[Final Distance]
© Sila-chan
---------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 1: The Untouchables
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__________________________________________
'Dream Team United Once More!' Hermione smiled as she scanned the article. It was only a small, fourth-page article, but it was nice to see a recap of their adventures in Cairo. It was pretty fun, they had gotten to see Bill and Charlie, who they didn't see very often.
She sighed and looked out the window. The train rocked back and forth, the scenery a blur of green pine-tops rushing past like the wind. Outside the sky was a steel blue, the clouds an angry grey. She shivered momentarily. It looked to be a storm this evening, she was glad she wasn't a first year.
The door banged open, startling her.
"...Look, if I've told you once, I've told you twice. Don't you dare make that mistake again, Carlos. I've already been too lenient with you." She looked up suspiciously as Draco Malfoy drifted into the cabin, shrouded in a waft of pleasant-smelling aftershave.
'The smug bastard.' She noticed with some surprise that he had been talking on a mobile phone. He flipped the cover over the mouthpiece and glared at her as if she was something unpleasant.
"Yes? Have a problem Granger?"
"No. Nothing major." Ignoring him calmly she took out a book and settled into one of the plush red seats.
"Ugh, don't make yourself too comfortable, mudblood." Draco wrinkled his nose as she took off her shoes to cross her legs. Hermione glared at him, tugging down the hems of her jeans.
"Don't even wear a skirt. What's the matter Granger? No wax strong enough for those bear-fur covered legs?" He sneered. He was obviously bored. He wanted a rise. She would not take the bait. She wouldn't.
"It's too bloody cold." She said shortly.
"You are so unfeminine." He said with disgust, but gave up, leaving her in peace to read her book.
__________________________________________________________________________
Harry Potter, centre of the Wizarding World was currently sitting in a cabin on Hogwarts Express, watching the scenery flash by as the train rocked back and forth. He tried to rest his head against the window, and frowned; found it uncomfortable, and removed his head almost as quickly as he placed it. He glanced at something small, hidden in his hand. He grimaced, closed his eyes and struggled to go to sleep, to fade from this world. He almost didn't feel the small tear trickle from his eye.
Hermione, one of the aforementioned Harry Potter's best friends, was gazing once again at the motion blur of scenery out the window. The sky was a stormy grey, and it looked like rain was coming. The weak glow from the compartment shone in her eyes, making her look dream-like as she rested her chin on the back of her hands, propped up on a thick book.
A flash of lightning outside drew her eye to something she had skillfully been avoiding ever since she had boarded this stupid train. Tangled white-blonde hair. Soft, creamy skin. Draco Malfoy was actually decent looking when he was asleep. When those grey eyes weren't assessing you, dismissing you. When that mouth wasn't curled into a sneer.
She was this years Head Girl. Surprise, surprise. And Draco was this years Head Boy. Now that, was a surprise. He never studied, he constantly spent classes critiscing and torturing those not from Slytherin...she supposed his daddy had bought him out. Again.
Unbeknownst to her, the object of her scrutiny didn't actually have his eyes closed. Draco Malfoy, prick extraordinnaire, was lying with his eyes slitted so he could see Hermione. She hadn't changed in six years. Well, maybe a little. All that typical stuff females went through. And her hair now fell in soft waves around her face instead of puffing out like an afro.
He wondered what the mudblood was looking at.
'Ah...no woman can resist me...' Her hair...now _his_ hair was another matter entirely. As he grew up, he had more things to worry about. And it was getting annoying having a permanent helmet attached to his head. So he had let it become tangled, and it had festered until Malfoy no longer had the glossy platinum crash helmet that had become his trademark, but instead had tangled white-blonde dreadlocks/curls that fell just beneath his jaw. And what a manly jaw it was too.
The two rested in silence for most of the journey. Tangled in their thoughts, about each other, about friends and about the year to come. Their most important year yet.
__________________________________________________________________________
The train rocked to a halt. Harry narrowed his eyes in frustration. Frowning, he went to yank open the door, but as his hand rested on the handle, it opened of its own accord. His best guy friend of six, almost seven years was framing the doorway.
"Ron, what is it? Why have we stopped?"
"It's just a stop Harry. The driver thought we should stock up on some hot stuff for supper."
Harry looked at his window. Night was almost at their door.
"Harry...you might want to get changed. We're almost there." Ron looked at his best friend, concerned.
"Yes Ron. I'll see you in five." The door shut, and Harry took one last glimpse at the small thing in his hand. He closed his fingers, clenching them shut as he closed his eyes and let out a small prayer.
'God grant me the serenity...'
Calmly, he opened his eyes and went about getting changed.
The train slowing down awakened Hermione. She had no idea when she had fallen asleep, but she had, and had slipped from sitting up to a lying down position. She hadn't realised how comfortable the seats were. Maybe it was just their compartment that had the big red plush coach seats. She bent down to pick her book off the floor, a thick volume titled 'Little Women'. A good book. She looked at Malfoy and pondered waking him up. No need. Moments passed, and then he stirred.
