Whisper~Mad~Crazy Chapter 4-Cruisin' USA or not…
"It's beautiful isn't it?"
"Not as beautiful as you."
A pair of strong arms enveloped Hermione.
"Oh Harry I love you." Hermione said turning to gaze into the familiar green eyes.
"I love you too." He said placing a delicate kiss on her lips.
She broke from his embrace and went to look over the railing. Before she knew what was happening she was falling, falling over the side. She stretched out a hand and grasped the rail.
"Harry! Help me!" She screamed.
Harry walked to the side of the balcony.
"You're a smart girl Hermione, I'm sure you'll figure it out. I know how you like to be independent."
"No Harry! You don't understand! Harry I'm going to fall!" She shrieked as her small hand slipped from the railing.
"Harry!" She plummeted down, falling quickly towards the shallow pool below her.
Hermione awoke with a start and suddenly realized her face was wet.
"Hey sleepy head." Eric said standing at the foot of her bed. He held a plastic cup that was dripping with water. "Well it took you long enough, I've been trying to get you up for the past 20 minutes."
Hermione shook her head trying to remember where she was, trying to remember what happened the night before.
"What time is it?" She asked with a yawn.
"12:13." He replied pointing the clock right next to the beds.
"Oh right." She groggily fell back onto her soft pillow. She lay on her side gazing out the open balcony doors.
"Eric, what happened last night?" She asked quietly.
"Well I guess you fell asleep in my arms. I turned to say something to you but your eyes were closed. So I picked you up and brought you in here." He told her scratching the back of his head.
"And nothing else happened?" She asked.
"Nothing, honest." He replied holding up his hands. "Scout's honor."
"Ok," Hermione replied smiling. "Well the boat loads at 5, do you want to grab some lunch?"
"No thanks, I already ate." He replied examining his hair in a mirror.
"Already ate?"
"Yeah, there's a little coffee place in the lobby. They've got great scones. Do you want me to order you some room service?"
"Maybe in a little bit, I'm gonna get ready." She said bouncing from the bed and heading towards the bathroom. Eric heard the door shut and chuckled to himself.
"3…2…1…"
"Eric!" Hermione called from the bathroom.
"Yes?" He said amusedly.
"I'm in my pajamas, I wasn't last night, you gave me scout's honor. So how exactly did this happen?" She said poking her head out the door.
Eric turned to her smirking slightly.
"Like I was ever a scout."
"Eric Vaughn!" She shouted through a half smile. "What did you do?"
"Ok, ok you caught me!" He said raising his hands in defeat. "You did fall asleep in my arms but woke back up and got ready for bed. I guess you were pretty out of it if you don't remember."
Hermione sighed loudly but smiled as she returned to the bathroom.
"That girl is gonna rip me apart." He said to himself, strolling out onto the balcony. 'What's going on?' He thought staring into the bright midday sun. 'I never meant for this to happen. It cant', I won't allow it. But how can I stop it? Why am I acting this way? So soft, so gullible. Why couldn't I have been cold and heartless yesterday at the airport?' "Because you're not cold and heartless." He heard a second voice say inside his head. He was fighting a losing battle with himself. 'I am cold and heartless! I…I can prove it!' "Yes but you won't, there's no way you could do that to her to yourself. Face it you're falling and you're falling hard. But don't worry, after a week you'll never have to see her again. She won't tell everyone how you've acted. Besides maybe you really aren't cold and heartless." 'I am cold and heartless! I am, I am…' "I am!" He shouted out loud.
"Am what?" Hermione asked poking her head out of the bathroom door.
"Uh…" Eric started. He was panting and sweating. He tried to regain his composure. "I am…thoroughly hungry now. Shall we go eat?"
Hermione looked at him skeptically.
"Ok. Hang on just one more second."
"Ok." He sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought.
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Hermione and Eric sat relaxing under the shade of an umbrella, gazing casually across the waters of the pool. They had opted for a nice poolside luncheon instead of a late breakfast. Hermione sat sipping a virgin Strawberry Daiquiri and Eric was enjoying a virgin Margarita.
"The ship boards in 45 minutes. We should probably go." Hermione started.
"Yeah." Eric replied lazily.
