Written for the All Year Long Competition round 1, the If You Dare Challenge prompt #173 (a traveler's tale), the OT3 Boot Camp prompt #14 (adventure) and the Ultimate OTP Competition for word.

Trespasser or Thief

"What's your business here?" she asked, arms crossed over her chest. The man to her side held a knife to the trespassers throat, an eyebrow cocked waiting for an explanation.

"Really? I jump on your boat out in the middle of nowhere and you ask what sort of business I have?" he asks, looking between the pair. Blond eyebrows arched up, an obvious sign that he was unimpressed. "And here I thought you were a smart one, Miss."

"I'd watch myself," said the guy to her left, an Italian with dark skin. "Captain Granger can get a bit insane when you question her intelligence."

"I do not," she snapped, looking between the two men. "Blaise, don't spread around rumors like that. Now tell me, what exactly is your name, trespasser? Or maybe you're simply a thief."

"Now you're getting a bit witty," he replied, rolling silver eyes. "It's Malfoy, if you care to know. And my business is my own, though I do fancy myself as more of a traveler than a thief."

"My boat is rarely docked," she snapped, glaring at him. "It's heavily guarded, yet you somehow snuck on. Explain how you did that! No one has ever accomplished such a feat before."

His eyes twinkled, and he purposefully placed them behind his head, eyeing her. "You're not an ordinary band of pirates, are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that your adventures are extraordinary, your treasures unmatched. They are feats that could not be accomplished by any regular mortal."

Hermione exchanged a glance with her first mate Blaise. "And?"

"From one pirate to another, or should I say, witch-"

"Bite your tongue!" she snapped, slamming her hands on the table in front of her. "We do not say such things here."

"Because it's true," he grinned, looking between the pair. "I didn't just stumble onto this specific ship by chance you know. I knew you would be docked here."

"And if you think you know about such things, then what exactly is it that you want?" Blaise asked, eyeing the blond tensely. He saw the man's eyes drift over the captain, and involuntarily stepped closer to her.

"I see you have a fancy for her," Malfoy commented, nodding his head towards the captain. "I can see why. She's a pretty one."

"Bite your tongue," Hermione snapped before her first mate could interject. "So you're a wizard, how interesting. But what would a wizard wand on this pirate ship?"

The blond shrugged, before pulling his hands from behind his back. The blade on his neck tightened, and he shot Blaise a look. "You're binds were made for a muggle, not a wizard. You should be more prepared for the unexpected."

"And what do you have to share?"

He smirked, pulling out something from his back pocket. Setting it down on the table in front of them, he leaned back pleasantly in his chair. "You're interested in treasure, right?"

"I believe all pirates are," Hermione snapped, picking up the photograph. "This is a photo of Bermuda, specifically the Bermuda Triangle. That's on the other side of the bloody world!"

"It's just across the ocean," he huffed rolling silver eyes. "You're not only pirates, but you're wizards. That should make the ocean seem like nothing more than a pond!"

"What's in Bermuda?" Blaise asked, slowly lowering the blade. The captive laughed, looking between the two.

"What isn't in Bermuda? It's the land of the lost. Things disappear there. But if you can find why things keep disappearing, just imagine what you might be able to do. Can you imagine what's hiding there?"

Hermione tapped her lip, studying the photograph. "There are age-old tales about Bermuda you know. The treasures within, how to safely get inside-"

"There's one about manipulating sex," Malfoy laughed, causing the captain to glare. "Come now, you can't tell me you've never heard the bit about the threesome entrance?"

"I don't even want to know what that is," she grumbled, shaking her head. "Getting in would be dangerous, and getting out would be even harder. And you expect me to risk the lives of my entire crew for a chance fluke some thief gave me?"

"Traveler, not a thief."

"Oh, whatever you are," she hissed. "It's a big jump you're asking me to take from a common stranger. And what good would it do me? We might all just end up dead."

"You don't need to seem so surprised, captain. You're pirates, death is something you face on a daily basis."

"I'm sure you're all too familiar with it."

"Trust me, I am. So what say you? Just tell me what you think, and I'll be on my way."

"You expect me to come up with an answer, just like that?!"

He laughed, sitting back to stare at the two. "I think the promise of adventure and discovering a new land will push you to try this out. I can see the twinkle there in your eye. I just need to know if you're going to go for it or not. You haven't even heard my big plan yet."

"Big plan?"

"Of course," Malfoy laughed, shaking his head at Blaise's question. "One does not simply march into the Bermuda Triangle unprepared, when we barely know what will happen. But I suppose if you need some time I can-"

"Tell me your plan," Hermione boomed, cutting him off. Both men paused, turning to stare at her. It was several moments before Malfoy let out a hearty laugh.

"Well, that was fast. What made you change your mind?"

Her lip twitched, and he was far too amused by her irritation. "I'm just interested in what hair-brained scheme you've come up with."

The blond nodded, sitting forward in his chair. "Then listen closely Miss, because this is as hair-brained as it gets."

A/n: Written as a stand-alone story. There is no continuation.