Yep, J.K. Rowling's. Except the plot, anyway. Not exactly hers...
Also, you have seen the end of this before, in a slightly different version. This one's a little less pure physical, but yeah. It just sort of wrote itself a while ago, and I wanted to incorporate it into this story. So if you recognize it, at least know I'm not plagiarizing. It's my own work, just froma couple weeks ago.
"Today's the day. Today, we face the project head-on. Today, Draco Malfoy and I will create a love potion. I can do this. Really, I can. I just have to tell myself it's just another project; just another assignment. But if it's truly just another potion, why do I have such a bad feeling about this?"
"Hermione," Draco called, coming to her.
Hermione sighed, shut the journal, and muttered the password.
"'Hogroot' is the password?" Draco asked, a strange look on his face.
Hermione blushed a deep crimson and offered a weak smile. "I change it weekly," she said in a small voice. "It just seemed to fit."
"What, Hermione Granger finally discovering her wild side?" Draco asked, his voice seductive and a smirk on his face. He winked at her suggestively. "I could get used to this," he said.
Hermione slapped him playfully. "Whatever, Draco," she muttered, her face still a deep red.
Neither spoke for a moment.
"So," Draco finally said, "what time do you want to meet tonight?"
"How about right after dinner at the doors to the Great Hall again?" she suggested.
"That works for me," he replied.
"Okay, I'll see you then," she said.
"Yes you will," he replied, winking again. As he walked away, she heard him laughing to himself.
She just shook her head and went outside again.
Her tree had become even more of a solace as the year had gone. The air was getting a little warmer this time of year, but it was still the most peaceful place she knew on the Hogwarts grounds. She had been so glad when the winter was more mild this year. It had given her more time to herself outside.
She opened her Defense Against the Dark Arts book again and began to read.
Emersed in her studies, she scarcely noticed the two geese approach her. When she finally looked up from her book, she saw the couple a few feet away from her in the water, eyeing her intently.
"Well how do you do?" she said sweetly to the geese, and they both came closer in response to her voice. She reached down and stroked the female's feathers, and the bird nuzzled her arm affectionately. "Well aren't you the sweetest animal?" Hermione cooed at her, to which the goose inched a bit closer.
The male looked off to his left just a bit, and Hermione heard footsteps. The female then looked in the same direction as the male, and Hermione followed her gaze.
Draco stood next to her tree, the sun just behind his figure. Hermione squinted her eyes at him a bit, bringing her hand up to shield them. "Hello there," she greeted him, stroking the goose's feathers again with her other hand.
"Hello," he responded, taking a seat next to her. The female bird then approached him, and the male came over to Hermione.
Neither human spoke as they bonded with the geese. Hermione heard Draco mutter something, and a piece of bread appeared next to them. He broke off a piece, handed it to Hermione, and then broke off another piece and fed it to the male goose. Hermione followed his lead and fed the female.
After the piece of bread was gone, the two geese went about their own way, swimming off to the middle of the lake.
Draco looked over at Hermione as they left, and she was smiling a soft, peaceful smile.
"I love nature," she sighed.
He smiled at her. "I can see that," he responded.
They sat in silence a moment longer, watching the lake.
"Well I actually came out here to remind you it was time for dinner," Draco said. "I didn't see you near the Great Hall as I went there, and I figured you might be out here."
Hermione looked at him as he spoke. "Well thank you," she responded as he finished. "I was caught up in thought as usual."
"I figured as much," he responded.
She smiled, and he genuinely returned it. Hermione was surprised to see his face so genuine. She couldn't recall if she had ever seen that before.
"So we should go, then?" she said.
"Right," he responded, standing and extending a hand to help her. She accepted, and they walked to the Great Hall together.
Once inside the Great Hall, they separated almost immediately. Hermione joined her friends at the Gryffindor table, and Draco went to the Slytherin table.
"So, Hermione," Ginny said as she sat down next to her, "today's the big day?"
Hermione sighed and nodded. "That it is," she replied.
"Are you sure you really have to make a... love potion... with the Ferret?" Ron asked.
"Yes, Ronald," Hermione replied. "I have no choice."
Ron wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"Well whatever you do," Harry said in a warning tone, "don't you get near that potion yourself."
"Harry," Hermione said matter-of-factly, "I'll be making it. I'll have to get near it."
