CHAPTER 8
Don't be nervous. Don't be nervous. Don't be nervous.
Hermione paced around her living room, dreading his arrival, overthinking her appearance and wondering what he had planned for the night.
She knew there was no logical reason for her nervousness, she had spent alone time with Draco on quite a few occasions now. Today still felt different. He asked to see her... to just see her, without coincidence, without needing to apologize. He wanted to take her out on a date. Butterflies were absolutely relentless today.
The door knocked three times and Hermione's heart leaped. She grabbed the midnight blue cardigan and slung her purse across her body. She took a large inhale through her mouth, letting it pass slowly.
Don't be nervous. Don't be nervous. Don't be nervous.
Reaching for the door,, her palm was having a hard time turning the knob on the first try since it was slick slick with sweat. Draco stood tall, eyes glinting with something mischievous as he took in her appearance. A smirk graced his pink lips.
"Granger, you look lovely." He spoke lowly, his eyes dragging down her body. The white dress she chose to wear sweetly hugged her body. The short sleeves fell off her shoulder, the neckline coming to a stop right before the top swells of her breasts, exposing so much delicate skin to him. Her curls looked looser and smoother, she must've done something to them, he thought. They weren't coiled tightly like he was used to. She looked heavenly.
"Thank you," her cheeks felt warm and she casted her eyes down for a moment to collect herself, "is this okay? For where we're going I mean?" She uncharacteristically asked, stepping outside her door and shutting it tightly behind her.
"It's perfect." He told her honestly and a genuine smile spread across her lips.
Draco wore tan dress pants and a long sleeve navy button up. His shoulders and chest were almost straining against the material. He had the two top buttons undone and her mouth went dry seeing the skin on his collarbone. He shaved, and his eyes looked more rested than yesterday night. She still found it interesting to see him in neutral toned colors, but she thought he looked insanely handsome. She involuntarily wetted her lips then met his eyes.
Hermione noticed his hands were placed behind his back and she gave him a wrinkled brow. Draco stepped forward, their chests barely touching and looked up to meet his stare. He lowered his head to her ear, her eyes fluttered when she caught his scent on his neck.
"For you." He whispered and placed a barely there kiss against her skin. His hand brought forth a large, fuchsia colored hibiscus. She took the flower from his hand, expecting him to take a step backwards but he remained still. He only stood straight so he could view her face.
"It's beautiful." She whispered, admiring the bright pink. Hermione suddenly gave him a questioning look. "Does the flower have any relation to where we're going?"
Draco chuckled and finally took a step back, she already missed the warmth of his body.
"Observant witch, you are. Even on my most subtle attempts."
"So…some place, tropical?" She asked and he moved to stand beside her, his shoulder at her eye level. He checked his watch and reached into his pocket, pulling out rock that was as big as Hermione's palm. Draco held his palm face up, and reached with his other hand to grab Hermione's. He intertwined their fingers together, their palms firmly holding the rock. Draco looked at his watch once more before turning to send her a smirk.
"I guess we'll find out."
Their bodies were sucked into the air as the portkey activated and while the travel did nothing to help Hermione's nerves, the tight pull of Draco's hand in hers made it bearable. They landed harshly, dizziness filling her vision and Draco needed to grab her body before she fell over.
"Alright there?" He asked, keeping his hands on her shoulders as she brushed her dress down and grabbed her stomach as if she were out of breath.
"Yeah. All good." She responded, taking in her surroundings and immediately noticing the temperature change.
The airy felt dewy, despite the sun already being low in the sky. They stood on a dirt path, winding upwards and she could barely make out a house at the top. The trees were lightly blowing above her head and they were scarce enough to reveal the turquoise water through their trunks. The sound of ocean waves and some chirps of birds were the only sounds she could hear. Other than that, it was quiet.
Draco took her hand once more, and led the way. The sound of dirt scuffing under their feet filled the silence.
"Do I get to know where we are now?" Hermione said, her head still on a swivel as she tried to take in her environment as much as possible.
