I own nothing. Sadly.
And the story unfolds… dun, dun, dun. I know I promised characters that were much like JK Rowling's, not very different, but I'm trying to explain the few changes as best I can, as you may have noticed in the previous chapter. I will update quickly and as fast as possible, but it's all up to your responses ultimately.
As soon as he stepped into the steaming shower, Draco promptly allowed himself a generous wank.
Fuck you Granger, was his only thought.
Fuck her for completely unknowingly taunting him with her naked ass. Where was she hiding those hips? Of course, when your daily wear are a set of robes that billow out around you as you walk, there is a lot hidden. But honestly? How had he missed those?
Fuck her for them emerging from the blasted bathroom, with her dripping hair sticking to her face, her cheeks flushed just like they were last night and that make shift towel dress rising high on her creamy thigh.
He knew it was normally paler and guessed she had been a guest at this particular hotel for quite a while since there was color evident on her body. No particular tan lines except where you would find a thong, and the thought angered him for some reason.
Was Granger really parading herself around nude on these beaches? That was so unlike the girl he knew, whose nose was always, always, always in a book and not just any book, usually a 1000 page textbook.
Fuck her from eliciting that silent groan from him, as he sat on his own bed. He'd been waiting for the shower, meaning to shove past her and then continue his vacation elsewhere, but the way his eyes found themselves glued to her dripping, rosy body, he found he wanted more.
She'd suggested tanning before, hadn't she? Why the HELL would he give up a chance to see a barely clad, sweating Granger lying beside him? That's just crazy talk. So he immediately turned to alcohol as his savior, since it had caused this whole mess.
Quickly finishing his shower, Draco magicked himself dry and didn't bother fixing his hair. He was on vacation after all, no image to uphold in the middle of the Muggle world. He Accio'd some swim trunks and a matching black t-shirt from his room and emerged the bathroom while still tugging down that shirt.
The tiny gasp from Granger made him smirk discreetly, glad his exposed abdomen had such an affect on her, even from a distance.
"Where to for breakfast?" he asked. He figured she knew the place better than him, undoubtedly being here longer again judging by the color of her skin.
"The buffet I guess. I've only been here 3 days," she replied and it shook his ego a bit that he hadn't figured her out completely as he was so sure he had.
Malfoys were never wrong.
Oh but so clearly, they were. He'd gotten to see just how many mistakes a Malfoy could make in the past year. Being on the Dark Lords' side was strike one. His father landing in jail was strike two. His mother pleading her innocence with Potter's help was the last blow.
Malfoys needed help from people like Potter. What was the world coming to?
Draco and his affiliation with the Dark Lord was entirely thanks to his parents and nothing more. He was raised to be prejudiced, but not evil. When everything became a cold hard reality at the end of his fourth year, he could only shakily gulp down his fears.
The Dark Lord had grotesquely returned in the flesh and the Malfoys were not only to serve him, but were indebted to him.
Hence, a 14 year old boy became the liason between his father in Azkaban and the Dark Lord. There were no tasks involved until 2 years later, with the vanishing cabinet. But still, his connection to the dark side was beginning to dawn on him.
As it became evident he was going to have to actually act out deeds for the Dark Lord, everything began to take a toll on him. His priorities were weighed. School or his life? Friends or his life? Money or his life? Health or survival?
Everything was easily taken from him, withdrawing him from the regular world. Tormenting even the golden trio was no longer a past time; crying and confiding in Snape were new habits.
Dumbledore figured out a neat way to keep everyone safe, as he always did. Loads were lifted off of Draco's shoulder as the war actually happened and ended.
The Dark Mark began to fade, there was never as much for it as he had anticipated. Things became more normal for him and his mother that summer. But you can't keep a teenage boy cooped up with that much stress and torment behind him. He decided to take refuge in Mexico, at Blaise's suggestion. 'The Muggle world has its fucking sweet spots' Blaise had said.
