Thin Lines

10.

Over the next week, the group of Slytherins and Gryffindors had completely cut out sleeping in their rooms. When it came around to being that time of the night, everyone migrated into the common room, blankets and pillows dragged along. An extra couch had magically appeared in the common room, allowing for more sleeping space and it was clear that the group was slowly figuring out ways to get better, night by night.

Already sleeping in such close proximity allowed for other, unaffected individuals to awaken when someone was having a nightmare. It helped stimulate conversation, without the need for drinking coffee and waiting for someone else to come down after waking from their own nightmare.

And when it came morning, everyone had more sleep and woke together from the alarm clock, morning conversation beginning almost immediately.

The first morning started out quite wonderfully for Draco. So wonderfully in fact that they were all ready faster than normal and headed to breakfast a little earlier than they usually did. And it was because of this that Draco didn't realize that the entire group was headed for the Slytherin table. And he didn't notice until Luna and Ginny joined them a few minutes later.

His eyebrows frowned and he questioned it, to which came the reply that he should just shut up and eat his toast. He glared at Ginny. Ginny smirked at him. The individuals around him roared with laughter.

At lunch, he was manipulated into sitting at the Gryffindor table. Luna guided him over, all the while speaking of a new creature she had just begun studying. Draco, so entranced in the conversation, did not notice he was at the wrong table until Ron Weasley threw an opinion into the discussion. Luna simply smiled at Draco when he spoke on the fact.

At dinner however, he was dragged, to put it simply. Ginny had one hand and Luna the other. Draco had resolved to demanding he be left alone for at least one meal. He did not win and soon found himself sitting at the Gryffindor table once more.

The week followed with that same meal routine, the changes with the sleeping arrangements for the eighth years spanning until Thursday. By then, they had all fallen into the same patterns for sleeping, quickly adjusting to one another. And by Friday, the group was as well rested at they possibly could be.

And Friday morning, Draco felt he had received the best sleep he's gotten in a long time.

Classes went as they normally did, Draco had just gotten out of his magical creatures class with Luna and was headed off towards charms when something not normal happened.

A bundle of bouncy curls came running up to him from his left and almost slammed them both to the ground. Draco managed to catch the girl and he stumbled a little before falling into the wall rather than the floor. A painting cried in outrage, but Draco didn't hear, he was too busy staring in surprise at the laughing girl.

Hermione Granger had all but jumped into his arms, and was now dissolved into a pile of wild curls and bubbling laughter. One of her hands was clutching his upper arm, the book in her other hand dug into his lower back. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly to him. They were chest to chest and she looked happier now than Draco had ever seen her before. Draco was at a loss for words.

"Sorry, Draco," she had finally managed to get out. "I saw you walking from the other side of the court and figured we could walk together." She grinned and her eyes were shiny with amusement and she looked nothing like the Hermione Granger who punched him in third year.

Draco had only realized that they were still at a stop, his arms still holding her steady and himself still leaned against a painting. He rightened them out, placing her at an arms length away before pulling his hands away and then he ran one through his hair. "Alright, Granger?"

She smiled and nodded, "shall we?" Draco followed after the girl.

Charms class was not occupied with single desks much like many of the other classes. Instead there were a few rows of long tables, with chairs only on one side, so everyone was facing towards the front of the room. In all classes Draco had with the other eighth years, Draco sat with Neville; in charms, on his other side was normally Ron Weasley.

Today, however, instead of sitting between Harry and Ron, Hermione had allowed the pair to sit next to each other and opted for sitting on Ron's other side. Next to Draco.

Draco allowed his surprise at the fact to be quickly shoved away, assuming she was too busy chatting away about something she had read to notice she was not in her normal place. Hermione continued talking to him until Flintwick entered and called attention to the class.

And then, as if the entire situation revolving around charms had not been enough, Hermione threw Draco further into a whirlwind of surprise by asking him if he'd like to accompany her to the library some time after dinner. Draco, who had been scribbling down a note to himself in a small journal he always kept in his back pocket, paused. He looked up, eyebrows scrunched a little and grey eyes curious.

"What?"

Hermione looked back at him. "I asked if you'd like to join me tonight. At the library." Her brown eyes did not waver as they watched him, and a small flicker of a smile found its way on her lips.

Draco glanced down, following the movement of her lips with his eyes. He was intrigued by the Mona Lisa smile she was displaying now. His eyes found themselves looking back into hers and he nodded without really realizing he was. And then his voice spoke up without his permission, "sure Granger."

At those two words and the small nod, her Mona Lisa smile was now a full blown smile. One that showed teeth and stretched across her face, one that made her eyes shine bright and made the laugh lines at the corners of her lips visible.

"Great, so I guess we could head there right after we finish with dinner then, how does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me."

And so it was settled. Draco would be studying with Hermione Granger later tonight. He never thought that would happen.