Chapter 33-
That night, Hermione slept more peacefully than she had in a long time. The excitement of the next day had totally drained her. She slept like a rock and was enjoying every second of it. Then, she was pulled from her dreams by some one shaking her. Her eyes fluttered open and she gazed upon the boy above her. She had to open and shut her eyes several times before she was able to get them focused enough to see Ron looming over her.
"Hermione, wake up!" he said. "We have to leave in a hour."
"What? I thought we were leaving at one thirty."
"We are. It's one thirty right now. You've been sleeping for over fourteen hours. I don't know how you did it."
"What? Fourteen hours!!! I need to get up. And boy am I hungry." she said as she sat up and looked at the clock. Sure enough, it was 1:30. "Why did you let me sleep that long. I could've been doing something productive!"
"Hermione, calm down. You needed the sleep. You have been through a lot. Now get up and et dressed." he ordered. She got up and began to walk across the room. "Green silk, eh?" he asked as he looked at her P.J.'s.
"Yeah." Hermione said as she blushed. "I bought them when I was in London."
"Whatever. Just hurry up. I am going to go back to the game."
"Game?"
"Yeah, we are all outside playing Quidditch. Whoever lost the race around the yard had to come here and get you."
"Gee, thanks. You guys are soo good to me." Hermione said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.
"Well, bye." he said as he ran to the window and flew out of it.
'Boys.' Hermione thought as she rolled her eyes yet again.
Forty-Five minutes later Harry, Ron, Ginny, Draco, and Hermione were sitting in the living room waiting for their portkey to take them to Florida. Soon, they were all standing in a circle holding an old, broken pocket watch.
They soon felt the familiar pull behind their naval and closed their eyes. A few seconds later, they opened them and looked around. They were standing in the middle of a dark alley.
Hermione moved slightly closer to Draco and Ginny did the same with Harry. "Where are we?" Hermione asked, putting the question in everyone's mind into words.
"Don't worry. They probably just had us land here so ne muggles could see us." Draco said as he put a protective arm around Hermione.
"Come on guys. Let's get out of this nasty alley. I want to get on the boat as soon as possible!" Ginny said as she pulled Harry down the alley.
Hermione laced her arms through Draco's and Ron's and they quickly followed Harry and Ginny. When they reached the end of the alley, they were standing in front of a huge building called Cruises 'Round the World. "Guys this is it." Hermione said as she raced towards the building.
"It looks like an airport." Harry said as they rushed to catch up with Hermione.
"A what?" Ron and Ginny asked at the same time.
"It's a muggle thing." Harry replied and the other two just shrugged their shoulders and followed his into the building.
The five teenagers walked through the building until they found the right platform. Hermione checked them in as the others went and sat down. "We will be boarding in fifteen minutes." The lady said with a smile.
"Okay, thanks." she said as she walked off towards the others.
"Hermione, look." Draco said pointing to the window. "Which one is ours?"
Hermione walked over to the window and looked out. There were two boats sitting outside the window. Hermione recognized both immediately. The one farthest for them was the Big Red Boat, and the one closest was the Disney Cruise liner. Their boat had several Disney characters hanging over the side. Goofy was the closest. He was hanging off the front of the boat with a paint can and a paint brush. "That one." Hermione said as she pointed to it.
"Cool." he said as they heard the intercom come on.
"Attention to all those leaving out of platform 232, boarding will begin in five minutes. You may begin lining up now."
Hermione stood up, pulling Draco with her. "Come on guys. In five minutes we get to get on the boat."
Five minutes later they were walking down the hall that connected the platform and the boat. The lady had instructed them to follow the hall, and keep walking until they got to an elevator. They were then supposed to take the elevator down to level 'C'.
"Hermione, what is an elivador?" Draco asked her quietly, not wanting the other to hear and think he was stupid.
Hermione smiled, "It's elevator, and you'll see." she said as she led him down the hall. 'This is going to be fun. Draco can't use any magic for a whole week and a half!!' she thought.
'Maybe this won't be so bad. Muggles don't seem as bad as my dad had always made them sound.' Draco thought as he followed her. Draco was soon brought back to reality when he smashed into Hermione. This caused a chain reaction…Harry bumped into Draco…Ginny into Harry…and Ron into Ginny.
Draco opened his mouth to ask what happened when he saw her move forward a press her finger to the wall. When she removed it, he saw a little square button that was lit up and had a down arrow on it. Then, the wall opened. Draco gazed at it in awe. Sure he's seen moving staircases, but he had never seen a wall open. He saw Hermione move towards this new whole in the wall. "Don't go in there. It could be a trap." he yelled.
