Chapter 4 – Rumble in the Jungle

"Gee, Granger," Malfoy said glaring at her, "I know your brain is mush, but this is just too much." He rubbed his head gingerly. "There is no earthbound way that we're stuck on this island. Not if I can help it."

Hermione sighed. "Do you honestly think that I like being stuck here either? Besides" – she glared at him – "what other explanation could there be? Obviously, someone took the trouble to shield or disable this entire island from magic of any sort. The only logical reason anybody would ever do that is to hide something. Or someone. And the only reason that they want to hide someone or something is if it's extrem –"

"Wait, so let me get this straight," interrupted Malfoy impatiently. "You're saying that there's some ancient magical artifact hidden here? Like some magical dangerous relic or something?" He raised his eyebrows and shot her a sarcastic laugh.

"Just let me finish!" Hermione snapped angrily. "It's bad enough having you here, let alone you interrupting my every explanation. I want to get off this place as much as you do! Now hush and listen."

Malfoy grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "mudblood", but Hermione ignored him. "Anyway," she continued matter-of-factly, "there's something or someone hiding here, most likely a someone. Death Eaters or –"

"There are no Death Eaters hiding here," Malfoy broke off her statement. His eyes were still peering through the little crack at the bottom of her refuge. "Now, if you don't mind Granger, I would like to come in now. Or you come out. There's no way I'm going to lie down on my belly while listening to your ridiculous rants any longer."

Hermione gritted her teeth. "Fine," she snapped. "I'll come out. But don't think you can just sneak in here either."

Lying down on her stomach, she carefully slid out through the narrow opening between two plane parts. "There, are you happy?" she muttered, brushing away the sand. She was greeted by a very grumpy looking Malfoy, who was now covered with sand in addition to his soaked clothing.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked peering at him distastefully. He looked remarkably like a sand/ocean monster now that everything seemed to stick to his wet shirt.

Malfoy turned an indifferent eye on her. "I'm used to this things," he mumbled. Then he glared. "Besides, it's none of your business. I'm fine."

"Alright, then. Anyway, as I was say –"

"Are we going to make a campfire?" Malfoy suddenly asked. "I'm cold."

Hermione's jaw dropped wide open. "I just asked you that!" she exclaimed furiously.

Malfoy shrugged. "It doesn't count when you ask," he explained calmly. "Now, shall we make a campfire?"

Hermione was enraged. Did he not listen to a thing I was saying?

Just keep your cool, Hermione. Just don't lose it. Yet.

"The ground is too wet to make a fire," she heard herself saying again, while crossing her arms. "Now, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," – she shot Malfoy a death glare – "there must be someone or something dangerous enough in order for the Ministry to seal off the entire island; perhaps not Death Eaters, but a creature or something that has been deemed as too perilous for human contact. That's the only thing that makes –"

ROAR!

"Malfoy, will you please stop making those ridiculous noises!" Hermione retorted irritably. "I've had enough to deal with without you waltzing in and acting like some sort of King! Because whether you like it or not, we're together now. And that's the only way we'll get out of this place alive."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Fine," he sighed. "But just to tell you Granger, that wasn't me."

Hermione's eyes widened before she gave out a loud scoff. "Please Malfoy," she said. "Like who else could be roaring at this time at night? Some kind of monstrous creat –"

A loud, piercing roar cut her off. But unlike last time, the sound caused the trees and sand to vibrate quickly, the pebbles near her feet pulsating slightly. Hermione felt her heart jingle faintly inside her chest as she and Malfoy were forced to plug their ears. A flock of birds flew out of the palm trees.

Then, silence.

Malfoy was first to break the stillness. "What the bloody hell was that?" he cried, voicing her thoughts out loud. "Bloody hell, Granger, I think that was some type of creature!"

But Hermione was too shaken to notice that Malfoy had agreed with her. Slowly, she nodded her head.

"But what is it?"

Malfoy shrugged unworriedly before flopping down again next to her. "Shouldn't you know?" he asked disdainfully, his gray eyes boring into hers. "After all, you were friends with that bloody oaf who taught – pretended to teach – Care of Magical Creatures."

Too stunned to reprimand him, Hermione rolled her eyes. "Like you expect me to be able to identify a creature from a single roar?" she asked. "Some beasts have unique calling sounds, but this beast doesn't seem to have any distinctive voice."

