A/N: I forgot to do all the disclaimers last time so here it goes. I do not
own Harry Potter, if I did I would be a very wealthy person and have lots
of people to do my bidding! I claim only the plot. Don't sue me.
Spinning. That's all that Hermione could see was a dark and spinning mist before she came in contact with something hard and cold. She must have hurt her head for she could feel the pressure that was coming from behind her hairline. Yet she was lying on something soft and warm as compared to what she felt when all the lights suddenly went out. She was spinning, that's where it is coming from! Hermione was standing next to someone. Someone, or something, that was strong and safe. That was how she remembered him. It was a him! He was standing opposite of her, but where? "Where, Hermione, where?" Ugh. That hurt her head way too much to try to rack her brain for an answer right now. But someone is calling her name. It is very distant, but she can still hear it. The sound is getting closer. Almost like someone is drawing nearer and nearer to her. "Hermione" the voice said again. This time more present than before. It is becoming clearer each time. Now there is more than one voice. And there is another voice. There are 3 now, each calling her name. And it is getting louder and louder as light is slowly creeping through. It is rather hard to do but she attempts to open one eye, but closes it quickly because of the brightness. "One more try and then we'll see" she says to herself as she hesitantly opens her eye again and then the other one. The fuzziness is growing clearer. She can see 3 shadowy figures leaning over her as the light is blinding to her sensitive vision.
"I think she is coming back now." One of the shadowy figures, a woman, said to the other two. "Hermione, can you hear me?" the woman asked while waving her hand in front of Hermione's face. Only a muffled grunt came from Hermione in response, as the three people seemed pleased at some sort of sign of life out of her.
"Wh-Where am I." Hermione heard herself mutter.
"The Hospital Wing dear. It seems you fell pretty hard on your head. But a little potion will make that feel better in no time," the woman said as she wiped Hermione's forehead with a sour smelling liquid.
The fuzziness started to drift away as Hermione's vision became steady again and the spinning finally seemed to cease. "How did I get here?"
"Well the other two can explain it better than I can. I'd best go check on Miss Granger's accomplice." With that Madame Pomfrey scurried off to one of the adjoining beds in the hospital wing.
Hermione was feeling better, though her head was still a little too heavy to try to lift off of the pillow. Looking at the "other two" as Madame Pomfrey called them, she looked up to see Ron and Harry standing over her bed, each carrying worried expressions.
"'Mione, finally you're awake. We were so worried about you. I mean one minute you're sitting there perfectly fine, and the next you've fainted in front of the whole school, and with Malfoy too!" Ron exclaimed all in one frantic breath as he sat down on the bed next to Hermione.
"Malfoy?"
"Yeah," Harry chimed in. "You both fainted."
"Is he here?" she asked while trying to sit up.
"Yeah. He's still unconscious though. I say good riddance to him, the git!" Ron muttered as Madame Pomfrey exclaimed a "Mr. Weasley!" from across the room.
"How did I get here though?" Hermione asked, just as confused as before.
"You really don't remember a thing?" Harry asked in utter disbelief. Hermione just shook her head. "Well you seemed to hit your head pretty hard so I-" while receiving an elbow in the stomach, "alright Ron I know, I'm sorry. Ron and I ran over to you and when you wouldn't respond we levitated you to the hospital wing."
"And quite rudely too Mr. Potter!" said a passing Madame Pomfrey. "You both just left Mr. Malfoy there for someone else to pick up! Until I made you both go and fetch him from off the floor."
"You both just left him there!?" Hermione said in a scolding voice.
"Well we were both too worried about you to notice. But hey at least we went back and got him." said Ron in his defense.
"Yeah, after Madame Pomfrey told you to." Hermione muttered out loud. "Is he alright?" she asked a little too quickly for comfort.
"Who cares!" Ron responded as Madame Pomfrey shot him a look. "Alright fine. He's unconscious." With that Ron smirked, very similar to a certain ferret.
"What Ron, did Christmas come early?" Hermione asked sarcastically.
Harry simply ignored the conversation and started in on something that had been puzzling him. "Hermione why did you and Malfoy both faint? That seems a little strange, don't you think? And why did you both get up at the same time and begin to walk out the door? Are you not telling us something?"
"One at a time, please Harry." replied Hermione. "And to answer all of your questions, I have absolutely no idea why any of that happened. One moment I was sitting there and the next minute I heard-" here she paused and left out one minor detail, "I heard Ron's conversation about Quidditch, which reminded me that I watched your practice last week, which reminded me that I did that after I did my History of Magic essay, which reminded me that Professor Binns was a ghost, which reminded me that Peeves was in the library earlier today throwing book ends and fruit at everyone, which reminded me that I needed to go to the library."
