ATTENTION!

This 'one-shot' is actually a chapter that never made it to my story series Changing Fate. It's one out of many, really, but time and school have forced me to give it an alternate ending so that anyone that read it wouldn't have to wait too long for the next chapter…

If you haven't read Changing Fate, then you might not understand most of this story, so please read it if you haven't already.

Thank HeadGirl07 for kind of inspiring me to put this up!


Water crashed and receded. A constant. So redundant and continuous but never the same.

I watched as Hermione sat at the bench nearest to the water, her brown curled locks swayed a bit from the breezes as she read from a thin journal from the many shelves of books in the cabin, eyes focused as they studied each line.

We had already settled the Leaking Gate issue, as Harry liked to call it, and now we had the remaining ten days of our vacation for vacation. Coming to the Philippines wasn't ever really on anyone's list, but the chance came along and I, Hermione, Harry, and Jarina (Harry's most current love interest) took it without looking back. And of course, we all had our reasons.

Philippine monsters were breaking out of the forest barrier that kept them from terrorizing the country, and it was Jarina's goal to stop it. Harry wanted to make sure she'd do it without leaving him behind. Hermione needed a break from the drama of her divorce from Ron, and I followed, hoping to help her cope… Not that the frizzled brunette really needed it.

She had proven in her actions that she could handle her life. That she would not crumble and break down after finding out that Ron cheated on her so many times during their marriage. She had long ago accepted the fact that crying and feeling sorry for her broken relationship would not help anyone, much less herself.

So now here she was, enjoying the sun, sand, peace, and the beach of the group's hidden paradise- flanked by a forest of Filipino superstitions.

Steps hampered by the shifting sand, I made my way over to the bookworm with as much casual as was allowed and sat on the bench next to her, my eyes staring at the clear blue water in front of us. The crashing sound of water against sandy shore was calming, but I still felt a chill of slight nervousness.

Nothing was said for a moment, I, just lounging on the bench, Hermione just reading… Life going by as it normally did-

"Thinking on the future?" Hermione asked idly, closing the thin and curling journal, the pages crinkling as they touched again.

"Can't I stare at water and just daydream, Granger?" I asked, not looking at her.

She shrugged and looked out at the water as well, slipping off her sandals as she brought her knees up to her chest, heels on the lip of the bench, "Didn't know Malfoys daydream." She replied, her tone level.

Over time from the past and the present, we had reached a level of mutual understanding that bordered upon love and just interest. I loved her and made it no secret to myself that I admired the young woman next to me- that I felt enraged at her treatment by Ronald Weasely, and that right now the level of comfort I felt at our closeness was something I can label as right.

"When we want to, we do." I said, turning my head to look at her.

Hermione looked at me in turn and smiled, letting out a girlish giggle, "How cute, Drakie-poo actually daydreams." She cooed in a Pansy-like tone.

I winced and made a face that clearly told her to-not-ever-do-that-again, "I'd refrain from doing that, Granger, you might actually turn out like Pansy if you keep up with that act." I warned, shuddering at the chance it may happen.

She rolled her eyes and slipped her feet back into her sandals, settling the journal next to her as she moved to stand. She hadn't yet changed from her pajamas, a pair of lightly colored three-fourths and a matching tank top. Then, a little bit of a commotion was heard behind us- a slamming door, a squeal of laughter, a shout, then-

Wack!

A heavy towel slapped the back of my head as a tanned body in a one piece swimsuit ran forward past the bench, sand flying as Jarina made direct for the water, her arms flailing as she laughed.

"Get up and move!" she urged with a laugh, kicking more sand in the air as she turned, ran for Hermione, and took her hand, pulling her towards the clear blue waves, "Get dark!" she continued.

Glowering, I pulled the towel down beside me and made another face as Harry walked up in a pair of trunks, a towel around his shoulders, "That one's yours, by the way." He said in amusement, pointing at the towel Jarina had thrown 'to' me.

"Yes, I figured, remind me to thank her in a similar manner." I said dryly while Hermione and Jarina fought playfully, the former insisting that she wasn't wearing the proper clothes to get wet in, the latter saying that it didn't matter.

