*The first full day on the island*
Hermione felt warm and heavy, it was not a feeling she was used to waking up to. The sun was clearly shining into the bure. But her mind hadn't registered where she was or who was with her yet, she just knew that the sofa in the pod didn't normally feel this comfortable. She started to shift, and her eyes shot open when the apparent arm that was draped over her pulled her against the hard body that it was connected to. It all came rushing back to her, that arm connected the hard chiseled body belonged to Draco. A very naked Draco. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She hadn't intended their snog session to result in what it had.
~The night before~
Draco had moved them to the bed and set her down but not released her, he used his height and strength to position them in the middle of the bed. Hermione lost all sense as his hands and lips roamed her body. She giggled like a girl at Hogwarts as he grumbled against her skin, "Too many clothes." This caused him to lift his head and eye her as she smirked. "Are you laughing at me?" Which only caused her to laugh more so he poked her side with a finger. The result of this was a squirming Hermione who couldn't stop the fit of giggles he was dragging out of her. Draco on the other hand pinned her under him by sitting up on the backs of his legs and attacking her sides with his fingers. The sound of her laughter and the sight of her pink cheeks, tears prickling her eyes, everything about her shined in this moment and when she said "Draco please!" While he knew she meant for him to stop tickling her, the sound of his name and the plea though him over the edge.
"Please what?" Draco teased, poking her side with one hand and pinning her wrists above her head with the other. The moment required him to lean closer to her, feeling her chest heaving against him. "Please what?" He couldn't help but press his growing arousal against her. The hand that had been tickling her splayed out against her hip holding her still. Her eyes rolled back and her body seemed to arch up to meet his. His lips were inches from the skin of her neck and ear when he whispered again, "Please what?"
Hermione's mind was racing, her stomach was so full of butterflies she thought she might take flight herself. When she initially giggled out the "Draco please" she had meant for him to cease his attack on her ribs so that she could catch her breath. But now in this moment, that plea was turning to one of need. All the things that she was suddenly feeling right down to the throbbing in her core was new from anything she had ever felt before. Ron had never caused her to feel like this, it always felt like obligation, routine, there was never true pleasure in it. The look in Draco's eyes told her that she could ask for the moon right now and he would give it to her, no questions asked. She could feel his breath against her neck as he spoke into her ear, her body ached instinctively to match his movements against her.
"Please, don't stop." Hermione barely managed to get out as she felt the butterflies go haywire in her stomach and her skin tingle where his hand was holding her. She angled her head to look at him "Please, Draco" then she tipped her chin so that her lips touched his. Draco's hand released their hold on her and came up to cup her face on both sides. This kiss held desire she didn't know she had. With her hands free from his grasp Hermione brought them up to run through his hair. Something she had secretly always wanted to do. When they were in school, she wanted to muss up the meticulously styled looks, as an adult she wanted to know what it felt like, was it as soft as it looked? This moment answered her question because it was. Her nails dragged along his scalp and he groaned deep in his throat. Her legs wrapped around him pulling his lower half closer against her.
Draco lost track of how long they had been wrapped around each other, some how he had managed to turn them on their sides so that they really were tangled in each other. He had never spent this much time kissing a woman before. Normally he met a witch, they had a couple of drinks, went back to her place had sex and he was gone before the sun even thought about rising. With Hermione in right now, he was not worried about the sun coming up, about getting things over and done with, about disappearing as soon as he could. With her, he wanted to drag out ever purr she made, every shudder she had, he wanted to extract everything he knew she had hidden away. She seemed to match him move for move and it was like a drug he needed more of.
It took everything in him to pull away and catch his breath, "Granger…I am about to become extremely ungentlemanly…if you don't tell me to stop." One arm was underneath her hand holding her neck, fingers tangled in her unruly curls, they other arm rested on her hip, with his fingers toying the skin between the hem of her shirt and the top of her shorts. The feeling of it tingled against her skin, never in all the times she had been with Ron had it felt like this and all they had done was kiss.
Hermione's eyes widened then narrowed at Draco. "Oh, I mean to say, do you want to stop?" She asked feeling a bit embarrassed, maybe he wasn't feeling the same as her. Because her brain was just mush right now, and her experiences paled in what she had heard about his.
