Hello my lovelies. I know it's been awhile and I apologize. Besides having severe writers block on my two unfinished stories - Holidays and Lifetime - we moved and any spare time has, unfortunately, been devoted to fixing up the house and unpacking. Word of advice if you are moving or ever move…don't try and move most of the boxes yourself…pay the money to have someone else do it. The entire month of May is a blur and June didn't look any clearer.

Anyway, now that we're kind of settled, I thought I'd try and get a story or two that I've had kicking around in my head, completed and posted before 7/16 when our long awaited Half Blood Prince finally arrives. Whoohooo!

So, with out further adieu, I present the following story for your amusement. Just a quick bit of fluff and a one shot.

Sadly, Ms. Rowling still hasn't adopted me, so I own none of it.

sigh

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PINNED

The five-page essay for professor Flitwick's class was due on Monday. It was Saturday and as per usual, Hermione was just about finished with her 3rd draft. She just had a few more facts to check and then she could put her final draft to quill and ink and be done with it tonight. That would leave all of Sunday to sit by the lake and read, enjoying the early warmth of spring.

Harry and Ron had Quidditch practice after breakfast, so the three parted ways saying they would meet up later for lunch. Hermione stopped off in her room to pick up a few things then headed to the library in search of the book she needed to finish her paper.

As always, the library was quiet. It was Saturday after all and a nice, warm, clear day in early May – most of the students were outside enjoying the lovely weather – not cooped up in the library. Hermione didn't care – she knew if she could finish her assignment today she would have all of tomorrow to relax while everyone else was scrambling to finish his or her work. She waved to Madam Pince and continued to her usual spot – the back table near the really old and dusty section. No one ever bothered her there.

Hermione set her bag on the table and went to the row of stacks behind her in search of the book in question. She checked and rechecked, but couldn't seem to find it. Just then, Madam Pince came around the corner.

"Looking for something, Miss Granger?", she whispered.

"Yes, I was looking for the tome containing the background information on the development of the Fidelius Charm", she answered with a heavy sigh, "I have a bit of information I still need, but I can't seem to find it", she whispered in return.

"Ah, yes. I believe Mr. Malfoy is currently using that book. Report due Monday I assume?"

"Uh, yes. Malfoy, did you say?"

So wrapped up in getting her assignment done, she didn't even notice the one other student that had opted to stay in and work on this beautiful day…Malfoy. He was sitting in the opposite corner at the back of the library. He apparently didn't notice her either; his head was down and he was scribbling intently on a long piece of parchment while checking back to the open text in front of him.

"Yes, dear. He's sitting right over there by the books on conjuring charms". Hermione turned to look in the direction she was pointing at. "I'm sure he'll let you borrow it. Anything else?"

"No", Hermione said with a hopeless sigh. "Just the one book. Thank you Madam Pince."

Madam Pince nodded and walked towards the restricted section.

Hermione went back to her table, sat and stared at her most current draft. She was sure that the paper was good enough to hand in as it stood, but she really wanted to add a few other bits of information to the middle of the essay. She looked to where Malfoy sat –'Why did it have to be him? Well, I suppose it won't kill me to ask him for it. At least, I hope he won't kill me.'

She got up quietly and walked over to Malfoy's table. He was totally engrossed in his work. Somewhere, deep down on a level in her brain she did not want to explore, Hermione was a little impressed that he was actually inside working on a day like today. As if sensing her mere presence, he said "yes?" without looking up.

"Excuse me Malfoy", she said quietly, "but I was hoping to use that tome today so I could finish my assignment for Flitwick. Are you almost done with it?"

He put down his quill, leaned back and looked at her. "No, I'm still using it".

"Oh. Well, do you know when you'll be done with it?"

"No", he said simply and picked up his quill again. He was about to start writing again when he paused, tapped the feather tip of his quill against his lips and then said, "but you're welcome to wait for it", giving his quill a little flick, "though I should warn you, that could be awhile". He smirked to himself and got back to writing his essay.

