The sun cast a faint light over Hermione's room the next morning. She woke up to the smell of fresh flowers and a faint smell of salt drifting in from the open window. Groaning she sat up, disoriented.
There had been a boy...no, a man. He was regal and stunning and staring at her. Hermione shook her head sharply. They had been far apart, and she hadn't even gotten a good look at the stranger. Why had she stayed up half the night thinking about him?
Because you felt it, a tiny annoying voice in her head replied. You felt your magic tingle again, and it scared you. So then you ran away, and now you regret it.
Again Hermione groaned, this time louder, then proceeded to shove her head under her pillow. Just then, Chloe walked in.
"Mione, dear," she began slowly, then ran and jumped onto Hermione's queen bed and yelled, "WAKE UP ALREADY!"
Chloe was not a patient person, and ripped the pillow off of her head. "The jetlag must be catching up with you cuz, it's nearly 10 in the morning!"
At this, Hermione bolted straight up. "TEN! Chloe, how could you let me stay in bed that late? I've never slept past 8:00 in my entire life."
"I know," said Chloe slyly. "I thought I'd treat you. Look! I even put fresh flowers in your room to make it homey, and I've cooked breakfast. Mark has already inhaled his, and you better get out to the kitchen now because he seemed to be eyeing yours up as I headed in here."
"All right, I'm coming. Just let me tidy up a bit." Hermionereplied and Chloe got up and left the guest bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Hermione spent a minute fixing the comforter and opening the shade farther, breathing the smell of the sea deep into her lungs. Gaeta was even more beautiful during the day, she decided. Turning away from the window, she took in her surroundings.
The queen sized bed was plush and easy to sleep on, with a light oak wood frame. The comforter matched the numerous window curtains - both were a light yellow that reminded Hermione of what her mother called "angel hair", the silky strands found under the husks of corn they bought each summer. There were two matching oak bedstands, one on either side of the bed.
The door to the bathroom was by the door leading out into the kitchen, and on the other side of that was the small walk-in closet. Over the floor spread a soft carpet, the bluish-green color reminding the princess of the sea just outside her window. The walls were the color of her cousin Chloe's favorite drink when they were younger - three fourths milk, one 8th coffee and one 8th carmel syrup. Mixed together they became a light brown that Hermione couldn't help but reach out and touch as she sat on her favorite part of the whole guest bedroom - the window seat. And not just a plain boring window seat, but comfortable, covered with fabric the color of the sky before the sun breaks on the horizon. Purpleish, with a hint of gray, but mostly blue. The seat took up almost two whole walls, going from the wall of the closet to the corner and from the corner almost to the bed. The windows went just a little longer, going up to her bed.
Hermione sighed contentedly and fell back onto the window seat. Once again her thoughts drifted to the man she had seen on the beach. Before she could argue with herself further, however, Hermione was again summoned to the real world by her wonderful cousin.
"HERMIONE!" Chloe yelled from the kitchen. "If you're not out here in three seconds Mark gets your breakfast!" As if on cue, Hermione's stomach grumbled.
"I'm coming!" She yelled as she grabbed her robe out of the closet and ran into the kitchen, once again all thoughts of the stranger out of her head.
DHDHDHDH
Draco's first thought when he woke up was "Why am I sleeping on the porch?" Before he could remember any more, a small house elf by the name of Zuni appeared by his side and let out a timid peep.
"Y-young Master M-Malfoy sir, is you all right?" The young creature looked at her usually well kept and regal Master lying in a heap on the wicker couch, hair sticking up all directions and still wearing clothes from yesterday!
Draco scowled and barked, "Yes! I just fell asleep here after going for a morning walk. Now go make sure Mother isn't around so I can get to my room while maintaining my dignity."
Zuni stood for a second, thinking about how it couldn't be so that he had just fallen asleep there. The house elf had seen him pacing the beach in front of the Master's summer home still at three that morning. Mistress Malfoy had told Zuni to watch young Master Malfoy, to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Zuni didn't know what her Mistress meant, but she is watching him until he fell asleep just after day break.
"ZUNI!" The poor creature jumped and realized she had not moved. Of course Mistress all ready knew young Master Malfoy had fallen asleep on the porch, but Zuni is not disobeying him. She went and checked quickly and came back.