"British Virgin Islands." He responded looking down to meet her warm brown eyes, cheeks already glowing pink from the heat.
"Oh wow. I've never been here before. It's…quieter than I expected. I know it's a heavy tourist attraction." Hermione noted, as more of the ocean and house was being revealed, they were almost to the top of the small hill.
"It is, but, this island is secluded." Draco answered her, his sight now straight ahead as the house came into full view. The trees were cleared and he closed his eyes for a second, inhaling the salty scent of the ocean. His body relaxed.
"Secluded?" Hermione asked, her voice pitched at the end.
The simple house was cream colored, looking to be about two stories, the first story carved into the side of the hill. It overlooked the entire ocean and the stretch of sand looked unoccupied, as if no living being had been here at all. There were no other houses in sight.
They stepped onto a wooden porch on the side of the perched house. There was a patio on the balcony and winding stairs that led directly onto a beach. The colors of the sky were already changing as the sun began its downward descent. Draco stopped them on the balcony, allowing Hermione to step onto the patio so she could take in the view. Draco stood beside her.
"This island was owned by Andreas' family. He doesn't use it much and allowed me to borrow it for the evening." Draco explained, reaching his hand up to delicately touch the open patch of skin on Hermione's back. She instantly shivered, but couldn't find the confidence to look at him in that moment. Her nerves were overbearing.
"Which means that—"
"That you and I, will be completely alone for the night." His thumb stroked her goosebumps, and he smiled when he noticed her chest rising and falling quickly. He received his desired reaction. Draco slid his hand to her hip, bunching some of the material of her dress in his fingers. "This way."
He maneuvered them down the stairs, his hand remained brushing over her hip and back every few steps. She had to grasp the wooden railing tightly, focus on each individual step to ensure she wouldn't trip over her own feet.
They reached the final step, a table coming into vision with dozens of small, shareable plates. Draco helped her into her seat, and poured her glass of wine. He told her every dish that was on the table, explaining what was in it, what should be eaten first and what should be saved for last. He mentioned his own favorite dishes and commented on what tastes best with what. The spread was primarily seafood, brought fresh from the surrounding islands. She remained silent as he spoke, allowing him to fill her first plate with whatever he thought she'd liked best.
Draco finally sat down and gave her a smile, but it morphed into a worried expression.
"What's wrong?" He asked, while rolling up his sleeves, his dark mark coming into full view but she was hardly concerned with it.
She was, actually, in awe. The location, the meal, the views, the coordinated time to watch the sunset on the beach. It was intensely romantic.
Hermione shook her head and bit the inside of her cheek.
"Nothing's wrong."
"You've barely said anything." He observed, his own nervousness now showing. The tone of his voice losing excitement and confidence with each passing second.
"It's just…a lot to take in." She admitted, letting her eyes flutter over every silver platter and bowl.
Draco didn't miss the way her forehead creased. His heart sank and a new emotion washed over him. He felt…embarrassed? No. Disappointed? Somewhat. A mixture of both? Definitely. His shoulders slightly slouched forward. His jaw tightened as he reached for the risotto.
"It's too much." His tone was clipped, nostrils flared outward.
Hermione's eyes widened and she looked at his posture. He was stiff and her stomach dropped when she realized what her words could have been perceived as. She felt guilty for not explaining better.
"No! No. It's not. It's all lovely it's just—"
"Too much. I get it. The portkey is set to return in two hours island time—"
"Malfoy. It's not that—"
"—I'll bring you back once we're done here—"
"—unnecessary, if you just—" She tried to get her words out.
"—didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"Draco!" Hermione interrupted and let out a frustrated chuckle. His eyes met hers, the gray seemed to glow against the brightness of the sun. She smiled and began shaking her head at him, understanding she made him uneasy but finding it sweet at how much he was bothered by her false unhappiness.
"This isn't too much. What I meant by it was…well, I—I'm just…nervous." She confided, gripping the fabric of her dress, wishing her palms would stop sweating.
"Oh." Was all he said, his body seemed to visibly relax.