Harry and Ron looked amazed and confused at the same time as they stared at their, what they thought, insane friend. Even Hermione was amazed at her ability to lie that quickly.
"You got that from Quidditch?" exclaimed Harry in disbelief.
"You really need a hobby Hermione." Ron replied incredulously.
She shot Ron a glare before continuing. "Anyway, so I was getting up to leave the Great Hall and I suddenly felt dizzy, so I fainted."
"Well what about Malfoy?" Harry asked. Something was telling Hermione that Harry really didn't believe her story too well.
"What about me Potter?" Malfoy piped in slyly from the bed across from Hermione's.
"We didn't ask you Malfoy!" said Ron jumping in before Harry could open up his mouth.
"No need to get your panties in a twist Weasley, I was merely inquiring why the 'boy who just wouldn't die' was talking about me." Draco replied with a smirk to the boys and wink to Hermione.
That part pissed off Ron and Harry even more while it only confused Hermione even more. Before wands could be drawn and hexes could be cast, Madame Pomfrey spent the whole of 5 minutes trying to kick out Ron and Harry. And through it all, that damn look-at-me-I'm-such-a-sexy-know-it-all- evil-Slytherin-king smirk remained intact on Draco's face as he saw his 2 greatest enemies being escorted out of the hospital wing. Well, 2 greatest enemies apart from Granger.
"Speaking of Granger," he thought as he cast a glance in her direction. She was sitting on her bed, arms crossed, and lips pouting as she saw her protectors disappear from view. Looking at her there was a tingle of something in him. Something he couldn't explain was happening inside of him when he looked at her. It was warm and was making him dizzy all over again. But he would not faint again without figuring out what the hell it was that happened in the Great Hall before they both passed out.
"Granger." He said in a commanding voice. "Are you too weak to stand?"
This question took Hermione by surprise at his unrealistic concern for her. "I think so. Why?"
"I am trying to relate symptoms alright?" he replied in that ever-present smart-ass Malfoy way of his. "See if you can and try to walk over here."
"Why?"
"I didn't ask for questions, just do it."
Somehow, looking at him, she decided for some reason to obey. It took her a bit of difficulty to get up off the bed and find her balance in her feet. Yet, and she still doesn't know how, she managed to walk across the room to Malfoy's bed. She grasped onto the end of his bed for support trying all the time to maintain the balance that she managed to find. "What now, Malfoy?"
"Oh, I really didn't need anything I was just seeing if you would actually come." He replied with an evil smirk and a snort. "I guess you're used to calling and coming whenever purebloods ask you."
Hermione was in a shocked disbelief. "What!?" she cried. "You made me walk all the way over here when I have absolutely no strength left in me just so you could see if I would actually do it!" To that he only nodded, the smirk still plastered on his face. "I never thought that I would see the day, and I never even thought it was possible but how could I have ever doubted you. Congratulations Malfoy, you have reached a new level of evil!"
"Really Granger, you trying to make me blush?" he replied, enjoying himself immensely and inwardly boasting of his cleverness.
"Malfoy you-" but words could not describe how much she loathed him. She spent quite a while muttering out non-coherent words and phrases that could possibly explain her hatred for him.
The more she rambled on the more glad, yet the more pissed off, Malfoy became. He really did hate her and she annoyed him more than any person in the world. Well apart from Tweedledee and Tweedledum that she hangs around with. Yet the angrier they became at one other the more they began to notice the fuzziness start to surround them again. He could tell that she was feeling it too.
"Is the fuzziness coming back for you too Granger?"
"How did you know that?"
"Just a lucky guess." He replied while watching her intently. Yet the more he watched her the more something inside of him changed. She appeared, for the first time, beautiful to him, though he would never admit that to her.
Yet she too was having a similar problem while recalling her earlier description of Malfoy. She had called him, the spawn of evil himself, sexy. Something was definitely wrong with her.
It was Draco to voice his opinion first though. "Don't you just love those inner battles with yourself Granger?"
A small laugh escaped her lips as she sat down at the foot of his bed. "Oh of course." Yet her brows wrinkled in confusion and he followed suit, as everything in the room suddenly became misty and a small steam enveloped the floor. They both looked around their surroundings becoming even more puzzled. "Is this for real Malfoy?"
"I think so, but then I have no idea."
"What should we do?" she asked while standing from his bed, her strength returning to her.
He followed suit but not before slightly losing his balance for a moment and leaning his support upon Hermione. He had grasped onto her shoulders and she spun around to steady him by placing her hands on his arms. There they were, with their hands on each other, and there was such electricity between them Hermione could swear that her already frizzy hair rose an inch higher. Their eyes were locked and their faces only inches apart as Draco slowly leaned in further towards her. But that contact was not to be, as a strong wind whipped around both of their faces and turning their heads they were no longer in the Hospital Wing, but standing right next to a small lake, more like a swimming hole, in a moon-lit wooded forest. Hermione grasped him a little tighter as she gazed at her surroundings with fear from her head to her toes. "Where are we?" she asked hesitantly.
