Chapter One

--

Light

-- -- -- --

The scenery flashed by as the Hogwarts Express sped across the countryside, though there wasn't much to see. The windows were black with the storm. Torrents of rain hammered against the glass, the pounding of water on the train nearly deafening.

It went unnoticed as students laughed in their compartments and ran up and down the train trying to find others they knew. The din that erupted put even the raging tempest outside to shame.

Harry and Ginny were flirting shamelessly, and Ron was stuffing his face, conveniently looking at everything but them. As the their conversations grew more and more boisterous, Hermione became more and more vexed. She tried hopelessly to concentrate on her book, but Ron kept tossing snacks at her and Ginny kept knocking into her whilst trying to escape from Harry, who apparently had taken to tickling the poor girl to death. The three watched as Hermione slammed her book shut and, without a word, left. After the compartment door shut, they all shrugged and went back to whatever it was they were doing.

Hermione made her way towards the back of the train. Progress was slow due to the crowds running this way and that, but when she finally reached her destination she was rewarded to find one compartment that no one was running in and out of. She opened the door and found it already occupied.

He didn't look up.

He didn't say a word.

He only continued reading the volume in his hand, eyes never leaving its pages.

"Um, may I sit here?" Hermione asked quietly.

The only response was a small nod.

Hermione sat down opposite the boy in the seat closest to the door, tucking her legs under her. She flipped open her book, but found herself studying the boy with whom she shared the quiet.

His hair was messy, like Harry's, though purposefully so. It was a dark shade of brown just bordering black. His long legs were stretched out resting on the seat across from him. One arm was propped up against the window, hand resting on his temple, only moving every once in a while to turn the page. He had already changed into his school uniform, but his house crest was hidden within the folds of his robes. Strands of hair fell over his eyes, hiding them from view, and the rest of his face was expressionless.

He seemed familiar, yet she couldn't put her finger on just who he was.

Hermione whipped around as the door burst open.

"Zabini, you in here?"

The all to familiar form of Draco Malfoy stepped in, without Crabbe or Goyle.

"A little reading club with the Mudblood? How cute." Malfoy's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Blaise Zabini continued reading, his words quiet, yet forceful.

"Pansy and Millicent are looking for you," he answered, "Though, 'hunting' seems to be the better word."

"Thanks," Zabini muttered.

Without marking his spot, he closed his book and set it aside. He reached for his neck and pulled out a thin chain on which was hanging a small charm. Before Hermione could get a better look at it, Blaise had enclosed it in his hand. His lips moved silently, as if chanting, eyes closed in concentration.

Hermione held back a gasp as the air began to shimmer with a bright silver light. More light was escaping from Blaise's hand. She could almost see the outline of the charm as it glowed from within Blaise's tight grip. She had to squint as the silver light solidified and formed a sort of net, a ward, around the compartment.

"Should you really have done that?" Draco asked, motioning towards Hermione, who was rubbing the spots from her eyes.

Blaise only shrugged, carefully tucking the charm back under his robes.

"Later."

Hermione looked up and noticed the net was still there; only it had dulled a bit, not so blinding anymore. As Draco left, she watched him walk right through it.

"Watch it Granger, don't want to choke on a fly," he said as the door slid shut.

She could hear the voices of the two Slytherin girls questioning Malfoy.

The door opened again and Pansy stuck her head in. She looked around for a minute then left.

"It's empty. Come on, Milly, let's try up front."

Once the footsteps faded, Hermione turned to face Blaise. She stared at him for a moment, noticing the charm didn't glow anymore, before finding her voice.

"What was that?"

He didn't look up from his book and answered absentmindedly, "A ward so that anyone coming in would only see an empty room."

"Not that. I mean the silver light."

For the first time, he turned to face her. He studied her as he unconsciously fingered the charm through his robes.

Hermione was suddenly shy under Blaise's scrutiny and turned her gaze away, feeling heat rising to her face.

He stood up, still staring. He turned away and paused at the door and said, "We're almost at Hogsmeade," and left.

Hermione, confused at first, then realized she still hadn't changed and rushed to pull on her robes. As she ran out to find Harry and Ron, the silver net disappeared. She turned, then quickly went back to the empty hall.

Deep in thought, Hermione ran over a few first years whilst not paying attention to the world around her.

"Hermione!"

She looked up and saw her friends shoving through the crowd to reach her.

"Where were you?"

"Yeah, you just sort of disappeared."

"Did Malfoy bug you? Can we pound him to a pulp?"

"No, Ron, to both questions!"

"But…"

"NO!"

All thoughts of Blaise Zabini and the silver light left her as she laughed with her friends and headed off to the castle.

-- -- -- --