Round 2 Challenge #1: Voting

[floorcoaster]

Welcome to the first week of voting for Round 2 of dramione LDWS!!

FIRST, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our banner-maker, janaparmajana!! She made the header for the comm, plus all the awards banners from Round 1 and she'll be staying with us for Round 2! :D

A couple of things to remember when deciding which drabbles to vote for (most and least favorite):

Guidelines:

Which drabble best incorporates the prompt?

2. Is the drabble clever, different, fresh? Does it evoke an emotional response (good or bad)?

3. Does the drabble contain grammar, canon or spelling errors?

When making a Least Favorite vote, these same things should be considered. Which drabble least incorporates the prompt?

The “feedback” option.

As a voter, you have the option of leaving a brief statement about why you voted the way you did, for both most and least favorite. Your feedback will then be given to the drabble writer (if they want the feedback) ANONYMOUSLY.

Example: Most - #40: the ending was brilliant - OR - Least - #57: the ending fell flat

Now that all of that is done… We present the drabbles for week 1!!

Choose your favorite and least favorite drabbles. Favorites will receive +1 point per vote, and least favorites -1 point per vote. The drabble with the most point wins the week, and in accordance with the rules, oneauthor will be voted off this week.

These participants have dropped out of the challenge:
spadul
apple_blossum24

Using a skip this week:
dysenchanted2

PROMPT: LEATHER AND LIBRARIANS

1

Title: Unexpected Consequence
Author: calenfenwen
Rating: PG
Warnings:
Word Count: 351

Hermione sat in the library surrounded by a mountain of reference books for her potion essay. She already wrote well over a foot over the required length, but that didn't stop her. With her quill feriously scratching the parchment, Hermione wrote about the forgotten properties of the Druzillarian Anti-Venom potion.

"Tsk, tsk Granger, I expected better from you," said a familiar voice from behind.

Hermione quickly whipped her head around to see the figure of her rival leaning on the back of her chair.

"Oh, and what would you know?"

"I know enough that combining that much bat blood with the essence of missletoe would cause a severe reaction and perhaps death in rare cases. Haven't you read anything out of the Copehagen Convention of Potion Masters from the last twenty years?"

She stiffened in her chair, but did correct her error in her essay. "Thanks Malfoy, but your services are not needed any more. You can go lurk in the corridors and make some poor Hufflepuff run and cry for all I care now."

"And why would I do that when you could make another sever error? What would the poor muggle born do then?" he breathed down her neck.

"What do you care? I thought you would want me to do horribly and prove your superiority over me."

"I don't believe I will find pleasure out that anymore. Granger," he paused. "If you are going to mention the Copehagen studies, don't you think you should have a book on their research?"

She waved a hand to dismiss him and began to protest, but he only used her hand to drag her to the dark Potions section. "What are you..." Hermione began, but was instantly silenced with a fierce kiss.

Suddenly Draco broke the kiss and placed a heavy text in her arms. "That should teach you not to make a vital error again. If not, I may have to come around to teach you a lesson again," he said with his familiar smirk and left Hermione wondering what mistake she could make in her next Transfiguration essay.

2

Title: Eager
Author: delayed_poet
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Implied adult situations
Word Count: 394

“I thought I might find you here,” Hermione said softly as she moved past shelves of books to stand next to Draco at a large window showcasing the moon high in the sky.

When Draco didn't say anything Hermione shifted away from him to look out the window as well. They stood side-by-side in silence before Hermione couldn't stand it anymore.

“She's going to be fine,” Hermione whispered.

Draco turned to her suddenly, his eyes fierce with anger. His hand twined in her hair, and his lips pressed against hers with a sudden urgency. She responded in kind, pushing her body against his, her tongue dueling with his in their constant fight for dominance. When he finally pulled away, the fire was smoldering in his eyes.

“I don't want to talk about her,” he said stonily.

Hermione knew by that tone that he would not talk about her. Still, she couldn't help but push the point. “She's your mother.”

“Who tried to curse you when she found out we were engaged. Hermione, I'm not going to talk about her.”

“Yes, well, I am sorry that I put her in the hospital, but I was only defending myself.”

Draco's lips quirked at the reminder. “Eagerly,” he added.

“Hmph. Still, I don't like that I hurt her.”

Rolling his eyes, Draco said, “It's like you said, she's going to be fine. Forget about it. I'd like to.” His hand seemed to absently find hers, their fingers linking together easily. “I'm going to marry you.”

“Yes, you are,” she agreed with a smile.

“Any chance we might elope?” he asked, not for the first time.

“No way.”

Draco sighed dramatically. “Why do I love you, again?”

Grinning, Hermione said, “Because I'm amazing in bed.”

Hermione felt her insides turn to mush at the look he gave her. It was all heat and lust, and she felt her mouth go dry with the sudden change in the air around them.

“Maybe you should remind me just how amazing you are.”

“If you insist.”

Needless to say, it was a very fortunate thing for them that the Malfoy family estate was abandoned that night, for Hermione was just as eager in all areas of her life as she was in defending herself.

3

Title: Sampling Books
Author: ravenswing34
Rating: PG13
Warnings: None
Word Count: 482

It was like a warm embrace. The smells of parchment, leather and that undeniable “book” smell caressed her as she walked among the stacks. She loved the library for the quietness, the comfort, the familiarity it invoked. She softly ran her fingertips along the spines as she walked, feeling the raised edges, the embossed writing, in essence feeling contentment.

“Granger…” Her reverie was broken. “You know…if you spent half as much time caressing your boyfriends as you caress those books, they might have stuck around longer.”

Her laugh rang out, shattering the quietness. “Malfoy, if any of my boyfriends were as half as interesting as these books, I might have stuck out longer.”

“Let’s see…any of these books, you say?” He unfolded himself from the stacks and perused the shelves. “Hmm…Basic Quidditch Moves?”

“Ron or Oliver. Although, Oliver was more along the lines of Quidditch Masters through the Ages,” she grinned wickedly.

“Granger! Did you just infer? No, I don’t want to know! Please obliviate me - the mental picture! Ew!”

“Oh, for goodness sake, Malfoy,” she suppressed a grin. “Why are you here?”

