fanart by : @artfleureia
“Hermione is spending an awfully abnormal amount of time in the library this year” Harry stated as Ron and him sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Ron gave him a questioning look, and Harry rolled his eyes.
“Even for her.” He said.
“Yeah, way more than usual. Hey! Maybe she’s doing our Charms essays too!” Ron quirked sarcastically, smiling at Harry. “or maybe she’s shagging Madam Pince!”
He began to shovel mounds of sausage and pancakes onto his plate, leaving Harry to wonder what Hermione was really doing all day long.
That night in the Gryffindor Common Room, as they all sat, huddled together by the fire reading, he decided to ask.
“Hermione what are you doing in the library all day long?”
She went still and gripped her book tighter. She looked up to both boys staring at her quizzically. Hermione sighed and set down her book on the floor next to her.
“I’ve been studying with someone, and he is far better to study with than you two.” She said in a very matter-of-fact tone. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away from her friends’ now hurt faces. “I am sorry but I just can’t keep doing all your work for you, how are you two possibly going to pass your N.E.W.Ts if I continue to do all your essays?” After a long pause she looked back to her friends who were now looking at each other accusingly. Before she could even say another word Ron and Harry are on their feet, arguing over who made her mad.
“It’s all your fault Harry if you wouldn’t have asked her to do your Transfiguration homework last week-“
“Me?! YOU thought she was off doing your essay just this morning!”
“Oh whatever- you made such a big deal about her being in the library all da-”
“Big deal? I did not. I just said she was spending a lot of time-“
“BOYS” Hermione said in a slightly higher octave than them. She got up from her seat on the floor and walked over in between them.
“I’m not mad at you guys, I’ve just been studying!” She snaked her arms around their necks and pulled them down so that they were both eye level with her, Ron bent over far more awkwardly than Harry. “Now stop arguing.”
“Sorry, Mione” Ron mumbled, turning an incredible shade of fuchsia, and tried to readjust so he didn’t have such a crick in his neck.
“Yeah..my bad Mione, we won’t ask for help anymore I promise” Harry said as he hung his head in Hermione’s arm. Hermione smiled and hugged them tighter.
“It’s okay, I-“
Harry suddenly shot up and out of her firm grip, cutting her off. “Hey wait a minute, you said you were studying with someone, who are you studying with Hermione?”
Harry and Ron were no longer hugging her, but standing in front of her, looking at her with narrowed eyes.
Hermione turned an even redder shade than Ron had, her eyes wide. “No one important.” Then within seconds, she was walking past them to the girls’ dorms. Right before she reached the first step of the spiral staircase she stopped and turned on her heel. “I am studying with Draco Malfoy and I won’t hear one word against it or him. Goodnight” She said suddenly and, with her head held high, not looking at the boys she turned around and ran up the stairs. An incredibly confused Harry turned to Ron, who had a look of pure rage on his face, and watched as he attempted to follow a now gone Hermione. Ron makes it up the first four steps before being violently thrown across the room, landing in a heap of pillows. He stands and the pillows magically disappear the same way they appeared. Ron huffed and sat down on the red love seat next to the fire.
“What the bloody hell was that about? Draco Malfoy is who she’s been studying with this whole year? That’s ridiculous!” He says after a long pause. “She’s just messing with us!”
Harry didn’t move. He was still staring, eyes wide with surprise, up the staircase where Hermione disappeared.
That night laying in bed, staring up at the red & gold canopy, Hermione Granger whispered the real reason she was spending so much time in the library this year. She waited until the other girls fell asleep and said so quietly, an almost asleep Ginny Weasley couldn’t have possibly heard her right.
“I’m in love with Draco Malfoy,” Hermione whispered to no one and turned so she was now laying on her side. She closed her eyes and whispered one more confession before falling into a peaceful sleep
“and he’s in love with me”













