Chapter 7
The rising sun called Hermione from her far from restful sleep. Her dreams had been filled with short snippets of what had happened between her and Draco down on the beach and a few that hadn't. She had woken up several times sweating and breathing hard, only to fall back asleep and be tortured by even more intense images.
As she sat up in her now lumpy bed, the thin sheet slid down her bare breasts. Wait, what? She struggled to pull her sheet up to cover herself even though she was alone. Where are my clothes? A quick search of her small hut revealed that all of her clothes were gone. Right down to my knickers! Wrapping the sheet securely around her slight form, she stomped out towards the Great Room.
When she reached the dining room, Juliet and Orla were zipping about in a new set of clothes, both of which Hermione thought could do with an extra yard or two of fabric. A bright eyed Millie offered Hermione a steaming cup of tea.
"They did it to everyone. They snuck in our huts and stole our clothes so we would have no choice but to wear what they made." She pointed at her simple linen shift. "I think they did a good job on this one. They let me pick it out from their sketches."
Hermione took a big sip. "I agree. I like it better than theirs! They look they are in little more than bikinis! Are all of their sketches so…revealing?"
"No," Millie replied standing up from the table they were sitting up. "Here, I'll go get the girls' sketches, since it looks like they are working on the boys right now."
Hermione enjoyed her tea as best she could. "Bloody girls and their bloody dresses!" She muttered.
"Did you sleep well?" Draco asked as he stepped up behind her.
Hermione could feel the blush go all the way to her toes. "Yes."
He placed a plate of fresh fruit in front of her. "I thought a bit of breakfast might help. One should never make decisions on an empty stomach," Draco said as he slid into the chair next to her.
"I'm not sure breakfast is going to help. Have you seen these sketches?" The brunette asked as she took a bite of pineapple.
"I have not, but they can't be that bad. Millicent is covered decently enough."
They sat in silence for a bit.
About yesterday," Hermione started.
"We won't discuss it." Draco said quickly. "As far as everyone else knows you were down at the beach by yourself. I was out flying. No harm, no foul."
She looked down. "Thanks." Taking another bite of the fresh pineapple that she was beginning to love, Hermione continued their conversation. "So, I see you were visited by the clothes snatchers as well." she said, motioning towards his sheet clad hips.
"Ah, yes. They seem to think that by stealing our clothes, we will have to wear their clothes." He paused as he was about to slice a sliver of coconut meat. "Now, normally I would threaten them with their lives, but whatever they are making has to be better than the wool and thick cotton of our school uniforms."
Hermione frowned. "Yeah, unless the outfits they intend for you to wear covers less than is decent."
The blonde laughed heartily. "That all depends on who is doing the looking, Hermione."
"You know it is still a bit odd to hear you call me by my first name." Hermione said with a laugh.
"Yeah, you should see your face when you say my name," he replied, with a broad smile. "Especially, on the…" Hermione's face turned pink. Draco coughed and smirked.
Millie appeared at that very moment and handed Hermione three piles of sketches. "Juliet and Orla said to tell you that you can pick a top and bottom or a dress."
"What if I don't like any of the sketches?" Hermione asked.
Millie scrunched up her face thoughtfully. "I don't know. I will go find out though."
They both sifted silently through the designs. Their faces plainly displayed frustration. "I can't wear anything in this pile. Merlin's knees, my pillow case has more fabric than any of these sketches. Everything is so…"
"Slutty."
"Actually, I was going to say unsuitable, but I think slutty pretty much sums it up as well." Hermione sighed in frustration.
Draco picked up her pile and flipped through them. "Yeah, I see what you mean." He straightened the sketches into three neat piles. "I have an idea."
Hermione raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement and nodded at him to continue.
"What if you let me pick out your outfit?"
"Are you insane? What makes you think I would let you pick out my clothes?"
"Okay, I'll admit that you don't have much of a reason to trust me. We have never really been the best of friends. What if I let you pick out mine afterward?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "Anything?" She asked skeptically.
"Anything. Even a dress, if you find my choice unacceptable."
"What's in it for you?" she asked skeptically.
"Well, I have excellent taste in clothes. And, more importantly, I am a Slytherin."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
He smiled. "That little blonde running the show out there is a member of my house, and in Slytherin house, I am in charge. Period."
"Oh." Hermione paused as she considered her options. If I don't let him pick them, I'll have to argue with Juliet and Orla, most likely for hours, and I will still probably end up with something I hate. If I let Draco pick out my outfit, at least he has good taste in clothes. Or, I could always wear this bloody sheet for eternity. She stretched out her hand. "Alright Draco. Deal."