"You know what I mean," Harry said. "I don't want you..." He shuddered, unable to finish his sentence.
"Basically," Ginny added helpfully, "don't let Malfoy con you into drinking the stuff."
Hermione laughed at her words.
"Well, Hermione," Ginny added, "It's not like I really wanted you to fall for the bloke..."
Hermione laughed again. "You guys worry too much," she said, smiling. "He no more wants to fall for me than I do him."
All three of them eyed her suspiciously.
"Seriously!" she said emphatically. "There's nothing to worry about."
Draco and Hermione were silent again as they walked to the dungeon. Once they arrived, they busied themselves with preparing ingredients and the like.
The pair switched off roles according to the ingredients they had researched. If Hermione had researched an ingredient, she told Draco how much to put into the cauldron, and he did so. If Draco had researched it, he told Hermione what amount to put in the cauldron.
With the directions and actually creating the potion, it took longer than they had expected. After an hour or so, it was time for the last ingredient.
"Now for the Pyroglaze," Hermione told him. He looked to her for direction, holding the jar with the ingredient. "It says a 'pinch,'" she said, and he appeared a bit confused. "What exactly is just 'a pinch'?" he asked.
Hermione laughed. Pinching off a little of the powdered Pyroglaze from the jar, she replied, "This." Then she rubbed her fingers together over the cauldron, and the Pyroglaze dispersed within it.
In a matter of seconds, the potion turned a bright pink and let off a faint, rose-like smell.
"Well," Hermione said carefully, "I think it worked."
"So... how do we know for sure?" he asked, examining her.
Each student looked into the bubbling liquid. Then at each other. Then the liquid again.
"No," Hermione said first. "No way."
"It's a temporary one, right?" Draco asked.
Hermione nodded.
"Well at least we have that."
"No," she repeated. "That's just... no." She shook her head, remembering what Harry, Ron, and Ginny had said about this potion.
He laughed at her discomfort. "What, Granger," he asked, stepping uncomfortably close to her and slipping one arm around her waist. "Afraid you might like me?"
She glared at him all over again and pulled away sharply. He laughed once more.
A tense moment of silence passed as they continued to stare at the potion.
"Granger," he said finally, in his matter-of-fact tone. "It's the only way we'll know for sure."
"Well can't we just..." She paused, thinking and refusing to look at him. "I don't know, can't we test it on someone else?"
"And confuse someone who can't possibly know what's going on?" he asked, shaking his head. "I know you're not up for that."
Hermione sighed, resigning herself to the moment. After all, he was right. She couldn't do that to someone else.
"Fine," she finally agreed, still refusing to look at him. "I'll do it."
"Fine," he said, eyeing the floor more attentively than he intended.
He conjured glasses for both of them. He handed her one wordlessly. Hermione dipped out the pink mixture, putting half of it in each glass. It continued to bubble almost excitedly within their glasses.
"Cheers,"Draco said, and Hermione gulped nervously.
"Cheers," she finally said, contemplating for one last minute if she really wanted to do this.
Their glasses clinked, and Hermione caved. She brought her glass to her lips, and Draco did the same. For a moment, the only sound was the pair drinking. The mixture tasted light and sweet, like nothing either had ever tried before. Then, after that moment, each glass clinked on the table, empty.
At first, nothing happened. Hermione began to wonder if the potion worked after all. The look in Draco's eyes told her he thought the same.
Then, she noticed the exact scent of Draco's cologne. It was light and yet incredibly tantalizing. Hermione found herself just a little closer to him, breathing deeply.
Simultaneously, Draco noticed her perfume for the first time. As she inched closer to him, he breathed in her scent and brought his hands to her hips.
Their eyes locked in a tense moment of a new kind.
"Hermione," he said, his voice thick as he pulled her closer to him.
"Yes?" she replied, her breath coming a bit faster.
"I think it works."
And with that, he brought his lips on hers with such force she thought she might collapse if he hadn't been holding on so tightly. Her knees buckled, and her head spun. She clung to his neck as they kissed, neither wanting to break it. The kiss went on and on, their lips molding together and their arms holding one another tighter than ever. She ran her hands through his hair, and he brought his up and down her back. When they finally came up for air, only one word escaped from her lips:
"Wow."
A/N: Hey all, let me know what you think. I promise they won't just stay all physically charged like this... Thanks!