After Midnight part one

Chapter two

Well now you've done it, thought Hermione, glaring at her revision timetable.

"Don't save it 'til later, you big second rater" it called feebly as she slammed it shut. She looked hopelessly around the dark library. How could I have been so foolish, she thought, rubbing her tired eyes.

Exams started on Monday and she had never felt less prepared. Not even last year, when she had spent much of her OWLs revision time juggling the DA, S.P.E.W., and Ron's quidditch woes, had been this bad.

Harry was completely losing it trying to prove Draco Malfoy was up to something nefarious, and the boys quidditch had been a disaster all year. She was spending half her energy on trying to make sure they scraped passing grades. Why couldn't they put half as much energy into their school work as they did into worrying about who was going to win that silly cup?

"Haven't even been using the revision timetables I got them," she grumbled, although perhaps that was for the best, considering.

Her own timetable had been playing up recently. She'd been using it for the past two years without issue, but now its magic appeared to be running out. Just yesterday it had failed to remind her to eat any lunch until quarter past two. A minor inconvenience. Tonight however she had been so engrossed in her ancient runes textbook that she hadn't noticed (or been noticed, tucked away as she was into a dark quiet nook behind the history of magic archives) that the library had closed. The book hadn't piped up with its usual "use your head, get early to bed," and so she had read on by the light of her wand for nearly three hours after she was supposed to be back in the common room.

Hurrying to fit her books back into her bag as neatly as possible, she ran a hand through her unkempt hair. She would just have to skip lunch tomorrow. That way she would have time to catch up on her arithmancy and finish Snape's homework. She just prayed that Ron and Harry had had the good sense not to go to bed without at least starting on their transfiguration essay.

As quietly as she could Hermione tiptoed between the walls of books and out into the dark corridor, her footsteps echoing in the deserted halls.

Thank heavens for the nearly full moon, she thought. Without it she wouldn't be able to see a hand in front of her face without the light of her wand. Nothing would get her caught like brandishing a lumos charm after midnight.

At least she felt fairly confident about her ancient runes now that she had studied them for 3 hours longer that expected. Although now that she thought about it she couldn't remember whether the rune for partnership ought to be eihwaz or ehwaz. Or was it erwaz? That didn't sound right. She would have to look it up tomorrow, if she had time between transfiguration and dinner.

Suddenly she crashed into something so hard she was nearly knocked to the ground. She had walked straight into a tall dark figure, which was now clutching its face and swearing loudly.

She felt a thrill of horror. Her immediate thought was that it must be a teacher, or perhaps Filch the caretaker, patrolling the nighttime halls, but some of the more choice expletives quickly convinced her that this must be a student.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you and I lost track of time in the library! I'm sorry are you ok?"

"I think you broke my nose"

"I am so so sorry!" she cried, starting forward to examine the damage. "Do you need to go the the hospital wing?"

The figure slapped her hands away and continued to swear. "What the hell are you doing out here Granger?" he spat nastily, and suddenly Hermione realised who she had crashed into.

She bristled. "I could ask the same thing of you Malfoy," she said coldly, "curfew was hours ago! You should be in your common room!"

She could see him clearer now. Still holding his nose, he looked more exhausted and pale than ever in the moonlit corridor. And angry.

"I don't need you to tell me school rules!" he snapped, still holding his nose. "I am a prefect too, in case you forgot."

Hermione was about to retort when a harsh mewling reached her ears. Already knowing what she would see she turned her head slowly to see Mrs Norris Filch's cat.

As though realising she had been spotted the cat turned and stalked in the opposite direction, presumably in search of her master.

She heard Draco swear again and without warning he grabbed her wrist, yanking her down the empty hallway.

Startled by the sudden movement she shrieked loudly, nearly loosing her footing once again.

"What the hell are you doing!?" she cried. "Get off me!"

"Shut up!" he hissed. "I am not in the mood to get caught because of your clumsy ass!"

She tried to pry her hand from his grasp but he held firm, pulling her suddenly to the right into a narrow hallway. Hermione recognised it at once as the one housing the trick tapestry that she and Ginny had hidden behind after Slughorn's Christmas party, while trying to avoid Cormac Maclaggan's tipsy attentions.

Lifting the heavy fabric aside Draco slipped behind, dragging a furious Hermione with him.