“We aren’t discussing me, Granger. We are discussing your dull boyfriends and you. So you would pick a book over a man, eh?” he drawled lazily.

“Hmm…let me think.” She tilted her head to the side and tapped her lips with her finger. “Quiet, available, interesting, doesn’t talk back versus whiny, needy, temperamental, smartass, one track mind. Yes, I would pick a book over a man.”

His gaze was locked on that small finger and those plump lips. “Perhaps you are checking the wrong sort of man out,” he replied. “Perhaps you should leave the boring humdrum pedestrian stacks and move into the restricted section.” His eyes flashed a challenge.

“Hmm…restricted section. An interesting idea to be sure. Is your father out of prison yet? Shame Snape is no longer with us,” she smirked.

His laugh startled her. “Restricted section, Granger. Not books under lock and key with anti-theft wards up. Something a little more darker than your usual choice.”

“Are you trying to set me up with Blaise? I’ll have you know…”

“Oh, sod it!” With that statement, Draco grabbed her by the shoulders and captured her lips in a bruising kiss. Hermione was caught unaware yet as the kiss continued, she felt her knees go weak and her traitorous hands intertwine themselves in his blond mane.

“Check me out of the Restricted Section, Hermione,” he whispered against her lips.

“But you can be whiny, temperamental, and a smartass,” she replied impishly.

“Ah...but I can be quiet, available and interesting. And can a book do this?” he responded with a soft kiss that quickly became more.

“Hmm, you may have a point, Draco,” she said as she tugged his head back down for another sampling. A few breathless moments later, she decided. “The restricted section it is.”

4

Title: This Too...
Author: ilkee
Rating: R
Warnings: none
Word Count: 482

A man and a woman sat on the sitting room floor of her plantation home, in an exotic place where strange birds sang at night, and low howls from unknown monsters floated in uninvited.

Where an inky black night waited at the open doors.

But the fire was going. And long looks were exchanged over glasses of wine. Over the crystal she had brought with her. Reminders of a home she was once eager to leave.

“Tell me a story,” the man asked.

Draco sat against the wall, on a pillow the eventual lovers had overlooked, and listened. He smiled in the places he thought she might have smiled, and wondered if she had liked the part with the stubborn boy with the sick leg as much as he had.

------

Curiosity started it.

A stack of books she had just returned were piled on the counter. As she disappeared he picked up the small book on top and handed it to the sour-faced old woman.

“This too.”

------

Impossible love. In a carriage in old New York. Draco felt the desperation in his bones as the man imagined a forbidden touch. His bare fingers on an exposed wrist. And then his lips. A brief taste of what would never be.

Draco looked up. A beam of light, thick with dust, cut across her, setting her curls on fire. His eyes fell to her hand, warm golden-white in the sun, contrasting with the grey snow falling around the couple in the carriage.

And then it was his mouth on her wrist.

------

For months they eavesdropped on lovers, recreating scenes, amending the scripts as he saw fit. He kissed her for the first time thirty-seven times. He made love to her in hammocks and on the sand, and hotel beds with cheap blankets. Black hair turned into her wild honey mess. Watery blue eyes, piercing green ones, looked up at him with her soft amber eyes. Every set of lips was hers.

------

Draco stood behind her with a stack of books at his hip, anticipation eating away his cool composure, as she pulled books out of her bag and placed them on the counter.

A charms workbook, the extra credit text for Ancient Runes, an overly large volume of notable wizards throughout history, then…there it was… a small hardbound book with a worn red cover.

He craned his neck to glimpse the title. Faded gold lettering, and all he could catch was … of Cholera. And then she turned suddenly, catching him off guard and he took an awkward step back.

Her eyes narrowed for a second and then a smirk, or maybe it was a smile, played at the corner of her mouth. Keeping her eyes locked on his, she slowly moved the red book from her stack to his.

“This too,” she said.

“The ending is my favorite part.”

5

Title: A Scent of Leather
Author: marlaichen
Rating: PG/M (depends on how filthy your mind is)
Warnings: Suggested adult themes
Word Count: 499, *ducks* Don't shoot! I just had so much fun with this.

Hermione was nearly in tears.

"What have we done?" she sobbed as she clutched helplessly at the half of the book in her hands.

"WE?" said Draco. "It was you who used magic to try to rip the book away from me."

Tears tricked down Hermione's face. "Just help me fix this, okay?"

Draco watched her scramble around the floor for a moment before speaking.

"Here, let me do it."

"Oh, like you know about fixing rare library books."

"It was actually my father's favorite punishment for me. I've repaired thousands of books like this, so shut it, Granger."

"Oh," Hermione whispered as he knelt on the floor too.

"Go get some paste," he grumbled. You've nearly torn this whole leather cover off."

Moments later Ron Weasley entered Hogwart's library, only to be stopped dead by Hermione's soft voice floating over the shelves.

"I love feeling leather stretch across the spine."

"We don't have time for your indulgences. Just take off the jacket."

A rustle and a sigh made Ron's heart leap.

"That's more like it," he heard Malfoy say. "Now, help me take this leather off."

"All of it?"

"Yes, all of it," said Malfoy. "Don't look so worried. I'll be careful, I promise. I've done this a million times."

With a grunt was the unmistakeable sound of leather dropping to the floor.

"Wow," Hermione whispered. "I've never seen anything so beautiful look so… naked."

Draco scoffed. "I'll bet you haven't. Alright, now grab that for me, will ya? And just hold onto it."

"What do I do with it?"

"Just give it a squeeze."

Hermione grunted. "Nothing came out."

"Well, just squeeze it harder."

Hermione exhaled loudly. Malfoy cried out in surprise.

"Oh, no," Hermione groaned. "It's gotten everywhere. Now I'm all sticky and wet."

"That's alright," Malfoy said impatiently. "We'll clean up later. Now put that right in there."

There was a pause and Ron's stomach dropped to his shoes.

"You promised to be careful, remember?"

"Yes, yes," Malfoy huffed. "Just move out of the way so I can go inside."

Ron collapsed soundlessly onto the carpet.

When the darkness cleared from Ron's eyes, it was done. From his position on the floor, Ron could see their shadowed feet moving beneath the shelves.

