Title: Nerd
Author: 2booklover
Language: English
Verb Tense: Narrative Past
Form: One-shot
Genre: Romance/Humor
Rating: K+
Warning/s: Mild cussing
Ship: Draco/Hermione, as usual
Summary: "If you must know, Draco Malfoy, I have this huge thing for nerds." Dramione!

A/N: Ha, and I'm back! Okay, so this is another one-shot made by me. Think of this as my treat for everyone because of Halloween! Although, I tell you that this story doesn't even contain anything Halloween in it.

So, before you proceed into reading, if you are one of my avid readers, please read the other author's note at the end of this one-shot. I have A VERY IMPORTANT announcement.

So, that's it! Enjoy reading!

Nerd

Finally, he was away from the chaos.

Currently residing beside the Hogwarts Lake, Draco Malfoy couldn't understand why they were making a big deal out of it. Sure, he looked quite different, even nerdy, while wearing his new eyeglasses. Now, so what?

He pushed the said material on the bridge of his nose and snorted, ignoring the gliding Giant Squid.

The blond still couldn't believe he was wearing eyeglasses… something that was definitely muggle. And what was surprising was that his own father was the one who suggested for him to wear it. Apparently, the seventeen-year-old had astigmatism, an eye condition that he'd been sporting ever since the start of his sixth year. His father, acting like a know-it-all Muggle, told him that the only solution for his eye problem was not magic but to wear eyeglasses. Apparently, eye problems in the wizarding world were still treated by muggle means.

It turned out he should blame it on his genes. He almost fainted in surprise when his father told him that his grandfather Abraxas had astigmatism, which was then passed on to his father until to the unfortunate him. His father explained that the Malfoy family was actually cursed by a Muggle-born to have a muggle condition as a form of revenge.

Lucius had worn contact lenses before, not eyeglasses. Draco knew what they were and pleaded incessantly to his father to let him wear them instead of an accursed spectacles, but his father refused, telling him his eyes were very sensitive. He might end up resembling Voldemort's red eyes if he wore one.

And so, the summer before his seventh year, Lucius and Narcissa brought him to an ophthalmologist, a muggle eye specialist and they discovered that his vision was too high already. They then brought him to an optometrist, a muggle eye specialist that made eyeglasses, so that he could have his own.

After that was history.

The exact time Draco Malfoy came into the compartment he and his Slytherin allies usually occupy, Pansy Parkinson released the most ear-splitting shriek. Professor McGonagall, who was the assigned teacher to escort the incoming students in the Hogwarts Express, came dashing into the compartment, wand ready in hand. Upon seeing nothing was wrong, she gave Pansy detention for raising such an alarm. But before she went out of their compartment, she shot Draco an amused look and had the nerve to say, "Nice glasses, Mr. Malfoy."

Pansy, after recovering from her shock, pulled Draco into a bone-crushing hug. "Who made you wear them, Draco?" she asked in despair. "I am going to scratch their eyes out for you."

Blaise, on the other hand, patted his back for comfort. "Mate," he started, "I feel for you. Merlin, I know it is hard to partake in a dare that can embarrass you. Imagine mimicking Harry Potter! Oh, the horror!" And for an added effect, he shuddered in disgust.

That earned the Italian a nice punch from the blond, landing him into detention at the very first day of school. But that was not the point. The point was that they all thought that Draco Malfoy was supposed to wear eyeglasses because of a dare. If he did not, that meant that he was a coward. It never crossed their minds that Draco had to wear glasses not because he was dared to but because he would be as blind as a bat if he did not wear it.

When the Welcoming Feast came, Draco was uncomfortable the whole time because eyes kept darting into his direction. Before Dumbledore could even finish his usual speech, Draco excused himself quietly and retreated back to his own dormitory, thinking that tomorrow would be way better than today.

Unfortunately, it wasn't.

His Slytherin friends were too inquisitive. They kept on asking why he was wearing a muggle thing. Half of them cowered back in fear once Draco roared at them to back off. Others, mostly females, were bold enough to tell him that he was still drop-dead gorgeous despite the thin-framed glasses currently resting at the bridge of his nose.

