In a cool summer afternoon, Hermione Granger sat in a comfortable armchair,
a book on her lap, looking at a very blue sky through the window. As a cool
afternoon breeze passed through the room towards the light outside, she
could hear a distant sound of people chatting coming from the halls.
The Gryffindor common room was too quiet for a Saturday afternoon, and she knew exactly why. Everybody was out there having fun, walking on the fields, chatting or... dating.
'So this is my last year at Hogwarts. Not as bright and exciting as I always imagined it,' she pondered. She missed talking to Harry and Ron like she did in the past. It's not that they weren't her friends anymore, but she had to admit that she felt a bit apart from them since they started dating. She sighed and heard a few steps from behind.
"Hey, Hermione, why don't you come with us? It's too boring in here!" Ginny said cheerfully, getting out from the girls dormitories, with Luna by her side.
"Oh, I don't know, Ginny. I still have to finish this chapter and--"
"You read too much! Oh, come on, Hermione, it's your last year! Try to enjoy it a bit!" Ginny advised. "You got to have a social life or you'll never have a boyfriend!" She insisted, taking Hermione by hand. Luna nodded gravely:
"My aunt Mary died last year without ever kissing a boy."
"Did she read much?" asked Hermione, frowning.
"Yes. Read every book that we ever gave her."
"That's horrible!" Ginny said. "How old was she?"
"Ten, I think," Luna answered, her blue eyes wide.
Ginny and Hermione stared at Luna. Finally, Ginny turned to the older Gryffindor and said:
"Anyway, you should go with us. It will be good for you."
"Yes, you could end up like Aunt Mary," Luna noted with a grave voice.
Hermione was a bit reluctant. She knew that, deep inside, it was exactly what she wanted, but still, she knew what was coming. She never felt comfortable when Ginny tried to get her a "social life". Well, one could hope. She sighed and decided.
"I'm not particularly looking for one, you see, but okay. I can finish this later," she smiled a half-smile and stood up, following the two girls.
The Great Hall was full of students, and the loud noise they made filled the air. Many seventh years were walking through the doors towards the fields outside.
"Hello, Ronald," Luna greeted dreamily.
"Ron, where were you? We were looking for you in the Gryffindor Tower!" Ginny added.
Ron walked towards them and took Luna's hand. "Sorry. I was on the Quidditch field, everybody's there. Ravenclaw's team has a new seeker and we wanted to see him practice. Harry's still there and I came to look for you," he said with an apologizing look on his face. "Oh, Zabini's there too," he informed Ginny coldly. She smiled.
"Let's go, then!" She said, her smile reaching her eyes.
'Typically in love,' Hermione thought. 'And I'm going to be the typical fifth wheel'. Is that possible that she was the only single person in all Hogwarts? She anticipated the way they were all going to be chatting animatedly and kissing, and the way she was going to feel apart of it all...
They started towards the field. When they were walking through the corridors, Hermione caught a glimpse of the stands through one of the large windows near the field, and stopped.
"I'm not feeling very well. I think I'm going back to the Tower, okay?"
Ginny had already met Blaise and was talking and walking with him some steps ahead; Ron just nodded and continued walking, pulling Luna with him. She turned her head and said:
"Come to the stands later, Hermione. We will wait for you there."
Hermione just nodded and walked back a few steps. She stopped again, looking around without really seeing anything. She walked towards the window and leaned on the parapet, letting her head drop lightly against the column to her right, gazing towards the field. There were a lot of students there. Mostly Ravenclaws, actually, but also from the other houses. Everybody seemed to be having fun. The entire school was in a new light after last year's events.
