A/N: Yo! Sorry it took so long, and still is pretty short. But, hey, I warned you before, and anywho, it was Homecoming weekend, last week! PARTY! Okay, well next update will be next week, as usual!

Enjoy the chapie, (I made sure to include Ginny and Blaise, they'll probably be there later on, too) And, I set it up for romance next chapter. Awwww.. dont ya just love fluff?

Disclaimer: In my dreams, I own Harry Potter. But, this isn't my dream is it? If it was, I'd also be really really rich...


Chapter 7: Remembering the past

Fri., May 15-Hermione- pirate ship

Hermione stepped out of her cabin only to find… candles? The deck was filled with little half-burned candles, and the gang of pirates doing the usual… laughing with each other.

"What's going on?" she called out, walking towards the brightest, most crowded spot. Finding a turned over barrel lying on the planks, she took a seat on it, and waited for an answer.

Peter, one of the younger members, told her as the men around her quieted down a little. "Higgs told us you wanted to hear some really great stories, and we were only to happy to agree." He winked at her, "So how 'bout it, then?"

"Yeah, how 'bout it Miss Granger? Or are you too superior to hear of our humble beginnings?" called out one of the men.

Hermione put a finger to her chin in mock thought. "Well, I suppose since I am already sitting down comfortably. And you have be so accomodating to me so far… I don't see why not."

The pirates got comfotable and took their various 'positions'. They turned to Montague for guidance. He was first mate after all. "Well, I supose we could go in a circle. Pass if you like." Montague received grunts and nods of agreement. "So, who wants to go first?"

The men obediantly did as planned; they circled the group in a glow of burning candles, and told her story after story. Some of them were pretty boring, but there were a few that were truly spectacular. They included dragons and sea monters and kings, and princesses.

They reminded Hermione of the fairytales her father would tell her late at night. But, the crew claimed that every word of every story was true.

She found herself hooked and hanging on every word. No one had ever told her stories as exciting and adventurous as these. It made her want to jump into them and live them to, and beyond, the final 'happily ever after'.

The circle almost finished going around, without any interuptions, or any realizations of how late it really was. But, good things don't always last…

"Memphis! It's your turn." Montague urged him excitedly, gulping down another pint of rum.

The man sat for a while to think, since the best stories were already taken. But, finally, his face broke out in an arrogant grin. "Okay, I know a good one. It started-"

"What's this? Aren't you all up past your bedtime?" The cold sneer of Pansy's voice flickered candles, and shivered its way down Hermione's spine.

"Oh, go away, Pansy. Don't you have a meeting with the devil or something?" whined Peter, trying to wave her off. To the dismay of just about everyone, it didn't work.

"No, sorry, I got back from Hell already." She swayed her way towards them. "So, what's going on here?" She stood next to Hermione, and fixed her with a deadly glare. "Hmmmmm, anybody?"

"Nothing that concerns you Pansy" retorted Tor.

"Everything concerns me," she smiled cruely at him. "Soooo?"

"We're just telling Hermione some old tales, that's all. Now will you leave us be?" asked Montague.

Pansy squeled with mock pleasure, and laughed. "Stories? Oh, I love stories." She began to circle the group, folding her arms in front of her. "Are we taking turns? Because I know a good one. You might know it, too. It's all about this idiotic young pirate." She paused her circling for a moment to sneer, "Much like you, Montague"

Pansy took a deep dramatic breath, and began her 'story', "Once upon a time there was a young pirate who fell in love with a beautiful young girl" Pansy's voice was sugary-sweet, but the malice beneath shone through in the way she stood, and turned her nose up in disgust.

"They ran away together, but the girl's brother caught them, and killed the girl and her stupid lover. Then, the brother became so distraught; he shut himself up in a room for the rest of his life." She curtsied dramatically. "The End."

"Pansy! You know that's not what happened," cried out Memphis.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "It should have been. Would have been a lot better that way, if you ask me." Pansy shook her head at them all, then turned around apparently not interested in their company anymore.

Hermione frowned at the woman as she strode casually across the deck, laughter jingling like a cold, steel bell. "What was that about?" she questioned the crew.

Memphis was the first to answer. "She's talking about Blaise. Blaise Zabini. He was part of the crew last year. And the girl, that was Ginny. Ginny Weasely. They-"

"Wait!" shrieked Hermione. "Ginny. I know her. But, she didn't die." Hermione glanced around at the crew for affirmation. Ron told her the story once, and in very few words, then never cared to talk about it again, or elaborate. Memphis nodded, and was about to speak, but before the words could come out, he was interrupted.

"No, thank god. She lived, but it came close. Too close." Hermione was surprised to find the speaker standing behind her. It was Draco.

Taking a seat beside her on another barrel, he lapsed into a tale that had made the crew what it was today. Gone from ruffian pirates, to a group of friends who plundered, but did not kill…

Flashback Flashback Flashback Flashback Flashback Flashback Flashback Flashback

About one and a half years ago, the pirates that sailed under Draco Malfoy's command were the typical kind. Mean, nasty, merciless, dirty, and cold. One such pirate was a man named Blaise Zabini, and was in no way an exception.

Blaise had family in a village farther away than most. They were wealthy, but a strangely depressing group of people. Blaise hadn't spoken to them in years.