Draco couldn't help but silently agree with them. Sure, he looked like a nerd but there was nothing really wrong with him wearing glasses. When he asked his magic mirror on the wall (yes, he had one), the mirror commented that it made him look sharper. His piercing grey eyes had softened behind the lenses. All in all, his looks maintained, or dare he say it, increased.

But then, there were Saint Potter and his faithful sidekick, the Weasel.

The two Gryffindor freaks had the nerve to traipse around and declare for the whole Hogwarts occupants to hear that Draco Malfoy was a trying hard Harry Potter look-alike.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Malfoy," Potter commented, sneering as he surveyed his thin-framed eyeglasses. "On second thought… I think you've really planned it! After all, you are desperate with attention you'd stoop so low to do something drastic and look like me!"

Draco rolled his eyes. 'Sheesh, Potter, it's just glasses!' he screamed in his mind. He chose to ignore him. After all, he had landed himself into his first detention of this school-year with McGonagall. He didn't want to land himself into another one.

"Do you want to have a scar on your forehead, Ferret?" Weasley continued, wand in hand. "I'm more than willing to give you one."

And the blond literally saw red. And let us just say he had landed himself into a month-worth detention with Argus Filch, the Hogwarts caretaker.

So now, Draco Malfoy was seen near the Hogwarts lake, brooding and silent. His accursed eyeglasses were still perched on the bridge of his nose. He removed it and glared. Merlin, he couldn't see anything properly! He wore it once again and sighed, resigned. It looked like he had no choice but to wear it until his astigmatism was cured.

"Malfoy!" came a surprised greeting behind him. And once he whipped around, his eyes settled on none other than Hermione Granger, Head Girl of that same school-year.

"Granger," came his usual drawl, rolling his eyes heavenward. He did not need another taunting from the school-renowned witch.

"W-what are you doing here?" she sputtered out, still clearly surprised.

He glared. "It's a free country," he spat. "I can sit wherever I want, thank you very much."

Hermione managed a small glare, albeit her pink cheeks, before swiveling around and walking away from the blond.

Draco stared at her, dumbfounded. Hermione Granger never, ever walked away from their banters. Seeing her walking briskly inside the castle was very surprising indeed.

But then, he vaguely remembered her reaction once she saw him adorning his new glasses. Her eyes enlarged, her jaw dropped, her cheeks turned pink, and she sputtered out incoherent words. Although he found her reaction strangely endearing and adorable, he gave her a death glare and brushed away from her.

The bell then rang, signaling the end of lunch. His thoughts were momentarily stopped as he stood up and shouldered his bag.

And as he walked back into Hogwarts, there was one thought that lingered in his mind.

Ever since he, Draco Malfoy, wore eyeglasses, Hermione Granger looked at him differently.

Inhaling, he grinned. "The wonders of the library," he mused aloud, walking inside the confines of the Hogwarts library. For him, surrounded by books was strangely comforting. Books, he long discovered, never judged you for who you truly are. Here, Draco Malfoy could momentarily remove the mask he wore every time he was in front of prying eyes.

Here, Draco felt safety… and comfort.

It was amusing, actually. People thought that his first love was Quidditch when in actuality, it had always been books. When he was young, his inquisitive self would always wander into the vast library of the Malfoys, larger than the Hogwarts library. And there, he would immerse himself into reading fascinating facts and stories. Ever since then, he and books were truly inseparable.

Therefore, when he found time, he would go to the library and just read. He had this usual table there… away from his fan girls and bothersome things. And if he read something truly wonderful, his eyes would gaze outside the window beside it.

But then, as he neared the said table, another occupant was currently seated on it. He scowled upon seeing the Head Girl, head buried in a book.

"Granger, sorry to disturb you, but if you must know, that is my table," he drawled sarcastically, crossing his arms as he glared at the brunette.

Hermione immediately looked at him and as her eyes settled on him, her cheeks turned into a brilliant shade of red. This action of hers caught him off guard for a moment until he composed himself once again. "Well?" he asked, waiting.

"Your name is not engraved on it, Ferret," she said, managing to look and sound feisty.

Draco rolled his eyes. He did not have time to have another fight with her. "Granger, your usual table is situated near here, yeah? Now give everybody a favor and go back there because breaking news, Head Girl, you are not the only one who loves to read books."

Her jaw dropped. "Y-you love reading books?" she sputtered out.

