Author's Note: This has been quite a day, I think I am almost finished with the revisions! Man, cops are assholes, I hate them all and hope they die and rot in hell!

Pairings: Draco and Hermione

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Draco Malfoy had always hated that Harry Potter and his two best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and the hatred had magnified since they had landed his once highly-esteemed father in the wizard prison Azkaban. That was why nobody would put it past him to feign injury in order to torture Hermione Granger into doing his work for him in the name of vengeance on Potter. But what happens when an emotion much stronger than revenge begins to take hold? Could it be that fate has other plans?

Disclaimer: If I said I owned this, would you believe me? If so, then Joanne Kathleen Rowling is just a 16-year-old American girl who likes Eminem and writes fanfictions based on my work. Idiot.

Shadows of Light

Chapter Six

Hermione trudged into the library at six thirty. She took a seat at a table toward the back of the library, setting down her bag that was, as usual, bulging with books. She certainly didn't want to be seen with Malfoy. No, she didn't want people to know that Malfoy had not only triumphed over the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team, but her as well. Now she had to spend her evening helping him with his schoolwork. What a stroke of luck, she thought bitterly as she headed to the entrance of the library to wait for that insufferable ferret. She settled herself down and propped a promising looking book open on her lap.

She was early. This didn't surprise him; she was the type that was always early and always prepared. She was the type that really annoyed him. He was supposed to have been there at 7. He told her not too be late; a Malfoy was too good to wait for a Mudblood, but that didn't mean they couldn't wait for him. It was now 7:45 and sauntered over to where she sat, in the front of the library, engrossed in a book. For a moment, he stood there, without her noticing.

She sat straight in her high-backed chair. Her dark chocolate eyes scanned the contents of the pages interestedly, peering down her delicate nose, with her lips pursed. Her skin was fair and clear with faint brown freckles dotting her nose, giving her an almost innocent quality. Her hair fell in frizzy waves that tumbled down to the middle of her back, but it somehow seemed different now that he saw it up close. It was glossy, tamed, even with the incredible frizz. It was a strange and alluring combination. He was so close now he could smell the faint scent of her shampoo…

"Malfoy!" Draco snapped up, not realizing how close he had actually gotten to her until she was pushing her chair back, an expression of alarm etched on her face. Draco's features were habitually masked, which was fortunate, because it took a moment for him to recover his cool.

"Bugger, Granger! I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes! How interesting can those damn books be?" Draco lied suavely. A rosy hue colored Hermione cheeks. She snapped the heavy volume shut with a thump.


Hermione stood up, straightening her conservative black school robes. She led Malfoy to the back of the library, where her things were without a word. He sauntered over to the table as Hermione sat down in one of the two chairs. Draco dropped his bag on the table and took his seat propping his feet on the tabletop and cradling his head lazily with his functional arm, his right arm resting comfortably in his lap. Hermione simply stared at him. What was she waiting for? "Well, get started," he smirked enjoying the expression of enragement that flitted across the furious Gryffindors face.

Hermione stood up angrily. "If your idea of this punishment is for me to do all of your homework while you laze about like a twit, you have another thing coming!" she shouted.

Draco leered at the livid girl in front of him. "You don't have a choice Granger. It's your punishment." He drawled swinging his legs from the tabletop to land eloquently in front of him, "besides, how do you think I feel? Putting up with a filthy—"

"You're the one who got yourself hit by a bludger! This is just some ploy to get good marks without having to work, and I refuse to be any part of it! By the way, Malfoy, no bludger could ever give anyone an aneurysm, not unless it had been—"

Malfoy stood up abruptly; it was his turn to interrupt. Hermione was instantly distracted from speaking those last two words that could give him away, tampered with. He moved closer to her, a threatening gleam in his eye. Soon he was towering over her, blocking her only method of escape.

"I wasn't insulting your intelligence, Granger," he whispered dangerously. "I was insulting your common sense, and it seems… " He moved closer to her, pinning her against the bookshelf with his strong body. "It seems I was right." Draco didn't know what made him do it. He certainly hadn't planned on close proximity with the filthy Mudblood. He took in her delicate features, noting that, for a Mudblood, she was not completely unfortunate-looking, now that he looked at her.

He brought his fingers up to hang back near Hermione's dainty chin. She flinched at his intimacy, as if it burned. He looked into her dark, russet eyes. She was frightened. Draco had half a mind to lower his head and kiss away her fears. He tried to shake the unwelcome thoughts of her away, but her irresistible aroma was overpowering his ability to think rationally. Draco threw caution to the winds, moving even closer to her.

"What are you doing, Malfoy?" she asked in a trembling voice. "It's a shame really," he said huskily, ignoring her question. He reached a slender finger to her flushed cheek. Hermione recoiled as his cool finger made contact with her skin.

Making up her mind, she glared at Malfoy with cold unmasked malice. "What's a shame?" Her glare was strong but her voiced was quavering, betraying her inner fear.

