Chapter 36-

AN- Hey guys…I'm back…Sorry I took so long…Thanks for being patient…Sorry if this chapter isn't one of my best…I needed to end the Bahamas Vacation somehow…Well, without further ado…

Oh, I want to thank all of my wonderful reviewers!!! I love you all. And for EvErYtHiNg4NoThInG who asked what college that I am going to…The College of the Ozarks…it is really close to Branson, Missouri….Thanks for caring!! I love you!!!!

The next few days went on without incident. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Tayler, Hermione, and Draco went to concerts, dances, and moonlight strolls on the deck. They were all having a great time, and there had been no sign of Erik and his cronies. But, all good things have to come to an end. It was their last night aboard the Disney Cruise Liner, and they had all intentions of making it the best. They woke up early in the morning and went to breakfast, so that they could get in a full day of fun.

"So, what are we going to do today?" Hermione asked as they were finishing up their breakfast.

"Aren't we stopping off at that island, Nassau, today?" Harry, who had his arm draped over Ginny's shoulders, asked.

"I think so." Ginny said

"Here, I'll check the itinerary." Hermione said as she pulled out a small packet of papers. She skimmed it for a minute before saying, "Yep. It's our last stop before we head home."

"Hey, do you think we can do that flying thing? You know, the one where they attach the sheet to your back and string you off of a boat?" Draco asked.

"Yeah!! That looked Bloody Brilliant!" Ron chimed in.

"You mean, parasailing?" Hermione asked, looking a bit apprehensive.

"Yeah, that. Can we do it? Please?" Draco asked as he gave her a pitiful puppy dog face.

"You guys can do whatever you want. But, I think that I will stay on the ground." Hermione said as she crossed her arms across her chest. She looked down at Draco, who was still giving her a sad face and threw her hands in the air. "Don't look at me like that. You know that I don't like heights. You can go and I will watch."

"Oh, 'Mione. Come on." Draco begged. "We can ride together. I promise that I will protect you."

"NO!"

"Please."

"No."

"Pleeease."

"Nooo."

"Pleaseeee"

"No, Draco. I don't want to."

"Come on, Hermione. It won't be that bad. Plus you can cling to me if you are afraid." Draco said confidently.

"Riight…"

"Please, 'Mione. Do this for me."

"FINE!!! I'll do it, but if I die…I am going to come back a haunt you for the rest of your life!!" Hermione said as she threw her hands into the air once again.

"Good! Let's go get ready." Draco said as he stood up and pulled Hermione up with him.

Hermione groaned before reluctantly letting him pull her away from the table. 'What have I gotten myself into?'

"Okay, kids. Are you all suited up?" The instructor asked as they rode out towards the parasailing platform in the middle of the ocean.

Everyone, except Hermione, nodded.

"Hermione? Are you going to be okay?" Harry asked as he looked at the girl in question with concern written all over his face.

Hermione nodded, but didn't look convinced.

"Well, we're here!" said the instructor. "Everyone off."

They got off of the boat and loaded onto the platform. Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her safety vest as the instructor hooked Harry and Ginny up to the parachute.

"Okay, I need you to walk back about five steps, and when the boats starts moving let go." the instructor said when he was finished. Harry and Ginny nodded and took five big steps backwards. "Ready?" they nodded again. "Okay. I am going to count to three. 1...2...3!!"

Harry and Ginny let there feet fly out from under them as they took off into the air. They got higher and higher until Hermione could barely see them. Though she couldn't see their facial expressions, she was able to tell that they were both having a great time. They soared around in the air for fifteen minutes before finally coming back down to the platform.

Ron and Tayler went next. As they were soaring through the sky, Harry and Ginny came up to Draco. "It was so Great!!!" Ginny said.

"Yeah! It was a ton of fun! Don't worry Hermione. It was a lot of fun and it wasn't scary at all!" Harry said.

Hermione just nodded and watched Ron and Tayler. 'I am going to die…' Hermione thought as she watched them laugh.

Then, all to soon, it was Hermione and Draco's turn. The instructor hooked them up and Hermione clung to Draco as tightly as she could. "Hermione, ease up a bit. We haven't ever left the ground yet." Draco said as he tried to pry her fingers from his arm.

Hermione nodded absently, but she didn't remove or lessen her grasp. 'I am going to die…' she kept thinking over and over. Then, Hermione heard, "3.…2.…1!!"

Draco let his feet up, but Hermione couldn't move hers. Suddenly, the parachute took off with her feet dragging on the platform. Hermione winced before finally pulling her feet off of the platform, and letting the parachute take her into the air.

Hermione eyes were pressed shut as hard as she could and her grip on Draco's hand tightened. "Hermione. Chill. Open your eyes. It's beautiful." he said as he tired to get her to relax.

Hermione just shook her head and tightened her grip on him once more.

'Fine.' thought Draco as he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her for a few minutes before he finally drew back with a smile.

Hermione opened her eyes as Draco drew back from her. She had totally forgotten where she was as she stared at Draco and smiled. Then she looked down and screamed. She was about to close her eyes again when she saw something that caught her eyes. It was a bird. But not just any bird. It was a phoenix. Hermione stared at it for a few seconds before recognizing it as none other than Falkes. "Draco. Look." She said as she pointed at the bird. "That's Dumbledore's. I wonder why he is here."

"Don't worry about that now. Just look at the beautiful scenery and ocean." Draco said as he kissed her once more before pulling away and gazing out into the open sky.

Hermione nodded and her gaze followed Draco's. It really was beautiful. She looked out into the wide expanse of the ocean and smiled. 'Wow!'

Hermione was just starting to enjoy the ride when they began descending. Hermione panicked once again and she grabbed Draco's arm. Draco smirked and pressed his lips to hers once again.

Hermione yelped in surprise, but found that it calmed her. She pressed her lips to his and they continued to kiss until they hit the platform once again. Draco drew away and smiled. "Better?" he asked in a confident voice.

Hermione blushed as she turned her attention to taking off the cables. When they were finally unattached, they walked over to the others.

"Did you kiss the entire time?" Ginny asked as she gave Hermione a playful punch in the arm.

Hermione blushed again and looked away. "Not the entire time." she muttered.

The others laugh as they got back onto the boat and headed back to the island.

They spent the rest of the day shopping on the island and they had a romantic dinner at a restaurant called, The Cristal Ball. After they ate, they reboarded the boat and set sail for Florida.