A/N: I've wanted to write some type of driving fic for a long time, so here it is: Hermione and Draco have a go-kart race. Fluffy Dramione fic. muggle!AU. RxR. FxF.
Submission for:
Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition: A Muggle! AU
A Dramione Prompt Challenge!: The Exception to the Rule (14)
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 1 - It's Not Whether You Win Or Lose
Hermione grinned as she walked into the establishment, her boyfriend's hand in hers. He too shared a similar grin, both of them thinking of the challenge posed just a few minutes ago.
They walked up to the counter and he paid their entry, giving her a smirk and a teasing comment about girls being horrible drivers. She just smiled back unaffected, and when the man gave them their tickets, she ran ahead of him towards the gate.
He chuckled and then walked up behind her. "Whoa, whoa, Hermione. The race hasn't even started yet. Are you that excited to lose?" Draco said.
She laughed, "I'm just excited to put you in your place, babe? Someone has to knock the rich, pretty boy off his high horse."
He put his arms around her, her back to his and kissed her cheek, "If you wanted to knock me down, then we could just go home and cut to the chase."
She blushed and then said, "Someone sounds like he's chickening out."
He laughed and then stepped away and through the gate. He held it out to her, "I just wanted to save you some embarrassment, but you seem to be living in a fantasy world where you win. I have to stop that before you get any more wild dreams."
She rolled her eyes and then walked up to the racks. They each strapped on an helmet before walking over to the short go-karts. Always the gentleman, he strapped her in securely into Kart#5 before going into Kart#9 on her right.
They were in a race with 10 other people, but that didn't matter to them. They were here to race each other. The race was 15 laps, the winner the one with the shortest time from the start to the end, recorded by sensors in the karts and the finish line.
They both watched the countdown, the lights slowly transitioning from red, to orange to green. She shouted above the noise of revving engines. "Know that I'll still love you if you lose!"
"I'm not sure if I like losers though, so you just may be single after this," he grinned back and then laughed at her glare at his joke.
There was the shot, the light green, and all twelve karts shot forward. They weaved around the obstacles on the track, drifting around corners and accelerating through the straight sections.
Hermione laughed, the challenge momentarily forgotten as she revelled in the joy of driving. She could go as fast as she wanted, be as daring as she wanted, and felt as free as a bird.
She had no idea where Draco was but soon found out as he rocketed past her. Then she smiled and urged her car to move faster. He expertly dodged the towers of tires placed in their way, she hot on his trail. They rounded corner after corner and Hermione wasn't sure if she would pass him. But then he took a corner too wide and they saw her opportunity. She drifted in a tight curve and pulled out and ahead. She could hear his scream as she sped up.
However, she wasn't paying attention and she hit into one of the tire towers, causing her car to spin before coming to a stop. He laughed as he drove past her once more. She turned and followed after him, dodging the other cars that had passed her as well.
Their laps were almost over and Hermione felt that her time was much longer than Draco's after the spin out. She pushed her kart further and crossed the finish line just a cart behind him, but she knew it wasn't enough.
They led the karts into the coral and exited, replacing their helmets on the rack. She glared at his grinning face before he pulled her into a large hug, his arms wrapping all the way around. "Don't worry, I'll make you an exception to the rule. I won't break up with you for being a loser. We'll just keep it on the downlow."
She shoved him but he held her close and laughed. A buzz sounded and they both looked up to the results board which ordered all the racers by times. And right at the top was her name, then Draco's just 0.14 seconds behind her.
His jaw dropped, his arms slackened and she pushed away from him. She screamed, jumped up and down and ran around the place like a madman, her arms flailing. Then she jumped back into Draco's arms, her presence pulling him from his stupor.
She leaned up and kissed him soundly. "You were saying, loser?"
He kissed her back and said, "Nothing, my winner."
She smiled back. It was never really about winning or losing, though she was keeping track of their scores mentally (her: 4 as of today, him: 2). They came to this gokart place every week, and every time they made the same challenge. Every time they had the same fire within and every time they laughed at each other. It was how they were, competitive at heart and but gracious losers and winners. They just wanted to have fun and see the other smile and feel that rush of the race, which kind of made them both winners.
They walked back out of the establishment hand in hand. "So you knocked the rich, pretty boy off his high-horse. How about we land on the couch back home?"
"Sure, loser. Whatever you say," she grinned back. It was still nice to win though.
