A/N- wow! At 9 I reached 1000 hits. Aww, I feel loved.
Disclaimer- I own nothing HP. Sob.
Summary- The confrontation! Sort of.
Jackknifed
The darkening sky cast bright splashes of orange hue upon the stone walls and over the feet of many a student wandering back to their respective Common Rooms.
Malfoy, however, was born against the tide of bodies as he made his way in the opposite direction.
He stopped for a moment in the Entrance Hall, lounging casually against a stone pillar. Loitering. Watching. Waiting. Mainly to glare at a little gaggle of Ravenclaw girls and to avoid a pack of Slytherin that had just issued forth from the Great Hall.
His steely eyes lingered over their bent heads for a few fleeting moments, almost eager to join them, but as he made a motion to, he stopped, restraining himself. They weren't worthy of his presence.
He smiled to himself
Won't associate with your own kind, yet you're seeking out Granger? How pitiful of you, Draco. How pitiful.
Yet, after a few more moments of lurking in the shadows, once the flow of people had ebbed, he made his way to the Library; sure that's where he would find her.
.o.o.o.o.
Hermione huffed a little under the weight of her books as she practically fell into a chair at a table in the Library.
Stacking the four new books on top of an already hefty pile, she sat down in a comfortable position upon the bench.
Her bag, tossed unceremoniously onto the table, seemed, like her, to be hidden behind immeasurable stacks of volumes. Hermione glanced over to it, musing at the rolls of parchment spilling from it, the used, dried quills sticking out in odd angles.
Looking up from her book, she noted with a the number students around her were gradually beginning to diminish. The candles in their brackets slowly dying into puddles of wax on the tables.
Usually Hermione didn't stay this late in the Library. But, homework was homework. Wither it was due tomorrow or not.
Besides, there was a Quidditch game that Friday night. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Why wait to start History of Magic then when she would be out rooting with the best of 'em?
Smiling to herself, Hermione noted that that was a perfectly good reason to stay out late on a Tuesday night.
With a whirl and a bang, the door to the Library was shoved open and it ricocheted off the wall behind it. Madam Pince drew herself up and clucked loudly. Hermione and the few students left among the books peered around their studies.
Hermione inwardly groaned and attempted to hide herself among her homework.
Malfoy glared around the room, his tall blonde frame starkly contrasted itself from the gloom.
His eyes, alight with a strange fervor, roamed about as he cautiously stepped into the Library. It was as if the whole room went cold as he entered it, became quieter. As if the occupants were holding their breath. Waiting for him to do… something.
He spotted Hermione at once. It was unavoidable- her massive pile of literature making a kind of landmark in the sea of books.
Malfoy strode over, not his usual slinking stride, but a fast, almost uneven few steps to the table Hermione was at.
She didn't even look up from her page.
She was focused.
Focused on what, she couldn't tell, for she was just staring at the print, not daring to look up, not daring to continue studying.
A screeching sound across from Hermione noted that Draco had sat down too. Peering over her book, moving a stack of dusty volumes out of the way with an arm, she stared at him.
Malfoy wasn't looking at her, but his arms were crossed, slouched back in his chair.
Like he was bored.
Hermione raised an eyebrow in confusion. Taking one last look, she preceded to begin a new page of notes.
After a few tense moments, Hermione was beckoned out of her parchment when Malfoy gave a curt little cough. Hermione glanced up.
Draco was peering at her, not in heavy interest, but just in mild curiosity. His fingers were wrapped around his cloak sleeve and he was just looking at her.
"What is it, Malfoy?"
"Huh?"
Hermione sighed wearily, grabbing her bag and stuffing her things back into it. Obviously she wasn't going to get any more work done. Not with him here. Not with him staring at her.
Hermione looked up to see Malfoy glaring at her.
"What do you want Malfoy?"
He kept silent, a slight look of panic crossing his features before it was replaced by a small sneer.
"Well, you didn't come here to bully me, seeing as you're just sitting there. You're not here to pester Harry and Ron, seeing as they're not here. So, I ask again, Malfoy. What do you want?"
Draco stared at her for a moment in complete silence. What did he want? Draco's thoughts had disappeared to smoke. Why had he sought her out again?
"Well, I have to go to the Owlry." Hermione cut him off before he said anything. She stood, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder. "Come on." Malfoy blinked in surprise.
"You think I'm going anywhere with the likes of-"
"Then why are you here, Draco? Look, I have to mail this package. You coming or not?" Her mind was racing, her heart quivering. What was she thinking? Being so frank like that!
Malfoy stared at her in utter shock, his pale face seemingly draining with color.
Hermione couldn't stand to be under his incredulous gaze any longer. She turned and started out of the Library.
.o.o.o.
Malfoy glared hard at the table in front of him.
Without giving himself a clear reason why, he stood and followed Hermione out, casting a final glare over at the Librarian.
A/N- So I guess this is a clear indication that you're never to listen to a word I say about my updating. Because, apparently, I'm always wrong.
Next one is looking like it may still be Hermione's p.o.v, but the two after that are deffinatly going to be mostly Malfoy.
Review? Please?