Submitted for The Houses Competition Forum - Round 6
House: Ravenclaw
Subject: Ancient Runes
Category: Standard
Prompt: 2. [Dialogue] "We haven't come all this way just to watch you flounder about in two feet of water."; 6. [Object] Wizard Swimwear
Word count: 1,387
Warnings: AU Hermione in Marauders Era
Keepin' it cool by the pool
Hermione looked at the swimming pool in the Evans' garden and felt a little self conscious. It was nice of Lily to invite her to come visit her during the summer holidays after her fourth year, but she hadn't expected the other guests.
"Are you sure I'm not imposing? I don't want to intrude on time with your friends, Lily," Hermione said, looking at Lily, who was bustling around arranging things. "I feel like I'm an outsider."
"No need to feel like that, Mione. Just say the word, and I'll punch Sirius and send him away," Lily said, looking at Hermione with a small grin. "Regulus will probably behave, but you just say the word and I'll do it."
Hermione smiled at Lily and nodded. She was very glad to be Lily's friend. Lily had looked after her since Hermione had started studying at Hogwarts, and because they both were muggleborns, Lily had become like a guide to Hermione, helping her navigate this new world.
"Thank you for inviting me, Lily. You didn't need to, but thank you nonetheless," Hermione said, smiling at the older girl.
"I'm glad you accepted my invitation. I feel like you're like my little sister." Lily put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "You know what happened with me and Petunia, so I'm glad to have met and befriended you."
Hermione's chest warmed from the inside. She knew Lily had problems with her sister after she had found out that she was magical, and Hermione could understand it. Her parents didn't understand her new life, but they seemed to love Lily and the fact that she had invited Hermione to spend a few days at her house.
"Thanks for being my friend, Lily, I really appreciate it," Hermione whispered, pulling Lily in for a hug. "You are my real friend."
Lily's arms wound around Hermione, and the brunette tried her hardest not to let her tears spill. It wasn't easy for her to make friends, and being accepted so easily by Lily was practically one of her dreams come true.
"Isn't this such a sweet scene?" a voice said from behind them, and the two girls broke their hug. "Please, don't stop on my account. It was adorable!"
Sirius and Regulus Black were standing on the patio, wearing robes and looking uncomfortable in them. The weather was too hot for such clothes, and the sweat beading on their foreheads and dripping down their necks and under their collars proved it
Hermione was a little worried about meeting with the boys; Sirius was two years older than her and was in the same year as Lily, but Regulus was in the same year as her and they even shared a lot of classes together despite him being a Slytherin and she a Gryffindor.
"You don't know when not to open your mouth or shut up, do you?" Lily said, walking over to the brothers and hugging them. "Did you have trouble getting here?"
"No, the Knight Bus is quite effective when it wishes to be," Regulus said. "Besides, Sirius memorised your address and wouldn't stop mentioning how amazing it was that you had invited us and—"
"Okay, Reggie, don't go divulging all of my secrets," Sirius said, covering Regulus' mouth with his hand. He turned to Lily and said, "Don't mind him. He was dropped on his head a lot when he was a baby."
Hermione and Lily giggled at it, while Regulus elbowed his brother. Sirius yelped and dropped his hand.
"Why don't you two get out of your robes—why you're wearing robes in this weather is beyond me—and we can enjoy the day lazing around the pool?" Lily said, motioning for the boys to a chair. "Hermione and I will wait for you."
Hermione blushed a little at the thought of seeing the boys in just swimwear. She was only fourteen, but she had had some crushes here and there. And if she had stared at Regulus once or twice during classes, it wasn't anyone's business.
Sirius was making a scene of stripping his robes off, while Regulus was more reserved and decided to just get it over with. He had a nice body, not too fit but not flabby either, and Hermione probably could have stared at his body like a creep for a long time if Lily's amused voice hadn't brought her out of her lust-induced fog.
"What, in the name of Merlin, are you wearing?" Lily asked, pursing her lips and trying really hard not to laugh.
Sirius was wearing some shorts that looked like something that came from the 1800s, with some frillys and an awful neon-colour that hurt her eyes just to look at it. It looked like something a mother would buy for her baby to wear and not lose them in a crowd.
"Wizard swimwear, the latest fashion!" Sirius said, doing a ridiculous pose and showing off his arms. "Are you getting all hot for me, Lilypad?"
Lily snorted, but her ears tinged pink, and she ducked her head. Hermione was so focused on Sirius flirting with Lily that she didn't notice Regulus approaching her.
"What is your opinion on wizard swimwear? Do you prefer muggle ones?" Regulus asked, and Hermione almost jumped a foot in the air. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"You didn't. I was just distracted." Hermione was the one blushing now, and she tried to disguise it by fiddling with her hair. "I have never seen wizard swimwear before, so I don't think I have much of an opinion about it."
"I must say…I prefer Muggle swimwear if it's anything like the one you're wearing," Regulus said, his eyes roving over her body. Heat pooled in Hermione's abdomen, radiating up to her chest and down to her legs. Regulus cocked his head and smirked. "I'll need to thank Sirius for inviting me along."
Hermione managed a small smile, trying not to let him realise what his words meant to her. Regulus walked towards Sirius—who was still flirting with Lily from what she could see—and Hermione let her thoughts roam free.
She had never felt like she belonged anywhere, but here, hanging around Lily and the Black brothers made her feel like she had a place with them. Hermione laughed, seeing Sirius climb into the inflatable tub Lily's mother had placed by the side of the actual pool.
"Sirius, what do you think you're doing?" Lily giggled, seeing Sirius' relaxed face.
"I'm swimming, don't mind me." Sirius put his hands behind his head and looked like he was having the time of his life.
"We haven't come all this way just to watch you flounder about in two feet of water," Regulus deadpanned, seeing Sirius awkwardly float in the little tub beside the big one. "Get in the pool now, Sirius!"
Sirius groaned the entire time as he left the kids' pool, and Hermione couldn't help but giggle. Regulus was a head shorter than Sirius, and still, the older boy seemed to be cowering in front of Regulus.
"Last one in the pool is a rotten egg!" Lily yelled before leaping into the pool. Hermione jumped in after her, laughing.
"Don't you mean the last one in is a mountain troll?" Sirius yelled, scrambling towards the pool before Regulus could get to it. Unfortunately for him, Regulus dove in elegantly and came up for air, his hair plastered to his forehead. Sirius whined, "Not fair! I wasn't ready!"
Lily laughed and leaned back to float in the crystal-clear water, the sun beating down on her fair skin. She sighed and closed her eyes, drifting towards Sirius, who was trying not to flounder in the water now that he was in an actual pool and not a kiddie's tub.
Sirius gripped Lily's arm and threaded through the water. "I knew this was going to be a perfect day...if only I could get back to my tub. I mean, have you seen anything more colourful? It's rainbow-coloured and bright and exactly what I love!"
"Stay in this pool if you value your life," Lily threatened, still peacefully floating on the water, and Sirius grumbled.
Hermione smiled as Regulus swam closer to her. She didn't know what would happen for the rest of the day, but she couldn't wait to find out.