Chapter XI

Hermione dreaded leaving the cabin the next morning but there was no help for it. In jeans and a navy pullover, she went quietly up the companionway. Draco was alone in the dining saloon and she started to back out but he stopped her.

"Come in, Hermione. I want to talk to you." Her heart sank. She deserved everything he was going to say but how much more could she take? She didn't think she was strong as before. His expression was tranquil however. "Sit down. Have a cup of coffee." He even poured it for her.

"Thank you," she murmured and waited for him to put it in from of her because her hands were trembling too much to take it from him.

"Don't look so scared, I'm not going to do anything to you," he smirked. Then it faded. "Actually, I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night." Her startled eyes flew to his face and he said, "I am, after all, your host and I behaved abominably."

"Oh, no. You—"

"Let me finish. I will admit I had a good reason. You had me tied up in knots after your performance yesterday." He looked grimly at her bowed head. "But that's all finished." When her eyes questioned him anxiously, he said, "Yes, I'm throwing in the towel. You have me completely baffled and I don't want to tangle with you anymore. You made it clear from the start that you want nothing to do with me and I'm sorry. I should have listened to you. From now on, our relationship will be strictly about business."

It was what she wanted—and still did, so why did she have this urge to throw herself in his arms and cry a whole ocean full of tears? "Thank you. I—I think that's very sensible."

"It's not only sensible, it's imperative. I never thought you would get the best of me."

His pride was hurt of course, but he would get over it easily. How long would it take for this heartache to recover this time? Isn't once enough for her? She wondered.

He was looking at her with the impersonal regard of a stranger and she swallowed her tears with difficulty. "I worked up those figures for you last night," she said. "Would you like to take a look at them this morning?"

"Sure, why not? We'll get in a couple of hours work and then we'll go for a swim. With the others," he added wryly.

They day was more pleasant than Hermione would have believed possible. The six of them went to a lovely hotel called the Palm Gardens. It had a large kidney-shaped pool which Pansy preferred because she didn't like all the sand after swimming in the ocean. Adelaide didn't care one way or another since she never moved off a lounge chair. Her main object for getting into a suit was to show off her lush figure.

They had lunch in a pal shaded patio, swam and dried off in the sun. In contrast to the night before, everything was definitely upbeat. Theodore didn't even snipe at Blaise, who wore a watchful and a not too unhappy expression. Was something shaping up there? Hermione hoped so.

By the middle of the afternoon, Draco was bored. His boundless energy could be satisfied by lying still for long. "Anyone would like to go for a bike ride?"

It sounded like fun to Hermione. It had been a very long time since she had ridden a bike. And somehow, the thought of Draco Malfoy riding a bike didn't come as a surprise to her.

"I would," When Blaise spoke up; it didn't surprise her, too.

Then she offered to join them. From the sardonically amused look on Draco's face, she could tell that he was aware of her hesitancy—and the reason for it. Theodore elected to stay with the other two who never cared for muggle stuff.

Adelaide almost had second thoughts when she watched Hermione head bobbing between the broad shoulders of the two handsome men but it was too late. With a discontented sigh, she carefully turned over and exposed her perfect backside to the sun.

It was another clear blue and gold day with a light breeze blowing and Hermione was filled with a surge of happiness. All the tangled relations between herself and Draco were forgotten for the moment and she savored the pure joy of pedaling alongside him. And when he gave her a big smile, her heart sang.

"I never thought in my Hogwarts days that I would get to ride a back with two Slytherins!" she teased.

Draco laughed. "Yes, well, don't let it get out! We do have reputations, you know. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Quite obviously! I haven't been on a bike for almost eight years!"

Palmettos spread their fan shapes at the base of the tall pines and formed a green backdrop for pale periwinkles and vivid wild hibiscus. It was very rural and peaceful but gradually, the landscape changed as they neared the sea.

Small houses appeared, surrounded by white picket fences enclosing neat gardens filled with riotous blooms. The sea was a distant sapphire and small boats left a boiling wake as they skimmed over the surface like dragonflies.

A pier jutted out from the shore with fishing vessel tied up along its length. Putting their bikes in a rack meant for the purpose Hermione and the two men walked along the jetty admiring the day's catch. When they moved to the next boat, she cried out in delight. Muggle native fishermen were unloading clusters of gleaming conches that resembled huge bouquets of pink and cream-colored blossoms.

"Wow," she breathed. "These men are amazing."

"Yes. They go out in a small skiff to catch them," Draco explained, obviously surprising her with that piece of information about muggles she didn't know. "One man peers into the water through a glass bottom bucket while his help sculls."

"I think you've been spending too much time here," Blaise commented.

Hermione was so fascinated with the sights that she climbed out a little farther on the ledges and leaned over for a better look. When it appeared that she might meet with disaster, Draco hooked his fingers in her waistband and hauled her back to safety without her being aware of it.

An ice cream vendor came by and Draco treated the both of them with ice cream bars. They sat cross-legged on the dock with the sun warming their backs. "You have a chocolate moustache," Draco told her critically.

