Draco put his pile of books on the table and threw his bag down before heading into the stacks to find a book he needed for a potions essay. As he headed down an aisle, the window at the end flew open letting in the cold late October air. He closed the window and saw his own reflection. The anxiety of his task was getting to his face- dark circles under his eyes from the lack of sleep. The only time he felt that anxiety leave his body at all is when he was with Hermione. Even just studying in silence together helped. He wondered if she knew the affect, she had on him, nervous and calm all at the same time. She was usually in the library first, deep into a book or homework, waiting for him. Tonight, he seemed to beat her there after dinner which was curious.
Draco turned grabbing the book he needed and headed back to his table. When he got there, he noticed all of Hermione's stuff was there so she must have gone into the aisles to look for something as well. He sat down opening the book he just retrieved, set out his parchment paper, and shifted his pile of books to make room. That's when he noticed something was off. Looking at all his stuff he realized what was missing.
His book on dark objects. In a panic, Malfoy stood up, who would freely take a book on owls from his pile. That's when it clicked- Granger.
Malfoy began to power through the aisle's looking down each one for her. After a minute or so he found her at the end of an aisle. She was sitting on one of the desks against the shelves, reading the book.
Malfoy stomped over to her, without even looking up at him she acknowledged him "Didn't know you had such an affinity for Owls, Malfoy".
"Give it here, Granger."
Draco reached forward, but Hermione hid the book behind her back.
"You really need to work on your shimmers. It was quite obvious." Hermione mocked "or maybe you got distracted, really tampers with the magic you know."
"Accio book" Draco said, and immediately regretted as several books fell off the shelf next to him.
Hermione covered her mouth with one hand as she giggled.
Draco glared at her "Give. Me. The. Book. Granger."
"Say please."
He lunged toward her to reach around her. Draco was pressed between her legs, pinning Hermione up against the bookshelf. Hermione's legs wrapped around his, filling in the last remaining gaps between the two.
"Don't get your knickers in a twist Malfoy, it's just a book."
With that Malfoy looked down at her, lips inches from her with a face of desire that Hermione will never forget. before she could speak his lips came crashing into hers. Her lips parted in acceptance as his tongue darted in. His hands came up to cup her face, and hers moved to grip onto his shirt.
"Draco" she moaned into his mouth. The word like a countercurse, triggered them both back into reality.
They pulled apart from one another, staring for a second, before Draco darted off. Hermione slid down off the desk, as her feet touched the floor she looked down and saw the book laying there. She scooped it up quickly as a first year turned the corner, and scurred over to her table. Draco, and his stuff was long gone. Stuffing the book into her bag, she packed up quickly as there was no way her mind could focus on studying tonight.
Hermione paced outside the Gryffindor dormitory. She didn't know who else to go to.
"Hermione?" Ginny said as she peeked her head through the portrait hole.
Hermione looked at her with a frantic look on her face "I didn't know who else to- "
"Here" Ginny threw the invisibility cloak she knew to be Harry's over Hermione, and walked her through the portrait hole, passed a crowd of Gryffindors in the common area, and up the stairs to her dorm room.
When they got into the room they got into her bed and drew the bed curtains.
"Muffliato" Hermione whispered.
"Oh, so it's serious serious."
"Ginny." Hermione said sternly, with tears beginning to swell in her eyes "Malfoy kissed me."
"I'm confused, was it bad? I thought you were into him, or maybe I made that up in my head but I- "
"Ginny." Hermione grabbed her friend's hands. "I need to tell you something."
Hermione started from the beginning when she was paired with, what really happened when she followed Malfoy, that her mom came, who she really was, and even about the book. When she finally finished, she took a deep breath waiting for Ginny to respond.
"Wow" was all Ginny said.
"I'm sorry, Ginny. I'm sorry I lied and got Harry and Ron in trouble, and that I never told you the truth about me and my family."
"I knew." Ginny said
"You did? Ron told you?"
"No, Merlin no. I figured it out last year on my own off of some offhand comment Harry made and a little research, but I thought that there was a good reason you kept it to yourself and you'd tell me when you want to."
Hermione pulled Ginny into a big hug "You're such a good friend, I don't deserve you."
"You're probably right." Ginny said letting go "But why did you keep what really happened from Harry? And what do you think him reading that book means?"
"Honestly because I didn't think it would lead to any good telling Harry. I don't think he was off to do anything weird in the Castle, I must've spooked him, and he did not realize his strength. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I would be on edge too if my parents were canoodling with You-Know-Who. Plus, Merlin only knows how many dark objects are in his house that he could want that book for, there's even a few in mine."
