After hearing his shout, Hermione took a couple more delicate breaths and headed back. Eyes downcast, she descended the brittle landscape. She was pretty sure she had her hormones under control for the time being. It was a perfectly natural response. He was, after all, her only male company for an extended period of time, with whom she did not already have a deep connection with. Stopping for a moment, she eyed the flush surrounding hillside. Technically, she did harbor a connection to Malfoy. It was just a rather rotten one. She gave herself a slight nod. No need to make a big deal out of it.
As the rain stopped, the pound became still. Hiding behind the rainclouds, the horizon hinted a pink hue and migrating birds could be seen making their way south. Far off in the distance, across the pound and over a couple of rolling hills, she noticed a small cloud of smoke emanating from the trees.
It looked like a camp. It could be Harry and Ron.
Her heart swelled.
Or it could be snatchers.
She frowned, debating how she should proceed.
"Granger?" Malfoy's voice rose from below.
"Coming," she replied.
She approached him and gathered the clothes he rejected, shaking them from the dirt and putting them back in her bag.
"What now?" He asked, watching her closely.
"We go that way," she answered, using her wand to point across the mass of water. She made a point to ignore the possibility of him wanting to discuss his earlier freakout.
"Why?"
"Because," she said, waving her arm in the direction, not wanting to explain herself.
"Because what?" he pressed, raising an eyebrow.
"Because I have the wand," she said, pointing the wand to herself and then rotating her wrist so the tip pointed at him, "and I said so".
He gave her a sour look.
"Just trust me" she huffed, rolling her eyes. "It could very well be to your benefit."
"Ya, how's that?"
"Trust" she repeated and started walking.
"Right."
He reluctantly followed her, grumbling under his breath. Not much he could do about it anyways.
The forest around them thickened, making walking more of a slow obstacle course; dodging twigs, jumping fallen dead trees and stepping over coarse woody debris. Hermione was eternally grateful he hadn't brought up the morning's event. She didn't have the strengh to fight him on it.
The silence between them had stretched nearly twenty minutes before Draco spoke.
"Any more of that tin foiled garbage in that bag of yours?"
"If you mean the snacks, then yes. But I don't have many left," she said, pushing some branches out of her way.
His hand caught the recoil before it hit him in the face.
"I'm bloody starving."
"We'll have a lunch break at noon. For now, we need to keep walking-"
"How is that bloody fair?" he ranted, "You've injured me. You've eaten like a cow-"
She stopped walking, looking up at him in disbelief, "I beg your par-"
"-and now you're depriving me of nutrition. You might be distantly related to Blaise. He's recently seemed to develop a knack for driving people insane-"
"You know what would drive someone insane?" She hissed before quieting her tone, "being stuck with someone who relishes in making you miserable."
He couldn't help the taunting smile that formed his lips. "Do you relish in making me miserable Granger?"
"I wasn't talking about me," she answered, her hair flaring out as she whipped her head back to the front and continued to walk.
She hadn't taken the bait. It was somewhat disappointing and he was mildly surprised she denied herself the opportunity to preach him her morals. He smacked his arm and looked at the flying insect he squished. Making a face, he brushed it off and took off after her. His long strides easily catching up and slowing down to walk beside her.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, but relaxed when he ignored her and focused on his path. The unmistakable hum of mosquitoes became apparent as they walked. Hermione had already killed four and could sense Malfoy's growing agitation as he swatted at them.
"Granger!" he snapped, picking up the pace and swooshing the air. "Shoot me a repellant spell."
"If I knew one I would have already cast it," she replied, hand waving off a couple of bloodsuckers that wouldn't' leave her alone.
He stuck his hand out to her, midstride, "I know one."
"Not happening," she said, watching her steps.
"Granger, give me the wand," he pressed, his open hand swatting the bugs with another quick wave.
"Just how stupid do you think I am?" she quickly rebutted, and immediately chastised herself for giving him ammo.
"You're everything but stupid Granger, and you use every opportunity to remind me of it." He growled.
Her head shot up to look at him, astonished, as he walked past her. Then quickly became distracted by the buzzing around her ears.
He stopped and turned to her as she caught up and surveyed the ground a moment before bending and picking up a wand-like twig.
"The incantation is insectum repello" he said, giving the twig a simple wave followed by a large circular motion.
"Sorry," she said, looking back to him, "do it again".
He repeated the motions, although rather quickly.
Hermione attempted to copy his motions and said the incantation. Brown smoke emitted from the tip of her wand.
"No, like this" he walked beside her and turned so they were facing the same direction. He did it again.
"Like this?" More smoke erupted from her wand.
"No! It's a simple fucking move Granger. A six-year-old can do it."
"You're moving too fast! How am I supposed to learn when it looks like your trying to conduct an orchestra!"
"A wha…?" He said, not getting the reference.
"Look," he sighed and took a step behind her, grabbing her wrist and pushed up to lift it.
She went rigid.
"Relax, you're still holding the wand," he said mildly annoyed.
Hermione slackened the joints in her arm and let him guide her through the motions. His chest expanded behind her, making her acutely aware of his proximity. She was defiantly not relaxed.
He finished the wide circle and let go of her wrist, which dropped with the lack of support.
She turned away and quickly took a couple of steps from him, as if he were a hot iron she jumped to avoid. His brow creased; insulted she had jumped away from him so hurriedly. She was the mudblood, she should be blessed to have him touch her.
He opened his mouth to tell her off when a dusty brown wave blew around them, effectively repelling the surrounding mosquitoes.
"Got it!" she turned back and smiled, excited and proud.
The insult died on his tongue.
Hello again! It's already been about a month since my last update. I'm really sorry for that. Hopefully, the next one will be out within two weeks! :)