Disclaimer:  I do not own Harry Potter.  Do Not!!!!

A/N:  Hey everybody, according to my own studies, it's a proven fact that more people review when I do these little author's note blurbs.  Well whatever floats your boat.  Here's the next chapter, just to let you know I'm having serious writers block.  I have a future chapter written out but I'm having trouble filling the space, so bear with me I'll try to get there as soon as possible.  Any who be kind, rewind, I mean no, stupid, stupid, stupid. *Hits self over head with rented video* um yeah read and review that's better.  Later.

Whisper~Mad~Crazy                                                      Chapter 5-Dreaming

          The next couple of days passed smoothly for Hermione and Eric.  In no time at all they were laughing and joking with each other like old friends.

"Hey Nicole, check out this swan dive!"  Eric yelled off the high board.

"Alright."  Hermione replied shielding her eyes from the sun while watching him dive into the pool making a not so little splash.  He resurfaced and spouted water from his mouth.

"How was that?"

"Did you say swan dive or hippo dive?"  Hermione said laughing.  "I couldn't tell the difference."

"Ha ha, very funny."  Eric said splashing her with water.

"Hey!  Don't you read the signs?"  She asked wiping the water from her face.  "No splashing."

"You expect me to obey a little sign."  He replied smirking.

"Eric," Hermione said slowly.  "Don't even think about it."

"Think about what?"  He said inching his way towards her.  "Think about this!"  He dove on top of her dunking her head under the water.  She came up sputtering.

"Yes that!  Oo you're gonna get it!"  She dove towards him but he easily swam out of her reach.  "Eric come back here!"  She said laughing.

"What, just so you can pummel me?  I think not."  He once again swam off as she attempted to lunge at him.

"Fine!"  She turned around angrily and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Aw Nicole don't be like that!"

"Well I'm going to be like this until you apologize!"  'Ha!  This will get him for sure.'  She waited and listening for him to come closer, then she would attack.  Unfortunately Eric had out smarted her.  He sprung out of the water right behind her and wrapped his arms around her, taking her under with him as he dove down once again.  A few seconds later they both came up, gasping for air.  Hermione wriggled angrily in his arms.

"Oh, why can't I ever get you?"  She said, kicking wildly.

"Because I'm cunning and clever and not to mention a damned good swimmer!"  He said turning her around and smiling charmingly at her.

"Ha, sounds like a Slytherin to me."  Hermione mumbled.

"What was that?"  Eric asked suddenly.

'Oh crap!'  Hermione thought.  "Er…I said sounds like a snake to me."

"Hmm, imagine that."  Eric said thoughtfully.  "Are snakes good swimmers?"

"I suppose so."  Hermione said breathing a sigh of relief.

"Right," Eric said swimming slowly backwards.  "Well since the sun is nearly set and we're both as wrinkled as dried prunes.  How about we turn in for the night?"

"Hmm, sounds good."  Hermione said. "As soon as I get the first shower."  She started to swim towards the side of the pool but not before Eric grabbed her wrist.

"Oh no you don't."  He pulled her back under the water and dashed for the steps.  Hermione resurfaced and raced after him.  They acquired quite a few stares, running down the halls soaking from the head to toe.  Eric was quite a ways ahead of Hermione and by the time she got to the room he had already locked himself in the bathroom and had the shower running.

"Oo Eric I'm gonna kill you!"  She said banging on the door.

"Don't worry I'll be out soon."  He voiced echoed from inside the bathroom.  "Besides it's you who always takes bloody forever."

Hermione sighed as she sat down on the couch.  He was right in no time at all he was out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist and another on his head like a turban.  He came strutting over to where Hermione was sitting.

"Your turn dear."  He smiled sweetly at her.

"Oh very cute."  She said getting up and making her way to the bathroom.

"The smile or the turban?"  He called after her.  She poked her head back out the door.

"Both."  She shut the door with a bang, and Eric got ready for bed.  By the time Hermione got out of the bathroom, Eric was already sprawled across the couch asleep.  One of his arms hung over the side and brushed the ground and the other was rested across his chest.

"Hmm, I must have worn him out."  Hermione said quietly.  She went over and gently picked up his arm that was hanging off the couch and placed it across his chest like the other.  She looked at him and smiled.  "If only you knew what you're doing to me."  She whispered while brushing a few stray bangs away from his face.  She shook her head and stood up to go to her own bed.  She climbed in and as soon as her head his the pillow she was out.

"Harry!  Harry, you don't understand I'm going to fall!"  Hermione screamed as her grip loosened on the rail.  Slowly her tiny hand lost its grip, she closed her eyes waiting for the fall but it never came.  A pair of strong hands clamped down on her own.  She was hoisted over the banister and into a pair of arms, safe arms or so she thought.  She slowly opened her eyes expecting to see Harry but instead she saw…"Malfoy?"

"Hermione, why don't you ever call me Draco?"  He asked sadly.

"What?"  She stuttered. "Be…because, I…I don't know you!  What are you doing?"

