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"Are you sure about this?" Draco asked, eying the large Muggle contraptions with trepidation. Hermione turned to face him, amusement and exasperation in her eyes.

"Yes, of course!" She rolled her eyes. "I fly all the time, its perfectly safe."

"But Muggles don't have any magic, how do those things stay up?" Draco watched one take off into the air with a roar of engines. A familiar sparkle crossed her face, and Draco had to stifle a groan. He knew what was coming.

"Well, there are four forces that keep an airplane in the sky. They are lift, weight, thrust and drag. Lift pushes the airplane up, the way air moves around the wings gives the airplane life. The shape of the wings helps with lift, too. Weight is the force that pulls the airplane toward earth. Airplanes are built so that their weight is spread..."

Draco focused on her brown eyes and nodded in the appropriate places. He hoped that he appeared interested and that his eyes were not glazing over. He was painfully reminded of being back in class, trying to tune Hermione out as she recited long answers to every question.

"...so when all of those forces are working together, that's how the airplane flies." Hermione finished up.

"Thanks, that makes sense." Draco said, hoping that she wouldn't ask him any questions about it. She started laughing immediately, and he felt his heart flutter at the pleasant sound.

"You can't fool me, Malfoy. I know you don't remember a word I said! Don't forget, I'm friends with Harry and Ron..." Draco smiled back at her and shrugged.

"What can I say...seriously, though, I might need that information for my project. It is pretty impressive that Muggles can create all this stuff without magic."

"Yes, I agree." Hermione watched a jet land. "Come on, the line's moving." Draco caught her arm as she started to move forward.

"Wouldn't you rather take broomsticks?"

"No!" The adamant way that she said that let him know the subject was closed. Sighing and trying to control his mounting anxiety, Draco followed her toward a doorway. "Oh, you have to transfigure your wand." Hermione whispered to him.

"What? Why?" Draco instinctively wrapped his fingers around it.

"The Muggles check everything you bring on board...I don't think you want to try to explain to them why you need a stick of wood and that its not something dangerous."

"True." Draco quickly cast a silent Invisibility spell on his wand, and then transfigured it into a coin. He thought better of that a moment later and changed it into a single thread. He used a sticking charm to adhere the thread to the inside of his pocket, and then cast a powerful spell that allowed only himself to find it or change it back. After losing his wand so many times during the war, he certainly wasn't going to take the chance of surrendering it to Muggles. He nervously walked down a narrow hallway which appeared to be attached to the building, and ended at the door to the plane. Draco closed his eyes briefly before stepping through the square entrance way. He knew that if not for his wand safely in his pocket, he would not be doing this at all. He settled himself in an uncomfortable, small seat next to Hermione.

"So what did you end up telling Weasley..er..Ron? About who your traveling companion would be?" He asked, trying to distract himself. A shadow of guilt crossed her face.

"I didn't exactly tell him you would be coming. It would only upset him, he doesn't need that right now. Besides, its not really his business who I travel with."

"Oh?" Draco felt his hope mount. "Aren't you two an item?" He knew that he was pushing his luck, but wanted to hear her answer. She stared at him for a moment, and then slowly shook her head.

"No...I mean, I think he would like to be...we did kiss during the last part of the war, but it wasn't anything like the kiss that..." She gasped in horror and clapped her hand over her mouth. A red blush crept up her cheeks.

"...that you and I shared?" Draco finished, unable to keep the grin from his face. Hermione removed her hand and gave him a murderous glare.

"I didn't say that!"

He shrugged arrogantly. "You didn't have to." He wanted to tease her further, but was distracted by the perky Muggle at the front of the plane. She demonstrated how to use the oxygen mask in case of an emergency and described where the exits were. Draco watched her incredulously.

"So let me get this straight. If something goes wrong with this plane and it, oh, falls out of the sky, we're all saved because we know where the exits are? Instead of giving us gas masks, why don't they provide broomsticks?"

"Shhh!" Hermione cautioned him, unable to keep the laughter out of her voice. But Draco wasn't finished.

"How can Muggles get on these things, anyway? And sit here so calmly?" He continued to grumble to himself as the plane's monstrous engines started up, and it began to move down the runway.

"Better brace yourself, Malfoy!" Hermione said cheerfully. "The take off is the most exciting part! G forces in action!" Draco started to turn toward her to ask her what she meant, but found out for himself a moment later. The plane picked up speed rapidly, and then began a sharp ascent into the sky. Draco felt himself pushed back into his seat as the plane gained altitude. He clutched his ears as they popped, causing Hermione to laugh again. She seemed to take pity on him after a minute, and offered him a small rectangular stick.

"Here, chew this. It will help the popping." Draco eyed her suspiciously, and then took the stick that she offered. He put it into his mouth and began chewing. A pleasant burst of strawberry flavor filled his mouth, and the chewing action gave him some relief.

"You're right, that does help. What is this?"

"Its the Muggle version of gum." Hermione replied. "Similar to Droobles, except the flavor doesn't last as long."

"Hmm. Its not bad." Draco said thoughtfully. The plane seemed to reach its desired height, and Draco felt it straighten out. He looked out the window, but all he could see were clouds. After a few more minutes, he had to admit that the Muggle plane was a lot more comfortable that traveling by broomstick. As if she knew what he was thinking, when he glanced over at Hermione, she had a triumphant smirk on her face. "What?" he asked, not ready to admit that she had been right.

"Oh nothing...just that you seem to be enjoying your first plane ride."

"It actually is pretty comfortable." Draco admitted. "I mean, with broomsticks you have to cast warming spells and long trips can mean a sore...well, this is okay." Hermione smiled at him. Draco's new found opinion was further cemented when a smiling Muggle woman stopped by their seats and offered him a snack and drink. "Nice!" he said when she had moved away. "I'll have to tell Father about this, Muggles are pretty intelligent, aren't they?"

"You shouldn't sound so surprised." Hermione said, but there was no anger in her voice.

"No, I shouldn't." He replied, looking at her intently. "After all, the smartest witch I know was raised by Muggles."

"The smartest, huh?" She asked, still smiling.

"Definitely. And the most beautiful." He added, wondering what she would do if he reached for her hand.

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice from his right.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation...you two are a witch and wizard, correct?"