But looking at Draco his eyes were locked upon the area with excitement and puzzlement in his gaze and his mouth was hanging slightly open. "I can't believe this." he muttered in amazement.
"What, you can't believe what Malfoy!?" Hermione asked with a small amount, all right, a large amount of panic in her voice.
"How did this happen?" he asked again to no one in particular. Their appearance had also changed as they were both free of their pajamas like earlier and were standing in their everyday clothes covered by their black robes.
"Draco where are we!?" Hermione asked a little more forcefully, turning him to look at her. She surprised herself by saying his name, but Draco didn't even seem to notice.
"Well, its just." his voice trailing off, before just deciding to giver her the basic details as he himself couldn't describe any of it. "We're at Malfoy Manor. And this," here he paused "is part of our woods."
"Alright", Hermione said after a while. "Why are we here."
"I don't know." Draco said once again staring out into the distance. "I was just thinking about it and suddenly here we are."
"You were thinking about your woods?"
"Well actually I was thinking about taking a swim." He replied sheepishly to her.
"Taking a swim!? Here!?" Hermione asked, still in confusion.
"Well yes! This is a swimming pond."
"Is it clean?" she replied hesitantly.
"Would a Malfoy ever swim in dirty water?" Draco asked as though stating the obvious.
"True, but how?" Hermione asked nodding her head to the water, the moonlight now casting a frame upon the water.
"Magic. How is anything else done in the wizard world?" Hermione just chose to regard that question as being a rhetorical question while Draco walked hesitantly over to the edge. Crouching down by the waters edge, he scooped up a handful of water and watched as it drained from his hands. "It is real." He said in amazement. Getting another handful of water, Hermione watched as he blew the water out of his hand and it fell back onto the surface. But as soon as it touched, the drops illuminated as the light soon spread across from one side to the other as the light was traveling from one ripple to the other. She could see the bottom of the pond as Hermione noticed that it was indeed more like a swimming pool than an actual pond. "Feel it." Draco said with his eyes still locked upon the water. Hermione crouched down beside him and gracefully ran her fingers over the surface scooping up a small amount of water in her hand before letting it fall. Draco was intently watching her hand and noticed her eyes momentarily close.
"Its amazing." She muttered while turning and catching his gaze. "And it's warm too." She said after a momentary pause.
"Its magic." He whispered back to her. Returning his eyes he stood up at his full height and turned to walk a few feet away from the bank. Hermione looked out upon the pond once more before turning her eyes behind her to see Draco throw his robe upon the tree stump next to him. When he began to lift his black sweater above his head, Hermione interjected.
"What are you doing?" she asked hurriedly.
"I'm going swimming." He said back. "Care to join me?" he asked, his sweater now beside his robe while he began to unbutton his white dress shirt.
"To go swimming?" and at Draco's obvious nod she started again. "And be wearing what?" she asked, while Draco's shirt was halfway unbuttoned and no longer tucked in.
"That's why I'm doing this Granger." He replied, as though stating the obvious again. For some reason lately he had a way of making Hermione feel stupid.
"Oh." she said. "You're not going to be swimming completely undressed are you?" she asked hesitantly.
"No." he replied to her question while removing his shirt. (A/N: Draco fans enter your giggle here - ______________________)
"Oh my." Was the only thing going through Hermione's head when he removed that piece of clothing. If she was drooling in the train compartment over his back it was nothing compared to his front side. No wonder every girl threw herself at him. He had the best body she had ever seen a teenage wizard inhabit. Draco Malfoy was constantly surprising her. "Well what will you be wearing?" she asked, and she saw him smile when he noticed her staring. Being a gentleman however he didn't feel the need to tease her about it. For some reason lately he had a way of not picking at her so much.
Now only clad in his black slacks he sat down on the same stump and started taking off his shoes and socks, all black of course. "I don't know." He said. "Are you going to swim too or just stay in your clothes?" he asked her.
"Why?" she said a little suspiciously. Rolling his eyes, she knew why he asked. Standing up now only in his pants he removed his wand from his robe and tapping his hip once he was suddenly in his black, what other color would it be, swimming suit.
"I just needed to know your size, Granger." He said twirling his wand in his hand.
Realization and a blush came upon Hermione as she did a sort of half laugh half sigh. "Oh."
Smirking Draco walked over to the waters edge while she stood up to face him. Passing by her he tapped her once on her stomach, and looking down Hermione blushed even more. She was in a black bikini. "Of course Draco picked out this outfit." she thought to herself, while turning to face him. Yet his expression matched her previous one as he stared at her. This was not the Hermione Granger he used to know.