It was his turn to narrow his gaze, she must be kidding him right now. He pulled her hand that was on his chest to the space between them so she could feel his arousal. Her slight touch, as tentative as it was made him twitch and harden more. He raised an eyebrow at her "Does that feel like I want to stop? Granger, I am on the verge of doing things to you I am not sure the Weasel could have comprehended. If you aren't ready you need to tell me so I can slow down. Otherwise, in about five seconds your clothes are going vanish and I am going to pick up where we left off and then some."
She didn't know what possessed her but hearing that he didn't want to stop, that he wanted her in that moment caused her to look at him with a very serious face and say "Five, four, three, two…" she didn't finish her count down before he launched at her pulling her face to his as he kissed her harder than before, with a flick of his wrist she was laying under him in only her carefully selected lace panties.
He broke their kiss to look down at her, she watched his adam's apple bob in his throat as he took in her appearance. "My my Ms. Granger you have been keeping secrets under your robes, haven't you?" She looked down at herself wondering what he could mean and then back up at him. He licked his lips and then ran his hand up to cup her breasts. Her nipples hardened, and the sound that came out of her mouth was one she as sure she had never made before, the shock of it apparent on her face. Draco smirked. "Oh, I think I am going to have to keep a tally of the times that happens." Hermione looked at him quizzically, "Mmmm, every time it is clear you haven't experienced something before, I am going to tally that up as a win for me." Draco said as he ran the pad of his thumbs over her peaks. She couldn't contain the hiss that escaped her. "Two" He chuckled.
She knew she shouldn't because it would only stroke his ego, but she couldn't help herself when she breathlessly said "You are well into the double digits Malfoy, keep up already." The grin that spread across his face was like that of child receiving unexpected praise. Before she knew what was happening his hands slid from her breasts down the skin of her abdomen to the top of the lace she still wore.
"My goal will be to achieve triple digits then, and I won't be stopping until I do." His breath ghosted against the skin of her stomach and upper thigh. She lifted her head to look at him only to glimpse the most wicked of grins on his face before his head disappeared and she saw stars.
Hermione attempted to shift again, and Draco grumbled "Sleeping, stay still." She wasn't sure she wanted to wake him, she wasn't sure if he would regret the things they had done the night before. He must have sensed the war in her head because he grumbled again "Didn't we determine around three in the morning that you were mine? I want to sleep for a little longer, and the best sleep I have had in years is because I am holding onto what is mine." His arm pulled her closed "Go back to sleep Granger, or I will give you reason to be awake." His hand lowered to the apex of her thighs, and he ground his morning arousal against her arse.
She suddenly felt the cheek rise in her, she wasn't sure if it was some altered version of their usual banter having ravaged each other until so late into the night, only stopping because they were utterly exhausted and spent. "Don't make promises you can't keep Malfoy." She squeaked with he moved like lightening shifting so that he was buried within her and kissing her at the same time. Using both the motion of his hips and the ministrations of his fingers he coaxed her orgasm forward; she didn't know how he managed to shift them without completely stopping before his thrusts quickened so he could find his own release. "Fuuuuuck, Her-mi-own-nee" her fingers ran up his back as she felt him swell then release, his eyes never left hers as he came. As he caught his breath, he brought his forehead to hers. "Mmmm, I think I quite enjoy waking up like this." He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose.
Effortlessly he slid off of her and rolled to climb out of bed. Hermione moved to do the same and paused turned back to the bed and sent a cleaning spell at the sheets. House keeping would launder them before the next guest used them, but she didn't think they would change them while they were still here. She heard the shower start and Draco moving around in the other side of the closed bathroom doors. She grabbed a couple of things from her bag and headed to the bathroom to do what she could before she used the shower.
Her back was to the shower as she slid the doors shut, while she liked the openness of the front of the bure, she wasn't quite ready to have this part of it open to anyone who was on the beach just off of the deck. The thought gave her pause, while the bed was set back, would people have been able to see her and Draco as they were intimate? Apparently, she was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the shower door open. "Granger, I need your help." She didn't jump at the sound of his voice, it seemed to have a calming effect that she never would have suspected.
"Draco, a muggle shower is not that different…" her thought was cut off as she turned to look at him and realized he was standing there, shower door open looking at her like he had last night. She gulped.
