Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from Ariadne Aurora Malfoy-Granger. Everything else belongs to the genius J K Rowling.
Summary: It was a normal day for Draco Malfoy, but as soon as he stepped out of the fire place and brushed the soot off his robes he knew something was wrong. On his bed was a wicker Moses basket stuffed with a bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl fast asleep. She had nothing with her except a letter addressed to him and a golden necklace he knew too well. T for safety.
Chapter Thirty Seven
Paradise
"Draco, stop fretting." Hermione scolded as she looked over the top of her worn out copy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
"This is a death trap, Granger!" Draco frowned and fiddled with his seat belt once more, loosening it and tightening it all up again. Under Hermione's glare he attempted to relax and lean back into what should be a very comfortable chair but his back was still rod straight and his shoulders stiff. With a huff of annoyance he turned his head to look out the small window but all he saw was clouds below him and everything else on land to be the size of ants which did nothing for his nerves as he frustratedly slammed the window cover shut.
"It is not a death trap, Draco, it's perfectly safe." Hermione tried to hide a giggle when Draco nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice echoed around with the famous "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking..."
"I will hold you personally responsible if I die now and you can be sure that I will come back and haunt you for the rest of your days." Draco frowned at Hermione who had the cheek to giggle at him when he was clearly in distress. For the first time in his life he felt a really tight knot in his stomach and he didn't know whether or not he wanted to hurl out his breakfast, he was also aware that he was paler than usual and his hands were clammy and slightly shaking. Deep down he cursed himself for letting his wife pick out the location of their honeymoon and stupidly agreeing that they should take a muggle sort of transport since apparation is not advisable for a pregnant woman and the Floo network would be a faff around. He was thinking maybe a ship or train, maybe even a car but he certainly did not expect to be soaring up in the air at about 30,000 feet in a metal tube with wings.
"Draco if you die on this plane chances are I will most certainly die too. But you won't because planes are perfectly safe and the chances of it crashing are slim. Do you know how many planes fly each day and none of them crash to their deaths. Now, please relax because its going to be a long flight." Hermione put down her book and laced her fingers through Draco's which were gripping the arm rests so tight that his knuckles were white. It was endearing, not to mention amusing, to watch the usually cool and collected Draco to be out of his comfort zone. Hermione honestly did not know that Draco would freak the way he did and she tried not to laugh about the first time Draco discovered how exactly they were getting to the Maldives. Draco halted in his step and the colour drained from his face when Hermione pointed out the possible plane they were getting on and he hissed that he was not under any circumstances will be getting on a Muggle death trap! Hermione had to reason with him and eventually had to drag him before forcing him on to his chair like a child with what she inwardly admitted as an adorable pout.
"Hermione, I can't relax! We are in a metal tube with dodgy looking wings, it's jam packed with Muggles and flying at 500 miles per hour!" Draco exclaimed, running his hands through his hair with a frustrated sigh and a deep frown etched on his forehead.
"Draco," Hermione said softly taking his hands into hers and gripped it tightly as a sign of reassurance "I promise you we are safe. This metal tube is aerodynamic and it's designed to take everyone's weight. And we're in the business class Draco, it's hardly jam packed with Muggles." Hermione gestured at her surroundings silently pointing out the spacious, not to mention very comfortable, seats, the small screen on the backs of the seats, delicious food and the overly friendly hostess who seems to completely ignore Hermione and shamelessly flirted with Draco, although the latter merely dismissed her attempts with an arch of an eyebrow. Draco turned his nose up at the air hostess's fluttering eyelashes and the oldest trick of bending over to give a chance to look down her top but Draco was not having none of it, made a silent scene of grabbing an amused Hermione's hand and grazed her knuckles with his soft lips but not without making sure that their wedding rings flashed in front of the air hostess. Upon seeing the golden rings, the air hostess's pretty face turned cold, almost slammed their drinks on the table and stormed off in a sulk.
Draco frowned at the foreign word, acting as if he didn't just upset the air hostess, and huffed for the umpteenth time "I'm going to pretend I know what air-o-namic means and it is packed with Muggles out there in what do you call it, economy class?"
"Aerodynamic, Draco," Hermione smiled fondly at the way Draco took his time to say the word and just patted his hand "it just means that it's shape is accurately and precisely designed to reduced drag as we go through the air flow."
