Summary: School Reunion after 5 years. Destination: Salou.
Music, food, sand and sea.
Much has changed, and this reunion brings two people together unplanned. But thoughts change and so do assumptions. What if this weekend is the beginning of something?
Notes: This work has been beta'ed by the amazing CourtingInsanity. Nothing but gratitude for her amazing job and the supportive pats on the back.
Finally, I can publish this under my name
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter, but I don't. Even if you recognise anything, none of it belongs to me, aside my plot bunny.
My Song Knows
*Saturday*
Draco arrived and met the large group of wizards and witches spread around the large hall of the international portkey airport. He recognised most of their faces, but could not recall their names.
He discerned, among others from the Hufflepuffs, Hannah Abbott, Ernie Macmillan, Susan Bones and Megan Jones. Ravenclaw was represented by one of the Patil twins, though he could not tell them apart, Terry Boot, the Anthony guy and some other eagles he had never interacted with.
From his own house, his closest peers: Blaise, Theo, Pansy and Greg, and a few more snakes, like Millicent Bulstrode and Daphne Greengrass.
The largest group was probably Gryffindor, the Golden Trio were the most obvious - though he would bet the entire contents of his Gringotts vault that there was trouble in paradise between two of the three. The other Patil sister, was there too; with Weasley's other side piece Lav - what's her name again? - Neville and all those who had always been white noise to him.
His arrival didn't go unnoticed, but it struck Draco, the lack of hate in their looks. Most just gave him a nod as a greeting; therefore the massive chunk of stress in his stomach subsided by a few ounces; as he shuffled to stand next to his peers. His frame jerked forward from Blaise's big pat on his shoulder.
"There you are, blondie. For a second I thought you wanted to arrive last and make a grand appearance."
All the men shook hands while Pansy moved closer to kiss him on the cheek, "How are you doing, Draco?"
The blond nodded. "I'm holding up, still wondering why I'm here."
"Stop the grousing, you sound like an old wizard complaining about his arthritis." Laughter echoed around their group.. Theo continued, still smirking, "Draco, this is a school reunion, you know, ask polite questions about how the last five years were. Relax, in the worst case scenario, it will be them against us again, like the good old days." The pat on the blonds' shoulder pushed the wizard slightly forward. "We are all here, that's what matters. Relax."
"Theo, I feel so happy to have been invited into the lion's den, my friend." Draco's tone dripped with sarcasm. "Imagine, my name as the first in the long list of people to be invited. A real VIP guest."
Pansy stepped discreetly on his foot, his face scrunching from discomfort. "Ditch the attitude, Draco. Be thankful they invited you and for once, just for this once, show them who you really are and not the git they've always known. It doesn't hurt, you know? To befriend one of them."
Draco side-eyed her, "Whom did you befriend, then?"
"Hermione." His sceptical glare demanded more clarification. "Don't look at me like that, you don't scare me anymore, Draco. Yes, I'm friends with Hermione, and so is Theo and even Greg." Both wizards marked their ascent with a nod. "She's more approachable than you think and if you are genuine in your apology, she's very forgiving."
Greg's deep baritone voice added. "We all have an ugly history, saying sorry is the beginning of moving forward.." His words met silence, and he was compelled to fill it. "She helped me to find a job. She's cool."
Draco sought out the witch in question, admiring the flowery summer dress she wore. "You've all apologised to the Trio?"
Pansy answered him calmly. "Not all of them, the two most important. There are bridges which remain difficult to cross. Though I haven't ruled it out; after this weekend, we might achieve it."
Harry locked eyes with Theo over the heads of the other patrons, and the Boy Who Lived offered a smile in greeting. Without further ado, Harry approached the Slytherin group, a few lions in tow and greeted each of them with a handshake or a simple peck on the cheek. Greeting Draco like this could be considered historical for the most: Two former enemies, finally reaching out, burying the hatchet and giving this new seed every chance to grow.
"Hello, Malfoy. How have you been?" Green eyes met grey, carefully. His hand was in the air waiting for a counter gesture.
It came a second or two later, grasping its counterpart firmly, but not squeezing. "Hello, Potter. I'm holding up, and at this point curious about what this weekend has in store."
"From what I've been told, you can expect music, beach, water, fun and food." Harry shrugged. "A weekend away from diapers and yelling babies." He jerked away, with a smile, from a piercing finger in his side. "Ouch."
"Are you happy to be away from your son, Harry?" Ginny's grin was something between angry and mocking, both fists at her waist.
Harry glanced briefly at Draco, grinning, before he answered his wife. "Just for two days, Ginny. We need a break, at least, I need one." Ginny huffed but gave Draco a kiss on the cheek, winking at the blond wizard.
Hermione came after them. "Hello, Draco." She reached halfway, and Draco closed the distance, feeling her hand on his upper arm. The peck was brief.
"Hello, Hermione." As they parted, the wizard let his eyes wander for a second over the witch, blushing lightly when she caught him lingering on her cleavage. He cleared his throat. "Are you happy too, to be away from your kid, Granger?"
Hermione scrunched her face. "I don't have any." Her quick glance at the ginger-haired wizard who stood at the border of the group didn't go unnoticed by Draco; Ron had simply risen his hand and muttered a weak greeting. She shook her head. "I'm a single witch. A free bird." That last bit came out as if she was declaiming something.
Hermione made room for the wizard behind her, Neville. His handshake was more vigorous than Harry's, with a firm grip.
"Hi, Draco, nice to see you here." The dark haired man turned to address his favourite friend. "Sister, you're not made to be alone. I know a nice wizard at work, who would love to take you out for dinner."
Her finger poked at his nose. "No blind dates for me, Neville. One was enough."
"But Hermione, that guy was a douche. I knew it at first glance." Neville chortled, together with Harry who had followed the conversation.
