Author's Note: Along with being a Pirate AU, this is also an AU without magic.
Despite having her wrists bound together, Hermione was completely composed and calm as she was brought on board the huge ship by her pirate captors.
It was not long before she saw a young man about her age strutting towards her. He definitely didn't look like your typical pirate, with his smooth face and his platinum blond hair. And in Hermione's honest opinion, his clothes were much too fancy as well.
He probably doesn't even know how to use that sword on his hip, she thought with a lot of amusement.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the young man drawled in what he clearly thought was a seductive voice.
Hermione just rolled her eyes.
"Now this is a true treasure," the man continued. "I could do without the bird nest that she calls her hair, but other than that, she's not that bad to look at."
"Well, at least my hair doesn't make me look feminine," Hermione retorted.
The man looked at her in surprise for several moments. This was the first prisoner that had ever dared to insult him. Most prisoners were already trembling in fear before he even opened his mouth.
He quickly composed himself, however. He was the one in charge here, not Miss Bird Nest.
"My hair doesn't make me look feminine," the man finally returned. "Don't be jealous just because I have better hair than you do."
"It is such a relief to know that I've been captured by such a masculine pirate," Hermione responded, once again rolling her eyes.
The man drew himself up to his full height, which was pretty impressive as he was quite tall. It didn't make him any scarier, however. He was just tall, not intimidating.
"You clearly don't know who I am," he said arrogantly.
"Then please enlighten me," Hermione replied in a bored voice.
"I'm Draco Malfoy," the man smiled smugly.
"Draco Malfoy," Hermione gasped, looking impressed and a little afraid for the first time since she had been captured. "Son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy."
"That's me," Draco grinned.
There wasn't anyone who had not heard of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Everyone called Lucius the "Gentleman Killer." He liked to smile charmingly at his victims as he slashed their throats. And everyone called Narcissa the "Delicate Torturer." She looked so delicate and innocent on the outside, but she was famous for her skills with a whip. Neither Malfoy was someone anyone would ever want to meet.
Hermione now looked at Draco in a new light. With the smile on his face, it was clear that he took after his father. At least there were no signs of a whip.
Draco just smirked at the expression on Hermione's face, which caused her to relax. His cockiness made it very hard for her to be afraid of him for long, regardless of his heritage.
"I'll take her from here," Draco told the group of pirates that had bought Hermione on board. "I want to get a closer look at my treasure, especially now that she knows what a prize I am."
Hermione once again found herself rolling her eyes as Draco grabbed her arm and dragged her with him.
Draco led her straight to his personal quarters. As he was closing the door, Hermione reached in her pants pocket for the knife that she always carried with her. The fools had not even thought to search her. No doubt they thought her harmless because she was a woman. Had they not heard of Draco's mother? She was a woman as well, but that didn't stop her from being more ruthless than most men.
Hermione quickly used her knife to cut through the ropes binding her wrists. The pirates had done a very poor job of securing her. Who would have ever though that such incompetent fools would be serving a Malfoy? Hermione severely doubted that either Lucius or Narcissa would have tolerated this type of behavior.
Hermione's thoughts were interrupted by Draco turning around to face her. That smug smirk was still on his face.
I think it's time to make that smirk disappear, Hermione thought to herself as she put her knife to Draco's chest faster than the eye could blink.
For a moment, Draco was completely speechless. Then, he drawled, "Well, this most definitely is not what I would have ever expected. You're more of a treasure than I first thought."
How could he still have that annoying smirk on his face with a knife at his chest? It really was time to deflate his ego.
"You have no idea just how much of a treasure I am," Hermione smiled with false sweetness. "You have no idea of who I am, do you?"
"No, so please enlighten me," Draco replied in a bored voice, sounding very much like Hermione had earlier.
"I'm Hermione Granger."
"Granger," Draco gasped. There was now fear in his eyes.
"So you have heard of my parents?" Hermione said sarcastically. "I'm sure, then, that you have heard of how they like to pull out their victims' teeth."
Draco quickly jumped several feet backwards, away from both Hermione and her knife.
"Well, you're not going to be touching any of my teeth," he said. "My parents will hear of it, and they will make you and your parents pay. My parents aren't afraid of you Grangers."
"I don't doubt that at all," Hermione replied. "Oh, do stop trembling like that. I'm not going to do anything to you. For many generations, both the Malfoys and the Grangers have lived under an unspoken truce that we wouldn't interfere with each other's business, and I have no intention of breaking that truce."
"That and you don't want to risk my parents' wrath," Draco grinned, "because you know they're scarier than your parents could ever hope to be. Pulling out teeth is nothing compared to what I've seen my parents do. My father can get very creative with a knife, and my mother is a master of bondage."
"My parents aren't afraid of your parents," Hermione replied, "just like I'm sure that your parents aren't afraid of mine. This has nothing to do with fear. I just don't feel like inconveniencing my parents by causing a war with your parents."
Once again feeling bold and confident, Draco took a step towards Hermione. "All that aside," he drawled, "just think of the alliance that we could form with each other. I can imagine it now, the Malfoys and the Grangers working together. No one will be able to stand against us. The entire world could then be ours."
"I don't know," Hermione drawled. "You're not exactly my type."
"Well, you're not exactly my type either," Draco returned, "especially with that bird nest of yours."
Hermione raised up her knife threateningly. "I may leave your teeth intact, but if you ever again insult my hair, you can say 'bye-bye' to your hair."
Draco quickly placed his hands on his hair. "Don't even think about touching my hair."
"Then leave my hair alone," Hermione responded.
"All right, all right."
They then stood in silence for several moments.
"Well," Draco finally spoke, "I guess I'm going to have to let you go. I also don't want to cause a war between our parents because I did something bad to you. Besides, I really don't like hurting beautiful women. I am a gentleman."
"Like your father," Hermione replied.
"Oh, I'm nothing like my father," Draco returned. "Blood makes me squeamish." Draco's mouth then dropped opened. "I can't believe I just said that out loud."
"That's all right," Hermione giggled. "The thought of pulling out someone's teeth makes me squeamish."
"We really have twisted parents," Draco responded.
"Yes, we do," Hermione agreed.
There was another pause in their conversation.
"So," Hermione finally spoke, "I suppose I should be leaving now."
"Yeah," Draco replied.
Hermione, however, didn't move.
"Just admit it, Hermione," Draco grinned. "You want me."
"Well, an alliance between our families could be beneficial to everyone involved," Hermione responded.
"And it certainly doesn't hurt that I'm as handsome as I am," Draco smirked.
"Only in your mind, Draco," Hermione replied, rolling her eyes. She did, however, find herself taking a step towards the blond pirate.
Draco took a step towards her as well.
Moments later, their lips met.
When they finally pulled away from each other, they were both grinning.
"You are truly the best treasure in this world," Draco said.
"You're not that bad yourself," Hermione smiled. "I guess you are a prize after all."
Draco grinned at her. Hermione just shook her head in mock annoyance.
Moments later, however, they were once again kissing.