Hermione paused for a moment before turning back. "What? No, this is an elevator, right Harry?
Harry smiled and nodded. He let go of Ginny's hand and walked into the wall with Hermione. They stood in the wall waiting for the other three, who weren't sure it was safe, to join them. "Are you coming or what?" Harry asked.
Draco decided then and there that if Potter could do it that he could to. He stepped forward and slowly walked into the opening in the wall. As he stepped inside the wall he released a breath that he didn't realize he was holding.
After a few seconds, Ron and Ginny joined them. Hermione leaned forward and pushed another wall button and the wall began closing again. A spark of fear overcame Draco, but he hid it quickly. Then, just as Draco had adjusted to being trapped inside a wall, they started moving. Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and held it tightly in his own.
Ron, who had been standing in the corner, jumped when the elevator started moving. Hermione reached over and offered her open hand to him. He took it and clung to it tightly.
Soon, the elevator stopped moving and the wall opened once again. 'That wasn't too bad.' Draco thought as he watched Hermione get off. 'I actually kinda like this contraption.'
"Now, let's go to our room, shall we?" Hermione said when they were all off of the elevator.
The others nodded and Hermione looked at the signs on the wall:
001C--200C left
201C--400C right
"This way." Hermione said as she led them left. Soon, she stopped in front of a door that said: 099C. "Here we are." she said as she pulled out her key and put it into the key whole.
Hermione flung the door opened and let the others enter. When everyone was in they stood and admired their room. Hermione's mouth dropped to the floor. This room practically mirrored the Heads Common Room. In the back of the room there was three doors. 'Three room?' Hermione thought as she examined the rest of the room. To the left of the doors, there was a huge fireplace complete with fire. Across the room from that there was five couches: 3 red and gold, 1 was silver and green, and 1 was a brilliant mix of the four colors. Hermione assumed that was hers.
'This has to be Dumbledore's handy work.' she thought as she turned to look at the others.
"This has to be Dumbledore." Draco said with a laugh.
"Yep." Everyone agreed.
"Look!" Hermione said as she walked towards the coffee table between the couches. She picked up a envelop and examined it.
Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Draco Malfoy, Mr. Ronald Weasley,
Ms. Hermione Granger, and Ms. Virginia Weasley.
Was written on it. Hermione opened the letter and read it aloud:
I hope you all like your quarters. They are enchanted to appear normal to anyone who isn't magic. Although, I would advise you to ask that it not be cleaned…for obvious reasons.
I hope you will find them satisfactory. I chose not to put names of the doors due to the fact that you would probably pay no mind to it anyway…
If you haven't figured it out already, I moved you from the Weasley house for a reason. I am afraid that Voldemort might go looking for Draco and/or Hermione and it is not really safe for them to stay in one place for an extended amount of time. Please do not be afraid, and have a good time.
Please refrain from using any form of magic while you are there. I fear that there are ways of finding you if you do use your magic. (Also there are too many muggles) Also, I advise you to continue to carry your wands in the rare event that you might need to defend yourself. But, I say again, don't use any magic unless absolutely necessary.
Enjoy your vacation. I will be seeing you soon.
Lemon Drops.
"Lemon Drops?" Draco asked.
"He loves them. He is eating them constantly." explained Harry.
"Riight. If you say so. Now, I would like to claim the room on the far right for me and Hermione." Draco announced.
"Hermione and I." Hermione corrected.
"Yeah, yeah."
"Okay, Harry and I get the one on the left." Ginny announced.
"NO! VIRGINIA WEASLEY, YOU ARE NOT SLEEPING IN THE SAME ROOM AS HARRY!" Ron fumed. "THERE IS NO WAY."
"But I am 16 years ol--"
"No, Gin. I will stay in a room with Harry and you can have your own."
"FINE!" Ginny yelled as she ran off to the room on the far left.
"Merlin Ron, it's not like we were going to have sex!" Harry scolded as he followed his girlfriend.
Ron threw his hands up in the air and stomped to the room in the middle.
"Well, hoe 'bout we go to the deck and check it out." Draco said in an effort to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Good idea." Hermione said as she followed him out the door.
"Hey, 'Mione. Can I push the buttons on the elivador?" he asked as the walked down the hall.
"It's ele-vat-or, and yes you can."
"Cool." he said as he increased speed.
