Leather and Libraries
by Starlight-Heart
AN: Howdy partners! A new update and my writer's block has gone! Yay! I wrote about three pages yesterday of the next chapter, and I'm only a quarter of the way through… I have two questions to ask you today:
1. What do you think about me inserting a poem at the start of each chapter? It's just something to set the mood and give some clues.
2. And what do you think about a banner and 100x100 icons? These are really just for me but I really want to find some nice fan art to do them since I love making them so much!
So let me know! God don't I sound big headed? –Deflates head- All better :) So, Christmas break is upon us so that means more time to write! I'll hopefully do a mid-week update and then one on Boxing Day so this will be finished by the time I go back to school! Dude, time flies… Replies to your fabalas reviews!
sirius-black-4eva – I know it's horrible! Let's just say this chapter is terribly disturbing and full of pukeness! Bunny suit… Draco… That's seems comical and disturbing! Lolz
ShimmeringEvil – Where would she be without her gorgeous Slytherin Prince? In the pits of Harry… YAY! No more Draco, let's just kill him off for H/Hr goodness :P
alison – Your not ickle though :S You've got a big mouth for starters! Hehehe You evil biatch die you and Kris! Lolz ta and girly?
NeVeRmInD2 – Thank you! Clichéness sucks but cannot be avoided unfortunately! Yeah, too much for Hermione personally, I think because Draco's a hard nut o.0 Lolz I've come up with my end plot so you'll just have to read the sequel!
AvIdPiAnIsT – Please don't hurt me! –Shields herself from attack of P.C- I'm no good at this type of stuff so glad I got people like you! The long sentences just don't seem to be working by the way… I hate mushy Draco but I have to for some extent since they are 'together' now.
Monica7725 – Pansy's ace the mean biatch! I would sooo want to be her in Slytherin! You'll just have to see now…
B-A-HPlova22 – She is getting too much now… I think it has something to do with what Hogwarts puts in its food. Yeah the stupid romantic couple… I'm a realist so I don't' believe in all this stuff! Thank you :)
Slytherin ice princess – Lolz glad to see you're so involved! Everyone's just insane. Harry and Ron are being abused in this bit :(
padfoot-lover1 – Lolz so sweet you could chip your teeth! Yeah it nearly went… Damn it didn't! Ta!
jesska-14 – Yeah Blink-182 rule! I bought Kerrang magazines and I was like whoa because they were on the front and were in London but I live in Wales so it sucks :( I think they are but not fully like an 'ordinary' couple would be – it's confusing! Lolz I'm just a spaz who should be locked up without a paper and pen…
BabyRuth – Here we go again!
15 – I don't know yet… I've just been having withdrawal from my favourite ship so I may have to tie that in somewhere. Oh wait, I've just come up with something! Thank you for making me think about it! Ron's mind is always on the pepperoni!
16 – Yeah but she was scared on how they would react and look how they did!
17 – Lolz she bruised our baby! Bless him and Ronniekins.
18 –I've always chosen my friends over boys too! Thank yooooooou!
DragonSpirit7037 - Damn them, fight more you hopeless people! I like writing their fights and I'll have to include some bigger ones down the line… Lolz
silvereyedelven – Draco loves all this attention really! o.0 Silk Slytherin tassel! Tassels! Yay! Nice candy cane – thumbs up-
Follow the crappy writing…
Disclaimer: I own only the depths of my twisted mind and a massive Prisoner of Azkaban cut-out that I got last week so I'm very happy.
Summary: After an incident in the library, Draco and Hermione begin to realise they have more in common than just books.
Chapter 19 – Requested Moments
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Yes so stop moaning woman."
Hermione hit Draco playfully as she stood behind him, resting her head on his shoulder and her arms tied around his waist. "Anymore talk like that and you will not have this woman."
"Well I'll take advantage of it now." He kissed her lightly on the head.
"I don't like you like this. You're being too nice when I've been used to you being horrible ever since I came to this school."
"Fine then, have it your way… Get off me you stupid mudblood! I hate you, I hate your friends, and everything is this damn school." He pushed her off him, standing superiorly now.
