Professor Granger

Chapter 40: Youth

         JUNE 30, KITCHENS, HOGWARTS

Hermione watched Draco sip his coffee, his eyes scanning over a book page. She dropped her fork onto her empty plate with a clatter, scraping the plate away from her as she pulled her coffee cup in to rest in her hands. 

"When are Adrian and Cassius arriving again?" Hermione rechecked, fingers strumming along the table in thought.

"After their lunch at Felix," Draco nodded, "So there's no way to know for sure to be honest." He rolled his eyes with a smirk, looking up at her.

"And Slytherin is all ready for everyone?" Hermione continued her mental checklist.

"Yes," Draco nodded, hand reaching out to rub along her thigh.

"Maybe they'll end up coming along with Miles and Theo later in the day?" she thought aloud.

"Maybe," Draco shrugged.

Mind wandering to the Quidditch match planned for the next day, Hermione sipped her coffee slowly. Her eyes stared off in thought, watching an unheld spoon swirling midair in a pot on a stove across the room. The slow drag of the spoon around whatever liquid bubbled inside was calming, steady in rhythm. She leaned her elbow onto the table, sliding her face into her hands as she stared at the stirring spoon. Scrape. We should sleep in Draco's suite tonight so we can be close to Slytherin. Scrape. We'll need water bottles for the match. Scrape. Should we go down to Hogsmeade now? Scrape. Is there-

"Hermione," Draco interrupted her thoughts, hand squeezing her thigh.

"Yes?" Hermione refocused her glassy eyes, turning to meet his gaze.

"What are you thinking about?" he raised his eyebrows, curious.

"I'm just thinking through some things for today and tomorrow...it's hard to turn my mind off sometimes," she shrugged, sliding her chin from her hand to lean back in her chair with a sigh.

"Do you want to go through it?" Draco offered lightly.

"What?" Hermione froze, brows pulling together in confusion.

"Your checklist...whatever you're sorting through," he shrugged.

A wide smile spread across Hermione's face as she reached a hand out to grab his knee with a slap. "Really?" she squealed.

"Absolutely. Let's hear it," Draco egged her on with a chuckle.

Hermione's voice grew louder with excitement as they went through every thought rattling around in her mind, rapid fire. They adjusted to face each other in their chairs, eyes and hands not leaving one another. Draco's focus never wavered, answering her questions and offering opinions quickly.

"...So should we go to the library first?" Hermione continued with her bubbling questions.

"Why don't we take the day off- won't you just be distracted wondering when everyone is arriving anyways?" Draco responded quickly.

"Maybe, but I'll feel unproductive if I don't do any work today," she returned.

"Then let's make sure the castle entrance and courtyard are in order so we're working right by the gates...we can get lunch at Felix- maybe meet up with Adrian and Cassius there and bring them to the castle ourselves. Yes?" Draco cocked his head, waiting for her approval.

"Yes...that works," Hermione paused, pleasantly surprised at his plan.

"So what else?" Draco nodded to her to continue, turning to take a quick sip of his coffee.