CHAPTER FOUR

FLY ME TO THE MOON

At 10:00 that evening after the DA meeting was over, Hermione returned to the head boy/girl dormitory. She gave the password and entered the common room. Putting down her bag, she sat on the couch by the fire. She had a full day, but an enjoyable one, despite the run in with Malfoy. She had a lovely lunch with Ron and Harry and a very productive DA meeting trying out some of the new hexes she found. Hermione had planned to start next week's chapter reading for Professor Flitwick's class, but what Malfoy said earlier today came rushing back to her. 'He's right', she thought. 'I do need to get a life'. Maybe I should just take a nice hot shower and relax tonight'. She got up and went to her room, took out her comfy jeans and sweatshirt and headed towards the bathroom.

Malfoy was in his room pacing. He had gone to Flourish and Blotts in hopes of finding a spell or potion that would make Pansy hate him. Coming up empty, he had decided that Pansy would have to be the one to call off the engagement….only that would get him off the hook with his father. If she publicly rejected him, his father would have no choice but to accept it. Unfortunately, he didn't find anything aweful enough to make Pansy despise him. 'There has to be something', he said to himself walking to his closet and taking out his broom. 'Maybe a little night flying will help me think of something'.

Hermione felt refreshed, she dressed and dried her hair. There was nothing like a nice hot shower to clear one's head and relax one's body. She grabbed a novel from her bookshelf and went back down to the common room. It was a beautiful clear night. The moon was half full and there were hundreds of stars out. Hermione opened the French doors, stepped out onto the balcony and took a deep breath. 'No more schoolwork for the rest of the weekend', she told herself. 'Tomorrow I'll spend the day doing nothing, yep…no studying for me'. A cool breeze blew and she shivered. Hermione turned to go back inside and found Malfoy standing before her.

"Granger", he said curtly.

"Malfoy", she replied, just as curtly.

She attempted to move past him. He immediately moved in front of her and blocked her way. She then tried to get past him on his other side only to have him block her again.

She stood in front of him, her hands on her hips and eyebrows raised as she silently waited for an explanation.

"Aren't you going to ask me where I'm off to so late?", he said.

"I asked you that question twice already and you never answered me….why would I try for a third time?"

"Three time's a charm, Granger".

She sighed, tired of this game. "I don't care where you're going Malfoy as long as it's out of my way".

"But this afternoon you said you cared", he countered.

"What?"

"In the bookshop, you……said……you…….cared", he reminded her simply as one would a 5 year old.

I, well….you're not going to tell me even if I do ask, so what's the difference?", she said.

"I may not tell you, but maybe I'll show you", he said moving past her. "Come on" and he held out his hand to her. He didn't know what he was doing, but he did know that if she was out with him, she couldn't hold tonight's excursion against him.

"I….."

"Live a little won't you, Granger? Come on, take a ride with me", he insisted.

"Why would I go anywhere with you?"

"I thought we covered this already? You need to get a life Granger. All you do is sit inside and study, you never get out and really live."

"And you're going to show me how? Yeah right!" she said sarcastically.

"Yeah, that IS right. But only you can decide how to live your life, all I can do is show you how I get through mine."

She stood there thinking, not sure what to do. 'Why is he doing this?'

"I don't have my cloak", she said quickly trying to think of a way out of this.

He took out his wand and said without hesitation, "Accio cloak". In an instant, her cloak came flying down the stairs, out onto the balcony and into his arms. He held it out to her as if to say…'so much for that problem'.

"But, I'm not a good flyer", she said softly hating to admit being poor at anything. "I don't even have my own broom"

"You won't need a broom, you'll be flying with me". Still holding out her cloak he continued, "Now, stop trying to make excuses. What are you so afraid of?"

"You purposely dropping me from 1000 meters and me falling to my painful death", it was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

Malfoy actually had to stifle a laugh.

"Granger", he said as he slowly walked towards her, "If you die, I'll have to start scheduling patrols and planning balls and that's something we both don't want." He had looked directly into her eyes as if to drive his point home. "Now put on your cloak", he said to her and draped it around her shoulders.

He said it in such a way it was as if he demanded it. Unconsciously, she started to button it up. Still feeling anxious she asked, "How does this work?"

"We get on the broom and fly though the air", he answered using charade-like movements as if to convey how obvious the answer to her question was.

She rolled her eyes at him. "I know how one rides a broom. I've seen enough Quidditch to figure that out. But two people on one broom? How will we both fit?"

"It'll be tight, but the broom with compensate for the both of us."

"Where will I sit?"

"Well, you have a few choices. You can sit in front of me…but you'll have to steer."

She bit her lower lip while waiting for the next option.

"Or", he continued, "you can sit behind me and hold onto my waist". Hermione suddenly had flashbacks to the last Quidditch match against Slytherin. She knew how fast Malfoy could fly. If she lost her grip, she'd fall of the back of the broom and she doubted he'd be even willing or able to catch her in time….how many times has he beaten Harry to the snitch? Exactly.

"Are there any other options?" she asked hopefully. She wasn't really comfortable with the idea of her being the one to steer.

He thought for a second. "If you sat side-saddle in front and held onto me, I should be able to steer well enough. But I've never tried it that way. Pansy always likes me to be in back". He gave a small knowing smirk. Hermione blushed so deep she was grateful he had turned and looked down to check his broom.

"I don't know Malfoy, if you've never flown that way before…."

"Relax will you? We'll go slow until you're comfortable and besides….I can do anything on a broom", he said as he wriggled his eyebrows at her and presented her with his signature smirk once again.

Hermione shook her head and finished fastening her cloak. "I must be crazy", she said under her breath. "You're not crazy, you just finally decided to have some fun, now come here".

"Promise you won't go too high or too fast?" He didn't answer her.

"Malfoy?", she pressed.

"Alright, alright. Not too fast, not too high…..not until you say so", he added.

"I won't say so".

"You will", he said sure of himself and sat astride his broom.

"Give me your hand". She reluctantly offered it to him. He took it and maneuvered her so that her bottom was leaning on the broom. "Okay, now put your arms around my neck".

"What? Nooooo way, Malfoy. I don't know what you're playing at…."

"Granger", he said with an exaggerated sigh. "I'm going to have one hand holding the broom and one arm around you so you feel all nice and secure. So unless you plan to hex me with more arms…what exactly do you think I'm going to do?".

"Right. Sorry", and hesitantly put her arms around his neck.

"Uh, Granger? I said the broom would compensate for us, not grow an extra 2 meters. You'll have to sit closer to me, I can't even reach past you to hold the broom." She scooted a little closer to him. He rolled his eyes. "Granger?" he said again in a warning tone.

"Okay, okay" and she scooted a little more. Frustrated, he grabbed her around the waist, pulled her to him and simultaneously kicked off the ground.

Hermione closed her eyes and held on so tight he could barely breathe. "Granger?", he choked out. "We're only a meter off the balcony, calm down."

"Sorry, you just….startled me"

"Loosen your death grip, I can't breathe!" She did, but still didn't open her eyes.

"Comfortable?", he asked sarcastically. She nodded into his neck.

"Alrighty then…here we go". He maneuvered his broom away from the balcony and they headed into the darkness.