"So did I, Neville. But I couldn't run away, so I endured his presence until it was polite enough to leave."
Pansy joined in. "Are you talking about that Leo arsehole, from two weeks ago?"
"Pansyyy, it's not Leo, it's LeonardOOO." Hermione grinned at the memory. "In Merlin's name, did I have trouble getting away."
"Did he asked for a goodnight kiss, then?" Pansy was enjoying this story and at the same time showing her best friend that the Gryffindor Princess was not such a prude after all.
"He had the nerve. But I had such a migraine…" Hermione touched her forehead with the back of her hand. Her theatrics made everyone laugh.
"You are wicked, sister." Ginny stepped in. "That's your Slytherin side peeking, girl."
"I second this, Potterette." Pansy high-fived with the witch. "They should have created a special house inside Hogwarts, where our girl fitted best. The All-Inclusive." The brunette stuck her tongue out but winked right after.
The whole group laughed loudly, now larger as the other houses had joined and greeted everyone.
A clearing throat came from behind Ron, and the group grew silent. An elderly woman spoke. "To make this as smooth as possible, we suggest you divide yourself into four groups; each will receive a portkey and leave separately to prevent glitches. Every portkey has been preset to return your group by next Monday." The masses divided them again as they stood previously, per house. "Enjoy your vacation, ladies and gentlemen."
The Hufflepuffs left first, and while the Ravenclaws prepared themselves to leave, Pansy whispered to Draco. "They aren't so bad, are they?" The blond shook his head. "Keep an open mind, Draco. Let go of the old grudges and grab this chance at a new beginning. If you play your cards right, you could end up with an unexpected date."
Draco grunted. "Don't blind date me."
"Oh, no, brother. I'm not that daft. But I saw you look at her, and I saw her give you the room to look. I'm just saying." He gave her an annoyed look and Pansy raised both hands motioning I'm just saying.
Harry approached Draco just seconds before the Gryffindor group was set to leave. "Can I have a word with you in private? After we arrive and are settled." Draco nodded, while Harry was pulled by Ginny to grasp their Portkey.
-00-
Five minutes later, the Slytherin group finally arrived at the destination, Salou. This famous beach on the Dorade coast of Spain was both Muggle and Wizard. Many of the bars had accommodations for the Magical tourists, making this one of the favourite locations for the party-fans among the Wizardry community.
Their eyes grew large, greedy to indulge every aspect of their surroundings: the long row of bars with neon lights, the loud music and drinking folk, the long beach coast behind them - many a wizard followed the path of two witches parading with their suntanned bodies and tiny bikinis at the beach shore. Several Ouch's were heard, coming from the wizards who felt a hand hit the back of their heads. Hermione and Pansy shook with laughter, those men, including Harry, were being lectured by their other halves about ogling almost-naked women.
"I see our male side of the group is enjoying the perks of Salou, the partying place-to-be, third next to Ibiza or Mallorca. You can find it all here, blokes. Music, water, sun, girls, booze, drugs - stay away from the nasty stuff, please - and tons of sex. Follow my advice, girls and boys, the muggles use this kind of protection called condoms. A rubber kind of sleeve for over the wand. I suggest you buy some and use it along a cleansing spell. Better double protection than be sorry. Spain is less conservative than Britain, don't feel embarrassed. And ladies, don't be caught by a smooth-talking bloke, under the excuse of having just run out of one. Be proactive ladies, and have one on hand at all times."
The woman looked like a chubbier Professor McGonagall. She talked to them with a blush of fun on her cheeks; this wasn't her first wizard group she welcomed into the perks that Salou could provide, neither the first witch or wizard she helped recover from a nasty side-effect. Her motto was, better be safe than sorry. "If you'll follow me please."
The entire group, approximately thirty souls, followed their guiding witch and were pleased with their accommodation for these two days. They checked in with the hotel receptionist, who connected each wand to a specific room number, as it were a magical room key. "Now, people listen up. I'll give you a half-hour to take your luggage up, make yourselves at home in your own room and return. We will enjoy a light lunch, I'll explain what's scheduled for you, and then take you on a sightseeing tour. Afterwards, I'll see you again at the evening activity. But more about that, after lunch. Up you go!"
The group dispersed in flocks of ex-students; most didn't trust the elevator concept and used the stairs. The more adventurous ones followed Harry and Hermione, forcing the duo to split and each take an elevator, which turned out hilarious as the first stop-and-go brought panicked reactions to all non-muggle raised individuals. Finally, on her floor, Hermione was happy to see Harry and Ginny show up, but so did Pansy, Blaise and Draco.
Pansy yelled from the opposite side of the hallway. "Nice Hermione, we can have girls night later!"
Ginny added,. "I'll bring the booze. Hermione, you provide the shot glasses."
Harry objected. "If I can't come, neither can you, Mrs. Potter." His wife stuck her tongue out. "Oh, so mature, Ginny."
Every room had a luxury appearance: queen size bed, shaggy carpet, marble bathroom with a romantic bathtub, a rain shower and soft fluffy towels. Hermione hummed at the thought of a foamy bath after sunbathing. The bed faced the window, and she already knew she was going to wake up to the sight of the sea, at morning dawn.
Unpacking her things quickly, and pulling her hair into a ponytail, she exited her room carrying a glamorous tote bag, with all the essentials for a beach vacation. Hermione debated if she should take the new novel along but ultimately refrained. Today I will go for socialising. Tomorrow, we'll see.
She waited for the elevator and noticed Draco approach. "You unpacked quickly I see, Granger. Let me guess, your bag is full with books?"
She gave him a hint of a smile, "Not this time, Malfoy." The soft ring warned of the arrival of the elevator. She stepped in, waited for Draco to join and the two Slytherins who ran to reach them on time, giving them a once-over.