But, there was a girl. Ginny Weasely. The Weasely family was in the port city about ten miles away, and not quite as rich. The port city was where he would go to for shopping and selling his father's crops. Back when he lived with them, at least. He met Ginny there when he was twelve years old. And they were best friends for four years.

When he was sixteen, he ran away from home because of some argument between him and his father. He took up with Draco, another old friend from the city, and forgot to say goodbye to Ginny.

Well, ten years later, (which would be one and a half years ago) Blaise came back to that city. The whole crew was making a pit stop. And, he saw Ginny. Later, Blaise would explain that, the moment he set eyes on her, he knew that he loved her, and that he always had. The pain he felt when he ran away wasn't for his parents. It was for Ginny.

But, Blaise tried to tell himself it was impossible all that day. Tried to convince himself. First of all, how would she ever remember him? And second, her brother, Ron was the crew member of a guard ship. Ginny and her family would never take him.

Draco noticed how Blaise was acting, and went to the length of finding out why. He and Montague sat around the ships candles to hear the tale. They were the only two who cared.

Draco said they'd stay in the city for a while longer, just to give Blaise a chance to see Ginny. Montague did the rest. The next day, Ginny and Blaise bumped into each other.

At first they were speechless. Then, Ginny slapped Blaise and yelled at him. Still stunned, Blaise looked into her blazing eyes, and knew he would be happy with no one else. Living without her wouldn't be living at all. It took him all of thirty seconds to realize this. Thirty seconds after that, he kissed her. And, half a year later, they were so in love that Blaise proposed.

Ginny knew who he was (a pirate), but the rest of her family didn't. Blaise was ready to give it up for her, but his father intervened. Blaise's father was an angry man who held many grudges, his biggest one against his son, for running away. When Mr. Zabini learned that his son was in the port city, he wasted no time in going over there. With him, he brought his sword and gun.

To make a long, difficult story short, he found Blaise out with Ginny, a mile down the road from the city. There was a sword fight that found Blaise the winner. He killed his father, when he could have left him only wounded. Too late, he realized how old pirate habit got in the way.

Ginny told Blaise to run, so he wouldn't get caught. But he paused. He hesitated for too long. Blaise had just killed his father; he was in shock.

And, a few minutes later, Ron came by. He was going to tell them to come home for dinner. But as soon as the body and blood registered in his mind, Ron picked up the gun lying in the grass, and threatened Blaise to leave his sister, and never come back. Blaise had enough sense come back by then, and refused.

The two got into a match of yelling and cursing. At one point, Blaise made Ron so angry, he fired the gun… The shot rang out through empty fields. Ginny fell with a bullet puncturing her stomach. She had jumped in front of Blaise to shield him.

Ginny almost died as they worked together to carry her to the nearest doctor. As she healed, Blaise and Ron spent lots of time talking by her hospital bed.

Eventually, Ron came to accept Blaise, and as soon as Ginny was healthy again, there was a beautiful wedding in which Montague and Draco watched from not too far away. The two, captain and first mate could see the love shared between the couple, and all it could do. They made a pact, unseen in the shadows.

A pact in which they bought a new ship, and sold the old one. They also got together a new crew, and a few other things. That was the day everything changed.

End of Flashback End of Flashback End of Flashback End of Flashback End of Flashback

Draco leaned back thoughtfully after finishing the tale. Hermione stared at him, with mixed emotions. She decided to fess up a little.

"I know Ron. He's one of my best friends actually. He told me that story right after it all happened. I was even one of the bridesmaids." She paused. "But… somehow, I never heard it told like that." The crew was watching her carefully.

She had just reminded them that she wasn't one of them. That they stole her off a guard ship, and she had a potential to be an enemy spy. They stayed silent.

Draco turned his cold gaze on her, and she realized something. It wasn't all that cold. If you found the way beneath the thin layer of ice on top, you could find what was hiding underneath.

A man. A kind, generous man. But a lonely one too. And something about that man beneath drew her towards him. It took her a long while to realize that their eyes were locked, and that the crew had begun to slip slowly away.

What's happening? Hermione couldn't remember being so entranced in anything. His cool blue eyes pierced though hers, asking a similar question. What is this?

Awkwardly, she opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it. And the sound broke the trance. Hermione looked away. "What other way is there to hear it?" he questioned. His voice was soft and low, and different.

"Well, Ron told it from his point of view, sooo…" She left it that way, knowing he would understand. Ron told his story making him sound like a hero, and Blaise an imbecile he had to put up with.

"Yeah…" Hermione and Draco looked anywhere but at each other, feeling the familiar panic attack returning. And, neither knew what to do about it.

The silence stretched on uncomfortably. Finally, Draco stood up. "Well, it's really late. I have a lot to do. Ummm…" He started to walk away. "See ya tomorrow."

Hermione watched him leave, remembering all the great things the crew always said about him. There was definitely more to Draco Malfoy, and as luck would have it, Hermione had time enough to find out what.

"See ya." Sheechoed to the empty deck.


Hello! How are you? I'm great! Homecoming was SO fun. Well, back to the point. Next chapter I'll have a part in Pansy's point of view, and the romance will begin. If anyone has anymore ideas, or requests, I'll be happy to listen to them.

Thanks to all my reviewers!

But, if you havent reviewed yet... please do now?

Have a HAPPY DAY!

-Tastetherain