Draco wasn't sure why he had asked Hermione to study Potions with him. He wasn't even sure why he had wanted to see her in the Gryffindor tower. But now she had agreed, so they were going to study. He wasn't sure whether he was happy about that or not.
"What do want to study?" Hermione asked.
Draco's mind drew a blank. He had not thought about this. "Just stuff for the exam, I suppose," he mumbled.
"Fine." Hermione sighed and dug in her bag for something. "It's the N.E.W.T. practice papers. I hadn't started them yet. We could do them together."
Draco nodded and stared at Hermione. He had never before noticed or appreciated just how beautiful she was.
Hermione looked up, startled. "Why are you staring at me," she asked breathlessly.
"You're very pretty," Draco blurted. He instantly felt his face grow hot and regretted saying that. Hermione blushed too and looked down at her shoes."Thanks."
"And you're smart. And a good teacher. I wouldn't have stayed in Transfiguration without you."
"Oh. You-you're good at Quidditch." Hermione hated that this was the only thing she could think of that Draco was good at.
"Not as good as the other people. Especially Potter."
"Well, you're modest." Hermione blushed even harder, still looking at her shoes. Draco smiled at how cute he thought she was.
Suddenly the portrait hole swung open and one of the people from Christmas tea climbed in. Awkwardly Hermione gathered her thing, grabbed Draco's wrist, and steered them toward the library. She ignored the student as he called after them, "Why is a Slytherin in our common room?"
Breathless from running, Hermione closed the door of the library. They were the only ones there; Madam Pince had gone to a Christmas lunch with the other professors.
"Sorry about that," panted Hermione. She looked up at Draco to apologize, and saw that he was looking very intently down at her.
And he drew his arm around her waist. Their lips met. Hermione was surprised and all her instincts told her to draw away from Draco, but she couldn't. She couldn't explain why. She just couldn't. All the breath whooshed from both their bodies.
Needless to say, they didn't study that afternoon.