Her tongue tried to repair the damage. "Is it gone?"

"No, you still have a smudge. Here, let me do it." He used a forefinger to rub her mouth while she lifted her face up to his. Suddenly, his touch changed and traced the contours of mouth while her lips parted involuntarily. Hermione caught her breath and scrambled to her feet.

"I think it's time to go back," Draco said.

They returned to the yacht just in time to shower and dress for dinner. Hermione wore a white sundress that showed off her newly acquired tan. It was simple that had a zipper at the back. Spaghetti straps crossed in the back and a full skirt flared out from a dropped waistline and a simple pair of white sandals completed her outfit.

Dinner was pleasant enough, although the détente that had existed between Theodore and Pansy seemed to be somewhat strained. Probably due to Adelaide's presence that afternoon. Still, they were all pleasant enough to each other. The candlelight reflected sparkles in Hermione's eyes and she felt a bubble of joy in her chest. Why? Her relationship with Draco was still hopeless as ever but it had been such a wonderful day that she was secretly savoring every minute of it.

After dinner, as always, they went on deck to relax in comfortable lounge chairs. It was a glorious evening and the moon flung a wide swath of golden sprinkles over the restless water. The crystal stars blinked on and off and Hermione settled back with a satisfied sigh, content to drink in the beauty of the night.

The magnificent scenery had the opposite effect on Theodore. After downing his brandy in one gulp, he stood up and jingled some coins in his pocket. "This party is dying on its feet. Say, we go ashore and see that excitement we can scare up?"

"Oh, Theo, it's so peaceful here," Pansy sighed, lying back with her eyes closed.

"I'm not old enough to settle for peace and quiet yet," he answered.

Ignoring Pansy's muttering of all of them being about the same age, Adelaide jumped up with sultry eyes alight. "I'm wit you, Theo. Let's see that tropical sin we can sample this time tonight."

Blaise looked ready to kill, but he controlled himself with effort when Pansy forced a smile and said, "I guess it would be fun. Will you come with us, Blaise?"

He regarded her searchingly. "If that's what you really want to do."

Hermione shook her head when they turned to her. "Not for me, thanks. I'm going to finish up some work I started this morning."

Actually, she was only looking forward to being alone. Her body felt pleasantly relaxed and after all the exercise this afternoon and it would be nice just to lie here. She wouldn't like to be in one of those parties and shatter her relaxation with loud music and hard drinks which meant headache. No, thanks, indeed.

But when she heard Draco declining to join the others, her sense of languid well-being vanished in a flash.

"I can't let Hermione put me to shame," Draco was saying. "You go ahead and have fun. I'll do some work too."

"If that's what you want to call it." Theodore Nott's leering glance at her made Hermione's cheeks flame and angry words sprang to her lips only to be bitten back. What good would it do?

But Draco didn't let that snide remark pass. His eyes were hard as he remarked in a deceptively mild tone, "Any day now, Nott. Any day I'm going to beat you to bloody pulp."

Theodore gave a high nervous laugh as though Draco had made a joke but his darting eyes betrayed him. Draco was the one person he didn't want to antagonize. "Come on, swingers," he blustered. "Let's lay joy on the townspeople."

After they had gone, Draco stood over her chair and smoothed her hair gently. "Fortunately, there is only one Theodore Nott in this world. Don't let him bother you."

She jumped to her feet. Theodore's words had torn the fragile web of friendship they had started to weave between them and brought back all of the sexual tension. She could have wept!

"Oh, he doesn't bother me," she lied. "I can't imagine what Pansy sees in him though. Especially when Blaise is just right there. He could be a darling, why doesn't she appreciate him?"

Draco shrugged. "Who can explain what draws a woman to a man? Or vice versa?" His gray eyes had a smile in them but her pulses quickened at the glow in their depths.

"I'll—er—I'll get my briefcase now. I really do want to start working," she murmured breathlessly.

His hands closed over her bare shoulders and slowly slid to her neck where he massaged the tense muscles. "Are you sure that's what you want to do?"

The scent of him filled her sense and for just a second, the temptation to remain was so strong that she swayed toward him. But as his head bent over her, Hermione panicked. If he kissed her again like he had yesterday, she would never be able to deny him!

Twisting out of his grasp, she stepped back and drew a shaky breath. "It's what we decided was best, wasn't it?"

His hands fell to his sides and he looked at her with narrowed eyes that showed no emotion. "You're right, of course. And thanks for reminding me." He calmly walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink.

It was a long time before she could settle down to work. The blank parchment stayed that way and her shaking fingers kept dropping the quill. It had taken a lot of willpower to leave that romantic setting—and Draco Malfoy.

After literally forcing herself to concentrate, discipline took over her and the words started to flow. It was some time later that an idea hit her for a new premium tie-in unlike anything offered before. It would be something kids who enjoy Quidditch could not resist.

