Library Love

Part 1

Hermione sat at the table in the library, stacks of books around her. She ran the end of her feathered quill along the page as she let out a sigh. She was studying for the upcoming Ancient Runes exam but was having no luck finding the meaning of a certain symbol.

Draco was in the library too; a very rare sight. He walked around the end of a book shelf and his eyes landedd on Hermione who was sitting nearby. He managed to duck back behind the shelf before Hermione could see him. Hermione shifted a pile of books, looking toward where Draco had just been standing, but seeing there was no one there she picked up the books and left to put them away, giving up on the studying.

Draco sighed as he watched her moved away from him, glad that she hadn't seen him but mentally kicking himself for letting a chance to talk to her alone slip through his fingers so easily.

Hermione stopped at a book shelf and, balancing the stack of books carefully in one hand and trying to replace a book from the top of the pile on the shelf. She let out a cry of alarm as the books in her hand toppled onto the ground with a series of thuds. She huffed, pushing her bushy brown hair from her eyes before bending down to gather up the scattered books. Draco rushed over to help her, a sudden unexplained urge to do soomething nice for her. He knelt beside her, picked up a book, and held it out to her.

"Malfoy?" Hermione said, confused. Hesitantly she took the book and added it to the pile.

"Hi," he replied, clearly embarrassed.

"Why are you...helping me?" she asked. Multiple questions whirred through her head at that moment; questions with no real answers.

Draco felt extremely stupid. How had he ever thought that she would understand how he loved her? To hide his embarrassment, he handed her another book. "What d'you expect me to do, point and laugh because you dropped your books?"

"Unlike the countless times I've seen you do that exact thing?" she mused with a teasing yet curious smile.

He looked down to avert her gaze, but he couldn't help smiling back. He handed her another book, wanting to walk away and forget they'd ever had this conversation but unable to now that he'd embarrassed himslef so much.

"Thanks," Hermione took the book and brushed the hair out of her eyes again. "Well...uh," she mumbled with a slight shrug. She gatehred up the pile of books, her hair falling in front of her face again. A faint pink was filling her cheeks.

"Umm..."

"Thanks for the help," she said, indicating the books with a shrug. She turned and walked briskly down the isle, the colour in her cheeks becoming more prominent.

"Wait!" Draco reached out a hand to her. He dropped it quickly by his side again when Hermione looked back at him enquiringly. He opened his mouth to say continue, but couldn't seem to find his voice.

A few awkward moments passed in silence before he managed to say anything. "D-...you have nice eyes," he blurted out. Biting his lip in embarrassment, he looked at his shoes.

"Uh...thanks. Is that all?" Her face was red now.

Draco smirked. "Not quite..."

"Hmm?" Hermione prepared herself for some snide comment.

He looked into her eyes and asked her, "Will you go out with me?"

"W-what?" she gasped in surprise. This was not what she had expected.

"Will you go out with me?" he asked more slowly, letting out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.

Hermione's thoughts travelled back to her freinds and how little they would approve. Draco looked back at her hopefully. "Oh, uh...okay."

Draco's face broke into a grin and he spread his arms toward Hermione, preparing for a hug. Hermione was motionless for a moment before wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his shuolder. He hugged her back and stroked her hair lovingly, happy that he'd finally managed to ask her out and that she'd agreed.