Why Don't We Go There (A Dramione Story)

Seven

I set my books down softly on the table I'd chosen in the library, purposely away from the eyes of everyone else in the room, which happened to be a fair amount considering it was Saturday. I rifled through my bag for a fresh piece of parchment to start the homework we'd received in Charms yesterday.
"Mind if I sit here?" I knew it was him without having to look up, I sighed quietly.
"Go sit with your friends, Malfoy." I told him, "you're taking it too far." He didn't say anything and instead, pulled out the chair and sat down anyway. I chewed my lip as I kept my eyes on the blank sheet in front of me, waiting for him to say something but he didn't. Eventually, I looked up and raised my eyebrows.

"Well?" I asked.
"Well, what?" He said back, leaning back in the chair.

"What do you want?" I muttered.

"Nothing, just thought I'd join you." He shrugged, taking one of my books and flipping through it.
"Why?" I asked, snatching the book away from him which made him smirk at me.

"Because I wanted to." He said, leaning an elbow on the table as he read the homework instructions.

"And why is that?" I asked, picking up the book closest to me and flipping through to the right page. Draco leaned back in his chair again, running his fingers through his hair.

"I like you," he said casually, making me freeze. I kept my eyes on the page in front of me. "I like our banter, and I'm tired of pretending as though I don't." He continued, I finally glanced up at him, meeting his gaze with confusion written on my face.
"I wouldn't really call it banter." I countered, ignoring the erratic beating of my pulse from the way he was looking at me.
"What would you call it then?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious, I just shrugged.
"I don't know, but it doesn't sound like banter."

"Each to their own, I suppose." He finally said, I focused on my assignment again.

I read the same paragraph 3 times before I sighed and glanced back up at Malfoy.

"Is there anything else you wanted?" I asked, putting my quill down.
"Well," he thought for a moment, a small smile on his lips. "World peace, a pass in all of my classes..." he trailed off.
I suppressed a smile, "from me. Is there anything else you wanted from me?"
His eyes seemed to brighten for a moment, "A few. Now is not the time though, unfortunately." He said, watching me carefully, I drew my eyebrows together in confusion, about to ask what he meant when he asked me the same thing. "What?"
I let my questions go and leaned back in my own chair, my posture mimicking his. "I can't concentrate with you here."
"What am I doing?" He asked, frowning but his eyes were playful.
"You're distracting me." I shrugged.
"Well," he started, a mischievous glint in his eye that made a blush creep onto my cheeks, "considering you can't concentrate and I don't particularly want to leave, why don't we go do something else? We could go for a walk?"
"Or you could just leave me alone so I can do my assignment." I suggested, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach as I tried to see past the images of Draco and I going for a walk together.
"I just said that I don't want to do that." He argued, "come for a walk with me." he urged.
"No." I told him.
"Why not?" He asked, "afraid you might actually have a good time?"
"No, because I need to do this assignment." I told him, gesturing to the piece of parchment on the table.
"You have weeks to do that. Professor Flitwick always gives assignments weeks in advance." He raised an eyebrow, almost challenging me to tell him something different, which of course, I couldn't. I had a month until this assignment was due.
"If I go for a walk with you, will you leave me to my assignment?"

"Promise." He grinned and picked up the library books. "Are you borrowing these?" I just nodded and reluctantly followed him to the loans desk.
"Hello, Ms Granger." Madam Pince greeted me warmly, casting a brief glance at Malfoy before turning her attention back to me.
"Good morning, Madam Pince." I smiled, and then gestured to the books Malfoy had just put onto the counter, "I'd like to borrow those if it's possible."