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Chapter 8

Hermione speeded through the Gryffindor common room, trying to ignore the curious glares that her fellow students sent her. She climbed the steps leading to the dormitories two by two, looking forward for finding peace in her room. When she opened the door and entered her dormitory, she found Ginny and Parvati sitting in her bed crossing their arms. Peace would still need to wait thought Hermione.

"Hermione please explain us what's happening?" asked Ginny confused. "We spent all day repeating to everyone that Malfoy and you were NOT a thing, and HE spent all day proving otherwise" she added frustrated.

"Yes Hermione, what's happening?" said softly Parvati.

Hermione sighed and sat at the foot of her bed facing her friends. "Girls I have no idea what's happening! I am as confused as you I swear. Malfoy and I are not a couple, and I have no idea why he is acting like we are. My best guess is that he is planning something and don't worry I will find out." Said Hermione serious.

Ginny looked at her worried "Be careful please."

Hermione laughed at her concerns "What could he do to me? I think I can take care of myself against Malfoy's advances thank you"

"That's the thing I'm worried about. I'm afraid you will fail at protecting yourself against his… charms" said Ginny

"He is handsome Hermione" added Parvati nodding very seriously.

"Really? Are you listening to yourselves? It's Malfoy we are talking about! Draco fucking Malfoy. He is the last boy in this school I could fall for" said Hermione angry, before realizing that her last sentence sounded exactly like what Elizabeth Benet answered Darcy when he first admitted his feelings. But in Pride and Prejudice they got together at the end despite everything. Shit. NO Hermione don't think like that, she told herself. Your life is no fiction, focus on the reality and the facts. And the facts are that Malfoy is prejudiced on blood purity, is the son of a death eater and a complete prat. It was impossible for her to ever fall for this bully. "No really it is impossible don't worry girls!"

"Okay, okay" answered Ginny "But just be careful please"

"I promise" said Hermione with a smile. "I love you girls. You are the best; I'm really glad to have you in my life".

"I love you too" answered Parvati hugging them both enthusiastically.

"Okay now that all of this is settled, I'm going to bed" said Hermione yawning. "This day have been exhausting". As none of them were moving from her bed, Hermione took her wand and levitated the blanket they were sitting on, making them fall on the floor.

"Hermione!" said Parvati laughing.

"Evil witch!" added a giggling Ginny. "I will definitely not sit on your bed anymore!"

"Oh, what a loss" added ironically Hermione. That earned her a pillow in the face and two once more giggling Ginny and Parvati. "Ha ha ha, very funny. Now good night girls" said Hermione burying herself under her blanket and pillows, a smile on her face.

….

The following days were pretty similar to her first day of school thought Hermione. Draco was still, much to Ron's horror and dismay, trying to spend time with her and sit next to her in class. But Hermione had her meal breaks at the Gryffindor's table and her library study date with Blaise to hide from Draco and his "charms" as Ginny called them.

On Thursday the fourth years were about to have their first Defence against the dark Arts class. Everyone got really excited because of all the feedbacks that gave the students of other years.

They all entered in the classroom and once more Draco sat next to Hermione. She rolled her eyes; he didn't seem to have dropped out whatever act he was playing.

"Good morning students welcome to my class" said Rousset standing in front of them. "You probably already know my name, but I will introduce myself anyway; I am Évangeline Rousset, I was an Aurore for 10 years and I have been teaching Defence against the Dark Arts for 4 years now. I loved teaching this subject in Beauxbâtons and I am sure it will just be the same here" she added. "The class will be divided in two parts that we will see gradually throughout the year; spells and dark creatures" She paused checking that students were still following and continued "I believe that a good instruction must include a theorical as well as a practical part. Therefore, in addition of the practice we will do here together, your potion master and myself agreed on founding a dueling club for the fourth and fifth years!"

That information got a lot of cheering and excitement from the students. Rousset explained that the first reunion would be for fourth years, on Friday and opened to every willing volunteer.

When the class was over Hermione and her friends agreed that they would all join the club and that they couldn't wait for the first reunion.

The rest of the day ran smoothly, and soon it was time for Hermione to meet up with Blaise at the library. But when she got to their usual table, she didn't find Blaise but Draco instead reading a book on potions.

"God Malfoy! Really you are stalking me" she grumbled. "It's my table and Blaise's, can you please sit somewhere else?"

Draco looked up from his book smirking "Blaise had an impediment and sent me on his behalf to inform you and replace him" he said before focusing again on his book.