"No wonder Potter and Weasley hang around her so much." He thought. She had certainly filled out in several places, and rather well too. Hermione had grown in just about every direction and slimmed in a few other places as her hourglass figure complimented her nicely. Draco was stunned for words. Somehow his thinking returned to normal as he turned to her and said. "You coming in or not?"
Laughing a little Hermione replied, "You go first."
"Alright." He said while diving into the water right where he was standing. All Hermione saw next was a splash before his head rose above the water after a while. "You coming in?"
"Is it deep enough to do that?" she asked a little frightened.
"It becomes what ever depth you want it to be." He said back while waving an arm at her "Come on in."
"Oh, alright." She replied after a second of considering the pros and cons of what she was about to do. Stepping back she voiced her thought. "If only there was a diving board." She said loud enough for both of them to hear. Before Draco could respond Hermione was also knocked over by a rather large bulky object to the side of her. Turning there before here was a diving board, just as she had imagined it. "Hmm, Draco?" she asked while he too was stunned. "Does your swimming hole also make things appear?" but from the expression on his face she knew the answer. She had suddenly changed her mind on the need of a diving board and as soon as it was there it was gone. They both stared at the empty spot for a moment before Draco interrupted the silence.
"Are you coming in or not?" he asked as he just chose to ignore it. Usually he wouldn't but for some reason he decided to.
Looking at the wet and disheveled Draco, Hermione couldn't help but walk to the very edge to dive in next to him. Draco looked rather adorable as he grinned at the prospect of having a swimming buddy. "Well move and I will." And before he could respond she too dove in, and sent a small splash in his direction. She soon rose to the water and turned to face him while she shook the water out of her face and he followed suit.
"So how do you like it?" he asked her, as they both kept their arms and legs in motion in order to stay afloat, which caused them to bob up and down.
"It feels nice." She said in response, blushing as their legs hit one another. Both replied a quick "sorry" but it soon followed with them laughing. Draco reached forward to tickle her and she splashed him lightly in return.
Shaking the water out of his eyes, Draco exclaimed, "Now you're going to get it!" while he started chasing, or swimming, after her. And that was how they spent their time. Though time seemed to just not exist as they splashed and played like children in the water. Neither of them understood why they had fainted in the Great Hall, could read each other's mind, or how they appeared at Malfoy Manor. Yet it didn't trouble them too much as they continued to enjoy themselves and left all that for later. It wasn't as though they were ignoring it, it was just they seemed to completely forget about what had happened the moment they remembered what was happening to them. It was almost as if something was blocking everything from their minds. They just seemed to have completely forgotten even how they got here, as Hermione and Draco continued to just have fun and forget about everything for a while. Something had changed in both of them and neither of them could understand it. But they didn't seem to care.
Draco was playfully spinning Hermione around in the water as the water came up to Draco's shoulders and Hermione's chin. As they stopped their spinning Draco had somehow locked Hermione's arms around his neck and his around her waist as he had slouched down a bit to her height, she practically sitting on him. Their faces were merely inches apart as they both could only stare at the other. They seemed to be repeating themselves as Draco was fighting the urge to lean in closer to her. Everything was forgotten here. With the rivalry, the hatred, the enemies, the differences, and the prejudices, none of that was important while they were in this pond. They were both just 2 teenagers swimming and enjoying their adolescence, and the thing that was the most teenager in them was about to get the better of them. Their faces became slightly closer as Draco ran a hand down the side of her face and tracing the outline of her jaw while she responded in playing lightly with the silver blonde hair that fell at the base of his neck. "Should we be doing this?" Hermione asked hesitantly and barely above a whisper.
"Probably not." Draco replied in the same fashion while running his finger along her lips. But ignoring his own advice he lightly grasped her chin and pulled her in for what would be the sexiest moment of both of their lives. His lips were moving in towards hers as she closed her eyes waiting for his kiss. She could feel his breath upon her lips when all of a sudden realization slapped her in the face. Quickly she opened her eyes to see him less than an inch a way from her, his eyes closed in anticipation. Hermione turned her head as he opened his eyes to see what the disturbance was. In cases like this it would have been his job to be either mad or apologize. He didn't do either. Draco just simply watched her slide out of his embrace and walk to the edge of the pond. Climbing out she waved her wand as a towel appeared as she dried herself off. With a tap of her wand she replaced her bathing suit with her clothes. Draco soon followed suit, neither of them speaking.
"I want to go back." Hermione said, while he nodded in agreement. Before another word was spoken they both felt their eyes cloud over as they both fell asleep right where they were standing. Before they could fall upon the ground, they were both back in the Hospital Wing a split second later as though the woods had transformed back into the infirmary. They were both standing right next to their beds, as they fell upon them fast asleep. The only reminder of their visit was in Hermione's wet hair and Draco's shoes still upon his feet.