Blaise and Draco had both changed into polo shirts and shorts, where Pansy copied her own style and was now dressed in a light flowery dress. Her tote was almost similar in size but seemed more packed. "Did you repack everything into your bag, Pansy?"
"Funny, Herms, I'm just prepared for any eventuality. Your bag is not so light packed either, girl." Their bantering was the new familiar between both witches, the difference now was the lack of an ounce of enmity.
"Bah, only my sunscreen, my bikini, a sun hat, some money, a sarong and a light beach towel. Just in case I can catch some beach time after the tour." Hermione summarised the contents of her bag.
"Damn, I knew I forgot something. I'll conjure a towel out of something, maybe from one of our boys' shirts." Pansy smiled smugly at her friends.
Draco squinted at Hermione, confused. "Why the sun blocker? You could use a charm."
"Malfoy, I want to catch a suntan, now I'm here. The charm blocks the sun rays completely…" She lectured him in her typical way, and the wizard nearly rolled his eyes.
The entrance of the hotel was crowded, and the whole group was led into a sunny terrace. They split into two tables, and as their guide joined them, the waiters served a warm goat cheese salad with walnuts and honey. "Enjoy your meal, my dears. Today we'll go sightseeing as I already said, and then you have free time until seven.. The dinner, which starts at eight, will be a muggle barbeque followed by a luau party." She sipped from her wine glass before continuing. "Tomorrow, there are festivities in town, and we will experience them together before we end the night with a concert on the beach. Monday you're expected to return home at five so you can enjoy one last day of the Spanish sun."
Hermione lifted a hand, drawing chuckles from around her. "The luau, is it on the beach?" The guide nodded, and Hermione looked giddy. "With a fire-pit?"
The woman smiled in amusement, "My dear, the Luau party, originally a Hawaiian party, includes live music, food and a lei. You'll be making the typical flower necklace before the dinner." Harry and Hermione beamed. "And yes, my dear, a beach party without a fire pit is like eating unsalted chips - bland."
Hermione bit her lips to contain her excitement. Pansy and Ginny threw identical looks at her, both greedy to know if their outfits needed adjustment. For now, the curly-haired witch smiled smugly and ate a chunk of goat cheese. The taste was a revelation, and Hermione moaned, shifting the attention of her male table companions to her, foremost from a certain platinum-blond wizard. He didn't recognise her anymore, but he going to change that asap.
-00-
While some paid real attention to the landmarks from the Spanish city, the majority listed the bars they might visit later. Draco noticed a few wizards cornering Harry with an embarrassing question. Theo threw a silencing charm just in case.
Blaise asked, straightforwardly; "Hmm, Potter, those rubber thingies the old bat talked about…"
"Condoms, yes, what about them?"
"Is it essential?" Blaise blushed, but he wasn't the only one. The male group gathered tighter together.
Harry shrugged. "Maybe some STD's require Muggle medicines to cure."
Terry whispered; "STD's? And do you really need to ahumm…" he made a gesture as if he were pulling a sock over his foot.
"Bloody hell, boys. Yes, a condom is like she said, a rubber thing you pull over your wand," mimicking the woman. "You'll be protected against sexually transmitted diseases. Plus it helps you against unwanted pregnancy. If you're planning on shagging a side piece, then yes, if I were you, I would get the protection. How did she say it again? Better to be safe than sorry."
Theo wrinkled his nose before asking the question on everyone's lips. "Would you help us out? From a buddy to a buddy."
"Wait a minute, you need the Chosen One to show you the way?" He grinned at their faces, it was too good not to rub it in, some blokes in particular. "Listen, I'll point you to what you need, but hell if I'm buying a package. My wildcat would go for blood if she caught me."
Blaise shook his head, "We have your back, Potter. Help a bro, and we will cover for you." The spectacled wizard raised an eyebrow, and the tanned man confirmed. "You have my word, if you get in trouble, we'll bail you out."
"Just not in front of the girls."
Every male nodded in agreement. Everyone except a certain blond. His hope for a good shag grew at an exponential rate, and so it applied for his choice of partner, the option was shaping up with the hour. He knew he wouldn't need this rubber condo-affair, they were both clean and healthy. The only thing they had to keep in mind was a contraception spell. The talk about children was not a conversation they needed to have this weekend.
-00-
Unknown by the boys, the girls were having the same type of gathering, but the cornered person was Hermione instead of Harry. She cut through the chase with less embarrassment than her friend.
"Let me guess, you need help to buy condoms? We can go to the supermarket we spot earlier, or the apothecary, both places sell them. However, each of us buys their own stuff, I'm not going to buy a pile of rubber jackets for everyone. Save me from the judging glares, even if they are more open-minded than Britain."
Pansy waited for the moment to share her thoughts. "Are you buying them for you?" Hermione shrugged. "You will not need them, you know?" The frowned face which stared back demanded explanation. "The wizard you'll shag this weekend, is clean."
"Pansy…"
"I'm just saying, he's clean, you're healthy and the two of you can make nice little Slytherdor babies if you want." The snake grin was contagious. "Don't tell me you haven't checked him out?"
Hermione sighed. "Parkinson, stop it."
"You know he's changed, I've told you where he comes from, and I know you look at him differently. Let fate lead you, he would be a perfect partner. He can keep up with this brain of yours, he can be romantic, believe me, and he is insanely loyal to those he loves. I've told you before, much of the hell he went through was for the sake of his mother's life. Not for his own pleasure. It nearly destroyed him."
Hermione raised a hand in the air, "We'll see, I won't rule out anything, per se...We'll see."
Her face was pushed away by the fierce peck on her cheek. "That's my girl, Granger."
