Disclaimer: I do not own it.


He stated the day's topic of discussion clearly. It was on the Inter House Gaming Day, which they called the gaming day for short. IHGD was a downright disgusting name!

Chapter 10: Let's Work?

After recording down all of the details of the discussion earlier on, Draco walked briskly to the dungeons for the Advanced Potions which was to be held with the Gryffindors. Aware of a Mudblood's presence, he remained cool and silent at all times though he had a strong urge to talk to her. They can't stay away from each other for too long... right?

"Ahem." The egotistical Draco pretended.

Hearing this, Hermione made a response, "Ahem."

"Ahem." This was more improved than his previous 'ahem'.

"Ahem." She chuckled at their childishness and made no more comments.

Draco felt his heart 'glow' and he resisted a wave of urge to chuckle. Yucks! How can a Malfoy chuckle. Isn't it too girlish?

Taking one last giant stride, he arrived at the dungeons and was greeted by a horrible sight...

Snape was patting Nevilles's head and praised him for scoring an Exceeds Expectations! The worst of the worst had happened, what else couldn't? A Slytherin would be in love with a Mudblood any minute now! Well...

Noticing the pair's untimely arrival, Snape greeted them curtly and randomly gave them a seat at the very end of the classroom where Ron and Harry were seated, much to Draco's dismay. Then, he continued with his praisings until the chirrups of a certain bird brought his senses back and he continued with the lesson.

Things went smoothly afterwards... Except for Snape and Neville who were still as abnormal as ever.

Hogwarts students stampeded out of the hall and headed for their own Common Room.

Draco weaved in and out of the crowd when finally, he was almost alone in the lonely corridor.

"Hello." A cool feminine voice echoed through the whole corridor.

Draco spun round and saw Elise. "Oh, hi." He sounded dejected, obviously. Disappointed that it wasn't someone else.

"Hahah... Talk to her then. I don't think you still mind the blood difference now, do you?" Elise said, noticing the tinge of bitterness mixing with his silent greeting.

"Well..." Draco started, but his words got caught in his throat, "Hey, wait. How'd you know?" He approached suspiciously.

Elise looked startled for a split second but resumed her elegance later. "I know you know how I knew. It's just that you wouldn't believe it."

"Whatever."

"So...?"

"So what?"

"Are you going to talk or what?" He could be so stupid sometimes.

"I'm talking!" He exclaimed incredulously.

"I mean, talking to her." She said slowly, mimicking the speed of a mother talking to her one year old child.

"Yea, I'll be talking to her..." 'sometime in the future' He added in his thoughts.

"Ahem." She cleared her throat dangerously, as though warning him to not even think of that. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you two as a couple. See you tomorrow." Elise left with a blown kiss. Well, he knew he was attractive.

Hermione was on one of her trip to the bathroom again. Sigh. Women!

Draco Malfoy passed by the round working table and noticed a peculiar book. It was small, had golden characters imprinted on it, and looked extremely old... Wait a second, where had he seen these characters before? Could it be...

"Malfoy." Hermione's disturbed voice reached his ears, "Get your hands off my book!"

"Where did you get this from?" He asked, interested in the characters that shone brightly when his fingers touched it.

Hermione did not answer, she stood there and glared at him with every ounce of hate she could muster.

"Women, I asked where you got this from." Draco asked as he ignored the death glare and continue with his examinations.

"Dumbledore's office."

That trademark, irriating smirk was smacked onto his face again. "My, my. Look at our beloved Head Girl here, can't believe she actually steals... Luckily I used the best locking charm on my door. Who knows what she could do to my room?" Finally, Draco gently laid the book on the table and turned to Hermione for a little chat. He suddenly had a strange feeling... Like she was a stranger... But something still remains... Some more feelings...

"Did you realise something?"

"What?" Asked the supposedly Know-it-All-Granger.

"That we had not been talking to each other?"

"Yea. What's wrong with it? Did you miss those times we wasted on bickerings and childish wand-fights?" Hermione said miserably. She knew their relation wasn't good.

"Of course not! I just missed you." Then, he gaped at his stupidity, his pale face flushed.

If his reactions were too big, then I do not know how to describe Hermione's. Well, actually I do know of a simple word to describe it... She simply fainted.

"Granger! Granger!" For that short moment, Hermione thought she was in the Heavens... And that lovely guy infront of her was an angel, her guardian angel, not to mention that he was a very good-looking one. Sad to say, she had to come back to reality where rocks are harder than clouds. No idea what I'm talking about?

"I thought you were dead. Phew." Draco sighed, relieved that she finally woke up. Why did she have to faint anyway? Overly excited to hear that he missed her?

Must be.

He was being idiotic agian... She? Dead? "I'm better off dead. It's worst to be stuck with you here..."

"Ouch, that hurts." He replied plainly.

A dreadful silence followed. But when Hermione broke it, Draco'd rather her stay silent.

"Why did I faint in the first place?" She asked innocently.

"I think it's because you found me too attractive for you to handle." Draco said in a wise tone when he's being stupid... again.

"Luckily I just ate something, if not, I'd be vomiting blood." Hermione realised Draco had the brain of a banana. "I know!"

"You do?" It sounded hoarse. It took all his might to get that out.

"You said you missed me! Geez Malfoy..." Hermione shot, "I'm so humiliated!"

"Hold it!" Draco stared at that Mudblood disbelievingly, "You should be feeling flattered, okay?"

"I thought you hated me..." She looked down at her robes... Why didn't she notice that it had always bore a stitch there? How interesting...

"I don't know..." The atmosphere in the room was getting tensed...

The two held eye contact for like eternity. The warm brown eyes stared into the cool greyish blue. The warmth melting the ice of his heart. He leant closer and closer to her, never breaking the eye contact. Any minute now, Draco's lips will be on hers. Hermione waited for him to approach... Harry!

She quickly grabbed the book and held it up, before his and her eyes. "Do you know the characters here? They are a bit wierd... and I still could not work out their meaning."

Being forcefully pulled back into the reality notice how many times I used 'reality'? I, myself, am tired of it already, Draco studied the characters carefully. All the time thinking that he will get his chance later, but meanwhile, he had to concentrate on what was infront of him.

"Ok, I'll not hide the truth away from you, I do know a bit about the characters here. It was taught in the Advanced Arithmency, though the professor only mentioned a bit of it... Interpreting what he said from a different angle, he mentioned where these characters could be found. But looking more into it, it's not of much help, actually. You see, it's in the Restricted Section. Hey, didn't you pay attention in class?"

"I did!" But not recently, romancing can be so distracting!

Draco shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Malfoy, can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Can you help me with the simplifying of this book's contents? Please?" Hermione did not put on a puppy dog face, she could not do it infront of Draco. He was a Slytherin afterall.

He was considering her proposal a bit...

After 5 minutes...

They were meeting in their common room the next day at eleven pm to sneak into the library for a peek...

"Hello, Partner!"

A/N: Sorry for the one day's delay, I was busy. I swear. Please believe me... Not much to say, just keep reviewing. I just reflected on myself, I think I should not be so stubborn. I will not persuade you all to review (at least I will not persuade as much as in the present) anymore.

RR,
fionger

P.S: I apologize for the shortness of the chapter...