Spinning. That's all that Hermione could see was a dark and spinning mist before she came in contact with something hard and cold. She must have hurt her head for she could feel the pressure that was coming from behind her hairline. Yet she was lying on something soft and warm as compared to what she felt when all the lights suddenly went out. She was spinning, that's where it is coming from! Hermione was standing next to someone. Someone, or something, that was strong and safe. That was how she remembered him. It was a him! He was standing opposite of her, but where? "Where, Hermione, where?" Ugh. That hurt her head way too much to try to rack her brain for an answer right now. But someone is calling her name. It is very distant, but she can still hear it. The sound is getting closer. Almost like someone is drawing nearer and nearer to her. "Hermione" the voice said again. This time more present than before. It is becoming clearer each time. Now there is more than one voice. And there is another voice. There are 3 now, each calling her name. And it is getting louder and louder as light is slowly creeping through. It is rather hard to do but she attempts to open one eye, but closes it quickly because of the brightness. "One more try and then we'll see" she says to herself as she hesitantly opens her eye again and then the other one. The fuzziness is growing clearer. She can see 3 shadowy figures leaning over her as the light is blinding to her sensitive vision.
"I think she is coming back now." One of the shadowy figures, a woman, said to the other two. "Hermione, can you hear me?" the woman asked while waving her hand in front of Hermione's face. Only a muffled grunt came from Hermione in response, as the three people seemed pleased at some sort of sign of life out of her.
"Wh-Where am I." Hermione heard herself mutter.
"The Hospital Wing dear. It seems you fell pretty hard on your head. But a little potion will make that feel better in no time," the woman said as she wiped Hermione's forehead with a sour smelling liquid.
The fuzziness started to drift away as Hermione's vision became steady again and the spinning finally seemed to cease. "How did I get here?"
"Well the other two can explain it better than I can. I'd best go check on Miss Granger's accomplice." With that Madame Pomfrey scurried off to one of the adjoining beds in the hospital wing.
Hermione was feeling better, though her head was still a little too heavy to try to lift off of the pillow. Looking at the "other two" as Madame Pomfrey called them, she looked up to see Ron and Harry standing over her bed, each carrying worried expressions.
"'Mione, finally you're awake. We were so worried about you. I mean one minute you're sitting there perfectly fine, and the next you've fainted in front of the whole school, and with Malfoy too!" Ron exclaimed all in one frantic breath as he sat down on the bed next to Hermione.
"Malfoy?"
"Yeah," Harry chimed in. "You both fainted."
"Is he here?" she asked while trying to sit up.
"Yeah. He's still unconscious though. I say good riddance to him, the git!" Ron muttered as Madame Pomfrey exclaimed a "Mr. Weasley!" from across the room.
"How did I get here though?" Hermione asked, just as confused as before.
"You really don't remember a thing?" Harry asked in utter disbelief. Hermione just shook her head. "Well you seemed to hit your head pretty hard so I-" while receiving an elbow in the stomach, "alright Ron I know, I'm sorry. Ron and I ran over to you and when you wouldn't respond we levitated you to the hospital wing."
"And quite rudely too Mr. Potter!" said a passing Madame Pomfrey. "You both just left Mr. Malfoy there for someone else to pick up! Until I made you both go and fetch him from off the floor."
"You both just left him there!?" Hermione said in a scolding voice.
"Well we were both too worried about you to notice. But hey at least we went back and got him." said Ron in his defense.
"Yeah, after Madame Pomfrey told you to." Hermione muttered out loud. "Is he alright?" she asked a little too quickly for comfort.
"Who cares!" Ron responded as Madame Pomfrey shot him a look. "Alright fine. He's unconscious." With that Ron smirked, very similar to a certain ferret.
"What Ron, did Christmas come early?" Hermione asked sarcastically.
Harry simply ignored the conversation and started in on something that had been puzzling him. "Hermione why did you and Malfoy both faint? That seems a little strange, don't you think? And why did you both get up at the same time and begin to walk out the door? Are you not telling us something?"
"One at a time, please Harry." replied Hermione. "And to answer all of your questions, I have absolutely no idea why any of that happened. One moment I was sitting there and the next minute I heard-" here she paused and left out one minor detail, "I heard Ron's conversation about Quidditch, which reminded me that I watched your practice last week, which reminded me that I did that after I did my History of Magic essay, which reminded me that Professor Binns was a ghost, which reminded me that Peeves was in the library earlier today throwing book ends and fruit at everyone, which reminded me that I needed to go to the library."
Harry and Ron looked amazed and confused at the same time as they stared at their, what they thought, insane friend. Even Hermione was amazed at her ability to lie that quickly.
