Lights Out by elix-j
Summary: Draco rescues Hermione from the dark.
Disclaimer: All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling...
A torch flickered. And the flame went out.
Hermione shivered in the dark and stifled a scream. She pulled her cloak tighter around her body and stared in the darkness that was engulfing the whole corridor. She reached deep down inside her robes for her wand and gasped when her pocket felt empty.
Her alternative source of light was gone. And so was her source of defense.
Her heart started racing—she never left anywhere without her wand, let alone patrolling a corridor in the dead of the night. Hermione's fingers trembled as she panicked and felt around hopefully for her wand.
Suddenly something clicked. She remembered that she had left the wand in her room while practicing her Transfiguration in her room.
Hermione started shivering again and her teeth began to chatter due to the coldness and of course, her fear of the dark. She felt around for a wall: something she could hold on to. Everything was in complete darkness.
"Hermione don't patrol the corridor alone, you hear? Always get someone to be with you," Susan Bones, her fellow prefect had advised her before Hermione left for patrol.
"No, don't worry, Susan. I've done this many times before, surely nothing would attack me," Hermione had answered confidently, even turning down her offer when Susan had offered to accompany her.
Now, Hermione had regretted not having her company.
"I shouldn't be so overconfident," she thought to herself.
Hermione pulled her knees close to her chest and buried her face in between. She covered her ears with her hands and tried to push off all thoughts of fear in her. Her lips trembled and she closed her eyes defiantly and couldn't help a tear escaping her eye.
She was afraid of the dark.
Hermione started humming a familiar tune, even singing a little. Her voice shook a bit, somehow going out of tune and hitting the wrong notes. She figured out singing with her eyes and ears closed would block out all thoughts of fear in her mind and she was right.
Fancy being called a Prefect let alone a Gryffindor... she didn't believe she could be as cowardly as this.
A door slammed and weird noises could be heard.
Hermione shut her eyes tighter, tears leaking out slowly and her hands clamped around her ears. Her heart beating furiously, she swore it was going to burst out any moment. She stopped singing or humming and instead, silent sniffles filled the empty hallway.
She didn't notice the torch being hastily lit up for she was too busy shutting her eyes and covering her ears. But she shrieked and pulled away when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She didn't even dare look up.
"Granger, you twit, why didn't you look for me? You knew I was patrolling tonight." a faint voice sounded while trying to pull her arms away. When she didn't respond, the voice sounded again, "Come here, you freak."
Without wasting a second, Hermione pulled his robes closer to her and she hugged the solid body in search of comfort. Her eyes released the tension she had been holding for the past twenty minutes and she started crying and babbling at the same time.
"No wand... I was so scared," she mumbled, her nose squashed against the soft material of his robes.
"No partner? You silly woman, no place can be safe enough at night," a hint of worry was laced in his voice. His arms held her up and she stood, refusing to let go until he pushed her away.
Hermione lifted her eyes to look at the pools of grey before she started crying again. Draco Malfoy fought the urge not to roll his eyes as he pulled her towards him again. She stopped a few seconds later and pulled away.
"Let's just go back to the Prefect's Tower," Draco answered and she nodded, walking close next to Draco, his wand lighting the way.
Maybe it was because of his wand that she felt safer, protected and assured. But she was even more convinced of protection when he took her hand in his, holding it all the way till she reached her dormitory.