Disclaimer: Got she is bloody brilliant; I only wish I could be her!

Caught up in the Moment

There were three hours until the trio and the rest of the students in their year would be walking down the row of friends and family, not to mention all of their professors to graduate Hogwarts. To say the least, Hermione was stressing out to the max.

"Lavender, have you seen my yellow top lying around?" Her words were strained as she scuttled around the five four poster beds, looking on and under them in a frantic search. "You know the one that has a scoop neck."

"No, last time I saw it was right before you went off to meet Viktor in Hogsmeade." A wicked smile formed on Lavenders face as she watched Hermione's emotions change drastically.

"Oh no, this CANT be happening!" She fell onto her bed as the night came flooding back into her head.

"Not our fault you went sneaking around with him after hours two weeks ago!" Parvati said with a snigger.

"Please, how was she supposed to know that he would turn out to be a fowl git?" Reagan spoke in an irritated voice as she walked into the room, smiling faintly at Hermione.

Hermione hadn't wished to ever think about Viktor ever again, and yet he seemed to always be brought up in the worst times. True they had seen each other casually since their fourth year, breaking up usually when school ended where he was sure to fine more then one willing girl and Hermione was left to think about what he was possibly doing. Only once had she entered into a serious relationship and that was with Ron, but they hadn't lasted like she had hoped. It was a five month relationship which ended on good terms and Ron going after Lavender.

Two weeks past she had gone out with him every night, staying at his current apartment in Hogsmeade though nothing ever seemed to be strange between them until their last meeting.

He had seemed a tad agitated and Hermione, trying to cool him down decided to give him a thorough back massage which ended in a heated snogging session. One thing led to another and before Hermione had realized what was happening she was almost on the brink of loosing her virginity. Not something she took lightly and so, within three minutes Hermione was walking back up to Hogwarts, broken hearted and through with Viktor for good.

Apparently it was a sin to not give into temptation before marriage.

Smiling at Regan, the only girl other then Taelyn, Ginny, and Nadia that she truly got along with. Regan and Taelyn were the other two that shared the room with her, Lavender and Parvati. All though they were scarcely seen around the Gryffindor common room, seeing as they spent most of their time in the Hufflepuff common room where Nadia, their other friend, was housed.

Something she hadn't planned on telling Harry and Ron until after graduating was that she was going to be leaving for good. She would break it to them at the party that was being held down by the lake shore where they would get to spend one last time with their friends from Hogwarts before setting off into the real world.

Hermione's destination: the Americas.

Her grandparents currently lived in Florida and so she would visit them for a bit before retiring to a road trip across the country. Regan, Taelyn and Nadia had all thought that the idea was the best one Hermione had come up with yet and had invited themselves along for the ride. She couldn't complain though, it would be good to hang out with just girls for a year or so, get in what ever experiences she had missed throughout her years at Hogwarts.

Walking around to her trunk she pulled out a baby blue racer back tank which also had a scoop neck, showing off her boobs in a flattering and not so exclusive way. She wasn't like Taelyn or Nadia who had been blessed with large knockers, but she wouldn't complain with her c-cup. Any more and she might topple over from her frame being so small.

Hermione had grown in the past year, her hair now taming down a bit and growing to a length down to her mid back. It was colored a honey-brown tint which made her deep chocolate eyes pop. She only stood to about five foot four inches and weighed in around one hundred and eleven pounds, give or take for her off days.

A knock at the door to their room and within moments a rather flushed Ginny came bounding over and leapt onto Hermione's bed which still had clothes and books strewn all over it.

"So, how does it feel to know that you have successfully passed your N.E.W.T exams and you are graduating in two and a half hours?" Ginny questioned in an almost journalistic point of view.

"One, you don't know if I have passed them or not and two, I thought we had three hours left?" Hermione shot a look over to her clock which did in fact read that the current time was three thirty.

"Don't be so modest Herm; we all know you passed them!" This time it was Taelyn who was clamping her trunk shut, showing that for the first time in all seven years, someone else had beaten her to being prepared on time.

"If she didn't pass them, then we have no hope!" Regan sat on the opposite side of the bed from Ginny as she threw her feet up on Hermione's books.

So she had become a little diverted, what with this being her last day, having her Head Duties to perform still until the school year was over, telling Harry and Ron about her trip, and having her speech that she was expected to perform later that evening. For once in her life, Hermione was actually wishing that the after party would get her so she could finally relax and have the huge load taken off her shoulders.

"Shove it you three, those exams were hard and even I struggled on a few of the questions!" Hermione received eye rolling and sniggering as she turned to throw a few books into the bottom of her trunk.