"Not going to waste the days sitting around, are you?" Harry asked, watching the young women as they charged at the water. Hermione just getting her feet wet as Jarina went all in, water splashing in all directions as she made all attempts to get Hermione soaked.

"The point of a vacation is to be active, Potter, I think we've wasted enough time on that bloody car and plane for sitting around."

"Come on!" came a loud shout from Jarina, who was currently trying to ineffectively block a barrage of splashes coming from Hermione, who in turn was effectively soaked to the skin. Basic and flat observation made that known to the world as her clothes stuck to her, outlining her curves and defining her figure diaphanously.

-_-_-

"Jare!" Hermione let out with a laugh, "Oh, and these are my favorite set, too!" she complained as she stopped splashing the Filipina, standing up straight.

Jarina laughed and put her hands on her hips, "Should've changed. I told you when you woke that we'd be getting wet."

Hermione let out a sigh and shrugged, "Might as well do it now then."

Jarina cast a quick eye to the men on the beach, "Right here for them to see?" she asked daringly.

The Smartest Witch of the Generation winked, "They'll just be seeing blue."

Then, Hermione placed her hands down, palms against the waves, her eyes closing as she concentrated. Jarina took a step back and watched her intently, wondering what she meant.

After a moment, the water around Hermione calmed completely, a circle of calm clear water around her, then, strips of water began to raise, twisting around Hermione like a twister, gaining height and covering her up at the same time.

-_-_-

"Draco." Harry said, looking out at the water, his hands gripping the ends of the towel around his shoulders.

I looked in the direction he was gazing out at and jumped up, ready to run for the water, "Hermione!"

Jarina's dark eyes widened, and she heard me shout in alarm from the beach. She turned and looked at me then held her hand out, canceling my movements as the sand swallowed my feet.

The water roared for a few moments, and then-

It all just crashed back down, revealing Hermione in a fitting two piece swimsuit, a bright and accomplished smile on her face, "And there we go!" she said, happily, clapping her hands together.

Harry smiled and laughed as I stopped struggling against the charmed grains of white sand that currently had my feet. My jaw dropped and almost all function in my sophisticated brain stopped.

Hermione looked… Really amazing.

Vacation… Maybe we should have some of those more often.

XxXxX

That night, I walked onto the back porch to see Jarina and Harry already situated in the large hanging hammock. They were lounging there, swinging gently. Harry was asleep, his head back with his arms lightly wrapped around Jarina's waist while she typed away at her laptop, her lithe form nestled comfortably against his. After a moment, she closed the notebook and froze for a moment, wondering how she was going to put it down without disturbing the Boy Wonder. Then, one of Harry's arms unwound themselves from around her, took the notebook, and set it down on the table nearby, soon rewrapping back around her to bring her down on him. He held her like a teddy bear, and she didn't seem to mind the contact at all in the crisp cool night. It wasn't long until both of them were asleep, the hammock rocking slowly.

"They look so… Peaceful, don't they?" Hermione asked, walking up beside me. I looked down at her and smiled.

"They do." I agreed, ready to turn away and leave the two.

Hermione released a sigh and leaned against the opposite doorframe, "It makes me happy to see Harry like that, I remember when he and Ginny broke up, he was so lost. I mean, it seemed as if he would never be himself again because he considered himself a failure."

I stopped and frowned, looking at her before looking at the pair in the hammock, "With women?" he asked.

"And relationships." She said with a nod, "Harry holds himself back because he's lost so many things dear to him. But with the war over, I don't think he has much to worry about now, save for the fact that Jarina is also an Auror… But then that means she knows how to take care of herself. But Harry's taking no chances, and he tails her everywhere she goes. Like a puppy that doesn't want to be left behind. Can't blame him though."

This gave me a slight new thought on Potter. Don't be mistaken, I'll still label him as a self-righteous prick, just with pitiful issues that should not be brought up in public.

"And what about you?" I inquired, "How well do you think you are with men and relationships?" it was daring, but I just had to wonder.

She was silent for a moment then shrugged, "Well, considering all of my past experiences, I'd have to say that I'm fairly good with men, but terrible with relationships. What with Victor… And Ron."

Of course she'd say something like that.

"I don't think you've had enough experience to say that." I told her, walking away through the cabin towards the front porch, where the view of the beach was.