"Oh, don't look so surprised," he answered back, frowning. "Just because I'm the infamous bully of the whole school doesn't mean I can't be fond of reading books."

Hermione pursed her lips, her grip with her current book tightening. "Holy shite," she swore.

This time, it was Draco's turn to widen his eyes. "Excuse me?" he asked in disbelief. "Did I just hear Hermione Granger curse?"

Her cheeks reddened once more and her breathing turned into soft gasps. And without further ado, she gathered all of her things and practically ran out of the library.

Draco stared, dumbfounded. He sat down on the now unoccupied table and scowled.

He couldn't concentrate in reading now.

Draco swore aloud. He had just woken up after the usual boring History of Magic, his last subject for the day, only to discover that someone had the nerve to steal his eyeglasses.

Yep, someone stole it and now, the blond couldn't see anything properly. All he could make out were blurs and colors. He felt for his wand and was quite relieved to discover that it was still there.

The blond then looked around and sighed. From the sound of it, no one was with him in the classroom. He stood up, his bag on his shoulder and tried to walk towards the door. But in the end, he just managed to bang his knee against an unsuspecting table.

After releasing a colorful string of flowery words, he sat down once again and growled. It seemed like he had to wait for someone to escort him out of the room and help him find his damnable glasses.

He waited and waited… his ears perked up for any sound he could hear. The ticking clock in the classroom was already driving him insane. His stomach grumbled, voicing out its hunger, and Draco Malfoy was still helpless.

But just when he was ready to hurl himself out of the window just so he could attract attention, he heard the classroom door bang open. He stood up in surprise, relief flooding in his chest. He swore that if this person did help him, he or she would be greatly rewarded.

"Excuse me," he started, acting polite. Hey, for him to be helped whole-heartedly, he should act nice, yeah? "Someone stole my glasses and I really can't see properly. Will you assist me? I promise that you will be given the corresponding reward for helping me."

He was met with silence. He at first thought the person left him already. But loud breathing from the other side of the room assured him that he or she was still there.

He focused his eyes on the new occupant of the room and could only make out brown, frizzy bush atop her head. Yes, it was a she because despite his blurred vision, he could make out womanly curves.

Raising an eyebrow, he stared at her in amusement. "Granger," he said in recognition. Hermione Granger would be recognized by him even if his vision was blurred. After all, her bushy tresses were a dead giveaway. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a free country, Malfoy," she said as her comeback and Draco vaguely remembered he'd used that same response on her before.

Silence once again ensued and Draco was starting to get impatient. "Well?" he demanded. "Aren't you going to help me?"

"I have your glasses, Malfoy," she sputtered out, surprising the blond.

He then looked enraged. "Merlin, Granger!" he exclaimed. "I know I've been unpleasant to you these past few years. I've bullied you and all that shite but come on, stealing my glasses? I never knew you'd stoop that low just so you can have your revenge."

He heard her release an impatient noise before shoving the offending spectacles into his hands. "It fell on the floor a while ago, Malfoy," she said through gritted teeth. "Someone almost stepped on it. Thank Merlin I was able to rescue it."

Draco rolled his eyes and wore his eyeglasses, releasing a sigh of relief once he could see clearly once again. He directed his glaring eyes toward the brunette and watched as her cheeks became red once again. And now, he was quite getting irritated with her reaction every time his bespectacled eyes landed on hers. "What is your problem, Granger? I'm getting sick of it!"

His outburst caught her off guard, he observed. "What are you on about, Malfoy? I'm perfectly fine," she smoothly said, absentmindedly rubbing her pink cheeks.

"No, you're not," he shot back. He took a few steps forward until he was a feet away from Hermione. "Every time I look at you, you act strangely!"

Her cheeks burned.

"SEE!" he exclaimed. "Your cheeks are inflamed! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" she implored, pointing a threatening finger at him. "And if you… you become more annoying, Malfoy, I swear to Merlin you will regret what I will do to you."

Draco released a guffaw. "Empty threats do not lead you anywhere, Hermione Granger," he told her, taking another step forward.

"You're testing my patience, Malfoy," she said… actually growled it.

"Really now, Granger?" he asked, slightly crouching down to level his face with hers.

"I'm warning you!" she cried out.

