Chapter 4

Hermione couldn't believe Draco had turned her carefully crafted plan around. Well, Clara had done it first, but Clara's defection hadn't really changed much. Malfoy's interference hadn't been a huge thing, changing the accommodation but it still grated. Maybe because he was right. Sharing her sleeping quarters with multitudes of strangers wasn't as enjoyable as she'd hoped. Not that she would ever admit it.

He seemed perfectly serious about carrying her there if she made a fuss, and now that he had made everyone believe they were a couple, a married couple, it was unlikely that anyone would interfere. Being carried around by Malfoy would be beyond mortifyingly embarrassing. So she agreed, she packed her things and ran out through the rain and got in the cab that would take them to their new cheap apartment. It was only for a few days after all, until she got the air ticket to Brazil. The plan was to spend another week here before heading off to Rio.

The building was gray and crumbling. It was far from the best part of town. There was only one single naked bulb in the stair case leading up to the apartment. The key to the door wouldn't work so Malfoy had to resort to fixing it with his wand.

The apartment wasn't more than a room with a small extra corner keeping what looked like a gas stove. It did have a balcony that looked over a large, wet courtyard surrounded by houses. Hermione wasn't all that sure of its structural integrity, but the two large doors let the night breeze in.

The wall plaster was falling off the walls and there was a rotting floor board in one of the corners.

"Nasty enough for you?" Malfoy asked as he turned on the tap at the sink. It banged for a while before water poured out.

"Lovely." Hermione responded through gritted teeth. "There's only one bed!"

"Shame the Weasel wasn't here, he'd feel right at home."

"You'll have to sleep on the floor." She said with crossed arms.

"Like hell."

"Well, I'm not sleeping on the floor. This was your idea so you have to be accommodating."

"That is just not going to happen. If you have a problem sleeping in the bed, you can find somewhere else to sleep. The bathrub looks relatively clean. You can sleep in there."

"I am not sleeping in an iron tub." Hermione snapped. It would probably fall through the floor. The bed was the only thing in there that looked relatively decent. The white sheets looked crisp and clean. It was getting late and she was too tired to care much at this point.

"Fine, you can sleep under the blankets and I will sleep over the blankets. Believe me, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. I would rather cuddle up to one of Hagrid's extra special friends that he won't tell about that go anywhere near you." He said and after a while Hermione nodded a grudging agreement. Malfoy was not gentlemanly enough to offer her the bed, so she might as well accept the compromise. They had already paid for a week and this was probably just as bad a spending a week with the new dorm mates at the hostel, two of which looked like they were about to get it on when they were packing up their stuff. Not to mention the two European backpackers that were waiting outside the door for them to clear out.

The rain made it incredibly humid. Hermione felt like her clothes were sticking to her, so she decided to claim a bit of space to herself and locked herself in the bathroom. The bathroom was run down and there were the odd tiles missing, but it was clean and the water was just the right temperature to cool her down a bit.

Malfoy was already asleep when she got out. It still felt odd getting into a bed next to him, but her exhaustion soon made her forget all about the less than ideal situation.

She woke up snuggled right into his back at the crack of dawn. The realisation made her jerk back.

"I know you always wanted me, but please try to refrain from molesting me, Granger." She heard him say, dashing her hopes that he wouldn't notice. But he always notices whenever she done something she didn't want anyone to see. Nothing ever got past him to her utter chagrin.

"Ugh." Was all she could manage, her skin literally felt like it was crawling. She wasn't sure she could manage a week of this. Maybe she should just go home. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Well do it somewhere else. The last think I need is to smell your sick. That along with the smell of you it would probably just be enough to make me let go of my resolve not to kill mudbloods."

"Your vile."

"You smell vile." He said and took his shirt off and proceeded to clean it with his wand. Hermione couldn't stop herself from staring. She had never seen him so indisposed, but it didn't seem to phase him that he was half naked in front of her. Hermione had to force herself to look away.

"I hate you." She said.

"Seriously, I think I hate you more."

"Then maybe its time for your little experiment to end. Isn't it time you run home to mummy." Hermione snapped.

"We are charming in the mornings aren't we." He said. "I'm fucking starving. Get up, I want to eat."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"Just get off your ass you stupid bint."

"At least I can manage to feed myself. I'll never know how you managed to survive the war. With manners like yours I'm surprised you own family didn't top you off."

"I'm hungry, Granger. I swear if I don't get something to eat, I will chop you up and eat you." He said with a growl. "Actually that just gave me some lovely images to hold onto for the day."

They found a little cafe around the corner that served them omelettes and coffee. Malfoy really was hungry, because he's focus was exclusively on his food. He didn't say a word the entire time, which made for a more pleasant experience in Hermione's view. She spent some time considering what she wanted to do that day. She really wanted to travel along the coast a bit. And to go to the Hemingway museum.

It still gave her a smile as she looked around. She still couldn't believe she was here, she had spent so much time planning this trip and now it was finally happening. Not perhaps exactly according to plan, but she was here.

A sign across the road caught her eye. Mostly because it was in English although badly. It was for a scooter rental agency. Travelling around on a scooter would give so much more freedom to explore than taking the crowded bus around. She made up her mind that she would get one. She used to ride them around in Greece when she went on holiday with her parents, and it had been the best time.

Malfoy had no idea what she was talking about when she said she was going to rent one, but he didn't argue. He just stayed in the cafe and watched her as she acquired a scooter. It turned out to be quite expensive so they would have to share one. Or even better, he could stay here and she would go on her own. Somehow she didn't think her luck would be that good.

"Let's go for a ride." She said and hopped on. She patted the seat behind her and waited for him.

"You know," Malfoy said slowly, "I don't see any guys being driven around by girls."

"So?" Hermione asked confused.

"So I'm not going to be the nancy being driven around by a chick. I'll drive."

"You can't be serious." She stated. "You don't know how to drive. I do. I've done it since I was a kid."

"How hard can it be? You can do it. Muggles can do it for Merlin's sake." He said arrogantly.

Hermione was stunned, but he made it clear he wouldn't budge. So she let him try. It took him 15 minutes of jumping and stalling to figure it out, then he was ready.

"You're going to get me killed." Hermione said.

"I'm a seeker, I think I can handle some muggle contraption." He said and thumped the seat behind him.

The required closeness of the tiny little seat had not been something Hermione had considered, but now, finding herself squeezed into his back for a second time that day, she had some serious reconsideration of this idea. She didn't quite know where to put her hands, so she held onto the sides of his shirt. It turned out not to be enough as holding onto something more sturdy was completely required because he treated it like a broom. To Hermione's complete irk, his ability to handle the 'muggle contraption' turned out to be true. An hour in, he handled the little scooter like a pro.

"I like that muggle." Malfoy said after they exited the Hemingway museum.

Hermione could only roll her eyes. "I am glad you've finally found one you like. I think that might qualify as a momentous occasion."

"I might even read one of his books." Malfoy continued as he got on the scooter.

They went for a long ride up and down the coastline before returning to the little apartment late in the evening. They could hear cuban music playing as they walked up the staircase. It was even louder in the apartment. The whole courtyard below their balcony was full of people and there was a Cuban band belting out their unique Caribbean rhythms.

"I guess we now know why it was so cheap." Hermione said. "It looks like they're just getting started."

The courtyard was full of Cuban pensioners who were dancing and drinking. Hermione couldn't help but laugh, it was the most surreal sight she had ever seen. Even though the music was shaking the disintegrating walls of the room. They didn't finish playing until two in the morning.