All Hail the Queen! Everything you can recognise is Queen Rowling's. The love for Dramione is mine! ^_^

~NOT A SUCH A SMOOTH SAIL~

"This trip would be so much fun for you Mione." grumbled Ron.

"Hey! I asked you and Harry to come. Don't be all low now." Hermione reprimanded.

"Ron, you really need to train for your Quidditch match next week and I have my Auror duties to perform. I would have loved to go too but quit sulking" Harry added as he walked alongside his best friends.

The trio halted to a stop at port of Southampton and a huge cruise ship loomed over them. This ship was to set sail today, to the port of Civitavecchia in Rome, her cruise destination.

"You'll be gone for two weeks Hermione, alone in this cruise. Let us come to protect you." Ron stated making a move towards the cruise.

"Ronald! Since when have you been protecting me?" she asked glaring making air quotes with her fingers on the word protecting.

Harry stepped in just in time to cover Ron's mouth and effectively silencing his retort. "He's an Idiot Mione. You are obviously good enough on your own." Lucky for Harry, he had learned to hide his true emotions in his Auror training as even he was concerned about his best friend but didn't want to annoy Hermione with it.

But Hermione still saw through his facade, she turned and hugged him tight "Oh Harry, I know even you are worried about me but I need this to happen. I need to get away from here. I want something fun to happen something so unlike me that I shock my own self! I promise to return to you guys in one piece!"

Harry relaxed visibly and he smiles genuinely. "Go give them hell Hermione!"

"Yeah. Bring us gifts!" Ron added and they hugged briefly.

Hermione waved them bye from the deck and went in to find her suite.

It would be a lie to say that she wasn't worried but then she had to do this to break the monotony of her life. She had joined as an intern in St. Mungo's and has for two years now given her everything to become a healer. After the completion of this duration her mentor had made her take a break to freshen up before she could join the job and she had accepted. She reminded herself that she is a witch and she would not let anything happen to her. As she moved along the corridor absentmindedly she collided with someone unexpectedly and lost her balance taking down the other person with her.

"Ouch! You moronic blind fool!" exclaimed a voice.

Hermione began apologising when she noticed who she had collided with.

"Malfoy!? You? YOU!? Well I am absolutely NOT sorry. Are you freaking blind!?"

"What the hell! You were the one who came in headfirst at me. I know I am delicious but control yourself!" Scoffed Malfoy.

Hermione snorted with derision "Even my dead body wouldn't be finding you delicious, ferret!"

"Whatever Granger, keep lying to yourself!" Draco smirked at her, got up and left leaving an infuriated Hermione buried in her luggage strewn all over the floor.

Hermione screamed in frustration and packed up her bag again she had half a mind to deboard when she heard the announcement "This is your captain, we have left the port and are now making our way to the beautiful city of Rome. Please enjoy the cruise!"

"Oh great! Now I am stuck with Malfoy. Wish I would have stayed back with Harry and Ron" she entered her room grumbling to herself and cursing her luck. So much for relaxation.

Draco had planned this trip in the last minute and only because Hermione was taking this cruise. Since the war he had seen Hermione in new light and he was fascinated with her bravery and selfless concern for others. He felt infinitely ashamed of his actions and regretted his upbringing and helplessness. Few months later he was sent to St. Mungo's to serve his sentence. He was to aid in any way the healers asked him to. That was when he had seen Hermione for the first time after the war and she was enthusiastic jotting down what all the healer was telling her. He felt a little odd that someone should be this involved in her work but admired her nonetheless. Slowly he realised that whenever he would catch a glimpse of her he'd stall or retrace his steps to observe her. Sometimes she'd be laughing with a patient to make him comfortable and Draco would feel himself smiling or she'd be crying in solitude when the patient's pain was even too much for her, somehow Draco found himself wanting to hold her on these particular days. In these two years she had become his need. Draco never found it difficult to accept that he'd fallen for Hermione as broken as he was, he needed any amount of affection to keep himself strong.

He never ever talked to Hermione though. He knew it wasn't his place to approach her, he'd always maintain his cold demeanor around her. Tease her and throw in snide comments whenever he'd be around her. He wasn't proud of this but he was scared of her reaction if he appeared as soft.

Hermione plopped down on her bed and sighed in resignation. Why was Draco always mean to her? It wasn't like she had done something personal to hurt him. She was also confused because many times she'd caught him staring at her and he wasn't the rude Draco she knew. He was vulnerable and awed but his silver eyes hardened the moment she'd take a proper look.

"Such an ass! Hate that snobbish confusing pathetic stupid ferret face!" she exclaimed punching the pillow.

Draco went over to the reception area of the ship and asked for the concierge.

"I would like to pick the keys to my suite, Draco Malfoy."

"Certainly sir, give me a moment." He bowed respectfully.

After hunting for the keys for a good time a baffled and apologetic concierge came to Draco. "Sir, we seem to have lost the keys to your room sir. This has never happened before but we are so sorry for the inconvenience. This is shameful on our part sir." He stuttered.

"Never mind! Give me another room." Draco said with nonchalance.

"So-Sorry sir, we don't have any other room available. We are extremely sorry sir! " he whimpered as Draco gave his death glare.

"What am I supposed to do now you careless man! Do I sleep on the deck?" he raged.

"Sir, you can adjust with one of the passengers we have, we'll personally request the person you name."

"Well then give me-" Suddenly the ship rocked to a side and the side table moved from it's place and hit Draco on his knee. Draco stumbled but caught himself before he hit the ground. "Shit! It hurt my knee." Two bell boys rushed towards Draco and steadied him and picked him up.

Meanwhile the concierge keyed in Draco's new room on his computer. "What did he say before he fell? Yeah! It's Hermione. Yes we do have such a passenger" he debated with himself and hit Enter.

To Draco he announced "We have processed your request sir, suite 215 it is! Our apologies for the trouble, sir."

He dusted his jacket and stood up straight. "Very well. The room service better be good."

With that he went off to find his place, on locating the suite he knocked on the door and was shocked to see the person who opened the door. "Granger?!"

"What in the world is wrong with today? Why do I keep bumping into you beaver? Are you following me?" Draco questioned Hermione.

"You psycho ass! This is my suite. MY! So better get the hell out of here!"

"Sorry miss bucktooth, this suite has been given to me too now. Go ask the desk if you have doubts" Draco didn't want to call her names but it was important for his personality.

Hermione looked incredulously at Draco for 10 seconds before storming off to the desk.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, you daft!?" she screamed at the concierge.

"What is this pig doing in my room?"

The concierge looked ready to melt and suffer a mental breakdown under her glare.

"Ma'am, sir specifically requested for a room with you!"

"WHAT!?" Hermione shrieked and rounded at Draco. This put an end to Draco's smirking.

"This is crazy! I never specifically ASKED for her room!" Draco boomed.

"But sir you said so right after you hurt you knee" the concierge looked scared to death.

Draco's face nothing but confusion when he looked from the Hermione to the concierge and back. It took a minute for realisation to dawn on his face.

"I exclaimed I hurt my knee you daft! I wasn't placing my request!"

"Oh! My mistake again sir! Shit! Sorry ma'am and sir!"

"Change his room please. Right now" Hermione demanded after witnessing the exchange.

"It can't be done now ma'am, the networks went down some 5 minutes again and I can't access the guest list to try and alter anything" he looked on the verge of tears.

Hermione relaxed and took pity on the poor man. "Dammit, alright we'll manage."

Hermione turned to make it back to her room grudgingly and a secretly smiling Draco followed.

Did anyone notice how wily our Draco is? Please R & R! ^_^