Bong. Bong. Bong.

The deep timbre of the clock sounded quite deep and loud in the quite of the girl's dorm. Hermione lay awoke in bed, staring at the ceiling in mindless boredom, the sheets thrown haphazardly over her pajamas. It was one o'clock am. And she was awake again.

For the THIRD bloody night in a row! She mentally wailed to herself. Turning her head to the side, she looked at the other sleeping girls in her room, and envied them, something she had never done. Never had she had reason to - she was always the smartest girl in their grade, always at the top of the class, and liked by the teacher. Sure, they had things like boyfriends, many friends, and leisure time, but Hermione had never wanted those things in the first place. And now they could sleep normally too. Oh the injustice.

Hermione winced at a sudden thought - they had one more thing over her, and that was their boyfriends. Curling her lip in distaste of her own self, Hermione mentally chastised herself. I don't need a boyfriend. I have two best friends, and my books. Why do I need more? But there was something else there, something that she wished she could ignore, and push away, but something that also made her appreciate a good looking man, made her yearn to be in someone's embrace. Perhaps she even wanted to be kissed somewhere deep in her heart. But in true Hermione fashion, she locked away these thoughts as soon as they surfaced. I can't. A boyfriend would take me away from my studies. Even as she thought it however, she knew she was lying to herself.

Trying to escape from her own demons, Hermione sighed, and sat up in bed, flipping her feet over the side. Her feet wriggled for a moment on the cold floor before she found her slippers, and put them on. Grabbing her wand, and a candle and holder, she padded from her room, shutting the door quietly behind her. The whole Gryffindor tower was completely silent as she tip-toed silently down, pausing at the base of the stairs to light her candle with a softly spoken word.

Now that she had reached the common room, she knew not what she wanted to do. All her homework was finished, even Snape's rotten old essay. With a few chosen words to Professor McGonagall ("Well you see, I can't find a book on Labrius Monoctinus. Would you know where I can find one? Professor Snape wants an essay on it. ") she had gotten reluctant, and watched permission for her and Ron to read the old battered book from the restricted section. The look on Snape's face when they turned in the essays was well worth having Madam Pince breathing down their necks the whole time they used the book.

Of course, the rest of her homework had been ridiculously easy, and had been finished hours earlier. And for once in her life, she didn't feel like studying. That alone was enough to really worry her, but what worried Hermione even more was what was keeping her mind occupied. It was Draco Malfoy. Or, more correct, Malfoy and Ron. It seemed that suddenly her hormones had decided to go on overdrive, and decide that Hermione had to get two horrible crushes, one on her best friend, and the other on her worst enemy. This was just not her week!

Decidedly bored already, Hermione gave a quick glance to the portrait hole. If she could sneak to the library, she could do a few hours reading in her secluded little corner. As long as she could get to the library, and her spot without getting caught, she was sure that her mind could be occupied by a good book. So, taking one of her bigger chances, she opened up the portrait hole, and left the Gryffindor common room.

Shutting the Fat Lady quietly (she gave Hermione quite the scare with a loud yawn) Hermione shielded the small flame with her hand, and hurried to the library as fast as she could, her slippers making little noise on the floor.

Halfway there, she realized that she still had on her old flannel pajama pants and an oversized t-shirt on. For a moment, she almost turned around and went back, but then had a quiet little chuckle - There would be nobody to see her in the library anyway! Carefully she navigated down to the library, taking short-cuts and back ways whenever she could. Only once did she have a risky encounter, nearly running headlong into a mumbling ghost known as Crazy Charlie. He wandered the halls only at night, and mumbled little nonsensical things to himself, twiddling his thumbs. He also enjoyed to make a horrible racket if you walked through him.

Then suddenly, she was at the dark doors of the library. Breathing a large sigh of relief, she pushed through the doors and into her safe haven. Her feeble candlelight would be enough to read by, but it by no means lit up the large library at all. Feeling the familiar feeling of glee, Hermione nearly skipped down the long rows of books, stopping every so often when a title caught her eye. When the candle in it's little metal holder because too dangerous to carry, Hermione made her way to her favorite spot.

This had been her safe haven since first year, when she wasn't liked by anyone, and there was all that trouble with Ron and Harry. She had come running in here one day, and suddenly found herself in this little alcove. She was sure that Hogwart's magic was in the library as well, as the secret niche was always hard to find. Even now, she took a wrong turn before coming out into the small little corner.

On the outside, it must look like a little square out of the wall, a window in the center. To the inside, it was a cosy little space, just big enough for a table, and two high-backed chairs. Smiling in relief, she approached the chair, the books getting heavy in her arms. She was rather glad that no body else had found this place yet, she rather liked that she had it all to herse-

Hermione's thoughts paused mid-word, for when she rounded about the chair, there was none less than Draco Malfoy sitting there! So much for all my own She thought with a wry twist, though outwardly she gaped at the blond.