"Careful," Malfoy cautioned, "or we'll have to take everything off and start again."

Hermione laughed. "Don't tempt me. I usually like doing things a couple of times over, just to make sure I've gotten them right."

Malfoy carefully slid the repaired book back onto its shelf, its leather cover neatly realigned, its dust jacket wrapped snugly in place.

As they walked out of the library, Draco ran his wand over the sticky white paste splattered across Hermione's robes, making the stains disappear. Hermione stopped herself from saying that she could do that herself and smiled politely instead.

Draco grinned too, just as Ron picked himself up off the library floor. "You know, Granger, for your first time, I thought you did pretty well."

6

Title: Silence Speaks Volumes
Author: bookishwench
Rating: PG
Warnings: None, really
Word Count: 494
Author’s note: Obviously, I am not Jo Rowling, and I make no profit from this. Also, oddly, this fic was partially inspired by the lyrics to “Marian the Librarian” from the play The Music Man.

Draco took a deep breath of the thick, dusty scent of the Hogwarts library. To him it smelled like freedom. Crabbe and Goyle would no more darken the doorway here than they would leap off the top of the Quidditch commentator tower, and he could count on Pansy not showing up anywhere near books. Here, for a few precious hours, Draco had a respite from the shadows of the Dark Lord and his mission.

But if he was being honest, part of the allure of the library was a certain Gryffindor who practically lived there. Sometimes the weasel and the Chosen One showed up too, pelting one another with Chocolate Frog wrappers like baboons drunk on fire whiskey while Hermione tried to work. But soon they’d get bored and decide annoying her was more fun, and inevitably she’d lose her temper.

“Stop it!” she’d finally scream in frustration, and Madame Pince would scurry towards them, her features contorted in rage at the noise. If Hermione was lucky, only Weasley and Potter would be punted from the library for being prats, but it was just as likely that she would have to leave too.

Tonight was one of those nights, and as Draco watched her go accompanied by her two brain-dead friends (he could sympathize), disappointment settled on him. In the library, there was a temporary, silent cease fire between her and Draco, and he admitted that between pouring over arcane spells that might free his parents, his gaze drifted to her, curled over a book, a subtle half-smile on her face. Sometimes, he pretended she knew he was watching her, even that her smile was for him.

Now that she was gone, the library’s silence became oppressive. Draco sighed deeply. Almost without realizing it, he wandered towards her empty table and the book she’d left behind.

He picked it up and ran a finger over its leather binding, then sniffed it curiously. It was still warm from where she’d held it close to her body, and the subtle fragrance of her perfume, a blend of cinnamon and rose, clung to it. Gently, he stroked the cover, the soft feel of leather mimicking the texture of bare human skin. He wondered what she’d been reading, but the spine was too worn from age to read. Draco flipped the book open to the title page, and immediately a note penned in tiny handwriting slipped out.

D,

This ink is charmed to disappear in twenty minutes, just like the others I’ve left, but if you do find it, finally, (the word was underlined twice in what he thought was a rather impertinent manner) I’m in the Transfiguration classroom until 10:00.

Yes, I’ve seen you watching me. I find I rather like it.

H

Draco stared at the note. His first thought was his father would kill him.

But as he walked briskly towards McGonagall’s classroom, grinning like a lunatic, his second thought was he really didn’t care.

7

Title: The Allure of Libraries
Author: greenschist
Rating: PG-13, maybe
Warnings: none
Word Count: 496

“I've figured it out.”

At the sound of her boyfriend's voice, Hermione snapped upright. “Draco?” She rubbed her eyes. “What are you doing here? What time is it?”

Ignoring her, Draco continued. “You have a fetish.”

She gaped at him before hissing, “I have a what?”

“A fetish.”

“I do not! And keep your voice down, we're in a public library!” Hermione looked around, but the basement of the new Bathilda Bagshot Memorial Library was otherwise deserted.

“Exactly.” Draco sat next to her. “Why else would you spend all your time here doing this--” he waved his hand at the parchment and leather-bound books stacked around Hermione “--when you could do it at home? I think you have a fetish.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Oh, honestly.”

Draco hid his smile. He never stopped marveling how long it had taken him to see how pretty Hermione was. With her disgruntled expression, her bushy hair pulled back in a Pince-like bun, and a crease on her cheek from falling asleep on her book, she was still the most beautiful woman Draco knew.

He continued his mock assessment. “The question now is 'what fetish?' It couldn't be just for the books. Between your collection and mine, that's enough to satisfy anyone.” She ignored him and propped a book in front of her face. “Is it for the librarians, because I did notice your new hair style.” She shot him a deadly glare over To Serve Man: Elf Case Studies, and he grinned. “No? Too bad.” He paused and watched her read. Her fingers subconsciously stroked the binding. “Oooh, a leather fetish. Even better. Am I right?”

She became aware of her actions and slammed the book shut. “I do not have a leather fetish!”

“'First step to recovery' and all that...”

Hermione almost argued but found herself laughing instead. “You're mad.”

“No, I'm worried.” He was suddenly serious. “You're working too hard.” He cupped his hand over her neck and kissed the pink trace on her cheek. “Can't you come home?”

She wrapped her arms around him tightly and tucked her head under his chin. “Presenting to the Ministry is so huge, so much bigger than SPEW, I just want it to be perfect. That's why I'm here,” she kissed his throat, “--certainly not because of a leather fetish. I could work at home tonight, though.”

Draco pulled his wand and sent Hermione's parchment sailing into her bag. “We'll make it just like the library,” he said with satisfaction. “To make you happy, I'll even create a leather smell somehow.”

Hermione took his hand and said casually, “You could always wear leather trousers. That would make me quite happy.”

“I thought you said you didn't have a leather fetish.”

“For you, I could develop one.”

8

Title: Revelations
Author: ginny_love1
Rating: M15
Warnings: Bad Language
Word Count:462

Draco sat watching and waiting to see if she was as predictable as he always Believed Hermione Granger to be. Draco wanted to see if today she would stick to the usual routine and spend her lunch hour in the library, not his idea of fun but this was Granger he was thinking about.