Hermione took a deep, cleansing breath and asked calmly, "why do you have to be such a git all the time? I only need it for about an hour Malfoy, you have plenty of other books to use in the mean time," she said gesturing to all the other open books on the table. He didn't say a word, just continued his writing. As a last resort, she ground out, "may I please borrow it?"

That gave him pause and he looked up assessing her.

"Wow, you must really need to use this book if you're asking THAT nicely. I tell you what Granger, go get your things and sit here and use the book. I don't want you wondering off with it. I can just image you running off with it and not returning it to me until after the assignment is handed in".

"But…I…oh, fine", she finally answer and had to force herself not to stomp away like a spoiled child. How could she argue? He was letting her use the book. But once a git, always a git, she supposed. Did she really think he would just give her the book? Mentally rolling her eyes, she picked up her things and returned to Malfoy's table, sitting down across from him. He ignored her as she began setting up her things.

After about 5 minutes, and sensing no movement from the girl across from him, he looked up to see her staring at him as if waiting for something.

"What is it now?"

"The book".

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Could I use it?"

"I said you could".

"Yes, well…you're leaning on it".

Malfoy rolled his eyes and slid it across the table at her. She stopped it quickly before it knocked over her inkwell. "Thanks a lot", she said under her breath.

"What was that, Granger?"

"Nothing", she replied and began her research.

An hour or so passed in total silence, save the scratching of their quills. Hermione was making notes and revisions on her third draft while Malfoy was writing meticulously on his original paper. Finally, Malfoy put down his quill and looked at her. She had her parchment in her hands and was leaning back reading it with the length trailing on the floor next to her.

He cleared his throat and she glanced over the top of her paper at him.

"Are you done with the book now?"

She looked down at her paper, then back at him. "Uh, well…."

"Come on, Granger. You've had at it for over an hour and probably have about 6 feet of parchment more than you're supposed to. Do you really think you have any more to write on the subject?"

"Oh, alright. Here." She pushed the book towards him as he had done to her, but he wasn't as quick as she and this time the book DID knock over an inkwell – his. And the sticky black ink went all over him and his paper.

"Granger, you stupid...bloody…idiot. Look what you've done! It's all ruined. My paper…you ruined my paper!…days of work...and my ROBES…look what you've done to my robes! Stupid, accident-prone mud…"

"Don't you dare Malfoy. Don't you DARE say it".

"And what if I do? Huh? I don't care about Dumbledore's blasted new decree…look at this mess. You're useless, you know that?" He was mumbling now as he tried to wipe the ink off his robe, but he was just making it worse. "A bloody inconvenience to any and everyone. A useless, clumsy, know-it-all, mud…"

"I said don't!", she had her wand out and pointed directly at him. "Now if you would calm down and stop overreacting for 2 seconds, I'll clean it up". She moved his ink-splattered parchment away from the puddle in the center of the table. She started talking to herself as she assessed the damage in front of her, "Lord, Malfoy. With slow reflexes like that, it's no wonder you can never catch the snitch before Harry." It was a low blow, and for a second she almost thought to take it back. Almost.

"Watch it Granger", he warned.

They stood there staring daggers at each other for about a minute. Over six years of hate and anger hummed through the space across the table. Still glaring at him, she pointed her wand towards his chest and said precisely and quietly, "scurgify". Instantly his robes were clean. Never breaking eye contact, she then pointed her wand at the table, "scurgify", she said again and the ink on the table disappeared. "Now", she said evenly, "hand me your paper and you can watch me save it from the rubbish bin". Squinting his eyes at her he reluctantly reached down and picked up his ink-covered paper and thrust it at her.

"If you would be kind enough to hand me a blank piece of parchment", she said examining his ruined paper. He huffed and dug a new piece out of his bag.

