A/N Thank you so much to all my reviewers and supporters! Only a few more chapters/sections until Dear Diary is all done for. This chapter is especially long because I felt like you all needed something special for all your kind words and such through these past months. I'm sorry for not posting it sooner, but I didn't like the way it was before soI just spent the past two hours fixing it. Now I like it:D Tsuki Inori was named by sugar high water uma. The character will re-appear, so don't worry. On with the story...
Saturday December 31, 2005
New Year's Eve is finally here and I am pumped. We have all decided to go down to the beach where there's going to be a party and a fireworks display after midnight. Lots of people are going to be there including Alice and David. They were the ones who told us about it, and all four of us decided it would be the best choice for tonight. We're going to be going into the New Year in America where no one really knows us, so we might as well make the best of it and party hard. Well, not too hard…
There still hasn't been an owl from Madame Derwent, so we're getting very worried about how well our potion did on the testing phase. Maybe something went terribly wrong and now they're going through hell trying to fix whatever it is that we have screwed up on… Oh no! Now I'm going to be panicky all night!
But that can't be it. They would have sent something write away reprimanding us for the stupid concoction we had sent them. I don't know, but I'm not going to let the delivery of a letter ruin my to-be wonderful night.
We are going to head down to the beach a little after 9:00, when things are going to start getting better. Mr. Fancy Pants Draco wanted to take a limo down there, but it's not even a mile away from the hotel! I'm going to walk there whether he wants to or not…
Lately something in particular has crossed my mind. I think I am obsessed. That is, obsessed with writing in this diary. There are only about 10 more pages left in here, front and back, and I have only had it since the beginning of November. That's only a little more than a month and half, almost two months, and it has almost all been written in. Maybe it's because my daily entries have been a bit long, and the times I wrote more than once a day have taken up lots of space. I've also spello-taped a few notes and letters, plus some pictures worthy for remembrance. I don't know if I want to stop writing once this diary is done or if I should buy another one and keep this little 'adventure' going. It wouldn't make sense to just end it when there's not much of a conclusion to all of this. Even though it was just something to keep me occupied and keep as a reference for my trip to Florida, I feel as though there is so much more to be told after this.
Plus it's fun, right?
Well, I better get ready for tonight. There's only one hour left until we'll be leaving to head down to the shore of the beach.
Happy New Year's Eve,
Hermione
- - - - - -
The sun had already set, leaving the sky a nice shade of purple without any clouds for the stars to hide behind. The horizon straight in front shone brilliantly with the reflection from the moon.
Hermione and Draco were holding each others' hands with Ginny and Blaise walking next to them doing the same. The four of them walked towards the shore of crashing waves in a straight line, all anxious for the night to soon be over. Two stone walls that were shaped to represent the waving ocean, greeted the group of friends with an opening to walk through. They passed the barrier and were greeted by a man with sandy blonde hair and tanned skin.
"Welcome, I'm Andy, the owner of this part of the beach," he said with a wide smile. He was only dressed in jeans, without a shirt to cover his chest.
"You own this whole beach?" Hermione asked with wide eyes.
"Well, yeah. I'm also hosting the party tonight, and have hosted past New Year's parties. Are you all over twenty-one years?"
They all nodded and he marked each of their hands with big red X's. The four of them looked at each other with questioning gazes, confused why he was marking their hands. Andy noticed their faces and realized from their accents that they weren't from America, and explained that the drinking age was twenty-one. Those marked with red X's were allowed to have alcohol and the youngsters who couldn't drink were marked with black X's.
Andy then showed them where they could buy drinks and pick up some food to munch on. None of them wanted anything to eat and weren't craving any alcohol –especially Ginny- so they made their way to where a group of people was.
There was a large bonfire burning brightly, and there was already a huge crowd forming around the area, dancing to music coming from the DJ's speakers. It was practically intoxicating, the fresh air wrapping around their bodies mixed with rhythmic beats of the music and the mess of bodies dancing alongside to the loud beats. The sweat on people's foreheads glistened lightly with the illumination radiating from the fire, showing off how much fun they were having. It was taunting Hermione by making her realise that if she could loosen up a bit, she could be just like them: without a care in the world. She felt mesmerised by the combination of everything crashing together, and her feet started taking her towards the inside of the crowd.
Draco still had a firm grasp on her hand, so when she walked away, he walked with her. Hermione didn't hear it, but Ginny announced she was going to a store with Blaise to buy sparklers for when midnight came around.
Hermione was entirely intrigued by all the bodies around her and it just pushed her instincts farther to join in. She grabbed Draco by the neck and pushed him closer to her so that dancing would be an easier task. Her tug was not one that hurt, but it was forceful, and it made Draco a little turned on. He hadn't seen this side of her before. She was… eager… impatient… in charge. And he would be lying completely if he said he didn't like it. She subconsciously stared into Draco's blue eyes, edging him on to move along with her.
He started to feel the fast beats of the techno mix, and soon his body was moving steadily along with Hermione's. Her chest was pressed into his firmly, and she could feel his ripped muscles through the thin silk that was his shirt. His hands starting to leave their resting place on her high back towards her sides, right below her breasts. They started inching down father and soon settled upon her swaying hips.
Sure, they had been to clubs before, but it had never been so intoxicating like it was at that moment. They would dance around acting younger than they really were while laughing at their own demeanor. Now it was as if it was almost… serious. Their gazes never left one another; both getting hypnotised by the swirling madness in their eyes along with the beat that would never end.
Draco couldn't help get even more turned on by her suggestive dancing and the way she started to bite her bottom lip while giving him a seductive glare, so he pushed her closer to his body, wanting more. He was quite a bit taller than her, so he was looking down at her with his face a near inch away from hers. She could feel his warm, rapid breath on her face, and all of sudden she thought she would much rather have him breathing into her.