"Okay, maybe not like that but it's just so weird. Come on, we better go if we're going to make an impression."
Hermione kissed Draco on the lips, lingering for a moment before quickly grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the classroom. They walked side by side down Hogwarts' hallways laughing and oblivious to the students who were staring open-mouthed at the once worst enemies. Who would have thought Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger would actually be enjoying each others company? And letting everyone see and take note of it? Once again, Hogwarts had been twisted around and the planets and stars were out of alignment – at least that's what everyone thought.
During all this time, the two of them still unmindful to everything that was near them. It was not until a fellow couple stepped in front of them did they become part of the world surrounding them.
"Well, if it isn't Hogwarts newest and cutest couple," Alison Williams stated, looking like she could very much be sick at the scene in front of her and those words. Attached on her arm was her 'long-term boyfriend' Kris Sinclair, holding an aura of mystery around him.
Draco immediately became the protective partner and fought back, "Do tell me, how long has it been since you courted someone else other than Kris? Or was that scene last night between you and Blaise some kind of warped dream?"
Alison fought her emotions well. "Drakie, you know us Slytherins can never stay tied down and it's only an amount of time before this one comes loose." She was talking purely to Hermione. "Like we've discussed before."
Hermione glared at her foully, her hand tightening around Draco's. "As much as I'd love for this pointless conversation to continue, dinner's ready and I'm ready for it." She walked off with Draco behind her, anger gathering slowly. She looked back at Alison, seeing that the other girl understood the hidden message between her pursed lips.
"What was she talking about?" Draco asked, walking in front of Hermione so she would stop.
"Nothing, it's old," Hermione finalised.
"It's doesn't seem by the fire in your eyes."
"It was nothing!"
Draco groaned and pulled her into another classroom, slamming the door behind him. "Tell me now."
"No." Hermione sat down on the desk at the front of the classroom.
"Hermione…"
"Yes? You called my name."
"Stop being so bloody annoying. Just tell me."
"Fine, me and the Slytherin girls talked."
"It was more than that because Slytherins do not talk to anyone else than people in their house for other than a good reason."
"Well they do now since everything that's happened. I'm hungry." She made to get up and walk out but Draco stopped her by leaning down and putting both hands beside her on the wood desk.
"Not until you tell me."
"Then we're going to be here a long time."
"As long as it takes for you to stop being bloody stubborn!"
Hermione rolled her eyes and gave in. "We talked about you and random things; it was just stupid nonsense that Slytherins find to be important to their pathetic lives and the gruesome things surrounding them. Happy?"
"No but I know that's all I'll get out of you at the moment. Merlin, you're bloody mood swings are doing my head in, are you sure you're not pregnant?"
Hermione hit him as Draco grabbed her hand and walked out with her. It was fairly short now to the Great Hall and they clasped hands and walked, occasionally looking at each other just to make sure they were doing the right thing. People stopped and gawped at them, not even trying to hide their amazement. Whispers carried on behind them like a trail of hungry wolves, licking their lips intensely.
If felt like an age before Hermione and Draco got to the Great Hall and even more heads rose up to greet them there. She breathed deeply and gave him a light kiss on the cheek, whispering a quick 'bye' and walking to the middle of the Gryffindor table, sitting down and hiding behind a book so people would not be able to see her red face.
Harry and Ron had just surveyed the scene, anger rising again between them.
"So they obviously don't want to hide it anymore," Ron said, eyeing them both at separate sides of the Hall.
"Yeah," Harry said mindlessly, eating his dinner. He did not want to show this bothered him as much as it did. He had lost his temper a week ago, and it was not to happen again as Professor Dumbledore had said to him and Ron. The truth was his heart gave a painful stab every time he saw them together laughing, talking, kissing... He had always hoped Hermione would at least find herself a decent man and not Ferret Boy. Maybe Harry had put his hopes up too much that one night in the common room…
Flashback
Hermione Granger was sitting on the leather armchair by the Gryffindor fire, checking through Harry's Defence Against The Dark Arts homework. It was their sixth year in February and the snow fell lightly outside in the evening bliss.
