The Gloriana Set

Charms Again

Hermione's heart was pounding as she picked through the rubble toward the cracked stone arch. Last time she was outside the old Charms classroom, she was running from Draco, wand in hand. Now she was walking straight into his coils. She truly had no sense at all.

She found him once again lying on the teacher's desk, his long legs hanging off the edge, drawing on the ceiling with his wand. Hermione looked around the familiar room, the warm glow of the lamps, the long tables, the shelves stuffed with books and knick-knacks. Her rune writings were still on the blackboard, the white lines trailing off crookedly. ("Have you been thinking of me?") The smell of chalk brought back the feel of his body, his voice in her ear: "Admit it, Granger, you want me ..."

Draco sat up on the desk, the movement startling her. "You're late," he said.

"Yes, I know." Hermione felt suddenly awkward. "Ernie's planning an inter-House Quidditch match for Dumbledore's birthday and he—"

"You're helping him with that daft plan?"

Hermione sniffed. "I suggested an inter-House Quiz Game."

"At least we were spared that."

"Quiz games are fun and educational," Hermione said.

Draco ignored this, his eyes raking her up and down. "Come here," he said softly.

Hermione stepped forward, then halted a few feet away. She crossed her arms and tilted her head. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" she asked.

Draco blinked. "You'd create the Draught of Living Death."

Hermione took another step forward, arms still crossed, looking at him challengingly, and Draco's lips quirked.

"What law explains the conjuration of a frog-rabbit hybrid?" Her face heated slightly but her voice was steady.

"The Principle of Artificianimate Quasi-Dominance," Draco answered promptly. Hermione moved closer; she was only one step away now. With him sitting on the desk, they were nearly eye level.

"Why did you first show me the Codex?" she asked. She really wanted to know, had asked this question before in this very room. They had been little better than enemies then. Why did he bring the Codex and rune stone to her, extending that thin olive branch?

Draco became very still. "When we began speaking outside Ancient Runes," he finally said, "for the first time in my life ... I wanted to share."

"With me?"

He rolled his eyes. "Who else?"

"It's pleasant to be right," Hermione said, taking that last step. "Quiz games are fun and educational."

"I'm still waiting for my prize," Draco said.

She reached out a trembling hand, smoothing his white-blond fringe back from his face, then leaned in to kiss him. Draco slid his arms around her, pulling her between his legs, his body hard against hers. Mine. Her fingers ran through silky hair. She broke the kiss, tugging his head back slightly to run her lips along the roughness of his pointed jaw. There was no injury or school matron this time, nothing to stop her from tracing the long muscles of his throat, lost in his warm skin.

Draco gently pushed her back, causing Hermione to frown, but she understood when he began unbuttoning her sensible cardigan. "Well, well," he murmured, for underneath she wore only the green bra from Ginny. Hermione's hands were under his jumper, trying to pull it upwards, and Draco released her to strip it off. Hermione stood captivated by the sheen of lamplight on his bare skin.