Seven: What We Found So Far

"Has the ferret awoken yet?" Hermione asked Ginny is a disinterested tone.

"If you'd see for yourself, he is kind of lying in the middle of our floor!" Ginny said pointing to the bundle of mass directly beneath them. She knew however that after Malfoy had fainted no one had spoken for a while. Actually, it was just Ginny and Hermione who hadn't spoken. They were just inside, sipping some water while watching Malfoy's unconscious form. The other two were outside chatting. Hermione was just trying to start conversation. After some pestering, Ron had used a charm to bring Malfoy into one of the tents, but he wasn't very careful and he basically just dragged Malfoy's 'carcass' into the tent without minding if he created new scrapes on the way in.

"Well did you see why he fainted?"

"Apparently, looking at your survival guide, it seems as if Malfoy accidentally allowed a poisonous plant to enter his system through that deep gash on his wrist. This probably caused him a lot of pain, and eventually his body couldn't take it anymore, and that is why he fainted," Ginny said. Her medical knowledge backed up what the survival guide had stated so she was pretty sure that was what happened. If there were poisonous plants on this island then they would have to be more careful with where they go. No one here had focused much of there attention in herbology, though Ginny had to take classes in that for becoming a Medi-Witch. Hermione was focused during her Hogwarts career, but those plants were just the basics and maybe a beginning of the more advanced plant knowledge. In any way, they had to make sure to be careful around here for they didn't recognize many of the plants on the island and they wouldn't know how to create a good antidote for the poisonous ones. Ginny had tried her best with the book to create a good antidote for Malfoy with the help of Hermione.

"That sounds pretty logical. However, if he were in that much pain wouldn't we have known?"

"He is a Malfoy, probably too arrogant to ask for help from us – a mud-blood and a mud-blood lover," she said, with the last words mimicking Malfoy. "His skin was almost impossibly pale, too."

Hermione shared a laugh with Ginny and they both went outside to see what Ron and Harry were up to. While Ginny and Harry gathered fruit, Hermione and Ron had spent their time exploring parts of the island. Ron drew a pretty good-scaled map of what they had so far explored on the island. He was currently pointing out all the features of the island to Harry. When he saw Hermione and Ginny arrive he decided to explain once again the different areas of the island they had found.

"See this area?" he said pointing to the far left of the map, "This is a sort of waterfall place. So if Harry is a little uncomfortable using the girl's shower, he could always go there. However, it is pretty large and having so much space around you when you take a shower can be in itself uncomfortable. I would recommend this area for swimming, since we all did bring our swimming trunks. Now the area before the swimming hole can probably be turned into a fishing or recreational area. The sand there is very nice and soft. Also, there doesn't seem to be many stones or creatures there to hurt you while playing. From what we saw, the island is very beautiful and we can still enjoy some form of vacation," he said finishing off.

"Are you saying that we are officially lost and may not get off of this island for a while?" Ginny asked. It was finally confirmed by everybody that they were lost, there was no chance that they weren't.

"That may be the case," Ron sighed, "But if we are lost on our vacation, we might as well have fun. After all, you know the Ministry will make a big deal out of this and the Portkey Port."

Hermione didn't even want to think of what kind of mayhem would be created because of this mess. Everyone on this island was important in some way and this would cause great outrage towards the project she worked so hard on. She wasn't going to think about the consequences as of yet, not until they found a way to get off the island.

"Did you tell them the most interesting part of our exploration?" Hermione asked.

"Oh right, I was about to get to that. About a quarter of a kilometer from here, we found this sort of alcove formed by many trees. It's as if the end of that area will lead us to inhabitants of the island…"

"So did you explore that area?" Harry asked.

"No because I thought it would be best if we all go together. Hermione wished to explore it at that moment, stating that two people would be enough. However, what if that place doesn't lead us to inhabitants? Even if it did, what would happen if it led us to not so friendly inhabitants? What if it led us to some monstrous creature? 'Mione did come to the conclusion that some sort of strong magic brought us here and that alcove could lead us to a lethal reason," Ron said quietly.

"I guess you are right, Ron. Our wands allow different spells so it would be best if we all went together," Ginny said a while later. "If we were to go into a dangerous area, it would be best to practice hexes to see which ones work and which ones don't."

"We could use Malfoy as bait," Harry suggested enthusiastically.