"Such a waste," Draco continued as if she had not spoken, voicing inner most thoughts he was not even conscious of until that point. His eyes lingered on her mouth. "Such beauty and intelligence wasted on tainted blood."

Hermione could not speak. She looked into his blue-gray eyes, his deep voice still playing in her head. What was he playing at? He spoke before she could voice this question.

"Now, I have a three foot History of Magic essay due tomorrow," Draco said abruptly as if nothing had happened, turning away from her slightly.

Hermione shook her head, bringing herself back from her state of temporary disillusion. "I'm not doing your homework, Malfoy. I am not your servant."

"Who says you aren't?"

"Oh! Let me bow down to the every whim of the Slytherin prince," she retorted sarcastically attempting an extravagant mock bow. This proved difficult as Draco's left hand flew up and grabbed her wrist forcefully, stilling her movements. Despite the fact that it was his weaker arm, he was still incredibly strong. Hermione tried to ignore the flurry of sensations that snaked up her arm at his touch as she struggled to free herself from his tight grip. He turned his head and looked at her lazily; her efforts to break his hold clearly amusing him.

He moved in closer to her, so that his hot, minty breath fanned her face. Hermione's eyes stayed focused scathingly on Draco's. His chiseled features were illuminated in the dim light of the hanging lanterns that adorned the library's walls. Hermione thought Draco looked uncharacteristically handsome, but she did not dare show it.

"You will obey every whim, Granger," he said in a low perilous voice, glaring into her dark eyes so intently that she was sure he could see into her very soul. "I will make sure of it."

Hermione tilted her chin in what she hoped was a daring manner. "I'd like to see you try," she retorted icily.

"Oh, I will, and you won't have a clue what hit you," he drawled, leaning in towards her. Hermione became suddenly aware of exactly how close Draco's face had become while he was talking.

She stared at his chin refusing to meet his probing eyes, wishing he would pull away, wishing not to take in his words, wishing only for him to leave her alone before her thoughts took on a very dangerous turn. She shifted her gaze taking in his full sensual mouth. He had surprisingly luscious lips, a feature his malice and cruelty had concealed.

His lips twitched in that tell-tale smirk that had always set Hermione's nerves on edge. A fleeting thought crossed her mind, the insane desire to taste that smirk, to feel those supple lips moving seductively against her own tingling ones…

A heated flush crept up Hermione's cheeks. She hadn't meant to do it, but she found herself looking into his eyes. His glare was weakening, as if he had the power to melt all of her resistance into helpless subsistence. His eyes held hers, looking angry, always angry. She could fell herself being drawn to him, could almost feel his lips on hers…

Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that the clicking sound of prim heels on a wooden floor brought them both back to their senses. Draco moved away from Hermione immediately turning his face towards the bookshelf to hide his anger and resentment at the unwelcome presence, forgetting that it was already masked in his expressionless face.

Madame Pince stuck her long nose around the corner and peered angrily at the two students. She took in the work space where not a book was open or a piece of parchment lay, nor did quill or ink did litter the table. Then her sharp eyes turned to Hermione's flushed face and Draco who turned around from the bookshelf with a blank face. Her eyes narrowed.

"The library closes at eight o'clock," she said crossly. "I would expect two sixth year prefects to know this. You two could at least try to set a better example for your younger classmates. Now go on, get out, both of you. It's past eight thirty!"

Hermione muttered an apology for losing track of time and grabbed her bag. Draco followed suit, gathering his own possessions. Madame Pince watched the two depart with tapered, accusing eyes. She did not remove her sharp gaze until the library door closed behind Draco's back.

Hermione swung around to face Draco. He noted the high patches of anger on her cheeks. "Just what the hell are you playing at Malfoy?" she demanded keeping her voice precariously low. Draco simply smirked, raised his eyebrows once, turned away from her and sauntered out of sight. Hermione was too flustered and bewildered to realize that Draco was not directing himself towards the dungeons where Harry and Ron had told her the Slytherin common room resided, but instead towards the Entrance Hall that led out onto the grounds, fingering his wand in the pocket of his Slytherin-crested robes.

The Gryffindor sixth years were all buzzing the next day. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had come back from Care of Magical Creatures class the previous day chattering excitedly about the unusually good lesson they'd had studying Hogwarts' very own giant squid.

It was with a considerably lighter heart that Hermione, along with Harry and Ron, stepped onto the grounds of Hogwarts heading towards their Care of Magical Creatures class. It was a surprisingly nice and warm day for the beginning of October.

The Slytherins had already gathered in front of Hagrid's hut. Hagrid stood in front of the students smiling broadly, waiting for the rest of the class to arrive. When everyone was present Hagrid began to speak.

"Alrigh' class," Hagrid beamed. "Got a real surprise fer yeh today! We're headed fer the lake. C'mon then, get a move on!" Hagrid, impatient to get the exciting lesson started, led the class to the lake where the giant squid was gliding lazily across the crystalline surface in the early October sun. "Now this is the giant squid. He was put in the lake in front o' Hogwarts fer sixth year students ter study in Care o' Magical Creatures classes, 'bout twenty years back. Righ' then, this squid is relatively passive, but the others like it are slightly violent."