For the last six weeks he had spent three days a weeks, waiting for his chance to approach her and each time the opportunity presented itself he had failed miserably, he had either just bottled it or when he had finally approached where she had been Hermione was gone. Today though was different this was his day and he was determined to tell her exactly what he had been waiting to tell her for six weeks?

Today Hermione was late and he had been waiting for what seemed like hours but in reality had probably been ten minutes. Whiling away time until she appeared he sat thinking about where this obsession had come from, Draco had been at a ministry function when her saw her in all her radiant beauty she had looked amazing. Draco had so wanted to go up to and tell her everything but he knew that was not the time or place for that type of conversation.

Draco glanced up in the direction of the entrance and there he saw her approaching, he just sat watching and waiting for her to walk inside so he could approach her. Draco was waiting for Hermione to walk straight past him when he made the mistake of glancing around at the other tables, when he felt it pressed into his back.

'Oh fuck' Hermione had her wand in between his shoulder blades. He then felt her lean down so he could feel her breath on his ear.

“Malfoy, what the fuck do you want?” Hermione whispered menacingly against his skin.

“You.” Was his simple answer

“You have been following me. Why?” Hermione asked ignoring his declaration.

“What makes you think I, would be following you?” Draco answered trying to sound calm.

“Don’t give me that Twat. Start talking or so help me you will wish you had never been born.”

“Ok Ok calm down Granger-“

“Potter.” Hermione interrupted.

“Listen I’m here ‘cause, I have something I need to discuss with you.”

“What would you possibly need to discuss with me “Scoffed Hermione.

“Our mutual problem, that’s what.” Draco announced quietly.

“What problem would that be?”Hermione questioned still with her wand pressed between Draco’s, shoulder blades.

“Your husband and my wife shagging like rabbits.” Draco replied, calmly
Placing the evidence on the table, which he had been hiding under the table on his lap every time he had been at the library for the last six weeks.

Finis.

9

Title: Suspicions
Author: miyabita13
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Word Count: 489

Draco fought the urge to grind his teeth as he watched Hermione suppress another chuckle.

Six weeks had passed since they’d been paired up in Potions… five weeks since they’d grudgingly decided to work on their assignments together… four weeks since their temporary truce, agreeing to meet each night after dinner in the library for some quality studying time.

Mostly they sat in silence. Sometimes they debated. Sometimes they just argued. She was always the first to leave. He was always the first to stir up trouble.

Tonight, though, was… different.

She was reading some kind of old textbook. He couldn’t tell what it was due to the faded lettering on the cover. But no one should get that much… pleasure… from a stupid textbook.

Unless that’s how she likes it, came the unbidden thought. He tried not to think about how easy it would be to seduce the witch with mere words.

He tried not to think about seducing her at all.

She snorted before covering her mouth.

Yes, no one should get that much pleasure from a textbook… so what the hell was she reading?

“I’m going to grab another book,” he said, walking towards the stacks. She didn’t respond.

He stood in the aisle of the Restricted Section for a long time, plotting the best way to sneak up on her and snatch the book from her hands. If she had disguised the cover, then she’d be embarrassed to be seen reading it. He smirked, wondering what that could mean. Few things seemed to embarrass Granger…

Maybe she’s reading something dirty.

He instantly forced that thought away. Did it really matter what she was reading? He’d snatch the book from her, torment her a little, and watch as she left in a huff…

Ah yes, with that delicious little pout on her face. I especially like how her hips sway as she walks away all angry.

This was becoming ridiculous. Pushing any further thoughts of her from his mind, he quietly walked back to their table, peaking around the corner of the shelves to see if she was still absorbed with her book. From the looks of it, she hadn’t moved.

He snuck up behind her. In one swift move, he grabbed her book, pulling it away from her grasp and letting his eyes fall over the words she had been reading.

Hermione, for her part, said nothing… and only raised an eyebrow as Draco puzzled over the text before handing the book back to her. It took Draco several moments before finally opening his mouth.

“So, you were just laughing over some stupid textbook?”

She smirked. “Of course. Did you think it was something else?”

“No, of course not,” he said quickly, going back to his work. She did the same… but not before making sure her copy of Twilight was discretely placed in her bag and away from pureblood eyes.

Hermione: 1
Draco: 0

10

Title: Fortune on a Ladder
Author: emm718
Rating: um, Pg-13.
Warnings: None. Really.
Word Count: 499 exactly. Whut.

He sees the synergetic dance of a perfect leg as it stretches to tip toe and it halts his progress. His body teeters on concrete feet as his eyes glide auspiciously along the svelte curve of calf that slopes womanly into a thigh. A thigh that tries to hide beyond the demure line of a grey pencil skirt, which does nothing for the modesty of the wearer. If anything it accentuates the delectable roundness of a pert derriere. It was the kind of arse that a wizard dreams about palming in the throes of his crushing lasciviousness.

Draco's foot shuffles forward, gulping as his interest is piqued, and turns his body in an effort to get a better look at the undeniably feminine figure on the ladder. He sees a puzzle between the curves and tense lines of her body and he is eager to examine each measure of her physical guile.

Her blue oxford is taut around her extending frame, swathing her assets like a second skin, and as his study progresses the line of her form, he suddenly knows the owner of such a fit physique. It's the nest of frizzy curls, haphazardly knotted into a bun that gives it away.

Hermione Granger is keen on a book, her fingers ghost it desperately and the exertion makes her pant attractively.

The recognition cools his desirous curiosity. Not in disgust but in a control that is adapted after years of false animosity.

Covertly he advances on her. So distracted in her endeavor, she is heedless to his presence and it gives him an advantage.

He grasps the rail gingerly and takes one step on the bottom rung. A careful pull and he rises onto the ladder.

She falters in surprise, gripping the ladder in shock, and gasping softly.

He can feel the warmth of her skin, and smell her perfume, but mostly he sees the apprehension in her large brown eyes.

It floods down her spine, constricting her muscles and pulls her limbs inward defensively.

He smirks conceitedly, "Steady as you go, Granger."

"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Her eyes are accusatory, suspicious.

He pulls himself up until he is directly behind her. His body sliding against hers provocatively. Insinuatingly. "Helping."

