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The potions class simmered with smoke, as yet again, Seamus Finnigan had blown something up. Hermione walked in the classroom, trying to find a seat.
Unfortunately, there was only one open chair, next to none other than the walking headache, Draco Malfoy. She reluctantly sat next to him, almost wishing she had sat on the old, dusty floor instead.
Through a smirk, he said “Merlin, Granger, did you bathe in that perfume? I could practically smell you from the dungeons”.
“Oh, please. I can't smell anything over that dreadful cologne of yours.” she replied, rolling her eyes.
Draco, trying to seem like he’s paying attention but failing miserably, hissed “Do you ever just be quiet, Granger?”
“Wow, Malfoy, that's rich coming from you.” Hermione said judgingly.
Then Draco says in a hushed tone “Rich is more than you’ll ever be, Granger.”
Hermione scoffed and kicked him in the foot, ignoring Draco’s yelp of pain.
“You filthy little mud-” “I wouldn’t finish that if I were you,” Hermione cut him off threateningly.
“Seriously, this classroom smells like you used a whole gallon of your perfume to clean it.” Draco sneered.
“If the scent of my perfume bothers you, you’ll be glad to hear that I’m not wearing any. And how much cologne are you wearing? I’m drowning in that god-awful smell.” she quipped.
“For your information, Granger, I’m not wearing any eithe-”
His remark was cut short by the sound of Professor Snape dramatically entering the room. “Quiet, all of you. We’ve got a long lesson
to get through, and if you incompetent fools can even muster a speck of attention, we might be able to reach today’s assignment.”
He flipped the board around aggressively (one might say with style), which read the word ‘AMORTENTIA’
“Today, we will be attempting to brew Amortentia, the world’s most powerful love potion. However, it is technically not a love potion,
since actual love cannot be recreated by magic. Rather, it creates a powerful obsession with the brewer to whoever drinks it. It will be
different to everyone who interacts with it, smelling and changing color to whatever attracts them.”
And then, it clicked.
Is that the reason she was being overpowered by the scent of Malfoy’s cologne?
Is that the reason he was being overpowered by the scent of Granger’s perfume?
Both of their faces flushed, and their heads snapped down, facing away from each other.
Draco found Hermione in the library after class, Hermione trying to hide her blush (and failing spectacularly)
“Hey, Granger. You hiding from me?” Draco said curiously.
“No, why would I do that? Um, but we, uh, we need to get to class. “Hermione said quickly, almost too quickly.
“Oh yeah, I forgot. Would you… maybe want to skip class? We need to talk.” Draco said, slowing down his diction.
“Um, well, I don't, um, I- I have class and, um, I don't, um, know if I should, and–ugh!” Hermione buried her face in her hands with embarrassment.
“Hermione,” he smiled, setting a hand on her shoulder. “I know you don’t want to, but we do need to talk.” He let out a low chuckle. “You know, you’re awful at excuses.”
“I know.”
she stopped suddenly.
“You–you called me Hermione.”
“Did I? Oh, yeah. I guess I did.”
He dropped his tone. “I don't know what you smelled in that potion, but I know for a fact that I smelled… well, I smelled… you. “
Hermione snapped her head up instantly.
“And given the fact that you said you smelled my cologne and I’m not wearing any, I’d be willing to bet that you smelled me as well.”
She paused.
“...yes.”
He looked down, trying to conceal his smile.
“Oh, uh, your shoe’s untied.” Draco said in a surprisingly considerate way.
Hermione, a little shocked, replied with “Oh, uh, thanks.”
“Merlin, Hermione, you look like a ghost hit you.” Draco chuckles softly.
Hermione bends down to tie her shoe, knocking a quill off of the desk in the process.
As Draco goes to pick up the fallen quill, Hermione attempts to sit back up again.
For the faintest moment, their lips accidentally brush.
“Oh, sorry–”
“I didn’t mean to– sorry”
Silence.
The air felt different, charged somehow.
Then, slowly, Draco pulls her in, finally kissing her, for real.
Draco tilted his head deepening the kiss. Hermione, on the other hand, was kind of enjoying this.
“...I like this, Hermione,” Draco says between kisses. Hermione says “You know the crazy thing, Draco?
Me too.”
Draco’s hands hovered near Hermione's waist, as if asking for permission.
Hermione grasped his wrists, pulling them against her waist, leaning in to kiss him again.
As they pull apart, Draco mutters “We need to do this more often, Hermione. I really like spending time with you. More than I should, if I’m being honest.”
“Me too.” Hermione says, capturing Draco’s lips in another kiss.