"Great, now I must sit with you in the library too!" she said a little too loud costing her a warning from the librarian. She frowned and added "You don't have to stay you can join your Slytherin friends if you like"

He shrugged without looking up from his book. Great. She thought about getting to another desk, but what was the point? This bastard was able to join her anyway. So, she made them both save time and sat down at the table.

Hermione tried to forget his existence and focus on her homework. She didn't manage to study more than half an hour. She was struggling to concentrate with him sitting near her; every 5 minutes she wanted to look up at him and she couldn't stop herself from focusing on his scent. His perfume was delightful, he smelled like pepper mint with a light woody and nutmeg note. It was weird because in class sitting next to him wasn't that disturbing. But here in the silence of the library, hidden behind a bookshelf, it was completely different. All she could think about was him.

After resisting for a while, she ended up looking up at him. Some rays of sunlight were filtering through the window and playing with the edge of his face. His eyes seemed like melted silver and his white-blond hair looked like silk. She couldn't stop herself from wondering how it would feel to run her fingers through it.

Hermione found it surprisingly mesmerizing to watch him be completely immersed in his book, oblivious of his surrenders and her glare. She didn't know how long she stayed like that, watching him, but at one-point Draco looked up and they made eye contact. They eyed each other for a few more seconds before Hermione blushed and looked down at her book trying to focus on her study again.

She was still blushing, pretending to study (rereading the same sentence again and again), when she heard him move his sit from across the table to her side. She looked up again to find him a few centimetres away staring at her, his knee brushing against hers.

"Is that close enough? This way it'll be more convenient for you to look at me Granger" he said smirking. She blushed even more.

"I wasn't looking at you Malfoy!", she said avoiding his eyes.

"Even if I was blind, I could have felt your eyes on me Hermione. I can read in you as an open book. You Gryffindors can't hide any of your thoughts nor feelings" he said sitting too close to her taste.

"Wrong, you were sitting in front of me, it makes sense that when I look up, I find myself looking at you. That's it" she said obstinate on having the final say. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must go, I find it hard to focus in the library", she said reuniting her books in her arms and standing to leave him. He also stood up and stretched his arm against the bookshelf in order to block her from the exit. He stretched his other arm parallel to the first, making her back off against the bookshelf and trapping her between his two arms.

"What are you doing?" she said angry, still avoiding his eyes.

"You find it hard to focus in the library? How could it be, this place is literally your sanctuary Granger"

"Not when you are here Malfoy! Also, who told you that?" she said still angry.

"Well, I saw you for three years sitting at this table studying until the closure of the library"

She looked up at him smiling mischievously "now who is watching who Malfoy?"

He smirked at her answer "Are you teasing me love? Or maybe flirting with me?"

"Absolutely not!" she answered maybe too quickly. "Now, let me go, I still have some studying to do and I can't focus with you disturbing me."

"Okay, okay I will not disturb you anymore. But please stay, I promised Blaise I would be nice and if he learns that I made you flee he will kill me." He said softly.

She thought about it for a second before answering "Okay, I will stay, even if seeing you jinxed by Blaise would be amazing. But he is my friend too and I don't want him to feel uncomfortable if he knew that leaving me with you was the worst idea ever"

They both sat down, and Hermione moved her sit away from him a little. She managed to focus eventually and got some work done even if she couldn't stop herself from taking a look at him from time to time.

When she finished writing her essay, she realized that Draco was asleep next to her. He was breathing slowly, and his expression seemed so peaceful. He looked really cute she thought.

He sighed in his sleep causing one strand of hair to fall in front of his eyes. Before she could think about it, she raised her hand and gently tucked the strand on the side of his head. She then brushed her fingers along his cheek. It felt nice she thought. And as her hand was still touching his face, he opened his eyes and looked at her surprised. Realizing what she was doing now that he was looking straight at her, her eyes became two huge circles. OH. GOD. HOLY. SHIT. He surprised her caressing him! Hermione Granger CARESSING Malfoy's fucking cheek.

The shame and panic were emerging in her and Hermione used her wand to put quickly all her books in her bag and this time managed to run away from him before he could hold her back.

She arrived in the great hall sweating, out of breath and blushing furiously. She sat down next to her friends and spend the whole meal staring at her plate, incapable of joining any conversation they were having. She couldn't stop herself from feeling embarrassment and shame. She thought about what she said to the Ginny and Parvati the other day. What was it again? Ah yes; that she would never be responsive to Malfoy's charms. Damn, the snake was more cunning than she thought, and she would have to be more careful around him from now on.