"Yes, I understand every word of that." Draco drawled sarcastically but he still refused to relax as he unconsciously tugged on his sleeves. His mind was whirring away trying to think of a plan to escape his inevitable death the longer he stayed in such Muggle contraception. But he had to admit that Muggles are clever to come up with such an ingenious way to travel without magic and he had to give them credit.
"You're safe, Draco. It's not going to crash so sit back, relax and read something. Do something to occupy your mind and stop fretting." Hermione picked up her book and gave Draco a look which he responded with a sigh and made a show of sagging into his chair, which was a very un-Malfoy thing to do. Malfoys don't sag into anything, and his ancestors will be rolling in their graves when they see him slouched into a chair and on a Muggle death trap at the same time. His Mother certainly would fly off the broom handle if she finds out about this and that Draco grinned childishly. Though he wondered what she will freak out on more, the fact that he's on a plane or the way he was sitting? He recalled the days his mother taught him how to sit the pureblood way and that he should never slouch; he is a Malfoy and Malfoys have perfect posture she would say.
There was a comfortable silence over them and Hermione watched from the corner of her eyes Draco grin at something with an amused snort before he picked up a magazine and began to flick through it. Hermione smiled from behind her book and as she turned her page she heard him muttered "This is not natural."
"Says the wizard." Hermione arched an eyebrow at Draco's statement but he just sighed and he once again started to fret over his seat belt
"Man is not designed to fly in metal tubes." Draco retorted defensively.
"What and they are on a bit of twig with bits sticking out on one end?" Hermione snorted at such a primitive comment.
"I'd rather take a broom any day, it'll be safe than this death trap."
"Draco, you're balancing on a twig between your legs and one strong wind has the chance of toppling you over and you'd rather take a broom than a plane?" Hermione shook her head at Draco's blind adoration for brooms and she did not understand his logic for picking a broom in favour of a much more safer mode of transport.
"Yes."
"You are such a wizard."
Ten hours later and the tired newly weds arrived in Ibrahim Nasir International Airport. Hermione was thankful that she could finally stretch her legs and Draco was more than eager to get out of the plane as soon as he could. The moment the plane touched down and it was safe to stand up and get out, Draco literally pulled their hand luggage out of the over head cabin, took Hermione's hand and dragged her out. They were actually the first ones to get out and the air hostess Draco upset early in the flight humph-ed and refused to bid them farewell, not that Draco noticed her anyway and was just glad to be able to step on the ground again despite the heat that greeted them as they stepped on the stairs and onto the tarmac. Draco sighed with relief, flashed Hermione a grin and began to make his way to the terminal and into the welcoming coolness of the airport.
Hermione shook her head in amusement and thought to herself that the flight could have gone a lot worse. Draco fell asleep with his head on her shoulder as they flew over Germany and was dead to the world until the captain informed that they were to land in an hour. Draco woke up in a start, also because he was hungry, and began his routine of fretting once more. And this time combined with his complaints of Hermione not waking him up for food which the latter argued that she did try but he merely opened one bleary eye, shuffled a bit on his seat and leant against the window instead.
Checking out the Airport was easier than checking in and despite the little scene that Draco made about going through the metal detector and the airport staff having to pat him down, along with Draco warning the poor man to watch where his hands were going, but other than that everything went smoothly. Hermione rolled her eyes when Draco stiffened as the man patted his legs down and scoffed, as if it was his first time to be patted down. Though, Hermione sighed internally for this time Draco didn't insult the staff they almost cried like he did in London Heathrow. At least this time he behaved a little better and most certainly did not ogle at the x-ray machine exclaiming that the contraption ate his bag then became fascinated at the concept of being able to see through objects. He then remembered that his wand was in his bag and began to fuss that they'll be able to see it, confiscate it and then what was he going to do without his wand. Hermione had to quietly remind him that she had carefully disguised their wands and that no one will take away his wand. Huh, wizards and their ignorance of Muggle culture.
From the airport, the Malfoys and their arranged guide from the resort they were to stay in, Aishath, a tall pretty woman with dark curls and dark skin with warm friendly eyes and an easy going smile, arrived in Malé by dhoni - a traditional Maldivian boat with white lateen sails. Aishath, in her warm, slightly accented voice dived into a brief history of the traditional boats and their significance to the Maldivian culture. Fascinated by cultures, Hermione urged the young woman to tell her more about the culture and she was more than happy to do so. It was in the middle of a crash course of Maldivian history and particularly their independence from the United Kingdom in 1965 they finally arrived at the resort they were staying in.
