The Benefits of Wiznet

By: Calypso in Love

Chapter Five: [Newfoundland]

Last Time:

BogNastyDragon shows up in Hermione's room and we find that he is AKA Draco Malfoy. He steals a kiss from Hermione (literally) and sets a date for 7 tonight, then leaves a bewildered Hermione for a lunch date with his father. so. shock much? _______________________________________________________________________

Semi-formal. Hmm. Hermione rooted through her small walk-in closet. Her hair was wet and she was in a short waffle-fabric bathrobe.

Well, how do I want to look? I want to look. sexy! No wait, I don't! I don't want to look sexy for Draco! Why would I want to look sexy for Draco?! That's ridiculous. I want to look. pretty, attractive but modest, and not vulnerable or anything, not delicate.

Hermione picked out a white turtleneck and long flowy black velvet skirt.

Ok, what am I thinking? He isn't taking me to the nunnery. And besides that, it's summer. Let's have another look.

In the end she decided on a no frills, fire-engine red, above-knee pencil skirt, and a white short-sleeved peasant-style blouse. Her hair was loose (and dry, thanks to a lovely little spell) and she wore very little make- up, a little pearl highlighting cream on her cheeks and eyelids, some lemon- scented lip balm and a little rose oil on her wrists and neck.

Her mirror (magical) much approved.

"You look beautiful, that skirt is so vibrant and confident, and the shirt is very sweet. Dear, you look so beautiful. That young gentleman will be pleased!" At this comment Hermione almost ripped it all off, but it was 6:45, and she didn't want Draco popping in to find her naked or anything, so she opted instead for a well-placed classic grumble and glare.

She ran downstairs to gain her Mother's approval of the outfit ("It's darling, Hermione Sweet!") and of course, her approval to go out (her Dad wasn't too interested in this sort of thing), which was granted ("You're going out? That's wonderful! When was the last time you were out anyway?! I don't really remember.").

She grunted in pretend denial (even she had to admit it had been an awful while since she had left the house) and went upstairs again. She sat on her bed nervously and fidgeted. She had no idea how Draco was coming, or where he was picking her up, or what in the hell was going on. It was sort of confusing. Ha ha, sort of. Ha.

She flopped backwards onto the bed and stared at her ceiling for a bit. It was five to seven. Ugh, she was sort of tired.

She fell asleep.

And then she woke up. The room was dark and the digital display on her clock read 8:00. oops, tee hee. what just happened?

Hermione sat up groggily and looked around. Moonlight filtered into her room casting enough to identify the familiar furnishings. and the people laying on them!

Draco Malfoy was asleep beside her! Hermione shook his shoulder.

"Malfoy? Draco? Draaaaaco.?" Draco opened his eyes, looking confused.

"What? Oh, Hermione! I came in to find you asleep, and didn't want to wake you, so I just thought I'd have a little snooze myself." he grinned sheepishly (Hermione was struck by how appealing a real smile of his could be). "What time is it?"

"8:00." Hermione said, looking down at him in bewilderment. He sat up and ran a hand through his newly messed hair.

"Well, do you still want to go out? We still have time. When's your curfew?"

"My curfew is at 10."

"Great. C'mon!" Draco was already off the bed, offering her a hand and a smile. Hermione, wondering what she was thinking, took both in appreciation.

He led her to her open window and then stepped outside.

Aladdin flashback!

"Um. Draco? Where have you gone?" Hermione looked out the window in bewilderment.

"Right here." He called from below, where he sat on his broomstick. "Hop on."

"Ha ha. how about no?" Hermione looked at the broomstick in fright.

"No? Why?" Draco inquired, flying up to her level.

"I'm afraid of flying! Didn't you notice when we had flying class together in first year? And besides that, I'm wearing a skirt!" Hermione said indignantly. Draco grinned.

"It's a stretchy type of skirt, and you'll be behind me, and no one from the ground will see you, so what's the problem?"

"Ok, so the skirt thing is solved, what about my fear?" Hermione challenged.

"Well, there's only one way to fix that, isn't there?" Draco grabbed her around the waist and plopped her onto the broom behind him, wrapping her arms around him. "Hold on tight!" He said as he took off into the night sky.

She took his words to heart.Draco was sure his ribs were near cracking a few times.

"Listen, I'm not sure if you know this, but the driver is supposed to have a good supply of oxygen!" Draco yelled over the wind. Hermione loosened her grip by a millimeter or two, and he took a. well. shallow breath of relief. "Relax, nothing is going to happen to us!" He assured her. and didn't get an answer.