Ron made an agreeing sound, but both Hermione and Ginny glared at them. "Even though we hate him, there is no reason we could use him as bait. He's injured."

"Didn't I already say somewhere that I don't need your help, mud-blood?" Draco drawled from behind them. He had come out of the girls' tent with a hand over his aching head. The medicine that Ginny had given him wasn't the best, as she made it herself using plants on the island. It would give Malfoy a woozy sort of effect and a headache that would last a while.

They all turned their attention to Malfoy, and they all were annoyed. All four of them shot a glare at Malfoy. They had finally established a way for them to somehow enjoy their 'new vacation' and now Malfoy had arrived to ruin everything. Malfoys were always known to ruin everything. It was just some great coincidence, created by Merlin, who decided that adding a Malfoy to their already almost hopeless cause would make life just wonderful. Just sarcastically wonderful.

"We have to ask you some questions, Malfoy," Hermione finally said.

"Well for one, I am not going to be used as your bloody bait to be attacked by any ferocious beasts out here. I am probably the most important figure on this island, for I have a large business to maintain. They can always replace members of the ministry with even better employers. However, replacing me would be clearly very difficult for no one knows or understands the skills of a Malfoy."

"We weren't going to ask that, you stupid git," Ginny said sighing.

"Actually, we don't even need to ask him that. We can just clunk him in the head with a large piece of wood and then use him as bait. We were going to ask how long it would take you to leave us alone?" Ron asked.

"Oh shut up, Ron! We all know that bastard can't survive on the island by himself. He's barely in the condition and I have no reason why he even feels safe with us," Harry included. It seemed no matter how many names the four of them insulted Malfoy with it left no effect on him at all. He obviously still believed he was far superior to at least three of the four friends.

"I didn't know you were the inhabitants of the tents. I thought they were made by the natives of the island. Though the tents are terribly constructed, I felt at least the natives could show me off the island," Malfoy said.

"Wait, you were going to find a way off the island without your friend, Parkinson? That is so cruel and inhumane…but then again Malfoys aren't known for being humans. I think they are part goblin," Ginny added actually spitting out the first creature that came into her mind.

"I am NOT part goblin, you muggle-loving wench," he said bewildered. He surely didn't look like a goblin. He did not want to be compared to those short annoying creatures that worked at banks. "And no, I was planning to get information on how to get off the island and then find Parkinson…I mean Pansy."

The insults were just flying everywhere. All five of them knew it was going to be a long time before they could actually get together and work. Four Gryffindors and one infamous Slytherin made an equal match for it was obvious that Malfoy could defend his own name when he wished to do so. They knew from now on it was going to take a long time to make decisions and currently, a few wanted to get rid of Malfoy as quickly as possible.

"Are you sure she held the same portkey as you? Or did she decide to go to wherever you were going alone?" Harry added in a hopeful tone that Malfoy's friend actually left him.

"I know for sure that Pansy used the same portkey as me. She insisted that we should portkey as just the two of us so that…uhm," Malfoy ended, surprised he actually used the word and then continued on when he remembered, "so that we wouldn't be surrounded by so many ghastly ugly and sweaty wizards. It was a great idea that you Scarhead got all the attention by the attendent or we would have been with so many of the idiotic witches and wizards. Some who are probably mud-bloods," he spat.

"Where were you going?" Hermione asked.

"Stop swearing Malfoy, or I'll hex you more than you were injured before," Ron said angrily before allowing his old school enemy from answering Hermione's question (He didn't really expect a great reply). He wouldn't stop his friends and sister from insulting them though, for Malfoy deserved any form of verbal harassment.

"Why should I tell you? It's none of your business!" Malfoy asked annoyed. He almost felt like a little boy who was about to cross his arms on his chest and pout. Ron's expectations were made.

"You should, because maybe we could figure out how to get off this island or if anybody else is on it," Harry said. If he had in any way matured over the past years he would eventually be helpful. However, Harry knew that both him and Ron hadn't matured in any way, so it seemed impossible to have a decent conversation with Malfoy. It wasn't as if they wanted to have a conversation with Malfoy in the first place. Getting rid of him was on his list of top priorities.

"What's the point? Why should you care if I were going to France?" He stopped after knowing he blurted out his destination. It was the damn medicine's fault. He hated Ginny and the stupid plants at this moment.