Once and For All

Secrets and Doodles

5th year Gryffindor Prefect Hermione Granger's plan of focusing exclusively on her OWL's had been ruined by a pink giant toad. One could say Dumbledore's Army was a way of studying for their Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL, but it was much more than that. Wasn't it?

She had enough worries; she could not handle anything else that year. Or so she thought. It all changed when during a History of Magic class Draco fucking Malfoy found his way to her brain.

One moment she was taking notes on what Professor Binns was saying, the next one she had drawn a heart with H+D inside. By Godric's sword, what was wrong with her. She had ruined a fine piece of parchment.

She turned back to watch the blonde on the back of the room. Neither taking notes nor paying attention while he spoke in an ushered voice with Goyle. Then grey eyes found hers and Hermione quickly turned away, finding a new piece of parchment for her annotations.

"What are you looking at, Granger?" he asked, barely above a whisper, but she heard it perfectly well.

What was wrong with her. Malfoy was a bully, her bully. He had called her the worst slurs, he thought she was beneath him. And her stupid subconscious liked him. What was wrong with her? She could not deny that the boy had his charms, he was tall, blonde and the aristocratic face of his was appealing, more than appealing. She wanted to trace his jaw with a finger just to make sure the hard edges to sight were smooth to touch.

Hermione shook her head. Making an effort to forget the stupid little crush on Malfoy. She was able to keep him out of her mind and her notes for a week until she found herself doodling again.

Draco Malfoy was becoming a big rock on her shoe. Now she needed to find the time to rewrite all of her notes before she could pass them to anyone. Otherwise, they could find hearts on Transfiguration, little white ferrets in charms, ice princes with crowns and everything in Herbology. She even added a princess once. What was wrong with her? Why was she drawing all these fluffy doodles?

Hermione had started to think that he had slipped her a love potion. But why would Draco Malfoy do something like that? What could he gain? Seeing her embarrassment in front of everyone? She was lost in her thoughts when she heard Snape's voice.

"There will be no doodling in my class, understood?" He spoke so close to her that Hermione froze; it was like she had been hit with a Stupefy. She quickly covered her parchment, not even noticing that it was empty of doodles at that time.

Ron and Harry were chuckling at the word doodling coming from Snape's mouth. She wanted to laugh as well but she was so worried about being caught by Snape. He had only confiscated the piece of parchment of the other student, but she was sure that if it were her parchment, he would happily describe the drawing to the whole class.

When she went to turn over her essay at the end of class, she caught a glimpse of the other doodling parchment, it was more than a doodle, it was like a work of art. It was a portrait of her.

"Miss Granger, I would much prefer if you would and stop scrutinizing the drawing," he said.

"I'm sorry, professor. I shall be going." She hurried out of the room, she turned back just in time to watch Professor Snape giving Malfoy back the parchment.

It was Malfoy, Malfoy had drawn her. Her mouth dropped open and when he hurried out of Snape's classroom, she was frozen on her feet. He bumped into her "You're not a statue, Granger. Keep moving."

Hermione ran so fast towards the common room, that when she arrived, she was out of breath. What had just happened? She found herself on her bed, the drapes closed, and a silencing charm applied as she tried to understand that Draco was drawing her back.

She found a piece of parchment on her robes pocket. It was the drawing, but it had something scribbled - Saturday. 1 pm. The Magic Neep. Come alone or don't come at all. We must talk. DM.