"Mistress is just now leaving to meet her friends, sir." she squeaked. "She is in the front hall."
"Good." Draco said, and stood up, meaning to walk right by the house elf. For some reason, just as he passed her he got a guilty feeling for being so short with Zuni. Against his will, he turned around and said, "I'm sorry for yelling at you. Please have my breakfast ready in 20 minutes. I will be going out for the afternoon."
"Y-yes, sir. But you is getting up late, it is almost noon now." She trembled. Evenhis apology hadn't made the Malfoy heir any less intimidating to the creature he'd been pushing around since she was granted his, the summer he was 11.
"Fine then," he replied, still not very upset. "Lunch in 20 minutes." and he left the room.
Zuni sighed with relief. She is not knowing why he is acting so different. Just the day before as she was unpacking young Master's things he is yelling at her for wrinkling his favorite robes.
The house elf went into the kitchen, not daring to hope he is being nice if she didn't have his lunch ready on time either.
DHDHDHDH
Draco got out of the shower and dried off, leaving his white blonde hair that he hated so to air dry as he got dressed. Looking in the mirror, he decided he was ready. Now he could think about the girl. No, the young woman. He couldn't believe just one glimpse and now he couldn't stop thinking about her. All night, well into the early hours he thought of her, and looked for her on the beach. Draco didn't even know if she was a muggle or magical. Of course, most of the flats and houses along this part of the shoreline were magic households, but with all the blood traitors in the magical world these days, Draco knew it was possible she could have dirty blood.
He frowned into the mirror. Thinking like that had to stop. He wasn't his father! Lucius may have drilled their pureblood supremacy into young Draco's head, but he wasn't 11 anymore. Even though he would never want to be with a muggleborn witch, let alone a muggle, he had to stop thinking they were the enemy.
And then his thoughts drifted to a conversation Dumbledore had with Draco the day before they were to leave for holidays. Draco had just finished serving detention with Snape thanks to Potty and wasn't in a good mood, but he listened to the owl and went to the Headmaster's office..
"Come in, Mr. Malfoy." Said Dumbledore before Draco could even knock. He opened the door and sat in the chair the old man pointed to.
"Now, I have heard rumor that Voldemort has become successful with negotiating all of his death eaters out of Azkaban. Do you know what this means?"
"Yes," Draco replied. "My father...he'll be back."
Dumbledore smiled at him with that twinkle in his eye. "It means you'll have to pretend more this summer. Being part of the Order isn't easy, especially knowing how you've grown up..and what you still believe, if you haven't yet changed your mind."
"Professor, as I've told you for the past year, though I am against Voldemort and the power he has over my family and friends, I'm also not on Potter's side. The only reason I am a part of the Order is to get my pureblooded relatives and long time friends out of his clutches. It does not mean I want to accept muggleborns into our world, and I definately could care less about the muggle race. All I want is for Voldemort to be destroyed."
To Draco's confusion, this only made the old nutcase smile more. "All right my boy, if that's really all you want. Just remember - the heart can't control what it feels, and the mind can't dictate the heart."
At this, Dumbledore rose. "I'm sure you'll do fine this summer Mr. Malfoy, just be careful. And think before you speak - not only with Lucius, but everyone you meet and re-meet." Then he opened the door and ushered a bewildered Draco out the door.
The second the door shut, a portrait within Dumblodore's office said, "How is he going to aid the princess, the chosen one? Draco isn't tolerant of anyone who isn't pureblooded! You know what she is and -"
"That is quite enough Phineus! He's your great-great nephew. Why don't you blame his heritage for the end of the magical world as we know it while you're at it!" Draco could hear Dumbledore chuckle in reply. Not wanting any more trouble for the summer, Draco walked quickly down the spiral staircase and pretended he hadn't heard anything at all..
Shaking his head, Draco turned away from the mirror. What was wrong with him this morning? First he falls asleep on the porch, then he actually apologizes to a house elf, and then he remembers an unimportant conversation with the nutso. If it was all because of that girl, then he definately shouldn't go looking for her.
But even as Draco thought the last sentence, his Malfoy brain (or was it his Black family heart?) told him he couldn't just let her get away. Sighing at his own stubborness, he left his room and headed to lunch.