CHAPTER ONE

The Love in the Darkness

Silently, she looked out over the dark lake and the hills that surrounded the castle. The night was dark, so dark that the only light visible was that of her wand and the shine of the moon reflecting on the surface of the water.

"Hermione?" a whispered voice came from somewhere behind her. She turned in shock, and saw the face of a pale white boy with beautiful blonde hair. For a moment she was afraid, afraid that she had just been caught sneaking out at night. But, the expression on the boys face was a new one.

"Draco? What are you doing here?" she whispered back, barely audible. His face was different. He was different.

There wasn't a snicker upon his face like there usually was. He seemed lost, forgotten.

"I thought I needed some fresh air" he said. "I've had a lot on my mind lately".

Hermione studied his face and saw him in a daze. He was looking past her, out into the darkness of the night.

"I know what you mean Draco" she said as she motioned him to come join her. "It relaxes you; looking at the sleeping ground and feeling the breath of the forest connect with yours through the soil. The feeling is marvelous isn't it?"

Draco walked over next to her and looked out at the moon.

"It sure is Hermione. I know a better place to feel that way, if you wish to join me".

She hesitated, it was too awkward. Draco was known for his tricks. Her conscience told her to stay, or to go back to her room. But this moment wasn't meant for her conscience. Her conscience was for the logical Hermione, the Hermione who would always listen to her mind. Right now, she was in a sub-conscious state, a dream state. But on top of everything else, Draco had called her by her name and not mud-blood or Granger. He was clearly in a dream state of his own. And now he was asking Hermione to come and join him. She looked over at him once again and saw his moonlit eyes gazing over the invisible horizon and then with a swift movement, she reached out for his hand and without the use of words, she made him look at her. Now that she had his attention, she spoke. In a voice softer than the sound a Lilly makes when it's beaten by the wind she called his name and said "Draco" then she waited for his response. He opened his mouth a fraction of a centimeter and she gained the courage to go on. "Where do you want to take me?"

The boy didn't answer. He stayed still and kept his expression dull and unreadable, and then he slowly let his lip curl into what could have possibly been the foundation of a smile.

The boy tightened his grip on her hand and with the free one, brought out his wand. With a silent incantation, he summoned a broomstick that flew its way to the tower the two kids were in. The boy boarded his broomstick and looked into her eyes. He saw her concern and spoke "I know I have done nothing to deserve it, but please... Give me your trust".

This time she did not hesitate. She boarded the slim length of the broom and held on tightly to the one she trusted with her life. He secured her hands around his waist and kicked his broom of the deck of the astronomy tower. He went up, and further up, leaving the towering outline of the school behind. They slowly gained more and more height until they were in the clouds. He then slowed his pace and turned the broom to face the moon.

"How do you like the clouds in the moonlight?" he said, once again in a whisper.

"It's beautiful Draco" she whispered back. The two stayed silent for a while and enjoyed the view. Even though she couldn't see his face, she knew he was smiling, because she was too. And she didn't know why it was, but she felt a connection with Draco that night. She knew that they were together right now, and nothing would separate them for as long as they were up here.

"This isn't where I wanted to take you" said Draco. "Come, let's go". And with that he dived straight Down into the darkness at speeds she was sure would prove fatal.

After a moment of the roller coaster drop, he finally slowed down and pulled out of the nose dive. He swerved left and right a few times and then reached the surface of the lake. Both she and Draco felt the water touch tips of their toes as they skimmed over it. Then, far away on the other side of the lake, at the foot of two hills he came to a stop and got off with Hermione.

They were on a small beach. A few lights of the castle were visible in the distance and stars were a little more visible here. Hermione and Draco sat down on the sand and watched the ripples of the water hit the beach and make their soft watery noises.

"Do you come here often?" she asked him.

"I used to. A while back" he answered back.

"Why did you stop coming?"

"I don't know" he said, "I guess I just started feeling lonely every time I came here".

"But that won't be a problem now will it?" she asked him.

"Well, what do you mean?" he asked back.

"I'm with you now" and with that, she rested her head on his shoulder and he put his arm around her. She watched the lake for a moment and then turned her attention to the boy again.

"What's wrong Draco?" she asked. But he didn't answer. Instead he took a deep breath and turned his head to gaze into her eyes. Then slowly he moved closer… and closer… and closer, until she could feel his heartbeat through the air. With his lips only an inch away he spoke.

"Absolutely nothing" and then he leaned in a bit more and touched her lips with his own. It wasn't a kiss. It was a touch, nothing more. That's what she told herself. But he wanted it to be a kiss, though she didn't let it. She never kissed back.

"What's wrong?" this time it was Draco who asked the question.

"Since when do you love me?" she asked back.

"Since the day I saw you" he answered.

"Then why are you telling me this now?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't love me back".

Hermione sighed. "Of course I wouldn't love you back Draco".

Draco shut his eyes. And Hermione could swear underneath those eyelids, there were tears.

"You've always been a terrible person; you hated me and all my friends".

"I was stupid." He said as he let a tear fall. "You won't forgive me will you?"

"I will, if you promise me one thing. From now on, I always want to see this side of you Draco. No more Mr. Bad boy. I love you Draco, but this Draco, the one who brought me here, not the proud pure-blood back in Hogwarts".

The boy sat still for a moment and tried to make out everything she said but there was only one sentence he heard 'I love you Draco'.