"Mmm, was that another tally mark on my score sheet?" He smirked, and Hermione's throat went dry. "Granger, eyes up here love, I need your help." He gestured to his face.
She swallowed again and then asked "What, what do you need my help with?" she moved to the sink closest to the shower and set her things down then approached the door, thinking he was going to ask her to hand him something he left in his bag or on the counter. She had not expected him to grab her about the waist and yank her into the shower with him.
"This" he said against her lips as he pressed her into the wall of the shower. The spray was warm against her skin as he peppered her with kisses. "It would appear that now that I have had a taste of you, I am addicted and can't get enough."
Hermione's eyes rolled back but she managed to with some cheek, "Is that a tally mark on my score sheet then?" He kissed his way back up her throat, his hands tweaking and teasing her flesh.
"Love, you are well into double digits on your sheet." He said at her ear and she felt his fingers slide into her. She wasn't sure if her body wanted to melt against him or arch up and brace against the wall for support. Draco apparently had other plans and as he worked her close to the edge while kissing any exposed skin he could reach; his fingers slipped from her and ran down her leg pulling her knee up and positioning himself against her before thrusting in. He braced them against the wall and Hermione wrapped herself around him. His hands tangled in her hair, and when she attempted to close her eyes as she could feel herself start to teeter over the edge as the orgasm built within her his voice became demanding, "Eyes open, look at me." His paced sped up, she could feel herself tighten around him. "Together, love, this one we do together." It was as if his request registered in her body, even though the stars clouded her mind her orgasm only built until he groaned out "Yes, now, Hermione. Cum with me, love."
She heard herself start to cry out, but Draco covered her mouth with his and kissed her as their bodies melted into each other the wave after wave of orgasm rocking them. Once they disentangled, he directed her to the stream of water and pulled the shampoo bottle that was on the small shelf. Hermione shivered at the feeling of him massaging the lather through her hair. He turned her again and tipped her head back so that the lather could rinse out. Then he lowered his head so she could do the same for him. Later he told her, that it would only make sense that all their showers be taken together. "Conserve water and all that." Was his excuse. She retorted back that they wasted water with the sex that led up to the cleaning portion of their shower and he just shrugged his shoulders and stated that it was a requirement now. She shook her head still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she had now been intimate with Draco Malfoy, repeatedly in less than twelve hours. Some how they had managed to get dressed and were pondering breakfast when there was a knock at the door.
Both of them had their wands within grabbing distance, as Draco lifted the silencing spell and called out "Who is it?"
"Gabby the production assistant. We have to get you mic'ed up for the day and I have a list of options for your itinerary for the day." Called the voice from outside, "One of the camera men is with me as well." Draco moved his hand away from his wand and headed to open the door. Hermione shrunk their wands putting them in her pocket for the time being.
She was glad that she had the sense to pack just in case she made it to this portion of the trip because she had her two-piece suit which made mic'ing up easier. They used a waterproof flesh colored wireless pack that was secured to her sport backed top, both she and Draco were given necklaces to wear, hers was beaded with shells and his was a hemp like material with a shell that hid his mic. A handheld camera was given to them to record things in the room when the camera wasn't around. Draco raised an eyebrow at that, which made Gabby spudder and explain that it was not to be explicit "Just if you are willing to record things together, like conversation or something silly. In the pods you were recorded the whole time you were there, now there are moments the cameras aren't there for."
As Draco snarked that it was for good reason, Hermione thanked Gabby and said they were be sure to record things so there was a bit of their perspective. Gabby thanked her and they took their finalized their plans for the day before they were going to move to restaurant for breakfast. Hermione wanted to do it all. It took the two of no time at all to determine how most of their week would look. Today being Monday, they would take a personalized tour of the resort's Iguana Sanctuary and dry forest habitat, after that they would spend time on the beach or at the resort pool and after dinner, they along with whatever couples selected it, would attend a Kava ceremony. Knowing they would be leaving Saturday afternoon they planned to attend a Meke followed by a traditional Lovo. Gabby told them she would be outside so they could gather whatever they needed for the day, and if they needed anything there was a giftshop at the main portion of the resort where the restaurant was located. When Gabby stepped out of the room Hermione handed Draco his wand. She transfigured her beaded bag into a slightly larger bag for appearances sake. Draco watched her and commented that she never ceased to amaze him, and he placed his wand in her bag, stated that it was probably safer there then in the room or in his pocket where it could get lost.