She bites her lip and he knows she doesn't believe him. Those bottomless brown eyes are critical, analytical.

"Which book?" He whispers.

She blinks, as if to recall the correct title and it's incredibly endearing. Unintentionally coquettish. "Cocks-Cosker's Guide to-to um-PropositioningaPureblood"

He leers at her inarticulateness. "Interesting."

"Indeed," she snaps. Discomfiture blossoms in her cheeks as indignation purses her mouth.

His grin deepens. "You can't learn everything in a book."

"I can." Her chin lifts in argument.

He presses himself closer to her, feeling all of her lovely curves against his hard angles. She shivers responsively, delightfully. "But do you know what to do when propositioned by a pureblood?"

A seductive smile dimples her cheek and fortunately for him, she checked that book out last week.

11

Title: Like To Think
Author: the_woods_
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Word Count: 408

I like to think I’m better than this thing in front of me.

I hit the side of the box with my palm and shook it. Granger giggled and pulled my hands away.

“Why am I here,” I asked. “This Muggle trip is a waste of my time. This box is useless. Out of all the non-magic places you could have shown me.”

She flicked her hair over her shoulder in response. I like to think I don’t notice those things, anymore, now that she was smooching with-

“Oh, you don’t know the places the others had in mind,” she said, interrupting my thoughts. “I heard Harry took Ron to-”

“Spare me the bloody details,” I murmured.

Granger sighed and gave me one of her playful eye-rolls. “Seriously, though. Consider yourself lucky, Malfoy.”

“Charmed.”

“Anyway,” she said with a drawl and ignoring my sarcasm, “I doubt many pure-blooded wizards of your stature can lay claim to using-”

“An idiot box?”

She shook her head. “No…no, this is a computer. Com-pu-ter.” Granger stretched each syllable as if she were speaking to a five year old prat and not a Malfoy.

“Computer, com-pu-ter,” I mocked. “I don’t see why libraries need them. And why not call them idiot boxes? They’re boxes, and idiots use them.”

She smirked and slapped me on my shoulder. I like to think I hated it when she did that. “I use them!”

“Point proven.”

She laughed. I like to think I-

“The idiot box is the telly, silly,” she told me matter-of-factly.

I blinked. “What’s a telly?”

I swear her jaw dropped. “What’s a…” she shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. “Come on.”

Granger stood up and grabbed my hand, pulling me past the book stacks and towards the exit. I like to think it was meaningless; just a simple gesture, not a need for physical contact.

“What now, Granger?”

“We’re going to my room, Malfoy.” A split-second later, she froze. “I mean…to examine the idiot box. The telly.”

I smirked, even as she let go of my hand. “I’d like to examine your idiot box.”

She spun around and suppressed a laugh. “Only you could make that perverted, Malfoy.”

I shrugged. “I aim to please.”

Granger grinned. “I seem to remember that.”

She continued walking. I like to think my face didn’t convey any sense of surprise. I like to think…well. I like to think a lot of things.

12

Title: From the Bookshelf
Author: dynonugget
Rating: PG -13
Warnings: None
Word Count: 496

'Hogwarts: A History' exhaled contentedly as he was placed upon a bookshelf once more. He was quite pleased to be out of that trunk, though even that had been better than some bag he'd been jostled about in for nearly a year.

He watched as his owner, Hermione Granger, unpacked a few other books. Hoping 'Ancient Runes' would be next to him (they always had the best discussions) and the book from Care of Magical Creatures that snarled would be on a different shelf entirely (you wouldn't like being growled at without cause, either), he noticed a gentle smile on her face.

She certainly had cause since the one year anniversary of the war was tomorrow. He suspected, though, that her pleasant mood had something to do with her new flat, one with her very own library. It was small, but had plenty of room for more friends to join him.

Tucking a stray curl behind her ear, Hermione ran her finger along his spine. He knew that he was her favorite; though 'Arithmancy - A Guide to Numerology' was a close second. But he was all the way on the bottom shelf, so-

There was the Floo again. That young man with the blond hair had been coming over quite frequently, and though many of the books had been initially skeptical, their impressions had been altered at their owners reception of him.

Hermione's smile lit up the entire room when he was there. 'Hogwarts' watched as they shared a soft kiss before the wizard she called 'Malfoy' magicked a box towards the kitchen, insisting he could figure out where the silverware went. He mumbled something or other when she laughed and walked away, and the rest of the day was spent unpacking all of the other boxes.

Most of the books had nearly fallen asleep when the 'Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms' said, “I knew it,” causing 'Hogwarts' to jerk awake. In the middle of the library, Hermione and 'Draco', as she called him now, sat on the floor with a lunch of sandwiches and pumpkin juice.

“You knew they would have lunch?” 'Runes' said sarcastically.

“No, just watch,” 'Charms' replied.

Draco pulled out a small box and handed it to Hermione. She gasped, cried, shouted “Yes!” and threw her arms around him, all inside a minute.

“How did you know?” 'Arithmancy' called out from his bottom shelf.

“Haven't you been paying an attention?” 'Charms' snickered.

Draco dried Hermione's happy tears and shared a kiss that brought 'Hogwarts' to tears.

“ I'm telling you,” 'Charms' added, “we'll have another set of books next to us in a matter of months, if not weeks.”

The next morning, none of them were surprised to see Draco walk into the library, though 'Transfiguration' would have preferred a robe rather than those silky boxers.

Hermione was behind him a moment later, arms around his waist. And the books knew 'Charms' had been quite right when their owner said, “Draco, welcome home.”

13

Title: What Happens in the First Century BC, Should Stay in the First Century BC, but Sometimes it Doesn't.
Author: imogen_penn
Rating: PG13 for mild language
Warnings: none
Word Count: 499 on the button!
Author's Note: I couldn't think of a pithy title that wasn't a swear word, so I went with verbose! Are there bonus points for using every last word available to you? (:

*************************************************

“We are so, so fucked!” Draco Malfoy kicked the walls that surrounded them. Predictably, this was followed with another outburst of cursing.

“Shhh!” Hermione shushed him.

He gave Hermione a look of death.

“Well it is a library.” She said primly.

