Chapter 9
Draco Malfoy sat on the plush sofa, the dim glow of the television casting flickering shadows across the room. The iconic theme of Game of Thrones filled the air, but Draco’s attention was only half on the screen. Hermione Granger was seated beside him, her eyes seemingly focused on the unfolding drama, yet Draco found his gaze drifting more toward her than the show.
It was an unusual evening, to say the least. The two of them, once bitter rivals, now sat in a quiet, almost comfortable companionship. They had been through so much together—more than most could even begin to understand. The constant battles, the tension, and the shared moments of vulnerability had forged an unexpected bond between them.
Draco’s eyes wandered to Hermione’s profile. The soft light highlighted the delicate curve of her jaw, the way her curls framed her face, and the intense concentration in her eyes as she watched the screen. Or was she really watching? He couldn’t tell. But what Draco did know was that every time she shifted, every time she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his heart seemed to skip a beat.
'What’s wrong with me?' he thought, forcing his eyes back to the screen. Yet, the political intrigue and the sword fights couldn’t hold his attention. His mind kept wandering back to Hermione.
She had changed so much since their days at Hogwarts. There was a confidence about her now that hadn’t been there before, a kind of quiet strength that he admired. And, if he was honest with himself, found deeply attractive. Her brilliance was undeniable, of course—it always had been—but it was her kindness, her fierce loyalty to her friends, and the way she never gave up on anyone that truly captivated him.
A scene on the screen shifted to a dramatic battle, but Draco didn’t register it. Instead, he found himself wondering what it would be like to reach out and take her hand, to see if she would respond to his touch the way he hoped. But then, doubt would creep in. 'She’s Hermione Granger,' he reminded himself, 'And I’m Draco Malfoy.' Their pasts were full of wounds that, though healing, had left scars. Could she ever really see him as anything more than a reminder of that?
He sighed softly, trying not to disturb the quiet moment between them. Every now and then, he would steal a glance at her, wondering if she could sense the turmoil inside him. Maybe she did, and maybe that’s why she chose not to acknowledge it. Or perhaps, she was too caught up in her own thoughts to notice.
Draco wasn’t sure how long they had been watching, but time seemed irrelevant when she was near. Every laugh of hers, every slight movement, was more captivating than the show. In truth, he didn’t care much for Game of Thrones—it was just an excuse to spend time with her, to be close without needing a reason. [Um, lie, that's your fav show-]
The episode continued, but for Draco, the real drama was the unspoken tension between them. He wondered if Hermione felt it too, if she was as distracted by him as he was by her. The idea made his heart race, though he dared not entertain it for too long.
As the credits rolled, Draco realized he could barely remember what had happened in the episode. But it didn’t matter. The only thing he would recall from this evening was the warmth of her presence beside him, the way she made his heart feel both heavy and light at the same time.
When the screen went dark, he glanced at Hermione once more. She turned to him, a small smile on her lips, and for a brief moment, he thought about telling her everything—how he felt, how much she meant to him. But then, the moment passed, and he simply smiled back, swallowing the words he wasn’t ready to say.
For now, it was enough to sit beside her, to share this quiet, stolen moment. But deep down, Draco knew that his feelings for Hermione were becoming impossible to ignore. And that scared him more than anything.
Hermione Granger sat beside Draco Malfoy, her eyes ostensibly focused on the television screen, where the complex world of Game of Thrones unfolded. Yet, despite the gripping drama and intense battles playing out, her mind was only half-engaged with the story. The other half was firmly fixated on the person sitting next to her.
Draco had changed so much since their days at Hogwarts. The arrogance and cold demeanour that once defined him had given way to something deeper, something more complex. Over the years, they had gone from enemies to reluctant allies, and now to something that Hermione couldn’t quite define. It was somewhere between friendship and… something more.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, catching the way the light from the screen played across his pale features. There was a softness in his expression that hadn’t been there before, a vulnerability he seldom showed to others. It made her heart ache in a way she wasn’t sure how to handle.
Hermione had always prided herself on being logical, on making decisions based on reason rather than emotion. But when it came to Draco, that logic seemed to falter. He was a contradiction, a puzzle she couldn’t quite solve—and perhaps that was part of what drew her to him. There was something compelling about the way he held himself, the way he tried so hard to be strong even when she knew he was struggling.
The episode continued, but Hermione found herself thinking less about the fate of Westeros and more about the man beside her. She wondered if Draco felt the same strange tension between them, the unspoken words that lingered in the air every time they were together. Did he notice how her heart sped up when he was near? Did he realize how much she cared about him?
Her thoughts drifted to the past, to the many times they had clashed, both in school and after. It amazed her how far they had come, how much they had both changed. She had never imagined that one day she would be sitting beside Draco Malfoy, not as an enemy, but as… what? A friend? Perhaps. But there was something more there, something she wasn’t ready to name.
As a particularly intense scene played out on the screen, Hermione stole another glance at Draco. He seemed lost in thought, his brow slightly furrowed. She wondered what was going through his mind. Was he as distracted by her as she was by him? The idea made her stomach flutter, and she quickly looked away, her cheeks warming.
'Get a grip, Hermione,' she scolded herself. But it was hard to stay focused when he was so close, when every little movement he made seemed to draw her attention. The way he sighed softly, the way his hand rested just inches from hers, made her pulse quicken.
As the credits began to roll, signaling the end of the episode, Hermione felt a pang of disappointment. The evening had flown by, and she realized she had barely followed the plot. But she didn’t mind. What mattered more was the time spent with Draco, the quiet comfort of his presence.
She turned to him, offering a small smile, and was met with a similar expression from him. For a moment, she considered saying something, anything, to bridge the gap between them. But the words caught in her throat, and instead, she simply held his gaze, wondering if he could see the turmoil of emotions swirling within her.
When he smiled back, something in her chest tightened. She wanted to reach out, to close the distance between them, but fear held her back. Fear of what it might mean, of what it could change. And so, she remained still, letting the moment pass.
As they sat in the fading light of the screen, Hermione realized that she was in deeper than she had ever intended. Draco Malfoy had become more than just a former rival, more than just a friend. He had become someone she couldn’t stop thinking about, someone who made her heart ache in ways she didn’t fully understand.
And that scared her. Because she knew that if she allowed herself to fall for him, there would be no turning back.