She tugged a little more on his neck until his lips went crashing down into hers. All it was at first was lip contact, but then Draco started to gently bite on her bottom lip, and it got carried away. They didn't even notice that the song they had been dancing to had finally ended, but they kept on with their make-out session.
"Maybe you two should save the kissing until midnight," said a silky voice from not too far away.
The two lovers broke apart at the sound of the voice and Draco gave him a deathly glare.
"Piss off, Zabini."
"No need to be offensive, Draco. I just don't want you to be tired when the clock strikes tonight," Blaise replied while wiggling his eyebrows.
"Well, I'm going to get me a drink," Hermione started, "want anything, love?"
"Seeing as how they don't offer my preferred firewhiskey, just get me whatever you grab."
"What about you two; want anything?" she asked Ginny and Blaise.
Since Ginny was pregnant and couldn't have anything heavy to drink, she just settled for water while Blaise joined the non-alcohol bandwagon and asked for that muggle carbonated drink he liked so much. The red-head went along with Hermione to help carry everything, and they walked about what seemed like the length of a Quidditch pitch until finally reaching the open bar. Ginny excused herself to go to the loo when they passed in front of it –she was starting to have urges to go more often now. She said she would meet Hermione at the counter.
The brunette walked up to a man who had just handed a woman two drinks. Seeing as he was now free to fill another order, she told him all the drinks she wanted: cup of water, can of Coke, and two bottles of Corona. She was leaned on the counter with her back against it, waiting for the bartender to come back. Five seconds later a man she had never seen before approached her with a slight smirk on his lips.
"You're the one that was dancing all crazy out there, aren't you?" he asked.
Hermione looked at him with her eyebrows arched and slowly nodded.
"Well, I thought it was sexy," he said with a wink. Then the bartender came back with all of her drinks, but she couldn't leave just yet because Ginny still hadn't returned.
She turned to face the guy and snapped back at him, "yeah? Well my boyfriend thought so, too," and turned away from him.
"Feisty one, aren't you?" Hermione definitely didn't like the way he kept on bugging her.
"Go away!" she retorted a little loudly while turning to glare daggers at him. She looked into the man's green eyes, and at once felt like she had seen them before… She shook her head to get herself out of the daze she was in. "Sorry, but what's your name?"
All of a sudden the strange man with blonde hair began to laugh a too little much, and his shoulders started to shake. Just then Ginny was seen walking towards the bar from the direction the restrooms were in, and arrived just in time to see Hermione staring strangely at a maniacally laughing bloke.
"What's going on, Hermione?" she whispered while leaning in towards the brunette, staring at the man.
"I have no idea…"
"Sorry," the man said. "It's funny… you see… Hermione, it's me…" She froze at the mention of her name. Obviously he knew her, so maybe she knew him? "It's me, Riley!"
"Riley? Are you sure? The last I remembered you didn't have blonde hair… and your face is different."
"Well, I used a few spells to change my appearance. One of my friends told me that an ex-girlfriend was going to be here, and I don't want her to see me," he said wit a wide grin.
"Oh. How have you been?" she asked while leaning in to give him a hug. Hermione was a bit confused, but still took in what he had told her. "I didn't think you'd be back for New Year's Eve."
"Me neither, but the convention was cut short because everyone else wanted to go home for tonight. I was just going to the fancy party Mom was holding at the hotel, but Tsuki at the front desk told me you were here."
"So you came here just to see me?"
"I know you're going to be leaving soon, and I figured tonight would be a good time to spend together before you leave to England for good."
Ginny cleared her throat just then, and finally got the attention she wanted from the two. Hermione said it would be all right for Riley to hang out with them for the night, so the three headed back closer to the bonfire. They couldn't spot Blaise or Draco there after walking around the blazing heat, so they walked towards the shore to see if the two would be there.
The two ex-Slytherins were sitting alone, with their pants hitched up so the waves wouldn't wet them and were also with their shoes off. As soon as the girls and Riley arrived, they stopped talking and abruptly stood up. Everyone took a hold of their own drink and clinked their plastic cups or bottles together to cheer to a fantastic 2006. Draco had been a bit sceptical about Riley joining them, but agreed when Hermione said that no one should have to spend a holiday alone.
All five of them made their way back up to where the music was still playing and started to dance; but this time just for fun and acting their normal selves when usually dancing. There were about four people running around through the crowds handing out multicoloured party hats to everyone.
Later on, Hermione was walking towards the bar again when she took a glance at the large tower clock hovering over the street's stores. It read 11:43. Only seventeen minutes left until they were pushed in to the next year. She asked the bartender for another beer for herself and another for Draco. When her boyfriend refused to drink anymore, she downed both bottles in a matter of five minutes.
When there was only one minute left until the clock was to strike twelve times, they all headed towards the shore to see the display of fireworks that was to go off. Draco held Hermione up from one side with Riley helping by holding onto her other side. They all soon enough made their way to the edge of the beach so that the waves gently crashed upon their bare feet.
Shouts could be heard everywhere around them…
"10…"
The two boys let go of Hermione after she insisted she could stand on her own. So far, she didn't fall down.
"9…8…"
The red-head took a package of sparklers out from her purse while Blaise helped her light them.
"6…5..."
Everyone took a hold of a sparkler and started waving them around anxiously.
"4… 3…"
Blaise took a hold of Ginny's hand with his empty one.
Hermione could slightly feel a hand touch the small of her back, and another one touch her shoulder.
"2… 1…"
The hand on her waist left while the grip on her shoulder became heavier.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!"
Suddenly, Hermione felt a pair of lips hitting her own.
