A/N: Shout-outs! I have gotten so many uplifting reviews! Omg! Thank you all so much! Well, on with the shout-outs!
carly-- Hermione and Draco will get it on sOoOoOoOoN!
kk-- Yeah, I didn't want Hermione to give up her innocence in a bathtub either! I'm jealous that you live in Florida! LuCkY
LunaDemonica-- Isn't the diction choice in DMHG fics great? Lol!
CookiMonstr08-- I know I am not too happy with MN right now! It was snowing so hard today (wrote this on the 2nd btw) That's awesome that you live in MinnesOta too!
Kara Black-- This is one of your fave stories? Thanks so much!
LegolasEstelstar—man! Haven't talked to you in awhile! I don't know if you got the hint, but on my last update I gave out my email. It's Just so ya know! I miss you tons! Talking about life with you! Lol! I'm glad you think I got the goods with the "romantic" type things btw! Thanks! Love you!
Congrats to: Orlis-Diamond (and yes I have the Encore CD and it's fabulous!), Tangled Puppet, the girl at the rockshow, Sarah-Lynn (Draco reminds me a TON of Eminem too it's crazy), Talium, Vianne (thanks for the email!), fireballazur, friticatized…you are all the ones who told me you caught my little "Just Lose It" Eminem quote lol! Good job! EMINEM RULES! And I love him.
Chap. 29 The Cabin Part II
Hermione and Draco were now entering the Dark Forest, hand in hand. Hermione was close to Draco, both hands clasped onto his left hand. Draco was walking proudly, pretending not to be afraid, even though on the inside he was scared shitless. He could not let Hermione think her boyfriend, the tough Slytherin Sex-god was a coward.
Draco's POV
Ok, Draco, get a grip. You can't show you are afraid. You are the man, you are not supposed to be afraid. I am supposed to be the tough protector. There's nothing in here...the dark lord is not in here. He's with my fucking father somewhere putting fucking dark marks on people. Besides Dumbledore would never send us in here if there was something in here to get us...even though the last time I was here I almost got attacked by that idiot dark lord! And Dumbledore approved of us going in! Why that fucking old bastard! Why am I here? Why am I risking my life and Hermione's for fucking berries?! Oh shit! My hands are starting to sweat! No no no! Fuck fuck fuck! Stop! C'mon fellas! Don't do this to me! Hermione can't know i'm fuckin scared! Stop sweating please! on Draco, calm down...you'll be fine.
End POV
'Draco, i'm scared.' Hermione said, breaking Draco's concerned POV.
'Hermione, don't be. There's nothing in here.' He said non-chalantly.
She nodded and kept walking with him.
After a few more seconds of walking, Hermione stopped dead in here tracks.
'What?' Draco asked, turning to face her.
'Let's turn around. Let's just go back to Hogwarts.' She said frightened.
Draco stood in front of her and held each of her hands in his.
'Hermione,' He said softly, 'I am scared. I lied. But I also believe that there is nothing in here. It's like when you watch a scary movie and think there is something watching you, even though there really isn't. We are freaking ourselves out, telling ourselves there is something in these woods even though there most likely isn't anything but animals, which that oaf Hagrid would love to torture us with, and trees. As old and crazy as Dumbledore is, I don't think he would send us into death eater invested forests or anything like that for fucking Olibover berries.'
'But the last time I was here...my best friend was almost attacked by Voldemort.'
'Hermione!' Draco cried, 'Don't say his name out here!'
'But you said that nothing is out here!'
'I know, but still! Jesus!'
'Draco! You're scaring me! Something is out here!'
'No, no, no.' He said, pulling her with him as he kept walking into the forest.
'Draco...'
'Hermione, I won't let anything happen to you. I will let nothing touch you.' He said looking into her eyes.
Hermione nodded and walked with him.
'Now, in which direction are we to be walking in for those berries?'
'Northeast, until we come across a rock garden.'
'A rock garden? What the fuck is a rock garden doing out in the Dark Forest?'
'I didn't write the directions, Draco. That's just what the scroll says.'
Draco took out his wand. And muttered a type of Four- Point Spell.
A green arrow appeared in front of he and Hermione, pointing northeast.
'We just follow this until we see...a rock garden.' Draco stated.
'Good idea.'