The next hour was full of her throwing every object she owned into her trunk and looking back on her time at Hogwarts. It wasn't really hitting her just then, that she would never be returning. All she thought about was going away for two months for her summer holiday and then returning to start a new year at Hogwarts. Who knew, maybe she would return after a few years as a professor?

Daydreaming of sorts, she didn't catch Harry and Ron who were yelling for her to come down into the common room because the ceremony was going to start in an hour and a half. They wanted to go visit with the Weasley's, Lupin and Tonks, Madeye, and a few others before they would be receiving their "certificate" of sorts.

"Go on with out me, I have some more packing I need to take care of!" She yelled down as a response before she walked over and shut the door into her and the girl's room. The four had already left, which gave Hermione the perfect time to curl up on her bed and pull out a picture of her and Krum. Of course she knew that they weren't really serious, but the thought of loosing him over something so stupid…

She didn't allow herself to cry, instead she tore the picture in two and threw it onto the ground, her nerves stiffening as she refused to be sad for the rest of the day. Today she would enjoy her years at Hogwarts, and maybe tomorrow she would be able to wallow in pity at the thought of growing old with ten cats, and playing bingo at a senior center somewhere in the muggle world.

Fixing her short-shorts and then charming her hair to be neat once again, falling down to her mid back in waves. She grabbed her new cloak which had the Gryffindor badge pinned on the left side. Graduation would go by fast, and tomorrow would come with nothing for her to worry about.

-----

Laughing as she walked with link arms between Harry and Ron to the large group that was waiting for them, Hermione's eyes widened as she spotted her mum and dad amid them all. She didn't think that they were going to be able to make it so the shock at seeing them made her heart skip a beat.

"Dad, mum!" She broke free of Harry and Ron who took no notice of her sudden departure seeing as they were being greeted by the whole Weasley clan, not to mention quite a few Order of the Phoenix members.

"Sissy!" The face of a miniature Hermione popped out from behind their mother and raced excitedly for her sister.

"Hey there Arielle, how are you?" She grabbed her seven year old sister up in a death defying hug.

"Congratulation hun!" Her mother said with a bright smile.

"Couldn't be more proud!" Ted Granger said with an ecstatic gleam in his eye.

"I didn't think you guys were going to make it!"

"We were able to get away from the office for a few hours, plus we wouldn't miss your graduation for anything!" Ted spoke as he grabbed her in a burly hug which soon broke as her mother squeezed in. Needless to say, she had probably the most perfect family anyone could ask for. Sure they had their flaws, like being way too strict on almost everything that had to do with life, like health and social gatherings.

Harry soon wound up in the picture with his arm pulled around Hermione's shoulders in a protective, brother-sister like way. She could tell that for the moment, he wasn't afraid of what would happen tomorrow or the next day, or even a few months from now. It was a good thing for him, what with the war still in full swing.

"Hey Hermione, were going to head down to the lake to start off the part, a few of us are already down there, want to come?" Ron was the one to speak this time as he came walking up with Lavender hanging off his arm and Ginny following with a rather annoyed look upon her face.

"Yeah just give me a second OK?" She spoke in a happy and ready-to-go tone as she finally turned to her parents and little sister (who had squirmed out of her arms a few minutes prior) and with a smile she bid them a farewell and promised to stop by at the house before she would set off with the girls.

This perked Harry and Ron's interest and by the time they had started walking down a path towards the lakes edge, she was already being questioned about it.

"What do you mean set off with the girls, where are you going and with whom?" Ron inquired with a raised brow.

"I, uhh… well in all honesty I wasn't going to tell you two until tonight during the party but since the discussion has been brought up…"

"OY, you lot!" Regan yelled out as she, and her two friends came running down the path to meet the small group.

"Tell them about our trip Herm?" Taelyn asked with her bright eyes shinning.

"Shove it Tae!" Nadia poked her friend in the rib trying to make her shut up because by the looks they were given from Harry and Ron; it seemed she hadn't told them just yet.

"Your trip? Hermione, where are you going?" Harry looked from each set of eyes to the next, landing on Hermione's and not leaving until she gave him and answer.

"Well, you see, I decided that I should get away for awhile and explore the states for a while. My grandparents live there and it would be good to see them and so when I was talking to Ginny about it, Regan over heard and decided that we would all be taking a road trip together." She paused for a moment as everyone in the group stopped walking, her two best friends staring at her with the largest pairs of eyes she had ever seen. It was rather pathetic really.

