This time it took him thirty minutes to find her in one of the endless halls of the library. He knew she would be tired because he knew her mind wouldn't let her sleep easily with what happened with Ollie, her heart was too big. Yes, she had physical stamina, but mental exhaustion was completely different. That's why he decided to bring her coffee, he noticed she took pleasure in coffee from the mornings they spent together while in training. He was aware of how thoughtful the act came across, but he hoped she found it so miniscule that she looked it over and never spoke about it.

"Oh sweet Merlin, this just saved my life, thank you so much Draco!"

His head was shaking gently, of course she would address it.

"Why are you shaking your head?" Her eyes then bulged with insecurity and she started wiping her face, "Did I drool?"

"No… it's nothing," he tried to seem innocent and sincere, but he was sure he probably smirked.

Cam's eyes narrowed for only a short moment before she dismissed it and finished the thermos. She set it back down with a clank before asking him, "So what is this about our future now?"

Draco jumped on the subject whole-heartedly so they didn't get into discussing the coffee, "Don't you think I should be helping you with this expedition planning?"

"No," she deadpanned.

He wasn't expecting that, "What? Why not?"

"It's my journey, I get to plan it. And besides, who said you're coming with me? Larson hasn't told-"

"Well he told me. I'm going." He felt satisfied shocking her like she did him.

Cam pursed her lips in a pout, not happy to be the last to know about her own business again, but secretly pleased it was him.

Draco looked at her sternly as if telling her how childish she was acting. His brow raised at her silent tantrum, "Seriously?"

Maybe the coffee didn't work exactly how she would have liked, her crankiness remained. "Fiiine," she practically whined.

He shook his head some more, he wanted to scold her for acting so immature, but he was slightly turned on. "Well you are clearly unable to hold a practical conversation while under stress and lack of sleep."

Cam's only response was to let her tongue lull out of her mouth to mock him and then put her forehead back down on the table. She couldn't help the way she felt at the moment. She was incredibly sleep deprived and overly anxious about what her guild was saying about her behind her back. What did Ollie say to them? Not to mention she was planning a life changing trip to bring about her full potential as a dragon guild member. She groaned into the table, the stress that Draco only momentarily was able to keep at bay, surging back.

"Point proven," she heard Draco tisk.

"Did you come here just to nag me and try to take away my journey of awesomeness?" her voice asked, muffled by her mountain of hair?

How could a woman that could be so incredibly scary and demanding in the field be the same woman with her cheek pressed against the table mumbling incoherently?

"Merlin, I can not handle you like this, what is your problem?" He asked as concern crept over him.

Cam sat up and threw her hands in the air then slapped them down, "Well for starters," she told him while staring into his eyes, "My brain hurts!"

Draco flinched and then took a closer look at the books around her, A Study Into the Possibility of Reversing the Actual and Metaphysical Effects of Natural Death, with Particular Regard to the Reintegration of Essence and Matter? A Study of Recent Developments in the Uses of Troll Spit? An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Oracles? He picked up a golden book, "Is this Lockhart's biography!? No wonder, why the hell are reading these?"

She half sighed and half groaned, her head against the table again, "Well, I just start reading and then BAM!" She popped up dramatically and spread her arms, "This happens…"

"Well stop it, read about dragons and dragons only…"

Her glare looked lethal, "I already read them all."

A 'hmph' escaped him. No, he wasn't surprised, of course she's read every book about dragons already. He calmly folded his hands and licked his lips, "And?" he urged her so he could figure out her mood.

"And! I feel really, really, really, really, really,-"

"I get it! Really what?"

"Really bad about hurting Ollie's feelings!"

"Ollie's feelings, that's what is stressing you out?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes!" She shot back defensively, "I can't imagine it felt very nice to take a girl on a date, enjoy each other's company only to get denied a kiss, and then told she only likes you like a friend and then come to find that same girl with a man you really do not like very much!"