As they walked the path to the main portion of the resort Draco took her hand. He made an off-hand comment that Hermione took to be for the camera that was following them. When they arrived at their destination Hermione saw that some of the couples were already there, positioned so that the camera operator and production assistant assigned to them were seated near by to record their breakfast conversation. She wondered to herself what it would be like if a couple never spoke when they were at a meal. They were seated at a table next to a tall window that looked out across the beach and near by islands. The waitress brought them menus and explained the specials for the morning. Though Draco had always enjoyed the family style meals at Hogwarts which Hermione compared to how the buffet would be, preferred the ala carte meals because that was how breakfast with his parents always was.
Hermione set her plate down with the items she had selected and a bowl of fruit, just as Draco's pancakes topped with vanilla and apple compote, almonds and honeycomb mascarpone arrived. They both opted for tea and Hermione brought a glass of orange juice that Draco kept sipping from when he thought she wasn't looking.
Draco surveyed the room, his auror training never allowing him to let his guard down in crowded places. Hermione reached across the table and lightly touched his hand that was holding his cup. His eyes rested on her and she gave him a small smile.
Gabby from her table across from them sipped her coffee, and then said "You know, you two come across like you have known each other for years. Even in the film that I got to review from your pod dates. It is like you know each other, but yet you are learning all the details about each other. It's rather sweet." She looked around the room, similar to how Draco had and then added, "Far too often it looks like couples who were amazing in the pods never quite connect in the real world. You two have this natural way about you. Like you knew who was on the other side of the wall and it all just came together the right way." Her eyes settled on Jennifer and Tim, who looked extremely awkward at their table before coming back to the two of them.
Draco looked at her then back at Hermione, "She's everything I had been told growing up that my wife should be. She's beyond smart, strong, skilled at everything she does, elegant, and on top of that she doesn't put up with anything. She'll put me in my place in a heartbeat if needed. She's her own person. Even if I had known her prior to the pods, everything I learned about her there and since just proved that she was practically made for me."
Hermione smiled then said, "Drake reminds me of a boy I knew in school. They have their similarities, and I had a bit of a crush on that boy in school. So, as I got to know Drake it was like getting to know that boy as an adult and finding that my schoolgirl crush was still there and having it develop further. It makes it easy to enjoy my time with him and look forward to what will come as we continue this journey." Draco held her gaze as he reached for her juice glass, "If you finish off my orange juice you will be sorry. I know you keep sneaking sips. If you want some just order your own." She scolded before reaching to smack his hand away.
"But, love, I like sharing with you. That whole, what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine." Draco cheeked at her.
"Oh really, so I can just help myself to your pancakes then?" Hermione asked.
"Absolutely, not!" Draco chided. "My cakes are not your cakes. You should have ordered your own if you wanted some."
"But you just said," Hermione gaped at him.
"Yes, but pancakes are sacred, you never mess with a man's pancakes!" Draco pulled the plate closer to him and brandished his butter knife and fork to protect what was left of his food. Hermione giggled holding her fork like she was going to reach across the table, and Gabby turned to the cameraman and said "See what I mean? I am glad we got them and not another couple. He can kick us out at night all he wants. I am down with that because they are so damn cute when they are together."
After breakfast Gabby explained that each couple was going to have a different activity for the morning that day. Hermione asked how she knew that, and Gabby gestured to her earpiece. Apparently once they had determined what they wanted to do, and times were secured for them the producers made note and reported out to the assistants so they could plan with each other if needed. "It's not surprising, and I am actually okay wit it. Means we get to focus on you and what you selected instead of maneuvering around another couple and their crew."