"You know we can still call it quits." She said quietly. "We can just arrange flights home and forget this ever happened. Or…"
"Or?" Eric directed his full attention to her.
"Or we could go and possibly have the greatest or worst time of our lives." She finished uneasily.
"Yeah, you know I'm not sure how this is all going to turn out. But I'm hoping we have the greatest time, not the worst. I wouldn't miss it for the world." He stated smiling but he was mentally kicking himself. 'I wouldn't miss it for the world? What has gotten into me? Maybe I should just stop this right now…' But his thoughts were interrupted. Hermione had flung her arms around his neck and was hugging him tightly.
"Thank you." She whispered to him.
"For what?"
"For everything, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up at the airport but I'm guessing it wouldn't have been good." Tears were gathering at the corners of her eyes as she stared into Eric's deep gray ones.
'Crap! I can't tell her no now. She might hurt herself and…I don't want that to happen.'
"Hey," He said brushing his thumb against her cheek. "Don't worry. I'm here for you and if you need anything, anything, you tell me. Ok? And don't think like that, I don't want anything to happen to you."
Hermione nodded as a few stray tears traced down her cheeks.
"Come on." Eric said standing up. "We've got a cruise to go on." He offered her his arm but she didn't take it. Instead she grasped hold of his hand. He didn't object. Quietly they made their way to the room to get their bags. Both hoping that the other wasn't feeling what they were because they knew it would all be over in a matter of days and no matter what, it would end in heartbreak.
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Eric stepped out of the taxi and turned back to help Hermione out as well. They grabbed their bags and walked towards the gigantic cruise liner.
"Wow," was all either of them could say. To say that is was huge would be an understatement. They made their way up the ramp, at the top a cheery woman was waiting to greet them.
"Hello and how are you two today?"
"Great thanks." Eric replied.
"Can I see your tickets please?" She asked giving them a wide smile.
"Oh yeah," Hermione said. She grabbed the tickets out of her pocket and handed them to the woman while Eric pretended to be distracted by some seagulls.
"Thank you very much. Enjoy your trip."
"We will, thank you." Hermione said as they stepped aboard the boat.
"What's our room number?" Eric asked as they walked down one of the many halls.
"2088, it's supposed to be on Deck Level 3." Hermione replied examining the tickets.
"Well there's an elevator, we can take it up." Eric said pointing.
They called the elevator and waited for it to arrive. It did so with a ding and they stepped inside.
"Let's see," Hermione said looking at the buttons. "D3 that must be it." She pressed the button and the elevator began its ascent. A few seconds later the doors opened. They stepped out into a hall and glanced down it both ways.
"Which way?" Eric asked.
Hermione was looking at a sign. "It looks like…we go…left."
They started off down the hall.
"Here it is," Eric said stopping in front of a large door. Hermione took out the key and unlocked the door. Eric held it open as she entered the room.
"What is with my parents and honeymoon suites?" She asked laughing.
"I dunno," Eric replied, "but if I didn't know any better I'd say they were hinting something." He raised his eyebrows, smiling broadly.
"Oh shut up." She said, flipping her hair as she turned to examine the room. "Uh oh."
"What?" Eric asked taking a look at the rather large bathroom.
"There's only one bed."
Eric's head shot up. Yep she was right only one bed.
"It's ok," he said. "I'll take the couch."
"Are you sure?" She asked. "I mean, maybe we could switch rooms or something."
"No way, this room is great." Eric said jumping onto the couch and stretching out. "Don't worry it's really not a problem. I'd sleep on the floor if I had to."
"Ok," Hermoine said unsure. "It's strange though."
"What is?" Eric asked closing his eyes.
"I'm not sure I would have even been ready to sleep with my boyfriend."
Eric sat up.
"You mean you two haven't even slept together yet?" He asked laughing.
"Well no, we've had a really sweet, slow relationship so far."
Eric laughed. "What were your parents thinking?"
Hermione laughed too. "I don't know but I think they've got the wrong idea."
"That's for sure." Eric replied lying back down. "Well dinner is served in an hour. I'm gonna take a nap."
Hermione yawned. "Yeah that sounds like a good idea, I think I will too." She hopped on the bed and closed her eyes. Soon they were both fast asleep.