--
Hermione and Draco walked for what seemed like hours and hours. Hermione looked at her watch and it read nine o'clock.
'We've been walking for about three hours.' She said.
'What? And we haven't seen a rock garden yet?!'
'Professor McGonagall did say it would take awhile.'
'How long after the rock garden is it before we get to the actual berries?' Draco asked her.
Hermione took out her wand.
'Lumos,' She said as she looked at her scroll. 'After the rock garden, we go East until we hit a section of bare ground...there should be the Olibover berry bushes surrounding the bare circle. Then we go down a small path for about a mile and then we'll see the small wooden cabin.'
'Mmm...the cabin. Can't wait to collapse onto furniture.'
'Me either.'
An hour later.
'Ok...it's got to be here soon!' Hermione cried.
'No kidding.'
They walked past a few more trees, following the light of the green luminescent arrow and saw a large rock with five small rocks surrounding it.
'Thank god!' Hermione cried, 'This has to be the rock garden!'
'Finally...' Draco sighed. 'Now East?'
'Yup.'
Suddenly a noise came from the left of them.
Both jumped and looked at the area of the rustling. Some bushes were moving, leaves falling.
'Draco!' Hermione whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist, 'What is it?!'
'I have no fucking clue...c'mon...let's back up...'
The two held each other backing away from the moving bush. As they were moving back something jumped out at them.
'AHHH!' The two shrieked and their pails flew. (Yes even Draco shrieked...but he's screamed in the movies and books before...)
Draco instantaneously jumped in front of Hermione, eyes closed. Hermione was screaming behind him. Draco was waiting to be attacked, after a few seconds of not being shred to bits he opened one eye.
'Hahahaha!'
Hermione stopped screaming.
'What are you-?'
Hermione looked around Draco and saw a squirrel looking at the couple in confusion.
'OH! Haha!' Hermione laughed.
'You should have seen your face, Hermione! And just because of a squirrel!' Draco cried laughing hard, holding his stomach.
'Me?? You shrieked!'
'Did not!' He denied.
'Mmk...what ever you want to believe, baby.'
'Baby?' Draco thought to himself, 'Ok...she can call me that. I hope she screams it later on...'
'Draco?'
'Yes?'
'You jumped in front of me.'
'I did.'
'Why?'
'I told you i'd protect you. I won't let anything hurt you.'
Hermione leaned up and kissed Draco softly.
'Thank you.'
He smiled.
'Well, come on, Hermione. Let's get those berries and get to that cabin.'
'Yeah.' She smiled happily.
The couple picked up their pails and took hands once again. They turned around to head East.
They didn't walk too far. They turned around and standing in front of them were two large midnight blue centaurs with red blazing eyes.
'D-D-Draco...that's not a squirrel.'
'No. I don't think it is.' He replied.
Draco once again stepped in front of Hermione.
'What are you doing out here??' The largest one asked angrily. He spoke with a deep voice and pounded his hooves into the ground next to Draco's feet.
'Uhh, we came to get Olibover berries.' Draco said, voice shaking.
'Why? Why are you coming to steal from my forest?! You are thieves!' He shouted.
The other centaur snorted and lowered his head at Draco, preparing to charge at any time.
'Look! Just hold on! We are sent by Head Master Albus Dumbledore, we are the Head Students of Hogwarts.' Draco told them quickly.
'Yes, we are getting the berries for our Yule dance.' Hermione said moving aside Draco.
'Why would they send out two children?' The second centaur asked.
'That's what we would also like to know, but nevertheless here we are.' Hermione said.
'We aren't children.' Draco muttered.
'Draco, stop.' Hermione whispered. Then she turned back to the upset centaurs. 'Please, we don't want to offend you. We aren't thieves or trouble makers.'
Then the second centaur whispered something to the leader.
The leader looked upset.
'Hogwarts you say?? Are you with that damned school that Firenze went to?'
'Oh...umm...' Hermione mumbled.
'I say we kill them.' The second one chimed in.
'No! You will not touch her.' Draco stated firmly, stepped once again in front of Hermione.
'Don't fret, idiot blonde haired child. I won't. Albus would have me hunted down. I will not stop anything else that would want to kill you though. You two get your berries and then get out of here.'
'We will.' Draco said.
'Actually-' Hermione began.
The centaurs looked at her suspiciously.
'Yes?' They asked.
