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Chapter 2

The waves crashed across her knees but she didn't care. Her bag lay far enough away to not get wet but still in sight and her hair flew around her face from the sea breeze. The warmth from earlier had yet to return to her but getting away from that god-forsaken hotel was a good start.

"What? A little trouble in paradise, Granger?" Draco walked up to see Hermione about knee deep in water, with her head raised to the sky, eyes closed, and looking a little…pretty? God, he must have been out in the sun too long.

"You know Malfoy. You have the most uncanny ability to annoy people at the worst possible times."

"It's a gift."

"It's a pain is what it is." She had finally returned his challenge of a verbal fight. It reminded him of their school days at Hogwarts. Days he had come to look upon rather fondly as of late.

"All's fair in love and war."

"I've had enough of that for a while, thank you." She said with a glare, though slightly enjoying their little fight. Ironically enough, half of the time they actually made her feel a little better.

"I'm flattered Granger. I had no idea you harbored such feelings for me." Her mouth dropped. "It is understandable though. I am handsome, smart, and rich."

"You're vain is what you are. And I would die before admitting that I had any feelings for you besides utter loathing and hate."

"You know what they say, Granger. There's a very fine line between a passionate love and a passionate hate." Draco said smirking. Before she could answer a big wave came crashing down and ended up drenching her up to her waist. Draco just chuckled at she shrieked. The next thing he knew was her kicking water up and splashing it trying to get him as wet as she was. He in return did the same and the two gradually started walking closer together, each trying to get the other more drenched then they already were.

Another wave crashed on them, sweeping Hermione's feet out from under her making her lose her balance. In a desperate attempt to regain her footing she grabbed onto the only stable thing, or rather person, around her: a certain Draco Malfoy to be exact. As the wave retreated from the shore the two twisted and feel onto the wet sand, Draco falling on top of her.

They stared into each other's eyes both with shocked expressions. Their faces only inches apart with Draco's arms holding his body just above hers. Both lost their breath as time seemed to slow down for a moment before more water flowed onto their legs, catching them both off guard with how cold it was. Both scampered up and out of the water. Hermione stumbled over to her bag before collapsing on the warm sand. Draco slowly made his way toward her and saw her brown hair splayed out around her face, frizz tamer due to the salt water.

Hermione heard a soft thud next to her and turned to see Draco sitting up beside her. He had gotten his own bag and was staring back out over the water. Hermione propped herself on her elbows.

"I guess I have to thank you." She dropped her head to hide her blush as Draco looked over at her. Both of their cloths were snug against their skin and he could see that she had a nicer body than he thought. Then again, the last time he had seen her she had been in school robes.

"Hmm. And why's that Granger?"

"For getting my mind off of things." He fell backwards onto the sand and the two just laid there with saying anything for quite some time. When she opened her eyes, the sky was turning pink and the sun falling towards the ocean. Hermione groaned and stretched. She'd didn't have a clue where she was going to stay tonight because she sure as hell did not want to stay with Ron. Draco stirred beside her and woke up soon after her. He saw the slightly worried look on her face and noticed her biting her lip, most likely a nervous habit.

He swatted her leg just hard enough to grab her attention then raised an eyebrow at her. Somewhere between the coffee shop and tackling each other in the water the two had started being able to stand each other.

Hermione sighed and looked at her new tolerable acquaintance.

"I don't know what to do."

Draco, still feeling a little lost, prompted her to continue.

"I don't want to go back. I don't want to share a room with him. I don't ever want to be in the same hotel!" She slammed her fists into the sand in frustration, but even she knew that had to go back. Sighing, Hermione reluctantly grabbed her bag. Shoulders drooped and eyes down at the ground she grudgingly trudged back towards the hotel. She didn't want to, but she didn't have anywhere else to stay.

She reached the boardwalk and put her shoes back on and saw white blonde hair lying on the beach. For some reason Malfoy had been able to cheer her up some through some twisted way of insults and arguments. Well, at least the git was good for something.

Hermione walked back to the hotel upset and angry. She couldn't wait to let it out on Ron. She stomped over to their room. The door slammed open and Hermione started in on her rant but was shortly silenced. There wasn't anyone in the room. She walked over towards the small living room connecting their rooms, but couldn't find anything showing that he had been back since early this morning.

Hermione dropped her bag by her bed, but didn't bother unpacking. She wasn't sure if or when she would be staying or leaving.

The sun had almost completely set before the door creaked open. Hermione turned around on the couch, book forgotten, and stared at Ron. He was covered in sand, skin sunburnt, and wearing a big goofy grin on his face. She couldn't help but glare at that smile. He noticed and he became more somber.

"Hey, 'Mione." She turned her back on him and started reading her book agin.

"Ron."

He didn't say anything and just went to clean up. Hermione was both angry and disappointed. He hadn't asked about her slapping him or tried to deny or explain what happened earlier. The thought that he didn't even care about his own girlfriend enough to try and explain something like that, caught in her throat. Angry tears about to fall.

Hermione was downstairs eating something at the hotel restaurant, she didn't even know what it was. All she could think about was Ron's hardened face when he saw her. It was going to be a long night.

"Okay, Hermione. What's got your knickers in a twist?"

That was the first thing Hermione heard when she woke up the next morning. The fact that he had the audacity to ask her that…

"Excuse me."