Hermione was terrified! Now she remembered why she detested brooms so much! She inhaled sharply and Draco began to decline towards the ground. She closed her eyes and gripped Draco even tighter, making him groan. Slowly they made their descent until finally they touched down.

"Hermione, umm, we're here! Yay! Safety! Ha Ha!" Draco tried, to no avail, to comfort Hermione and get her off the broom. "La la la. hey, look at this grass! We're on the ground now! Tee hee, we're ok! It's ok! La!" His second attempt was similarly unsuccessful. Hermione gripped him tightly, eyes closed and face frozen in a grimace. He managed to turn around on the broom (by some small miracle) and put his arms around her in a hug. He grabbed her chin and turned her face towards his. Her eyes remained closed.

"Are you sure it's over?" She inquired shakily.

"Yes, quite sure." Draco replied, patting her back kindly. She made a small noise of fear and relief combined and buried her face in his neck. Draco stepped off the broom and softly detached her from him. "It's alright Hermione, we were very safe the whole time, I'm a licensed flyer and I've been on a broom since I was a baby." She shuddered at the mention of the word broom.

"Well.. I wasn't really that frightened anyway." Hermione shrugged, wiping a tear off her cheek. Draco simply raised his eyebrows and shot her a look.

"What are you trying to say Draco?" She challenged.

"Nothing! Except for, we're here!" He smoothy demurred. Hermione noticed her surroundings for the first time. and smiled in delight.

"Wow." she breathed, turning in a circle to take in everything. They were standing on a rocky hill that sloped down into the grey, crashing sea. There was nothing but forest all around them, and tall blue and purple mountains on the horizon. The wild and rugged beauty of the place took her breath away. "Where are we?"

"We're in Gros Morne National Park." Draco replied, and upon seeing her confusion, continued "In Newfoundland, Canada."

"It's so beautiful!"

"I know. I used to come here all the time when I was little to play, now I come to be alone sometimes, especially when my Mother is hosting cocktail parties. Isn't it gorgeous?"

"Yeah.so untamed. there isn't farm all around us, there isn't houses everywhere, or people, or cars. does anyone even live in this place?"

"Well people live on this island, just not here. It's not highly populated. Anyway, we should get going, we're going to lunch at my friend Dan's house."

"Is he a wizard?"

"Yep. We've gotta run, we're an hour late."

"It was dark when we left! Why is it light here?" Hermione asked, looking up at the grey sky.

"C'mon Hermione, you're smarter than that! Time difference!"

"Oh yeah! I forgot. let's go." She was eager to get in out of the blistering wind. it wasn't this windy in any other place she had been. All of a sudden the sun came out from behind the clouds and she felt warmer.

"Newfoundland. they say that there's four seasons in every day here. they also say that the wind is enough to blow the features off you face." Draco laughed... both of those things were undoubtedly true. Hermione smiled and nodded in agreement.

"So, how do we get to Dan's?" She inquired brightly. Draco fidgeted.

"Ummm. on my broomstick.heh heh" he said nervously.

"Well, you can forget that!" Hermione said indignantly. "What way is Dan's house?" She asked angrily. Draco pointed in the direction silently. "Thank- you, goodbye. I'll see you there." She said and stormed off towards the forest.

She wasn't actually going to try and walk right? Right? RIGHT?

Draco had underestimated Hermione's will. she disappeared into the trees.

"You fool!" He called, hopping on his broom and flying after her. He pulled up along side of her and grabbed her arm, stopping her effectively. "Hermione, these woods are dangerous. You can't just tramp through them! There's bears, lynxes, foxes, and all sorts of animals inside here. Besides that, you're already getting scratched by the bracket, you're wearing and skirt and short sleeves!" He exclaimed, looking at the red scratches already appearing on her arms and legs. Hermione followed his gaze and rubbed one of the painful gouges. She looked at the solid forest in front of her and anticipated breaking through it. Then she looked at Draco, hovering on his broomstick. Long, hard, treacherous and painful. Short and absolutely terrifying. She grabbed Draco's hand and scrambled onto the broomstick, grabbing Draco with her death hold. He rolled his eyes and started forward.

"How about we go reeeeeaaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyyyy slow? And then you don't have to be afraid, right?" Draco suggested.

"I don't think it matters, I think I'll be scared either way. It's the height, not the speed." Hermione shivered and tightened her grip. if that was possible.

"Off to Dan's we go!" Draco said cheerfully and zoomed into the sky with Hermione clinging behind him. ________________________________________________________________________

AN: Ok. Do NOT credit Hermione with the lemon lippy and rose oil combo, that is SO my signature scent combo. Lemon and rose, or rose and musk. She's just borrowing it. Sorry, had to put that in, lol! :D