Disclaimer: Severus, Hermione, and any other character you recognize from the books are the sole property of Ms. Rowling. Everything else, plot, original characters, etc. belong to me. No disrespect is intended with the writing of this piece. This was done purely for my own enjoyment, and hopefully yours. Enjoy!

Author Notes: I want to thank my WONDERFUL beta Aemos for all of her help and support. Be sure to check out all of her amazing fics. You're the best, Aemos!!!

Chapter 1

*2 months earlier*

"Hermione, are you sure you don't want to spend the summer with your dad and me? All alone in some little beach town doesn't sound like much fun to me."

Hermione sighed, then looked up from her packing to meet her mother's pleading brown eyes.

"Mum I already told you," she began, raking her fingers through her hair, "I need this time alone to recuperate. I have been working at my restaurant nonstop for the past three years without any kind of holiday. I. Need. A. Break. And I need the kind of break where nobody is around."

"But who will take care of your house?" Olivia Granger asked, gesturing wildly at everything around her. "And Dante! Who will take care of Dante?"

Hermione smiled at her mother's futile attempts to get her to stay home.

"I placed wards on my house and Dante is coming with me," she said, grinning. "And since when do you give a hoot about my owl?"

Olivia rolled her eyes at Hermione's attempt at a joke.

"Save the witticisms Hermione," she said, frowning down at her daughter. "Be careful. That's all I'm asking."

"I'm twenty-three years old, mum. I can take care of myself."

"I'm aware of what you are capable of," she said, sitting down on the bed next to Hermione and reaching for her hand. "But that doesn't mean I won't worry."

"I know," Hermione said, reaching over to wrap her arms around the slight woman next to her. "I'll miss you, mum."

"Now stop that or I won't let you go."

She gave her daughter a tight squeeze then pulled back, eyes glassy with tears.

"Have a wonderful time, dear."

"I will, mum. I will."

~~*~~

Hermione looked around the house one last time, checking to see if she had forgotten anything.

"Looks like we have everything, Dante," she said to the tawny owl perched on the back of a dining chair. She gestured to the open cage on the table. "In you go."

He hooted softly, then glided smoothly into the cage. Hermione picked up her purse, filled with all of her shrunken belongings, then the cage, and stepped over to the fireplace. It was already filled with green flames for her scheduled departure. She stepped into the flames, giggling lightly at the tickling sensation.

"Poseidon Resort!" she shouted. She caught one glance down at Dante before her world disappeared in a whirlwind of green flames and open fireplaces. Just when she thought the trip was getting too long she stumbled out onto a polished marble floor. Immediately a wizard in a bright yellow polo shirt, khaki shorts, and sandals came rushing over.

"Welcome to the Poseidon Resort and Spa," he said, reaching for her bag and the cage. He flashed her a very white, toothy grin. "My name is Tom Richards and you must be," he closed his eyes for a moment, "Hermione Granger! My 11:30 arrival! I trust your trip was satisfactory?"

"Yes, I..."

"Let me just check you in," he interrupted, running a short wand made of pink quartz over her from head to toe. It glowed bright white for a moment, then the glow died down. "Ah, that's taken care of." He picked up Dante's cage once more. "Let me show you to your bungalow, Miss Granger." He turned and took long, bouncy steps toward the expansive glass doors that opened to a large marble patio.

~He's not even giving me a chance to look around!~

She glared at his rapidly retreating back and ran after him. She just caught the tail end of whatever he had been telling her.

"...and right outside these doors is one of our famous lagoon-style pools. Real dolphins live there, so it will be a real treat to swim with them." He laughed heartily and gave her a jaunty smile. "Most of our guests are afraid to swim with the dolphins, Miss Granger, but I wager you won't be one of those."

"No, actually I..."

"As you can see, we have full access to all beaches island-wide. No muggles here, you see. Entirely Wizarding population here, you see, so feel free to use all the magic you want!"

He was really beginning to wear her down. She knew all of this from the bloody brochure! Did the twit think she just decided to show up out of the blue?

"To your left you're going to get your first real view of the ocean." He stopped and put her bag and the cage down, then pointed between a break in the palm trees. "Take a look."

She stepped around him and gasped. Beyond the stretch of pearly white sand was the most exquisite, clear blue she had ever seen. Waves roared and crashed down onto the beach, sending streams of white foam rushing toward them before hissing and retreating back into the endless chasms of the sea. The air smelled of salt and a lingering floral, fruity smell she had yet to place.

Paradise...it truly was paradise.

"It's breathtaking," she whispered, gazing open-mouthed at the panorama.

Tom gave her a few moments before insisting that they move on. He led her further down the sand path, stopping now and then to point out a resort attraction or to tell her the name of some particularly vibrant flower or bird.

At last they came to a clearing, giving them a full view of the ocean and two small cottages. The cottages were a startling white with large porches facing the ocean. Expansive windows graced the walls, offering the occupants the best possible view of the beach and ocean. Hermione noticed that the windows did not allow someone outside to peer in.

