Hello, I am happy to say that I am back after a very long time. A few things before we get started, I am in need of a beta so if you like what you read and would like to be a part of the magic please contact me. Also my user name has now changed from AlphaOmegaLove to HouseExcelsior.
Summary: Draco and Hermione find themselves in the US after a mix up during the Battle of Hogwarts. Can they learn from one another? Or will they end up killing each other before they get back to England? Rated MA for mature content.
Draco was warm, too warm. What was going on? The last thing he remembered was the second wave of fighting breaking out at Hogwarts that morning. He could hear the sound of water lapping gently at the shore. I must be by the lake. He opened his eyes slowly trying to get his bearings but all he could see was blackness. His cloak was covering his head. He could see a squint of sunlight streaming through one of the breaks of the fabric. That's odd. He thought, the sun's nearly at noon. It was early morning last I remember. Draco was on edge now trying to assess the situation he seemed to face. He slowly lowered the cloak so he could peak out. He wasn't at the lake, well not the lake at Hogwarts anyhow. Everything was brighter here and he could make out a plethora of lake houses and boats. Wide-awake and aware now he sat up drawing the cloak from his body, barely able to stand the warmth anymore. "Petrificus Totalus!" Draco was down again, his eyes searching for the witch or wizard that cursed him. He wanted to close his eyes to block out the glare from the midday sun but was unable to because of the bloody curse. Suddenly as if his prayers were answered a figure moved to block the sun, helping him out of his current predicament yet ultimately inhibiting his view of his attacker. The figure aimed their wand at Draco once more but this time said no words. He could feel large coils spring out of the wand and wrap themselves around him and he could feel the previous curse being lifted. "Who the bloody hell are you?" His eyes slowly adjusted and he saw that his attacker was none other than Hermione Granger.
"Granger! What the hell is going on here?" He struggled trying to get out of the restraints but it was proving futile. Instead he resolved to figure out why he was with Granger, wherever they happened to be. "Alright listen up Malfoy, the war is over. Voldemort is dead and I have been charged with keeping you here until the ministry could figure out what to do with you." She explained gently. A million thoughts began to run through his brain but the most important one he couldn't seem to stop from pouring out of his mouth. "My mother, Granger, is she ok? What happened to her?" Hermione used her wand to help him sit up onto what he realized is a dock. She sat down cross-legged and looked him in the eyes. "Your mother is fine, many details about what happened are still coming in but as far as I can tell, she saved Harry which allowed him to finally kill Voldemort. Your mother is a hero, she will not be prosecuted but the ministry is trying to figure out how her good decisions will affect you and your prosecution." Draco let that sink in. He was guilty, on the wrong side of the war but yet his mother may have secured his freedom. "And my father?" his tone went completely cold Hermione had noticed and she wondered if he would even be affected by what she was about to say. "Your father is dead, killed in battle by fellow death eaters." She whispered, she watched the emotion or rather lack of play across his face. After what seemed like a lifetime to Hermione he broke the awkward silence with a simple utterance of "oh." Not wishing to dwell anymore on his now deceased father or hero mother, he elected to take in his surroundings instead. Looking ashore he ascertained that the house directly in front of him was where Granger had intended them to be staying. "Where exactly are we Granger?" He watched her cool demeanor slip into what looked like nerves. "Well, um, there is something you need to know. We aren't at Hogwarts anymore, in fact we aren't in England anymore." She said bashfully. "What do you mean 'not in England'? Where the fuck are we Granger?" "America, North America. Michigan actually."