She placed both parchments next to each other on the table, tapped the ink covered one and then the blank one and said, "transfero lacuna membrana vacuus". And when she finished her spell, Malfoy's essay appeared on the formerly blank piece of parchment leaving nothing but a big inkblot on the old.

She gave a curt nod and said, "There. Now make sure everything copied properly. Once the ink spill thoroughly dries it will be harder to get any missing words from it".

Malfoy snatched the essay off the table and quickly scanned it. Everything seemed to be accounted for. Hermione was packing her things. She was done with her draft, now all she had to do was recopy it and she did not have to do that at Malfoy's table. She put her bag on her shoulder and stood there looking at him.

"What?"

"Your welcome", she said sarcastically.

"I'm supposed to say thank you for saving the paper that you ruined?"

"Yes – you should say thank you. And it wasn't my fault you weren't quick enough to stop the book from sliding into your inkwell".

"You shouldn't have chucked it at me in the first place".

"Oh, like you shouldn't have shoved it at me an hour ago?"

"Yes. I mean, no. Oh, will you just leave me alone Granger, you've caused enough trouble for me today".

"Whatever Malfoy". Hermione shook her head and went back to her original table, set her things up again, and took out a clean piece of parchment intent on re-copying her essay for her final draft. By noontime, she was nearly finished. She had edited it down in the third draft, and now she only had one last page to rewrite. She got up, stretched and went to the window. Quidditch practice would be over by 1:00 pm; if she hurried she could meet Harry and Ron for a quick lunch by the lake before they had to start their own essays. Maybe she would take a walk to Hogsmeade and do a little window-shopping. She was contemplating which shops she planned on visiting when she heard papers rustling behind her. She turned to find Malfoy rummaging through her bag.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" It was out of her mouth before she could stop herself. She totally forgot where she was and was admonished by a very elderly librarian in the painting on the wall with a loud "shhhhhhhh". Embarrassed, she looked at Malfoy and asked again in a lower tone of voice, "What are you doing?"

"I'm missing a book, you must have packed it up with your things. Where is it? Honestly Granger, how do you lug all these books around all day?"

"What book are you looking for?", she grabbed the bag out of his hands and put it down on the table and started looking through it herself. "And all you had to do was ask me Malfoy, you have no right to go through my things".

He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed as if looking through her bag wasn't such the big deal she was making it out to be. "It's the book by Panmaralov that sites the example of the witch and wizard couple that ended up being homeless for six months because they cast the spell incorrectly and couldn't find their own house".

She looked up from the bag, her annoyance momentarily pushed aside. Her eyes were twinkling. Forgetting herself she said, "Oooh, that was a good one wasn't it? When they enlisted the help of the Ministry and they used the tracing charm but it…" she stopped herself in mid sentence when she realized he was staring at her with the most un-amused look on his face. She blushed and looked back in her bag, "never mind", she murmured.

"Do you know how big that book is? I think I would know if I picked it up, Malfoy", but she looked in her bag anyway hoping that would placate him enough to leave her alone. "It's not here. Maybe you put it back and forgot?"

"No, I didn't. I know I had it before you came to get that blasted tome.

"Well I don't have it. Now if you wouldn't mind, I have one last page to rewrite and then I'm finished".

"Really? Let's take a look, shall we?" With a sweeping motion he picked up her parchment and began reading.

"Malfoy, give that back". She grabbed for it but he pulled it out of her reach.

"Not until I see what you wrote about the couple. Since I can't find the book - and being that you're such the bookworm - I'm sure you'll have summarized it in…what, a page and a half? That will be more than enough information for me to site it in my essay with competence – perhaps I'll even give you a footnote", he said as he began looking over her paper.

She looked at him, head tilted in a pondering gesture and hands on her hips. "Watch it Malfoy, it sounds to me like there was a compliment buried somewhere in there – you seem to be slipping". He looked sharply at her.

"Perhaps not", she mumbled. She turned and walked towards the stacks where she was looking earlier.

"Where are you going? I haven't found the 'couple part' in your essay yet", he said following in her direction.

