Author's note: Bad news. This is a really short chapter because the actual chapter isn't finished yet. So rather than keep everyone waiting for the whole chapter that would have been painfully long, I decided to break off the first part because it's completely finished and just let it stand on it's own. Further explanation will be provided at the end of this mini chapter.

Chapter 10: The Timeless Art of Seduction

"Hermione! Hermione! Come, quick!"

"Euan, what's wrong?" Hermione asked as Euan Abercrombie, a third-year Gryffindor, ran up to her in the corridor.

"You must come," Euan gasped, out of breath from running.

"Euan, breathe. Now, tell me what's wrong," Hermione calmly urged.

"Millicent Bulstrode… in the library," he managed to wheeze out.

"What about Millicent Bulstrode?" Hermione asked sharply, recalling a very unpleasant memory from her second year that had been caused by Millicent's cat.

"She's got a first-year cornered in the back of the library," Euan said, finally breathing again. "She won't stop jinxing him."

"What section does she have him cornered in?" Hermione asked urgently.

"Er… I think it was Muggle History."

"Find Professor McGonagall and tell her to meet me there. Hurry!"

And without another word, Hermione, wand in hand, headed straight for the library.

Zach Smith stood at the corner, waiting for his signal. Finally receiving it, he gave two sharp whistles to Terry Boot who was standing at the next corner.

Terry immediately ran from his post to the next corridor where Blaise was lurking in the shadows.

"Granger's coming," Terry whispered excitedly to the cloaked shadow.

Smirking, Blaise stepped out of the darkness and walked casually to the library entrance. Draco was waiting.

"The bookworm's on the loose," Blaise drawled.

It was Malfoy's turn to smirk.

"Excellent," he rasped.

Hermione raced past the entrance to the library, weaving her way through the many tables and shelves to the back section. Such was her hurry that she didn't notice how unusually empty the library was for a school night… or how dimly it was lit.

Making her last turn around a row of shelves, Hermione arrived at the Muggle History section to find… no one.

She made a full circle, looking in every direction before stopping to catch her breath. There was no sign of a struggle. In fact, there was no sign that anyone had been there. Not a book was out of place… not a cobweb disturbed.

"Granger! Where are they?" Malfoy called, seeming out of breath as he ran down the row of shelves towards her.

"What are you doing here? Where's Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked.

"I dunno. Some kid who reminds me of Longbottom told me that Bulstrode was attacking a first-year," Malfoy replied, appearing utterly bewildered.

"So, I'm assuming Euan also told you that they were in the Muggle History section," Hermione said tiredly, rubbing her temples.

"Euan? Who's Euan?"

"Euan Abercrombie. The boy who looked like Neville. I think he was- Wait! What's happening!" Hermione exclaimed.

The shelves of books surrounding them had suddenly come to life and were… dancing. The towering bookcases gracefully glided in and out of each other in an intricate pattern, forming a cubicle of sorts around the Head Girl and Boy. Hermione realized with horror what the bookcases were doing.

"They're cornering us!" she cried. "Quick! We have to escape before they seal us in!"

But they were too late. Every direction Hermione and Draco turned, the shelves had already come together to form a solid wall of books. They found themselves imprisoned in a space no larger than a jail cell.

"I think we're trapped," Draco stated calmly, curiously shoving his weight against a shelf to see if it would budge. It didn't.

"We're not trapped," Hermione said firmly, trying to reassure herself.

"Well, unless you plan on reading yourself out…" Draco joked.

"No, you don't understand. Madam Pince must have heard the shelves moving. And McGonagall is on her way. She's bound to notice that the Muggle History section is missing. They'll find us. Any moment now. Just wait."

They waited. No one came. Ten minutes had passed before Hermione became hysterical.

"I don't believe this! I don't bloody believe this!" she shrieked. "Never did I read anything in Hogwarts, A History about the bookcases imprisoning students!"

"Will you calm down? Someone we'll find us sooner or later," Draco said, sitting on the ground and lounging against the shelves.

"It has to be sooner! I have a very important assignment for Ancient Runes due tomorrow! I still need to review my final draft-"

"Shush! I think I hear someone coming!" Draco suddenly interjected.

Hermione grew silent and pressed her ear to the books.

"I don't hear anything," she whispered.

"Neither do I," Draco replied, grinning as he resumed his relaxed position against the shelves.

Hermione turned around angrily.

"That's wasn't funny, Malfoy," she said coldly.

"I wasn't trying to be funny. I was trying to shut you up. Apparently, I failed," he replied irritably.

Hermione grabbed a book off the shelf behind her and began flipping through it as she rattled on.