Their selected activity of the Fijian Crested Iguana Experience as it was titled was led by the Resort Environment Manager. First, they got a presentation on the history of the Iguana in Fiji, on Malolo Island and specifically on the Resort areas. Hermione was in awe of how the species has been saved on Malolo, and what has and is being done to ensure the survival of its habitat and other biodiversity. Draco whispered in her ear about it being the perfect first day activity for her and giving her far too many ideas about creatures back home. They were taken on a private tour around the sanctuary. Draco waggled his eyebrows when he made a joke about the breeding cages that made Hermione blush and the cameraman, Nick snorted while laughing. When they were done Hermione felt her stomach rumble, it was past noon and the tour had taken the whole morning. She assumed it was all because it was being recorded for the show.
"Hungry love?" Draco asked her as they ambled through the last bit of the dry forest on their way back to the entrance of the sanctuary.
"Yes, I actually am. Strenuous day. I do prefer it over stress though." She smiled up at him, if anyone had told her an even a week ago that she would be in paradise with Malfoy calling her love, sharing a look because her strenuous comment was due to their insatiable need for sex since arriving.
Gabby broke the peaceful silence between the two of them, "Why do you call her that?"
Draco turned and looked back at her, "Call her what?"
"Love, you never call her by her name." Gabby asked, "I mean it's a sweet term of endearment, but all morning you haven't said her given name once. In the pod you called her other terms, but rarely her name."
Draco looked at Hermione and smirked as he threw back, "Oh I have called her name. I have used her first name, her last name, but I also know, and you would too if you truly paid attention to the recording from our time in the pods, that she never had a nick name from people. Her friends call her by a ridiculous shortened version of her name. I am NOT her friend so I will not be calling her by that moniker. If she doesn't like me calling her something, she'll tell me so, and I will respect her wishes and refer to her by something she prefers." He stopped and lifted the hand he had been holding as they walked and kissed her knuckles.
"He's right though," Hermione turned to Gabby, "Growing up my parents only ever called me by my given name, my full name if I was in trouble." Draco chuckled and snarked "I will as well if you misbehave." That earned him a playful swat from Hermione.
"As I was saying. My parents didn't call me a nickname, and my close friends at school called me by a shorten version of my first name, the rest used my last name. Drake is the first person to call me anything other than my name as a term of endearment. As we discussed in the pod and I am sure you heard it, it's kind of like his way of calling me his. It's special. I know he's talking to me and so I respond if he says love or whatever silly thing he says at he time." She and Draco continued their walk headed to the vehicle that was waiting to take them back to the resort. Gabby and Nick would ride in a separate one since a small camera was mounted to the dash to record any of the couples that used it.
"Wait you said didn't, your parents didn't, as in past tense. Don't you mean they don't?" Gabby asked causing them to stop. Hermione had evaded the why in the pods when he had brought up the same question, but his knowledge of her from Potter told him it had to do with the war. He knew they weren't dead; he had kept watch on the muggle lists for any names connected to people he knew from Hogwarts while Voldemort was in his home reigning terror down on his world. He gripped her hand tighter; Gabby couldn't see the look in her eyes and Hermione put her Golden Trio mask on as always when discussing anything from that period in her life.
"If you must know, I lost them prior to my 18th birthday. The family of one of my best friends took me in that summer and they have been my segregate family since then. They did the same for my best friend who had been in a foster home until he was 11. They are a big family and at the time three of their children were grown and had moved out, so they had a room and a home full of love to spare." Hermione was matter of fact in her response and made it clear that she would answer no further on it if Gabby prodded for more.
Draco opened the door to the back of the Jeep and helped Hermione climb in the hoisted himself up and in so the driver could take them back to the resort. They sat in silence, and he watched her wipe a tear from her eye. He pulled he to his side and whispered "I've got you, if you need to let go. I've got you." Hermione just leaned into him and closed her eyes. Harry, Ron and the rest of the Weasely's had always been very understanding and supportive, the hard part was that none of them understood what it felt like.
By the time they arrived back at the resort Draco's stomach was growling and the fact that Hermione was quiet for the whole ride had irritated him. As Hermione followed the hostess to the table that was reserved for them Draco turned on Gabby, he could feel his Malfoy heckles raised and warned her "Certain things are very much off limits and I want to be clear about it now, before you upset my fiancé any further." Gabby's mouth opened and closed like a fish floundering on dry land. Draco continued, "Her family and my family are not topics that you can bring up without warning, some where in our paperwork that should have been clear, even listening to us on the recording from the pods should have made that clear. If it even a little bit feels like a sensitive subject, assume that it is and don't ask about it unless you want to deal with the repercussions." He turned, looked for her messy bun that was barely containing her hair and walked straight to Hermione.