"Yeah oh. I just, well it's been awhile since anyone has splurged on me like this. I don't think anyone has ever gone to these lengths for me for dinner, if I'm being honest." While her admission made her feel embarrassed, Draco just squinted his eyes at her, a deep frown playing on his features.
"Weasley never did anything nice for you? Or any of the other pricks trying to get your attention?" Draco sounded confused. Hermione rolled her eyes, finding his change of emotion more amusing.
"Ron and I were so young when we were together, so we didn't exactly plan a lot of extravagant dates when we spent most of our time still getting used to being together. And everyone else…it was just typical dinner and dates. Nothing really special enough to remember."
Draco took in her words and was honestly shocked that former suitors would treat her so ordinary. Mainly because of her reputation but also because she was so spectacular. He cleared his throat and mumbled under his breath while continuing to fill his plate. Hermione caught his words though, and smiled when she heard "bloody idiots" before taking her first bite of asparagus.
"Who made the food?" She questioned, nearly moaning as she tasted the hollandaise sauce over the vegetable.
"My house elves prepared it all. Do you like it so far?"
"Delicious." She commented as she took a sip of wine, Draco smirked to himself.
"Here, try this." Draco cut a creamy scallop and stabbed it with his fork. He stood and reached over the table, bringing his fork forward to her mouth, he waited patiently until her mouth opened before gently placing it on her tongue. His eyes darkened when her lips closed over the utensil, her eyes fell shut and she pulled back, releasing a soft groan while she chewed. Draco loved the way she looked up at him, eyes wide and innocent. His mouth parted and his eyes shamelessly fell to her lips.
He sat back down and took a sip from his own glass, a deep and wonderful sensation pulled at the bottom of his stomach. Making it through dinner would certainly be a challenge for him.
Hermione watched his tongue dip out to lick the liquid on his lips. She'd be caught staring soon if she didn't do sometime. Instead, she turned her attention to her plate, hoping to shift the conversation into something…innocent. For both their sakes.
"That was very generous of Andreas to lend you his home for the evening." She commented.
"Indeed. He doesn't like to come here often so he was happy to offer it up to me."
"Why's that?"
"Obviously as a Squib his family, particularly his father, had a difficult time accepting him. He told me once this place is just filled with bad childhood memories, and said I could come here whenever I wanted." Draco explained, unaccustomed to sharing Andreas' personal info with anyone.
"That's unfortunate. I'm surprised he was allowed to keep the house then." She noted.
"He has quite an interesting life. I'd say he'd be the poster child for karma."
Hermione watched as Draco dipped his lobster tail into a bowl of butter. His lips covered in the slippery substance, a small droplet hanging off his bottom lip but his tongue quickly dashed out to capture it. He brought his thumb to his bottom lip and swiped it across, retrieving the remaining butter and sucking it off. Hermione felt entranced, and her thighs automatically squeezed together.
Her heated gaze moved back up his face, he was already waiting to make eye contact. A cocky grin formed and he raised his eyebrows at her, challenging her to say something now that she's been caught.
"What do you mean by that?" She continued on, acting as if she had never been staring at him in such a lecherous way.
Draco was glad to capture her stare, it gave him great pleasure knowing she was feeling hot and bothered only by his eating habits.
"His mother and father could not conceive for a long time. It caused a large strain on the family and eventually, his mother had an affair with a muggle, and thus, fell pregnant with Andreas. His father was none the wiser until it became evident what he was. He was outcasted, his parents remained together but lived separate lives. His father…didn't interact with him at all. Called him terrible names and even physically beat him up as a child, until one day he just left him alone. Wouldn't even acknowledge his existence. And his mother hardly did anything for him.
"His father died early on, maybe when he was a teenager by some freak accident. Caught in a robbery and left for dead in the alley's of Greece. Since his death was untimely, his fortune and business was awarded to Andreas' mother. She sold the business, their properties, and transferred all their money into muggle money. Andreas' mother moved them into a muggle community and they eventually repaired their relationship. Andreas received a large inheritance after his mother's death."