Hermione had a dreadful feeling that 'slightly violent' really meant extremely dangerous. She saw Harry and Ron share a look that clearly said they had thought the same.

"This one here is almost fully grown. They can get to be about 70 feet from the top o' the head to the tip o' the tentacles. They reach maturity at abou' the age o' thirty an' can live up ter 200 years given the righ' conditions." Hagrid's back was to the colossal monster lounging in the cool water, otherwise he would have gotten a shock as the large tentacles rose out of the water to tower high above even Hagrid's head. There were many horrified gasps from the students.

Hagrid turned around, distracted by the students' unexpected reactions. He hollered and jumped out of the way as the tentacles reached out, probing the masses. The students turned and began to run from the prying tentacles.

They were too worried about getting out of the creatures way that they didn't notice the tentacles push others away reaching for Hermione Granger. She screamed as the slimy feeler curled around her slender waist, hoisting her off the ground. The squid recoiled its limbs having claimed its prize.

Hermione screamed and struggled against her slippery confinements. The circular suckers seemed to have latched onto her skin, ensuring that she didn't slip through its clutches and fall from its grasp. Hermione screamed louder, but she was so high in the air that she wasn't sure that anyone could hear her petrified shrieks. Hermione really didn't like heights.

The students stopped now that the danger was over. Not many people noticed that Hermione had disappeared. A few people had heard her scream, but they didn't realize it had taken her. Only four people noticed that Hermione was now flailing high in the air by the squid's slick tentacle being pulled down closer and closer to the glassy surface of the lake.

Harry and Ron turned shouting simultaneously as Hermione slipped under the surface. "Hermione!" They both bolted towards the lake, but someone had beaten them there and was diving into the lake headfirst. Neither Harry nor Ron, nor, it seemed any of the rest of the class, had seen who it was that had jumped in after Hermione.

Harry and Ron were about to follow suit when two very large hands prevented them from doing so. Harry turned around angrily. "Hagrid!" But Hagrid shook his huge hairy head, a look of utter disbelief on his face. "Yer not ter endanger yerselves! I'll go in there an' get her. Yer ter keep yer feet firmly on the ground till we get back," he told them sternly, backing up to dive in.

The icy water burned Draco's pale flesh. Hermione's frightened white face stood out in stark contrast against the deep blue water as she was dragged down into the nameless depths below. Suddenly, the water gave an almighty lurch, swerving Draco from his destination, as a much larger form dropped into the frosty water. It was Hagrid.

Draco knew that brainless oaf would jump in after Hermione and do the dirty work for him. Sure enough, Hagrid wrestled the tentacles that bound Hermione. The massive squid's long limbs kept lashing out at Hagrid, but it seemed to have released its hold of Hermione.

She floated away in the water, her head bobbing slightly. Draco swam over to Hermione his lungs burning due to lack of oxygen. He ripped off the sling with his left arm and freed his "injured" limb. Draco grabbed Hermione's limp body and struggled towards the surface. His chest felt as if it was about to explode if it didn't get oxygen soon. Draco pushed at the water with his right arm, holding on to Hermione's bulk with his left. He began to get frantic for air. There was a murky light just above his head. Draco pushed for it, and with one final kick of his legs, he surfaced, gulping in the crisp air.

Hermione surfaced as well, but her eyes were closed and she was very still. Draco swam over to the opposite shore of the lake, away from where the students were, hauling Hermione's lifeless body with him.

He reached the shoreline out of breath and pushed Hermione up before climbing up onto the welcoming earth himself. Draco muttered a few words pointing his wand at the lake and moments later Hagrid emerged out of breath and panting. He treaded over to the other students as the giant squid reappeared at the surface and began once again swimming back and forth, calmly and lazily.

Draco looked back at Hermione. She was not breathing. He pressed his wand tip to her abdomen. "Aetas metonio!" Hermione sputtered out water and took a few shaky mouthfuls of air.

"Malfoy? What—I mean—what happened?" she stammered, still coughing slightly. Draco looked into her deep eyes.

"You aren't to utter a word of this to anyone. Do you understand me Granger?" And before she could protest, he was gone making his solitary way up the sloping lawn and into the castle.

Hermione stood up sopping wet, with bits of grass clinging to her drenched body. On the other side of the lake, the students were gathered together speaking urgently to Hagrid. She supposed she had better get back to the class a few Slytherins hung back with smug expressions on their faces. Hermione made her way to the rest of the class, to tumultuous cheers and exclamations from the Gryffindors and Hagrid ("We thought we'd lost you!", "Are you alright, Hermione?"), but her mind was somewhere else; in the castle with a boy from Slytherin who hated her, but had just saved her life…

Whew! wipes brow I really hope you like this chapter. Writing this chapter has been my release from the real world. I must ask that I have you on my list and I take the time to email you so please take the time to review. I would appreciate it.