PART TWO: THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

Fifteen year old Hermione Granger placed her head down, closing her eyes a wee bit. She was still quite tired from her lack of sleep last night, studying and all.

"My, my, Mione why am I not surprised to find you here in the library, practically napping on the text."

Hermione sat up, startled by the mocking voice. She had expected to meet eyes with Ron Weasley, but instead found herself practically drowning in a sea of brilliant green. "Harry?"

"The one and only unfortunately" he added as an afterthought. Harry Potter, fifteen and also a fellow fifth year like Granger, scratched the back of his neck before sitting himself down next to Hermione.

"So, Potter—where's your fellow partner in crime?" Hermione teased, straightening herself up.

A knowing smile appeared on his face. His eyes twinkled as if he just discovered some deep gossip that needed to be spread.

"What is that grin for, Harry?" Hermione questioned, eyebrow raised.

"Come with me," He automatically stood up and grasped her hand, giving it a bit of a tug.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped in confusion and shock upon his sudden touch. "Go with you where?"

His green eyes still sparkled like emeralds in the sun, "Trust me"

"Well, when you put it that way, I should probably refuse even harder!" She smirked, despite the fact that she was already at her feet and her hand still remained in Harry's own.

He glared at her, "Funny, Mione. It is a wonder why Ron loves bantering with you. You got yourself quite a wickedly sharp tongue."

"Don't you know it, Potter." She remarked quickly.

"C'mon, Mione!" He tugged again, tightening his hold on her hand.

Hermione however, extremely aware of how his touch seemed to spread this unexpected warmth though her, remained in her place. "Wait a minute, Potter! Where exactly are you planning on dragging' me?" She emphasized the word "dragging", which caused Harry to only glare at her harder.

Though he was becoming quite annoyed with her questioning, a mischievous smile still remained. "Well, if you continue refusing to follow me, Mione, I won't exactly be dragging you anywhere" He smirked, paused, then suddenly swooped her up and swung her over his broad shoulder. "Reckon I will just have to sweep you off your feet while you kick and scream for me to put you down!"

Hermione shrieked—both with surprise and quiet delight—as Harry practically carried her out of the library on his shoulder.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, "Put me down!" She tried to kick and wiggle her body out of his grasp, but Harry Potter was ever so much stronger than her. Most of his strength and his handsome physique was mostly due to his constant practicing of Quidditch.

"Don't think so, Granger." He continued strutting down the halls with a struggling Hermione Granger. Harry laughed at Hermione's attempts to fall out of his hold. "Stop fighting it, Hermione" He snickered, "And just consider yourself lucky because it's not everyday that a girl gets to be carried by Harry Potter himself. Some girls would consider it quite an honor, y'know."

Hermione rolled her eyes, then lightly smacked the back of Harry's head. "Watch yourself, Potter. If Malfoy hasn't found a spell that will cause your head to swell a thousand times, then I'm pretty sure that your big ego' will more than likely do you in!"

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" A voice sneered onto the scene.

Harry came to a sudden halt. His grasp on Hermione became more firm as he still held her over his shoulder.

Hermione recognized that voice as did Harry. She turned her head to gaze over Harry's other shoulder. "Speak of the devil" She mumbled as she felt Harry's whole body tense up at the sight of his rival.

"If it isn't Harry Potter and" A fifteen year old boy with slick back white blond hair paused. A wide smirk appeared on his face as he crossed his arms. Draco Malfoy snickered, "My, my, Potter and here we all thought that you fancied Miss Chang." Draco glanced at his sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle. "Yet we seemed to have discovered that Potter has another woman in his arms and say," Draco walked a bit to the side to meet eyes with Hermione. "Well, look at this! If it isn't Hermione Granger! Who'd have imagined that Granger would end up in Potter's arms? Simply quite amazing, isn't it?" He asked his two dim witted body guards.

"Malfoy" Harry growled. He clenched his free hand angrily.

"Harry, don't." Hermione whispered, "Not here in the halls where it's more than likely that Snape or McGonagall will appear.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk" Draco shook his head, "Oh Hermione y'know, even I know that you can do so much better than Potter"

Hermione kicked off and jumped out of Harry's grasp, then turned to Draco with fierce eyes. Snarling, "Speak one more bad thing about Harry and I swear to you, Malfoy, that you will be wishing that you were facing Voldemort's wrath instead of mines!"

Everyone present in the hallways immediately stopped. All eyes were suddenly on Hermione and Draco as they faced each other down. Many gasped—including Malfoy's thugs—the second they heard Hermione utter You-Know-Who's name. There have only been a brave few whom had the courage to say his name. Headmaster of Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter were just two of the bold few. If Hermione had the guts to say Voldemort with such natural ease without even flinching well, Draco Malfoy must have done something to anger her!
There was something dangerous flickering in her eyes as she stared Draco down. Draco seized himself and tried to return the venomous stare, yet only to fall short. He blinked, then slowly took a step back. Draco gulped, then feigned a couple of coughs. He glanced at his Slytherin friends. "Shit seems like I'm starting to come down with a bit of cold consideryourself lucky, Potter."

Harry stood proudly behind Hermione, glaring at Draco suspiciously. He glanced down at Hermione, who also met eyes with him.

"Real"

"Uh-huh" Without thinking too much about it, Harry lightly wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist. He placed his head, resting his chin, on her shoulder, though his eyes were still staring daggers at Draco.

"Plus" Draco only sneered harder at the two. "I wouldn't want to see your dear girlfriend cry." He glanced at Crabbe and Goyle, "Horrible thing to see, y'know. A girl weeping." Draco shuddered, smirked at Harry, then turned around and left with Crabbe and Goyle eagerly behind.

When Draco and his little gang left, the most of the group that gathered had groaned in disappointment. Others had snickered at Draco's sudden cowardliness. Soon enough, everyone began dispersing and going there separate ways.

Hermione felt Harry tense up even more. She turned around to face him, yet still remaining in his arms. She placed her arms up around her neck, "Harry" Her tone warning and weary.

Harry had watched Malfoy leave and his eyes remained slit in an angry glare. "That bastard better watch his mouth before I bloody well fuckin' kill him!"

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, his eyes wide in shock. "Don't talk like that!"

He sighed, "Well, I can't help it if the fuckin' bastard brings out the worse in me!" Harry gazed down at Hermione, and his whole demeanor suddenly changed as he realized just how angelic she looked in his arms. Her eyes were staring up at him and the young man decided right there and then that he would more than willing drown himself in them.

"Harry he is not worth getting expelled, you hear me? Draco is a bastard and the whole school knows it! He'll get what's coming to him soon enough believe me."

His eyes sparkled mischievously, "Believe you? Is that a prediction, Miss Granger? Especially this coming from the girl that walked out on Divination third year."

Hermione glared at him, then pushed him away. "Harry!" She shoved his hard enough that he lost his hold on her. Hermione turned around and began to walk away.

"Hey! Hermione! Oh c'mon, Mione!" Harry held his hands out in defense. "I was just joking!"

She continued walking, yet the young woman was still glowing happily.