The Gryfinndor Common Room was packed. Obnoxious laughter ringing throughout the room. Some music playing and the lights dim. It was a party. With the drinking of Butter Beer and Pumpkin Juice. Fellow house members danced or played pranks on each other. One prank in particular involved The Boy Who Lived a plentiful serving of whipcream and his victorious, smirking fiery, red headed girlfriend. But Hermione Granger was nowhere to be seen.

As she walked down the corridor to the Library, she actually didn't mind that she had to tutor Malfoy. Because she hated parties. The noisy students, ungodly pranks... parties in general were horribly annoying to her. She always got roped into being at the weekend bashes by Ginny. Where she would then proceed to sit and read, and try not to hex someone to next weekend. But tonight, she had a free pass. Yes, she would have to deal with Malfoy, but it was better at a party at this point.

As she entered the Library she looked around, hoping to catch the Slytherin's platinum blonde hair. But she nothing of the sort. Instead, she was greeted by an empty, silent Library. Not even Madam Pence was there on the Friday night... and she was the librarian for Merlin's sake! Hermione sighed deeply and looked around, hoping Malfoy might be at the tables in the back.

As she walked that direction, they only thing she could hear was her feet, padding down the aisle. Along with the repetitive sound of the ticking clock. As she got to the tables in the back near the windows, she was frustrated to see them empty as well. She heard a shuffle from somewhere behind her and out of instinct whipped her wand out in that direction. The shuffle was heard again and Hermione cautiously moved stealthily in that direction. She was now in war mode, it had taken her over and she was ready. Just as she rounded the corner she pointed her wand at the figures neck, pressing it to their throat.

"Bloody hell Granger!" Shock was plastered to Malfoy's face as he put his hands up in surrender. "I mean I know you hate me but I didn't think you'd kill me!" Hermione was brought back into reality and wasn't sure if Malfoy was kidding or not.

"Sorry," she muttered, letting her arm drop to her side. "I just heard something and... acted on impulse." She sighed. Malfoy nodded, clearly understanding what she meant. "I don't hate you either... You spooked me, you bloody git!"

Malfoy let out a noise that sounded somewhere between a scoff and a laugh. She rolled her eyes and gestured a hand towards the tables in the back corner. Now silent, they walked over to the table and set down their messenger style school bags. Hermione pulled out a few books and looked over at him pointedly. Draco sighed loudly. But she raised an eyebrow and said, "What do you want to work on first?"

-*-

"Fluxweed" He answered proudly.

"Nope!"

"What? How could that be wrong?" Draco nearly yelled.

"Fluxweed," She stressed the word matter-a-factly, "Is in Pollyjuice Potion, not the Antidote for Veritaserum."

"You've got to be kidding me! How could I have switched that?" Malfoy slammed his book shut. Hermione was just thankful they were the only ones there so they could talk at the voice level they wanted without being shushed... and with the Slytherin's frustration she knew they would definitely be shushed.

"It's an easy mistake." She tried to calm his anger.

"Yes but it's also 6th year work, Granger."

"Well at least you're trying now!"

"Whatever... Are we done for the night?" He asked suddenly.

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows and looked to the large round clock upon the wall. It was nearly midnight and curfew was in a matter of minutes. Lucky for them it was the weekend and curfew was until midnight where on weekdays in was at only nine. With a nod they both stood and collected their things.

"When do you want to meet up next?" She asked carefully, knowing he still seemed to be seething.

"Whenever you're free, sometime this weekend I suppose... I'm not busy." Malfoy's temper seemed to calm fairly quickly.

"Alright, how ab-" but she was cut short by the darkness. With a sudden bone-chilling breeze the candles in the Library all flickered out within seconds, leaving them in darkness. Both of them instantly reached for their wands, muttering two separate Lumos Spells.

The room suddenly felt cold. Even in the midst of adrenaline Hermione noticed how abnormally close to Malfoy she had placed herself. She simply shook it off and focused on the problem at hand... What was happening? It was an eerie feeling that sat upon them. Both having been through a war, they felt their instinct kick in. It was nerve racking. The war was over! Weren't they supposed to be safe now? That was a stupid thought to think, Hermione reminded herself. They were never truly safe.

Draco himself noticed the closeness between him but he really didn't mind. In fact he wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt the strong urge to protect the bushy haired witch next to him. A swooshing noise was heard followed by a quiet clatter of books, coming from the opposite end of the Library.

"Did you hear-" Hermione began to speak but Draco's hand flew over her mouth. He muttered I quiet 'shh' in her ear, sending chills down her spine. He gently pulled her backwards, hiding them behind a bookshelf. Both of them extinguished the tips of their wands, the room going fully dark. The only light being the moon, shining through the windows. They both looked in the direction of the noises, peering between the shelving. Both of them forgetting the fact that Draco's hand was still over her mouth, his arm caging her against him. Hermione did however, note that the room was cold, but warmth was radiating off the man who held her against him.