She could see Harry there. He was almost hidden at the base of the Slytherin stands, kissing Pansy Parkinson. 'He's trying to live a normal life after the battle against Voldemort. Good for him,' she told herself. But she couldn't help feeling a little jealous deep in her heart. He was supposed to be her best friend, after all, and shouldn't just leave her alone to go dallying with some girl. She also seriously questioned his girlfriend tastes. 'She's a Slytherin, for Merlin's sake! What can he possibly see in her?' But she knew the answer. Pansy was easily one of the most attractive girls in the school: beautiful green eyes, a nice hair, a good taste for clothes. And a sluttish attitude. Hermione snorted.
"Well, well, well." A paused voice broke her train of thoughts.
"Isn't it Hogwarts' golden girl, mudblood Granger? And what is she doing alone in a corridor on a Saturday afternoon? Perhaps her dear friends are too busy for her?"
Hermione almost jumped when she heard his voice behind her. He was, as usual, smirking down at her.
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"Oh, this sullen mood doesn't suit the great Head Girl's behavior." He was walking towards her and faked a hurt expression. "So, you don't like Potter's new girlfriend? I see your point. You see, I'm quite tired of Pansy myself."
She knew that he had dated Pansy Parkinson for almost a year, and that he had dumped her a few months ago.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy," she lied blatantly.
He sneered. "You lie as badly as I dance the cancan, Granger," he answered nonchalantly, leaning on the parapet just by her side, his gaze lost in the Quidditch field. She felt a bit uneasy with his closeness.
"A lot of things changed around here, haven't they?" he asked still looking at the field. Then he turned his entire body to her, resting against the window again. His eyes sized her up and down, and he wore a malicious grin in his face. "A lot of things indeed".
She didn't like the way he was looking at her. She crossed her arms trying to disguise how uncomfortable she felt.
"It's hard, isn't it, Granger?" he was looking intently in her eyes now. Or was it her mouth?
"An...wha-what's hard?" She stuttered.
"To have all your friends... busy" he was moving towards her. 'What is he doing?!' she thought, alarmed.
"...to spend so much time..."
Hermione tried to back away from him, but her back was already on the column. Somehow, he got closer, moving his face towards hers. Her breath caught when she felt his chest brushing her breasts through the layers of clothing, and a whimper escaped her throat. She closed her eyes, feeling like her blood was boiling. Her legs weakened, and she let herself fall against the cold stone behind.
"...alone..." he said in a husky voice that sounded too close to her ear. She could feel the warmth of his body, irradiating against the cool air. She could smell him. A cold scent, reminding her of night, of ice. A refined scent, like a good wine. She snapped back to reality. 'What the hell is he doing?!'
She noticed that she was trapped between his body, the parapet and the column. His hard chest was still pressing against her, and she couldn't breathe. It was as if the slightest movement would break the delicate balance that was established there.
"...not having anyone to talk to...to be with..."
'Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. What is happening?' Her world was spinning, falling from under her feet. She felt like there was no world around her. Only the feeling of... him.
"N-Not really. I have lots of things to do, actually, and I'm quite happy they--" Just as she started to talk, she forced her mouth shut, regretting.
"Oh, so I leave you to your "to-do" things," he suddenly backed away, and she felt cold.
"I wouldn't want to mar the Head Girl's hard work," he smirked, and, with that, he walked away, leaving her alone and cold in the corridor. She turned away from him and ran back to the Gryffindor Tower, feeling as confused as she ever felt.
***
She laid in her bed, her mind racing a thousand miles a second. Draco Malfoy was hitting on her. He certainly seemed to be. Why would he do such a thing? She was quite shocked. No, he couldn't be. There had to be some other explanatio. 'It's Malfoy, Hermione! Draco Malfoy!' But he was so close and... she remembered the way she felt when he was that close to her. How he felt close to her.
'But it's Malfoy. Thoughts like that will only get me in trouble.' She decided that she wouldn't think about it anymore. But what about the things he said? Was it that clear how she felt? How did he notice, and why her friends didn't? She didn't know what to think. In fact, she didn't know if she wanted to think about it at all. She looked around, searching for her book. And she most certainly wouldn't think about how nice he smelt. 'Honestly, Hermione'.
