Chapter 36
Hermione's POV
The next week flew by rather uneventfully, and we finished our assignments. The second week I spent entirely with Draco, trying to forget all about Harry and Ron. Draco rented a jet ski, and I clung to his waist as he rode it, then he stood on the beach laughing as he watched me try to steer it. We went out on a water tricycle for an hour one day, and got a good workout as we found it was harder than it looked. The rest of our time was spent laying around either on the beach or the couch, shopping, or eating out at the many restaurants.
"Alright guys we're headed to bed," Hannah told us. It was our second to last night in the Bahamas, and we'd all been watching a movie on tv, but now that it was over Hannah and Terry were going to sleep. I watched them disappear into their respective rooms, then propped my elbow on Draco's chest and half sat up to look at him.
"Are you going to bed?"
I shook my head. "Not yet," I whispered, laying back down and tucking my head under his chin. "Stay here for a little while." I felt him nod. I closed my eyes, feeling very relaxed, and before I knew it, I was asleep.
When my eyes fluttered open again, I cringed against the sun that was now high in the sky. Draco, woken by my stirring, opened his eyes and cursed. "Damn sun. Shouldn't be out this early," he muttered.
I peeled one eyelid open to look at the clock. "It's almost lunch time," I replied, murmuring into his shirt. We lay there for a while longer, but apparently he couldn't fall back asleep either. "I'm hungry."
"Me too," he yawned, pulling me with him into a sitting position. "How 'bout you go get dressed, and I'll meet you back in here in fifteen minutes to go get some breakfast. I mean, lunch," he corrected. I giggled, and climbed off him to head into my room.
I picked a black shirt that had a Chinese symbol for 'love' on it in red, and pulled on a denim skirt. I picked up my brush and went into the bathroom, pulling it through my hair, which I later put up in a clip. I swiped my eyelids with a brown shadow, dragged a mascara brush across my eyelashes, and applied some strawberry lip gloss. It had only been ten minutes, but I was sure Draco was done already, so I went back out into the living room.
"What sounds good to eat?" he asked.
I thought for a moment while we went down to the hotel lobby, my stomach growling. "Something light," I finally decided. Draco nodded, and we walked to a soup and sandwich place on a corner a few blocks from the hotel.
We were led to a small booth in the corner, and after looking over the menu, I decided on getting the soup and salad combo, with honey mustard dressing on the side, and cream of potato soup. Draco ordered a turkey and cheese sandwich.
"It's our last day in paradise," Draco said somewhat sadly after a few moments of eating in silence. It was true. Today was our last full day on our trip, since we would have to board our plane early the next morning.
"That's right! We need to really have fun today, because day after tomorrow we have to return to classes." I stuck out my tongue to prove my point about not wanting to leave.
Draco laughed. "Well, what do you think we should do?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. Something fun, exciting. Memorable."
"We'll have to see what we can do about that," he grinned.
I smiled at him and turned back to my salad, thinking about what we could do. "Oh!" I exclaimed. "I know! I saw a sign for a stable, we should go horseback riding along the beach. Please, I've always wanted to go, I love horses."
"Okay," he replied. "If that's what you want to do, that's what we'll do." I nodded enthusiastically, and he gave me a warm smile before turning back to his sandwich.
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We spent the rest of the afternoon at the pools, trying any slides we hadn't had a chance to go on yet, or going on our favorites again. We were standing in line for our favorite slide of them all, when Draco looked at his waterproof watch.
"Whoa, it's already 4:55."
"Let's make this our last run," I replied. "And then we can go in and get ready for dinner." We had made reservations for a sunset horseback ride along the beach, after dinner with Hannah and Terry.
I sat down on the slide and crossed my arms over my chest, then when the light turned green I pushed off and slid down on my back, screaming just for the fun of it. I hit the water, then emerged and swam over to the edge to wait for Draco, who was right behind me. He slipped his arm around my waist. "Come on, let's go."
We were meeting at a fancy Italian restaurant for dinner, so after I'd showered and dried my hair, I went to my suitcase in search of clothes. I laid some choices out on my bed, and after careful examination and consideration, decided on a medium-length dress. It was pale purple with dark purple flowers on it, and the straps criss-crossed in the back. It was made of a light silky material, and would keep me cool in the humid night air. I used some purple shimmering eye shadow on my eyelids, black mascara, pale pink blush, and clear lip gloss. For the finishing touch, I slipped my feet into black high-heels with criss-crossing straps.
Draco and I headed out of the hotel and began walking the couple blocks down the street to the restaurant, and I took in his appearance. He was wearing khaki pants, and for a shirt he had stuck to the color that suited him best: black. It made a sharp contrast to his pale skin and almost white hair, not to mention his warm gray eyes.
I'd grown accustomed to seeing his eyes without their shield up since we'd been together. With other people, he hid his emotions with a 'shield' over his eyes that seemed to be made of ice. It made his eyes look like hard, ice-cold steel, but when he was with me they softened. The ice seemed to melt, and his eyes became a soft gray, and made him more sensitive. I loved that he felt he could be himself around me, and that he didn't feel the need to hide behind his eyes.
