The Apology

Hogwarts: A History

"Malfoy! What did you steal?" Hermione crossed her arms angrily. She was mad at herself for feeling sorry for the little dirty rotten thief.

"I didn't actually steal anything-"

"Oi!"

"It was more of like borrowing-"

"Malfoy!"

"Like borrowing without asking-"

"Draco," Hermione growled through her teeth. Her patience was a bit strained.

"You're tough," Draco admired.

Hermione smile sweetly and sarcastically. "I try. Now give whatever you 'borrowed'," She said dryly, making finger quotation marks, "Back. Right. Now!"

"OK" Draco said hurriedly, "Um, it's in another room down that hall,"He pointed to the corridor he had come through, "So if you just follow me . . ."

Hermione tossed her hair over her shoulder and marched past him.

Draco was left in the room alone. On his face was a look of puzzlement and slight amusement. He grinned shaking his head, and muttered to himself, "That's Granger for you."

He turned and ran after her shouting, "Wait up! Please don't jinx me. I'll get it for you!"

Hermione had walked far down the hall. She stopped when she heard him running after her. She sighed, exasperated.

Draco caught up with her, panting from his sprint. "You walk fast," He said breathing heavily.

"You run slow," She countered, cocking an eyebrow.

"You're also overflowing with kindness," Draco grinned, she didn't. Her lips were pursed together in a thin line.

"Well, anyways," Draco said uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze, "You walked too far. It's a couple rooms back."

He turned and led her back up the hallway. Hermione followed him. He stopped in front of a wooden door. He turned the door nob but the door didn't budge. Draco groaned.

"Is it locked?"Hermione asked.

"No," Draco sighed and ran his hand through his blond hair, "The door's just stuck and something's probably blocking it on the other side. I forgot; I sort of destroyed this room."

"How did you... Never mind," Hermione wondered then thought better of it.

"Oh, it was just a little magical dusting gone wrong," Draco answered despite her. He pushed on the door.

"How do you dust wrong?" Hermione asked.

"Well, the first thing you could do is dust with a magical hand towels- they think their above dusting," He slammed his shoulder into the door, it creaked slightly, "Then you use muggle cleaning supplies which burns your eyes and apparently other magical items-" He shoved the door again, "And lastly you dust things which don't want to be dusted-" He slammed his shoulder once more on the door. It opened about an inch before hitting something on the inside.

Draco let out a big breath, "Finally!"

"What's blocking it?" Hermione tried to peer into the inch crack of the doorway.

"Most likely a book shelf," Draco said, "This is the library after all. Help me push it open."

Hermione and Draco pushed on the door with all their might. The bookshelf on the other side slowly moved as the door was pushed open.

"I think that's good," Draco said. The door was open enough so he and she could squeeze through one at a time. Draco went first sliding through the cracked door. He coughed when he got inside.