Anyone But Me

Chapter Twenty-Four

Draco leaned against the spot where the door would appear for them once summoned, his meticulously crafted mask of confidence proudly on display while he waited for her. A black sweater had been added to his "after school hours" uniform to combat the chill and his platinum blonde hair looked as if he had just spent the last hour running his hands through it. A few strands fell onto his forehead, giving him an unusually lax look.

She hesitated at the corner, watching him wait. Now that the opportunity to enact her plan of inept seduction had presented itself without interruption her nerves had kicked in. She had absolutely no clue how to proceed. It wasn't like she had ever snuck out to get hot and heavy before, much less with an experienced lover. Her ignorance would be painfully telling.

He wouldn't laugh at her would he? She knew the chances were slim but it was a real worry. He had lost his virginity to Parkinson. The girl who once resembled a pug had morphed into the type that could make a guy ejaculate just by licking her frickin' lips in their presence. There was no way she could measure up to that. She wasn't even in the same hemisphere!

At the same time she knew he had to be wanting something more as well. Not if he was bold enough to admit to imagining her lips doing something more worthwhile than cursing. That didn't exactly sound G rated...

She resorted to nibbling on the inside of her cheek instead of ruining all of Ginny's hard work on her lips. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she worked up the bravery to step forward and meet what the night had in store for her. As much as she probably shouldn't, she trusted the boy who was standing there. Just when she shifted to take that first step he cleared his throat and spoke to the wall opposite of him. "You've been standing there for quite some time. Would you rather not enjoy my company tonight?"

"Oh! Ummm... Hi." She was surprised by the sudden acknowledgement. It was at that moment she had decided to use her precocious mind to the fullest of its abilities, apparently. A blush worked up into her cheeks as she stepped out from her horrid hiding spot.

"Hello... I am serious, you know. You can leave if you are second guessing... Me." His gray eyes searched her face as she approached.

"I know. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be." Hermione confirmed with a shrug of her shoulders.

Amused with her response a playful smirk crossed his lips. "Oh really? From where I am standing it looked like you were working yourself into a tizzy."

"It wasn't a tizzy. I... I'm just nervous." There really wasn't any use in trying to deny the obvious.

"Why?" Draco snapped. All traces of the humor on his face from a second before was gone. Wiped from his features based on assumptions of what the cause of her nervousness was.

"It's pretty chilly out here. Do you think we could move this somewhere warmer?" She decided not to answer. At least not out in the hallway. It was much better to get inside the sanctuary of the Room of Requirement, in whichever form, then get caught and be speaking about her inexperience... With him...

He huffed but stood up from the wall. His movements were quick and jerky with his annoyance as he called the door for his room into being. He opened it and gestured for her to enter.

She couldn't help the smirk of satisfaction at his impatience as she walked past him. As soon as the warmth from the room hit her the tension of her expectations softened and she sighed. Without looking back at him she walked over to the couch and slid her cloak from her shoulders. Taking great care to concentrate on each movement instead of the fact that he was somewhere behind her. When she was done she draped the bundle along the back of the couch and smoothed the wool down.