We told the waitress at the restaurant that we were meeting someone, and they took us to the booth where Terry and Hannah had already been seated. "Hi guys," I greeted, sliding into the unoccupied side of the booth, in the spot closest to the wall.
"Hey!" Hannah greeted. "What have you guys been up to?"
"Yeah," Terry laughed. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."
I smiled. "Well, we've just been hanging out at the beach for the past week, trying to enjoy the last drop of paradise."
"That's right," Hannah sighed. "I can't believe we have to leave tomorrow morning!"
I smiled appreciatively at the waitress as she set our food on the table. "I know," I said sadly. My 'planning and responsible Hermione' side took over, and I just had to remind them, "Our plane leaves tomorrow at 7:15, so make sure you're on the runway by 7 o'clock."
Hannah and Terry looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "We know, Hermione, don't worry, we'll be there."
"Well, I know you know," I said sheepishly. "I just thought I'd remind you, you know?"
"Yes, we know," Draco laughed. I smiled sheepishly at him, and he leant over to kiss my forehead.
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When we finished dinner, we said goodbye to Terry and Hannah, who walked hand-in-hand in the opposite direction, while we headed back to the hotel. Quickly as I could, I changed into horse-suitable clothes, and we walked down along the beach to the stables.
It appeared deserted as we walked into the cheery red stable. Horses were lined up on either side of the barn in large box stalls, with a brass nameplate for each. I noted that the aisle was well-swept, and all the harnesses were hung neatly and orderly on hooks by each stall. We continued down the row until we came to the end of the barn, with two half stalls with cross ties on one side, and a small office/kitchen on the other.
"Hello?" Draco called uncertainly. Just then, a woman came in through the small door on our side of the barn. She was about the same height as me, with wavy light brown hair to her shoulders, pulled back in a messy pony tail. She was wearing faded, dirty jeans with a red t-shirt.
"May I help you?" she asked, smiling. I liked her immediately, simply because of the fact that her eyes danced when she smiled.
"Yes," I replied quickly. "We have reservations for a ride along the beach?"
"Yes, yes, of course!" she replied. "Under the name... Malfoy, wasn't it?" I nodded. "Excellent. Alright. Now, what is your level of skill at riding?"
My parents had bought me a pony when I was three, and when I'd outgrown him, they'd sold him to buy me a horse, which I still owned and rode during the summers. "Intermediate," I replied.
The woman nodded and turned to Draco. "Intermediate," he echoed. I shot him a surprised glance, and he caught it, shrugging one of his shoulders at me. "Lucius keeps horses." Ah, so that explained it.
"Hmm..." The woman, whom I guessed from the nameplate over the office was named Sheila, contemplated as she walked down the aisle, and we followed her. "Yes, um, Miss..." She trailed off, looking at me.
"Hermione," I supplied.
"Ah, of course. Hermione, you can ride Stardust. She's a very placid mare, but it takes skill to ride her. You'll be a perfect match." I peered over the edge of the half-door. Stardust was a beautiful mare, golden with a light blond mane and tail, two white stockings on her front feet, and a star in the middle of her forehead.
"Hey, Stardust," I cooed. "Hey, girl." I pulled back and watched as Sheila directed Draco to the stall next to mine, introducing him to an amazing pitch black gelding named Demon. I grinned. That was a perfect match if there ever was one.
She told us to lead them out and over to the crossties, and when we got there, she showed us where the grooming box and their tack was. "Do you think you can handle it from here?" she asked.
I nodded. "Yes, thank you."
"Alright then! Have a great time, you two."
I pulled a currycomb out of the grooming box and watched Draco do the same, and start brushing Demon. I sighed. "This is going to be so much fun! I miss Jazz, my horse back home."
Draco nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I have a favorite stallion back home, his name is Aladdin. Demon reminds me a lot of him, except Aladdin has a white star and stockings on all four feet."
"He sounds beautiful." He nodded. We finished brushing and combing our horses, then picked out their hooves, then started saddling them up. I did it almost mechanically, glad that I hadn't forgotten how after all the months of being out of practice. Finally slipping the bridle over Stardust's head and fastening the last of the straps, we were ready to go. We led them out of the barn before mounting up, then turned toward the beach at a slow, steady walk to begin.
After the horses were warmed up, we began to trot. When we reached where the sand met the ocean, we slowed to a walk again and brought our horses side by side. I looked across the ocean to the horizon, where the setting sun turned the clouds haloing it various shades of purple, pink, and yellow. "It's beautiful," I breathed.
"Sure is," Draco agreed. He leaned over in the saddle to kiss my cheek lightly. "Just like you."
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A/N: Sorry, I know that part was cheesy, I just had to add it in. hehe
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Draco's POV
I was glad we did the horseback ride, because it was really beautiful, and I loved spending the time with Hermione. I looked down at her now. We were walking slowly along the ocean back to the hotel, after having returned our horses and thanked Sheila. I had my arm around her waist, and her head was resting on my shoulder. Her deep auburn hair was curled a bit at the ends, cascading down and around her shoulders. My favorite feature of her was her eyes, which right now were filled with happiness and content, making them look like melting chocolate. She truly was beautiful.