Draco looked at her blankly.

“Honestly, I don’t know why you came on this field trip if you are that uninterested. We are still in Library of Alexandria, just in 100 BC.”

“How on earth would you know that?”

“What, you don’t read Greek?” Hermione asked innocently

Draco fumed.

Hermione sighed and pointed to an inscription on the wall. “Mouseion Alexandreas.”

“How did we get here?”

“Really, sometimes I’m amazed you passed your OWLs at all.”

“Not helping.” Draco bit out.

She rolled her eyes. “The ‘Do Not Enter’ area that you seemed so keen on exploring was the archeologists’ time portal.”

“So how do we get BACK, you insufferable know it all?”

Hermione glared. “We wait. The charm is set on a timer. In a few hours at most, the charm will reactivate.”

“Fine.” Draco sat down on the floor with a thud. “You know, this would have gone a lot easier if you hadn’t felt the need to follow me.”

“Yes, you would have hollered until you were found and disposed of. That would have gone very well.”

“Shove it Granger.”

“Gladly.”

**********************************************

“So why did you follow me Granger?”

“I was curious.”

“So you were going to use me as a scapegoat for your explorations?”

“Yep.”

“Devious.”

***************************************
Hermione had fallen asleep. This wouldn’t have been a problem, but she had laid her head quite close to where Draco was sitting, and he could smell her hair. It smelled like summer and citrus and it was making him uncomfortable.

**********************************************
Hermione woke up, blinking blearily. Draco was staring at her.

“What?”

“I’m bored.”

She rolled her eyes, but drew a tic-tac-toe square in the dust on the floor.

**************************************************
“So are you and Potter shagging?”

“I’m not going to answer that.”

“So haven’t been able to turn his head, hey Granger?”

“I’m plenty tempting, for your information Malfoy, I just think house-cest is a bad idea.”

“So, who’re you shagging in other houses then?”

“What? No one!”

“Why?”

“.....”

“Oh come on Granger, you’re reasonably attractive, I’m sure some weedy little tosser is interested. What is it? Are you a terrible snog?”

“I’m an excellent snog!”

“Hmmpph.”

************************************************
“Granger.”

“What.”

“I’m bored again.”

“So find something to do.”

“Okay.”

“Malfoy, what the hell are you doing?”

“I’m finding something to do Granger, you suggested it.”

“I suggested you creepily advance on me?”

“Stop cringing Granger, I’m trying to find out if you are, in fact, an excellent snog.”

“Malfoy, I don’t think…”

"Then don't think."

"mmmmph....."

**************************************************
The charm reactivated with a pop. Three worried professors and twenty of their classmates were relieved to see the missing students reappear. They were slightly disconcerted to see them snogging like there was no tomorrow.

They froze. Draco muttered. “We are so, so fucked.”

14

Title: Secret of the Parts
Author: telperaca
Rating: R
Warnings: Sexual Reference (Mild)
Words: 380

“Malfoy, this is a really bad idea. Doing something in the forbidden forest is one thing, but here where anyone can walk in on us- I just don’t think this is the best idea you’ve had, and yes! there have been some extraordinarily stupid ideas you’ve voiced out before.”

He rolled his eyes at her even though he knew she wouldn’t be able to see his response but continued dragging her towards his destination by her wrist. “Oh quiet down Granger. Exams just finished- no one is going to bother even entering-”

“Madam Prince might-”

“Granger, if you don’t quit talking, I’m going to have to do something which you’re not going to like. Besides, all this was partially your idea too. Surprisingly, this ‘game’ has been fun. God knows how we would have been able to get through the whole year without killing each other.”

“I can’t believe I listened to-”

He turned on her even before she could even think about react and found herself wedged against his body and the stone cold wall. “Last warning, Granger.” His lips were barely a fraction of space away from hers. She couldn’t help but stare. “We made a deal, and I’ve upheld my end of the deals. But if you’re scared, then I’d gladly love to declare myself the winner. I never expected you to be the quitter type.”

Her heart beat faster in disappointment as he moved away from her. Focussing out from the daze, she marched straight into the library and began sliding Malfoy’s chosen books at odd intervals between the regular library books on the bookshelves. Her eyes falling on the titles of the books again and seeing the illustrations made her flush. She could feel her face heating up. She just hoped Malfoy wouldn’t notice. She tried to be conspicuous about her interest in those illustrations.

Draco smirked. Giving her a slanting look, he joked, “I have one more for my list: ‘Number 10: Before Leaving Hogwarts: shag the bookworm in the library.’ Maybe be can even try out some of those moves.”

He was unprepared for her response as she began climbing down the ladder and skipping off the last step to find herself standing in front of him. “Lets get started then, shall we?”

15

Title: My Library
Author: desdiamonds
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Word Count: 191
Author's Note: This takes place years after they graduate from Hogwarts. They've returned for a visit and end up in the library. Previous relationship depending on how you want to look at it. :D

---
He stood in the middle of the longest aisle, a tattered and yellowing copy of his old potion’s textbook in his hands. He held it delicately as if afraid it would crumble between his long fingers, as if it were an old friend. She was about to ask him about this when a thought suddenly occurred to her.

Draco was a library. He was a long standing institution of limitless possibilities. No one would ever know him completely, they were foolish to even try, but she would keep trying, one book at a time.

---
She sat at the smallest mahogany table, her favorite spot when they were younger, completely engrossed in her favorite book. Her fascination with "Hogwarts: A History” was something very few understood. He was just pointing out how she could probably recite the entire thing from memory when he reached a rather unexpected conclusion.

Hermione was a library. She was the most organized and intricate compendium of wisdom ever seen by human eyes. All her knowledge was there for the taking, waiting for someone patience enough to look. It was a challenge he could not refuse.

16

Title: Master
Author: inadaze22
Rating: R
Warnings: limes, language, sexual references
Word Count: 499

Draco had his witch bent over the wobbly research table-no. He had her on her knees in front of him in the Invisibility section-no. He had her back pinned against a bookshelf in the Magical History section. Ah, yes, perfect. Her legs were wrapped around his and the witch was sighing-no, moaning-no, panting as his hands disappeared under her dress….

