A/N: NaNoWriMo's going well. Mentally and physically exhausting, but well. If this message comes out sounding rambling and/or unclear, that's why, lol.

I've decided to mark this complete after posting the 42nd chapter (apparently the question that all-important number answers is, 'What's a good finishing point for this?'). I won't necessarily stop writing for it entirely, but I need to mark it as finished at some point so that I can then focus on other things. Because my brain is weird. Anyway, I finished drafting it early this month and will edit the drabbles as I get the time - which, considering NaNoWriMo, might not be for a while.

Hope you're all going well. Now, it's time for me to go find something soft to crash on. Pun certainly not intended.

It was like they were starting out on a road trip with no set destination. Accepting their Hogwarts letters had them idling along down their suburban street, their car packed to the brink with clothes and snacks and luggage. But their journey was destined for trouble; with his arrogance and her righteousness, there was no real hope of anything else. Not long after they set off, they jolted to a sudden stop at the traffic lights that he unwittingly turned bright red with his cruel remarks towards her friend. The lights eventually returned to green, but then their car refused to start again, instead letting off loud noises as they feuded and stalled. Nothing moved for what felt like an eon. Then, finally, he made a move to fix things. He managed to restart the car and get them moving again.

But his joy at their progress didn't last for long. He had a few holiday spots in mind, but none of them appealed to her, and he had no idea how to drive there by himself. His poor sense of direction led them astray, leaving them stranded in a small shire in the middle of nowhere with neither a map nor any way of communicating with the outside world. No matter how hard he tried to set things right, he couldn't interest her in any of the places he wanted to go. All she wanted was to explore the township alone or return home. Feeling like his suggestions were falling on deaf ears, he resolved to get them there himself through sheer force of determination and perseverance.

Eventually, he realised that he would never be able to succeed without her consent. Even if it were possible, stumbling into a date with her would never last; he couldn't force her to want him, nor could he manipulate her into liking him. Even if he parked them at the front door of a fancy beachside resort and refused to budge until she went inside, it wouldn't mean that either of them would be enjoy their stay. Quite the opposite, in fact, as he was slowly realising.

For once in his life, he couldn't stronghold his way through a problem to get what he wanted. Faced with inevitable failure, he was forced to reconsider his plans and his priorities. He had to consider what she wanted and what he wanted and work out where that overlapped and where that didn't.

And he found a compromise. He apologised for everything he could sincerely say he regretted, and they talked through their hopes for the trip until they found a destination they could both agree upon. The sloping plains of friendship might not have been what he'd originally envisioned for the holiday, but it was something they would both enjoy, so they found a map and set about navigating their way there together.

The journey was still scattered with arguments and awkward pauses as they clashed heads and dealt with the lingering effects of the issues they'd created. And, even with the map, it was difficult for them to find the road that they'd left so far behind. But, eventually, they did.

They arrived at the small country town at midday and checked into accommodation. Its promise of rich history and picturesque landscapes intrigued them, and they agreed to explore it side by side. As they holidayed there together, exploring the sights and enjoying the views and letting themselves disconnect from the world they knew, they found themselves drawing closer to one another. They relied on one another for support and for guidance, and they finally became a team.

Then, one day, they decided that they'd stayed there long enough, and they set forward once again.

This time, they talked about their plans before setting out, openly and freely discussing their thoughts and interests and concerns. As the conversation unfolded, he found that she was reconsidering the idea of a resort. She didn't like the one he'd initially been so attached to, but they found another one that appealed to both of them.

So they hopped in their car again and they drove forward, the memory of the fascinating country town still fresh in their minds as they sped towards the white sands of their chosen beach.