It was getting dark, and the breeze picked up. She shivered, and I didn't have a coat to give her, so I simply wrapped my arm tighter around her. We sped up a little to get back to the hotel and out of the cold.
When we entered our room we found that Hannah and Terry were still gone, and I wondered where they could be. I changed into a pair of silk pants and a t-shirt, then met Hermione back in the living area, lying down on the couch with her to watch a muggle movie, Gladiator, on Starz. Hannah and Terry arrived half an hour into the movie, and disappeared into Terry's room.
When the movie was over, I looked down at Hermione, and she smiled up at me. "I'm going to go to sleep soon, because we have to wake up early tomorrow," she whispered.
"Mmmk," I murmured, and planted a kiss on her mouth. She made the first act to deepen it, throwing her arms around my neck, then running them down my back, making me shiver. One of my hands was buried in her hair, and one of my hands was working it's way from her hip, up her shirt to come to rest on the side of her stomach, which elicited a giggle from her. I pulled back, grinning devishly. "Hmm, you're ticklish are you?" I began running my hand up and down her sides, and across her stomach.
She was now laughing uncontrollably and trying to catch her breath. "No," she gasped, trying to stop laughing. "Stop! Draco, stop it!" I let up on my tickling, and cut off her laughs by pressing my lips to hers once more. I finally pulled back, allowing her to breathe, and took the opportunity to drag the air into my own lungs. I glanced over at the clock in the kitchen and I saw that it was almost eleven o'clock. "Okay," I sighed. "Bedtime." I rolled away from her and off the couch, watching as she yawned and stretched like a cat.
"Okay," she said, getting up. She stood on her tip-toes to give me one last thorough kiss. "Goodnight," she whispered, and I watched as she retreated back into her room.
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Still Draco's POV
I stood on the runway, holding my bag over my right shoulder and Hermione's over the left, watching as the plane lowered the ramp for us and the others waiting to board. Mione was about to follow Hannah, and climb the stairs to the plane, but I pulled her gently aside. She looked confused for a moment, but then I pressed my lips to hers, gently and softly, then pulled back.
"What was that for?" she whispered, looking up at me and smiling faintly.
"Our last kiss in paradise," I replied.
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Hermione's POV
The plane for the 5th year prefects got in before the plane with the rest of the students, so we had extra time to settle in before dinner. Draco was sitting in my window seat while I finished unpacking my bag, and then we went to the Great Hall together. Of course, nobody was supposed to know that we were even speaking to each other, so we made sure to enter the Hall at different times, so as not to alert anyone.
Harry, Ron, and everyone else arrived shortly after dinner started. I looked up at them expectantly, and I met Ron's gaze for half a second before I watched them take a seat at the opposite end of the table, Lavender and Ginny giving me apologetic looks. But what hurt the most was the look I saw in Ron's eyes. Betrayal, hurt, anger. I was almost able to forget about the 'incident' between us, but now that we were home at Hogwarts, it was back, and in full force. I looked up and met Draco's eyes; he had caught it too. He mouthed something quickly, and I realized what it was: 'Go after them.'
I didn't feel so hungry anymore. Sullenly, I picked at my food until Dumbledore announced that it was time to return to our rooms. I watched as the four of them, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Lavender, left. I slowly got up to follow them, wondering if I should say anything. I didn't let myself think too much, because I knew I would back out. I jumped up and ran after them. "Hey, guys. Can we talk? Please?"
"Just listen, okay?" Lavender said softly.
"Yeah," Ginny chimed in when they looked doubtful. "For us?" She then looked to Lavender, and they both walked away, leaving me alone with Harry and Ron.
They both turned to stare at me, and I was stricken by what I saw in both their eyes. I took a deep breath; there was no turning back now. "Harry, Ron, just hear me out, okay?" I didn't get much of a response, except Ron crossed his arms over his chest and Harry shifted his weight to his other foot. Figuring that I couldn't just start talking about me and Draco in the middle of the hallway, I led them into a nearby empty classroom, and put a silencing charm on it.
"Now," I began. "I know you aren't happy about, um, Draco and I being together, but-"
"You got that damn right," Ron scoffed.
"Ron, please!" I begged. "Just listen to what I have to say, and maybe you'll understand a little bit better what I feel, okay? Now, as hard as this may be to comprehend, I really care about Draco. And I know he cares about me, too. I love him. And I love you guys too," I assured, "but not in the same way." I took another deep breath, in attempt to calm my nerves. "I know that he doesn't seem the, erm, perfect candidate for someone for me to go out with, but he treats me well. And no, he isn't a death eater, and he doesn't like what his father's doing, nor does he agree with Voldemort's ways." I realized that I was rambling, and this had really nothing to do with what I was trying to convince them of. "Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't judge him. He's been through a lot, and in a way, so have I. It took us this long to realize that we're not really enemies, and that we can get along. I love him, he loves me, end of story. I hope you guys can deal with that." Both of them just stared at me. "I'm done, you can talk now if you want."
