Periwinkle

Draco slams his quill on the desk and huffs. Another broken quill. All because he can’t bloody focus! He can’t make his mind think about Potions, or Transfiguration, or anything! Stupid Granger and her stupid dress! Her hair tied up, the shimmer of her eyelids. The pink of her lips. The way that her skin looked softer. The way that she looked stunning in that dress.

Draco digs another quill out of his bag and dips it into ink. He copies the line onto the parchment. Potions. Snape. The assignment he needs to finish. He has to finish it. He has to beat her in this class at least. She’s got him beat in all of the other ones. He continues copying the lines, watching as the dark ink seeps into the pages. Draco’s mind turns to Granger and how she looked in Potions today. 

Her hair was no longer up but down as it usually was. It looked just as crazy, almost like the mane of a lion. How fitting. 

Her makeup was gone and yet her skin still looked just as smooth. Her eyelids had lost the shimmer but he hoped that her eyes still contained the flecks of gold. That her eyelashes were just as long as they were when he saw them last night. Draco hoped that she was still mad at that idiotic ginger, that she still hated him. Maybe that would mean he would hate her less. Not that he cared. Of course he didn’t care. 

He didn’t care about Granger or her lips or cinnamon or-SNAP 

“Dammit!” Draco yells, throwing the quill remains across the room. Another broken one. He touches the ink that blotted, hoping that it wasn’t too bad. It only smears. He scoffs and wipes it on his robes. Grabbing his things, he heads out of the common room. No use working like this. Nothing will get done. He has to do something that will distract him. He passes the couch where Blaise and Pansy are seated, deep in conversation. 

“Oi Draco, where are you going?” Blaise calls after him. 

“Just for a walk,” he twists the ring on his finger. Pansy stares up at him before getting up. 

She smiles sweetly and grabs his hand that’s hanging at his side. “Mind if I join you? I’ve been meaning to stretch my legs.” Draco looks at her. A distraction. He nods and they head out. They’re not even around the corner and out of the common room before Pansy presses him against the wall and kisses him. Draco stiffens as her lips move. She pulls away, a frown on her face. 

“What?” Her hands go to her hips and her brow furrows. Draco isn’t sure what to do. He’s supposed to be doing this, he’s supposed to be kissing her. Right. 

Draco yanks her wrist forward and connects their lips again. He works to get her mouth open so his tongue can enter. When he bites her lip softly, she makes a soft noise. It’s high-pitched and she almost melts into his touch. Draco slides his hands down to her arse, pulling her closer as their mouths move against each other. He’s touching her, her waist, the nape of her neck that is concealed under her brown curls 

Pansy doesn’t have brown curls. She’s got straight black hair. He’s moving his mouth down to her neck, nibbling as he goes. She’s making these sounds as she says his name, as her eyes are closed and her mouth is open. He can smell her perfume. It’s cinnamon and vanilla and her caramel-colored skin is beautiful as his pale hands are tracing-

Draco yanks himself away, hitting the other wall. No no no! This is all wrong! His stomach clenches. Last night was one thing but today...

“Draco, what’s wrong?” 

He doesn’t hear her. He’s covering his mouth, feeling sick. She’s taken over him, she’s done this to him. She’s taken her bossy self and taken a seat in the center of his mind! 

“Draco?” Pansy is coming closer. 

“I have to go,” He rushes away towards the exit. She calls after him. He has to leave this place. Has to find air. Air because he’s suffocating. 

He reaches the hallway and quickly walks towards the library. Draco has to find somewhere peaceful. The library is peaceful. He pushes open the doors and hurriedly makes his way to the section in the back. Magical creatures maybe? He doesn’t care.

Draco sits in a seat and puts his head in his hands. Closing his eyes, he tries to think. To calm his heartbeat. It’s hammering in his chest at a rapid rate. He can’t get it to slow down, he can only feel it as it beats in his ears. Peppermint. Jet black hair. The small waist, the small slope of her back. Her shrill voice as it says his name. That. He must focus on that. 

“Malfoy?”

Draco looks up and pales more. How is she here? Why is she here? She’s clutching a few books, her wand behind her ear. She’s staring at him with a confused expression. Her right brow is raised. 

“Are you okay?” She steps closer. He feels like he’s going to be sick. She’s not close and he can smell her. Already. 

“M’fine,” He mutters, closing his eyes and covering them. Black. If it’s dark he can’t see her. 

“Are you sure? Do you need me to get someone?” 