-00-
While some opted for the pool of their hotel, the majority chose to explore the beach. A considerable part of the single wizards placed themselves strategically so they could admire the female sunbathing tourists. Pansy and Hermione flocked together with the Patil sisters, Lavender, and other girls; while Harry and Ginny chose each other's company.
A quick glance showed that Ron had decided to stay in the neighbourhood of Susan; Hermione guessed love was in the air in that corner. The thought brought a loving smile to her face every time; she and Ron didn't work together as lovers, but she loved him as a brother and wished nothing more than his happiness with another woman. Hermione genuinely hoped this weekend would finally ignite the fire.
She used the hotel facilities to change into her bikini, a matter that was copied by all the other girls much to her fun. They all applied the advised sun blocker and stretched down on their beach towels to enjoy first some sunlight before testing the water.
Not far away was a gathering of snakes, admiring the beauties before their eyes. "Holly shit, the swot has quite a body...who knew?" Theo whistled in awe. "Pansy has always been a beauty, but she's become so much sexier now. Draco, look at eye candy right in front of us…"
Greg added; "I like Millicent's figure." His buddies chuckled. "She's my type, I like roundings on a woman."
Draco pat on his shoulder. "Go for it, Greg. Don't wait until a badger steals your woman from right under your nose." His friend grunted in acknowledgement. However, the silver prince had his eyes trained on his witch. He memorised her figure, which was perfectly curved where it mattered. His eyes measured her breasts, full but not too much, his palms would shape perfectly around the mounds. The triangle bikini top she wore barely covered the basics and he could see the outlines of her perky nipples.
Blaise noticed the path of focus from his friend, and added; "She's the poster girl of the ugly duck turns into a swan, mate. Those thighs are made to circle around your waist while you pound relentlessly into her quim." Draco's features clouded, and Blaise clarified, "I'm no competition, brother. I love my life too much, and I love you too much to snatch her away from you." The blond grunted. "Let me in on a secret, Draco, my bed partner has shared a few insights. The witch is not opposed to you. I saw her check you out, back when you arrived and now when you undressed. I don't doubt she's sizing you up just like you are admiring her shape." Blaise paused for a few moments, before continuing. "Befriend her, show her the man I know. See where it goes."
Draco's response was cut out by the loud cheering of the girls gathering. Harry was challenging Hermione into a run towards the water, pulling on her arms to get her to stand up. Irked by his insistence, she took off without notice and ran as fast as she could to the shore. Harry almost caught her but saw his plan thwarted by Neville who deliberately put himself in the path of the Chosen One.
Thrilled to beat Harry, she spun around, stuck her tongue out at the wizard and dove like a mermaid into an oncoming wave. Her curly head appeared seconds later above water, as she recovered from the dive. Everyone cheered, applauded and yelled at Harry, for having lost to a woman. Hungry for revenge, he chased after Neville and both wizards pushed each other underwater.
"Hey, brother. Shut your mouth before the sand gets in." Blaise nudged his friend, who only had eyes to the witch in the sea. "You're too obvious now." Draco hushed him off, got up and approached the water, sauntering. In the meantime, Hermione ran towards Pansy and wrung her hair right above the Slytherin witch.
For a second, Draco feared Pansy's reaction, but his longtime friend surprised him, by responding with a huge grin on her face. "Agh! Witch, you'll pay for that!" The silver princess chased the golden one, to everyone's hilarity, but Hermione was way faster than Pansy. Unaware of a counterattack, Pansy was pushed into the water by Ginny. After this, barely any former Hogwarts student stayed behind on the sand. The sea was invaded by laughter, water shoves, and swimmers. For a stranger, they looked like a big tight group of friends enjoying the early summer, with no bad blood between them.
Draco entered the water and put himself strategically in the neighbourhood of Hermione. The witch, however, kept diving through the waves, laughing aloud at the scenes in front of her. All of a sudden, his face was invaded by a massive stream of salt water. As he shook the remaining drops from his eyes, he heard her roaring and saw her prepare for a new attack. "There, Malfoy, this is my payback for every time you called me mudblood." Her words weren't even cold, and he was spitting and coughing, recovering from her newest hit.
He grounded himself steady and defied her to attack him one more time, two can play the game, love. Love? Where did that come from? His thoughts distracted him, and he lost sight of her. Though not for long. Two hands pulled heavily from his legs, underwater, and he went under, his mouth wide open. "Agh!!"
Blaise and Pansy followed their little bantering, sharing knowing looks. Harry noticed it too and elbowed Ginny to bring it to her attention.
But the couple a few feet away from them never noticed the extra attention. Rather the contrary, Draco decided to counter attack the witch, and with a powerful crawl, he closed the distance in a matter of seconds. She swam away, towards the open sea, waiting for a brief moment to check on his location. However, one of his arm swings equalled two of hers, and he pulled her under the water, merciless, and unrelenting was his hold on her hips.
Centring her. Protecting her. Hermione came above water grinning from ear to ear, wiggled herself free and swam again away...unaware of a big wave coming towards her. As the unforgiving sun shone and the wave broke over her head stealing her last breath, he reached for her...
And lost her.
The power of the water was so intense that she was carried along with the flow, straight into him, almost knocking him off his feet. Thankfully he got a hold of her, and pulled her tightly against his frame and she anchored herself by holding tight to his shoulders, shaking her head with excitement.
Draco didn't smile. The force of the wave had been of such magnitude, causing the knot from her halterneck to loosen up, and the little triangles of fabric were no longer covering her breasts. He rather felt than saw, the perk nipples rub against his chest, and he swallowed dry. "Granger, I think you have a problem."
She chuckled. "What is it? Are you afraid of a tiny wave?" He shook his head and showed her with his eyes, what he meant. "Oops." Beet red, she had to step back to get a hold of her bikini top, giving Draco a full view of her tits. He had trouble breathing. "Granger, turn around, let me help you." She faced now the sea. "Give me the straps." She held the tiny bands up, and he tied the knot firmly behind her neck. She kissed him gratefully on the cheek and swam away.
