Something There.. (Dramione x Beauty and the Beast)

Two - The Task

"Can't believe I'm stuck here with you..." Draco rolled his eyes. He crossed his arms, and slouched back in his chair while his messy, white bangs drooped over to meet his crinkled brows. He and Hermione were sitting at a table in the back of the library, just where they met Professor McGonagall the evening before. While Hermione was busy organizing her own books and rolls of parchment to start her homework, Draco waited with his books open, and lazily watched her take her stuff out of her bag. She was startled when he hastily sat up and slid his chair forward.

"Will you hurry up, mudblood?!  Keep this up and you'll win a prize for being slower than Goyle." he grunted. Hermione glared at him, but continued to settle her stuff down.

"Well someone's got their wand tied in a knot," she mocked. "And do you really think I want to be here with you today, ferret? I'd rather be in my room--"

Draco smirked. "DOING WHAT? READING?! Being the boring freak you are..." he rolled his eyes. Hermione finished laying out her stuff, and pretended like she didn't hear his last comment. She turned his textbook to the right page, and told him to read through the chapter on goblin rebellions.

"Don't tell me what to do, you filthy mudblood! I can do this on my—" he snarled, but he was cut off by Hermione.

"--I'm trying to help you, you insufferable, dimwitted git!" She snapped. "Can you just shut your mouth for once so we can get out of here?!"

Draco scowled at her, and stared blankly at his textbook while playing with the green apple that was sitting next to his parchment rolls. It seemed almost impossible for him to concentrate; he really had to get that Vanishing Cabinet to work. He loomed over what would happen if he couldn't, and thought about the consequences of letting the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. As much as he hated so many people at this school, Draco never wished for anyone to get hurt. Though, he knew he had no choice. It was either kill or be killed, and he had to save his family no matter what. He was sweating once again, and his foot was shaking uncontrollably. His musings, however, were interrupted by a piece of chalk being flung at his face. He twitched as if someone threw cold water at him.

"What you think you're playing at Granger?!" he barked. Hermione tried covering her mouth while she burst into laughter.

"Pay attention Malfoy! It's so obvious that you're drifting off!" she retorted. On the other hand, Draco was too stunned to see her laughing to hear what she said. It gave him some kind of warm feeling in his chest. He stared and followed each and every movement of hers; from when she pushed one of her curly strands behind her ear to when she scribbled off something on her parchment roll. Hermione, of course, was too engrossed in her work to notice. Though, Draco flashed back to reality, and remembered what he had to do; he didn't have time to open up his heart to anyone, let alone Hermione. He  quickly flushed that feeling out of his mind, and glared at her with a grimace once again.

"Oh, er, Granger. I'm, er, really sorry about what I said yesterday..." Draco uttered trying to keep a straight face.

Of course, Hermione was intrigued to ever hear Draco apologize to her, but she was too clever to believe him anyways. "Er...you are?" she asked.

"Yeah, I should have known...should've known that even Weasley could find someone better than you of course," Draco's straight face quickly transformed into his usual villainous smirk as he noticed the change of expression on Hermione's face. He inched in closer to her face to put her on the spot, and prayed that she would snap soon enough so that she would leave.

"I don't blame him, really. She is quite gorgeous, and oh! You should've seen the way they were snogging each other on the staircase the other night! Not a millimeter of space between those two! Oh wait, you probably see that every day, no? Being the hobo's bride and all...or used-to-be bride, sorry."