But before she could think too much about it, she felt like any life had left the room. The feeling of depression was overwhelming. Coming from the other side of the room, floated a Dementor. How could it be here? In the castle? Her mind raged with questions. She felt Draco go stiff. The Dementor turned their way and Hermione was quick to rid Draco's hand and yell a "Expecto Patronum!" Blasting the creature back and out of the Library.

"Are you alright?" She turned to him. He gave her a quick nod.

"How are they here?" He asked, his mind clearly reeling like hers. They began walking towards the exit of the Library.

"I don't know! But we need to tell Professor McGonagall, or at least a teacher." Hermione said, now bounding down the hall with Draco hot on her trail.

"But how did it get in? What if-" this time Draco was interrupted, "Granger..." he grabbed her hand and she turned towards him, now seeing the Dementor headed their way. She cursed under her breath before trying to find a happy memory and shouting the spell.

They began running down the hall, hands intertwined, "There's clearly more than one... The question is how are they here?" Hermione spoke as they neared the Head Mistress' office.

As the turned down the corridor they were greeted by multiple of the dark cloaked figures. Hermione managed to get two off of their trail but it wasn't long before more had come. "Malfoy! Do something!" She yelled at him for just standing there.

"Ex-expecto Patronum!" he yelled. A flicked emitted from his wand but wasn't enough to get rid of the Dementor which was now mere feet from him. He kept yelling the spell, clearly trying very hard, but with no avail. Hermione saw out of the corner of her eye, and shot another spell at the one nearing her. She whipped around and blasted the Dementor just after it began extracting the happiness from Malfoy himself. Though the Dementor was only on him for a few moments, it was enough to make Malfoy collapse to his knees. Even just a few moments is enough to knock the strongest to the ground.

"Malfoy!" she cried, grabbing his hand, "come on, you gotta get up! We have to get out of here!" He rose to his feet but looked like he could pass out any moment. "Come on, there you go." She muttered to him quietly, while swinging his arm over her shoulders and moving on their way towards the Office.

Shooting a spell behind them, Hermione managed to get Draco to the Gyrffin. But by the time they got there, it dawned on her that they had no password. Completely flustered in what to do, Hermione knocked her fist against the Gryffin over and over, praying it would work. She could see the dark cloaked figures coming closer down the hall. She shot another spell their way, and pulled Draco closer to her and the door.

They were both weak. Both ready to collapse. Mentally and physically exhausted and ready to give up. But they kept rapping their knuckles against the golden Gryffin. "Please! Open up!" Draco yelled, his voice was hoarse, and she could tell just how close he was to giving out.

As the Dementors neared again the Gyffin finally began turning, revealing the spiral staircase up into the Head Mistress' office. They both hurried up the stairs, Hermione shooting one final spell in the Dementor's direction and getting to the office itself.

When they did, both of them were heaving with deep breaths. Draco was visibly shaking and just as he made it to the center of the room, he collapsed onto the ground. Cursing, Hermione bent down next to him, placing his head and upper torso on her lap, "Malfoy?" He had gone unconscious. She cussed under her breath yet again. "Malfoy come on, stay with me! For Merlin sake, Draco!"

Draco could hear her words, hear her call him by his first name, and feel her next to him. But he just didn't have enough energy to open his eyes, let alone move a muscle. He wanted to. He wanted to reassure her and tell her he was alright. But he just couldn't move.

"Dear Merlin, Miss Granger what is going on here?" Professor McGonagall yelled, bolting down the stairs from her room above her office.

"Professor, he needs help! Please!" Hermione cried, a few tears running down her face at this point.

"What is going on?" The woman yelled.

"Dementors! They're everywhere! Malfoy and I were studying in the Library when we saw it was close to curfew. But then, the Dementors showed up! We faced at least a dozen, probably more!" Hermione explained.

"First off get the boy off the floor, put him on that sofa." McGonagall ordered before running around the room to grab random items. Hermione used her wand and levitated Draco over to the couch and gently placed him down."I'll get the other teachers and alert the student body. You two stay here, you'll be safe but keep your wands within reach. As for him he should wake soon if you give him this." She handed the girl a potion and mental container of chocolate, "You should eat a few too."

"Alright professor, I'll make sure we're both safe." Hermione said taking the vile and jar of chocolates. She placed it on the table near Malfoy and sat herself down next to him on the edge of the couch.

"If anything goes wrong, go out this door," She pulled undid the lock and pulled the handle, "I'll be back. Stay safe you two." And with that, the older which disappeared out the small door she told her about.

"Bloody Hell Malfoy... What is happening?"