Malfoy shrugged again. "Whatever. You're the bloody genius." He turned away from her to look out to the sea. The light from the ocean waves gently danced in his eyes.

"This is so screwed," he mumbled irately.

Hermione sighed, a sudden wave of lethargy suddenly hitting her. Did Draco Malfoy just compliment her a minute ago? Well, no matter. She was too tired to think straight any longer.

"I'm going back inside," she informed him, annoyed. It wasn't like he was actually listening to her, anyway.

Malfoy spun back to face her. "And where will I sleep?" he asked.

It was Hermione's turn to shrug. "I don't know," she answered truthfully. Normally, she would be smirking at his troubled situation, but she was much too fatigued to do so. "Just sleep on the beach."

Malfoy frowned. "There's is no bloody way I'm sleeping on the beach!" he yelled, annoyed. "Not with that…that thing howling and roaming free!"

"Then build your own shelter. It's your own fault."

He huffed angrily.

Hermione smirked. She just couldn't help it. Perhaps this situation could just work to her advantage…

"Actually…" she began, putting on a worried face. "Now that I think about it, the creature that we heard sounds remarkably like a Nundu. They both contain the same pitches and volume levels." She shot Malfoy a fake scared look. "In fact, the Nundu is a creature with a classification of five X's – considered by the wizarding world to be the most dangerous creature that ever prowled the earth. It has never been trained or domesticated before, and only a pack of a hundred or more trained wizards has ever been known to stun it."

Of course, Malfoy didn't need to know that it only lived in East Africa.

"You're lying," he snarled, staring fiercely at her. But she could detect a slight worry in his voice.

"Well," she stated sweetly. "I suppose I could be." She shrugged nonchalantly. "But of course, I wouldn't know since my words obviously don't mean much to you, since you kept on interrupting them."

"Ha! I knew it!" Malfoy sneered at her. "Like such a beast could exist." But even Hermione still couldn't help but notice an instant sign of relief on Malfoy's part. Her smirk only grew wider.

"Oh, it really does," Hermione pointed out. "Except it mainly only resides in East Africa, not to mention that there aren't too many left. What we heard is probably only a jaguar; however, there are always the Lethifolds that roam tropical islands…"

Malfoy's eyes darted around nervously, but for only a second. However, that was enough for Hermione to catch.

"Ha!" he laughed nervously. "Like I'm going to believe that." He crossed his arms and smirked, if not tensely, at her. "I'm not stupid," he declared confidently.

She shrugged. "Think whatever you want. I personally don't care."

"What is it, though?" Malfoy asked her curiously.

Hermione smirked. Her plan to torture Draco Malfoy was going well.

"It's a rare creature found only in tropical climates," she acknowledged. "Like the Lethifold, it is also a level 5 classification. The creature is known to smother and digest its victims while they're sleeping, preferably on moonlit nights. However, it's merciful enough to kill its victims rapidly and silently. They often don't have a second time to think before the beast suffocates them." Hermione brushed the information off lightly. "But no matter, I'm going to be safe inside my shelter."

Of course, she wouldn't be any safer than Malfoy was, since Lethifolds had the ability to slip in between cracks and/or doors. But he didn't need to know that either.

Nevertheless, the information did the trick. Malfoy's eyes widened in horror, and he took a few steps back. He was obviously trying to mask his disgust under his usual icy exterior.

"Well then," Hermione finished off airily. Before disappearing into her shelter, however, she shot him a sickenly sweet grin. "Sweet dreams, Malfoy," she whispered innocently. Mockingly, more like it. "Don't let the bed bugs – or should I say creatures? – bite."

The last glimpse of Malfoy's face she caught was one of utter terror.

Hi, I'm back. :D I liked this chapter a lot better than the last one, probably because there's more Draco/Hermione interaction. I think I probably will rewrite Chapter 3 once I have more time. It was a bit icky, and much too short for my liking. Plus, I don't think they got much accomplished.

As always, THANK YOU FOR THE LOVELY REVIEWS! If anyone reviewed, just know that I greatly appreciated it. Thanks a bunch!

As well, PLEASE BE SURE TO REVIEW THIS CHAPTER:) I didn't get many reviews so far (only 11 lol), but many story alerts and favorites. If you like something, please point it out. If you don't like something, point it out as well :D

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