Hermione listened intently, feeling her heart surge for the stranger. She couldn't help but make out the similarities between Draco and Andreas. They were discrete, but still obvious to her.
"And how is he now?" She asked.
"He lives alone, enjoys his time doing god knows what. Usually annoying me whenever I come to visit." He sighed, sipping on his wine.
Hermione smiled at his irritation, but she knew there was still an attachment there. "Does he work at all?"
Draco noticeably froze for a split second, his eyes moving to her side of the table but shuffled back down to his plate. He didn't look at her.
"He's a muggle Psychiatrist." He mumbled, purposefully avoiding her stare.
Hermione's mouth fell open and she tried to keep her reaction minimal. It felt like she almost completed a section of the Draco Malfoy puzzle. She was ecstatic at the revelation.
"Oh. That's wonderful." She said and Draco didn't say anything in return. "Lucky for you you get a friend and a confidante in one."
She knew she was walking a fine line, but she still wanted to show her encouragement.
"He…taught me a lot. Showed me a lot." Draco responded and halted his actions. He sat still and bravely looked up. Hermione looked to hang on his every word, patiently waiting for him to find his words and showing him she took him seriously. "I'm…extremely grateful for Andreas."
Hermione sent him a soft smile and grabbed her glass, sitting back in her chair. "He sounds like a great friend."
Draco took a bite of the grilled fruit and nodded, not needing to say anything more.
While she watched him eat for a moment she felt overcome with vulnerability and thankfulness. Draco had expressed, albeit very vaguely, his own challenges and confided in something that was obviously extremely personal to him. She didn't take his admission lightly and felt closer to him in that moment.
"I saw one too." She spoke and Draco immediately looked at her, his face emotionless at her confession.
"When?" He quietly asked.
Hermione took a deep breath and turned her attention to the pink and orange skies. The sun was beginning to kiss the edge of the earth, creating a marvelous prism of colors against the ocean.
"After my parents died. I was already having a hard time adjusting after the war and," she swallowed, "once I found out they died, everything in life seemed…bleak. I could barely find joy in anything. I felt this insane amount of pressure to maintain the golden girl reputation, to just happily move on and be a face for progress, but— it was exhausting, and I—"
Hermione broke off, her chest tightening and she quickly finished her wine, reaching forward for a glass of water instead.
"I didn't want to be Hermione Granger, War Hero, best friend of Harry Potter who helped defeat the Dark Lord, or Hermione Granger, brightest witch of her age, or anything else. I wanted to be hurt and sad and depressed. I was in pain and I wanted to show it, but I— I just couldn't. I didn't feel like I was allowed to."
She frowned to herself, remembering a dark time in her life. Something she only spoke to Harry and Ron, the only people who understood exactly where she was coming from at the time. All of them experienced their own traumas and were forced to move quickly into acceptance without truly processing what they had to go through.
"I think that's why I saw a muggle one and enjoy living in muggle London. I'm allowed to be all that. I could cry about my past, feel bad for myself for once and not have to feel guilty for it. I can feel…anything I want, without fear of criticism."
She finished and looked back up to Draco, hoping he would nod in agreement or tell her he understood everything she meant. Instead, his face remained the same. His eyes looked pensive, as if he were trying to fully grasp her words but just couldn't reach the conclusion. Hermione sighed, and bit the corner of her mouth.
"Sorry. I didn't mean overshare."
Draco suddenly looked angry, deep creases plagued his forehead and his lips curved down. "Don't ever apologize for sharing something like that."
He commanded and Hermione felt her shame clear. His eyes were serious, never leaving her own.
"You are resilient. In the truest form."
He told her and her body flooded with tranquilly. His words felt like the best compliment she had ever received. It meant more to her than any of her highest marks in school, any praises from Shacklebolt or remarks from the Prophet.
This meant so much more to her.
"Thank you, Draco, for listening. And for tonight in general. I'm enjoying it a lot." She spoke timidly, gesturing to the layout of the food.