Nick paused the recording of the camera he was holding on his shoulder and looked at Gabby, "Man he is protective of her, and really it's all because you questioned his calling her love, didn't see that coming at all." Nick shook his head and lowered the camera moving to the table that would be his and Gabby's for lunch. He understood the other man's protective response. Gabby had questioned something private not once but twice, and he was sure it was prodded on by her damn earpiece. He couldn't say he understood these people, chancing the rest of their lives on an experiment like this, but if someone he loved was put on the spot like that, he would probably react the same way. It took Gabby several moments before she made her way over. Nick felt bad for her, but only because if the questions came from the producers, she was just doing what they told her and not actually a nosey bitch.
When she finally sat her seat, Nick was chuckling as Draco was pleading with Hermione to share their lunches. "What did I miss?" She asked as he clutched his stomach.
"The hostess handed them the menus for today and right away he was trying to negotiate sharing with her." Nick explained to Gabby.
"Oh, they know that it's all inclusive, the show is footing the bill, right? They don't have to share a meal. I thought they knew that?" She said confused.
"No, no. Like they order different meals and split half of it to share. She said he just wants to drink her iced strawberry and sweet basil cooler and that he should just order his own." Nick looked at her like she had three heads and that she should understand what was happening.
"I don't get why it is so funny?" Gabby grumbled. She clear had missed more than she thought if Nick found this exchange so hilarious.
"Gab, this morning he drank half her juice before she said anything to him. He had his tea and a glass of water, but he kept sneaking sips from her glass. Like a little kid. She called him out saying he wasn't going to do it again." Nick shook his head at her and looked at the menu so he could order something for himself. He heard her whisper "Oh." but he didn't reengage in the conversation.
Hermione had agreed to share her lunch with Draco, but he refused to share his chips. He threw her comment about the drink back at her, "If you wanted it then you should have ordered it." Hermione called him a prat and reached again for a chip. "I will give you a chip, if you let me have some of your drink."
She rolled her eyes, "You have been drinking it already! Why do you insist on acting like I don't see you doing it? The waitress has refilled it twice already!" But she giggled as he reached for the glass again. She took advantage of the moment and swiped the last three chips from his plate.
"First my pancakes this morning and now my chips! Have you no understanding of a man and his food?!" He said with mock horror as she shoved the chips in her mouth.
After several more minutes of banter at the table Draco and Hermione opted to head out to the beach for a bit. The decided that they would stick close to their bure, should they want to head back early to relax in private before it was time for dinner.
Hermione pulled the lotion from her bag and told Draco to remove his shirt so she could put the lotion on his back and then he could put it on his chest and face. He looked at her and suddenly was uncomfortable. "Can I sit down while you do it? It might help you reach." But something in his eyes told her it wasn't why he really wanted to sit. She nodded and when he sat in the sand he pulled his knees to his chest before he pulled his shirt up. She was gentle was she smoothed the lotion across his skin. Something about him was guarded, and she wasn't sure if it was because of her or the ever-watching camera.
"Do you want me to put lotion on your face?" Hermione asked, as she tried massaging the new tension from his shoulders. It took several minutes for her to feel the muscles loosen. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his. "What just happened? Did I do something?" She asked quietly.
He squeezed her hands with his, "I was in a fight when I was sixteen, I have some scars that you can only see when I am shirtless. It was a rough time in my life and I am not proud of that reminder."
At once Hermione thought back to Harry and that bloody Potions book of his with the handwritten notes. Harry didn't know what the sectum sempra spell would do and hadn't expected Draco to be sliced like a sword had been used instead of a wand.
"It's okay. We can go back to the bure if you want. Just relax there. The beach will be here." Hermione reassured him. He squeezed her hand again, and shook his head then shifted to allow her to help him apply the lotion. He was enjoying being out like this with her, and he didn't want the past to be why they hid away.