Draco honestly thought she would repeat history. He stole a glance at her hands and Merlin they were shaking so badly. He thought she would raise her fisted hand and punch him right there and then. He made a face, horrified with the thought. He still couldn't forget the impact of her fist on his face. After all, he landed in the infirmary and stayed there for a week. And no, he was not exaggerating.

He then flashed his infamous smirk, masking the terror he was currently feeling. "I dare you, Granger," he softly told her. "I dare you."

"That's it!" she cried, throwing her hands heavenward before grabbing his face and…

… kissed him.

Astonishment was a huge understatement. While Hermione Granger's lips moved against his, Draco stared, wide-eyed and frozen on the spot. Her kiss was laced with something indistinguishable but why would he care when her lips tasted bloody delicious?

He wrapped his arms around her waist and roughly crushed her against his body, emitting a loud gasp from the brunette. Her reaction gave him the cue to deepen the kiss and when she did not make a move to push him away from her, he continued.

Merlin forbid him but he was absolutely enjoying. Who knew the ever-prude Hermione Granger was a damn good kisser? He was subconsciously aware of her fingers running through his hair, messing it up. He heard a moan and Draco wasn't even sure if it was hers or his own.

And just when Draco thought he would melt because of the intensity of their kiss, Hermione pulled away. She was gasping for air and he knew he was, too. Her hair looked frizzier than normal. Her cheeks were very, very red Weasley's hair would be bland compared to them. Her swollen lips were slightly parted to allow oxygen to refill her deprived lungs.

And sweet Merlin, she was beautiful.

His dazed mind watched as her parted lips stretched into a small smirk. She gave him a kiss on the nose and whispered in his right ear, "If you must know, Draco Malfoy, I have this huge thing for nerds."

Hermione emitted a small laugh as she fixed his askew eyeglasses. Apparently, it got messed up while they were kissing. She also patted his disheveled hair, blushing because she knew she was the one to blame for its current state.

The bell soon rang, signaling that it was close their curfew. Hermione perked up and gave him a small smile, silently thinking he looked adorable. "Thank you for your reward for helping you find your eyeglasses, Malfoy." Her smile once again turned into a smirk. She was about to swivel around and leave but Draco's hand unconsciously shot up and held her hand.

When she looked at him in curiosity, he was horrified to discover he was blushing. "Uh… erm…" he sputtered out. Merlin, he was stammering! Who knew that someday Draco Malfoy would be at loss for words?

"Yes?" she encouraged him.

He licked his lips in nervousness. "I… uh, found an interesting book yesterday," he lied, his eyes unblinking as he rushed. "And I was thinking if you would like it if I share it with you tomorrow."

Hermione grinned. She knew he was lying. "I would love to," she answered and gently pulled her hand away from him.

Draco watched as she walked out of the door. When the door closed with a soft click, his eyes still lingered on it.

Shaking his head to clear his dazed mind, Draco couldn't help but flash a silly grin on his face. If he knew that Hermione Granger kissed like that, he would have put his prejudices aside and immediately ask her out for a date in Hogsmeade.

As he walked back to the Slytherin common room, he was thinking that maybe wearing eyeglasses wasn't that bad at all. After all, he had just received the greatest kiss he ever had just because he looked like a nerd wearing them.

A/N: Draco Malfoy wearing glasses…

… drool XD

Ha, um, this story just formulated in my mind once my friends and I agreed that we had this huge thing for gorgeous nerds. It's not really one of my bests, I think. Fluffy, yeah. But I think I'm improving my writing skills… Am I improving my writing skills? XD

Anyway, I have this major announcement - I will be in hiatus for months! Yes, you're read right. I'll be in hiatus for months. I'm not really sure for how long but really, I just need a break. I won't be posting stories with chapters for a long time. One-shots, like this, will be posted by yours truly if I'm inspired and I'm satisfied with the end product.

But seriously, don't despair! For I am 2booklover4 and I am born to write!!!!

Gosh, that was very dramatic of me XD But really, I love writing and so, I will never, ever tire writing stories, especially Dramiones!

OH, BTW, I have a new poll in my profile. Please check it!

So, that's it. I bid all of you a resounding "SEE YOU!" Not a 'goodbye' of course. I'll be coming back, remember?

With overflowing love,
2booklover4