"And I think you haven't a right to think that." Hermione replied hotly, following after.

I shrugged and went out, sitting on the railing, leaning back against the cabin wall as I stared at the moon's rippling reflection in the water. I heard her soft footsteps stop at the door, and a slight creak told me she was leaning against the doorframe.

"You're not as strong as you claim to be, you know." I told her.

She said nothing, but I didn't miss her quick intake of breath.

"Despite everything, even though you show your strength, this I've definitely noticed. You're dependent on support. Harry was there, if he wasn't you would have broken down. Even now, you're still in need of support. The way you lean against the door, how your eyes close when you sigh… You've lost your ability to deal with things yourself and pressure." I was growing angry, "I remember when you were their support. When they had to depend on you." What was it I was feeling? Disgust? Pity? I knew I was angry, but there was that other emotion that I just couldn't name.

"And?"

Her response startled me.

"I'm not perfect, Malfoy." She said easily, "I admit that, but I'm not going to cry because I made a mistake. I'm not going to grieve for an eternity because I got hurt by someone I thought would never hurt me." She chuckled dryly and shook her head, "And I'm not going to continue this discussion because it's goal is pointless. Good night, Malfoy, I hope you sleep well." And with that, she moved off the doorframe and left me out on the porch, walking to her room.

It wasn't even five minutes after that I went into my own.

XxXxX

Die. Kill.

Those two words are really quite simple to say, to think, a bit more complicated to perform, but none the less, pretty much meant the same thing. So why the bloody hell did Avada Kedavra have to be so long?!

My very sentiments when a sudden force lifted the bed up sideways, throwing me out from the comforts of bed and onto the hardwood floor the next morning.

"Breakfast in twenty!" an active voice announced, unmistakably Jarina's.

Pushing myself off the floor, I grimaced, "Potter's girl or not, I will murder that woman if she ever does that again." I promised myself.

The day's plans weren't many, and the only one I knew about was a fireworks display for absolutely no reason.

So I believed. I hadn't a flicker of knowledge that tonight would be something quite close to a nightmare.

In a pair of jogging pants, I walked into the dining room, rubbing sleep from my eyes in annoyance as I spotted Potter at the already set table in a dark tee and shorts, Jarina, strangely in pretty much the same attire, at the stove flipping eggs in the frying pan.

Harry's brows rose as I sent Jarina's back a Malfoy patented death glare before sitting down across from him.

"Good morning." Harry greeted affably, as if he hadn't seen anything, "Coffee?" he asked, lifting a mug.

"None of yours, thanks." I grumbled irritably, "I'll get my own." And with that said, I flicked my hand towards the coffee pot on the counter, lifting my own mug to the glass pot as it tipped, dark bittersweet brew filling it.

A door closed and all three heads turned to see Hermione walk up, her brown hair in a fritz, rumpled white pajamas dragging across the floor as she walked up tiredly. Jarina smiled and opened her mouth, ready to greet her, but the brunette held up a hand, stopping her.

"I appreciate the wake up call, Jare, really I do, let's just have it without the painful effects, yes?" and she sat down between Potter and I, pushing the plate forward, arms then head replacing it.

She was obviously tired.

"Hey, hey-" I started, lifting my plate as she set her head down, "Go kiss another tabletop, Granger, I don't want your dead hairs on my plate when I eat." I complained.

But before anything really resulted from it, two sunny side-up eggs, three strips of bacon, and a slice of toast landed deftly on my plate, the other three plates were soon filled as well.

Harry smiled widely and dug in as Jarina joined us. She looked at Hermione with a frown before nudging her with the plate she had pushed aside, "Did you have problems sleeping?" she asked, filling her a mug of coffee.

Hermione didn't lift her head, just nodding on her arms, her muffled reply coming out groggily, "Couldn't get a wink of sleep."

I poked at my own food before spearing a slip of crisp bacon, "Too many thoughts in that big head of yours?"

Harry glared at me, and I shrugged indifferently.

"At least my thoughts make sense, Malfoy. It beats daydreaming at water." She replied, lifting her head slowly and dragging the food leaden plate to her.

I was about to open my mouth and retort when Jarina snapped at me, "No Mommy Daddy arguments at the table."