“Why do you care?” he snaps at her. If she would just go away. He can’t take much more of her! There’s a pause. 

Maybe she left. 

“I don’t” Her voice is clipped. There’s a pause. “I just noticed that you look distraught. Don’t worry Malfoy, I won’t tell anyone.” She says with a softer tone. That sounds all too familiar. Those same words, just a different meaning. His heart rate begins to pick up again. If she’s saying that...He opens his eyes and peers out from his hands. Does she? 

“Do you have good intentions?” Draco whispers. Maybe. His voice is quivering, his heart is hammering. She’s standing there, holding her books. Her hair is tucked behind one ear, her eyes are dark and looking into his. Maybe. 

S he nods. “Yes."

He stands up, slowly. Draco steps closer to her. She doesn’t move. He touches her hand with his fingertips. She inhales a small breath and her eyes glance up at him. He didn’t notice how much taller he was. He’s almost a head taller than her. He’s never found that so wonderful until now. She’s staring up at him with her dark eyes and he can see those golden flecks. They’re still there. Thank Merlin. 

“Granger, I-” He starts. Her eyelashes are just as long. He touches her forearms, feeling how soft her skin is. His hand moves to her elbow, to her upper arm. To her shoulder, to her neck. She doesn’t move, she only stares at him. He’s touching her and he doesn’t want to stop.

“About last night...” 

She reddens. It spreads across her cheeks and down her neck. He can’t help but grin. She feels it too. This isn’t just him! 

“If you need me to beat up Weasley, I will. No hesitation,” Draco whispers to her, taking a step closer. He can feel her body heat, he can feel the spines of the books pressing against his torso. Her eyes flutter and she opens her mouth. Her pretty pink mouth. It’s still pink. He traces a mark on her neck, a scar maybe. She exhales. 

“You called him Weasley,” her voice is so quiet. He nods. That is his name, isn’t it? 

“I’ll beat him up if he says anything more about you,” His hand cups her face. She’s so soft, so smooth. She melts into his touch. Her cheeks are still pink and he can feel them too. So warm. She’s so warm and she smells so good. He’s so close now that it’s just the books separating them. Those damned books.

Her eyes are darkening. He feels his stomach tingle. It’s nearly the best thing he’s ever seen in his life. He wants to see it again. Just for him. Do it again. Please do it again. 

“Draco-” she whispers. She grabs his wrist and her books fall from her arms. They fall to their feet. There’s nothing between them now. Draco presses his lips to hers, pushing her against the bookcase. She leans into the kiss and attacks with the same energy that he does. Her lips are…

Soft. Amazing. Divine. 

He moves to get more, to taste her more. His hand grabs her waist and pulls her closer. Come closer. Please. 

She grabs his robe and is pulling him closer, moving her mouth so her tongue slips out. It touches his, and he groans, feeling it travel down his spine. Merlin, she’s incredible. 

His hands are touching her face, her long curls, her neck, her waist. Anywhere. He needs to come up for air but her lips are addicting. He needs to breathe but he would be willing to die like this. This would be so perfect. 

She’s pulling away and he can breathe. His chest is heaving. Her chest is moving at a rapid pace. She’s staring at him through those dark eyes, her lips swollen already. Draco wants to die right there. 

He closes his mouth and swallows. He’s speechless, his stomach a mixture of nerves. She’s so beautiful, her hair is everywhere. He can feel her lips. He can feel her hands as they gripped his robes. 

“You looked so beautiful last night,” he blurts. Her eyes widen slightly. Her mouth is still agape. 

“I couldn’t stop looking at you and I wanted you to know,” he continues. Draco feels his whole body grow warm at this confession. Is his mouth uncontrolled when he’s around her? Curse the effect she has on him. If anyone saw how clumsy he was...

“Hermione, I-” 

She leaps forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her body is connecting with him but differently. His entire body tenses up and he blinks before wrapping his arms around her torso. He’s hugging her, she’s hugging him. He tucks his head in her neck, right next to her curls. He squeezes her, heart racing. He nearly forgets the last time he felt someone hug him. 

“Thank you Draco,” she whispers in his ear. His name sounds completely brilliant coming from her mouth. He smiles, pulling away from the embrace. He never wants to hear Pansy say it again, only her. Say it again, please. She chuckles and tucks a curl behind her ear. Draco coons at how adorable she is, fidgeting with her hands. How Gryffindor of her. 

“Who knew periwinkle was such a pretty color?” she jokes. Draco laughs, throwing his head back. 

“If only you knew.” 

She beams, her eyes sparkling.