"Excellent!" Draco said grasping Hermione's hand. He quickly grabbed the sketches. "Go take a quick shower, Hermione. I'll bring you your clothes when the girls finish them." He turned and headed to where Juliet and Orla were finishing Hannah's one-shouldered dress.
After a hurried shower, Hermione returned to her hut. To ease her apprehension, she began to do what she did best: organize and plan. She made lists and charts for the group. By the time Draco appeared at her door, Hermione had made alternate schedules for chores and tasks for their village.
A faint knock caught her attention. "Come in," she called.
Draco opened the vine door, a pile of folded clothes neatly laid out on his pale hands. "Your clothes, Miss Granger," he announced with a smirk.
Hermione looked up from her work, a bright smile lighting up her face. "They are done already?" she asked, surprised that it had taken the girls less than two hours to make an outfit from start to finish.
"Of course, why else would I be here?" Draco asked as he laid the clothes on Hermione's bed.
The brown-haired girl crossed the small space and ran her slim fingers along the fine material. "This is the softest fabric I have ever felt."
Draco grinned, "Why don't you try them on?"
In her excitement, Hermione started to slip the sheet from her body, then stopped when she realized Draco was still in the room. "Would you mind turning around?"
Surprised that she hadn't asked him to leave outright, Draco obediently complied. He turned so that his back was to Hermione as she undressed. He tried not to visualize what he knew was happening behind him. Draco squeezed his eyes tighter when he heard the sheet slip to the floor. Though his silver eyes were closed, he could see the loose linen Capri pants he had chosen for her slide up her toned thighs and rest on her firm rounded hips. He waited a few seconds and smirked when he heard her sharp intake of breath.
"Draco Abraxas Malfoy!" she screeched, snatching at the discarded sheet and pulling it tightly to her bare chest. "What in the bloody hell is this?" she asked, thrusting the long thin piece of fabric at Draco's back.
Without turning, Draco replied nonchalantly, "I don't know what you mean, Hermione." He was glad she couldn't see the broad grin that currently graced his pale features.
"You know exactly what I mean. This…this is not a top!" She ranted as Draco continued to stare out from her door much to Hermione's irritation. "Well, look at me!"
He turned smoothly and faced her. "Yes?" He drawled.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"It is a shirt."
"No. This is a giant bandage."
"No. It is a shirt." Hermione huffed in response. "Okay, maybe not a shirt per se, but a top none the less," he replied, becoming increasingly aware of the rise and fall of her chest and the attractive flush that now covered her body.
"Not by any stretch of the imagination."
Draco stalked towards Hermione and turned her so that her back was against his chest. "It is in my imagination." Slowly, the sheet slipped from her loosening grip and he pulled the linen strip from her, leaning in so that his breath tickled her neck. "Let me show you," he said in a low seductive voice that made her shiver.
Her heart began to race wildly as his right arm slipped possessively around her hips, pulling her tight against his growing arousal. Draco's hands whispered across the heated flesh of her abdomen while his lips gently kissed and nipped at her neck.
Before she knew what was happening, fabric replaced his kisses on the back of her neck. Her heart skipped a beat as he crossed the ends, his fingers ghosting across her collar bone. As the fabric encased her sensitive breasts, he brushed against her sides sending shivers up her spine.
Draco's mind snapped out of its lust induced haze as he felt her shiver. What am I doing? As quick as he could, the pulled the ends behind her back and tied them into a bow before disappearing without a word.
Hermione stood in her hut trying as hard as she could to slow her breathing. Just breathe, Hermione. Just breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Her mind drifted to what could have been happening on the bed in front of her if Draco hadn't left. No! No, no, no. Just think calm soothing thoughts. Think of the sky, the clouds, the ocean…No! No ocean! Damn. Damn him! How dare he leave me like this! I mean do that to me!
She turned and sank into the chair at her desk. Alright. What to do, what to do. Suddenly, an evil smirk crossed her face. Ah, yes. Your new outfit. She picked up a quill and began to sketch a design for Draco Malfoy's outfit. Malfoy should have known better than to give me the upper hand!
An hour before the sun rose, Hermione crept stealthily across the vine bridge towards Draco's silent hut. She smiled to herself as she whispered, "Devestio!" Unfortunately it didn't work. Hermione began to panic until she remembered that all he had to wear was his sheet after Juliet and Orla had taken everyone's clothes the previous morning. Oh well, she thought to herself as she laid her package in the center of the doorway. "Accio sheet!" She called and quickly hurried to the Great Room.