"Obviously," she began, "these shelves didn't move by themselves. Someone placed a charm or spell on them. I think it's safe to assume that this person only planned on trapping the two of us in here. But how did Euan get involved? Maybe- What are you doing?" she suddenly exclaimed.

Draco had left his comfortably lounged position and now had her pressed against the shelves.

"I just thought of the perfect way to silence you," he rasped.

Anticipating his next move, Hermione raised the book she had been reading in front of her face just as Draco leaned in to kiss her.

He chuckled.

"Very clever, Granger," he said, his grey eyes peering over the top of the book.

"You're lucky it was only a book that saved me," she replied, dropping the book to reveal her wand.

Draco stepped away, smirking.

"Are you really that terrified of a simple kiss?"

"Goading me isn't going to work, Malfoy."

Draco sighed as he looked around them.

"You know, it just occurred to me… this is where we first kissed," he commented.

"No, it's not," Hermione said. "I kissed you in the Potions section."

"Forgive me. I was referring to our first real kiss," he replied, grinning.

Hermione glared at him.

"You bastard!" she hissed, unexpectedly launching a book at him.

Draco deftly caught the book and threw it aside.

"What in bloody hell was that for?" he asked angrily.

"Oh, please!" she exclaimed. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't figure it out before you seduced me?"

Draco leaned casually against a bookcase.

"I had rather hoped you wouldn't unmask my ploy this soon."

Hermione was livid.

"All this! Trapping us in here! Using other people to do it! An elaborate, poorly executed plan just to seduce me!" she raged.

"You can't blame me for trying," he said seductively, slowly walking towards her.

"Oh, no you don't! Let me out of here this instant!" she ordered, raising her wand threateningly.

Realizing he had no other choice but to surrender, Draco waved his arm. Immediately, the bookcases glided to their original places. Hermione wasted no time, quickly marching up to Draco and slapping him across the face.

"How dare you try to seduce me on a school night!" she fumed.

As he watched her storm down the row of books and turn a corner, Draco became aware of a faint chuckling. Blaise suddenly appeared from behind a bookcase.

"Bravo, mate. Bravo," he drawled, offering Malfoy a lazy round of applause.

Malfoy closed his eyes.

"I'm trying to recall a single moment when I actually thought this pathetic plan would work," he muttered lamentably.

"Desperation can lead a man to foolish acts, my friend," Blaise explained. "Now, come," he said, clapping Malfoy on the shoulder and drawing him away from the bookshelf. "I have a bottle of firewhisky with your name on it."

"Only one bottle?" Malfoy asked miserably as he was led out of the library.

Why I am the Scum of the Universe: I said I would update at least twice… but I didn't update at all. I'm scum. I suck. (sigh) My only excuse is that I'm such a perfectionist, and I'm at a very crucial part in the story. That's why I'm taking forever because I'm working on some very, er, plot-pivoting material. That and I ended up being a lot busier than I thought in December. I had to write this chapter in thirty-minute intervals because my sister and brother were visiting from Texas. I could only escape for so long. And yes, I did spend some quality time with myself, doing essential things like staring at the wall, sleeping, and reading Hamlet for my AP English class.

Ok, fine! I confess! I'm hooked on Phantom of the Opera! I've seen it six times in theatres now! I'm obsessed! If I'm not watching the movie, then I'm listening to the soundtrack. God, the phantom is hot! (sigh) The problem is that I've been on such a phantom high that Draco was starting to become the phantom… it was bizarre. That's why it's been taking me forever because I would start going off on these little tangents when I was writing. However, I promise to stop promising that I'll update. And no, I'm not giving up on the story. I would never do that. The story is already written in my head… it's just the journey from mind to type that's gone a bit askew.

Oh yeah. Happy Belated Holidays and New Year!

And now, I shall humiliate myself: Another assignment I had over break was to write a love poem in iambic tetrameter with a minimum of five quatrains. Because I'm such a freak, I wrote mine about the phantom because he's the hottest man alive. And here it is:

"O Phantom, Hear My Plea"

Disturb my dreams and fill my nights,

With songs of love and love's delights.

Give me the moon and block the sun,

For night is when our souls are one.

Softly awake all my senses,

Lower all my weak defenses,

Show me in shadow why you hide.

Sing me the music of the night.

Tempt me with sweet seduction's song.

Beside you is where I belong.

In your strong arms, I quake, I burn,

I've past the point of no return.

Behind your mask, true beauty lies.

It's in your voice; it's in your eyes.

From your dark fate, I shall not flee,

And from the world, I'll shelter thee.

Remove your mask, reveal the man.

Across all time, our love shall span.

Spare me the never ending days.

Say you'll love me now and always.