The return journey to his beach towel only happened after a while, when his erection finally subsided.
-00-
Hermione lathered some shampoo in her hair, after soaking in the bathtub for more than a half hour. Her movements were automatic as she reviewed her day in her mind. The afternoon had been more than enjoyable, she had had so much fun at the beach. But it was the short encounter with Draco that kept returning to her mind. His arms around her, her chest against his lithe but muscular frame, the feeling shook her to the core. His fingers had ghosted over her shoulder blades for a second. And his silver gaze...oh, blimey...it burned scorching hot on her skin. The desire to kiss him was a flaming torch, confusing her endlessly. Rinsing her hair, she played with Pansy's suggestion: scratch the itch. Test the sex god claim.
"Why not? I'm not cheating anyone, and it has been a long time since I had a decent shag. Malfoy, I'll test ride your wand, ferret."
-00-
The hotel's terrace was now full of small tables, with the several components for the flower necklaces. Their guide helped them execute the job, and the whole group had immense fun making their lei's.
Pansy overdosed on the orange, Ginny went for a white-only necklace, and the boys avoided any trace of pink. Hermione's was a rainbow of colours. The teasing between the witches and wizards was merciless and hilarious.
After their activity, they dawdled to a decorated part of the beach, where smoke rose from the lined up barbeques in a corner. Pansy tasted carefully from her sangria, exclaiming loudly; "It's light stuff, a nice begin."
"If you drink one too many, you'll be singing 'La Bamba', Pans." Hermione giggled, popping a tortilla chip into her mouth. They didn't have to wait long for their food, and soon all half-bloods and Muggle-borns were chewing on a drumstick or a spare rib. The purebloods looked around them, in search for plates and cutlery. Harry waved with his chicken wing. "No fork or knife, tonight. Eat with your fingers."
The frowns lessened, but Draco hesitated. Until he caught Hermione, taking a massive bite from her chicken drum, chew on it with satisfaction and lick some escaping juices from her lips. Holding his gaze, she demonstrated in slow motion how to proceed, and for the first time in the blond's life, he followed her actions.
A Spanish band appeared on stage during their meal and started with some instrumental background music, but once the food vanished, the group moved towards the full dancing floor. A massive fire pit was lit on the sand, and the party broke loose. Wizards and witches danced at the tunes of typical Spanish rhythms, and popular songs. Hermione taught the group to dance The Macarena, though sometimes she lost her pace and doubled up laughing with someone's antics. The band end up repeating the Macarena a couple of times, as it became a much-requested encore. The fire pit also became the centrepiece of a dancing circle during suitable beats.
The band set in a slow-paced song, and Hermione was whisked by the object of her obsession. "Join me for this one, Granger." She just nodded, and he led her with a hand at her waist, the other holding her in a traditional hold. They danced in tune, movements flowing fluently as if they did nothing else in life. Draco brought their hands between them, closing the distance to almost none between their bodies. Cheek against cheek, eyes closed, the hand that previously was on her waist, moved onto her lower back. Not a single word was said, the emotions burned too intense to make coherent sentences.
The song ended, and a new slow song began, but the two never stopped. Hermione leaned against his shoulder, fitting perfectly in the crease of his neck. Her hand stroked his shoulder blade at a hypnotic pace. The world had stopped turning around them, only the other one mattered at that moment.
The musicians changed their tunes and forced the couple to break apart. Draco's grey stare ran from her eyes to her lips, and she licked them in reaction to his heated gaze. His knuckles grazed her face, and he closed in, waiting for her to bridge the remaining gap, which was her intention. But a Ravenclaw accidentally bumped into her and broke the magical moment.
Blinking a few times, she muttered a "sleep tight" and ran off to her room. Once inside her safe haven, she slid against the door, a hand squeezing a bunch of hair. I almost kissed Draco. We almost kissed. Oh, blimey.
-00-
Between friends, Draco sipped from a vodka cola, courtesy of Harry, who introduced the snakes to the Muggle concoctions. He was absent-minded until Pansy nudged him softly. "Hey, are you okay?" He nodded. "I don't believe you, Draco. I believe your thoughts are on the fifth floor, room five-nought-four. And I bet hers are here, sitting next to me." He looked at her, as she pointed at him, but remained silent. "Tomorrow, spend time with her. Talk, have fun, show her your heart. Maybe tomorrow night, your longtime dream comes true. And I don't think she will need a big nudge. I saw you two dancing. A bomb could have gone off, and neither one of you would have heard a thing."
He smiled softly. "Do you think so?"
Pansy nodded again. "I do. She snuggled into you, her eyes closed. If you don't feel safe with the man, as a woman, you don't do such thing. You put distance. You don't caress."
She left him alone. He headed to his own room, taking care of his erection first, before sleeping. He didn't need much motivation to reach his peak. Recalling how she felt in his arms was enough.
Sunday*
At the breakfast tables, you could discern two groups, those who would rather stay longer in their beds because the night lasted until the break of dawn, like Ron and Susan, Harry, Ginny, Blaise and Pansy. Or you had the early birds, sporting wide smiles, ready to discover the city's farmers market. Neville belonged in that group, with Luna, the Patil sisters, several Ravenclaw's, and Hermione. Draco belonged instead in the first group but hid it amazingly well from the brunette.
"Pansy, Ginny, are you going with me to the marketplace? Peruse through the stalls? Harry?"
The three grunted, and Pansy dismissed the invite. "'Morrow, girl. I'll stick to the pool this morning."
"Sister, I need sleep." Ginny whined and just as Harry pointed his thumb at his wife. "What she says."