"Good!" Ron practically shouted, breaking his outer appearance of being calm. "Because you're dead wrong, Hermione. You ARE enemies, that's the point! All of us have been enemies since day one, and now you're turning your back on us to join his side!"
"Ron!" I cried, exasperated. Did nothing I just said reach him at all? "I'm not taking sides!"
"Oh, really?" Harry replied sarcastically.
"YES!" I screamed. "Yes, really, Harry! I don't WANT it to have to be this way, that's the whole point! I don't see why you two can't just accept the fact that Draco and I are together, and that's one thing that's not going to be changing anytime soon!"
"Because," Ron said. The scariest thing about him was that he was saying it calmly, while his face was turning a beet red. "You are fraternizing with the enemy," he spat. "And how are we supposed to KNOW that you AREN'T taking sides? How can we tell that you aren't spying on us, and going back and reporting it to DRACO and his little band of Slytherins?"
At these words, I felt something in me shatter. My mouth opened to reply, but I closed it wordlessly. I shook my head sadly, silent tears that I'd been holding back finally rolling down my cheeks. "You shouldn't have to know," I whispered, looking up at him. I said it softly, but I knew they both heard every word. "I am your friend, for my part at least," I added on afterthought. "And after five years of friendship, I thought I knew you better than anyone, but I guess I was wrong. You shouldn't have to know, with your best friend," I repeated. "You should be able to trust." I met each of their eyes a last time, then, without another word, turned and headed out the door.
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Still Hermione's POV
Walking blindly up to the portrait to my rooms, I mumbled the password and stumbled through the door. Draco, luckily the only person in the common room, had been waiting for me, and at the sound of my entrance he stood up. I ran across the room and he caught me before my knees gave out, his strong arms supporting my weight easily. I was unable to control my sobs any longer, and he held me as I took my pain out on his chest, hitting him again and again with my fists.
When at last I calmed down a bit, he led me upstairs to my room, and sat next to me on the bed, still cradling me in his arms. "Sshhh," he comforted, stroking my hair. "It's okay," he told me.
But he didn't know. He didn't know that my best friends no longer believed in me, that they didn't trust me anymore. How could it be okay? I was confused. I didn't see why Harry and Ron didn't want me to be happy.
"Mione?" he asked tentatively, peering down at my face. "Are you okay?"
I drew in a very shaky breath, and nodded. "Just don't leave me, okay?" I asked, gripping his hand tighter.
He reached up a hand and wiped the single tear that made a fresh trail down my cheek. "I'll never leave you," he promised.
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Still Mione's POV
The next month came and went, and I tried my best to avoid Ron and Harry. I still hadn't talked to them since that night we got back, and I was still feeling many different emotions: confusion, hurt, anger, but mainly confusion. I was able to forget about them a little bit around the time when finals came along, burying myself in my schoolwork. Of course, I passed finals with flying colors, with the top grades in every class, rivaled only by Draco.
Before I knew it, it was time to leave Hogwarts for the summer. I missed my parents terribly, but I didn't want to leave. I blinked back tears as I gazed at the castle one last time, on my way to board the Hogwarts Express. Of course, once on the train, I shared a compartment with Draco. No one missed me, since most of my other friends were sitting with Harry and Ron anyway.
"How am I gonna live without you for the next three and a half months?" I asked. I was half-laying with my back against Draco's shoulder, my feet propped on the bench of the train. He had been gazing out the window in silence, watching the raindrops. At my words, he slowly turned to face me.
"It won't be that long," he assured, squeezing my hand. "I'll see you again before you know it." I nodded, just hoping that he was right. I had a feeling this was going to be a very long summer indeed.
By the time we pulled into the platform nine and three quarters, the rain was pouring down. I pulled away from Draco's kiss, and allowed him to go first, dragging his trunk out into the rain and disappearing into the crowd.
Sadly, I lugged my trunk out to the overhang of the platform, and waved goodbye to my friends before heading across the barrier to the muggle world, seeing the last of the wizarding world I would probably see for at least three months.
I was looking for my parents when suddenly I felt someone grab me from behind. I stiffened, but relaxed immediately when I turned around and found myself staring straight into a pair of charcoal gray eyes. I smiled, and Draco smiled back down at me. Without a word, he bent down slightly to press his lips to mine in a passionate fiery kiss. After a few moments, he pulled away. I stared into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity, and just when I thought I would be lost forever in the pools of swirling gray, he leant down to kiss me once more. This time, however, it was a gentle kiss, lighter than air. "Goodbye," he whispered when he pulled back, and with that he was gone.
I sat there stunned for a moment, wondering if he'd even said anything at all, or if it had just been the wind playing tricks on me. I shivered and realized that I was soaking wet, which reminded me of the night I arrived at Hogwarts. So much had happened since then. So much had changed, that I had to wonder what the next year would have in store for me.