"You got that from Quidditch?" exclaimed Harry in disbelief.
"You really need a hobby Hermione." Ron replied incredulously.
She shot Ron a glare before continuing. "Anyway, so I was getting up to leave the Great Hall and I suddenly felt dizzy, so I fainted."
"Well what about Malfoy?" Harry asked. Something was telling Hermione that Harry really didn't believe her story too well.
"What about me Potter?" Malfoy piped in slyly from the bed across from Hermione's.
"We didn't ask you Malfoy!" said Ron jumping in before Harry could open up his mouth.
"No need to get your panties in a twist Weasley, I was merely inquiring why the 'boy who just wouldn't die' was talking about me." Draco replied with a smirk to the boys and wink to Hermione.
That part pissed off Ron and Harry even more while it only confused Hermione even more. Before wands could be drawn and hexes could be cast, Madame Pomfrey spent the whole of 5 minutes trying to kick out Ron and Harry. And through it all, that damn look-at-me-I'm-such-a-sexy-know-it-all- evil-Slytherin-king smirk remained intact on Draco's face as he saw his 2 greatest enemies being escorted out of the hospital wing. Well, 2 greatest enemies apart from Granger.
"Speaking of Granger," he thought as he cast a glance in her direction. She was sitting on her bed, arms crossed, and lips pouting as she saw her protectors disappear from view. Looking at her there was a tingle of something in him. Something he couldn't explain was happening inside of him when he looked at her. It was warm and was making him dizzy all over again. But he would not faint again without figuring out what the hell it was that happened in the Great Hall before they both passed out.
"Granger." He said in a commanding voice. "Are you too weak to stand?"
This question took Hermione by surprise at his unrealistic concern for her. "I think so. Why?"
"I am trying to relate symptoms alright?" he replied in that ever-present smart-ass Malfoy way of his. "See if you can and try to walk over here."
"Why?"
"I didn't ask for questions, just do it."
Somehow, looking at him, she decided for some reason to obey. It took her a bit of difficulty to get up off the bed and find her balance in her feet. Yet, and she still doesn't know how, she managed to walk across the room to Malfoy's bed. She grasped onto the end of his bed for support trying all the time to maintain the balance that she managed to find. "What now, Malfoy?"
"Oh, I really didn't need anything I was just seeing if you would actually come." He replied with an evil smirk and a snort. "I guess you're used to calling and coming whenever purebloods ask you."
Hermione was in a shocked disbelief. "What!?" she cried. "You made me walk all the way over here when I have absolutely no strength left in me just so you could see if I would actually do it!" To that he only nodded, the smirk still plastered on his face. "I never thought that I would see the day, and I never even thought it was possible but how could I have ever doubted you. Congratulations Malfoy, you have reached a new level of evil!"
"Really Granger, you trying to make me blush?" he replied, enjoying himself immensely and inwardly boasting of his cleverness.
"Malfoy you-" but words could not describe how much she loathed him. She spent quite a while muttering out non-coherent words and phrases that could possibly explain her hatred for him.
The more she rambled on the more glad, yet the more pissed off, Malfoy became. He really did hate her and she annoyed him more than any person in the world. Well apart from Tweedledee and Tweedledum that she hangs around with. Yet the angrier they became at one other the more they began to notice the fuzziness start to surround them again. He could tell that she was feeling it too.
"Is the fuzziness coming back for you too Granger?"
"How did you know that?"
"Just a lucky guess." He replied while watching her intently. Yet the more he watched her the more something inside of him changed. She appeared, for the first time, beautiful to him, though he would never admit that to her.
Yet she too was having a similar problem while recalling her earlier description of Malfoy. She had called him, the spawn of evil himself, sexy. Something was definitely wrong with her.
It was Draco to voice his opinion first though. "Don't you just love those inner battles with yourself Granger?"
A small laugh escaped her lips as she sat down at the foot of his bed. "Oh of course." Yet her brows wrinkled in confusion and he followed suit, as everything in the room suddenly became misty and a small steam enveloped the floor. They both looked around their surroundings becoming even more puzzled. "Is this for real Malfoy?"
"I think so, but then I have no idea."
"What should we do?" she asked while standing from his bed, her strength returning to her.
He followed suit but not before slightly losing his balance for a moment and leaning his support upon Hermione. He had grasped onto her shoulders and she spun around to steady him by placing her hands on his arms. There they were, with their hands on each other, and there was such electricity between them Hermione could swear that her already frizzy hair rose an inch higher. Their eyes were locked and their faces only inches apart as Draco slowly leaned in further towards her. But that contact was not to be, as a strong wind whipped around both of their faces and turning their heads they were no longer in the Hospital Wing, but standing right next to a small lake, more like a swimming hole, in a moon-lit wooded forest. Hermione grasped him a little tighter as she gazed at her surroundings with fear from her head to her toes. "Where are we?" she asked hesitantly.
