Author's Note: I have edited this chapter so if things seem slightly different from the last time you read this then you have a keen eye. I hope to have chapter two up soon. I don't really have a clear picture of where this story is going and I kind of like it that way. I'm just going to let the characters lead me so bare with me because I promise I will edit as I go. I am also very open to constructive (key word here folks, CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism because if you don't what isn't working how can you fix it and make it better. Anyways, enough jibbering, onto the story. I hope you enjoy. 5/1/2017

There she was, Hermione Granger. The smartest witch of our age and the strongest woman I knew, save only my mother, crying alone at a table in a back corner of the library. Without a second thought I strode over, covering the distance in a matter of moments, and wrapped my arms around her hunched form. She turned and nestled her head into the safety of my shoulder. I ran my hand slowly over the curl of her hair and down her back. Her tears came harder as I held her there in our nearly deserted library. It was our safe place, our world away from House rivalries and foolish friends, where we could be ourselves without the judgements of those who were most important to us.

We sat there for a long time, the sound of her quiet sobs the only thing that passed between us. She felt small and fragile in my arms which was a complete contradiction to the fierce, strong witch I knew her to be. I pulled her tighter to me and hummed a lullaby my mother had sung me when I was growing up. Gradually her sobs subsided and her breathing evened. She waited to pull away until I had finished the warm tune.

"Are you alright?" I wiped away a trailing tear.

"Yes, I'll be fine." She smiled weakly turning back to the table full of homework.

I remained there, propped at the edge of my seat and watched her shuffle her parchment uncomfortably. She was making a point to look anywhere but at me so I backed off. Leaning back in my chair I pulled out my books and parchment. We settled into the quiet routine we had developed. We spoke only to discuss a problem or ask the other for ink. Though we had sat here much like we were a thousand or more times, this time was different. Our glances kept straying to each other and neither of us was as focused as usual. I tried to ignore her robes brushing against my thigh as she reached across the table for another book, or the smell of her hair as it wafted in my direction with every turn of her page. I read the same recipe, for a potion we were going to be tested on, 18 times because I was more focused on the sound of her breathing. Just as the tension was becoming too much, she spoke.

"Draco?" She turned to look at me.

"Yes?"

We stared for a moment too long. Our eyes were locked in some sort strange curse that I never wanted to counter. If anyone had walked passed us at that moment what came next would never have happened.

I edged towards her in my chair and she met me in the middle, our knees pressing up against the other's chair. My eyes trailed over her face, her hair, her neck stopping at her lips. I leaned toward her, lifting my hand to curl deep in her bushy hair. My lips pressed softly against hers and every nerve in my body lit on fire. I wrapped my other arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me. I had imagined countless moments like this in the time that I had known her but none of them compared to the real thing. Her smell was my oxygen and I couldn't get enough.

Tilting her head to one side she deepened the kiss parting my lips with her tongue. I tightened my grip in her hair and she sighed, relinquishing control to me. I took it without complaint. My heart beat faster as she wrapped her arms around my neck. Nibbling and sucking I toured all the places I had dreamed of tasting. She giggled as I pecked my way back up to her full, babydoll lips. I moved with her as she explored, testing to see what I liked best. I liked it all. We went on like this for an eternity that spanned only moments. It all came to a sudden end as Madame Pince's footsteps marched up the aisle. We leapt apart with a shock.

"You two, library's closing. Back to your dormitories."

With a scowl she stalked off back to her perch at the front desk. My face burned with embarrassment, and the memory of Hermione's lips. Neither of us spoke. Our eyes locked on our bags as we hurriedly packed. We walked together silently out of the library and down the hallway. At the staircase we went our separate ways, she going up and me going down. I stopped a couple of stairs down and watched her as she made her way back to Gryffindor Tower and those two twats she called friends. My heart sank as the realization that I could never tell anyone about this, the best night of my until now boring life settled over me.

I made my way sadly back to the dungeons and into the common room. As I had expected there were Crabbe and Goyle. They were watching as Blaise and Theo played a game of Wizard Chess in front of the fireplace. Ignoring Blaise as he called my name I went straight to our dormitory. I threw my bag on the floor at the end of my bed and kicked my four poster. I shouldn't have kissed her, if anyone found out... I pushed that thought quickly out of my head and thought back to those minutes in the library. Nothing was ever going to be the same between the two of us, but what did that mean? My mind went over and over the events of the evening and possible outcomes while I changed for bed. Each scenario was worse than the last until finally I crawled miserably into bed and closed my eyes. The faintest whiff of Hermione's shampoo came off the hand balled beside my face on my pillow. I was back in her arms. I replayed the events from the library in my mind and drifted blissfully off to sleep, leaving all the worry, disappointment and fear in the waking world.

It had been nearly 12 years since that night in the library, yet standing here today watching Hermione crying at her desk in The Department of Magical Law Enforcement I felt 14 all over again. Just as I had done then I took her into my arms and held her. She pushed away from me, startled, before relaxing and letting the tears come. I rubbed circles round her back and hummed that same lullaby from so long ago as she let go of the sadness that had overwhelmed her.