He wanted to laugh, but didn't, "The heart wants what the heart wants, that's nobody's fault…" He was surprised to see that calmed her considerably. She was looking at him like her normal self, her doe eyes piercing into him.

"Since when do you quote muggles?"

He shrugged, aware she was trying to dissect him, "Just… you shouldn't be so hard on yourself about Ollie, and this… 'journey of awesomeness', you'll be more than fine."

Cam's lip was caught between her teeth, she found him so beautiful when he was honest with her.

"Any other problems?" he asked, his heart beginning to race the more he looked at her hungry eyes.

Cam snapped out of her daze, "Do you think he told people mean things about me?"

Her vulnerability was adorable. He told her with certainty, "No."

His stony eyes did not look away from hers and she concluded he believed what he said.

"Is that all?" He felt the flutter inside him when he realized his desire to do anything he can to make her happy.

"Well," she said softly, "I've designed three different routes and I can't choose…"

Draco pursed his lips and clapped his hands, thrilled to not talk about Ollie anymore. "That is something I can help you with." He gave her a smile and did his best not to fall into her eyes. They suddenly seemed seductive and he doubted she was trying to look that way.

She smiled back, genuinely grateful, "Thanks."

.

Cam felt reassured by Draco that she was on the right track, and any route she chose would be enough. By eight o'clock in the evening she felt comfortable finally turning in and headed back to her room. She didn't make it too far before her stomach grumbled and she turned toward the lounge to see if there was any food around.

The moment she walked through the doorway she collided directly with a large soft wall.

Cam hopped back apologetically and realized she ran into the towering form of Ollie. She's sure her eyes rounded large with surprise.

Ollie was still as stone, his eyes similarly bulging.

"Ollie! Hi…" His brow furrowed at her, he had to be so angry. What better chance did she have to say she was sorry than that moment? "Ollie," she continued softer, "I… Please don't be mad at me… I didn't mean to hurt your feelings yesterday. And I didn't plan to see Draco either, he honestly did break into my place…"

Ollie's head shook involuntarily with silent horror as he watched her face turn serene the moment she mentioned his name. Malfoy broke into her apartment and she was practically smiling about it? Maybe he didn't know her at all. The sight of her and the sound of her words infuriated him even when she was trying her best to make them not. It all just reminded him of how Malfoy maliciously threatened him that morning.

"No matter," he practically spit at her, "I'll abide by your boyfriends wishes."

Cam's shoulder's slumped, his attitude was hurtful even if she expected it. But what was he talking about, her boyfriends wishes? "What's that supposed to mean?"

It occurred to Ollie that she probably had no idea that Malfoy hunted him down. "Your dickhead boyfriend put his wand in my throat this morning when he told me to never knock on your door or ask you out again." He relished at how her features fell in shock.

Cam clenched her jaw, not happy with Draco. She could have handled it, he didn't have to take it that far.

"Does that honestly surprise you?" Ollie asked. She didn't appreciate the smugness behind his question. He found pleasure in telling her something nasty about Draco. "He's a lot darker than you probably realize."

She found both men highly irritating and her annoyance spiked suddenly. Whatever friendly relationship she had with Ollie was now gone. He would never be her friend if she was close with Draco and it wasn't even a question who she chose. "Oh, you're just as bad, wearing that jack-ass smirk while you try to talk shit about Malfoy. Yeah, he can be a dick, you both can!"

Ollie's ears flushed bright red, she couldn't compare the two of them. He was nothing like that loathsome and devious commander. "You know what Cam, I really don't give a fuck. Just go be with some sadistic freak and we can forget that yesterday ever happened!"

She found herself alone, staring down the blackened hallway Ollie disappeared down. That was not how she wanted that to end.

.

Draco's first thought when he woke was of Cam. He allowed himself to smile about it, he just wanted to see her again.

He had all intentions of seeking her out in the library just like the day before, but he didn't have to, because she found him first.