Irritated with herself, Hermione opened her book, and tried to concentrate on the words on the pages, trying to forget the feeling of being imprisoned by him.
***
The Gryffindor common room was too quiet for a Saturday afternoon, and she knew exactly why. Everybody was out there having fun, walking on the fields, chatting or... dating.
'So this is my last year at Hogwarts. Not as bright and exciting as I always imagined it,' she pondered. She missed talking to Harry and Ron like she did in the past. It's not that they weren't her friends anymore, but she had to admit that she felt a bit apart from them since they started dating. She sighed and heard a few steps from behind.
"Hey, Hermione, why don't you come with us? It's too boring in here!" Ginny said cheerfully, getting out from the girls dormitories, with Luna by her side.
"Oh, I don't know, Ginny. I still have to finish this chapter and--"
"You read too much! Oh, come on, Hermione, it's your last year! Try to enjoy it a bit!" Ginny advised. "You got to have a social life or you'll never have a boyfriend!" She insisted, taking Hermione by hand. Luna nodded gravely:
"My aunt Mary died last year without ever kissing a boy."
"Did she read much?" asked Hermione, frowning.
"Yes. Read every book that we ever gave her."
"That's horrible!" Ginny said. "How old was she?"
"Ten, I think," Luna answered, her blue eyes wide.
Ginny and Hermione stared at Luna. Finally, Ginny turned to the older Gryffindor and said:
"Anyway, you should go with us. It will be good for you."
"Yes, you could end up like Aunt Mary," Luna noted with a grave voice.
Hermione was a bit reluctant. She knew that, deep inside, it was exactly what she wanted, but still, she knew what was coming. She never felt comfortable when Ginny tried to get her a "social life". Well, one could hope. She sighed and decided.
"I'm not particularly looking for one, you see, but okay. I can finish this later," she smiled a half-smile and stood up, following the two girls.
The Great Hall was full of students, and the loud noise they made filled the air. Many seventh years were walking through the doors towards the fields outside.
"Hello, Ronald," Luna greeted dreamily.
"Ron, where were you? We were looking for you in the Gryffindor Tower!" Ginny added.
Ron walked towards them and took Luna's hand. "Sorry. I was on the Quidditch field, everybody's there. Ravenclaw's team has a new seeker and we wanted to see him practice. Harry's still there and I came to look for you," he said with an apologizing look on his face. "Oh, Zabini's there too," he informed Ginny coldly. She smiled.
"Let's go, then!" She said, her smile reaching her eyes.
'Typically in love,' Hermione thought. 'And I'm going to be the typical fifth wheel'. Is that possible that she was the only single person in all Hogwarts? She anticipated the way they were all going to be chatting animatedly and kissing, and the way she was going to feel apart of it all...
They started towards the field. When they were walking through the corridors, Hermione caught a glimpse of the stands through one of the large windows near the field, and stopped.
"I'm not feeling very well. I think I'm going back to the Tower, okay?"
Ginny had already met Blaise and was talking and walking with him some steps ahead; Ron just nodded and continued walking, pulling Luna with him. She turned her head and said:
"Come to the stands later, Hermione. We will wait for you there."
Hermione just nodded and walked back a few steps. She stopped again, looking around without really seeing anything. She walked towards the window and leaned on the parapet, letting her head drop lightly against the column to her right, gazing towards the field. There were a lot of students there. Mostly Ravenclaws, actually, but also from the other houses. Everybody seemed to be having fun. The entire school was in a new light after last year's events.
She could see Harry there. He was almost hidden at the base of the Slytherin stands, kissing Pansy Parkinson. 'He's trying to live a normal life after the battle against Voldemort. Good for him,' she told herself. But she couldn't help feeling a little jealous deep in her heart. He was supposed to be her best friend, after all, and shouldn't just leave her alone to go dallying with some girl. She also seriously questioned his girlfriend tastes. 'She's a Slytherin, for Merlin's sake! What can he possibly see in her?' But she knew the answer. Pansy was easily one of the most attractive girls in the school: beautiful green eyes, a nice hair, a good taste for clothes. And a sluttish attitude. Hermione snorted.
