Chapter 5: In The Depths

By the end of the first week, Hermione was still finding it difficult to face either Harry or Ron. Ron was far too wrapped up in his Head duties to notice her sudden detachment from the group, and Harry seemed to be avoiding her as much as she was avoiding him. He'd blush whenever they passed in the corridors, backing up her assumption that he was aware that he had done the wrong thing. Even so, Hermione was spending much of her free time either in the library, or in a place she had found in the third year.

With Ron constantly blaming her for the actions of her cat, she had sought refuge in as many out of the way places as possible, often hiding in old and forgotten parts of the castle. One she had come across purely by accident, whilst walking around the lake to reach a secluded beach on the far side. What, at first, she had believed to be a small cave turned out to be a huge cavern, stretching way under the castle itself. This she had adopted as her secret hideaway, going as far as to arrange some personal comforts, such as pillows, blankets and candles a little way into the cave. From the little chances she'd had to properly explore, she found there were some carved passages, which she deduced lead to various places around school. However, not wanting to lose herself, she never really explored further than the first bend in the first tunnel, and without the Marauder's Map, she had no way of knowing where these tunnels led.

On the first Saturday of the first week, Hermione picked her way down to her cave after dinner. This year she decided to truly claim the cave as her own, using a possessive spell in order to create a sanctuary in her part of the cave. If anyone else happened to come there, she would not be able to be seen, and no one could enter that part of the cave without her permission. As the spell created a sanctuary, it also protected her from the four elements; if the lake flooded, or it rained, if it was cold, or too hot, or there was a strong wind...Hermione had thought of it all, and had spent many hours in order to procure the right spell. It was long and complex, way beyond the average seventh year ability. But the smartest witch in the school had no doubts that she could handle it. She had checked, rechecked and checked again her ingredients for the parts of the spell requiring potions, and had made sure she knew each line of spell thoroughly. However, the spell required her to spend a night within the area of sanctuary before it was truly hers, hence why she had chosen tonight, when it was easiest for her to slip out of her private room, and then back again in the morning.

Drawing a large circle around all her possessions, she set out the ingredients around the edge. She placed a part of an element at each of the compass points, to show what she was protecting from, and started the spell. Initially she cast an invisibility glamour, something which would normally fade quickly. However, when combined with this particular spell, the glamour would only have to be recast once every six months. Then she mixed a potion in the centre of the circle, using, among other things, a hair from her head, and a grain of earth from the floor of the cave. This would bind her to her chosen spot, making the spell work only for her. Around midnight, when the potion was finally done, she drank half, as instructed, and sprinkled the remainder of the potion around the perimeter of the circle. Now the 'walls' would recognize her, and allow only her into their safety.

Finally, nearly fainting from exhaustion, she sat in the middle of the circle and muttered the incantation which would seal the spell and make the area hers.

"Locus mihi." With a blinding flash of light, golden walls sprang up, marking the boundaries of Hermione's sanctuary. They shone briefly, reaching up into the now visible reaches of the cavern's ceiling, before the light faded and the walls were once again invisible.

Giving over to her exhaustion Hermione curled up on a couple of pillows inside the slowly warming circle, and fell asleep, blissfully unaware that she was being watched.

Sure that she was completely asleep, Draco left his hiding place in the shadows near the opposite wall. He had watched the process of Hermione's claiming spell with fascination. He had seen them one performed a while ago, in his fourth year, and wondered if the girl knew of their connotations with Voldemort's forces. Of course now, after the final battle and his downfall, he was not so much a problem, but Draco knew that it wasn't just the Dark Lord who was aware of these spells. Other powerful dark wizards and even some dark creatures were aware when one was created. And some had the power to break down the walls of safety.

Draco mused over what had happened on the train. No doubt the wizard who had cast the spell at Hermione-and he was certain it was a wizard, not a magical creature-would be powerful enough to be aware of this spell. All at once, Draco felt something he had never felt for another being other than his mother. He felt anxious towards the girl, towards the mudblood. This was unthinkable! He told himself he was worried about the school, for, if the wizard found their way inside the school grounds, they would surely wreak havoc among the students. However, this time his emotions weren't so easy to repress. He took out his wand and cast a stronger glamour over the area where he knew the girl to be, and placed a few private wards of which only his family knew, just to be certain. For the protection of the school.

'No.' a small and persistent voice spoke inside of him. 'For the protection of her. To keep her safe'

Draco froze in shock. Was he turning against his family? That was what seemed to be happening. First he protects the girl, then uses Malfoy 'pureblood' spells on her, then stands up for his actions! Well, he could not undo those spells now, not without breaking the walls of protection and waking Hermione. But he could leave, Malfoy told himself, willing his legs to move towards the chink of moonlight that signaled the cave mouth. However, without his bidding his legs folded up beneath him, and he found himself sitting as close to the sleeping Hermione as he could. Before long he was drifting to sleep himself.

Draco awoke to the silence of someone trying to make no noise. He was instantly aware of two things. One, Hermione was awake and had seen him - not hard to do as he knew he was right on the boundary of her sanctuary – and two, he had spent the whole night on a cave floor. A hard cave floor.

"I know you're there Hermione," he was surprised to hear his voice sound soft. He cleared his throat. "I mean, who couldn't notice the taint of a mudblood."

Draco realized this probably wasn't the best thing to say. Before he could move, a hand appeared out of thin air and smacked him around the side of the face with such force that he was knocked backwards.

"I warned you!" Hermione's shrill voice sounded distant. The spell distorted sound as well it seemed. Draco took this in as he lay on the floor shocked and winded. He shut his eyes and stayed still as he heard her quick, light footsteps approach. He would milk this for all it was worth.

A/N: i got a little carried away with this one. also, i got my first flame(albeit from someone i know...) and how mean are they?! the whole point about fan ficton is that you are allowed to express your own veiws of the story. what about all those harry/draco slashes?! theyre not exactly 'sticking to th character'. and anyway, my flamers been reading before posting and is begging me to write more SO THERE!

now i have that little rant off my chest, thanks for the reviews:)