Hermione Malfoy

XII

"Draco it is not due next week it is due tomorrow!" says Hermione laughing as she tells him for the 100th time as they are patrolling the library floor the following week.

"No it is not! I swear Professor said it was due at the beginning of the week next week!" he retaliates.

"Yea... she said that last week! Meaning the due date is this week!" she yells back. "Can you just admit I am right?" she says as she gives him the look she gives him every time this happens.

"I cannot... I'm going to do the work but you're still not right." he says back with a smirk.

"You are so-"

*CRASH*

They both whip around to face the library where they heard the crash come from. They run over to see the restricted section door wide open and the lantern shattered on the floor a few feet back.

As they are walking over Hermione notices a few rocks on the floor near the door but doesn't think much of it as she continues to follow Draco into the restricted section. As Draco is looking around, Hermione can see that one of the books was taken as there is a gap. The question on her mind is which one and why was it so important.

"Hermione!!" she years Draco yell from the hall. She runs out as she sees him running down the corridor. She runs after him, wand at the ready.

Just as Draco gets to the end of the hall and turns the mysterious black hooded intruder is gone.

"How in the hell is this thing getting in and out of here so fast! It's as if it poofs out of no where! Apparition isn't even possible in Hogwarts!" Draco says exasperated.

"I have no idea love, I didn't even see it." she says back.

"It is just a black hooded something. When I called your name out, it had just turned the corner. We were around the corner five seconds later."

"Come on let's look around they might be around somewhere." Hermione says as they start searching the school.

After searching all they could that night they didn't find anything but two fifth years trying to shag in the hall. Two nights detention and 20 points from Hufflepuff later, once they knew the intruder wasn't there they went to McGonagall to discuss what happened.

As the Headmistress is talking to Hermione and Draco, they are all at a loss for what is going on here.

Draco and the Professor are discussing the details of the encounter as Hermione is trying to think about what book was missing and why someone is going to such lengths to get a book.

"I truly don't know why someone keeps breaking in. I wonder if it's a student or someone from the outside. Surely it can't be someone from the outside?" Draco asks McGonagall.

"There's no way a person could make it into this school. Not after the precautions we put in place after the war. But whatever is going on here, I sure hope it is nothing going on in the dark that we cannot find out."

'Dark... that's it! Secrets of the Darkest Arts was there just last week. They must have taken that one, I had been in that section just a few days ago looking for a specific book for DADA!' Hermione thought to herself.

"That's it!" she exclaims as she stands up from her chair looking at McGonagall.

"Miss Granger?" the headmistress questions.

"The book, there was one slanted on the shelf in front of the broken lantern. I assumed a book had to have gone missing as I was just in that section with Malfoy not but two days ago! Then it hit me, the book gone is 'Secrets of the Darkest Arts'. It was right next to the book I put back, I know that is what's gone." Hermione says.