"Well, well, well." A paused voice broke her train of thoughts.
"Isn't it Hogwarts' golden girl, mudblood Granger? And what is she doing alone in a corridor on a Saturday afternoon? Perhaps her dear friends are too busy for her?"
Hermione almost jumped when she heard his voice behind her. He was, as usual, smirking down at her.
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"Oh, this sullen mood doesn't suit the great Head Girl's behavior." He was walking towards her and faked a hurt expression. "So, you don't like Potter's new girlfriend? I see your point. You see, I'm quite tired of Pansy myself."
She knew that he had dated Pansy Parkinson for almost a year, and that he had dumped her a few months ago.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy," she lied blatantly.
He sneered. "You lie as badly as I dance the cancan, Granger," he answered nonchalantly, leaning on the parapet just by her side, his gaze lost in the Quidditch field. She felt a bit uneasy with his closeness.
"A lot of things changed around here, haven't they?" he asked still looking at the field. Then he turned his entire body to her, resting against the window again. His eyes sized her up and down, and he wore a malicious grin in his face. "A lot of things indeed".
She didn't like the way he was looking at her. She crossed her arms trying to disguise how uncomfortable she felt.
"It's hard, isn't it, Granger?" he was looking intently in her eyes now. Or was it her mouth?
"An...wha-what's hard?" She stuttered.
"To have all your friends... busy" he was moving towards her. 'What is he doing?!' she thought, alarmed.
"...to spend so much time..."
Hermione tried to back away from him, but her back was already on the column. Somehow, he got closer, moving his face towards hers. Her breath caught when she felt his chest brushing her breasts through the layers of clothing, and a whimper escaped her throat. She closed her eyes, feeling like her blood was boiling. Her legs weakened, and she let herself fall against the cold stone behind.
"...alone..." he said in a husky voice that sounded too close to her ear. She could feel the warmth of his body, irradiating against the cool air. She could smell him. A cold scent, reminding her of night, of ice. A refined scent, like a good wine. She snapped back to reality. 'What the hell is he doing?!'
She noticed that she was trapped between his body, the parapet and the column. His hard chest was still pressing against her, and she couldn't breathe. It was as if the slightest movement would break the delicate balance that was established there.
"...not having anyone to talk to...to be with..."
'Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. What is happening?' Her world was spinning, falling from under her feet. She felt like there was no world around her. Only the feeling of... him.
"N-Not really. I have lots of things to do, actually, and I'm quite happy they--" Just as she started to talk, she forced her mouth shut, regretting.
"Oh, so I leave you to your "to-do" things," he suddenly backed away, and she felt cold.
"I wouldn't want to mar the Head Girl's hard work," he smirked, and, with that, he walked away, leaving her alone and cold in the corridor. She turned away from him and ran back to the Gryffindor Tower, feeling as confused as she ever felt.
***
She laid in her bed, her mind racing a thousand miles a second. Draco Malfoy was hitting on her. He certainly seemed to be. Why would he do such a thing? She was quite shocked. No, he couldn't be. There had to be some other explanatio. 'It's Malfoy, Hermione! Draco Malfoy!' But he was so close and... she remembered the way she felt when he was that close to her. How he felt close to her.
'But it's Malfoy. Thoughts like that will only get me in trouble.' She decided that she wouldn't think about it anymore. But what about the things he said? Was it that clear how she felt? How did he notice, and why her friends didn't? She didn't know what to think. In fact, she didn't know if she wanted to think about it at all. She looked around, searching for her book. And she most certainly wouldn't think about how nice he smelt. 'Honestly, Hermione'.
Irritated with herself, Hermione opened her book, and tried to concentrate on the words on the pages, trying to forget the feeling of being imprisoned by him.
***