Set sometime during the Fifth Year...

Hermione Granger strode swiftly down the corridor, to return to Gryffindor Tower as quickly as possible. She'd spent far too long in the library – so long so that it was now late evening. But with so many new priorities as Prefect, she wasn't able to revise her studies as much as she'd like to – thus if an opportunity arose to brush up on any work, she took it.

Hermione glanced up at the sound of slow paced footsteps at the opposite end of the corridor. Her eyes immediately narrowed.

Malfoy.

She continued walking, planning to ignore him – knowing that their paths were inevitably going to cross. But that didn't mean she could stop Malfoy from speaking.

"Ah, Granger. Out for a little evening stroll, are we?" He sneered, upper lip curling in distaste. He altered his direction ever so slightly, aiming to stop in front of her. "You know the rules, don't you? Can't be out wandering through the corridors past curfew. Unless you're a Prefect."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I am a Prefect, Malfoy."
He sniggered. "A Prefect – if, you'd let me continue – who is performing their specified, pathetic patrols, that this stupid school's set up. Your patrol isn't today, I'm afraid."

He cut directly in front of her, barring her from continuing ahead. "Let me guess: you were in the library, weren't you? You swot; can't stop yourself…"

"Shut up, Malfoy," she cut over him with a glare.

His eyebrows rose. "Whoa, Granger; no need to lash out. Especially not whilst you're in this situation. Breaking rules," he tutted, with a mocking shake of his head. "It's difficult to decide what punishment to hand over to you."

"Malfoy, you can't give me a punishment; Prefects aren't able to do so. Prefects can't even dock points from another Prefect."
"Spoken like a true textbook, Granger," he commented in his drawl, the bangs of his hair falling casually over his eyes. "But – in case you haven't yet noticed, I don't give a damn about any rules."

Hermione sighed, folding her arms. She arched an eyebrow, unimpressed, in Malfoy's direction. "Look, can you just leave me alone?"
"I can do what I like, Granger; I'm certainly not going to listen to you." He smirked, sauntering closer. His grey eyes drifted slowly over her, studying her with a look of thought. He sighed, the sound being quite prominent; given the quiet of the evening within the empty corridor.

Hermione went to speak, to intrude on his contemplation on her 'punishment' – when Malfoy's hands caught each side of her face and dragged her close, pulling her lips to crash on his.

It was a contradictory kiss; soft yet intense. But so was the fact that it was he, Malfoy, who seemed so inclined to kiss her, Hermione.

He broke away, lips once more swept up in the usual smirk – although there appeared to be a genuine look of delight behind it. He pressed his lips together, nodding slowly.

"I think that should suffice," he decided finally, eyeing her as he did so. She could merely stare at him in shock. He grinned. "Perhaps you should break the rules more often, Granger."

At that, Draco Malfoy brought his hands away from her, stepped around her and continued onwards down the corridor, leaving Hermione to gawk at where he had stood, speechless.