Written for:

Hogwarts: Valentines Vs Single Awareness challenge:
Prompts - (setting) beach, (emotion) excited

Hogwarts: 365 Prompts
Prompt - Atmosphere

Hogwarts: Insane House Challenge
Setting - Beach

Open Mind

xXx

Lucius looked around the cheery atmosphere, his nose wrinkling at the brightness and the crowd. He winced when a baby started screaming nearby. "Don't these parents know discipline?" Lucius muttered to himself.

"What was that?" Hermione asked, excitement clear in her voice.

"Uh, nothing, it's just a little loud."

"It is the beach." She looked him up and down. "And you're a little too covered. People will think there's something wrong with you." She eyed his trousers. "Are you actually wearing silk trousers?"

"If you actually think I'll wear swim trunks, you're out of your mind. Who do you think I am?"

Hermione frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "You promised you'd keep an open mind."

"And you promised this would be fun."

"You've been here for less than five minutes. Give it a chance."

Lucius sighed. "How did you talk me into this?"

"Because you love me. And I always give what you want a try. And I do it without complaining. That's something you should learn to do."

Lucius glared at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We can build a sandcastle."

"That's so pedestrian."

"Okay, how about swimming then?"

"In a public ocean. You must be joking."

Hermione would have thought he was joking because his tone was so aghast, but she knew him well enough to know he was completely serious. He actually wanted a private ocean to swim. "Fine, how about just laying on the beach and enjoying the sun?"

Lucius sighed. "Fine, if we must."

"If you don't want to put swim trunks on, fine, but how about at least losing the shirt so you don't look so out of place, hm?"

Lucius did that put upon sigh again and unbuttoned his shirt, shedding it, so his pale torso was bare. Hermione looked around and then muttered a quiet charm to put sunblock on his skin. She could just imagine his complaining if he got sunburnt. She'd never hear the end of it. Then she took a moment to appreciate the sight of his muscles glistening with the sunblock. She licked her lips at the sight of his firm body and briefly thought of changing her mind and dragging him back to the manor to have her way with him, but if she did that, he'd know exactly how to get out of doing something he didn't want to do. All he had to do was show some skin, and she couldn't let him have that over her. He'd never try new things.

She gestured to the towels she had already laid out. She laid on the emerald green one, and Lucius reluctantly followed her lead and laid on the maroon one.

He turned his head and looked at her. "So, what are we supposed to do?"

Hermione gazed at him. "Just relax. Enjoy the sun beating down on you. Let your worries go."

Lucius' eyes stared into hers and he gripped her hand. She moved over slightly, resting her head on his shoulder. Lucius let go of her hand to wrap it around her body and hold her close. Hermione's arm went around his stomach, caressing his skin by making small circles.

"Now, this, I can get used to," Lucius mused out loud.

Hermione snuggled into him, a smile on her face.

(word count: 549)