XxXxX

Harry scratched the top of his head as he looked at Hermione's To Do List, "So we have an outing in an hour at the main town-"

"No, no, that was yesterday." Hermione corrected as she folded a shirt neatly into a box on the floor.

"But we didn't do that yesterday." I said, frowning as I lay on the couch.

"You didn't, but Hermione and I had." Jarina cut in, walking into the living room, another pile of shirts in hand as she got down beside Hermione to help her, "Remember? You and Harry decided to play basketball at the court instead of come with us."

Harry made an 'ah' sound and I shook my head, "So that explains the extra boxes in the Souvenir Corner." I said, pointing at the large pile of wrapped up remembrances that would go directly to a number of people back at England.

Harry looked down at the list again, "So today… Is blank."

My brows rose, "Wow, Granger's got a blank spot on her list of activities." I sat up and grabbed the list from Potter, "Did something happen?"

Hermione huffed and leaned over, taking the list from me before I could read anything, "Actually…" she sighed, "I don't know what else to do. I mean, in three days, we fixed the breach in the barrier, and it took only two for us to go through a year's work of shopping and sightseeing. I don't know what we haven't done yet."

All of us looked at Jarina, who took a step back in alarm, "Do not look at me like that. I might be Filipino, but I hardly know anything about this country aside from the monsters."

"Nice way to show your home country support, Jarina." I scoffed, falling back onto the couch.

"Yeah, well, shoot me for not loving history. I'm more of a present kind of girl." She shot back.

Harry shook his head and I watched as he stared out towards the front door, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

"See something shiny, Potter?" I queried.

"Do you ever shut up?" Hermione asked in irritation.

But Harry held up a hand and squinted, "There's someone on the porch." He said, walking towards it.

Jarina shrugged and handed Hermione a wrapped parcel to place into the box, "If it's Klevin, tell him that the car could use a wash."

I heard the screen door swing shut and I looked up at the ceiling in boredom, "Really, if we haven't anything to do today, why don't we just-"

"You lied to me all this time, Harry!" a terribly familiar voice bellowed.

I sat up in a flash and looked towards the screen door before looking to Hermione, who froze over the Balikbayan box. Jarina's brows furrowed in confusion and she moved to get up, probably to see who that was shouting at her boyfriend.

"Don't Jare, just stay there with Hermione." I urged quietly, getting off the couch and standing, making my way for the door as she settled back down and looked at Hermione in confusion.

"Calm down, Ron, I don't know what you're talking about." Harry said slowly, his hands lifted slightly.

I pushed through the door easily, "Hey, mate, what's going on?"

Looking at Weasely at that moment stirred up a series of emotions that I couldn't readily sort out, but one certainly dominated, and it was confusion.

The red-head looked a complete mess. His hair was tussled up worse than Harry's, his eyes were shallow and blood-shot, and his skin paler than the sand that surrounded us.

"What's this prat doing here?" he demanded, looking at Harry.

I crossed my arms over my chest, "I'm sorry, Wease-Rat, could you repeat that?" I asked, stepping forward.

Then, the screen door opened again and the three of us turned to look at Jarina, who looks confused, yet cautious, "Sorry to interrupt you guys, but this happens to be my porch, and I don't like the sound of shouting before lunch." She said, her American accent rising to the point of it being clearly out of place.

Ron stared at her blankly and harry cleared his throat, "Ron, this my girlfriend, Jarina. Jare, this is Ron, one of my best mates from school."

She nodded, "Uh-huh, and do 'best mates' shout at each other often?"

Ron went livid, "It's none of your bloody business-"

"Ron!" Harry interrupted, "Don't talk to her like that-"

"Enough!"

Everyone on the porch froze and Hermione stepped out, joining the lot of us. I groaned inwardly and glanced at Potter, who shut his eyes tightly and pinched the area between his eyes.

"I knew it!" Ron exclaimed, "You had her the entire time, Harry, lying to my face-" his skin was red in anger, and I cut in, tired of the accusations.

"Just like you were lying to Hermione?" I barked, my eyes flashing, "Don't try and cover up, Weasely, we know about all of your championship affairs."

Harry looked away at the water as Jarina crossed her arms over her chest. Hermione looked at the floor, her hands clasped while Ron's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Don't try and look innocent." I continued, "You're bloody terrible at it."