Before they could get a word in Hermione blurted out what was left that she needed to say then walked off. "Well, we leave in two days so…"

She allowed her pace to quicken as she heard Ron's shouts for her to slow down. Getting lost in the crowd and moving over to the table where drinks were laid out everywhere. They had their butterbeers and pumpkin juice and then there was also fire whisky and a few other alcoholic beverages. Grabbing the red plastic cup that was full of fire whisky she looked up to the closest person who was directly across for her, only on the other side of the table.

"Bottoms up"

And with that, she tipped the cup back and downed the whole thing, seriously regretting it after she felt the burning sensation take over her mouth.

A wide eyed Draco Malfoy watched her as she directed the statement to him, his gray eyes growing slightly large as he watched the once book worm and high strung Granger down a whole cup of fire whisky.

"Who would have ever thought?"

-----

Flashing Malfoy a quick smile, Hermione soon grabbed another cub and turned around to face the crowd. She was free! She had survived seven years at Hogwarts and came out as the top witch of not only Hogwarts but also in the past century. She had withstood Voldemort and stuck by Harry and Ron's side. Now all she needed to over come was leaving them for a well deserved vacation. It wasn't like she would never write to them, she would always write at least once a week to update them.

"Trying to make up for all the lost years Granger?" Very much unlike his sneering voice, Malfoy's voice was now much deeper, much richer then it had been since their last encounter which had been over half a year prior. Of course they had classes but she meant their stupid little bickering fights.

"How do you know what I have and have not done these past few years Malfoy?" She turned back to face the tall and rather handsome boy. "Holy shit, what happened to you?" It might have come off wrong, and in a way she was glad because the true meaning behind her blunt question was wondering when he HAD become handsome?

"What's that suppose to mean Granger" His voice had changed a bit to a more defensive tone.

"Nothing, you just look different, that's all" This seemed to have brought up his trademark smirk and with that single look Hermione rolled her eyes and turned away again. "Down boy, no need to inflate your ego."

"Aw come now Granger, no need to disguise your complement to my, handsome features with a disgusting remark." He moved around the table and soon was leaning back against it, standing next to Hermione.

"Please, if I had wished to compliment you I could have said something about your eyes, not just your facial features." Groaning at what she had said Hermione stared down into her cup of fire whisky. "Remind me never-ever to drink this fowl stuff again."

"But you're so entertaining." He picked himself up one and took a few strong gulps of it before realizing that Hermione had finished her last cup, started on another and had moved away to sit by the now roaring bonfire.

Blaise wandered up to Draco's side, a smirk plastered across his face as he looked back and forth between his best mate and the girl who looked a whole lot different then the mudblood Granger that all of the Slytherin's in his year had grown to hate.

"Are you going to make a move?" He spoke nonchalantly, his shaggy black hair being pushed out of his razor sharp blue eyes.

"What, on Granger? Hell no!" Was the only reply he was given and yet Draco seemed to be regretting what he had just said by the look on Blaise's face.

"Good, then I can." He shoved his drink into Malfoy's hand and walked over to the rather unsteady log that Hermione currently sat on, her long hair having already been pulled up into a look pony from the heat.

"Hermione right? Name's Blaise Zabini." He sat down, uninvited and held out his hand, though she didn't look at all to be mad at the intrusion.

"Well Blaise, why are you sitting here when I heard…?" Hermione stopped as a rather agitated Malfoy sat down on her opposite side, glairing at Blaise who took it all in as fun and games.

"Go on Granger." Malfoy smirked, waiting for her to continue.

"I was just getting ready to ask Blaise why he was bothering to sit out here and by me none the less, instead of taking a swim in the water where I heard quite a lot of people were skinny dipping." She kept her eyes locked with Malfoy's, almost falling into their depths before she noticed Blaise standing up. Apparently at her words he decided to check it out and well, she couldn't very well blame him.

"What do you want Malfoy? Do I get to keep you as my stalker of the night?"

"Only if you want Granger, I will be more then willing to follow you all throughout the evening." It was her turn to smirk at his comment which made Draco laugh.

"I think I am going to go take a dip, want to come?" With that she tried to pull herself up, though loosing her balance with the already unstable tree trunk they had put out for kids to use as benches, she toppled over backwards into Draco.

Turning over and trying to get off of him as fast as she could, Hermione found herself kneeling beside him, her hair falling out of the pony and falling like curtains around her gentle featured face.

Draco pushed her off as he lay, rather uncomfortably upon his back. Hermione bending over him with her deep chocolate eyes… He might have allowed his hand to drape around her neck and pull her into a kiss but when she looked away, at the sound of Weasel and Potty, his least two favorite people in the world.