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A/N: TA-DA!!! That's the end of my little story!! Which turned out to be not quite so little, at 36 chapters. Look for an authors note posted after this, explaining about sequels!! *wink wink*
Hermione's POV
The next week flew by rather uneventfully, and we finished our assignments. The second week I spent entirely with Draco, trying to forget all about Harry and Ron. Draco rented a jet ski, and I clung to his waist as he rode it, then he stood on the beach laughing as he watched me try to steer it. We went out on a water tricycle for an hour one day, and got a good workout as we found it was harder than it looked. The rest of our time was spent laying around either on the beach or the couch, shopping, or eating out at the many restaurants.
"Alright guys we're headed to bed," Hannah told us. It was our second to last night in the Bahamas, and we'd all been watching a movie on tv, but now that it was over Hannah and Terry were going to sleep. I watched them disappear into their respective rooms, then propped my elbow on Draco's chest and half sat up to look at him.
"Are you going to bed?"
I shook my head. "Not yet," I whispered, laying back down and tucking my head under his chin. "Stay here for a little while." I felt him nod. I closed my eyes, feeling very relaxed, and before I knew it, I was asleep.
When my eyes fluttered open again, I cringed against the sun that was now high in the sky. Draco, woken by my stirring, opened his eyes and cursed. "Damn sun. Shouldn't be out this early," he muttered.
I peeled one eyelid open to look at the clock. "It's almost lunch time," I replied, murmuring into his shirt. We lay there for a while longer, but apparently he couldn't fall back asleep either. "I'm hungry."
"Me too," he yawned, pulling me with him into a sitting position. "How 'bout you go get dressed, and I'll meet you back in here in fifteen minutes to go get some breakfast. I mean, lunch," he corrected. I giggled, and climbed off him to head into my room.
I picked a black shirt that had a Chinese symbol for 'love' on it in red, and pulled on a denim skirt. I picked up my brush and went into the bathroom, pulling it through my hair, which I later put up in a clip. I swiped my eyelids with a brown shadow, dragged a mascara brush across my eyelashes, and applied some strawberry lip gloss. It had only been ten minutes, but I was sure Draco was done already, so I went back out into the living room.
"What sounds good to eat?" he asked.
I thought for a moment while we went down to the hotel lobby, my stomach growling. "Something light," I finally decided. Draco nodded, and we walked to a soup and sandwich place on a corner a few blocks from the hotel.
We were led to a small booth in the corner, and after looking over the menu, I decided on getting the soup and salad combo, with honey mustard dressing on the side, and cream of potato soup. Draco ordered a turkey and cheese sandwich.
"It's our last day in paradise," Draco said somewhat sadly after a few moments of eating in silence. It was true. Today was our last full day on our trip, since we would have to board our plane early the next morning.
"That's right! We need to really have fun today, because day after tomorrow we have to return to classes." I stuck out my tongue to prove my point about not wanting to leave.
Draco laughed. "Well, what do you think we should do?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. Something fun, exciting. Memorable."
"We'll have to see what we can do about that," he grinned.
I smiled at him and turned back to my salad, thinking about what we could do. "Oh!" I exclaimed. "I know! I saw a sign for a stable, we should go horseback riding along the beach. Please, I've always wanted to go, I love horses."
"Okay," he replied. "If that's what you want to do, that's what we'll do." I nodded enthusiastically, and he gave me a warm smile before turning back to his sandwich.
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We spent the rest of the afternoon at the pools, trying any slides we hadn't had a chance to go on yet, or going on our favorites again. We were standing in line for our favorite slide of them all, when Draco looked at his waterproof watch.
"Whoa, it's already 4:55."
"Let's make this our last run," I replied. "And then we can go in and get ready for dinner." We had made reservations for a sunset horseback ride along the beach, after dinner with Hannah and Terry.
I sat down on the slide and crossed my arms over my chest, then when the light turned green I pushed off and slid down on my back, screaming just for the fun of it. I hit the water, then emerged and swam over to the edge to wait for Draco, who was right behind me. He slipped his arm around my waist. "Come on, let's go."
We were meeting at a fancy Italian restaurant for dinner, so after I'd showered and dried my hair, I went to my suitcase in search of clothes. I laid some choices out on my bed, and after careful examination and consideration, decided on a medium-length dress. It was pale purple with dark purple flowers on it, and the straps criss-crossed in the back. It was made of a light silky material, and would keep me cool in the humid night air. I used some purple shimmering eye shadow on my eyelids, black mascara, pale pink blush, and clear lip gloss. For the finishing touch, I slipped my feet into black high-heels with criss-crossing straps.
Draco and I headed out of the hotel and began walking the couple blocks down the street to the restaurant, and I took in his appearance. He was wearing khaki pants, and for a shirt he had stuck to the color that suited him best: black. It made a sharp contrast to his pale skin and almost white hair, not to mention his warm gray eyes.
I'd grown accustomed to seeing his eyes without their shield up since we'd been together. With other people, he hid his emotions with a 'shield' over his eyes that seemed to be made of ice. It made his eyes look like hard, ice-cold steel, but when he was with me they softened. The ice seemed to melt, and his eyes became a soft gray, and made him more sensitive. I loved that he felt he could be himself around me, and that he didn't feel the need to hide behind his eyes.
