Title: On Luna's Crazy Hunt

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 580

DramioneDrabble's Halloween 2011 prompt 1: bats, forest, niffler

Notes/Warning: some swearing

"Dammit, Hermione," Draco cursed as he tripped on a tree root. "Why did we agree to go on Loony Lovegood's dangerous Halloween scavenger hunt? There is too much flora and fauna that would willingly eat us out here."

"Draco, we have perfectly good protection charms on us. Besides, this isn't the Forbidden Forest, just a normal one."

"Ow, this bloody thing bit me!" He raised his trouser leg to inspect the wound, but there was no puncture.

"Honestly, you're imagining things, but at least you stumbled onto the Vampire Willow Root." Hermione magically cut off a smaller root sample and placed the object in her charmed handbag.

The red sparkles matched her red devil's outfit well, Draco thought. A saucy little vixen indeed.

He, of course, was dressed in a white angel suit, complete with glowing halo hovering over his head and white wings behind. She had wanted to dress as the angel, but he had reasoned with her that it was the only thing that would match his platinum locks. He looked blotchy in red.

That the meanings of the two costumes were the opposites of their personalities was not lost on anyone, especially when they had arrived together at the Halloween party. Hermione had the biggest smirk on her face when she walked by a flabbergasted Ron, while Draco attempted to play the innocent angel.

The act lasted until they had gone on this … excursion. What was that chit thinking sending them all out in the middle of the night?

"What's next?" Hermione asked.

Draco cast Lumos and read the parchment. "Baskerville Hound hairs, three stones from Ghost's Den, and a niffler. What! She wants us to bring the bloody thing back with - agh!"

A small furry animal had scurried up his arm and began attacking the rings on his left hand.

"Get it off!" He shook his hand trying to dislodge the creature.

"Oh, good work," Hermione praised him. "That is certainly one way to get them to come out of hiding. Hold still." She sent a mild stunning spell at the niffler before Draco could protest, then caught it up into her handbag.

"Is it going to be alright in there?" he asked with a bit of incredulity.

"It'll be fine. We won't be carrying it for long anyway. Knowing Luna, she'll probably want to raise them all as pets."

Before he could respond, a fleet of bats came charging through the trees in their direction. Hermione screeched. Draco grabbed her and pulled her down, covering them both with a shield charm from the onslaught. Luckily, they passed quickly, intent on their midnight snack.

It was then that Draco noticed how close Hermione was and how flushed she looked from the terror. She looked so alive and delectable. He pulled her close for a warm kiss that soon turned needy.

She broke it off. "Oh, no. We still have two more items to find. I want to win this year."

"I don't know that we want whatever Lovegood's cooked up as a prize," he said, thinking of the bags of Pumpkin Tea - bleh! - she had bestowed on the Patil twins last year for winning.

Hermione bent over to show her cleavage and said, "If we win, I'll make it worth your while."

Draco paled a little before his breathing picked up at the implications of that. "Then, by all means, let us find that Ghost's Den."

Perhaps their costumes fit them better than anyone suspected.