"Up for that swim?"

Once they were both standing Hermione raced for the lake shore, not bothering to mind the cool feel of the water on her feet as she stood there, waiting for Draco seeing which was only a few steps behind her.

Pulling the baby blue racer back tank up and off of her slim and slender frame she turned towards Draco and motioned for his shirt. "I am just going to go put them over by that tree so they don't get wet." She motioned towards a tree that was bordering the Forbidden Forest.

It took him longer then she would have liked to strip his shirt off, seeing as he was rather distracted by the once shy book worm taking it off in front of him. Sure she still had her bra and short… oh no, wait, she just took them off. Sure she was wearing her lacey bra and panties, but that was because she was completely and totally impaired with the alcohol right?

Diving into the freezing cold water after having run their shirts and shorts over a fair distance away from the water, so they would have dry clothes to get into when they were finished, Hermione fully emerged herself beneath the surface. Upon breaking the waters surface she treaded the water in a circle for a few minutes, looking for Draco. "Where in the blood hell is he?"

"Draco?!"

Hermione allowed a groan to escape her, feeling like a foolish person to EVER go ANYWHERE with him. Apparently the water had erased any former feelings, or thoughts either were having because he had disappeared and with every passing moment she was regretting this more and more. Though out of no where something or someone came up behind her and pulled her under, gentle and yet slightly callused fingertips sliding across her stomach.

When they came back up to the surface, a rather cold and yet anxious Hermione and a rather dark and mysterious Draco came up holding each other. His hand around her waist and her legs around his, her hands placed on his shoulders as she looked at his face, studying it for a long moment.

They had been enemies for the past seven years and on their very last day they had decided to come together as, well, something more?

Suddenly and without warning to him, Hermione leaned closer into him and pressed her lips against his. Her hands found themselves tangled in his hair and slowly pressing against his face as if she wanted more. Draco didn't object to the forced entry as he met her, his tongue slipping inside of her mouth, dying to explore every inch of her.

Sex Scene ahead kiddos, skip ahead if you would like.

The skinny dipping idea didn't last, in fact the whole "let's take a dip" didn't follow through. Instead Draco walked back onto the sandy shore and laid her upon her back, allowing his lips to move from her own and travel down her body, caressing what of her breasts were exposed from the bra and then down her thin and firm stomach, all along allowing her hands to explore every inch of his body. Soon she was pulling his face away from the border of her knickers and back into a deep kiss, this time allowing her hands to strip him free of his boxers.

This resulted in Draco breaking away from the ever desirable Hermione, gazing at her body and before he could contemplate it he had already unsnapped her bra and pulled it from her and then her knickers which slid down and were lost in the slowly rising tide. His member was erect and within moments he had slid inside of her. He was gentle, even given the massive amounts of alcohol he had consumed Draco was one of the luckier kids being able to hold down his liquor so all he had at the moment was a buzz, a strong one, but he wasn't lost in another world.

Her cringe made Draco freeze while still inside of her, "Is this your first time…" He didn't finish his question before Hermione pulled him deeper into her, allowing a small nod to escape before she allowed her body to shudder into a relaxed state, soon falling into motion with him. His hands groped her breasts as she sucked and nipped at her neck a bit before rolling over, Hermione pushing herself into him which made him push with the same force, hungry for more of her. Her fingers dug into his shoulder as she bent down a bit, sucking his bottom lip which seemed to set him off because within moments she was on the bottom again.

Arching her back as he trust hard into her Hermione screamed as she allowed her fingers to grasp at his back. It was electrifying; the feeling that had come over her when he first touched her stomach in the water and it grew with every intimate thing they were toiling in. Draco had came inside of her but he didn't move off, instead he stared down at her as the moon shined down and washed all of the color out of them, well almost all of the color.

Their cheeks were a faint red and their lips were a bright and luscious red. Hermione leaned up and kissed him passionately before falling away from him. The two wouldn't move until the next morning, Draco having transfigured his shirt into a large sleeping bag which the two cuddled up inside of. Hermione snuggled into his chest and Draco allowed his legs to intertwine with hers.

What was she going to tell Harry and Ron? That she was just caught up in the moment?

A/N: OK, so it's not perfect and I know that it needs some work but the over all plot is amazing the later chapters will capture them… better. Why they kind of, jumped to it? Exactly what the chapter title says, (and because I am the plot writer and what I say goes). So happy reading and please review, you will make me so happy!