We told the waitress at the restaurant that we were meeting someone, and they took us to the booth where Terry and Hannah had already been seated. "Hi guys," I greeted, sliding into the unoccupied side of the booth, in the spot closest to the wall.
"Hey!" Hannah greeted. "What have you guys been up to?"
"Yeah," Terry laughed. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."
I smiled. "Well, we've just been hanging out at the beach for the past week, trying to enjoy the last drop of paradise."
"That's right," Hannah sighed. "I can't believe we have to leave tomorrow morning!"
I smiled appreciatively at the waitress as she set our food on the table. "I know," I said sadly. My 'planning and responsible Hermione' side took over, and I just had to remind them, "Our plane leaves tomorrow at 7:15, so make sure you're on the runway by 7 o'clock."
Hannah and Terry looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "We know, Hermione, don't worry, we'll be there."
"Well, I know you know," I said sheepishly. "I just thought I'd remind you, you know?"
"Yes, we know," Draco laughed. I smiled sheepishly at him, and he leant over to kiss my forehead.
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When we finished dinner, we said goodbye to Terry and Hannah, who walked hand-in-hand in the opposite direction, while we headed back to the hotel. Quickly as I could, I changed into horse-suitable clothes, and we walked down along the beach to the stables.
It appeared deserted as we walked into the cheery red stable. Horses were lined up on either side of the barn in large box stalls, with a brass nameplate for each. I noted that the aisle was well-swept, and all the harnesses were hung neatly and orderly on hooks by each stall. We continued down the row until we came to the end of the barn, with two half stalls with cross ties on one side, and a small office/kitchen on the other.
"Hello?" Draco called uncertainly. Just then, a woman came in through the small door on our side of the barn. She was about the same height as me, with wavy light brown hair to her shoulders, pulled back in a messy pony tail. She was wearing faded, dirty jeans with a red t-shirt.
"May I help you?" she asked, smiling. I liked her immediately, simply because of the fact that her eyes danced when she smiled.
"Yes," I replied quickly. "We have reservations for a ride along the beach?"
"Yes, yes, of course!" she replied. "Under the name... Malfoy, wasn't it?" I nodded. "Excellent. Alright. Now, what is your level of skill at riding?"
My parents had bought me a pony when I was three, and when I'd outgrown him, they'd sold him to buy me a horse, which I still owned and rode during the summers. "Intermediate," I replied.
The woman nodded and turned to Draco. "Intermediate," he echoed. I shot him a surprised glance, and he caught it, shrugging one of his shoulders at me. "Lucius keeps horses." Ah, so that explained it.
"Hmm..." The woman, whom I guessed from the nameplate over the office was named Sheila, contemplated as she walked down the aisle, and we followed her. "Yes, um, Miss..." She trailed off, looking at me.
"Hermione," I supplied.
"Ah, of course. Hermione, you can ride Stardust. She's a very placid mare, but it takes skill to ride her. You'll be a perfect match." I peered over the edge of the half-door. Stardust was a beautiful mare, golden with a light blond mane and tail, two white stockings on her front feet, and a star in the middle of her forehead.
"Hey, Stardust," I cooed. "Hey, girl." I pulled back and watched as Sheila directed Draco to the stall next to mine, introducing him to an amazing pitch black gelding named Demon. I grinned. That was a perfect match if there ever was one.
She told us to lead them out and over to the crossties, and when we got there, she showed us where the grooming box and their tack was. "Do you think you can handle it from here?" she asked.
I nodded. "Yes, thank you."
"Alright then! Have a great time, you two."
I pulled a currycomb out of the grooming box and watched Draco do the same, and start brushing Demon. I sighed. "This is going to be so much fun! I miss Jazz, my horse back home."
Draco nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I have a favorite stallion back home, his name is Aladdin. Demon reminds me a lot of him, except Aladdin has a white star and stockings on all four feet."
"He sounds beautiful." He nodded. We finished brushing and combing our horses, then picked out their hooves, then started saddling them up. I did it almost mechanically, glad that I hadn't forgotten how after all the months of being out of practice. Finally slipping the bridle over Stardust's head and fastening the last of the straps, we were ready to go. We led them out of the barn before mounting up, then turned toward the beach at a slow, steady walk to begin.
After the horses were warmed up, we began to trot. When we reached where the sand met the ocean, we slowed to a walk again and brought our horses side by side. I looked across the ocean to the horizon, where the setting sun turned the clouds haloing it various shades of purple, pink, and yellow. "It's beautiful," I breathed.
"Sure is," Draco agreed. He leaned over in the saddle to kiss my cheek lightly. "Just like you."
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A/N: Sorry, I know that part was cheesy, I just had to add it in. hehe
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Draco's POV
I was glad we did the horseback ride, because it was really beautiful, and I loved spending the time with Hermione. I looked down at her now. We were walking slowly along the ocean back to the hotel, after having returned our horses and thanked Sheila. I had my arm around her waist, and her head was resting on my shoulder. Her deep auburn hair was curled a bit at the ends, cascading down and around her shoulders. My favorite feature of her was her eyes, which right now were filled with happiness and content, making them look like melting chocolate. She truly was beautiful.