'We were instructed to stay in a cabin a mile from a clearing to the East of this place. So, we won't be leaving until morning.'
'A clearing East of here?' The leader asked. 'Echo Circle?'
'Umm. Sure. Echo Circle.' Draco said rudely.
'We'll take you there.' The leader centaur said.
'You'll what?' Draco asked.
'Are you dumb and deaf, boy?' The leader asked.
The other centaur laughed.
'Why are you offering to take us?' Hermione asked.
'It'll get you out of here faster. We centaurs like to keep our rock gardens clean of children. They tend to ruin and break things.' He snapped.
'Oh.' Hermione replied.
'We aren't children, and we don't break things.' Draco said hotly.
'Do you want help or not?' The centaur demanded galloping straight at Draco, and lowering his head at him menacingly.
'Yes. Fine. Sorry.'
'Well, get on me, boy. Girl, you get on Mystique.' The leader ordered.
Mystique looked at Hermione hesitantly and then walked up to her and lowered her body so Hermione could climb on.
'Wait! Wait!' Draco cried. 'There is no way Hermione is going on one of you things by herself. You may not trust us, but I don't trust you either. You (directed to the leader) are huge. You can lift both Hermione and me.'
The leader snorted and looked at Mystique.
'It's fine with me, Tempestas,' the female centaur said. 'I don't want anyone riding me anyway. I just bathed.'
'Fine.' The centaur called Tempestas said. 'Both of you get on.'
'How do we know you aren't going to take us some where and devour us?' Draco asked.
'Devour? Haha... I don't want to eat you. You are probably filthy.'
'Filthy? I so happen to be of pure blood!' Draco cried.
'Draco!' Hermione scolded. 'Stop agrueing with the very large centaur that could kill you with one hit from his hoof.'
'Listen to the girl. She seems smarter than you, boy.' Tempestas said.
'Tempestas? That means 'Storm'.' Draco said.
'Congratulations. You know Latin. Now get one my back this is taking too long.'
'Well, 'Storm' you still seem a bit sneaky and I don't trust you.'
Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over to Tempestas and hopped up.
'Hermione!' Draco cried.
'Draco, get on him now. I am going to have Tempestas take me to Echo Circle. You can come with or stay. I would prefer you come with, but if you're going to be stubborn, then so be it.'
Draco snorted and got up with Hermione.
'Ohh someone's on a short leash.' Tempestas muttered.
Mystique laughed from beside them.
'Excuse me? Did you speak?' Draco asked.
'Yes.' Tempestas replied. 'I was commenting on how whipped by your lady friend you are.'
'I am not whipped. Tell 'em, Hermione.' Draco said angrily.
'He's not whipped.' Hermione said. 'He's very defiant actually.'
'Really? Well. He seems whipped.' Mystique said.
'I'm not. I am in charge of this relationship.' Draco replied.
'And what kind of relationship would that be?' Mystique asked.
'None of your business, centaur.' Draco responded.
'Draco!' Hermione scolded again. She then turned to Mystique. 'This rude man over here is my boyfriend.'
'He's cute.' Mystique said. 'Rude, bratty, arrogant, but cute.'
'Thank you.' Draco said, nose in the air.
Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes at Draco.
The centaurs and their riders continued to move along the forest for a few minutes. After about a half hour they reached a clearing, surrounded by bushed with red berries covering them.
'Here you are. Echo Circle. Safe and sound.' Tempestas said, stopping in the middle of the clearing.
'Thank you.' Hermione said.
Draco slid off of him first, then turned reached up and put their pails on the ground before grabbing Hermione's waist and helping her down.
'Ahhh...' Mystique cooed smiling at them.
Hermione blushed, Draco rolled his eyes.
'Is it that big of a deal if I help her off this giant beast?'
'No, it was sweet.' Mystique replied.
'Whatever you say. I was just being chivalrous.'
'Draco, just take the complement and let it go.' Hermione ordered.
'Thank you.' Draco said forcefully.
'Come on, Mystique. Let's leave them now.' Tempestas said impatiently.
'Okay.' Mystique said. 'Bye.'
'Bye, thank you!' Hermione said.
Draco muttered something that sounded like 'goodbye'.
The two centaurs galloped off together.
'Well, let's fill these buckets.' Draco said. 'Then...cabin time.'