And here he was, going to a buffet with Granger. It was vacation wasn't it? He knew they were both exhausted from the real world so he didn't have it in him to care that tolerating her was usually as fun as practicing a patronus, something so draining and impossible when you've been under the influence of dark magic for so long with as many dark memories to keep you company. Being nice to her was natural right now, but with the sun shining so brightly and everyone's burnt smiling faces around him, he couldn't imagine it any other way.
"You seem to have a liking towards that lovely grave color," Hermione noted, sipping on her early morning Strawberry Daiquri laced with rum.
"You don't seem to have issues with it either," Draco replied, motioning to her black bikini hidden under a coral racerback sundress that hit her mid thighs deliciously.
"I still have loads less black on than you," she commented, tucking a curl behind her ear. Her chocolate tresses were loose and wild, besides the aviator glasses holding a few strands out of her fresh face.
Draco noticed she didn't need make up to enhance her features. Her amber eyes were big, fiery. Her skin was creamy and well kept; no blemishes were visible to him. Her nose was tiny and straight, with a few stray freckles. Her aforementioned lips were naturally rosy and plump, but there was a sheer layer of balm on them. He longed to reach over the table and taste the flavor of the balm while-
Okay. Now things were getting ahead of themselves.
"I don't know if you noticed, but bikinis require much less material than everything I'm wearing. So yes Granger, I have a lot more black on."
She stiffened a little at his calling her Granger, but smiled brightly after. Puzzling girl.
"Time to go then?" She looked at both empty plates and glasses, then at him.
"Guess so," he grumbled, standing.
"Oi, what a grumpy pants," she breathed, walking out of the outdoor buffet ahead of him.
"What?" he asked, genuinely missing her comment as her voice got lost ahead of him.
"Nothing Malfoy, time to skinny dip."
"What?"
She only laughed and they both remained silent for the remainder of their walk to the shore, finding a pair of empty beach chairs to strip their clothes on and renting towels on the way.
He was quietly confused and she was taking the lead for once.
"There ARE kids around and you ARE going insane," Malfoy stated, walking out of the water next to a flushed Granger.
Slowly and surely, he mentally added to his former statement.
Why was she always so pink in the face? Her hair was once again wetly sticking to her face but this time he had a much clearer view of her wet body. The bikini did nothing to cover her toned body, and the water dripping everywhere was tempting him to lick. It was enraging his animal instincts to throw her down in the sand and have his way with her. But, as he had just mentioned to his great chagrin, there were children around.
And Malfoys didn't lose control.
When they were both deep enough, Granger charmed both of their clothes invisible and they splashed around and rode the salty waves like giddy children. They both laughed at the fat middle-aged Russian man only a few yards away who was oblivious to their nakedness and exchanged looks when a family with young children had spotted them, thankfully also from yards away. Adrenaline rush aside, it was actually fun. Freeing was the word Draco would use.
Just before they decided to get out, Granger rendered their clothes visible again and they were still laughing as they climbed out.
"Don't get your boxers in a twist. It's not like they saw anything," she mocked him.
He had to hand it to her. He didn't know this side of her at all.
They made it back to their chairs and baked till they were dry. Afterwards, they played a few card games that were abnormally competitive due to two their stubborn nature.
Before long, the sun began to set and they were racing back to their hotel rooms, playing tag.
Both faces were flushed by the time they welcomed air conditioning in the elevator and the laughter abruptly stopped as they simultaneously flew into each others' arms and devoured each others faces.
A/N: Thanks for reading! I already have the next few chapters written, I'm just editing and reviewing them. The sooner I get reviews, the sooner you get a continuation.
I know Hermione is out of character for now, but as I tried to explain in the previous chapter, she's away from Hogwarts, on vacation, and at the urging of many people she loves, away from books. The stress of the past few years needs to be recouped somehow, right?
Draco seems a lot more lost than usual also, his snarky comments and dark behavior are definitely missed BUT his father is in jail, his mother was barely saved from the same fate, and the Malfoys were for the first time ever, caught doing the downright wrong thing. If that isn't a blow to his ego and character, I don't know what is. But, then again, he may just need some time to recoup, eh?
You'll have to find out and see what happens.