“Draco.”

He growled, swatting her pert bum. “I thought I told you not to call me that, Granger.”

“Malfoy?”

“Wrong again.” He swatted her, again-harder. Moaning, she arched against him, pushing those wondrous, covered-no, bare breasts closer to him….

“How does ‘insufferable slacker’ sound?”

“Master sounds much better.” She grinned and pressed her lips to his as her tongue found its way into his mouth to explore. He felt her fingers loosening his trousers, pulling at the zipper, reaching, and…“Oh fuck, yes!”

“Draco Malfoy!”

The daydream of the shaking and breathless wizard was over.

Instead of foreplay in the Magical History section, he was sitting at that wobbly table, receiving a glare from his annoyed girlfriend of five months, Hermione Granger. He was so feverish that he had had to grit his teeth to control himself. It had taken a moment, but he remembered the basics of why he was in the twenty-four hour wizarding library at midnight. It was practically empty.

For the last two weeks, they had spent thirteen hours each day sitting at that unstable table studying for their HCEs (Healer Certification Examinations).

Breathlessly, “What?”

“I asked-you weren’t listening.” It wasn’t a question.

Granger had been meticulously pilfering through the mountain of textbooks, notes, and library books on their gimpy-legged table and quizzing him. He, meanwhile, had made a 266-item list of all the places in the library where he had wanted to shag her senseless. Place #267: In the dragon section while she recites the twelve uses of dragon’s blood, in order. Ah, yes, good one. Merlin help her bum if she mucked up the order….

“Draco!”

His neck snapped up so hard that he winced. “I need a break.”

“The exam is in a week!”

He almost smirked. Well, he would’ve if he hadn’t been so bloody horny and close to ravaging her right there. She was the most passionate woman that he had ever dated. She threw herself into everything, put 150% of effort into any task that she had taken on, and-Merlin, with her passion and his drive, sex between them was just incredible.

He groaned at the tantalizing memories in his head.

“Granger, I can’t think-” He froze when she absently licked her lips, eyeing him mischievously.

Place #268: In the Potions section while she lists every potion in which moonstone is an ingredient.

Mmm….

“I know what’s wrong.”

“You do?”

“You need some inspiration.”

“I do?”

“Mmhmm, and I know just what to do.” She rose from her chair and smiled seductively. “I’ll be waiting in the Magical History section-Master.”

17

Title: Beg to Differ
Author: dorito2000
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Sexual Situations; Fluff
Word Count: 499

They stood, hidden, behind dark, shadowy bookcases locked in a lover’s embrace. His pale hand rested lazily over her right hip while his mouth lovingly caressed the tantalizing flesh of her neck. Her head was thrown back in pleasure, her eyes screwed shut at the sensations his lips brought her. Her right hand rested over his heart, clutching the fabric of his school uniform. His other hand rested firmly on her lower back, pulling her towards him, in a possessive manner so that anyone who stumbled upon them would know: she belonged to him and no one else.

The heat between them rose exponentially when she pressed her body closer to his. He stopped ravishing her neck, taking a deep breath before seeking her lips. He plundered her mouth with his tongue, a moan escaping her-

“Granger!” Draco Malfoy barked from across the table, distracting Hermione enough that her quill slipped from the firm grip she had on it making a dark mark across the parchment. She stared in frustration at the black ink as it smeared and blended with the delicate words. Throwing her feather angrily down, she turned to glare at the Slytherin.

“What do you need, Malfoy?” Hermione demanded, taking out her wand and cleaning up the velvety mess.

“I was wondering what you were writing so avidly. Surely, it’s not a love letter to the Weasel? I heard you two broke up last week,” he casually remarked, eyeing the parchment in front of her, his hand obviously itching to make a grab for it.

Pulling the parchment back towards her, Hermione stuffed it into her book bag. “It’s none of your business, Malfoy! We may be study partners for NEWTs Potions but we’re not friends! Why are you still here anyway? We finished studying over an hour ago.”

“I have nothing else to do. And I beg to differ, Grager,” he murmured cryptically before pulling his wand out and summoning her parchment before she could say ‘Oi!’

“That’s mine!” Hermione shrieked indignantly, not caring that they were in the middle of the library as her chair clattered noisily on the stone floor. “Give it back, Malfoy!”

For his part, Draco smirked while running around the corner of the bookshelves in the back and devouring the words he’d seen her write. Hermione caught up with him as he ran into a dead end, and pointed her wand at him.

“Give me my parchment back, Malfoy! Or I swear to Merlin that I won’t be held responsible for my actions!”

Draco blushed as he finished reading her parchment and looked up at her curiously, silently handing it out to her. He gulped as she reached for it but didn’t let go of his corner.

“Granger?”

Blushing, Hermione pulled at the paper, watching it tear a bit. “Yes?”

“Who is that couple on your parchment?” he began cautiously.

Hermione colored prettily, her eyes dropping to the floor. However, before she could reply, he moved determinedly closer to her.

18

Title: The Power of Money
Author: acerola21
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Occasional language
Word Count: 488

Sometimes, I wish that I had as much money as the Malfoys. I would feel guilty about feeling that way - the world isn’t just about money, you know, but about companionship with other people and creatures, about your relationship with this planet we live on. But then, things just don’t go right a lot of times, and you end up feeling - “realistic.” You realize the power that money has in this world. You realize that money is what makes civilizations possible (after all, bartering won’t last forever), that money really does make the world go around. I felt this power especially when I entered the library at Malfoy Manor - seeing all the books that seemed to reach endlessly into the heavens, all the tomes that the Malfoys must have gotten slowly throughout history, through money.

For that, I decided that I hated reality.

I kept coming here, though. I kept coming here, because I love to read - to learn, to soak up what all these books have to say. Lucius and Narcissa complained to the Ministry about me often - that I overstayed my welcome, that I should be done with my research by now - but thankfully, the Ministry shut down their complaints, because of their previous involvement with the Dark Lord and because their library was the only one expansive enough for me to use for my research. Actually, I was already done with the research, but - I wasn’t going to tell them that.

