It was a nice enough evening. Hermione sat in the abandoned prefect common room. It was a bit cold for her tastes but she didn't mind. It reinforced her solidarity. That kind of peace was hard to find in the bustling hormone driven halls of Hogwarts. She didn't need the drama that was teenage life. For one evening she just needed peace and to settle into a book she actually wanted to read for a change. The one she was currently getting into she had just found on the side table next to the couch she had plopped down on. It had a thick burgundy cover with no title and the pages looked worn as though it had come from the library. Upon flipping through a few pages, she decided it was well written enough and on an intriguing enough topic to suit her needs. Perhaps after a few chapters she take a bath…
The idea of a cozy evening alone, however, was instantly shattered the moment Draco Malfoy waltzed through the swinging door. Hermione didn't look up from her snug corner of the couch but instinctively pinched her face into an obviously disturbed look.
She heard him stop and observe her but after a moment, said nothing and moved away.
Hermione had the book so close to her face she didn't see where he had gone- no matter. The story in her hands was getting more and more interesting as she went and she soon disregarded he was even in the room at all.
Relaxation had almost completely returned to her when Malfoy clearing his throat smashed her revere and spooked her so badly she dropped the book.
"MALFOY!" She gripped her chest. "Don't scare me like that! I forgot you were here."
He twisted his face into a scowl obviously not used to being forgotten.
"That's not MY fault Granger."
She blushed and picked up the book from the ground feeling a twinge disheveled and started flipping through it to find her page.
"Well, you were just so quiet. Have you been sitting there the whole time?"
"Yes. I have."
"Oh... Well, can't you find something better to do? Why don't you go patrol the halls for once?"
"Funny you'd mention it- that's what I came to do." He leaned over to stand up from his chair that sat angled towards her.
"Well it must be pretty hard to patrol when you're sitting on your butt."
Malfoy reached out with his long pale fingers and snatched the book right out of her hands just as she saw the last few words she recognized as her place, and snapped it shut.
"That's exactly what I was thinking."
"Hey-!" She reached out to grab it back but he was dangling it just a little too far over her head.
"It's our turn to patrol the halls tonight." He grinned down at her, pinching the book and swinging it like it was a toy mouse.
Her face fell. "Tonight?"
"Yes. TO-NIGHT. It's the French word for 'now'."
"Shut up." She muttered as she hoisted herself up and pushed past the nasty boy toward the door. It was past ten o'clock so it would just be more like a bed-check than anything. A quick run around the castle though would still ensure that she wouldn't get her evening in solitude. Especially when it was with the most self-centered git in the school. Acting like some grand footman, Draco lavishly opened the door for her to pass through, and Hermione took on her role as the Princess and primly strode through the door. She didn't want to give Malfoy the satisfaction of knowing he had just ruined her plans. But he probably knew anyway.
Still, they walked in silence through the cold halls of the castle checking doors and empty classrooms as they went.
They patrolled for half an hour and they only came upon students once. It was obvious the two ravenclaws had lost track of time because their arms were wrapped around each other in such a way that their faces wouldn't have a chance to look at their watches.
"Hey!" Draco barked when he and Hermione had turned the corner to find them. "Are you two DONE? If you're not too busy, you lovies might wanna take the party elsewhere- it's past 10 o'clock so you're gonna have to get your butts back to your dorm!"
The two students broke apart and franticly gathered up discarded book bags before dashing down the hallway. Draco crossed him arms in triumph as if he'd done a great and noble deed.
Hermione sighed, "You don't have to be so harsh." She narrowed her eyes at the pair as they retreated.
"Please. PDA is so overrated. It's pathetic, really- don't they have any self control at all?" The couple in the distance held hands as they ran out of sight.
"I'm sure even YOU have a romantic side." She said, deciding to ignore the fact that hiding behind a statue in the back of the castle wouldn't exactly have been classified as 'public'.
"Of course I do. But I'm just not mushy and gross."
"Well, holding hands isn't gross." She gestured to the ravenclaws, "It's a very sweet gesture to make someone feel …y'know, not alone."
"Tsh. Whatever."
The continued to patrol in silence. It was only natural that the castle would be cold at this time of night, but this evening seemed to be bitterly freezing. Hermione shivered. Perhaps it wasn't just the weather and the hard stony walls that made Hermione wrap her arms around herself and walk a little slower. After she had said it, the loneliness she had mentioned seemed much closer to her. It made sense, she mused, why else would she have brought it up?
Perhaps she didn't want a bath and a quiet book tonight after all. It wasn't that she wanted to get away from Ron and Harry. What she really wanted was to feel special. At this time in her life, that meant using whatever means she had available that felt like home- in this case reverting back to her childhood when she was often alone and reading. It was sad but true.
Unconsciously she let out a long sigh and let her hands drop to her sides.
Suddenly, Hermione became aware that the boy at her elbow was clearly having some kind of deep internal struggle. His lips were pressed into a thin line and the twitching of his cheeks and hands showed a series of confused thoughts flying around in his brain. His eyes were pinned on her. Watching her. Watching her as he had been in the prefect common room…
As if he had been holding it in, Draco let out an exasperated moan, rolled his eyes in a dramatic fashion, and then roughly grabbed Hermione's limp hand.
"There!" He practically shouted, "Will this make you happy?"
She stared at him.
"What are you doing?" she stated flatly with an equality flat look.
"Just- just come on." He pulled on her arm and continued to walk, looking completely annoyed at the whole situation. He strung his fingers between hers and they continued on.
Was he being…nice? Hermione didn't say anything but followed suspiciously letting him pull her along. Was he going to cast a spell that required epidermic connection? No, she felt fine. Except for the fact that her body and especially her face was burning and she was very very grateful it was too dark to see how much.
Hermione tried desperately to come up of some ulterior motivation but could think of none. He just had on that cold stern expression and faced directly forward. After a few minutes she had no choice but to give up on being paranoid and tried to relax- giving in to the warmth that came from a little human contact.
She even gave his hand a squeeze- which he did not return but she felt him grumble again, still profoundly irritated.
For some reason this only made her smile more almost to the point of laughing. He was going through all this trouble just trying to be nice! No matter how aggravated he pretended to be, she found she knew better. And it surprised her less than she thought it would to see him making an effort on her behalf- even if it was only when they were alone.
Her night was pleasant after that. He was right- this did make her happy.
"Let's head back. I think we've checked everything." She smiled at him.
Draco just nodded and followed behind. He was also very very glad that it was dark.