She only had to wait half an hour for the sweet, sweet sound of Draco Malfoy bellowing out his frustration. "GRANGER!" echoed through the trees and Hermione was certain that all of the other groups had heard his irritated rant. She wanted so badly to do a little victory dance, but she restrained herself. She contented herself by finishing the fruit salad she had started. She poured some honey over her mixture for a sweet surprise. Duncan had found a hive the previous afternoon and had brought back a few honeycombs. It was meant for their tea, but she figured it would do for breakfast as well. Behind her, the teapot began to whistle. She using her wand she placed the hot kettle on the tray with the fruit salad and headed for the dining room.
Hermione evenly distributed the salad into the four lovely mother-of-pearl serving bowls, courtesy of Melinda, that rested in the center of each table. Melinda had also transfigured a tea set for each table when the crate had arrived. Hermione poured the boiling water into each shimmering vessel. She was rinsing out the cookware when she heard some of her peers enter the dining room for breakfast. She could barely contain her smile as she pictured the events that were about to unfold.
The grinning brunette was just about to savor her first proper cup of tea in almost a week, when an infuriated Draco Malfoy stomped into the dining room.
"Granger!" yelled as he advanced towards the Gryffindor. Hermione didn't even turn, she just bit the inside of her cheeks to keep from laughing as she pictured the angry boy.
Titters and giggles filled the room while its male occupants tried a bit harder to suppress their laughter behind their hands. Colin Creevey's camera clicked like a machine gun as he captured the Head Boy in all of his glory.
A Gryffindor red loincloth covered the Slytherin Prince's bits, making his already pale form appear even whiter. To make matters worse, on the seat of the loincloth was an elaborately embroidered Gryffindor lion with an elegant golden 'G'. Colin zoomed in on the design.
"Look at me you… you…Gryffindor!" He shouted pointing at Hermione's back.
"Ouch, Draco. That hurt," she mocked as she took a sip of her tea.
Draco stomped over to Hermione and spun her around to face him. "Fix it. I understand that you weren't too fond of the top that I picked out, but don't make me do the visiting rounds in this…atrocity. I don't care that it barely covers my bits, but at least make it Slytherin colors. Don't make me wear it like this."
He was as close to begging as anyone had ever seen him. For a moment, Hermione considered giving. "No," she replied simply.
His face dropped. "What? What is it that you want?"
"An apology."
"For what?" he demanded angrily. "For your top?"
"No," she said looking up at him. "I have actually become fond of this outfit." Hermione raised an eyebrow at his look of surprise. "You know what I want an apology for." She said blushing slightly.
"Why should I?" he asked.
Everyone in the dining room looked on, curious as to the cryptic conversation between their leaders.
Hermione blushed furiously. "Didn't you know you should always finish what you start?"
Recognition lit in Draco's face as he caught on to what the girl before him was saying. A smirk appeared, "I am truly sorry. More than you ever imagine. I will strive from this day forward to ALWAYS finish what I start."
Hermione nodded at the speechless Juliet who removed the glamour on the garment. The loincloth lengthened until it fell below his knees, then the color gradually changed colors until it was a nice Slytherin green and the Gryffindor crest disappeared.
Draco looked down at his transformed bottoms. "This is what you picked out all along?"
Hermione nodded. "Of course. It was only a glamour charm! I may not have liked my top at first, but after a little persuasion I decided that it was perfect." She took a bite of fruit. "I just wanted to make you squirm."
"Wench!" he said as he sat down next to her.
Minerva McGonagall giggled into the back of her hand. "That a girl, Hermione!"
Behind her, the door opened and Severus Snape came in, his cloak billowing out behind him. "What is so funny, Minerva?"
McGonagall schooled her features back into her infamous 'serious face.' Using her wand, she rewound the images on the Orb to just before Draco entered the dining room. She watched in ill-disguised humor as Snape's haughty façade slid from his face when the Orb zoomed in on his godson's Gryffindor clad backside, just like Colin had with his camera. "Disgraceful! Absolutely disgraceful." He pointed his wand at Hermione's jar and removed all of the white stones and added twenty black stones.
Minerva bit her lip as Snape stormed out of the room. Since only the Orb could add white stones, she removed all the black stones, leaving Hermione's jar empty.
