[1] Gasoline ✗ Draco Malfoy

five

Chapter Five

When classes finished, Hermione had approached Seohyun and asked if they'd like to study together in the library. Pleasantly surprised, Seohyun had accepted the offer at once.

"I'd invite Harry and Ron as well, but they'd be more likely to draw in the corner of their textbooks than actually get work done," the bushy-haired girl sighed, glaring at the said friends in question.

They didn't even bother to try and deny the accusations. Seohyun had laughed and joined Hermione's side as they trooped to the library together.

She'd grown closer to Hermione recently, especially after both of them had been invited to attend the Slug Club. Slughorn had been delighted with Seohyun's gift for potions – she found her results had improved somewhat after she'd ordered her Korean textbook, but she was still constantly outshone by Harry. Still, she must have shone in his eyes: whether it was because her hand was the only one that could contest Hermione's, or he knew about her good grades and skill with paint and pencil, or if he just liked her in general. Somehow, she was marked as 'special' among all students and therefore entitled to decadent dinners in dull company. She and Hermione were each other's saving grace, with the occasional addition of Ginny Weasley. Or at least, she had been before Harry Potter started scheduling Quidditch practice every time the invitation came floating around.

United in their love of the feeling of old pages between their fingers and desire to learn, to devour words and theories until their hunger for knowledge was fulfilled and their curiosity sated, Hermione and Seohyun had forged a fast friendship. It helped that they had every class together – exempting Astronomy in Seohyun's case, and Arithmancy in Hermione's.

Walking into the library was almost like coming home. The smell of old books invigorated her, as well as the small dust motes spiralling lazily in the sun. The old wood furniture was almost as charming as the books for Seohyun, who had always had a weakness for dark wood. It was exquisite and ancient, all at once. She loved vintage with a passion; all her jewellery was vintage, as were her casual clothes and most of her possessions.

The two plonked themselves at a desk and within seconds, were surrounded by various papers with theories, wand movements, and spell use from various subjects surrounding them

Seohyun chewed her lip as she considered her notes from their Charms lesson. "Hermione, can you explain today's Charms lesson to me again?"

Charms was perhaps Seohyun's weakest subject. Somehow, she just was unable to truly grasp the finer points of the concepts, which often left her spells weak and her answers unrefined.

Hermione beamed, tucking her hair behind her ears as she shifted closer to Seohyun and launched into her own explanation of events, while Seohyun nodded and dutifully took notes, her quill scratching across the parchment.

As Hermione closed her lesson, another figure walked into the library. Seohyun tipped her head, her eyes focusing on Draco Malfoy as he browsed through the Transfiguration section of the library.

"You're staring," Hermione said.

Seohyun blinked. "Am I?"

She had been. Seohyun frowned, realising just how often she seemed to spend staring at Draco Malfoy these days. Not as though she found him handsome, but as though he was a puzzle she just couldn't figure out. She had the borders constructed, but she had so many pieces missing, lost over time or because he kept himself so locked up and distant. She had a distorted image in front of her, but those pieces she was missing hindered her understanding.