After Hours

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, if I did would I be writing this?

Chapter Two – 9:30 p.m.

Hermione's eyes went wide as she saw…

Large familiar fierce yellow eyes which shone eerily out of the dark. Small sharp pointy teeth were barred. Not to mention the four paws with five sharp claws each. The ears twitched on top of the head, turning in the direction of Hermione's gasp.

"Granger," Draco said looking towards Hermione. Hermione stared down at the animal in wonder.

"How did you get in here?" Hermione asked picking up Crookshanks and cooing to him gently.

"That thing belongs to you?" Draco asked in annoyance, taking in the strange appearance to the animal that he assumed was a cat.

"First of all he is not a thing, he is a cat. A gorgeous cat, aren't you baby," Hermione cooed at him again, petting his slightly squashed head. "You going to follow mummy baby?" She asked putting him down.

"Meow," Crookshanks said indignantly before leaping into Draco's arms.

"Traitor," Hermione muttered darkly under her breath as Crookshanks purred under Draco's touch. It figures, Hermione thought. She showered him with love and affection, bought him toys, fed him, and gave him everything a cat could want and to whom does he turn to? Draco Malfoy of course!

"I think your cat is a great judge of character Granger," Draco said smugly.

"Yeah, well that makes one of us," Hermione snapped striding forward. Draco placed Crookshanks down and he followed the tall blonde boy loyally.

"What are you looking for?"

Hermione ignored Draco as she continued to browse through the shelves. She knew it was here, she had put it there only a few moments ago. She glanced at her watch; it was only a few minutes past nine.

"Granger, I asked you a question," Draco said angrily.

"I'm looking for a book," Hermione said rolling her eyes.

"I never would have guessed," Draco sneered.

"Hogwarts: A History, it has a section on Hogwarts Library," she explained further.

"I know that," he snapped.

"I remember the first paragraph, but not what follows. I do know that it has something to do with some of the myths about what goes on in the Library after hours though." Hermione muttered titles to herself as she let her finger slide along the worn books. Some dust was disturbed in her search causing small puffs to roll into her face. After a few coughing fits she continued her search. Hermione froze as she stopped her finger over the spot where Hogwarts: A History should have been. It wasn't there though; instead there was just the familiar space that let her know that the book she was looking for was out.

"Granger, what's taking you so long?" Draco asked moving over to where the small witch was gazing over titles.

"It's not here! I swear that I put it right here!" She shrieked.

"Keep your voice down," Draco hissed, not wanting to attract that figure that they had seen earlier. He wanted to get out of this Library alive.

"Maybe I just put it back in the wrong spot," she muttered to herself. "It's not that books can just walk off by themselves."

Draco raised his eyebrow at this. Of course books can walk of by themselves, everyone knows that, he thought to himself. He could see the answer click in Hermione's honey brown eyes.

"Merlin, books can walk off by themselves, well in the magic world anyway," she said looking around worriedly. "We need that book. I'm positive that it can explain what is going on!"

THUMP!

They spun around to see that a book had fallen off the shelf. It was a worn green covered book, but Draco didn't get to have too close a look, because suddenly the book began to levitate and start moving towards them.

"DUCK!" Draco shouted quickly lying down onto the floor. Looking over he saw Hermione's eyes wide with wonder. The book zoomed over them and she quickly got up and began running after it.

"Where are you going?" He asked running after her, Crookshanks prancing after him.

"I'm following the book, it will lead us to Hogwarts: A History," she said as she quickly dropped her bag that she had been tugging along with her the entire time.

You know that it is serious when Hermione Granger leaves her books in the middle of the Library to run after a floating book, Draco thought as he raced after her.

"Why don't you just use your copy of Hogwarts: A History?" Draco asked after catching up to her.

"I left it at home," she said simply quickening her pace. "There!" She said pointing as the book hurtled around the corner.

They followed the book closer and closer to the center of the Library. Draco looked up at the large dark book shelves and raised his wand. Was it him or was the book getting higher up?

They rounded a corner and stopped as they looked around them. First of all they were lost. Second, they couldn't see the book any more. Third? They were somewhere in the middle of the Library, stuck with each other.

"Great going Granger, you got us lost," Draco sneered turning to the frizzy haired witch.

"I got us lost? We wouldn't even be in the Library after hours if it wasn't for you," Hermione said glaring daggers at the tall blonde. "You were the one who wasted time trying to insult me."

"Trying? I succeeded in insulting you. It was you who went off about Hogwarts: A History, so therefore it is your fault that we are stuck in here," Draco snarled. "Wait? Do you feel that wind?"

"I told you before the windows are closed, there is no…" But Hermione let her voice fade out as she felt a gust of air blow past her. "Where is that coming from?" She frowned. None of the windows were open, so where was the wind coming from?

The walls began to shake and the bookshelves trembled. Hermione looked up in horror at the large shelf in front of them that seemed as though it were about to topple over.

"Move," Draco snarled pushing her as her ran out of the aisle. They had moved just in time. The bookshelf tumbled down to the ground, which still quaked.

Hermione quickly scanned her memory for some reference to what could be happening. It can't be an earthquake, there is a spell to prevent earthquakes from happening on Hogwarts ground. Then what was it? Not a hurricane, tornado or twister, Hogwarts ground is protected from those too.

Like dominos all of the books shelves fell to the floor and Hermione watched with an expression of horror and disbelief. What was happening? The wind began to pick up and both teenagers began to stagger as they fought against the wind.

"Come on, we have to keep moving before another one falls," Draco said taking the lead as Hermione was lost in her thoughts. Hermione followed him without a second thought. She was so used to Ron and Harry taking the lead while she thought that it was almost like second nature.

"What could it be," Hermione said frowning.

"Granger, can you move any faster. I swear I'll leave you," Draco shouted back to her over the roar of the wind. Hermione shook her head, and ran to catch up. She'd figure out what was going on when they reached safe ground.

The wind began to pick up as shelves fell faster and faster, papers and books swirled around them and Hermione and Draco were forced to the ground on more then one occasion due to a particularly thick volume flying towards them.

Hermione paused and looked down at her watch nine thirty, it read in luminous numbers. She was thankful that she had put a charm on this watch so that it worked in a magical environment.

"Granger, watch out!" Draco cried out. Hermione looked up in alarm, she stood frozen in fear as the large bookshelf in front of her began to fall down towards her…

a/n Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I hope you liked this chapter! Yes, I did leave an evil cliffy, but that's what I love! So you get to find out what happens to poor Hermione as long as you REVIEW. See you for the next installment of After Hours.

silvertears