But looking at Draco his eyes were locked upon the area with excitement and puzzlement in his gaze and his mouth was hanging slightly open. "I can't believe this." he muttered in amazement.
"What, you can't believe what Malfoy!?" Hermione asked with a small amount, all right, a large amount of panic in her voice.
"How did this happen?" he asked again to no one in particular. Their appearance had also changed as they were both free of their pajamas like earlier and were standing in their everyday clothes covered by their black robes.
"Draco where are we!?" Hermione asked a little more forcefully, turning him to look at her. She surprised herself by saying his name, but Draco didn't even seem to notice.
"Well, its just." his voice trailing off, before just deciding to giver her the basic details as he himself couldn't describe any of it. "We're at Malfoy Manor. And this," here he paused "is part of our woods."
"Alright", Hermione said after a while. "Why are we here."
"I don't know." Draco said once again staring out into the distance. "I was just thinking about it and suddenly here we are."
"You were thinking about your woods?"
"Well actually I was thinking about taking a swim." He replied sheepishly to her.
"Taking a swim!? Here!?" Hermione asked, still in confusion.
"Well yes! This is a swimming pond."
"Is it clean?" she replied hesitantly.
"Would a Malfoy ever swim in dirty water?" Draco asked as though stating the obvious.
"True, but how?" Hermione asked nodding her head to the water, the moonlight now casting a frame upon the water.
"Magic. How is anything else done in the wizard world?" Hermione just chose to regard that question as being a rhetorical question while Draco walked hesitantly over to the edge. Crouching down by the waters edge, he scooped up a handful of water and watched as it drained from his hands. "It is real." He said in amazement. Getting another handful of water, Hermione watched as he blew the water out of his hand and it fell back onto the surface. But as soon as it touched, the drops illuminated as the light soon spread across from one side to the other as the light was traveling from one ripple to the other. She could see the bottom of the pond as Hermione noticed that it was indeed more like a swimming pool than an actual pond. "Feel it." Draco said with his eyes still locked upon the water. Hermione crouched down beside him and gracefully ran her fingers over the surface scooping up a small amount of water in her hand before letting it fall. Draco was intently watching her hand and noticed her eyes momentarily close.
"Its amazing." She muttered while turning and catching his gaze. "And it's warm too." She said after a momentary pause.
"Its magic." He whispered back to her. Returning his eyes he stood up at his full height and turned to walk a few feet away from the bank. Hermione looked out upon the pond once more before turning her eyes behind her to see Draco throw his robe upon the tree stump next to him. When he began to lift his black sweater above his head, Hermione interjected.
"What are you doing?" she asked hurriedly.
"I'm going swimming." He said back. "Care to join me?" he asked, his sweater now beside his robe while he began to unbutton his white dress shirt.
"To go swimming?" and at Draco's obvious nod she started again. "And be wearing what?" she asked, while Draco's shirt was halfway unbuttoned and no longer tucked in.
"That's why I'm doing this Granger." He replied, as though stating the obvious again. For some reason lately he had a way of making Hermione feel stupid.
"Oh." she said. "You're not going to be swimming completely undressed are you?" she asked hesitantly.
"No." he replied to her question while removing his shirt. (A/N: Draco fans enter your giggle here - ______________________)
"Oh my." Was the only thing going through Hermione's head when he removed that piece of clothing. If she was drooling in the train compartment over his back it was nothing compared to his front side. No wonder every girl threw herself at him. He had the best body she had ever seen a teenage wizard inhabit. Draco Malfoy was constantly surprising her. "Well what will you be wearing?" she asked, and she saw him smile when he noticed her staring. Being a gentleman however he didn't feel the need to tease her about it. For some reason lately he had a way of not picking at her so much.
Now only clad in his black slacks he sat down on the same stump and started taking off his shoes and socks, all black of course. "I don't know." He said. "Are you going to swim too or just stay in your clothes?" he asked her.
"Why?" she said a little suspiciously. Rolling his eyes, she knew why he asked. Standing up now only in his pants he removed his wand from his robe and tapping his hip once he was suddenly in his black, what other color would it be, swimming suit.
"I just needed to know your size, Granger." He said twirling his wand in his hand.
Realization and a blush came upon Hermione as she did a sort of half laugh half sigh. "Oh."
Smirking Draco walked over to the waters edge while she stood up to face him. Passing by her he tapped her once on her stomach, and looking down Hermione blushed even more. She was in a black bikini. "Of course Draco picked out this outfit." she thought to herself, while turning to face him. Yet his expression matched her previous one as he stared at her. This was not the Hermione Granger he used to know.