Hermione shrugged, with a smile. "Too much party, not enough rest? I'll see you later then."
"I can come with you if you want." All eyes focused on Draco, surprised by his offer. The witch hesitated for a moment but accepted, and they left together; their exit followed by every pair of eyes in the room, the majority stunned.
-00-
Hermione and Draco perused through the stalls with artisanal handmade items, pointing each other at pieces that caught their attention. He followed her every move, admiring her dashing white dress, a light shadow of pink on her cheeks. Close but not too close.
At one of the booths they were held up by a sportive chap, "Are the two lovebirds into a trip to experience some real Spain?" Draco peered at Hermione, the proposal sounded good in his ears; particularly when she didn't correct the bloke, who continued. "We have two places left on our next trip, which will be leaving within ten minutes. We'll take you uphill, let you practice shortly on a mountain bike, and then we'll guide you through two trails, one of seven and one of fourteen kilometres, downhill through vineyards, farms, forests and much more. What do you say? A nice get-away from your honeymoon?"
Draco felt the need to correct the man. "We aren't-"
"It sounds good to me, Draco. What do you think? Have you ever ridden a bike?"
He whispered close to her ear. "I don't even know what that is. Do you think I could?"
"You are athletic enough, imagine a broomstick with a steering wheel, and wheels wherefore you have to pedal." Her compliment did wonders to his ego. "I would like to try this, if you're willing, Draco." He couldn't deny her, not after her appraisal. They followed the man into a minivan, where a group waited to leave.
During their short practice time, Hermione demonstrated to him how to use a bike and helped him get the hang of it. They laughed at the few times Draco fell, but not once did she mock or lecture him. There was only smiles and waves of laughter and this was how their whole trip went through.
Hermione had the time of her life, going fast downhill, with him in her wake; screaming her lungs out with excitement. Now and then, they stopped to enjoy the view or because their guide pointed out some must-see landmark. Draco never surpassed her, wheeling was more accessible than first thought, and her thrill was his pleasure. He kept more of an eye on her than on his surroundings.
Once back at their starting point, they decided to lunch in a nearby tapas bar. None of the two wanted to break this magical moment between them, it felt good being together like this. There was enough time later to deal with what 'this' might be.
Draco was munching on a tortilla chip when he faced her with a nervous look. "Granger, I need to...I mean it's time for me..." He sighed deeply, but she kept her focus on his face. Hermione was almost certain she knew what he was about to say, but she wanted to hear the words. "All these years, I…" A trembling hand ran over his blond hair. "Damn, I can't speak. Fuck. Listen, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the way I've treated you, for every time I called you that foul name. I regret being a prick, and mostly, having been a coward at the Manor." He took a big sip from his beer, the hand that held his glass trembling nervously.
Hermione laced her fingers with his. "I don't blame you for the Manor episode. And I accept your apologies. I can see you mean them."
Draco squeezed their fingers. "I do."
Hermione straightened her spine, crossed her legs visibly and batted her lashes, the corner of her mouth quirked up. "Let this weekend be a fresh start for both of us. No prejudices, no past." Her fingers played figures on her chest and Draco had trouble focusing on her face. "What do you say, Draco?"
"To a new start." He raised his glass to toast. She clinked it with hers, and sipped, watching him over the rim of her wine glass.
That was when it dawned him; She's openly flirting with me. Oh fuck. Bring it on, witch!
-00-
They joined the whole group at the beach, only this time they banked together in the sand, beach towels cosy next to each other. It drew attention again, Ron and Harry shared a look, but the couple ignored it.
Hermione took a moment to rub sun blocker over her skin and Draco motioned for her to turn around so he could do her back, employing slow strokes. She forced him to turn his back on her so she could return the favour, shoving her bottle into his hand. "You do your front, Draco."
Blaise's finger closed Pansy's mouth.
The brunette stretched belly down on her towel and released the strings of her bikini top.
Ginny asked; "Why are you taking them off, sister?"
"I don't want tan lines, Ginny." Immediately all the witches copied Hermione's action, and the wizards hoped for a free sneak peek. Perching her chin on the palm of her hands, Hermione enquired; "What have you all done this morning?"
"Nothing, aside from stretching on a pool chair, suntan, and swim." Blaise summed up pretty quickly what their group had done. "And you two?"
This time was Draco who answered. "We rode a bike. Did some adventurous trails downhill."
Harry was genuinely surprised. "That must have been a thrill."
"It was," continued Draco. "Through vineyards, a village, tasted some wine, learned about olive oil. It was quite fun."
Hermione rose slightly up, placing her arm strategically so no-one could see too much, and let her chin rest on her hand. "Yeah, it was, Harry. We used mountain bikes to go off-road, and it's been a while since I laughed that hard." Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Draco. Returning to her original position, she knotted her strings back and stood up. "I'm going for a swim."
He watched her swing her hips towards the shore, hair loose. The others decided to join her in the sea, and Blaise saw his moment to address his friend. "Mate, you need to do something about that." Draco's trunks formed a tent at a particular place.
"She's flirting with me."
"We've noticed it."
"I apologised, and she started to flirt with me."
"Oh, brother, someone is getting shagged tonight!" Blaise beamed. "Make her sing, mate, and you never know, she might stick around for more." He clapped on Draco's shoulder. "Now, you need ice cold water, or everyone will notice."
-00-
Ron accosted Harry. "You saw that?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, I did. Do you know what else I see?" When his friend shook his head, he pushed his friends' face towards Hermione. "I see that." When nothing came out of Ron's mouth, Harry added; "She's beaming."
"I get it."
"If he makes her this happy, I'm not meddling."
"If he hurts her, however…"
"They'll never find his body." Both wizards sealed a promise; always partners-in-crime.