But then, one day, I entered the library as usual - and all the books were gone. Completely gone. I had no idea why - the Malfoys must know that these books would cost a fortune - and I was just standing there, not fully taking in the situation - that all the books were freakin’ gone. I felt like a pot of Galleons punched me in the guts right then. I felt like the universe was somehow getting back at me for being too idealistic - for being too moral, if that was possible - for believing in something right.

“Won’t be ‘researching’ here anymore, will you, Granger?” said Draco Malfoy, suddenly popping up behind me.

I turned around to face him. “What did you -“ I felt the urge to murder this man. I was going to do it, too - I was going to Avada him, I was going to burn his remains like he probably burned the poor books (and he probably laughed while doing it, the bastard), and throw his ashes into the wind so that there would be no evidence behind, and nobody (except maybe his parents) would miss him and I would be laughing at his grave and -

“Relax, you dolt. I donated them to Hogwarts.”

“You - what?” I was speechless, not fully comprehending what just happened. I felt like pinching myself, to see if I was dreaming.

Then, impulsively, without my own awareness - I hugged him.

Reality wasn’t so bad, after all.

19

Title: Where they burn books..
Author: snowe
Rating: PG
Warnings: Librarians and bibliophiles proceed with caution...
Word Count: Google Docs says 498
The burnt parchment crunches under his feet.

Granger would have a fit, he thinks, as he surveys the damage around him. He still half-expects to see her, at her table near the back--books stacked high all around, her bushy hair waving as she scribbles too-long essays.

Amycus and Alecto have begun to purge the library, row by row. Madam Pince had protested--and ended in the infirmary for her troubles.

He is in detention for "insufficient enthusiasm" with the Cruciatus Curse. The Carrows relish punishing him; Alecto's eyes glitter with obscene joy as she orders him to clear away the debris--without magic. He had always thought that the Dark Lord's return would restore his family's prominence. Instead, his father is wandless and disgraced; his ancestral home is now a barracks, overrun with half-breed filth. Blaise Zabini prances around Hogwarts as Head Boy, while he, scion of two ancient families, shovels garbage like a Muggle drudge.

In the Muggle Studies section, he notices one small book, wedged between the shelf and the wall--the only one to escape the Carrows' destruction. He picks it up and brushes the ash off the front cover.

67 Ingenious Innovations by Meritorious Muggle-borns

-----

February 7, 1993

He is in the library, hard at work on his History of Magic essay. His father had been particularly displeased with his first year examination results:

"This is your heritage, Draco, and yet an upstart girl of no wizarding family has bested you by a full fifteen points! I shall scarcely be able hold my head up at the next Governor's meeting...I trust you will give a better showing next year."

He's studied hard, all year, but Granger is always better. He hopes she will be the next Mudblood found Petrified, and tells her so often, when Potter and Weasley aren't around. He tells her it's about time someone sweeps away the filth, that her sort are leeches and parasites, that she doesn't belong here. She usually sniffs haughtily and turns away, but today...he smirks as he remembers the flicker of hurt and uncertainty in her eyes.

Crack!

Granger slaps a book down on top of his parchment scroll, glares at him, and then flounces away--as much as a small girl can flounce while carrying an over-stuffed satchel.

67 Ingenious Innovations by Meritorious Muggle-borns

He snorts as he reads the title, but he does flip through the pages. The Wizarding Wireless Network. The Knight Bus. The Weird Sisters. Lies, all of it. He knows, because his father has told him so, that Mudbloods have never contributed one thing to their world.

After he finishes his essay, he shoves the little book behind the shelf, so that no other decent purebloods can be led astray by such falsehoods.

-----

He gently tucks the book in his pocket and picks up the shovel again.

He reads it straight through that night, and wonders if Granger would have come up with the sixty-eighth.

The last drabble is a bit more explicit than the others.

20

Title: Refreshing Memories
Author: kate0404
Rating: M
Warnings: Sexual content!!!
Word Count: 499

Her face was flushed and her hair tousled. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was labored. Her body was covered in sweat and her legs shook.

Leaning her head back, she rested it on the shelf of the bookcase. She knew it was wrong. Merlin, it was so wrong, but she couldn’t stop herself. There was something about being in the library - the smell of aging parchment, the color of the ink on the pages, the frayed edges of the books, something - that made her body quake with need. There was something about being in the library with him - his chiseled jaw, his perfect blond hair, the sexy smirk on his lips - that made her throw all her inhibitions to the wind.

And he knew it.

“Oh, Merlin, don’t stop,” she groaned, her husky voice sounding foreign to her.

He pushed in harder, causing her skull to crack into a large tome. She barely noticed.

“You’re so tight,” he growled into her ear before slamming into her again. She felt a surge of pleasure wash through her aching core. She loved it like this: rough and fast. It made the forbidden act so much more…intense.

She raked her nails down his back, reveling in the way they left long, red marks on his porcelain skin. He rewarded her efforts with a bite on the neck and thrusting into her harder.

Her breathing became more erratic as he drove himself into her. The shelves were pressing into her back and she was sure she’d have marks later, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was to topple over the orgasmic cliff she was running toward and get sucked up into the ocean of euphoria at the bottom.

She was so close...and getting impatient.

“Finish it!” she ground out between clenched teeth, biting down on his shoulder as he reached down to press his thumb to her aching clit.

“Hermione?”

Hermione whipped her head around so fast she felt the pain shoot through her neck before she heard the cracking sound.

Her hand went to her neck instantly and she groaned loudly. At the same time Draco shot out of his chair across from her and knelt beside her. “Merlin, Hermione, are you alright?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

He rubbed his hand over her neck gently and then dropped it to her bare knee. They were quiet for a moment - Draco staring and Hermione adjusting herself, trying to calm the shudder that rushed through her body during her daydream.

“You were thinking about it again, weren’t you?”

She looked at him innocently. “Whatever are you talking about, Malfoy?”

He smirked and she melted. “Our first time.” His eyes glanced over at their bookshelf across from their usual table in the back.

“I’m sorry? 'Our first time'?” she grinned.

Swift as a stalking cat, he pulled her from her chair and pressed her against the bookshelf. Her breath hitched in her throat. “Oh yes,” he smirked, “Let me refresh your memory.”

ooo

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