Aishath gracefully hopped onto the wooden pier, Draco followed without so much as losing his balance as he stepped from the rocky boat onto dry ground but Hermione did not have the balance nor grace to step out of the boat. As soon as she stood up the boat rocked and she flailed her arms around trying to keep her balance and not go into the water. Thankfully, Draco still had his seeker reflex about him and swiftly caught Hermione before she toppled over and hauled her up gently onto the pier. "Careful, love."
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Hermione patted down imaginary creases on her white summer dress and attempted to pretend that her cheeks were not burning red at her show of clumsiness.
"Just saying." Draco chuckled in appeasement, took hold of Hermione's hand and looked politely at their guide who was smiling brightly at them.
"This way, Mr and Mrs Malfoy, we'll get you checked in and I'll show you to your room." The young woman gestured at them to follow her before speaking in her native language at the young boy who came with her to carry their bags for them. Trailing behind Aishath, Draco and Hermione tried to take everything in around them and both of them were silently awed at the place they were staying. True to it's name Paradise Island Resort & Spa was indeed a haven in earth. The ocean was crystal blue, gently lapping at the white sand, and the palm trees offered the perfect amount of shade. Hermione looked up and smiled at Draco approving of his choice and if she thought that the resort itself was beautiful then she was in for one hell of a surprise when she sees the suite they were to stay in, Draco thought to himself smugly.
"Room number eighteen, Mr and Mrs Malfoy," Five minutes later and Aishath opened the door to a bungalow on a raised platform above the shallow ocean water, and handed Draco the key "and welcome to Paradise Island Resort & Spa." Aishath smiled once more, bowed her head and left the Malfoys alone.
"After you." Draco held the door open for Hermione and chuckling at Draco's gallant behaviour she took the first step into their suite and this time it was Draco's turn to chuckle as Hermione's eyes doubled in size. Before her was a spacious room with the whole of the south wall was just glass overlooking giving them a panoramic view of the beautiful blue sea that extended from right underneath their feet. There was a large bed in the middle with a large flat screen television mounted on the wall. At a glance Hermione saw that they had a private outside veranda with comfortable looking day beds and a fresh water swimming pool.
"Lovely, isn't?" Draco said with a smug smirk as Hermione dashed from one end of the room to the other and disappeared to explore the rest of the suite where she found that they had a small kitchen with a private dining room, a spacious bathroom, a modernly decorated living room and not to mention a jacuzzi.
"This place is amazing." Hermione grinned almost child like, jumped and sprawled on the bed with a giggle. "Come on, let's take a walk and explore the place. I do hope you packed your swimming trunks, Mister Malfoy."
"I believe I have." Draco replied loving it when Hermione is as carefree as she was and it inflates his ego that the bright smile on her face was because of him.
"Let me freshen up." Draco rummaged through his bag and pulled out what he needed before he went into the bathroom. Hermione followed his suit and changed into her red swimsuit and with a matching sun dress. Moments later, Draco appeared looking all freshened up with a lose white button down shirt with the sleeves pushed up above his elbows and a dark forest green swimming shorts that was just an inch above his knees and without a word, took Hermione's hand once more and walked out their bungalow.
"You know, I want to build a sand castle." Hermione exclaimed as they walked side by side, their hands clasped between them and the warm water lapping gently at their feet. "I bet I can make one better than you." She smiled cheekily.
"Are you sure you want to make that bet?" the left side Draco's lips tugged upwards in a smirk.
"I do," Hermione laughed confidently "but you've got to catch me first." Hermione playfully kicked up some water drenching Draco's swimming shorts before she took off in a run, squealing and laughing in delight.
"You've asked for it, Granger." Draco called out and Hermione merely winked at him over her shoulder and ran a little faster with her Draco hot on her heels.
A/N: Yeah... so... I guess I should once again apologise for a late update. I've been busy. Anyway, a bit of a boring chapter, yet another filler but I promise it'll pick up again in a next few chapters. REVIEW! pretty please? :) xx