-00-
They swam together, played games with each other or with their friends around them. Always touching here and there. A hip, a globe, ghosting over abs, tracing the outline of a breast. All promises of what they both knew would happen later that night. To hide it was fruitless. What the morning-after would bring, nobody knew, but that was not their immediate concern.
-00-
Hermione had just finished wrapping a towel around her after a shower when she heard a loud knock on her door and two female voices, Ginny and Pansy. They entered, made themselves comfortable and Ginny wasted no more time. "Our girl is getting shagged tonight, thoroughly."
Hermione flushed immediately. "Is it that obvious?"
Pansy looked in disbelief. "Obvious? Girl, be happy Rita Skeeter isn't here. Or the whole wizarding community would know all about Dramione by now."
Ginny giggled. "Dramione, that's a good one." Hermione bit her lip, embarrassed. "Oh, sister. Don't give me that look. You were flirting with him the entire time, and he entered the water with a raised flag." Hermione's eyes widened. "Damn, didn't you see the tent in his trunks? He's well endowed in the nether region, methinks." Pansy nodded, and Ginny continued relentlessly. "Now, show us what you are wearing tonight."
Hermione's choice was more than approved, Pansy even stated the obvious; "You won't need a bra." The short navy party dress was shoulderless. Pansy gave her a thumbs up. "His favourite colour is blue, Hermione, not green as you'd expect. Now, we'll help you with your hair. Potterette, we have work to do."
-00-
The town's festivities were a much appreciated by the Hogwarts gang and put the whole group in an enthusiastic mood for the outdoor concert. The offered food comprised of several typical Spanish tapas and dishes, from paella to calamari, tortilla's and grilled chorizo's, and all of this within a picturesque setting.
Hermione mingled with people she hadn't interacted with much this weekend, to give her mind a break. She'd spotted Draco earlier with a white dress shirt, three buttons open, and black slacks. He gave her a once-over on site, smirking his trademark smile in appreciation; her heart missed a few beats.
Now they were playing this cat and mouse game, she moved, and he was never far behind; letting her set the pace. Its outcome was inevitable. It was also evident for their remaining friends and acquaintances, the few single wizards were smart enough to steer away from Hermione. Messing with a Malfoy was still a thing to be avoided at all times, and it was the reason why the topics remained neutral, and no wizard tried a flirtatious move. Probably the fact that Blaise acted as his wingman, aided to the cause.
Hermione hovered over a few food choices, not sure if she would try the mussels, an empanada, or only drink some refreshing gazpacho soup. Behind her a pale arm picked a piece of each and laid it on her plate, repeating them for himself. Draco frowned an eyebrow at the mussel, and she demonstrated how to eat it; from the scrunched look on his face, not something he liked.
"It's a pity there are no oysters here. They're known for their aphrodisiac effect." Hermione dropped the statement unexpectedly, while he chewed on the rubberish seafood; and he nearly choked. But she wasn't done with him. "I don't know if it applies for mussels too."
"You don't need aphrodisiacs, witch." He took a gulp from the sangria, to flush the taste away and regain control. "You have me." Making her blush this intensely was his personal payback. Taunting her further, he stole her pasty and bit half of it, before returning it to her plate. She looked at him in dismay, took sweet revenge by eating his whole pasty, and kissed him full on the mouth before disappearing into the crowd.
Blaise's voice startled Draco. "It's already warm in here, but to see you guys flirt, damn, it's scorching hot..."
"I'm enjoying while I can, Blaise, I bet tomorrow will be different."
"I don't think she's a witch who trades lovers like underwear. Play your cards right, brother, I've said this before."
"And I don't believe in fairytales, Blaise." Blaise's return was cut off by the loud music that rose from the main stage. It was a surprise performance from Fall Out Boy, and the beach was soon overcrowded with tourists, muggles and wizardry folks. Draco lost track of his witch and found it hard to localise her, dumping his plate somewhere in order to squeeze himself between the writhing bodies.
He caught sight of Hermione, as she swung at the tune of 'My song knows what you did'. He halted, mesmerised by the sight she formed. Her hips wiggled at the beat, hair swinging wild to every side. She danced carefree, smiling wide and beckoning him with a finger to inch closer. Abiding her request, he was pulled against her frame for a heartbeat, before she shoved him slightly away from her body, to have room to dance.
With so many people surrounded them, the place became hot as hell, and he watched the droplet of sweat languidly ease its way between her enticing cleavage and licked his lips. It was so intoxicating that he whisked her off her feet, claiming her mouth in a searing kiss and disapparated them into his hotel room, without any warning.
The pent-up desire erupted as a hot volcano. Draco wasted no time and pushed her dress down, attacking one of the nipples while kneading her other breast and moaning against the plump flesh. Frustrated with his uncooperative buttons, she ripped the shirt off his body, throwing her head back in ecstasy.
He released the pert nipple with a plop and returned to her mouth. He picked her up by the arse and wrapped her thighs around his waist, pacing towards his bed. Draco let them fall together, devouring her mouth while his hands shoved the rest of her dress away. His belt, button and zipper were quickly opened, and he released her just long enough to push the garments down his legs.
"Skip the foreplay, Draco. I need you inside me." Her words took away his resolve, and he entered her with a powerful thrust, smiling satisfied by her loud mewling. He wanted to consume her being and make them both forget where the one started and the other ended. Draco used potent thrusts to mark her, possessing her body while his fingers entangled with hers above her head, kissing her mouth or nipping from her shoulder.
He overwhelmed her, but Hermione met him thrust for thrust with her hips, legs wrapped around his waist. She moaned and cursed, though some of them were muffled by another attack from his relentless lips.
When she saw an opportunity, she flipped their positions and brought them to a full stop. "Hermione!"
She pumped her hips a time or two and stopped again. "Yes, Draco?"