Closing his mouth, Ron clenched his fists and he looked at Hermione, "'Mione, he's lying, that ferret-"

"Only knows about because I told him, Ronald." She breathed as she looked up at him slowly. Her deep brown eyes were welling up with tears that threatened to fall, "How could you?"

Ron shook his head, "Hermione, listen to me-"

"Don't, Ron." Harry started, staring at his old friend firmly, "You can't lie to her. She saw you. She just hasn't said anything to you because she believed that you'd stop cheating on her. But you didn't, that's why she left you." Harry held an expression of absolute disappointment that, even though I hadn't really done much of anything, it made me feel guilty, "At first, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that you'd do something like that to her, but she wouldn't just make it up, Ron." He sighed and looked away again, "I know what it feels like to be famous, to be popular, but did you really think that you could do something like that and not expect to be caught? Especially by Hermione?"

By this time, Hermione was crying silently, her head bowed as Jarina held her, speaking to her softly.

The bastard wasn't saying anything, and it infuriated me. Stepping towards him, I gripped his arm, making him look at me before I pointed at Hermione, "Can you imagine how hurt she was, Weasely?" I said in a low voice, "Look at her and tell me that everything we know is a lie."

He jerked out of my grasp and his features contorted furiously, "You know nothing, Malfoy."

"You priggish bastard!" I let out before tearing my wand out from my pocket, pointing it at him.

Immediately, he drew his own, and Harry had his out in an instant, but Ron already had a curse on his lips, and he let it out without hesitation, "Diffindo!"

"Stop!" Hermione screamed, pulling away from Jarina as she moved forward, pushing me sideways. But the curse got me, and a deep gash cut into my shoulder. I fell to the floor with a grunt and my wand fell next to me.

"Draco!" Harry shouted, focusing his wand on Ron, but Hermione continued and forced Harry put his wand down before she went to Ron and pulled at his arm, making him point his wand at her chest, right at her heart.

"Hermione!" I exclaimed, shocked, but then I hissed in pain when Jarina kneeled next to me and set me into a sitting position. Blood gushed out like a river and soaked into my shirt.

Jarina bit her lip and shook her head as she looked at me, "This is going to hurt like a hell of a lot of hell, Draco." And then she slapped her hand on the wound and I shouted in pain, kicking out at her to make her stop. Her hand glowed red and a scorching hot sensation flooded into my veins like boiling oil.

"Bloody fucking bitch!" I roared, struggling to get her off of me, but then she let me go- And my shoulder stopped bleeding. It was healed without a scar.

I panted incredulously and Jarina looked at me smugly before standing, "You're welcome."

"'Mione…" Harry said, turning away from us and looking at the brunette worriedly, "'Mione, what are you doing?"

"Ron…" Hermione cried softly, her eyes continuing to let out tears, "Ronald, you have broken your vows to me and you have broken my heart, but I had stayed with you because I had faith in you! I trusted you to make the right decision and come back to me, but you didn't." Her hand shook, but she gripped onto his arm all the more tightly, "And I had no choice but to leave you because of that. All of this might sound terribly redundant, but you have to understand that there is no possible way for me to go back to you anymore. Either accept it, or kill me now, Ronald, because I can't take it anymore."

Ron shook his head and covered her hand with his free hand, "No, Hermione, I'll change, and I'll stay with you-"

"Weren't you listening?" I growled heatedly standing and taking a step away from Jarina, "You can't take back what you did to her, and she's never going to forget it."

"Kill her."

All heads turned to the only other woman on the porch, and Jarina shook her head, placing both hands on her hips.

"Jare-" Harry started, but she held up a hand and silenced him.

"No, let him kill her, Harry." She said icily, "Look at him. He's desperate to take back what he lost, but it's obvious that he's not getting her back. Isn't that right, Draco?" she asked, looking at me. I glared at her, but she continued and looked at Ron, "There are two available choices that she gave to you, Ron. Kill her or let her go. You don't want to suffer anymore, she doesn't want to suffer anymore, but you know, either option you chose is going to hurt. If you kill her, all of us will feel bad, but you'd be at serious fault."

"I don't want to lose you." Ron said despairingly as he looked at Hermione.