She looked into his eyes once again and saw his clueless expression. Then in a slow movement she leaned in and touched his lips with her own. For a second he was resisting but he let her take over and kissed back with more passion than he had ever shown.

Moments passed and they finally broke apart. She didn't know whether it was true with him but this was her first kiss. And it was with the last boy she would ever imagine.

The two sat down and watched each other for a while before joining lips again.

For the first time in the past few nights she fell asleep. Right there in his arms lying in the sand by the lake. It was by a sheer and fortunate coincidence that she woke up before the sun had risen. He had his face buried silently in her neck. She got herself up and saw the large outline of the castle on the opposite side of the lake. Her movement had caused Draco's conscious to stir as well.

"How long were we asleep?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"The sun isn't up yet. But it's starting to get light".

He crawled over to the shallow water and splashed his face with it. "We should get back... and now." He said "grab my broomstick.

The two got onto his Broomstick and took off once again this time back to the castle.

"Where should I drop you off?" he shouted over the force of the wind.

"My room, the window is probably open. But we have to be careful, Lavender, Parvati or Fay might be awake."

He took her to the tower that held her room. The window was open and through it they could see that her roommates were all asleep.

"I'll see you later" she said as she kissed him on his cheek and climbed in through the window, across the room and into her bed.

She fell asleep once again and was awoken by the sound of Lavender.

"Breakfast in 20 minutes" she heard lavender say in the middle of her dream. Hermione got up and rubbed her eyes in time to see Fay walk out of the room and close the door. She was alone in her room with Lavender.

"Hermione, can I ask you something?" said lavender.

"You just did" joked Hermione.

"I didn't see you come back last night".

"Yeah, I got caught up in something".

"So when did you get back?" she asked.

"Not too late, around midnight" Hermione could have told her the truth but Lavender wasn't exactly her best friend.

"Don't lie to me Hermione!" she yelled. "I saw you come in through the window not one hour ago! I know you were on a broom with someone"

Hermione didn't know what to say. She didn't know if she could trust Lavender.

"It was Ron wasn't it?" she said. "You know I like him Hermione".

"It wasn't, I swear. Look lavender you have to trust me. I didn't do anything wrong. You can't tell anyone I was out at night with someone".

Lavender probably didn't believe her.

"It wasn't Ron, I promise you" said Hermione. "It was someone else".

"You sure?"

"Positive".

"Fine" said Lavender.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief.

"But be careful Hermione. You're my friend. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I will, don't worry".

She was glad Lavender didn't ask too many questions. She was surprised that Lavender thought she was with Ron. Ron was her friend. That was it; she had no more feelings for him.

It took Hermione 5 minutes to get ready to go down, since she was already dressed.

Once in the great hall, she sat down in her usual spot next to Harry, Ron and some of the other Gryffindors.

"How's it going Hermione?" asked Ron as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"Fine, I guess" said Hermione. "I'm feeling pretty tired today"

"You should try our new Explosive Energy bars" said George.

"They'll make your day blowup" laughed Fred.

Just then, Draco walked up to the Gryffindor table. Now in case you don't know, Gryffindor's hate Draco, so it was already pretty predictable that everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him in disgust.

"What do you want Malfoy?" asked Oliver from down the table. Draco looked a little taken back. He probably thought he could walk up there and talk to Hermione without much hassle.

"I… I wanted to talk to H-Hermione." He said.

"Well, she doesn't want to talk to you" said Harry as he stood up.

"Harry. I can speak for myself." Said Hermione as she stood up from the table and walked over to Draco. "I'll see you guys later". Hermione peacefully walked out of the great hall with Draco, leaving all four houses open-mouthed staring at them.

The two walked up a case of stairs and sat down near the first landing.

"Draco, you shouldn't have done that" said Hermione.

"What shouldn't I have done?" he asked.

"Come and get me from the Gryffindor table". She had a feeling he wasn't getting it so she continued explaining. "I don't think we should tell anyone about us right now"

"Why? I thought you loved me" said Draco.

"I do" she gave him a peck on the lips. "But I don't think anyone else needs to know that"

"Why? I don't care what anyone else thinks" he said.

"Draco, you're a Slytherin, and I'm a Gryffindor"

"I told you, I don't care"

"It'll cause problems"

"So what are you saying? that we shouldn't go out?"

"No, no. I just think that we shouldn't tell anyone right now. We'll tell them when the time is right."

"OK" said Draco. "So we'll be dating in secret?"

"Yeah, I guess"

Draco leaned in and gave her another kiss. This time it was a more passionate one. Then he pulled away and got up.

"Hey, I have to go see Professor Snape, he told me to see him. I'll see you later okay?"

"Okay, bye" Hermione decided to return to the hall and make up some excuse for stalking off with Draco.

Once both Draco and Hermione were gone, a small figure decided to come out from her hiding place. She was shocked. "Hermione and Draco?" she thought "how? How could two people so different be so close?"

And then she was stricken with a question in the back of her mind. Should she tell anyone? Like Hermione said, it would cause problems. No one would ever leave the two alone. But maybe that was a good thing. Maybe, a fight between Gryffindor and Slytherin was exactly what she needed right now. But could she possibly do it? No. she couldn't. She shouldn't. She didn't know how far something like that could go. Problems were fun but only as long as they were under control. And hatred is never under control. She thought about it for a moment until she heard someone coming and walked away casually to join her friends. She knew what she was going to do.

Hey! its me, the guy who wrote the words!

This was a sort of prequel to the story. let me know what u think!