A/n: Whew! What a relief!! I weaseled out of that writer's block!! For all those others on writer's block, I'd recommend listening to What I've Been Looking For by Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Gabreel, you know, the ones in Highschool Musical! It really helps!! Anyway, this part of the story gets interesting, since sparks fly out between Hermione and Draco. Meaning the chemistry between them will be, um, pleasant...hahaha. Please continue reviewing!!

A/n: Oh, and one more thing, Sorry I can't update faster on Sealed Lips if ever you're reading this. i'm in the a middle of a conflict about it, see. Sorry, sorry, sorry!!! I feel so bad I have these hideous cuts on my legs beacuse of figure skating!! How am I ever gonna keep them from scarring!!?


Chapter 11: Useful and Practical

Hermione can't believe her ears, Draco Malfoy, the arrogant, self-centered git, offering her some help?? What has happened to the world? Did it suddenly turn out of its orbit? She was so speechless that she didn't get to say no. That afternoon, she spent a long, awkward moment in the library with Malfoy.

Hermione was dodging him furtive glances from under her book. She peered carefully through her wire-rimmed glasses, scrutinizing him for some sort of sickness. She noticed the way his supple blonde hair fell at the sides of his face, the way his eyelashes curled as he blinked, the way his crimson lips pursed and how it looked like he was about to drink a nasty medicine. She ogled at him curiously for an entire hour, until he finally noticed her prying eyes.

"Granger, you're not allowed to look at me like that." Malfoy sighed irritated. Hermione hastily turned her gaze back to her book and stared at him no more.

After 5 minutes or so, Malfoy turned his glance to Hermione. He wondered why she was looking at him oddly a while ago. He observed her carefully; he noticed that her hair had developed soft wavy curls over the past few years; that must've taken a lot of salon works and a ton of hair straightening spells. Her eyes twinkled in the sunlight from under her glasses. He never noticed she had rosy cheeks, or maybe it was just make-up? Then again, Hermione Granger doesn't wear make-up. He knows, for he overheard her saying that she never puts on any because she considers it as face paint. She wasn't vain, unlike the other girls in his class; maybe that's what he liked about her.

'No, I did not just admit that I liked her!' he thought furiously. He pushed the pages roughly which caused Hermione to look at him.

"Is something wrong?" she asked blankly. "You might tear the pages."

He grunted and continued to read. 'I definitely do not fancy her, I just think her personality's strong and, and unique.' He convinced himself over and over again. 'We've been enemies the moment we set our eyes on each other, there's no way I can like her, no bloody way!'

"Why don't we start making the spell tomorrow morning?" Hermione suddenly stated. "That way, we'll have more time to polish it."

"Morning? Don't you mean noon? During lunch break?" Draco replied off-handedly.

"Of course not, how do you expect me to eat, with you 5-inches beside me?" Hermione answered calmly.

"Good point." Draco agreed. "But I wouldn't mind, I don't eat lunch anyway. That'd help from keeping me nauseous." Hermione rolled her eyes and pondered for a while.

"Hmm, tell you what, why don't we stay near the lake during lunch time, so we can eat and do the work as well?" Hermione suggested.

"I told you, I don't eat lunch." Draco retorted.

"I'll make some, then. There's no way you can refuse." She said expressionlessly.

"Are you serious? I mean, you won't put poison on it or anything?"

"Poisoning you is not my way of finishing off someone like you, Malfoy; it'll be too quick and painless on your part. I want you to die a nice slow and agonizing death, if you don't mind." Hermione smiled evilly at him.

"You're being much too much like Professor Vivien every day that passes." Draco remarked with a satisfied smirk. Hermione just nodded briskly.


The following day, Hermione was seen preparing her books during lunchtime. She was hovering a pile of books on top of her head all the way outside the castle.

"Hermione," Ron had caught up with her, suddenly. "Where the bloody hell are you going with that stack of books? Are you selling them or something?"

"I'm doing that project near the lake?" Hermione replied at ease. "With Malfoy."

"Don't you think you're spending way too much time with Malfoy these days? I hardly see you after class!" he cried out hysterically.

"Ron, this is a project which gives us a clear idea of how our N.E.W.T.'s will turn out." She snapped irately. "It's 65 of our grade. So I'm not hesitating of giving my all."

"But, you'll just make Malfoy get a high mark too!" Ron reasoned out.

"What do you want me to do, then? Fail on purpose? So you can get your sweet revenge on Malfoy?" Hermione was now yelling uncontrollably. "I don't think so, Ron, I don't think so."

"Hey! I'm not being selfish or whatever it is you're thinking-," Ron whined but was cut off by Hermione.

"Oh, believe me Ron, you're much more worse than that. You're an insensitive, infuriating prick!" Hermione bellowed and hastily strode out of the castle to the grounds.

Once near the lake, she saw Draco Malfoy seating under a Beech tree, looking oddly disgruntled. Once Hermione approached the Beech tree, she lowered her books down.

"What are you looking so pissed off about?" Draco asked her briefly.

"I should ask you the same question." Hermione responded shrewdly.

Draco scoffed and turned to look at the stack of books neatly piled near his ankles.

"Are you seriously reading that right now?" he said alarmingly.

"Of course not," Hermione replied mockingly. "I've already read them; I just brought them for you to see the progress I've made."

"Then why didn't you just make a summary of it?" Draco demanded lazily.

"Do you think I wanted to make this easy for you, Malfoy?"

"So you plan to torture me with all these books."

"Not really, I'm making you lunch am I not? That's not exactly called torture isn't it?" Hermione told him intently. She waved her wand and produced a plate of steaming turkey sandwiches and two crystal goblets of iced tea.

"Not bad." Draco remarked looking impressed. "What's this anyway?" he said holding up the goblet of iced tea.

"It's iced tea. I guess wizards don't really drink it, but I'm rather fond of them right now." She answered him raising the goblet to her mouth.

"So now we're eating and drinking whatever you please." Draco jeered grabbing a piece of turkey sandwich. "That's just really dominant of you, Granger."

"Well, I guess we can say I'm in charge of this project since I'm the one making real effort." Hermione stated haughtily. Draco knew better than to argue.

Hermione was quite disappointed, though, when she saw him roll his eyes and ignore her comment. She was hoping he'd row with her, so she'd have a good reason to hex him.

"Anyway, you start reading those and I'll start calculating these and see if anything happens." Draco rolled his eyes once again and obeyed her, drinking the iced tea as he did so.