"Where am I?" He asked, looking at the roof of the cabin. His head turned, though he stayed lying down, and he looked at Hermione.
"Granger. Are we there yet?"It was more a statement than a question.
"In about five minutes Malfoy. You might wish to get changed." He closed his eyes for a few seconds, as if to blink away the image of her from the back of his eyelids, she thought bitterly.
Then his eyes opened again. He sat up slowly, stretching and yawning, slowly rotating his neck and massaging his lower back. Hermione's gaze slid down to his lower back, where his shirt was lifted up and she could see the firm, tanned skin, and the blue satin boxers resting above the waistband of his jeans.
'What the hell? Am I...perving...on Draco Malfoy?' He yawned once more, then lazily reached for his black robes. He pulled his shirt off.
'Oh yeah. Definitely perving on Draco...Malfoy...' Hermione thought. He pulled his head through the neck hole, scratched his head a little and sneezed. Then he caught her eye.
"Watching me getting dressed, Granger? Never thought you had it in you. Do you like what you see?" A malicious grin.
Hermione flushed.
"Go to hell Malfoy."
"Gladly." He smirked at her.
"Could you please turn around? I want to get dressed." She asked, but her eyes wouldn't...couldn't meet his.
"Nothing you have that I haven't seen. And probably better, too!" He shot back, mumbling about tomboys. She sent him a death-glare. He still didn't turn around. He pulled the robes over his head.
"Well? Aren't you going to get changed?" he asked lazily, twirling his wand in the air.
"You pervert! I don't have to put up with this!" She stood, robes in hand and made for the doorway. She was stopped, however, when Draco moved quickly and intercepted her. She never actually realised how tall he was, and right now, she felt so helpless and weak.
"Move Draco!" She hoped her voice didn't sound as shaky as she felt.
"Draco? Since when could you call me by my first name?" His eyes narrowed, and immediately she regretted her mistake. That low, hypnotising voice was so dangerous...and his eyes reminded her of a snake. Nasty Slytherin...
"Malfoy...move. I don't have time for this and I don't have to put up with your nonsense!"
"Granger, just get changed. I'll turn my back...I guess I'm going to have to trust you this much. Not to attack me when I have my back turned, that is." He sneered, and faced the door.
Fuming, Hermione began to undress. The only thing she never knew was that Draco could watch her reflection in the door window.
Draco smiled to himself.
© Sila-chan
---------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 1: The Untouchables
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
'Dream Team United Once More!' Hermione smiled as she scanned the article. It was only a small, fourth-page article, but it was nice to see a recap of their adventures in Cairo. It was pretty fun, they had gotten to see Bill and Charlie, who they didn't see very often.
She sighed and looked out the window. The train rocked back and forth, the scenery a blur of green pine-tops rushing past like the wind. Outside the sky was a steel blue, the clouds an angry grey. She shivered momentarily. It looked to be a storm this evening, she was glad she wasn't a first year.
The door banged open, startling her.
"...Look, if I've told you once, I've told you twice. Don't you dare make that mistake again, Carlos. I've already been too lenient with you." She looked up suspiciously as Draco Malfoy drifted into the cabin, shrouded in a waft of pleasant-smelling aftershave.
'The smug bastard.' She noticed with some surprise that he had been talking on a mobile phone. He flipped the cover over the mouthpiece and glared at her as if she was something unpleasant.
"Yes? Have a problem Granger?"
"No. Nothing major." Ignoring him calmly she took out a book and settled into one of the plush red seats.
"Ugh, don't make yourself too comfortable, mudblood." Draco wrinkled his nose as she took off her shoes to cross her legs. Hermione glared at him, tugging down the hems of her jeans.
"Don't even wear a skirt. What's the matter Granger? No wax strong enough for those bear-fur covered legs?" He sneered. He was obviously bored. He wanted a rise. She would not take the bait. She wouldn't.
"It's too bloody cold." She said shortly.
"You are so unfeminine." He said with disgust, but gave up, leaving her in peace to read her book.
__________________________________________________________________________
Harry Potter, centre of the Wizarding World was currently sitting in a cabin on Hogwarts Express, watching the scenery flash by as the train rocked back and forth. He tried to rest his head against the window, and frowned; found it uncomfortable, and removed his head almost as quickly as he placed it. He glanced at something small, hidden in his hand. He grimaced, closed his eyes and struggled to go to sleep, to fade from this world. He almost didn't feel the small tear trickle from his eye.
Hermione, one of the aforementioned Harry Potter's best friends, was gazing once again at the motion blur of scenery out the window. The sky was a stormy grey, and it looked like rain was coming. The weak glow from the compartment shone in her eyes, making her look dream-like as she rested her chin on the back of her hands, propped up on a thick book.