It was getting dark, and the breeze picked up. She shivered, and I didn't have a coat to give her, so I simply wrapped my arm tighter around her. We sped up a little to get back to the hotel and out of the cold.
When we entered our room we found that Hannah and Terry were still gone, and I wondered where they could be. I changed into a pair of silk pants and a t-shirt, then met Hermione back in the living area, lying down on the couch with her to watch a muggle movie, Gladiator, on Starz. Hannah and Terry arrived half an hour into the movie, and disappeared into Terry's room.
When the movie was over, I looked down at Hermione, and she smiled up at me. "I'm going to go to sleep soon, because we have to wake up early tomorrow," she whispered.
"Mmmk," I murmured, and planted a kiss on her mouth. She made the first act to deepen it, throwing her arms around my neck, then running them down my back, making me shiver. One of my hands was buried in her hair, and one of my hands was working it's way from her hip, up her shirt to come to rest on the side of her stomach, which elicited a giggle from her. I pulled back, grinning devishly. "Hmm, you're ticklish are you?" I began running my hand up and down her sides, and across her stomach.
She was now laughing uncontrollably and trying to catch her breath. "No," she gasped, trying to stop laughing. "Stop! Draco, stop it!" I let up on my tickling, and cut off her laughs by pressing my lips to hers once more. I finally pulled back, allowing her to breathe, and took the opportunity to drag the air into my own lungs. I glanced over at the clock in the kitchen and I saw that it was almost eleven o'clock. "Okay," I sighed. "Bedtime." I rolled away from her and off the couch, watching as she yawned and stretched like a cat.
"Okay," she said, getting up. She stood on her tip-toes to give me one last thorough kiss. "Goodnight," she whispered, and I watched as she retreated back into her room.
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Still Draco's POV
I stood on the runway, holding my bag over my right shoulder and Hermione's over the left, watching as the plane lowered the ramp for us and the others waiting to board. Mione was about to follow Hannah, and climb the stairs to the plane, but I pulled her gently aside. She looked confused for a moment, but then I pressed my lips to hers, gently and softly, then pulled back.
"What was that for?" she whispered, looking up at me and smiling faintly.
"Our last kiss in paradise," I replied.
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Hermione's POV
The plane for the 5th year prefects got in before the plane with the rest of the students, so we had extra time to settle in before dinner. Draco was sitting in my window seat while I finished unpacking my bag, and then we went to the Great Hall together. Of course, nobody was supposed to know that we were even speaking to each other, so we made sure to enter the Hall at different times, so as not to alert anyone.
Harry, Ron, and everyone else arrived shortly after dinner started. I looked up at them expectantly, and I met Ron's gaze for half a second before I watched them take a seat at the opposite end of the table, Lavender and Ginny giving me apologetic looks. But what hurt the most was the look I saw in Ron's eyes. Betrayal, hurt, anger. I was almost able to forget about the 'incident' between us, but now that we were home at Hogwarts, it was back, and in full force. I looked up and met Draco's eyes; he had caught it too. He mouthed something quickly, and I realized what it was: 'Go after them.'
I didn't feel so hungry anymore. Sullenly, I picked at my food until Dumbledore announced that it was time to return to our rooms. I watched as the four of them, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Lavender, left. I slowly got up to follow them, wondering if I should say anything. I didn't let myself think too much, because I knew I would back out. I jumped up and ran after them. "Hey, guys. Can we talk? Please?"
"Just listen, okay?" Lavender said softly.
"Yeah," Ginny chimed in when they looked doubtful. "For us?" She then looked to Lavender, and they both walked away, leaving me alone with Harry and Ron.
They both turned to stare at me, and I was stricken by what I saw in both their eyes. I took a deep breath; there was no turning back now. "Harry, Ron, just hear me out, okay?" I didn't get much of a response, except Ron crossed his arms over his chest and Harry shifted his weight to his other foot. Figuring that I couldn't just start talking about me and Draco in the middle of the hallway, I led them into a nearby empty classroom, and put a silencing charm on it.
"Now," I began. "I know you aren't happy about, um, Draco and I being together, but-"
"You got that damn right," Ron scoffed.
"Ron, please!" I begged. "Just listen to what I have to say, and maybe you'll understand a little bit better what I feel, okay? Now, as hard as this may be to comprehend, I really care about Draco. And I know he cares about me, too. I love him. And I love you guys too," I assured, "but not in the same way." I took another deep breath, in attempt to calm my nerves. "I know that he doesn't seem the, erm, perfect candidate for someone for me to go out with, but he treats me well. And no, he isn't a death eater, and he doesn't like what his father's doing, nor does he agree with Voldemort's ways." I realized that I was rambling, and this had really nothing to do with what I was trying to convince them of. "Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't judge him. He's been through a lot, and in a way, so have I. It took us this long to realize that we're not really enemies, and that we can get along. I love him, he loves me, end of story. I hope you guys can deal with that." Both of them just stared at me. "I'm done, you can talk now if you want."