"I'm going to find you the stupid book so you can leave me alone".

"I already told you. I didn't put it back".

"Well someone must have, because you and I…both…don't…have…it", she stressed the last as if trying to make a small child understand.

"Why do you always have to be right all the time, Ganger? Good Lord, it's annoying."

"I do not have to be right all the time".

"Yes you do".

"No I don't".

He raised his eyebrows at her since she seemed to have just proven his point. She turned away in a huff and began searching the shelves for the Panmaralov book. "Paiantia, Palenscara, Pamorack, Panmaralov. Oh, gee. Look, here it is", she said in mocking tone. She began to hoist the heavy book off the shelf. The weight of it was clearly more than she could handle.

"Here, give me that, before you go and hurt yourself", Malfoy said sarcastically as he reached for the book. In their struggle for possession of said book they lost their balance. Out of reflex, Malfoy reached out to steady them, but only helped in throwing each other more off balance and they both went down in a thud.

"Oomph", Malfoy landed on top of Hermione with the book sandwiched between them.

Hermione had the wind knocked out of her from the impact of both Malfoy and the large book. "Get off me you stupid git, I can't breathe".

He looked at her and choked back a laugh. Most of her hair was fanned out above her head, but some of it had landed across her face. She was currently trying to get it out of her mouth by shaking her head from side to side. He pulled the book out from between them and placed his hands on the floor, supporting his weight above her. She sucked in a huge breath with the release of the weight and in the process sucked in more of her hair. Now, she was coughing and shaking her head to clear the hair from her mouth.

Maybe it was the comforting warmth of her soft body beneath him. Or maybe he was taken aback that the 'always in control Granger' was totally hopeless laying there beneath him, but for some unknown reason he took pity on her and pushed the tangled locks away from her mouth and eyes.

Her breathing now returning to normal, Hermione closed her eyes and moaned softly while holding her head. "If I remember correctly the example with the couple is somewhere between pages 800 and 900", she said.

When he didn't comment or move she opened her eyes to find him looking down at her with a devilish grin on his face.

"What?" she asked tartly.

"Unbelievable."

"What is?"

"A member of the opposite sex has you pinned underneath him and all you can think about is what page some stupid example is on in some stupid book. Do you find yourself in this position often to be so non-plussed by it?"

"I believe I said to get off of me", she said flatly.

"You didn't answer my question. Do you often find yourself pinned to the floor by a boy?"

"Come on Malfoy, let me up". She was struggling to get out from underneath him, but he wouldn't let her.

"Not until you answer the question". She had her hands on his chest trying to push him off, but he took her wrists and held them down on either side of her head. He had no intentions of hurting her; he was just being Malfoy and wasn't going to let her up until his question was answered.

"Stop being such an evil git and get off of me". Now that she didn't have use of her hands, she was trying to shift him off her with her legs.

"I'm waiting", he said in a singsong tone while struggling to keep the squirming girl in place.

Mistakenly, she had over shifted her legs and suddenly found that Malfoy had fallen in between them. At the shock of the intimate contact, she immediately stopped moving. A small gasp escaped Malfoy's mouth before he could stop it. Quickly recovering, he masked all emotion as he watched a deep pink blush form on Hermione's cheeks. They lay there, staring at each other, both too terrified to move.

The silence was unbearable. The only way she would be able to get out of this position was if she answered his questions. In a soft, breathless tone she finally said, "No. I've never been pinned under a member of the opposite sex." He drew in a breath and let go of her wrists supporting his weight again.

"Really? Why is that, I wonder?" Malfoy asked in a cool whisper.

She blinked at his question – unsure why he cared – but felt compelled to answer him anyway, "there's been no opportunity", she answered quietly.

"You spend too much time with your books, Granger. I'm sure Potter or Weasley would be more than happy to accommodate you…if you asked".

"We're not like that, we're just friends", she said softly.

"And friends don't help friends?"

"Not like that. Not the way you mean".