Hermione hadn't spent much of last night examining him, she'd been too wrapped up in how amazing he was in bed to pay attention to what was right in front of her. She never thought that he would have scars the way he did from the incident with Harry. They criss crossed his chest, and her heart ached. She had gone to see him when he was in the hospital wing, it was late, and he had been asleep. Even Madame Pomphrey didn't know she had been there. She shifted infront of him and told him to put his legs down and sit so she could get close. He cocked an eyebrow at her. She leaned in an kissed the first that slashed his right shoulder to just above his sternum, then the second that ran the opposite direction starting at his left pectoral all the way across, there were small ones that slashed at odd angles to his belly button. She kissed each one before she applied the lotion. When she looked back up at him his eyes were closed, and she caught him swallow hard.
"Alright sir, arms and then I am going in that beautiful water. Care to join me?" Hermione asked knowing she needed to cool off before she took things too far in the middle of the beach. There might not be many people around, but they certainly weren't alone. He held his arms out for her, and again she saw more than she had when he had clouded her vision in bed. "Oh my, that's beautiful." She said looking at the magical tattoo that hid his dark mark. Harry had mentioned it once, and she had caught glimpses of it but never examined it up close. The artist had managed to weave symbols of things that were completely Draco in the look of a galaxy full of stars and constellations. You could barely see the skull with its horrid snake that had been forced on him as a teenager.
"I hope one day to add the constellations of my family. Mother hates that it is so large, but respects that I found a way to find peace with the fact that I can't get rid of the first tattoo. My father has never seen it as I refuse to see him." Draco said quietly.
"I think it is very you. Constellations, makes perfect sense, and all the shapes they are all very you." Hermione smiled at him. "Now if you will excuse me, I am going in the water before I get too warm here." She stood slipped off her shorts and shirt and took off toward the water. Draco watched her for a moment and then as if drawn to her by some invisible force was up and after her moving faster than she expected scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder as he ran into the water. She laughed and yelled for him to put her down.
"You want me to put you down?" He joked back, if she could have seen his face, she might have rethought her answer.
"Yes, put me down now!" She squealed, just before he dropped her into the water. He barely heard the shriek as she hit the water. She gasped as she reemerged from the surf. "Draco!"
He laughed harder than he had in years. Her curls had completely escaped from the bun that she had secured them in this morning. She swung her arms to splash him with water, giggling with his laughter. He stalked toward her as she increased her speed of splashing him, and she shrieked again anticipating him forcing he underwater again. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her in a hug then kissed her. She began to return the kiss when he did the unexpected and leaned backward into the water and holding her to him and bringing her under as well. The two of them romped in the water for a while, with Draco testing Hermione's limits with how handsy he got declaring no one could see. After one very deliberate attempt to slip a hand into her suit bottom, she smacked him and told him to behavior. "I will thank you to knock that off sir."
"I quite like it when you call me that. Makes me feel rather," Draco started to cheek at her.
"If you say superior, I will punch you in the nose." Hermione warned.
"Mmm, no, no I was going to say aroused, but if you want to be the dominant one this time around, I am all for equal control of things." He said pulling her in close so she could feel the beginnings of his arousal growing. "Now we can either head back to the privacy of our room, or I can do wicked things to you here. Your choice, love."
"I think we better get you back to the bure, before that becomes a larger problem than it already is." Hermione smirked and suddenly found herself tossed over his shoulder again as he ran out of the surf as quickly as he could with her shouting not to leave the bag behind. Holding her firmly by the hip on his shoulder he using is free hand to grab her bag. "Draco put me down! My clothes! I need to get my clothes!"
"Oh for the love all things! I'll buy you new ones!" Draco said and then smacked her ass as he approached their bure from the beach side entrance. "Oh, did you know we have a mini pool back here? This could come in handy, and mmm, no need for the bed inside." He bent his knees against he edge of the day bed that was hidden under a canopy and set against the outside wall of their bure, where he lowered her down and began to assault her lips.
"Draco, mic packs." Hermione reminded him as she unhooked the necklace that held his mic to him, then yanked the pack from the pocket of his shorts finding the switch that turned it off. He pulled hers from where it was tucked into the back of her top and she found the switch for that as well.
"Now may I ravage you?" Draco asked leaning into her propped up form. She barely got the chance to answer before his pulled her in for a searing kiss forcing her back and with skill pulled her bottoms aside and placed himself at her entrance. Never breaking the kiss he thrust in and found a pace that they both needed. It took no time for him to bring her over the edge and then he followed her. He pulled back and shifted up to look at her, "Granger, you need a shower. You have sand everywhere."