"No wonder Potter and Weasley hang around her so much." He thought. She had certainly filled out in several places, and rather well too. Hermione had grown in just about every direction and slimmed in a few other places as her hourglass figure complimented her nicely. Draco was stunned for words. Somehow his thinking returned to normal as he turned to her and said. "You coming in or not?"
Laughing a little Hermione replied, "You go first."
"Alright." He said while diving into the water right where he was standing. All Hermione saw next was a splash before his head rose above the water after a while. "You coming in?"
"Is it deep enough to do that?" she asked a little frightened.
"It becomes what ever depth you want it to be." He said back while waving an arm at her "Come on in."
"Oh, alright." She replied after a second of considering the pros and cons of what she was about to do. Stepping back she voiced her thought. "If only there was a diving board." She said loud enough for both of them to hear. Before Draco could respond Hermione was also knocked over by a rather large bulky object to the side of her. Turning there before here was a diving board, just as she had imagined it. "Hmm, Draco?" she asked while he too was stunned. "Does your swimming hole also make things appear?" but from the expression on his face she knew the answer. She had suddenly changed her mind on the need of a diving board and as soon as it was there it was gone. They both stared at the empty spot for a moment before Draco interrupted the silence.
"Are you coming in or not?" he asked as he just chose to ignore it. Usually he wouldn't but for some reason he decided to.
Looking at the wet and disheveled Draco, Hermione couldn't help but walk to the very edge to dive in next to him. Draco looked rather adorable as he grinned at the prospect of having a swimming buddy. "Well move and I will." And before he could respond she too dove in, and sent a small splash in his direction. She soon rose to the water and turned to face him while she shook the water out of her face and he followed suit.
"So how do you like it?" he asked her, as they both kept their arms and legs in motion in order to stay afloat, which caused them to bob up and down.
"It feels nice." She said in response, blushing as their legs hit one another. Both replied a quick "sorry" but it soon followed with them laughing. Draco reached forward to tickle her and she splashed him lightly in return.
Shaking the water out of his eyes, Draco exclaimed, "Now you're going to get it!" while he started chasing, or swimming, after her. And that was how they spent their time. Though time seemed to just not exist as they splashed and played like children in the water. Neither of them understood why they had fainted in the Great Hall, could read each other's mind, or how they appeared at Malfoy Manor. Yet it didn't trouble them too much as they continued to enjoy themselves and left all that for later. It wasn't as though they were ignoring it, it was just they seemed to completely forget about what had happened the moment they remembered what was happening to them. It was almost as if something was blocking everything from their minds. They just seemed to have completely forgotten even how they got here, as Hermione and Draco continued to just have fun and forget about everything for a while. Something had changed in both of them and neither of them could understand it. But they didn't seem to care.
Draco was playfully spinning Hermione around in the water as the water came up to Draco's shoulders and Hermione's chin. As they stopped their spinning Draco had somehow locked Hermione's arms around his neck and his around her waist as he had slouched down a bit to her height, she practically sitting on him. Their faces were merely inches apart as they both could only stare at the other. They seemed to be repeating themselves as Draco was fighting the urge to lean in closer to her. Everything was forgotten here. With the rivalry, the hatred, the enemies, the differences, and the prejudices, none of that was important while they were in this pond. They were both just 2 teenagers swimming and enjoying their adolescence, and the thing that was the most teenager in them was about to get the better of them. Their faces became slightly closer as Draco ran a hand down the side of her face and tracing the outline of her jaw while she responded in playing lightly with the silver blonde hair that fell at the base of his neck. "Should we be doing this?" Hermione asked hesitantly and barely above a whisper.
"Probably not." Draco replied in the same fashion while running his finger along her lips. But ignoring his own advice he lightly grasped her chin and pulled her in for what would be the sexiest moment of both of their lives. His lips were moving in towards hers as she closed her eyes waiting for his kiss. She could feel his breath upon her lips when all of a sudden realization slapped her in the face. Quickly she opened her eyes to see him less than an inch a way from her, his eyes closed in anticipation. Hermione turned her head as he opened his eyes to see what the disturbance was. In cases like this it would have been his job to be either mad or apologize. He didn't do either. Draco just simply watched her slide out of his embrace and walk to the edge of the pond. Climbing out she waved her wand as a towel appeared as she dried herself off. With a tap of her wand she replaced her bathing suit with her clothes. Draco soon followed suit, neither of them speaking.
"I want to go back." Hermione said, while he nodded in agreement. Before another word was spoken they both felt their eyes cloud over as they both fell asleep right where they were standing. Before they could fall upon the ground, they were both back in the Hospital Wing a split second later as though the woods had transformed back into the infirmary. They were both standing right next to their beds, as they fell upon them fast asleep. The only reminder of their visit was in Hermione's wet hair and Draco's shoes still upon his feet.