Draco had never even heard of Michigan, he could scarcely believe that she had apparated across the Atlantic not only by herself but with side along apparation as well. She really was incredibly powerful. He would have to keep that in mind. He tried to calm down to keep questioning her but she went on ahead before he could voice any queries. "This house belongs to a distant relative of mine, muggle of course but don't worry nobody is here." She seemed to realize how that simple sentence could shift the power between them so she quickly corrected herself. "Just because no one is here, don't get any ideas, Malfoy. As I have said before the ministry has charged me with holding you here until they can sort out the mess so don't you dare try to escape, besides you don't even have a wand." Draco tried in vain to search his pockets but remembered the ropes holding him in place. "Granger, if I don't even have a wand, don't you think we can drop the restraints and be civilized?" Hermione almost snorted in laughter. "Civilized? You?" but luckily she dropped the curse and Draco began to stretch out his sore limbs. When he finally got back on his feet Hermione began to lead the way up from the dock and into the backyard. They walked up a deck and into a sliding glass door and slipped into a sunroom. From there he followed her through another glass door and into what looked like a living room. "This is my cousins vacation home. They never come here this time of year but they keep the house well stocked." She explained. Draco looked around skeptically. "So they have servants?" Hermione threw him a scathing look. "No they do not have slaves Malfoy. Slavery in America has been abolished for some time now." Draco threw his hands up in mock apology. "Well excuse me Granger, they just seem wealthy is all. 'Though how any muggles can be wealthy is beyond me, the bunch of heathens.' Granger began to give him the tour of the house starting in the basement where they were standing. The basement living area lead into an office, a kitchenette, two bedrooms, a bath and a sauna. Then she took him up the stairs into the formal living room. The whole house had an open floor plan and he could easily spot the kitchen and dining room upon their ascension. The house hosted a massive wrap around deck giving Draco a view of the lake and dock he was just assaulted on. Over by the front door was the master bedroom. "I'll take this room I suppose." Draco exclaimed confidently. "Oh no you don't Malfoy, I will stay in this rom, there are at least four more beds upstairs you can take." Sulkily he followed her on the rest of the tour and picked a dark bedroom with the curtains drawn. 'Typical' she thought to herself. When the tour was over and they found themselves in the living room again Draco tried his luck. "So where is my wand Granger?" "Uh yeah like that's going to happen Malfoy, besides your wand got trampled this morning during the fighting." A thought crossed his mind. "Were we dueling?" he inquired. Oddly enough he saw her tense up. "Never you mind who was fighting whom, we are here now and that's all that matters. Now I suggest we clean ourselves up and figure out what we are going to do until we go back to London. There are clean clothes in all the drawers, something should fit you." And with that she left him alone trying to figure out how exactly a muggle house with no servants works.
Draco had finally figured out how to turn on the shower. He was all alone now and his mind began to wander to his mother. Tears started to well up in his eyes as he imagined her sacrificing herself for him. At least she was alright. Then he thought of her being all alone. It was true that she loved Lucius once upon a time but the recent house arrest with all of them and the dark lord had changed everything. Just as Draco hated his father for what he had become and forced them to become as well, his mother fell out of love with Lucius because of his toxic personality and lack of concern for his wife and only son. His mother would be alright eventually he determined, but Draco had no idea who he was now that Lucius was dead. He spent the majority of his life either looking up to his father or trying his damnedest not to become him. Either way Lucius had been a beacon of sorts in Draco's life. But now he was gone, killed by his own 'brothers' for his cowardice no doubt. Draco was angry with Lucius, he had been angry for so long and now he never got to tell Lucius to fuck off. Draco began punching the tiles in the shower wall, not giving a damn if anyone could hear. He yelled and screamed and punched until his knuckles were bloody. When he had no more tears left and the water ran cold on his skin he collected himself and got out of the shower. After finding something suitable to wear he went off in search of Granger.
Hermione had just settled into the bathtub of the master bath. The bubbles came up to her chin and she sat trying to figure out the last time she had a real bath or shower. They had been on the run for so long that none of this even seemed real to her now. Harry finally defeated Voldemort against all odds. They had all done their part, but Hermione couldn't stop the guilt from seeping in. Yes Harry was alright and Ron of course but when it came down to the second wave this morning Hermione panicked. Hot ashamed tears started running down her face and she could do nothing to stop their flow. She left, right in the middle of the fight. She didn't even know which death eater she was dueling but it had been too much for her and she apparated to the first place she could think of. Her cousins vacation house no less. She had never intended to bring anyone with her let alone Draco Malfoy but as she fled in panic from a curse flung at her direction she bumped into Malfoy and accidently brought him with her. At least she still had the fake galleon and was able to communicate with Ron and Harry. She explained what had happened and they told her to stay put via the ministry of course. 'Ron and Harry wanted me to come back right away but Kingsly put a pin in that telling us that the situation with Malfoy is precarious now and it was best that I detain him.' She had no idea what to do with him though and the angry tears continued as she thought about their situation and all the loved ones back home she would never see again.
Draco crept around the house quietly. He had no idea where Granger was but for some reason he felt as if he was intruding and he thought he should remain seen and not heard. When he entered into the master bedroom a terrible cry assaulted his ears. It was heart wrenching and he could feel his heart twist knowing who was making that sound. He peaked his head into the bathroom to spy Granger through the mirror sobbing for dear life. He felt for a moment a kindred spirit between them as they had both chosen the bathroom for their emotional purge. He watched as she beat the water, splashing about angrily with her eyes closed. He could just make out the tops of her breasts above the waterline and that was when he realized that he was spying on her in more ways than one. Slowly backing out of the room he moved to get as far away from the feelings of guilt as possible and that was back outside.