"So instead", he reasoned quietly, "you allow yourself to be put in your first compromising position by…your enemy?"

"I didn't allow anything, you fell on me and…you're not my…"

"I'm not what?"

"No matter what you might think to the contrary you're not my enemy Malfoy, at least, not on my part".

"Then what am I? Surely not a friend."

"No…" she answered pondering his question. "…not a friend".

"But not an acquaintance either, am I right? Being an acquaintance implies that we have an accord." He shifted slightly above her, almost as if he were getting comfortable for a nice leisurely chat.

"No. Not an acquaintance either, I suppose".

"What then Granger, am I to you?"

"You're just…Malfoy.

He squinted his eyes at her, "And what exactly does that mean?"

She didn't hesitate, "sly, stubborn, sarcastic, aggravating, shut off, unemotional, smarmy, quick tempered, cunning, cold, and at present, the bane of my existence".

"That's a mouthful. Anything else?"

She started to look away, but he followed her eyes and held them. She couldn't look away now even if she wanted. Hermione took a deep breath and continued. "You're also intelligent, charming, charismatic, strong-willed, athletic, polished, refined, determined, unyielding, and powerful".

He lowered his body a fraction, but in such a predatorial way that his closeness took on new meaning sending a chill down her spine. "You think me powerful, do you Granger?"

She sucked in a startled breath but said with all seriousness, "you're a very powerful wizard, Draco".

"That's not where all my talents lie".

"I wouldn't know". Not liking the turn of the their conversation, she placed her hands firmly on his chest and began again to try and push him off of her.

"Well, then. Perhaps something could be arranged". It was out of his mouth before he could stop it. What on earth had possessed him to make an offer like that? He continued quickly trying to cover his mistake. "You're not exactly my taste, but I'm willing to look past certain…inferiorities."

"Inferiorities? I am not inferior".

"Really? Would you care to submit evidence to prove the contrary?"

"I don't have to prove anything to you".

"Well, until you show me otherwise, I'm afraid I'm forced to believe that you are in fact, inferior to me".

"And just how do you propose I prove that I'm just as good as you?"

"I don't know, use that over-educated brain of yours. I'm sure you'll think of something".

Hermione sighed heavily - frustrated by this ridiculous predicament she found herself in. "You're not getting off are you?"

"Why Granger, what a delicious double entendre. Who would have thought? Now, do you really want me to answer that?"

Hermione's eyes grew wide at what Malfoy just said. His gall took her aback.

"You...you…foul…obnoxious…", she was so angry she couldn't continue.

"You've already defined me Granger, and those two terms were not included…are you amending your definition?" he said with a smarmy grin.

"Bloody bastard. You think this is funny don't you?"

"Oooohooohooo", he said chuckling now. "Good one Granger. But using nasty words doesn't make you equal to, or better than, me. It's going to take much more than that".

"Really? How about this then?" Without warning Hermione threw her arms around his neck and rolled them so that she was now on top of him. Not wanting him to pull the same move on her, she quickly straddled him and held his arms down above his head. Before she could think about what she was doing, she leaned in and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Malfoy didn't know what hit him. So shocked by her actions, he gasped in surprise giving Hermione the opportunity to thrust her tongue in his mouth and claim the upper hand. He struggled at first, but finally, being a male, he gave into her sexual advances and let her have her way. When he stopped fighting her, Hermione slowed her kiss, lightly sucking on his lower lip. She pulled away, but not before trailing her tongue along his left jaw and finishing with a quick nibble on his earlobe. A small groan escaped his throat as she her teeth bit him playfully.

Awash in the intense sensations she brought out in him, Malfoy lay there with his eyes closed trying to control his breathing. Hermione sat up and shifted her hips on his lap, inadvertently causing a soft moan to escape his mouth. She watched him with hooded eyes and a satisfied smirk settling across her lips. Then with the courage of a Gryffindor, she slowly ground her hips into him.