Harry Potter was on the big sofa, looking through his Potions book for the properties of shanks core and what it was used for – so far there had been no luck.
"Okay, so there was only some spelling and grammar mistakes; nothing major that you deserve a lecture for," Hermione announced, handing Harry back his essay. "Found anything?"
"No, I'm fed up and it's hopeless. Trust Snape to do something like this just to spite all of us – like it was our fault that Neville's potion exploded because he forgot two of the ingredients and then added them straight at the end when Snape did say he had forgotten them," Harry grumbled, setting the book down on the coffee table.
"We'll just have to go to the library after lessons tomorrow and during lunch then." Hermione sat next to him and looked around. "Ummm, when did everyone go?"
"About the time you were looking through your homework's and adding things. Ron said thanks by the way; he didn't want to disturb you since you looked so into it and everyone knows how violent you get."
Hermione smiled awkwardly while a yawn was trying to make its out. "I cannot be bothered to get up."
"Me neither, too… much… energy needed."
"Do not make a mockery of my pain," Hermione said in a posh English voice.
"I'm sorry Lady Hermione." Harry pretended to bow low.
They both laughed together.
"It's stupid," Hermione said abruptly.
"What's stupid? You?" Harry asked a ducked to avoid her fist.
"No, it's just that remember what Rita said about us? That we were 'together'?"
"Oh yeah. Made a nice fire actually and a good laugh."
"Off topic Harry James Potter, so get back on! Anyway, what do you think about it?"
Harry shrugged, starting to get confused.
"Men! I think it's stupid because we're too friendly, too much like brother and sister and you and Ron need me as much as each other so I would never be able to divide you… but makes sense in some twisted way. I mean, we hardly ever fight and when we do it's got something to do with Ron or just hormones."
"So you're saying we'd make the perfect Mary-Sue couple that everyone wants to be and everyone loves? Or is there no point to what you're saying and you're just too tired to realise what you're saying."
Hermione laughed and pondered this for a moment, and then answered, "Not exactly, I mean there's that whole prophecy thing going on with you and my work and personal problems with me, but it would be nice you know?"
"Yeah, I guess. Sirius always used to say you were like my mum and boys always go for girls like their mums, which is a bad thing in some cases…" Harry lingered on, holding onto his memory of Mrs. Black in a portrait form and chuckling slightly. "I know a way to shut you up once and for all; if I'm still alive and kicking by the time we're thirty then we'll get married and have mini Scar Heads running around - deal?" He held out his hand to her.
"Deal," Hermione repeated shaking his hand. They both laughed together and continued to talk deep into the night, only returning to their separate dormitory's when the full moon was shown in all it's glory with star's being it's source of light in the dark night.
End of Flashback
Ron had never known of that agreement and never would. It was something kept between Harry and Hermione in the book of their deep friendship – but now that seemed to be gone along with trust and understanding.
Harry looked up at Hermione who was also picking at her breakfast and reading a book that accompanied her almost everywhere. Her brow was furrowed in concentration and her gaze never broke from the words she held onto desperately.
He wanted to get up and tell her he was sorry for everything that had happened, but he was not in some ways. He did not regret beating up Draco but he did regret causing this toll on their friendship. So he stayed firmly in his seat and talked to Ron while watching the girl who should have been here with them.
When dinner was drawing to a close and people were beginning to get restless at the Headmaster's request of them staying here, the man himself got up and tapped his goblet lightly, drawing all attention away from what was in front of the students and to him.
"In these troubled times, many people have seemed to forgotten about unity and friendship," Albus Dumbledore stated, seeming to look directly at Harry, Ron, Hermione on the Gryffindor Table and then Draco on the Slytherin Table. "So the staff and I thought it would be pleasant to arrange a few things to bring the school closer together. The first event will be a Christmas Ball for everyone in year's four to seven which will require dress robes to be worn and possibly dates. It will be on the last night before the Christmas Holidays, this Sunday, and held in here and the grounds will also be open; like the Yule Ball."