"I'm saving you!"  He said incredulously.

"I don't need saving!  Harry, he…" She said struggling to get free of his grip.

"You mean that Harry?"  He asked pointing to the balcony next to theirs.  Hermione gasped, it was Harry.  And he was wrapping his arms around another girl.  Hermione couldn't quite tell who the other girl was her face was all blurry.  Almost like a water painting that's been smudged.

"No," Hermione said softly. "No!  Harry!"  She ran towards the rail but Draco wrapped his arms around her waist, stopping her.

"Malfoy let me go!"  She screamed.

"No Hermoine!  You'll kill yourself!  Please Hermoine stop!"

"No!  Let me go!  LET ME GO!"

"Nicole, Nicole wake up!"  Eric worriedly shook her from her nightmare.

"No, no let me go.  Let me go."  Hermione murmured, a few tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Nicole it's just me."  He said sitting beside her and taking her in his arms.  "It's just me, no need to worry."

Hermione sobbed into his chest.

"They're so real Eric.  They're so real."  She said softly.

"What are?"  He asked silently rubbing her back. "The nightmares?"

"Yes, I've had them every night since the day we left London.  And every time they just keep getting worse."  She broke into another fit of sobs.

"Shh, shh.  It's ok, it's alright."  He held her, slowly rocking back and forth.  "I won't leave you, everything's gonna be fine.  I promise."

Hermione nodded and in a few minutes her breathing finally slowed.  Eric pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes.

"Are you gonna be ok?"  He asked.

"Yeah, I think so."  She said still sniffling a little.  "Thank you Eric."

"You're welcome."  He replied, brushing her hair away from her damp face.  "The suns just rising, care to join me for an early morning stroll?"

"No thanks," she replied.  "I think I'm gonna lay here for a while.  If that's ok."

"Yeah no problem.  I'll be back."  He got up and went to change.  When he came back out of the bathroom he had a box of tissues with him.  "Here," he said handing them to her.

"Thanks," she sniffed before blowing her nose.

"If you need me just call the deck crew and they'll page me, ok?"

She shook her head and watched as he exited the room.  Finally she lay back down and drifted off into a light sleep.

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Eric watched as Hermione slept peacefully.  He noted each rise and fall of her chest and she breathed and how she softly whistled.  He glanced to the clock beside him.

"12:13."  He said softly.  "I guess I should probably wake her up."  He went and kneeled down next to her.  Gently he reached up and stroked her cheek, willing her to wake up although not really wanting to break the moment.  Slowly her eyes fluttered open and she smiled when she saw him.

"Hey."  He said softly.

"Hey."  She yawned and turned on her side towards him.

"Sorry I woke you, but it's past 12 and you missed breakfast."

"I'm sorry, I guess I over slept.  What have you been doing this whole time?"  She asked.

"Oh you know scouring the decks, looking for chicks."

Hermione laughed and reached up to brush his bangs out of his eyes.

"And did you find any?"  She asked raising an eyebrow towards him.

"Well yeah of course I mean look at me."  He said flexing.  Hermione rolled her eyes.  "But they were nothing compared to you."  She gave him a small smile at his compliment.  "Oh I almost forgot."  He said turning to the table and grabbing something off it.  "I brought you some food, I thought you might be hungry."  He unrolled a napkin and showed her a muffin, a banana and an orange juice.

"Eric that's so sweet, but…"

Eric furrowed his brows worriedly. "But…"

"But I have a better idea.  How about I get dressed and then we go eat lunch…together."

They both smiled.

"Ok."  He replied.  "But hurry, I'm starved."

"Already?" Hermione replied on her way to the bathroom.

"I'm a growing boy I have to eat!"  She laughed as she shut the door.  In no time she was back out, but apparently it wasn't fast enough for Eric.  He was waiting by the door, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Well," Hermione said walking towards him.  "You do act like a growing boy, but you certainly don't look like one."

"You think so?"  He said smiling down to her.

"I know so.  Now come let's go eat."  She walked out the door; leaving Eric standing, jaw dropped wondering how he was going to get through the rest of the week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After lunch they went back to the room.  Eric crashed on the couch sighing heavily.

"Man, I think I'm gonna take a nap.  Seeing as someone woke me up early this morning."  He said sarcastically.

"Look I'm sorry."  Hermione said exasperatedly.  "I'm going out to tan."

"Mkay," Eric replied laying his arm over his eyes.

"Bye!" Hermione said loudly.

"Yeah bye."  He said turning over trying to ignore her.

"Love you," she said hoping to get a response out of him.

"Love you too."

She shook her head and left, closing the door loudly.  Eric's head snapped up.

"Did I just? Aw man."  He lay back down covering his face with a pillow.  This was going to be a long trip if they had to keep up this charade.

A/N:  Well what did you all think?  Not bad for a space filler. Read and review and tell me what you think.  I'd like to get a few more reviews cause the number I have right now's pretty pitiful.  Anyway, later. R/R!