An hour later, Draco and Hermione were standing on the deck looking out into the expanse on the ocean. Hermione marveled at how breathtaking this was. Draco moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned back against his chest and they slowly rocked to the music in the background.
"I still can't believe that we rode the elevator up and down over twenty times!" Hermione said, breaking the comfortable silence.
"It was fun and you know it!" Draco said.
"Oh, I agree. It was a lot of fun. I just can't believe we did it." Hermione said as she looked out into the sky. The sun was setting and the sky was highlighted with brilliant shades of pinks and red. Hermione thought that it was the most beautiful thing that she has ever seen. "This is so beautiful!'' she said as she gazed out into the night.
"Yes you are." Draco, who was looking at Hermione not the sky, said.
Hermione turned in Draco's arms, so that she could look him in the eyes. "I wasn't talking about myself."
"I was."
Hermione blushed and gave him a light kiss on the lips. She pulled back momentarily before snaking her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his once again. They kissed passionately for a long time before Draco suddenly pulled away. He stepped a few feet away.
Hermione looked at him with hurt and confusion, but this was quickly replaced when he smiled at her and bowed. Then he held his hand out to her and asked her if she wanted to dance. Then, she realized that the reason he had pulled back was because their song had started playing in the background.
Hermione took his hand and he pulled her close. She placed her arms on his shoulders as he placed his hands on her hips. They danced for a while and Hermione rested her head on his chest.
"Thank you." he whispered in her ear as the song came to an end.
Hermione pulled back and looked at him. "For what?"
"For saving me." he replied. "If you hadn't come into my life, who knows where I would be now. That night when I kissed you for the first time, I was happy for the first time since I was about three. Even if it only lasted for a few wonderful seconds. Since that very moment I have thought of nothing but you. Since then I have craved that happiness more than anything in the whole world. You are the only person who has brought me that kind of happiness, and I love you more than anything."
Hermione was speechless. There was no words for this moment. She just pulled him close and captured his lips with hers once again. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she pulled back and hugged him tightly.
A few minutes later, someone cleared their voice behind them. Hermione turned her head to see Harry, Ron, and Ginny watching them.
"Hey," Hermione said as she put a tiny amount of space between her and Draco.
"Hey." They said as they walked over to the railing and looked out into the night.
"Are you all okay now?" Hermione asked after a awkward pause.
"Yeah, we talked, but I am still not happy about them sleeping in the same bed." Ron pouted.
"GINNY??" came a voice from somewhere behind them.
They all turned around just in time to see Ginny et barreled over by someone. "Oh Merlin!! I haven't seen you in forever!" the girl said. "I would recognize that red hair anywhere!"
The girl stood up and reached a hand out to help Ginny stand. "Tayler, is that you?" Ginny squealed.
"Yep. Oh Gin, I miss you soo much!!" Tayler said as she hugged her friend tightly.
"Oh me too, Tay. Why did you ever leave?"
"We had to. My dad got a transfer to the states."
"But you didn't say goodbye." Ginny said as a tear developed in the corner of her eyes.
"Oh, Gin. I am so sorry!"
"It's okay. I am just glad that I finally get to see you again."
"Me too!!" Tayler said as she leaned forward and hugged Ginny again.
Ron
As the two girls talked, Ron looked over Tayler. 'Wow. She is so beautiful!' he thought as he looked over her. She had long brown hair that hung down the middle of her back, she was about 5'8'', and her eyes were a brilliant shade of hazel. She was wearing a blue sundress that was strapless and it had a slit up the leg and she was barefoot. It was amazing…she was amazing.
"Ron, this is my friend---"
"Tayler. Yeah, I heard." he said as he held a hand out to her. "Nice to meet you." Ron said, surprised at himself for not stuttering or looking stupid.
"Nice to meet you too. I remember you from school. I was a Gryffindor in Ginny's year." Tayler said.
"I thought that I recognized you from somewhere." Ron said.
"Anyways," Ginny interrupted. "This is my boyfriend Harry." she said as she dragged Tayler to Harry.
Tayler's eyes widened as she shook Harry's hand.
"And this is Hermione Granger." Ginny said pointing to Hermione.
They shook hands and nodded at each other.
"And Draco Malfoy."
Tayler turned to Draco and her eyes immediately fell. "We've met." She said as she turned back to Ginny. "I really have to be going. See you later, I'm sure."
"Okay…bye." she said as Tayler walked away.
Hermione turned to Draco. "What happened between you and her?"
"Well, we had a small…umm run in a while ago…"