Murmuring and applause was greeted by this statement and Albus signalled them to stop as he still had more to say.
"Year's one, two and three will also have their own Hogsmeade trip and an activity in the night on the same day so that we may begin preparation for it. I will send all your dormitories a full copy of what is going to happen tonight as we still have yet to decide some things. Good night everyone." He left with a nod of the head and exited through the door on the right hand side of him, followed by the staff shortly afterwards.
Meanwhile, the students were all talking elatedly about the forthcoming 'events' and walking away from the Hall. It was the first time since the Yule Ball that a ball had been arranged for the students and the atmosphere was being built up again in anticipation. They all even forgot about Hogwarts new couple.
Draco got up and met Hermione by the door, both of them walking to the Hidden Tower in silence so they could leave all thoughts to be spoken for when they were alone.
Hermione sat down on the bean bag and Draco leaned against the large table as the night became slowly darkened in the bitter winter.
"I'm not doing work tonight," Hermione said. "I just cannot be bothered and my head's thumping from this stupid school and the pitiable people in it."
"I wasn't going to do anything even if you had wanted to. Do you need some potion?" Draco asked casually. She shook her head and massaged her forehead tenderly.
"What are we going to do then?" Draco posed. Again Hermione said nothing and shrugged as she tried to calm down her pounding headache that ceased to stop.
"Are you going to go to the ball?"
"Probably," Hermione said vaguely.
"With me?"
"Of course because then that would really be stupid if I wasn't going with my boyfriend who fought for me and then stayed with me – even if he can be a pain in the neck at times." She smiled at him in an angelic way.
"Well you better tell this 'boyfriend' of yours to straighten out his ideas because if he doesn't you'll be gone with some other git." He walked towards her and sat in front, on the floor.
"Oh I don't think so; no-one can replace this git in my heart."
Hermione pulled him close and surrounded him in her taste, delving deep into his heart he had openly given not long ago and lingering in this moment. He embraced the moment she had given them together and pulled her close, tracing his hands onto her back blissfully.
She leaned and lied back on the bean bag, pulling Draco on top of her and massaging his shoulders lightly as he had become surprised and tense at her move. But nevertheless, he retracted his hands from her back and positioned them on the bottom of her white blouse, tickling it when he moved upwards towards her chest.
Hermione broke the kiss when she realised where this was going and held his hands where they were. "Not yet I'm not ready to go all the way even if I do love you," She stated, looking up at him with wide, truthful eyes.
Draco showed that he was not taken aback, hid all hurt and merely nodded. "All right we don't have to do anything; we can just talk about the Ball and things." He got off her after giving her a quick kiss and sat next to her on the straight-backed chair.
"What are we going to do about meeting up? It will probably take me a while to get ready as it took me nearly five hours in our fourth year and then it was a nightmare," Hermione said.
"It's starting at seven so meet me in the Entrance Hall at quarter to seven?" Draco requested and she nodded. "Are you going to Hogsmeade on Saturday?"
"Yes but I'll get some new dress robes there because I forgot to buy some in Diagon Alley so you won't be able to come. I'll see you on the Sunday after that but only in the night."
"And what am I supposed to do for two days while you go off and be a girly girl?"
"Amuse yourself." Hermione winked and grinned. "Especially when it gets all cold and dark in those nights in the scary dungeons," She taunted while seeing his nervous face. "Now I make you all hot and bothered which is one of my many Gryffindor powers."
Hermione laughed at him and left a single thought to herself, 'And I'll be thinking of you when I'm away from you in the Christmas Holidays.'
AN: Pure fluffiness! So sweet I just chipped my tooth on it which is baaaaaaaad. Bet you're wondering, why is this so crappy? I did this during my minor writers block and I wrote it in sections which didn't help. I just realised when proof-reading that the way Draco and Hermione talk it's like she's pregnant and the way Harry talks about her it's like she's dead. Weird…
Anyways, I'm astounded by all the reviews I'm getting! Thank you mucho and they are Buenos! Don't ask it involved a lot of Spanish songs, dancing and stuff in a P.S.E lesson –cough-ALISON!-cough- Star x