Cam's face was pinched, and she looked terribly displeased as she spotted him coming down the corridor. Her grim expression caught him by surprise as she stopped right in front of him. His mouth opened to ask what the matter was, but she didn't let him.

"Why would you threaten Ollie, wasn't it enough for him to be embarrassed by what happened at my door?"

Ugh, always with Ollie… "You can't prove anything…" he told her smoothly.

She felt a growl bubbling in her throat, "You put your wand in his throat?!"

Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "I'm not too sure that you were informed with the truth."

His cool demeanor did more to give her tingles than annoy her, "Then tell me what happened."

He shrugged his shoulders, "Fine." Then walked away, intending her to follow.

Cam followed him through a small arched doorway into a secluded study she never saw before. He sat down calmly in a wingback and looked at her with a bored expression. He was annoyed that Ollie was still a part of their conversation.

"So?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

"I put my wand to his throat out of reaction to him calling you stupid. I won't stand for him insulting you."

Cam's jaw went slack at his casual delivery of such jarring words. Ollie… called her stupid? But then… Draco protected her name?

Draco hated how her face fell, she looked sincerely disappointed.

"I guess, I really shouldn't be surprised… he was pretty nasty last night…"

His eyes narrowed at the thought of the two of them seeing one another again, but he didn't address it. He would only make the situation worse if he badgered her about it. So, he sighed, "Cam... it actually has little to do with you. It probably ripped him up on the inside to hear my voice in your room the other night. There are almost fifty other men living in this guild and it just happens to be me that you're close to… He hates me… and it sucks he's taking any of it out on you…"

It made Cam feel light as air when he spoke delicately. It warmed her to know that she was probably the only person in his life he spoke to that way. She adored this side of him.

Draco's spine straightened when he realized she was walking toward him slowly with a lazy contented grin on her face. "Why don't you let anyone else see how genuine you can be?" she asked as she sat down on his lap.

He smirked, only to hide his bursting smile.

It was almost scary, the giddy warmth that ran through him when she was touching him. He stole a moment to inhale the fresh scent of her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked at him still awaiting his answer.

"You realize these men are only my colleagues…"

"So… what about me?" He watched her long lashes bat.

He allowed himself to genuinely smile at her and she instantly smiled back. "You're… the exception," he told her as he moved in to touch his lips to hers gently.

Cam felt drugged when he was kissing her. Her head always began to float, and she had to grasp his firm shoulders to remind herself where they were. She wanted to ask him what they were, the two of them, but she wasn't sure if he would respond well to labeling them, so she would let it be.

Cam's bliss bubble burst when she heard the thumping of footsteps enter the room and a male voice make a loud, "Ehem."

She hopped out of Draco's arms in surprise and turned to see her chief commander, Larson looking at them curiously.

Draco stood as well to address his commander properly, but was smirking broadly, he could care a less what Larson saw.

Cam's heart was beating rapidly with embarrassment as she tried to mask her face into something placid so she could look Larson in the eye.

Larson didn't address it and decided to get right to the point; not like he was surprised anyway.

"So, I hear you have a decent outline mapped out and read over 500 books?" He was grinning like a proud father.

Draco looked away to hide how his eyes rolled at the blatant appraisal.

"That's mostly true, I think 500 is an exaggeration, but yes I do have a good map drawn," Cam told him evenly.

"Impressive, looks like we can move up the date then."

"Sir!" Cam yelled alarmed suddenly, distressing the two men.

Larson's brow furrowed, "Yes?"

"Sorry," she told him quickly, embarrassed again by her sudden outburst, "It's just… I tracked my path to directly coordinate with the meteoric patterns which coincide with certain dragon migrations in order to maximize the number of dragons I can see in a short span of time."

Her chief commander blinked and nodded, dissecting what she said, "You… predicted the weather?"

"I mean a little, but ultimately I have a strict time line."

He looked impressed, which was hard because he was always impressed with her to begin with. "Well, alright then," he clapped his hands together, "Looks like you two have room for an assignment."