And there he sat, impeccable in the patchy chair, slouched down. His knees rested on the edge of the table, an open book before him, and a fleeting look of concentration. For a moment they both stared at each other in shock, blinking once or twice. Then Hermione noticed that he also had his pajamas on, and an embarrassed flush rose to her face.

"Granger." As usual, he recovered quicker, his voice smooth and awake. How could the boy do it? When Hermione just stood there and said nothing, his brow furrowed in annoyance. "Are you going to stand and gape at me all day, or sit down?" Blinking again, and then blushing even more, she dumped her books onto the table, and plunked her candle beside him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him close the book he had been reading, putting the cover face down on the table. She looked at it, then met his eyes.

"Returning to the scene of the crime." She stated, her brown eyes meeting his grey. He stared back, steely and calm, though his mouth broke into a sneer.

"And I suppose you're here to give me a talk about morals." He retorted, folding his arms over his chest. "Out of bed again are we? Twice in one week.... Tisk tisk." Hermione, flustered at his appearance (and hers, she realized with a blush) already, just stared down, and organized her books into a neat little pile. Anger flared in her chest suddenly. It was all his fault she couldn't sleep!

"I couldn't sleep." Well there's the first time I tell Malfoy the truth. She thought, scoffing at herself. A pale eyebrow raised as he suddenly studied her rather intensely. Hermione sank down into the chair, suddenly shy. A slow smile spread on his face, a pleased, happy look. This was getting a little weird for Hermione. Suddenly she wanted to go back to her dorm.

"I think I should go." She stood up, and slipped from her chair, grabbing hastily at her candle, nearly knocking over Draco's. Malfoy, she told herself He's Malfoy, not Draco! Flighty and nervous, she started forward towards the bookcases, fear buoying her pounding heart. And then she couldn't go farther, the book cases pulled away, and she was stationary. And there was a cold hand in hers.

Slowly she turned around, the hand tightly gripping hers. She looked from it straight into Malfoy - no, Draco's eyes. He was staring at her with a sort of innocence, longing almost. He had twisted around in his seat to stop her, and she was no less than a pace away, caught.

Without losing eye contact, he raised her hand upwards, in seemingly slow motion. Hermione was powerless to what was happening. She was frozen in time, her heart caught in a web of seduction. And she gave herself fully into it, her whole body shaking. The pale hand drew hers up and up, Draco's grey eyes gazing straight into hers, so he could see her reaction. The reaction she gave when his mouth gently touched a feathery kiss upon her hands, like a gallant knight of old.

Hermione felt everything break and melt inside her then, and she felt that if she tried to speak, nothing would come out. Her chest was tight with repressed emotion, her head heavy.

"Goodnight... Hermione." The whisper of breath escaped Draco's lips in an almost silent tone. His eyes still held her slightly frightened ones for a moment longer, and then he broke the spell, and let go of her hand.

Standing for a moment, Hermione wondered what had just happened. She was so close to just throwing herself wantonly at him... So she turned a fled, feeling like a little ninny. She tore through the shelves of book, fleeing Draco as if he was the black death himself. She didn't know why, she just did.

Oh god, oh god oh god! She tore through the halls, her slippered feet making little slaps on the floor. Her hair streamed behind her, and eventually even her candle guttered out from the wind. She ran until she felt her lungs would burst, all the way to te Gryffindor tower.

"Pepper breath!" She wheezed out the password to the Fat Lady. She awoke with the start and glared at Hermione, opening her mouth to speak. "Oh just let me in!" Something in Hermione's desperate tone must have tipped the Fat Lady that something was wrong, and she opened with a sleepy scowl, but nary a word.

Still running as if her life depended upon it, Hermione ran up the stairs to her door, and rushed into the room. Slamming her candle holder onto her night-table with a loud clang, she hopped into bed, and pulled the covers over her head. Only then did she let herself breath.

Taking in great gulps of air, she could barely believe what had just gone on in the library. She almost didn't want to believe what had happened, but her heart constricted painfully, and she had no choice but to. Oh GOD. Her heart beat even faster, her mind flashing to his lips upon her skin... And then suddenly her hand was pressed against her cheek, and she could feel her hot flush on her cold skin.

"Hermione?" The sleepy voice of Lavender made her jump in bed. Holding a hand to her racing heart, she stayed quiet for a minute, though she was sure that her heavy breathing gave her away. After a moment, the rustle of blankets signified that Lavender had gone back to sleep. Breathing a sigh of relief through her great gulps of air, Hermione felt like ever nerve in her body was on overdrive. Her thoughts moved almost too quickly for her to follow, and for her normally collected self, it was frightening. She was unraveling, mind and soul, because of a kiss to her hand.

Hermione didn't fall asleep at all that night.