"I'm glad to hear and please have more. There's still plenty left and we can always have dessert later." His remark seemed intentional with the way his voice dropped. But the witch gave him a questioning look.
"I thought we only had an hour or so left?" She remembered him babbling earlier, saying their time was going to activate in two hours. His statement seemed to imply they would be staying longer.
Something playfully evil overtook Draco's eyes. One side of his mouth curved upwards and it looked like he was trying to keep a secret from spilling out of his pretty pink lips.
"That's true, but," He left his sentence open. Focusing on swirling his bread into the crab bisque.
"But?" Hermione questioned impatiently."
"I lied. Well sort of. It is activated to return in two hours from when we arrived but it also is activated for five in the afternoon…tomorrow."
The gravity of his words hit her square in the stomach. His glinting smile did nothing to help her uncertainty.
"O-oh."
"So. Shall you want to leave in about an hour we can. Otherwise we can stay for another day and take advantage of the weather and the…private beach."
Hermione felt glued to her seat, finding herself speechless. Her face looked crossed between horrified and electrically stimulated. What a cheeky fucking bastard.
"More wine?" Draco offered while finishing a rather large pour for himself. He still appeared amused by her utterly hilarious reaction.
"Just a bit more. You are not going to get me loosened up and convince me to stay." She sternly told him, which caused him to grin even wider.
"Trust me, I don't need the wine to accomplish that." His penetrating gaze sent shivers right to her core. She subconsciously bit her lip and watched his pupils dilate in the tiniest way.
The oranges of the sky made Hermione's eyes turn into caramel. He ached to touch her skin, to smell her intoxicating scent and taste the familiar sweetness of her body. He had to be calculated in his next approach, not wanting to scare his witch straight home for the night.
"I'm becoming full." He announced, finishing the last pieces of pasta and already drinking half of his second glass of wine.
Hermione was relaxed into her chair, sliding around the clams into a lemony sauce before bringing them up to her mouth. Her plate was clean and she was thoroughly satiated.
"I think I'm done. I hope I'm able to take leftovers? It was truly one of the best meals I've had."
Draco nodded and stood, rolling his sleeves to his elbows while calling out. "Sonny?"
A small elf dressed in hideously bright green shoes appeared beside Draco. His large eyes shining in delight. "Yes Master Draco? Did you enjoy your meal?" He asked, looking slightly nervous as he posed the question.
"It was phenomenal Sonny, well done. Can you wrap up the leftovers and place them in the fridge in the house? The dessert as well?" Draco asked Sonny and he eagerly shook his head.
"Absolutely Master Draco! One moment." The elf snapped his fingers and disappeared, the food and plates disappearing as well.
Draco walked over to Hermione and stretched his hand forward to help her up from the chair. Even after numerous times of holding his hand, she would still be in shock at how large it was compared to hers.
Sonny reappeared seconds later, a hesitant smile on his face. "All done Master Draco. I labeled all the food for you and Missus. Will you be needing anything else sir?"
"No Sonny. Thank you for your help, you can take the remainder of the day off if you'd like."
The elf's large eyes brimmed with tears and he gently sniffled. "Oh yes sir. Sonny is most gracious, sir." He popped into the air without another word and Draco rolled his eyes.
"Bloody elf always cries whenever I give him a day off." He mumbled and Hermione snickered.
"When did you free him?"
"A few months into my probation." Draco pulled Hermione forward but remained in front of her. His body leading them onto the sand and heading for the water. She watched his arm constrict against the material of his shirt.
"And who picked out the shoes?" She questioned, her tone full of amusement. Draco stopped a few paces away from where the sand was touched by retreating waves. He took a hold of her other hand, taking a half step closer to her.
"Who do you think?" He responded.
Hermione shrugged, a teasing smile forming against her lips.
"I don't know. I thought green was your color."
"Don't insult me like that Granger."
His reply caused her to throw her head back and let out a spirited laugh. Draco couldn't help but find it contagious, his own chuckle rumbling in his chest.
