Chemistry and Seduction

Frustration fairly oozed from the man across from her. The emotion smelled slightly of cologne. "Bloody hell!" he swore softly in exasperation. She hid her small grin under her ready hand. She had been laughing at him all night.

His gaze shifted to her face and she dropped her smile and hand and looked down at the paper before her. Herbology had become tougher in the last year. Now they were dealing with not only the plants themselves but their chemical make-up. This chemical make-up was necessary knowledge for those intending to master potions as many varieties of plants are used in potions. So Professor Sprout was teaching and dabbling somewhat in potions. However, the work for these formulas was different than potions; it was a lot like Muggle Chemistry. She could not explain how, exactly, but they seemed more like second cousins than brothers. This was precisely why Malfoy was in such a nit; the two subjects were so close and yet so different that he could not grasp the concept. He kept expecting it to be exactly like potions, which kept him from seeing the obvious answers to the problems.

Herbology was not her favorite subject ("Especially since it's Double Herbology with Slytherins this year!" she thought with extreme displeasure), but none of her fellow Ravenclaws had topped her grades yet. She was giving even Hermione Granger a run for her money! She smiled amusedly, at herself this time.

"Damnit, stop doing that!" he whispered fiercely.

Startled, her mouth formed a small "o" as her head snapped up.

"You're supposed to be helping me," he spat. "Instead I sit here trying to figure out this shit and you just smile in that God damn know-it-all way of yours."

She was shocked. How dare he!

"Helping does not mean doing your homework. Why should I have to do all your work too?" she fumed.

Everyone thought they could sucker her into doing all the work for them. She never took partners unless she was forced for exactly this reason.

He turned back to his paper without a word and continued staring at the formulas. She relaxed the death grip on her quill and forced herself to relax her body starting with her forehead and ending with her curled toes. She sat limply in the chair and composed her thoughts.

"Herbology," she grumbled.

After various muttered curses the man stood up and stretched. She watched through her eyelashes as his shirt beneath his open robes stretched across his chest and broad shoulders. Her eyes traveled downward and she snapped her eyes up, her cheeks reddening; he was staring straight at her. She blushed furiously and bent her head over the table pretending to work on her homework.

He sat down beside her this time. He was so close she could smell his shampoo and she leaned, unconsciously, toward the heat of his body.

"Okay," he said quietly, "just help me on number seventeen. I don't understand the formula."

She turned and looked at his face and he smiled softly at her. She began to explain the formula to him and after a moment's time felt his leg touch hers softly. She faltered in her speech but quickly recovered.

Soon after, she felt his fingers run along her arm in the process of getting his book from across the table. She looked into his eyes and they smoldered into hers. Her thoughts became a confused jumble of "God how sexy" and "He's a jerk don't even think about it" and "C_p° = A + B*t + C*t² + D*t³ + E/t^2". She turned back to the paper and continued explaining all the while blushing hotly.

"Have I ever told you how sexy I think you are?" he asked.

She snorted indelicately and continued lecturing. She placed her finger on the formula, tracing the information to keep in focus. This was very hard considering he was now running his hands up and down her back and arm. Her body tingled everywhere he touched her. He moved his chair closer and leaned in to nuzzle her neck. She meant to stop him but found that she could not. He turned her face to him and kissed her lightly at first and then harder. She resisted, trying to lean back out of his embrace but finally gave in to kiss him back.

When they broke apart he murmured, "Let's finish up this work so we have more...time." She, in a somewhat dazed state, nodded in consent.

He picked up her paper and began copying the work. After five minutes she began to return to herself. What the hell did she think she was doing?! He had her homework and was copying! Just as she brought herself to address him he put her paper back and stood up without touching her. He looked down in contempt at her, laughter evident in his gray eyes. He picked up his papers and walked to the door of the library and stepped through. Turning around he looked at her one more time and laughed outright.

"Thanks for the help, Fawcett. I'll see you in Herbology tomorrow," he said with his trademark smirk fixed across his face. With that he left.

She watched the door for a moment, dumbfounded, and turned back to her paper. She stared stupidly at the formulas and wondered what had happened. She remembered his hands touching her, his heat, and the seductive kisses. Then she closed her eyes and dropped her head onto the table, defeated.