Awakenings

Disclaimer: Belongs to JK Rowling, just having fun, making no money!

Awakenings - 2/?

The bell rang in the distance, thankfully he had a free period now, so he sat there listening to the other students going to class. He didn't want to go back to his dorm yet, more than likely the others would be in there and he didn't feel like seeing them now. When there was no more noises to be heard, he left the little alcove, intending never to set foot in it again, and headed in the direction he had been heading when he got stopped by Blaise. The library.

He headed to his favourite table, it was tucked away amongst the Muggle books. It was probably the only place in the whole castle that no one would expect to find him. Not that he read the Muggle books, Draco may be an outcast in the Wizarding world, but he wasn't that much of an outcast. Besides, they had ridiculous titles. Written by people with awfully boring names, there would be nothing of interest in them. No, he just sat there, and enjoyed the silence, or pulled out his homework. Draco wouldn't be surprised if he was catching up and maybe even passing Granger in the brain stakes this year. Heaven knows it was easy to tell that she was distracted, what else was he supposed to do?

He put his bag on the table, and sank into his chair. Maybe Arithmancy would hold his attention? Anything to stop thinking of the fact that he had just kissed his best friend, his male best friend. That was not supposed to happen. Sure Blaise was a nice guy, good looking, but Draco did not go for guys, he was all for the girls. The voice in his head popped up with a very annoying fact that he was trying to forget, his reaction. Maybe he could convince himself that it meant nothing if he hadn't been harder after than he'd been in months. Not one girl in this school had ever got that out of him. Draco had sat there for a little bit after, taking care of it.

He wanted to throw something, scream at someone, this wasn't supposed to happen. Just another un-necessary complication in an already complicated situation, his life at the moment had enough going on, without feelings for his best friend popping up. To add to the alienation of the rest of the school, his rotten family situation, and the Dark Lord looming on the horizon, it was bloody brilliant. Let's take away the one friend he had in the world, Blaise wouldn't abandon him, but it was going to mess it all up. How was he supposed to look him in the eye after that?

He pulled his textbook out of his bag, and opened it up. This would work, it was all he had done this year, it was the perfect distraction. Back here, in the most isolated part of the library, he would study, and study. Anything to pull his mind away from everything else. Right now he needed it more than anything.

Draco was unsure of how long he sat there, his thoughts made it hard to focus on the book in front of him, but he did his best. His stomach gave a lurch after a while, reminding him that he hadn't had any lunch. Draco decided to go and dump his books, and maybe head down to the kitchen, and see if he could get some kind of snack. There was no weekly candy drop from his mother anymore. He could hear someone moving in the aisle next to his, and decided to sit still for just a moment, Draco didn't want to draw attention to himself.

Then they rounded the corner, Granger.

"Malfoy?" She stuttered, stopping abruptly when she saw him. "What are doing here?"

"Uh, studying? This is the library," he said.

"Of course," she said, "But this is the Muggle books, what are you studying back here?"

"Arithmancy, no-one bothers me back here."

"Right," she nodded, and headed down the aisle, tapping her fingers on the shelf as she went.

He watched her, trying and failing to not be obvious. She knew, if the little self-conscious gestures were any indication. Pushing her hair behind her ears, licking her lips every few moments. He couldn't help himself, over the years he had thought he had Granger's measure. In one day, one moment she had blown it all out of the water. That kiss, with Blaise, she was normally so reserved, keeping emotions of the surface. He was wrong, she wasn't at all like he thought she was, seems Granger was a little firecracker. Draco was suddenly very interested in what else she had hidden away inside.

She selected a book of the shelf, and holding it close to her chest, she walked quickly back down the aisle, avoiding looking at him. Till she reached the end, and stopped. Granger turned around, and took a deep breath.

"How are you?" She asked, still not looking at him.

"Pardon?"

"How are you?" She repeated slowly, her eyes finally landing on him.

"Fine."

"Good to hear," she said quietly, "No one is giving you any trouble are they?"

"Nothing I can't handle, for the most part they leave me alone," he watched her as he talked, she started walking over to his table, and stood next to it. Just standing there, no words were spoken.

"How is your studying going?" She asked, placing her book down.

"Fine, just some revision," he answered, closing his book, "I couldn't concentrate today."