"I just thought I'd ask." Hermione said innocently and Draco gave her a pointed stare, it only caused her to laugh harder.
"When I asked Sonny what article of clothing he wanted to symbolically receive, he came back with this muggle magazine and had that pair of shoes circled a thousand times. It was what he wanted. I didn't have a choice." Draco explained, rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand. She thought it all very endearing.
"That's sweet. Are all the Manor's elves free?"
Draco nodded, enjoying the way her face lit up in genuineness when she spoke.
"Some didn't like it at first, sticking to traditions, but they're all paid employees now. My father was livid when he returned home. Sent me the longest and loudest howler I've ever experienced." Draco recalled.
Hermione couldn't help but look at him with such high admiration.
Draco brought one hand up and brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek. Her eyelashes fluttered at the sensation.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" His words came out quiet.
"Like what?" She responded in an equally hushed tone.
"Like—Like I'm worthy to be looked at in that way."
He didn't want to say the way she appeared. It felt like if he spoke it out loud, she would tell him he was simply imagining it. That she wasn't looking at him in any special fashion.
Hermione opened her eyes and kept her stare firmly on his stormy eyes.
"Maybe because you are worthy."
Draco pondered her words as he moved his fingers to snake in between her silky curls. His palm gently cupping her face. He brought his head lower, until their lips were only moments away from each other. Her eyes fluttered closed in anticipation and Draco shook his head once, in complete disbelief that this witch said he was worthy of her respect.
His lips softly pushed against hers, satisfying the longing need both of them hungrily felt. Their kiss was slow, allowing each other to explore every movement, every lick, every scent for as long as they wanted. They moved harmoniously.
Hermione slid her hands slowly up his arms, to his shoulders and finally rested them on his chest. Deciding she wanted to be closer, she took a half step to which Draco instantaneously pulled her body in. His hand snuck around her waist, holding her against him like her legs were going to give out.
His breath tasted like a drug on her lips. His tongue poking out to meet hers, her stomach clenched. A low sigh came from her lips and Draco kissed her more feverishly. She grasped his shirt in her fists, accidentally undoing a button with the force of her hands. She slithered one hand against his bare chest, the feel was magnetizing. His skin was unfathomably smooth, and while she delicately traced his chest, Draco disconnected their lips and tilted her head away from him. His lips found her collarbone, placing hot, open mouthed kisses trailing up to her neck. His tongue dashing out every so often to taste her skin. His teeth sunk into her flesh and her mouth fell open.
She could feel the puncturing of her skin, Draco was sucking harshly and she gently held his face in both her hands, pulling him back. She let out a small gasp when she met his eyes, they were nearly completely black. His mouth was a dark pink, glistening with a mix of their salvia and soft pants fell over her face. She brought their lips together once more, giving him a teasingly long kiss, catching his tongue for a second before totally pulling away.
Draco didn't like her abruptly ending it, he held her close and leaned down to her ear.
"Don't tease me." He growled heavily, licking her lobe once before nibbling on it.
"I-I'm not." She whispered breathlessly, the sound of his wet tongue lapping against her skin making her roll her eyes to the top of her head.
"Yes you are. And if you're not going to enlighten me, then I need to cool down."
Draco stood back, kicking off his shoes and balancing on one foot to remove his socks. Hermione was positively confused.
"What are you doing?"
"Going for a swim. Care to join?" Draco responded, grinning handsomely while he unbuttoned his shirt. Hermione's eyes were glued to his movements and she felt herself furiously blush. This was more intense than their kiss.
"A swim? But —but." She was unable to find her words.
"No one is here remember? It's just us." He recalled, shedding his shirt off. Her eyes widened when she took in his muscles. His abs had certainly developed, his torso impossibly long, and his chest, oh god, his chest looked incredibly strong.
Hermione looked away, from the ocean, to the sun that was coming close to entirely disappearing, to the sand, but never could meet his eyes. Especially when she heard the faint sound of his zipper being undone. Her whole body was on fire, and even though she's seen men naked before, the fact that Draco was unabashedly stripping out in daylight made her stutter like a virgin.
