To Me, From Me // DHr ✔️

t w e n t y - t w o

Hermione found Theo browsing through the Beasts' section of the library, a couple of aisles away from her hidden alcove.

"Nice to see you out of bed today." He greeted her approaching figure but didn't turn around.

"How'd you know it's me?" She frowned.

"Please, your footsteps are as unique as they are deaf-inducing."

Feigning indignation and remembering how a certain someone said the exact same thing to her, she clicked her tongue. "You didn't get me drunk enough to take a day off. Aim higher next time." She tapped on his shoulder so he could focus his attention on her. "Dean and I need help with Runes. Want to join us for a group study?"

Theo put his hand under his chin and looked to be contemplative. "Yes, but on one condition."

Dread instantly filled her gut. "What?"

"Draco can also come."

"But he's not even here," She whined. "And Dean's already waiting for us so there's absolutely no time to waste looking for-"

"Ehem."

The sudden voice made her jump slightly which then made Theo laugh. Whirling her head to the side where the voice came from, lo and behold, there he was in the flesh – his shoulder leaning against the shelf with his arms crossed. He was wearing a dark green jumper with the sleeves pristinely rolled twice that showed off his pale, lean arms.

Over the years, Hermione has made a great many observations about the amazing bouncing ferret, all of which she stumbled upon accidentally and unfortunately, of course. One, Draco Malfoy hates people borrowing his quills, especially if those people chew on them. Crabbe once made the mistake of doing so and ended up being hexed that rendered him mute for the rest of that afternoon. Two, he has a map of constellations that sometimes peak out of his bag. And now three, he slinks around point A to point B as quietly and as slippery as a snake. She wished she could say that she didn't see that one coming, but she did.

"Godric's sake, Malfoy! You're like a bloody snake." She breathed. "I bet your Patronus is a viper or something."

She instantly noticed the darkening of Malfoy's features and for a moment, she was confused, then she realized that he doesn't know his Patronus because it's a widely known fact that Death Eaters can't produce one.

Rubbing her hands together uneasily, she opened her mouth to apologize but Theo beat her to it. "Let's go then, before Thomas sends out a search party for you."

----

As it turns out, their original translations were right; they were just missing the first part of the story to make sense. Dean blushed at that, admitting that he might've forgotten to go back to Professor Babbling to get the rest of their sheets because Seamus' roaming hands got too distracting. Hermione stopped him from talking before he could taint her innocence any further.

She wouldn't say it out loud (at the risk of Theo making a comment about 'sodding Gryffindor sentimentality' again), but she actually thought that the four of them worked well together. She's no idiot; she knows that both Theo and Malfoy wouldn't get into Advanced Ancient Runes if they weren't competent, but today proved to her that she badly needed to up her game because, at the rate that the two of them were going, they will be ahead of her in no time. Hermione can't have that. She may be sick of this school year already and maybe regretting coming back completely, but she's already here and she'll be damned if someone else took her place as first in all her subjects.

"We should do this again. It's nice working with people other than Hermione for a change." Dean announced after all of them have finished packing up. At the sight of Hermione's offended look, he blew her a kiss. "Oh, you know I adore you even when I find your voice to be grating. Ciao!"

And then there were three.

"I'm off too. Luna's asking for Charms help. Don't wait up." He said, winking at Malfoy. Hermione's face scrunched up at the unwelcome images of Theo and Luna that was just as bad as the unwelcome images of Dean and Seamus.

And then there were two.

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A/N:

Terribly sorry for the super super delayed update! Work just takes all my time :( Hopefully, I get to update every other day now on the regular though. Much love to you guys for patiently waiting :')

Dedicated to @lis-moi because she's simply amazing xx