She mumbled illegible then, and to his surprise sat down in the chair next to him. "It's getting hard isn't it? I can barely keep up."

"I'm surviving," he said, sitting up straight.

"Me too, barely."

He hoped his eyes weren't falling out of his face, why was she sitting down with him? Talking to him as if they were old friends? He had sensed a change in her attitude to him over the last few months, she didn't say anything to him really, just carried on with her business, and he with his. There had been no difference of the way he had treated her the year before, they didn't interact. Here she was though, sitting there, nervous as all hell, trying to start a conversation with him. Should he help her? Maybe if he ignored her she would leave. That seemed like the way to go, till he realised that he didn't want her to go. It was nice to be treated like a normal Wizard. Not something to be hated, or pitied.

He grabbed the one thing that he knew they could talk about, "How did you find that assignment for Ancient Runes?" He asked quietly, scared to look at her.

"Oh that was hard," she laughed, a nice pleasant sound, it was a rarity to hear laughter lately. "The results were fascinating, did you finish it?"

"Not yet," he admitted, "Nearly there," he said quickly.

"Well I don't want to spoil it, half the fun is working it out... gods you must think I'm the biggest nerd, deciphering Ancient Runes fun."

"Not at all," he said, looking at her, she was cringing, obviously embarrassed. "I'm exactly the same," and he gave her a smile, a rarity these days.

"Good to know," she smiled, looking down at the book in front of her. It was nice, he decided. She wasn't saying more than was necessary, and he didn't feel like he had to say more. It was enough.

Just as he was starting to get comfortable sitting there in silence with her, his stomach decided to make a reappearance, announcing itself rather loudly.

"Well," he said, "I suppose I should go eat something."

She was trying not to smile, he could see the corner of her lips twitching, "Good idea." Hermione got up, and pushed her chair in, "It was nice talking to you Draco."

"You too."

Getting up as well, he watched her walk away. Turns out he was right, Granger was just full of surprises. He turned to pick up his bag, when he noticed it, her book. She had left it there. Picking it up, he decided to take it and give it to her when he saw her next. Someone may come and take it out of the library, and she wanted to read it, so he shouldn't leave it there. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he walked towards the exit. He was just about out of there, when someone came around the corner, and walked straight into him.

It was Hermione again, "Draco," she said, placing a hand on her chest, "I was just going to get my..." and then she noticed what was in his hand. "Book."

"I was going to give it to you, when I saw you next," he said quickly.

"Thank you."

There had been three thoughts racing through his head all afternoon, distracting him from everything around him. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about Hermione kissing Blaise, and then to further complicate it, he kissed Blaise. Ever since then, he'd been wondering. What would it be like if he was to kiss Hermione? Would she slap him? Curse him? Or would she return it? Seeing her standing in front of him, he decided to take action. It would plague his thoughts for the rest of the evening, till he did it.

Reaching a hand up, he cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb over it gently. Watching her eyes flutter to a close, and her head tilt slightly towards his hand. Seeing her reaction, he leaned down and brushed her lips softly with his own. Moving away a little, keeping his hand on her cheek, leaving it up to her if it went further. Barely a moment later, she was up on the tips of her toes, taking the affirmative action.

He soon lost himself in her, the gentle movements of her as she moved against him, with him. Her soft lips moving against his, coaxing him to open, and let her in. She moved closer still, a hand coming and resting on his arm, he was falling, rather quickly, all of his senses seemed to vacate his body. In it's place, it was her, all he could see, feel was Hermione.

Someone moving in the aisle next to them, returned them to the present. This was happening in an all-too public place. They both pulled away at the same time, her expression was unreadable, she brushed her fingertips over his lips, and was gone. He couldn't move, his legs didn't want to work at all, he leaned against the bookshelf behind him.

He was very wrong about Granger, that girl was an enigma in herself.



a/n: Thank you to all who reviewed the first chapter! I appreciate them all, and am so glad you liked it! Hopefully you all enjoyed this part, I'd love to hear from you!

*EDITS* I forgot that I said this would be the conclusion in the first part, it's not! I realised that writing it, so Anon, if you see this, there will be more! If that's what you were wondering. Sorry about the confusion.