"Then kill her." Jarina repeated, "If you can't let go of your married relationship, then you have no other option other than to kill her like she wants."

"Jarina." I presaged, warning her to stop. She wasn't helping a lot.

But she ignored me, "Your choice, Ron."

He stared at the Filipina helplessly, looking from Hermione to her, then to Harry and me. Looking at him now, he looked impossibly lost and hopeless. Then he pulled his arm away from Hermione and turned away.

Harry and I sighed at the same time and Hermione bit her lip apprehensively. Suddenly, Ron lifted his head, exposing his neck and he pointed his wand at it.

"No!" I yelled.

"Ron!" Harry bellowed and Hermione screamed.

He shut his eyes tightly and shook his head, "She's right. Nothing's going to make any of this any better, so I might as well-"

"You're being an idiot." Jarina cut in again and I shot her a blazing look.

"And you're not helping."

"I have to agree, Jare," Harry added as he turned to her, his face a mask without expression.

She ignored us both and walked forward towards the red-head, "Killing anyone isn't going to solve any of our problems. It won't get rid of anything but a very good Quidditich player. Listen to me. You get a divorce. It ends what? Your marriage. That's it. Harry'll still be your friend. Hermione will still be there for you. And for all I know, Draco will still be an ass."

-_-_-

I never occurred to me that the kind talk Jarina used would actually help in such an intense situation. It was mind blowing, but it worked out. Ron had dropped his wand and fell to his knees as both Harry and Hermione went to his side.

It had been years since I saw the Golden Trio together, and that moment would not be the last. I knew it even as Ron left.

-_-_-

Leaving the little beach hideaway, we went back to Jarina's mother's province for Christmas. There was a long series of events, and at the plaza, a large group of people gathered, everyone cheering as various competitions were held.

"I'll be honest will you, Harry." I said, leaning back in my chair as children ran around us, giggling and laughing as they chased one another to another table.

Pushing up his glasses, Potter looked at me, "About what?"

"Jarina." I said, pointing at her with my chin.

"And?" he pressed, giving me a suspicious look.

"She's a crazy bitch, Harry, I'd watch myself if I were you." I cautioned, "Americans are violent."

Harry scoffed and twisted in his seat to look at her. On the court stage, she was giving out various prizes with Hermione to the children who had won a contest, "Who isn't?"

"Point," I admitted, "but still… The things she does to help- They aren't safe." I rubbed my shoulder tenderly, still remembering the burning feeling.

Then, Hermione came down the steps of the stage and smiled at me, holding her hand out, "Come on, Draco, you've got to get in line."

Jarina ran up beside her, taking Harry's hand, "Yeah, you too, beautiful." Harry laughed and allowed himself to be pulled out of the chair.

I groaned and adjusted my wig, "This is bloody humiliating." But I took Hermione's hand and stood up, following Hermione as she helped Jarina fix Harry's dress.

Hermione laughed and looked at me over her shoulder, "Draco, it wouldn't surprise me if you win the Drag Queen contest."

"Really, now? I thought that prized spot was reserved for Jarina's brother, Klevin." I said, feigning interest as I struggled to walk in a pair of high heels, my arms giving me slight balance as I held them out. The dress I was wearing was too short at the front and too long at the back, it made me wonder how women moved in such impossible gowns.

Then, Hermione turned around and stood on her toes to touch her lips with mine, her arms wrapping around my bare shoulders, "Yes, Draco, really. You're absolutely gorgeous, so much so that I wish I was a man right now."

Staring down at her, I grinned, "Don't say that, Granger. You'll regret it once I get all this bloody damn makeup off of my face."

"Ladies and gentlemen, we now give you, all twenty-five contestants for this years Drag Queen Pagent!"

Hermione smiled at me and patted my cheek, "Better get up there before the shoes cave in, Draco, wouldn't want to lose, now would we?"


Yeah, I know it's a Ron-basher.

I'm not a big fan of Ron, really-

But I love Rupert Grint. IMO, he's a lot hotter than Daniel.

Haha, but you know, that's just me.

And you know what... After this... I think I'll take up requests. From pairings to themes~
I can't promise everyone a story, of course, just those that I find interesting.

=^w^=

Hope you enjoyed!