"You mean your castle" Ginny said with a smirk.
Hermione rolled her eyes "You know what I mean. Do you think I'm making excuses for him? I just don't see the reason to totally jump the gun and get Harry on edge without more proof, he is already losing it over everything."
Ginny took a deep breath and a moment to think "No, I think you're right, I'm not 100% convinced Draco's fully a Death Eater or doing You-Know-Who's bidding himself either."
"What should I do?"
"Act normal and have him keep trusting you. Won't hurt to get another good snog out of it, and some info if he is involved."
"You always know how to make a positive spin on things" Hermione chuckled.
"So, it was good then?" Ginny questioned.
Hermione blushed at the thought "I didn't want him to stop. I almost disgraced the history aisle."
"Steamy"
"Yea, until he ran away. I guess I was the bad snogger."
"Doubt it, Hermione." Ginny said, "any guy would kill to snog you, princess or not."
Draco managed to avoid Hermione for most of the day. Potions was canceled, which meant he had no reason to sit next to her in their other classes. He would come in last right before the bell and dash out before she could get her stuff together. Arithmancy was their last class of the day on Friday's. Professor Vector was droning on about something totally irrelevant, at least in Draco's opinion.
He looked around the room and noticed Hermione, in her usual seat, but her hair was changed back to the dirty blonde locks she had before her mother showed up. He wondered why she would change it back? Was she pulling the dramatics that women do, changing their hair when men in their life do stupid things? Did his kiss cause her to go blonde? Was she thinking about it while she's doodling in her notebook? Did she think he was a good kisser? If she did, he ruined it by running away. Is she mad at him for running away?
Draco forgot how long he was staring at the back of her head until she turned around, looked at him looking at her. Draco panicked and looked away, at the same time knocking two of Theo's books straight to the ground.
"Fuck." Draco muttered leaning down to pick up the books. When he picked his head back up, he made eye contact with her again- both looking away at the same time. Draco felt his cheeks get red as he cursed at himself inside his head. When he looked up again, Pansy and Blaise were turned around staring at him like he had three heads.
"Okay class that's all for today. Don't forget to do problems on page 466 for next week" Professor Vector said dismissing them.
Draco quickly through his bag over his shoulder and snatched up his books before speeding out the door, nearly knocking down Longbottom on his way out.
"Draco!" Pansy shouted after him.
"Malfoy wait up" Theo followed up.
Draco didn't turn around until he felt a hand on his shoulder jerk him around to see Blaise's face.
"What?" Malfoy said annoyed.
"What's wrong with you?" Theo said out of breath finally catching up with Pansy at his side.
"What's wrong with him? clearly Grangers, got him all flustered." Pansy said.
"What did you do?" Blaise asked
"What did I do?"
"He definitely snogged her look at how red he is" Pansy stated.
"Pansy's right, but he must've embarrassed himself 'cause Malfoy never avoids girls he snogs, quite the opposite actually" Theo pondered.
Blaise just looked at him questioningly.
"I did not snog Granger! I just wanted this day to be over okay" Draco snapped.
"My poor Draco. You're so stressed." Pansy went in to touch his arm, but Draco moved away quickly.
"I just want to be alone okay?"
"Fine" Pansy and Theo said in unison.
Draco stalked off, but still felt someone at his heels. He turned around when he reached an out cove at the end of the hall "Yes?"
"What happened?" Blaise inquired "and don't say nothing cause we all know that's not true."
"She found my book."
"Your Book? Ooh your book."
"Yes, and then we kissed when I tried to get it back from her."
"Oh, naturally because one leads to the other" Blaise retorted.
"It just happened, one minute I was reaching to get my book from her and the next we were snogging."
"Then why are you avoiding her?"
"Well cause after we snogged, I left."
"you left?"
"well I kind of ran away" Draco said sheepishly.
"Ran away?"
"I panicked."
"Go talk to her."
"What? No?"
"You have to" Blaise pressed "she knows something you're reading up on for your task. You have to make this right between the two of you, so she doesn't tell anyone."
"She doesn't know what it was for."
"She's not stupid, Malfoy. She'll put two and two together if you give her enough time to think about it. If you go fix it, she'll forget about it, or give you the benefit of the doubt."
"I don't know." Malfoy ran his hand through his hair.
"If you go to her now, she'll forget about it. Hermione is very loyal if you prove you care about her. Plus, won't hurt to get another snog out of it."