A flash of lightning outside drew her eye to something she had skillfully been avoiding ever since she had boarded this stupid train. Tangled white-blonde hair. Soft, creamy skin. Draco Malfoy was actually decent looking when he was asleep. When those grey eyes weren't assessing you, dismissing you. When that mouth wasn't curled into a sneer.
She was this years Head Girl. Surprise, surprise. And Draco was this years Head Boy. Now that, was a surprise. He never studied, he constantly spent classes critiscing and torturing those not from Slytherin...she supposed his daddy had bought him out. Again.
Unbeknownst to her, the object of her scrutiny didn't actually have his eyes closed. Draco Malfoy, prick extraordinnaire, was lying with his eyes slitted so he could see Hermione. She hadn't changed in six years. Well, maybe a little. All that typical stuff females went through. And her hair now fell in soft waves around her face instead of puffing out like an afro.
He wondered what the mudblood was looking at.
'Ah...no woman can resist me...' Her hair...now _his_ hair was another matter entirely. As he grew up, he had more things to worry about. And it was getting annoying having a permanent helmet attached to his head. So he had let it become tangled, and it had festered until Malfoy no longer had the glossy platinum crash helmet that had become his trademark, but instead had tangled white-blonde dreadlocks/curls that fell just beneath his jaw. And what a manly jaw it was too.
The two rested in silence for most of the journey. Tangled in their thoughts, about each other, about friends and about the year to come. Their most important year yet.
__________________________________________________________________________
The train rocked to a halt. Harry narrowed his eyes in frustration. Frowning, he went to yank open the door, but as his hand rested on the handle, it opened of its own accord. His best guy friend of six, almost seven years was framing the doorway.
"Ron, what is it? Why have we stopped?"
"It's just a stop Harry. The driver thought we should stock up on some hot stuff for supper."
Harry looked at his window. Night was almost at their door.
"Harry...you might want to get changed. We're almost there." Ron looked at his best friend, concerned.
"Yes Ron. I'll see you in five." The door shut, and Harry took one last glimpse at the small thing in his hand. He closed his fingers, clenching them shut as he closed his eyes and let out a small prayer.
'God grant me the serenity...'
Calmly, he opened his eyes and went about getting changed.
The train slowing down awakened Hermione. She had no idea when she had fallen asleep, but she had, and had slipped from sitting up to a lying down position. She hadn't realised how comfortable the seats were. Maybe it was just their compartment that had the big red plush coach seats. She bent down to pick her book off the floor, a thick volume titled 'Little Women'. A good book. She looked at Malfoy and pondered waking him up. No need. Moments passed, and then he stirred.
"Where am I?" He asked, looking at the roof of the cabin. His head turned, though he stayed lying down, and he looked at Hermione.
"Granger. Are we there yet?"It was more a statement than a question.
"In about five minutes Malfoy. You might wish to get changed." He closed his eyes for a few seconds, as if to blink away the image of her from the back of his eyelids, she thought bitterly.
Then his eyes opened again. He sat up slowly, stretching and yawning, slowly rotating his neck and massaging his lower back. Hermione's gaze slid down to his lower back, where his shirt was lifted up and she could see the firm, tanned skin, and the blue satin boxers resting above the waistband of his jeans.
'What the hell? Am I...perving...on Draco Malfoy?' He yawned once more, then lazily reached for his black robes. He pulled his shirt off.
'Oh yeah. Definitely perving on Draco...Malfoy...' Hermione thought. He pulled his head through the neck hole, scratched his head a little and sneezed. Then he caught her eye.
"Watching me getting dressed, Granger? Never thought you had it in you. Do you like what you see?" A malicious grin.
Hermione flushed.
"Go to hell Malfoy."
"Gladly." He smirked at her.
"Could you please turn around? I want to get dressed." She asked, but her eyes wouldn't...couldn't meet his.
"Nothing you have that I haven't seen. And probably better, too!" He shot back, mumbling about tomboys. She sent him a death-glare. He still didn't turn around. He pulled the robes over his head.
"Well? Aren't you going to get changed?" he asked lazily, twirling his wand in the air.
"You pervert! I don't have to put up with this!" She stood, robes in hand and made for the doorway. She was stopped, however, when Draco moved quickly and intercepted her. She never actually realised how tall he was, and right now, she felt so helpless and weak.
"Move Draco!" She hoped her voice didn't sound as shaky as she felt.
"Draco? Since when could you call me by my first name?" His eyes narrowed, and immediately she regretted her mistake. That low, hypnotising voice was so dangerous...and his eyes reminded her of a snake. Nasty Slytherin...
"Malfoy...move. I don't have time for this and I don't have to put up with your nonsense!"
"Granger, just get changed. I'll turn my back...I guess I'm going to have to trust you this much. Not to attack me when I have my back turned, that is." He sneered, and faced the door.
Fuming, Hermione began to undress. The only thing she never knew was that Draco could watch her reflection in the door window.
Draco smiled to himself.