Malfoy's eyes flew open at the feel of her against is arousal.

He was panting. "Advantage Granger. Touché".

"Say it", she demanded.

"Say, what?" he whispered.

She ground into him again with a roll of her hips. He hissed with pleasure and grabbed her hips savoring the feel of their intimate contact.

"Say…it", she said again distinctly.

He eyed her carefully and slowly sat up so that they were face to face. He sighed and said with all seriousness, "you are not inferior…you're just as good – or shall I say as bad – as me". He reached up pulled her by the back of the neck and brought her mouth to his for another bruising kiss. This time instead of giving into her, he fought her for dominance. She was clutching the front of his robes, his arms snaked their way around her waist. He held her close to him – there was nary a space between them. They both moaned into the kiss as they snogged sitting on the floor of the deserted library.

They were interrupted when they heard the click-click of shoes coming towards them.

Pulling apart, they listened, as two quarrelling voices came closer to them.

"Really Madam Turner, I was in the middle of organizing the Xavier Scrolls, now I'll never get it done before lunch. This better be important". It was Madam Pince and she wasn't happy about being disturbed.

"Wait until you see…such behavior...unacceptable…this is a library for heaven's sake. Unacceptable". It was the librarian from the portrait. She must have gone for Madam Pince when they started kissing. Hermione and Malfoy's eyes grew wide for fear of being caught in their current position. They quickly got up, straightened their robes and pulled themselves together. The two were calmly walking out of the stacks when Madam Pince approached.

"What's going on here? What's all the commotion?"

"Commotion?" Malfoy asked innocently. "There was no commotion. Miss Granger was kind enough to help me locate a book I misplaced", he said gesturing to the book under his arm. Then turning to Hermione he asked, "You said the example is between pages 800 and 900, is that correct?"

"Yes…that's right. You'll find everything you need in those pages".

"But…I saw them, they were lying right over there and they were…they were…", Madam Turner was gesturing towards the location the two students had just come from. She was desperately trying to make Madam Pince understand without actually saying it.

"Really Madam Turner, you should get out of your painting more often. You're obviously seeing things. This is Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger, they would never…that is to say…well, what you're suggesting is highly improbable", Madam Pince said.

"Excuse me, Madam Pince? Are we finished here? Miss Granger and I both have a paper to finish and we'd like to have some time togeth…to enjoy the rest of the afternoon".

"Yes", Hermione chimed in, "I'm looking forward to a nice lunch out by the lake before a quick trip of Hogsmeade ".

"Of course we're done, you two run along. Madam Turner, you should return to your painting and get a hold of yourself. I'll be in the back with my scrolls if anyone needs me".

"Thank you Madam Pince", Hermione she called softly after the busy librarian.

"You two…I know what you're all about". Madam Turner uttered a small 'humph' and fled back to her painting with her knickers clearly in a twist.

When they returned to Hermione's table Malfoy was the first to speak, "well, then. I suppose I should finish…"

"Yes, me too", she answered cutting him off.

They sat at their respective tables. Hermione spent the next 45 minutes re-copying the last page of her essay – it should have only taken her 20 minutes. She couldn't concentrate, not after what just happened between her and the boy whom, now, she really had no definition for. And Malfoy? Well, he spent those same 45 minutes thinking about a lot of things…namely the not-so-inferior girl sitting across the library who she felt so good in his arms and who fit so perfectly in his lap.

At 1:00pm, Malfoy watched Hermione as she packed up her things and walked towards the exit. He also watched as she turned and looked at him one last time before disappearing through the large double doors.

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Soooo? What do you think? If you can tear yourself away from HP and the HBP, please review. You know how I love to hear from you.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Fidelius Charm - This charm needs a separate component: a "secret-keeper." The charm is performed to hide a certain place. Only the secret-keeper, the house's inhabitants, and any other person who has been informed of its whereabouts, can see the house. I took this definition and charm from the "charms and hexes" section of - a very useful reference site.