"Bête Noire?" ~ Harry Potter Fanfic
Title: Bête Noire?
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Draco/Hermione
Rating: G/K (All ages)
Word Count: 1,420
Summary: One-shot ~ Hermione is studying late in the Library, and runs into someone unexpected.
Author's Notes: I posted this in January on fanfiction.net, my profile is at www.fanfiction.net/u/1822576
"Bête Noire?" by Debitum Naturae
The bright desk lamp flickered, startling Hermione from her concentrated studying. She was in a secluded corner of the library studying for the Transfigurations test that was tomorrow, or rather today, as it was now morning. Hermione cursed Ron and Harry for requiring her full attention these last weeks, that action which led to her unpreparedness for the test. It was well passed curfew and Hermione still didn't feel prepared. She decided that the punishment for being caught would only get worse the later she studied, so she decided to retire to her bedroom and finish her studying there.
She gathered her work and placed all of her stray papers into her school bag, which was already overflowing. Hermione elected to take out her textbooks and carry them, hoping it would allow her papers the extra room they needed. After a bit of a struggle she mastered the bags contents and turned the light out.
The only problem being, that now she hadn't an Idea where she was headed. Hermione transferred her books to her right arm and used her left to grab her wand, "Lumos" she spoke and her little nook was illuminated. She carefully made her way to the main entrance, but knew that if she used the light after that she'd sure to be caught. She muttered "Nox" and was enclosed in blackness once again. She leaned against the open door to let her eyes adjust before making her way to Gryffindor common room.
She had just about decided that she was ready to go when she realized that it wasn't complete darkness. From somewhere on the opposite side of the library, she could see a light. She sighed, "How can some people be so inconsiderate?" she asked herself as she went to go turn it off.
Hermione's arms were really aching from the effort, but she held on. She was nearly to the source of the light, a lamp behind a bookcase when she tripped over a book lying on the ground.
It all happened in slow motion. Hermione felt the book slip out from under her, ripping a few pages in the process. Then she was suddenly airborne, that is until her body hit the ground below stopping her momentum. Her belongings however didn't stop and sprawled out in front of her. The paper she had been going over separated and all twelve pages landed apart on the floor. She looked up toward the light and gasped.
She realized that it hadn't been some lazy person that left the light on, but Draco Malfoy who was currently using it. Blood rushed to Hermione's cheeks, she didn't like falling in front of Ron and Harry, forget Malfoy. She turned her head to hide her blush, but heard footsteps come near. She turned back around, and was startled to find Malfoy not two feet from her head. She looked up toward his face, and was surprised to see he wasn't laughing; in fact he didn't even look amused. He appeared to be concerned and confused.
It took Hermione far too long staring at him before she noticed his outreached hand. He was offering her his hand? Hermione took his hand, grateful that he hadn't laughed. She stood up and brushed herself off before turning to her messy pile of supplies. Much to her surprise Malfoy had already used a spell to gather her books and handed them to her.
"What are you doing here, Granger?" Malfoy asked.
Although there was no venom in his voice, just honest curiosity, Hermione got defensive. "None of your business!" She snapped.
Malfoy then remembered her books, "Do you normally study this late?" He asked.
Hermione was about to come up with a witty remark when she looked toward the desk he had been occupying before her fall. There were papers and books, one in particular she noticed was their Transfigurations textbook. "I should ask you the same thing." It was then that Hermione noticed how close they were. He was standing a mere foot away from her, and she was slightly intimidated, slightly fascinated. She had never really noticed how his eyes shone in the light…
"Yes."
…
"What?" Hermione asked embarrassed as she took a few steps backward, ridding herself of those confusing feelings.
"Yes." He repeated "I do normally study this late, it's quiet down here." He spoke softly at the end.
Hermione considered this for a moment, remembering that she was on her way to go study in her room, probably under her sheets because the other girls were likely to wake and complain of the light. "Do you mind," she paused "Would- would you mind if I joined you?" Hermione regretted it the moment it came out of her mouth, but she couldn't undo what had already been done.
His face portrayed surprise, but he recovered quickly, "I don't mind." He said and turned back to his books. Hermione set up her things again, but made sure to be on the opposite end of the table as the Malfoy heir.
Thirty minutes more and Hermione had finally returned to her flow. She was constantly absorbing information, and processing it. Hermione even forgot about the blond that she shared a table with. She was in the middle of cross-species transfiguration when she came across a concept she didn't fully understand. She read and reread, but just couldn't grasp it. She finally let out a huff of air and pushed her book away from her tired eyes.
Draco looked up at the muggle-born witch, wondering what was wrong, but too scared to ask. Hermione glanced up as well and grey eyes met brown.
They stared for a few seconds before Hermione apologized and pulled her book back toward her. They went back to their separate studying until Hermione lost it again and smacked her palm to her forehead.
"Something wrong, Granger?" Malfoy asked half annoyed now.
Hermione glared at the textbook as if it might suddenly become clear. "I just, I just don't get it. It's nothing" She brushed him off and tried to refocus.
Malfoy looked back down at his paper to find himself of the same page as he has been for the last fifteen minutes, untransfiguration. He slyly took a peek at Hermione's textbook and smiled. "So, I'll make you a deal" Malfoy started. Hermione looked as if she were going to oppose him so he cut off her reply, "Look it will benefit us both, I'll help you with cross-species if you help me with untransfiguration."
"Ok." Hermione replied
They worked together for the next hour, and then Draco excused himself to get some sleep before the test. He also told her that the staff stopped patrolling the halls after 2 a.m. so she should be safe to return to her dormitories anytime.
As Malfoy was walking away Hermione's eye caught the book she tripped over earlier, she pointed her wand at it and muttered "reparo" before calling out, "Malfoy, is this yours?"
Sudden realization hit his face and he nodded, looking relived. "Yeah," he hesitated before adding "Thanks Granger." He gave a slight smile and turned back to the direction from which he came.
Hermione didn't know what compelled her, but she spoke up before he left again. "You can call me Hermione, you know. I mean it's not like anyone is here." She shrugged.
Draco contemplated the thought and smiled, "And you can call me Draco… when no one else is around." He smirked, and surprisingly she did the same.
"Goodbye Hermione." He said as he left the room.
"Bye Draco" She whispered back
Hermione took her seat next to Harry in Transfiguration later that week. Harry was very focused on his quiddich game later that day, and he told Hermione all about his strategy, who although wasn't interested, listened none the less. The loud murmur of the class silenced as McGonagall walked in the room. "The tests have been graded, and I am pleased to report that some of you did very well." She stopped in front of Ron's desk "some of you." Ron gulped loudly but she continued to pass back the papers magically. "I am also proud to say that there were two perfect scores on this test as well." McGonagall stated as she handed Hermione back her test. Hermione was thrilled to see the perfect score at the top. She glanced toward the back of the classroom to see a familiar smirk, she knew who the other perfect score was.