Alight with enthusiasm, Hermione rushed out to get Draco's reaction but the deck was deserted. After searching the main rooms to no avail, she realized he must have gone to his cabin. The thought gave her a pause but her eagerness to discuss her new idea overrode her qualms. After all, this was only business.

He answered her knock and to her intense discomfort, she saw that he was only wearing his boxers. The sight of his bare chest made her throat constrict and she couldn't raise her eyes above his bare chest. It was crazy to let it affect her likes this. She had seen him in swimming trunks, so why was this so different?

His mocking voice broke the spell. "I'll be delighted to stand here and let you inspect my chest for as long as you like but somehow, Granger, I don't think that's what you came here for."

He opened the door wider and she backed away in alarm. "I'm so sorry—I didn't know you had gone to bed."

"I haven't been sleep. I was only reading."

"Oh. Well—I—I won't disturb you." She turned to go.

His arm snaked out and stopped her flight. "You aren't disturbing me." Pulling her into the cabin, he closed the door and looked at her with a mixture of amusement and irritation. "For a liberated woman, you act remarkably like a frightened house elf."

Her heart was beating overtime but with great effort, she managed to keep her voice even. "That's ridiculous. You're imagining things."

"Am I?" His sardonic eyes surveyed her. "Then why is that you're biting your lip?"

"Oh, I tend to do that."

"When you're nervous!" His expression changed and the mockery was gone. "For a little while today, I saw another glimpse of you. Something you kept hidden. Now, you're the same woman I knew weeks ago. What is it that throws you into panic every time we're alone together?"

"It isn't panic," she answered defensively. "It's just that it's better—I mean, you said yourself that our relationship was to be strictly business."

"We both know that is not possible! I have to know the truth. Why are you so afraid of me, Hermione?"

"I'm not afraid of you," she breathed and it was partly true. She feared her own reactions almost as much as his.

He watched her intently. "Being close to someone, then? You're not frigid. You're very responsive, I know that much."

The memory of that afternoon on the sand swept over her, lighting small licking fires in her veins. She had found the strength to deny him then, but could her treacherous body do it again? Knowing the answer, Hermione turned away in a blind panic but he caught her by the arms, pushing her into a chair.

"No, I won't let you get away with it again." He stood in front of her with his legs spread and elbows out, his thumbs hooked in the drawstring waist where it sat low on his hips. "This time, we're talking about it and you're not going to run away."

She couldn't look at him and her downcast eyes focused on the papers she had clutched to her chest. They were like a life line to a drowning man. "I don't know what you mean. I came here to discuss an idea I had for the campaign but it's obvious that this is neither the time nor the place."

She started to get up but he tore the papers out of grasp and threw them on the floor. "The hell with the campaign! I want to talk about you."

He leaned over her with one hand gripping either side of her chair and Hermione was pinned down. If she was intolerable and she bent her head, every nerve in her body was aware of his supple masculine length. She was drowning in her need for him and fighting it with all her strength but if he touched her, she would be lost.

Tears formed under the thick lashes. "Please, Draco, let me go," she begged.

He stared at her, not even hearing the despairing words. "Every time I get close to you, you bolt like an animal. Why?"

She closed her eyes so he couldn't see the pain but he put his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. "What happened, Hermione? Did a close friend hurt you? Someone in your family? Your husband…" Realization dawned him and his fingers tightened. "It was your ex-husband, Weasley, wasn't it? He hurt you. You can't keep this locked inside of you. Tell me," he soothed.

He scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed. Sitting on the edge, he cradled her like a small child and all the years of pent up rejection and loneliness burst forth as she sobbed against his bare chest. He stroked her hair gently, rocking her back and forth. And for the first time in years, she felt cherished and protected.

He waited until the wild spasms of grief had subsided and then he said, "Tell me about it."

She never confided in another soul. She couldn't tell any of her friends…since they were his family. Never in her life had she imagined that of all people, she would confide in Draco Malfoy. But it felt natural to tell him about her humiliating story. His genuine concern cracked the hard shell she had built up. She told him everything. When Ron used her, abandoned her, took her for granted, then left her to marry another woman who was probably much more worth his time.

She looked at Draco as if he knew the answers to her questions. "What did I do wrong? Why couldn't he love me enough?"

His arms tightened until she thought her ribs would break. "Are you serious? Surely, you aren't blaming yourself?"

Her voice was muffled as she buried her head against his shoulder. "I've thought about it for so long."

"Hermione, you were only a teenager! You were a giver and he was a taker. From the start, you should have known he's a thick-headed, weak, obtuse little weasel. You deserved much more."

She found that out the hard way. She was too blind in love to see these things. "We went together so long," she said sadly.

A long finger blotted an errant tear that ran down her cheek. "Habit, my sweet. You were too infatuated to see his real side and just used to him. If you dated other men, you would have seen him for what he really was."

"I didn't want anyone else. I really loved him."

"Did you?" He smiled and there was a compassionate understanding in his eyes.