"You're driving me barmy." She repeated the motion once more before pausing again. Licking her lips seductively, she ran her hands over her tits, pulling on her taunted nipples, while riding him at a tormentingly slow pace.
"Oh, fuck, witch."
She chuckled huskily, and let a hand roam over her stomach, down to her clit, and she rubbed herself like she enjoyed it the most, never taking her eyes away from him. She drove him insane, and Hermione loved it. But he didn't stop her; instead, he watched her intently, focussed on how she rubbed her clit. His hands each grabbed a globe, helping her keep the pace. Hermione felt a finger touch her rear erogenous point, and when she sensed his finger gently probe at her puckered hole, she smashed her hips powerful against him, driving him deeper inside.
"Oh, fuck, Draco. Do it again."
She was a goddess in his eyes, head slammed back with abandon, fingers pinching and pulling eagerly at her nipples, mouth slightly open. He rose to a sitting position and assisted her to ride him deeper, one finger on her hole, while the thumb from his other hand rubbed her clit intensely, replacing her hand - which she put to use by pulling him closer and devouring his mouth. It was too much for Hermione and her release shattered around her, her quim squeezed his cock tightly, while she moaned and spoke incoherent words.
He drank in her sight, burning it in his mind for later fantasies. Her unabashed surrender blinded him, and he flipped them to thrust the deepest he could and giving into one of the most powerful orgasms of his life.
You're mine, he thought, while his cum invaded her womb. I'm not letting you go.
He pumped a few more times, consumed by his thoughts until he was spent and fell over her, unable to support his own weight. She kept him in her embrace, arms and legs snaked around his frame, while she tried to control her breath.
He smiled against her skin when he noticed her purr. Draco stretched onto his back and took her with him, wrapping her body around his. They didn't talk, the post-coital bliss still burning fiercely between them. Hands roamed over each other's body, caressing, fingers trailing up and down. The only sound in the room was the one that came from their deep sighs. They remained this way for a while, and Hermione snuggled deeper into him. All of a sudden, his hand cupped her chin and brought her mouth to his, to possess her once more.
"Hermione," he said when he drew his lips away. Hermione inclined her face, waiting for his next words but they never came. He kissed her passionately again, and the hand on her chin took possession of her breast, kneading the flesh with deliberate moves.
She yelped when she felt his cock stir. "Again, so soon?" He grunted into her mouth, pushed her into her back and lowered his mouth to her mound. This time he took all the time to get to know her, inside out and make love to her at a more relaxed pace, passionate, at their own bide, not rushed for a second.
By the time they fell asleep, breaking dawn had started to set in. And Hermione lost count of how many times he made her come.
Monday*
"Good morning sleepy head, it's almost nine-thirty." Draco woke her up, setting a nice cup of tea next on her nightstand. She stretched like a kitten, moaning, checking his nude torso out, as she opened her eyes lazily. Hermione saw him smile but somehow in a way she had never seen before. But before she could say a word, he kissed her lips, cupping her face with both hands. "What would you like to do, today, witch?"
"What do you suggest we do?" She pushed herself to a sitting position up to the headboard, drinking her tea. "How did you know how I like my tea?" It was a pleasant surprise.
He wiggled his eyebrows. "I pay attention. We could stay indoors, and practice some more of this vertical quidditch." She laughed. "Or we can do some more sightseeing, or join the others at the beach and enjoy the sun and sea while we can."
"They will all know we've shagged."
"Does that bother you?" For a moment, he feared her answer.
"No. But I can miss the nagging and tease like a toothache." She inched closer and caressed his face, looking him straight in the eye. "Don't ask me for love declarations, Draco. I can't give you that. Not yet, at least. But I don't regret our night."
"Will you…"
"I want to explore what this could be, if you want it to." His "yes" was muffled by her mouth, while she pulled him on top of her, wrapping a leg around his waist.
-00-
Ultimately, it was afternoon, when they joined their friends after the check-out of their room. He had carried both travel bags gallantly to the concierge, for the later pickup. Her tote packed his beach items as well, of course, after she added the necessary charms to enlarge it and make it lightweight. Men and totes were still frowned upon.
However, as much as Hermione wanted to go unnoticed when they joined their friends, Hermione and Draco met surprised looks, unabashed grins and two worried faces. Maybe because Draco made a statement, by holding her hand tight in his, apparently saying, so to speak, that she was no longer available.
Hermione relaxed the two frowned faces, by nodding and smiling softly. The deliberate glare from Harry spoke volumes: he was okay with this as long as Draco didn't hurt her. Ron shrugged and jerked his head in the direction of Harry, as if he said, 'what he says'.
The unabashed smirks came from his closest friends, foremost Blaise, who almost knocked on his chest for his participation on the whole issue, and from Ginny and Pansy, Hermione was unable to hide her satisfaction no matter how hard she tried. The giddy witch.
The rest of the day was spent at the beach. The teasing remarks flew over the small gathered group, which included a shy looking Susan who shared the beach towel with a beaming Ron - it was clear the sparks hadn't been exclusively lit between just Hermione and Draco. The golden princess and the silver prince tried to keep a low profile alas not with much success. When the two hit the water, playfully, they failed to notice the bet their friends concocted behind their backs.
Ginny gave the kickstart. "I bet 5 galleons that they'll be married by this time next year."
But Pansy shook her head. "Nah, I say the end of this year." Watching her blond friend kiss Hermione passionately, deep in the seashore.
Blaise shut them up. "He has had feelings for her for ages, I say six months!" None of them could know for sure, though all of them hoped for the best.
As the whole group returned to the British grey weather, no promises of eternal love were made, nor I love you's expressed.
Only the promise to explore what started from this Salou weekend. One heart was eager to continue, the other curious to find out.