Draco let out a huff, finding her sudden embarrassment almost…cute. "You won't be joining me then?"
"I don't have a swimsuit." She muttered and crossed her arms. She began to circle some sand with her shoes, eventually slipping them off to feel it's squishiness beneath her toes.
"I don't have one either, whatever you're wearing underneath will suffice. See?" Draco's voice was light and teasing, he wanted her to look at him and begrudgingly, she did. Her eyes only scanned his body for a second, taking in his black briefs that clung to his cut hips, the blonde wispy hairs on his muscular thighs and the shit eating grin across his face.
She blinked rapidly before looking away. "I'll pass."
"Come on Granger. Where's the ferocious Gryffindor? Can't tell me you're afraid of water?" He continued while stepping backwards still facing her and descended into the shallowness of the ocean. Hermione watched the water fill to his knees, his hands were in the air, giving her a shrug as he continued further away.
"I don't know Draco." She said unassuredly, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.
Draco now stood waist high in the water, he brought his hand and ran it through his parted hair.
"Please?"
"Did you just say 'please?'"
"I did. Which should tell you how much I want you to enjoy this with me. The water's warm and the sun is setting. Get in with your dress on for all I care. Though I did tell you to wear something that was easy to take off." Draco had to shout a bit, he was a good distance away from shore now. The water was surfacing just under his ribs.
Hermione chewed on her lip, and finally decided to not let her nervousness overcome her.
"Fine," Draco showed a wide smile, teeth and all, "but you have to turn around! You don't get to watch me undress." She told him and he held up his hands as if to surrender.
"Whatever you want." He said while turning around, directly facing the sun. Hermione almost groaned seeing his expansive back. You could play a bloody film on it.
She hesitantly reached to her side zipper, keeping her eyes on him, ensuring he wouldn't turn around. But Draco wouldn't. He didn't want to make her regret anything and he certainly didn't want her to take her word back. He stared into the ocean, patiently waiting until he heard her beside him.
Hermione took a slow inhale before letting her dress pool at her feet. She was thankful she decided to wear a matching set, her light pink lace bra and panties the only thing adorning her body now. Taking a few steps forward, she tested the water with her feet. Her eyes quickly lifted to check on Draco but he respectfully hadn't moved.
She submerged into the water, enjoying the feel of it swish against her silky skin. Her eyes focused on making it too where he was. She waded deeper and deeper, Draco heard the water splash and smirked.
The water came up to her chest, she was happy she could retain some sense of modesty. They stood side by side, watching the sun's last few seconds above the skyline. The twirls of pinks in the clouds were remarkable and she felt her nerves slowly dissipate. She was in paradise.
"Hi." She said quietly.
"Hi. Am I allowed to look?" He asked.
Hermione turned her head towards him, paying attention to his jaw and the way his hair looked slicked back from the water. He eventually turned to her, not waiting for an answer. His eyes remained on her face.
"It's beautiful here." She whispered, her muscles loosening.
"It is." Draco agreed, finding her hand underwater and tugging her forward as he stepped deeper into the water.
"We can't go much further. I'm too short."
"You'll be fine."
"Easy for you to say. You're almost a foot taller than me. I'll drown." She noted, the water already reaching her collarbones. She had to bounce on her tippy toes to keep her at a comfortable level.
Draco stopped moving and brought one hand from the water. He trailed one finger down her neck, watching the droplets from his finger transfer onto her skin, rolling down until they disappeared.
"I wouldn't let anything happen to you." His tone was dangerously sincere, and Hermione's chest ached at his words. The feel of his fingertips over her skin sent goosebumps all over her flesh.
"I'm going to go under fast, come with me?" He requested and she found herself wordlessly nodding.
Their hands were still intertwined as Draco made a movement to jump forward, crashing into the water and Hermione followed directly after him. She swam for three beats of a heart before breaking the surface, unwillingly letting go of his hadn't as he continued forward. She attempted to touch the bottom but couldn't make it, forcing herself to tread in place.