"You heard me." He said as he walked over to her. "You've been ignoring and avoiding me since yesterday."

"I'm not the only one. Not once did you try to find me or ask me what was wrong when I got back!"

"I – alright Hermione. What's up?" Ron asked unwillingly. He knew that fighting wasn't going to get them anywhere. Hermione also knew this and tried to answer his question without yelling at him.

"'What's up' Ron, is that I saw you yesterday surrounded by a group of bubble-headed beach girls, when we had planned to meet at that café."

Ron snorted. "Gee, Hermione. I never really took you for the jealous type." Hermione's jaw dropped. Not only had he completely ignored the fact that he had stood her up, but he was accusing her of being jealous. She wasn't jealous, she was mad. Hermione was beginning to wonder why she had even agreed to date him.

It had been during their sixth year of school. Harry had finally convinced Ron to tell Hermione he liked her, and she had also secretly liked him back. They started going out which was nice, but then the war happened. Everything became so chaotic until the end of what would have been their seventh year. But when things finally started settling down, Hermione and Ron's relationship started up again. All too quickly, though, it started to feel very similar to back when they were just friends. Way too similar for her tastes. It worried her that their renewed 'relationship' would end before it had hardly gotten serious again. They did manage to make it last through for a year and were supposed to be having a good vacation to the beach.

For her though, it wasn't turning out to be so great. After a couple late arrivals and missed dates, Hermione was getting slightly disgusted with him. Ironically enough yesterday had been one of the best days for her; even including her tiff with Malfoy.

She stopped to think about him while having a coffee at the little shop she had found yesterday. It was quiet. She pulled a paperback out of her bag. It was one of her mother's favorite romance novels which just so happened to be centered at a beach. Hermione had brought it hoping that their trip would be half as romantic as the characters'. Fate must just be laughing her ass off.

She got engrossed in her book once again. How she wished that Ron could be even a teensy-weensy bit as romantic. God, she would be happy if he even tried to be romantic. A couple of months into their relationship, Hermione had realized that Ron hadn't really done anything that was expected of a boyfriend, or at least what she had expected from one. She knew that Ron wasn't really the romantic type but she would have figured he would get her something like flowers on her birthday – which he had completely forgotten – or chocolates for Valentine's Day. Even a nice dinner or two somewhere other than the usual places would've been nice.

It hadn't taken her long to come to the conclusion that he didn't have a single romantic bone in his body.

"Wouldn't have pegged you for the romantic type, Granger."

"Hard to judge a book by its cover."

"Yeah, you would know all about that now wouldn't you."

The chair across from her squeaked as Malfoy sat down in it, coffee in hand and a smirk on his face. This was perfect, just what she needed; a little war of the words with Malfoy.

"Well I wouldn't have ever thought that I would see you in anything less than four stars." She said, closing her book. Hermione leaned to reach for her bag, brushing back the hair that fell in her face before looking back up at Malfoy.

"Finally learned how to tame that lion mane of yours, I see." Hermione bristled at the jab but felt like there might have been a complement in there, somewhere…maybe?

"Straighteners. There better than magic," she said smugly. "But they won't help with your white hair. I guess you're just getting old, Malfoy. And not even magic can help that."

The insults, jabs, and jokes went back and forth for longer than the two of them thought. Costumers had come and gone and the two were still sitting there, having ordered another coffee each.

" – and you're dating a red-haired weasel." Hermione couldn't help but start laughing.

"And you're a bloody bouncing ferret."

Hermione fell back in her chair laughing and with a smile on her face. Their argument had gotten so ridiculous that at one point they had gotten completely off whatever topic they had started on and had begun talking about that idiot Lockhart's last book and Dolores Umbridge's hideous pink outfits. How that had eventually turned and led to her current 'boyfriend', though, she wasn't sure.

Draco had just insulted her best friend and boyfriend and she was laughing. It didn't make much sense. Then again, he couldn't remember the last time he had wanted to laugh either.

He used to get a kick out of beating her down, but now it had turned into more of a who-can-think-of-the-best-smartass-response kind of fight that he thoroughly enjoyed. After all, there weren't many people with as sharp a tongue as him, but Hermione was one of them.

He started chuckling under his breath too as Hermione seemed to collect herself once again. She shook her head a few times before the smile from before fell from her face and her eyes dulled. His face did the same, with added confusion of course.

"Honestly, I don't even know why I'm going out with him. It's not like it's any different than when we were friends. Heck, if anything, I think it might be worse." Her eyebrows knit together as she stared at the floor.

That explained her reaction to Weasley yesterday.

"Then break his heart." He said in typical Malfoy fashion. Not caring about the feelings of others and only looking out for themselves. She should have seen it coming.

"Not everything's that easy Malfoy." But now that he said it, it didn't sound like such a bad idea. The thought had crossed her mind a couple times, but she always brushed it aside, thinking about Ron's feelings. But he didn't seem to care about hers, so why should she? Dear God the world must be ending. Hermione Granger was taking Draco Malfoy's advice.

"You should learn to be careful Malfoy." Hermione was staring up at the ceiling.

"Hmm. And why's that Granger?"

"Because if you don't, I might actually start to like you. And Lord knows we can't have that." She set down her cup and pulled her bag up over her shoulder.

"Later Malfoy."

Draco leaned back in his chair and took the last sip of his coffee.

"…well that was weird."