Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot.

A/N: This may be probably the first chapter of which I know each word before I write it down. So I'm just going to get down to business… Oh and for this chapter notice the small things, they'll help you ahead ;)

A thank you to my Beta Reader, Jade Winchester.


Chapter 12: Realisations.

Hermione stepped into the Great Hall, her eyes red and her skin pale. She had not slept well. A single realization had stolen her sleep and kept her awake looking for an explanation as to what it had meant.

"Hell even if I kiss him I have every right to do so without giving two cents about what you would think about it!"

She shook her head as she made her way towards the table adorned in red and gold. She sat down in her usual seat, next to a Harry and Ron who did not know how to react to her presence. Her eyes were far away and looked distracted. Even if I kiss him.

A pair of grey, stormy eyes had followed her small form to her seat. The eyebrows came closer when they took in her distracted, weary face for it did not suit her. They drew further together as Draco realized it was concern he felt. He turned to pretend to listen to Blaise, who was telling an extremely detailed story of how he had fallen down the stairs and managed to survive with only a small cut, which no one was listening to. But his eyes kept fleeting back to the bushy hair, hesitantly.

"Hermione, we apologize." Harry began. Hermione looked up at him startled as if she hadn't noticed his presence. "We should have realized that you did not need our help. We were angry at Malfoy, but that does not mean we should have barged in like that." Ron nodded, smiling as solemnly as he could with three eggs in his mouth. He offered her an apple, as if that made it all better.

"It's okay." Hermione smiled at them sincerely, taking the apple. Without giving two cents about what you would think about it. Her smile dulled slightly, but remained as she bit into the apple.

Draco saw the smile. His heart began to thud, painfully, loudly, until he was sure everyone in the Great Hall could hear. Blaise turned to look at his best friend and was concerned to see Draco staring off in a distance, his fingers clutching the table like he held his life. Blaise shook his arm as a Raven came swooping down, black as night. It soared down next to Draco and nipped his finger, squawking slightly. His gaze turned to the raven that stuck laid down the package in front of him. As he picked it up, the raven flew off, proud and dark.

Draco tore open the package to reveal a small bottle of perfume. He sniffed at the lid and was hit by the strong scent of coffee. It warmed him. It was perfect. He was about to run out of Pellicientes Flatum anyway. He did not know why he had called for it. He did not know why he wanted Hermione focused on him. His head spun.

He stood, turned to Blaise to nod and then took off for his class.

A table away, Hermione stood too, gripping her bag. "Take care." Harry said carefully. Hermione rolled her eyes at the boys. She walked to the class, slowly. Not so much eager as she always was for classes. She came across Professor Slughorn who nodded in a greeting, smiling at her.

"Morning, Professor." She returned the greeting.

"How's the potion coming along?" He asked as they walked to the class.

"We started yesterday, but there was a slight… Disturbance and it burned. We will begin again after lunch." She said shaking her head at the events of yesterday.

"Oh? A disturbance you say?" Professor Slughorn asked really interested.

"Yes. Harry and Ron came in to give back a book I needed for the today's Charms class." Hermione said carefully. Slughorn frowned.

"That is it?" He asked a bit sadly. Hermione looked at him in confusion and he cleared his throat and he grinned at her. "Ah we're here." He said quickly, entering the classroom.

Hermione walked towards her desk where Draco already sat. "Granger." He nodded. Hermione raised her eyes, shocked. Was that a greeting? Draco almost smacked his forehead. He searched his head to save himself, but…

"Malfoy." Hermione returned as she sat. They both closed their eyes as she took her seat, taking in the scents that waded through the air.

"Today we are going to brew the Veritraserum till stage three. A fully workable Veritraserum, as you hopefully know, takes a whole lunar phase therefore we cannot make it, but the first three stages we can, yes?" Slughorn said and the class began its work.

"Your appearance is more appalling than usual, Granger." Draco said carefully as they skimmed their books for the ingredients they would need. Hermione sighed.

"Malfoy can we not? I'm tired and not in the mood to whip your arse." She said quietly insulting and asking him for a favor.

Draco's eyebrow knitted together. It was not like Hermione to look so frazzled. It was almost never that something disturbed her. She was strong and took everything head on.

Even if I kiss him I have every right to do so.