Draco came up seconds later, a few feet away from her. He looked naturally at ease, the water now at his neck. He rubbed his hand over his face once, clearing the salty water away from his eyes.
"We can move in some." He stated, not wanting her to struggle in the water. Hermione nodded, her arms already tired from treading in place for only a few seconds.
She began to pump herself forward, weakly moving any distance. Draco's hands suddenly caught her waist, and pulled her into him. She sharply inhaled as he moved them lower, seizing her thighs and hoisting her onto his hips. Her hands wrapped around his neck and he grinned at her surprised. He carried her in his arms and walked a few more steps closer to shore, still wanting them to be primarily under the water.
"Is this better for you?" He asked, a flirtatious tone clearly apparent in his voice.
"I suppose." Every so often their bare stomachs would rub against each other, making her lean in to feel the sensation once more.
Her body effortlessly sat on his, the water making her weightless. Draco was free to roam his hands up and down her legs, grace her back and her shoulders however he pleased. They stood in the water, sun below the horizon, a now serene blue color filling the atmosphere. They simply watched each other in silence.
He paid attention to every reaction. If he stroked her back, her eyes would fall lowly, like she was about to sleep. If he skimmed them past her butt, her eyes would widen until he safely placed them on her thighs, then her mouth would part. If he stroked his thumb so it would brush the inside of her thighs, closer to her center, he could feel her muscles twitch. If their stomachs touched, she would flex and tighten her arms around his shoulders.
Hermione let her fingers stroke the back of his head, play with the ends of his drying hair and caress his neck. His eyes shut for seconds when she scratched his head, he almost leaned in to it. She wondered when the last time anyone had been gentle and attentive with him or his body. Surely he craved it.
Draco leaned into her neck, her sweet perfume not yet washed off. He placed a soft kiss, once, twice, three times and opened his mouth to nip at the skin. His plush lips swept over the tender area, and he circled his tongue to soothe the redness. Moving his mouth upward, he followed his previous pattern.
Hermione clasped at his hair a little harder, her legs tightened around his hips. She let her nails drag down to his back and Draco sighed a heavy breath.
Draco slowly moved forward, barely moving at all hoping she wouldn't notice he was walking. He moved his hands to cup her ass, pulling her hard against him. He moved to suck the skin below her ear, knowing she was particularly sensitive there.
Hermione responded by releasing a soft moan. Her body shivered when his teeth took her lobe, her hips involuntarily thrusting forward.
The water rested just under Draco's stomach. Hermione was already light in his arms, but the way she tightly wound herself onto him made it so much easier for him to carry her to shore. He loved the feeling of her body needing his, needing to hold her up, needing his touch. He desired it.
He bounced her up further on his hips, taking one hand to support her back. Hermione was vaguely aware that they were not in the water anymore, she was too lost in the feeling of his mouth assaulting her neck.
"Stay with me tonight." Draco hoarsely whispered.
The ocean splashed at his ankles and their faces were becoming less and less clear with each minute in the darkened night. Hermione blinked to clear her head, realizing what he asked.
She pulled back, and Draco put her back on her feet, keeping his hands wrapped around to the small of her back. Her own hands were placed on his chest.
Hermione didn't even think before nodding her head yes.
"Yeah?" Draco asked, wanting to confirm, his chest moving with excitement.
She nodded once more, stepping up on her toes to quickly mold their lips together.
A dark rumble came from Draco's chest, he squeezed her ass and pushed their hips together. A delightful pull hit Hermione in her lower region.
Draco quickly grabbed their clothes, not letting her hand go while he collected them.
"Let's go."
He led them back up to the house, Hermione's heart beating faster with each step. But the strength of his fingers intertwined with hers made a small smile tug at her lips.
A/N: This is one of my favorite chapters! I personally always liked the soft moments leading up to the big bang. My plan was to drop chapter 9 tonight (to give some satisfaction) but that's dependent on me finishing chapter 13. please comment your thoughts and thank you for supporting me thus far! enjoy!