"I think I would prefer a nap after our day's adventures. But a shower does sound lovely as well." She agreed with him, but her body was too slacked after their latest session for her to move. "Could we do both you think?"
"We can do anything you want love. Just remember the rule about showers. I will even go down and retrieve our things we left behind if you want to get the shower going." Draco grinned at her.
"Since I don't want to track all this sand into the bure, I think I will go around to the outdoor shower in the garden area. Meet you there is a few?" Hermione sat up and picked up her bag to take with her. Draco swatted her bottom again as he headed in the opposite direction to the beach to grab his shirt and her discarded clothes.
As he approached where their things were he saw Nick, sitting in the sand watching Gabby as she was on the phone talking a short distance away. "Don't forget to put the mics back on when you are ready for dinner this evening. Gabby almost shit a brick when the feed stopped. I told I would sit on her if she attempted to go up there. Figured you two needed the privacy."
Draco nodded "I appreciate that. I don't think Gabby would have handled walking in on that too well. Does she know you have a thing for her?"
"What?" Nick turned to look at Draco, "What do you mean?"
"You watch her as intently as I watch my fiancé, who would by the way tell you not to waste your time wondering. Either go for it or get over it." Draco turned and headed back toward said witch.
Later that evening Hermione and Draco found themselves with Laura and Camden, Derek and Giana, Martin and Amber, Jennifer and Tim, and one other couple Luke and Kim, both of who had kept to themselves while back at the pods. Hermione hoped they would open up to the group more this week. True to her nature Hermione began sharing what she had learned from the information on the kava ceremony.
"Always the know-it-all swot." Draco chuckled, draping an arm over her shoulders as the group sat around the fire pit waiting for the ceremony to begin. Hermione swatted his arm. Each of the couples seemed to be in good spirits, but it was clear that Jennifer was not as happy as the other women. Other people in the Masima bar would deciding if they wanted to join the large group. Some seemed uncertain because of the cameras that were present with them.
The chief began the ceremony by explaining many of the things Hermione had been reciting as they settled in.
"Sit crossed legged and face me, women are to sit behind the men and will be offered the bilo" he said holding up a halved coconut shell, "after each man has drunk from it first."
Draco could feel the comment radiating off Hermione, but she never spoke of her disagreement that woman should not be behind the men but next to as equals. He kissed her check, "Remember this is their ancient custom, we are guest participating, you can rant to be about it later." Causing her to nod and relax.
The chief had continued with his explanation "Clap once accept the bilo and say bula which means cheers, then drink it all in one go. Clapp three time in gratification. We continue until the tanoa is empty." He gestured to the large wooden bowl in front of him. "You are not obligated to take more than one drink, but it is believed that luck and prosperity belong to those that complete the ceremony in full. Those that participate share a story that not many others can, and they share their stories to make their bonds stronger."
Draco caught Hermione eyeing him, and he was sure that this time would make their bond stronger. Her magic pulled him to her when they were near each other, he found himself wondering if she felt it too. When the chief stopped in front of Draco with Hermione now sitting behind him, it felt as if he looked deep into his soul as he offered the bilo.
Draco clapped and accepted the coconut shell said "Bilo!" and drank the mixture that tasted like dirty water. He finished it with his eyes closed, returned the shell, and clapped three times. Camden clasped his shoulder when the chief moved on to Martin and then fisted bumped Draco. Around the chief went and then to the women, and the cycle started again. When he came again to Draco and Hermione he paused, "Your cores belong together. You feel it. It shows all around you. Be good to each other." Draco nodded, clapped once accepted the shell "Bilo" drank after handing it back and clapping three times said, "I plan to be good to her for the rest of my life if she'll let me." It was enough for the chief to move on, and Hermione to lean into his shoulder and kiss his neck. He reached back and squeezed her hand.
Happy New Year! As always I don't own anything HP or LiB, There is a resort in Fiji that has the activities that I will have our couple participate in, I will be as accurate as I can in describing them.
This one is long because I have been working on it since I posted the last chapter. Please leave me a review, it helps motivate me.