"Good!" Ron practically shouted, breaking his outer appearance of being calm. "Because you're dead wrong, Hermione. You ARE enemies, that's the point! All of us have been enemies since day one, and now you're turning your back on us to join his side!"
"Ron!" I cried, exasperated. Did nothing I just said reach him at all? "I'm not taking sides!"
"Oh, really?" Harry replied sarcastically.
"YES!" I screamed. "Yes, really, Harry! I don't WANT it to have to be this way, that's the whole point! I don't see why you two can't just accept the fact that Draco and I are together, and that's one thing that's not going to be changing anytime soon!"
"Because," Ron said. The scariest thing about him was that he was saying it calmly, while his face was turning a beet red. "You are fraternizing with the enemy," he spat. "And how are we supposed to KNOW that you AREN'T taking sides? How can we tell that you aren't spying on us, and going back and reporting it to DRACO and his little band of Slytherins?"
At these words, I felt something in me shatter. My mouth opened to reply, but I closed it wordlessly. I shook my head sadly, silent tears that I'd been holding back finally rolling down my cheeks. "You shouldn't have to know," I whispered, looking up at him. I said it softly, but I knew they both heard every word. "I am your friend, for my part at least," I added on afterthought. "And after five years of friendship, I thought I knew you better than anyone, but I guess I was wrong. You shouldn't have to know, with your best friend," I repeated. "You should be able to trust." I met each of their eyes a last time, then, without another word, turned and headed out the door.
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Still Hermione's POV
Walking blindly up to the portrait to my rooms, I mumbled the password and stumbled through the door. Draco, luckily the only person in the common room, had been waiting for me, and at the sound of my entrance he stood up. I ran across the room and he caught me before my knees gave out, his strong arms supporting my weight easily. I was unable to control my sobs any longer, and he held me as I took my pain out on his chest, hitting him again and again with my fists.
When at last I calmed down a bit, he led me upstairs to my room, and sat next to me on the bed, still cradling me in his arms. "Sshhh," he comforted, stroking my hair. "It's okay," he told me.
But he didn't know. He didn't know that my best friends no longer believed in me, that they didn't trust me anymore. How could it be okay? I was confused. I didn't see why Harry and Ron didn't want me to be happy.
"Mione?" he asked tentatively, peering down at my face. "Are you okay?"
I drew in a very shaky breath, and nodded. "Just don't leave me, okay?" I asked, gripping his hand tighter.
He reached up a hand and wiped the single tear that made a fresh trail down my cheek. "I'll never leave you," he promised.
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Still Mione's POV
The next month came and went, and I tried my best to avoid Ron and Harry. I still hadn't talked to them since that night we got back, and I was still feeling many different emotions: confusion, hurt, anger, but mainly confusion. I was able to forget about them a little bit around the time when finals came along, burying myself in my schoolwork. Of course, I passed finals with flying colors, with the top grades in every class, rivaled only by Draco.
Before I knew it, it was time to leave Hogwarts for the summer. I missed my parents terribly, but I didn't want to leave. I blinked back tears as I gazed at the castle one last time, on my way to board the Hogwarts Express. Of course, once on the train, I shared a compartment with Draco. No one missed me, since most of my other friends were sitting with Harry and Ron anyway.
"How am I gonna live without you for the next three and a half months?" I asked. I was half-laying with my back against Draco's shoulder, my feet propped on the bench of the train. He had been gazing out the window in silence, watching the raindrops. At my words, he slowly turned to face me.
"It won't be that long," he assured, squeezing my hand. "I'll see you again before you know it." I nodded, just hoping that he was right. I had a feeling this was going to be a very long summer indeed.
By the time we pulled into the platform nine and three quarters, the rain was pouring down. I pulled away from Draco's kiss, and allowed him to go first, dragging his trunk out into the rain and disappearing into the crowd.
Sadly, I lugged my trunk out to the overhang of the platform, and waved goodbye to my friends before heading across the barrier to the muggle world, seeing the last of the wizarding world I would probably see for at least three months.
I was looking for my parents when suddenly I felt someone grab me from behind. I stiffened, but relaxed immediately when I turned around and found myself staring straight into a pair of charcoal gray eyes. I smiled, and Draco smiled back down at me. Without a word, he bent down slightly to press his lips to mine in a passionate fiery kiss. After a few moments, he pulled away. I stared into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity, and just when I thought I would be lost forever in the pools of swirling gray, he leant down to kiss me once more. This time, however, it was a gentle kiss, lighter than air. "Goodbye," he whispered when he pulled back, and with that he was gone.
I sat there stunned for a moment, wondering if he'd even said anything at all, or if it had just been the wind playing tricks on me. I shivered and realized that I was soaking wet, which reminded me of the night I arrived at Hogwarts. So much had happened since then. So much had changed, that I had to wonder what the next year would have in store for me.
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A/N: TA-DA!!! That's the end of my little story!! Which turned out to be not quite so little, at 36 chapters. Look for an authors note posted after this, explaining about sequels!! *wink wink*