"Clever," she muttered, following Tom up the short flight of stairs to the western-most cottage.

"This is where you will be staying," he said, pulling out his wand to unlock the door. "You may change the password to whatever you wish, of course."

~Of course.~

She followed him inside, grinning. The entryway where they were standing had a floor of highly polished wood with skylights above allowing sunlight to stream in. Immediately in from of her she could see the sitting room. It was furnished with comfortable looking couches of a deep, ocean blue and several well-stocked bookcases. There was even a television and stereo in an entertainment center.

"Some of our guests like to have the television and stereo removed," Tom pointed out, noticing the trail of her eyes. "Do you want to keep them?"

"Oh, I'll keep them," Hermione said, unable to keep the excitement from her voice. She had brought her own CD player just in case the resort didn't provide one. Music was something she simply could not live without.

To the left of the sitting room was the kitchen. The cabinets were made of the same kind of wood as the entryway, and there was even a full-sized refrigerator and stove. Off to one side, in a room made entirely of windows, was a small eating area, complete with a glass top table mounted on a statue of three dolphins, poised as if leaping from the ocean. A small bar area with two stools completed the kitchen.

An open door to the right of the sitting room revealed a spacious bedroom. The main focus of the room was a large, wrought iron canopy bed. The canopy was made of yards and yards of mosquito netting, and the linens, made of the softest cotton Hermione had ever touched, complimented the bed with shades of lavender, silver, and a deep purple. A sliding glass door opened to a small porch facing the cottage next door and a side view of the beach, and contained a small table with two chairs.

As tempting as the bed was at the moment, Hermione was anxious to check out the bathroom. She wandered through a door next to a large armoire and was struck speechless. It was the most magnificent bathroom she had ever laid eyes on. Directly before her, in the middle of the room, stood an enormous bathtub. The tub seemed to have been carved from one gigantic boulder, sparkling with hidden facets of deep blue and purple, and large enough to accommodate several men of Hagrid's size. Potted flowers and greenery were scattered around the tub, perched on the edges, and some seemed to grow directly out of the rock. A small waterfall trickled from the highest point of the rock to fill the tub. In the farthest corner of the room was the most unusual shower Hermione had ever seen. Like the tub, the shower was made entirely of the same sparkling stone, but no showerhead was to be found. Instead, several multi-colored flowers were growing out of the wall and hung down over the shower. Hermione stepped closer and lightly touched the soft petals of one flower. Immediately a warm spray of water began issuing forth from the petals.

"Wow," she whispered, touching the flower once more to stem the flow.

Looking around, she noticed that the plant life was stirring, as if touched by a gentle breeze. She gazed up at the ceiling and grinned. Like the Great Hall at Hogwarts, the ceiling of the bathroom had been enchanted to show the sky.

It was all magnificent.

She reluctantly left the bathroom and went back to the sitting room. Tom was standing beside the couch, a boyish grin on his face.

"How does everything suit you, Miss Granger?"

"Everything is wonderful, Tom. Just wonderful."

"Excellent! Will you be needing anything else?"

"I don't think so," she said, reaching into her pocket for a few sickles. She pressed them into Tom's hand. "Thank you for your assistance."

"My pleasure," he said, winking. "If you are ever in need of anything, simply floo the front desk."

"I will, thank you."

"Enjoy your stay, Miss Granger." He winked once more, then flounced out the door.

Hermione didn't know what to do first. Explore the island? Get a massage? Go to the beach? A loud screech from the cage at her feet snapped her attention back to the present.

"Let your owl out first, Hermione," she said aloud, shaking her head and smiling at Dante. She pulled the cage door open and held out her arm for Dante to step on. She carried him to a perch in the far corner of the sitting room. "Here's your place, Dante," she said, stroking his feathers lightly. He nipped her finger, then tucked his head under his wing for a nice, long nap.

~That's not such a bad idea. No reason to stay here to nap, though. I think I'll go down to the beach so that I can get some sun at the same time.~

She changed into a bright red, triangle top bikini, slathered on sunscreen, then slipped into a pair of white cotton shorts. She gathered up a towel, a book to read, her CD player and CD's, then filled a jug with ice water and headed out the door.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, turning back to the door. "I need to change the locking password."

She thought for a few moments before a huge grin broke on her face. She tapped her wand to the door.

"Jimmy Buffet."

A light orange glow surrounded the door for a few moments, then seemed to trickle back into her wand. She laughed lightly to herself as she trudged through the sand.

~I'd like to see any wizard figure that one out!~

She spread her towel out on the sand and pulled her shorts off before lying down on the towel. She put her headphones on, turned on her "Dark Side of the Moon" CD, then laid back with her book. The combination of the warm sun, gentle breeze, and the music soon had her fast asleep.