Hermione's heart tightened, her mind was whirling. The fragrance of strong coffee, it reminded her of home, of warmth, of comfort. And the smell of books spoke to her of mystery, of untamed adventures –it drove her crazy. And it came from Draco sodding Malfoy.

She stood abruptly, "I'll get the ingredients." When she returned she noticed Draco had set the cauldron on low flame already. She put down the tray, not sitting and staying as far from him as was possible. She peered at him slightly as she took up the Jargodi root to cut. His long lashes fluttered against his cheek as he looked down at his book. She looked at the root, then back at him. His lips looked soft. Even if I kiss him. Her eyes widened at the thought and she dropped her knife.

Draco's gaze turned to her.

"Granger, you seem distracted today." He noted, then added to smooth over the observation, "Did your girlfriends give you trouble?"

"None of your business, Malfoy." Hermione said sharply, ending the conversation by turning her back to him.

Malfoy merely raised an eyebrow and began the work on the potion, quietly.


Hermione looked down at her watch and gasped. Professor Vector had kept them in to assign them projects and it had taken so long! She was so late! She ran at full speed to the Great Hall and down the table towards a familiar red head standing out.

"Hey Hermione! You look flushed!" Harry greeted from across Ron, who nodded and gave a spaghetti filled smile. Hermione began to nod quickly, panting. Lots of heads turned to look at the red-faced girl who was now searching for toast, peanut butter and jam.

"Sorry I can't stay. I'm late already!" She said spreading jam all over her toast in a hurry. "I have to meet up with Malfoy remember?!" She looked up at them hurriedly opening her bag. Mouths hung open. "Bye guys!" Hermione said waving her sandwich in the air as she turned to run. At once people put heads together and began to whisper. Ron swallowed the contents of his mouth.

"Bloody Hell guys she's meeting him to do a Potions assignment. Get a grip will you?" He said loudly quieting the whispers. Everyone nodded in understanding and all Gryffindors gave sighs of relief. The Gryffindor Princess and Malfoy?! Yeah, right!

They went about their day, rather clueless.


The door swung open with a slam and in came a panting mass of brown hair, holding half a sandwich. She blinked at the room and noted half the potions class stirring up at her oddily. Right at the front sat, with a rather arrogant eyebrow raised, Draco Malfoy playing with the sample of Felix Felicis Slughorn had given them. She walked over to him, blushing slightly as everyone stared at her. She put down her bag next to Malfoy and spoke, "Sorry I'm late. Professor Vector held us up." She bit into her sandwich.

Draco looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed red from running and her hair was untidily strewn all over. Her clear brown eyes were soft as she leaned against the desk and chewed slowly. A smudge of purple jelly stained her chin, just below her bottom lip. He smirked.

"It's okay Granger. But now that you're here can we please get to work?" He asked wearily, opening his book. She turned to look around the room and noticed how far ahead many already were. Abbey and Claire were already adding the three drops of Dragon blood to the potion while Thatcher and Emma, their partners, were cleaning up the Braken claws.

"We're really behind aren't we?" She spoke softly, her eyebrows narrowing.

"Yes about that I have an idea." Draco said softly suddenly grinning. "You know how they add four quarts Plum pits? Well we add two and-"

"But that would increase the acid levels because the pomegranate leaves will be too many and we can't decrease that-" Hermione began.

"Merlin, Granger shut up!" Draco snapped. "I wasn't done!" Hermione blinked at him in astonishment. She opened her mouth to argue, but Draco cut her off. " Look we just need to add the pomegranate leaves once every hour six times to balance the potion."

Her eyes narrowed as she contemplated the effect that would create and they widened "Actually, that's not bad. That would allow us to skip phase three which would put us ahead everyone!"

Draco nodded grinning.

"Merlin, that's genius Malfoy!" She spoke in a sudden respect.

"But the only problem is we'll be in the Prefects meeting at the last hour." He said calmly knowing the Head Girl could solve that problem.

"I'll talk to Ernie to let us go early." Hermione said. Draco graced her with a smirk.

"Perfect." He said turning to the tray to begin their potion. Hermione stared at him. It really had been a stroke of genius and suddenly Hermione was very much feeling flushed. And it wasn't because of the running or the compelling scent.


A/N: And that's that :D Tell me how it was!

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Ciao, Alexia.