A/N: After the end of the last chapter, I asked if anyone would be interested in more Charlie. It seems that many of you are. I just posted a separate one-shot of a follow up meeting between Draco and Charlie that leads to pure smut. Lots and lots of glorious lemons with Charlie, Hermione, and Draco. It's titled A Business Arrangement, with Dragons. Meanwhile, our dating duo is at it again, this time back out in the Muggle world. Hope you enjoy!
Red Means Stop, Green Means Go, Tell Me Again What Yellow Means?
When Hermione was little, her parents often took three day weekends off to just get in their car and get out of the city. They owned more than one dental practice and their employees took appointments on Fridays, although they seldom did. They did still take patients in one or another of their offices Monday through Thursday, although as time went on, it tended to be only long-time patients, rather than new ones. This allowed them to take on charity work, often times for disadvantaged children, throughout London, but they also rotated in to work occasionally at a refugee center, filling a need many didn't even know existed. (This work with refugees came in handy when Hermione felt forced to obliviate her parents; she led the other dentists under them to believe her parents were taking a year-long sabbatical to work with Dentists Without Borders, and therefore couldn't receive mail or phone calls.)
And so, when Thursday night rolled around, Hermione's parents were often tired and disillusioned with events they had witnessed outside of their office. Which resulted in some quick packing on her mother's part as her father took the car to fill up on petrol and snacks. They would get everything ready that night, so they could depart very early in the morning before the rush of traffic created by everyone else going to work could begin.
Sometimes they planned a definite destination, other times they just went wherever the winds carried them. Hermione loved this time with her parents more than any other time she spent with them. They played car games, like "I Spy" and "Bingo". In her earliest memories, the car would have a tape deck; as she got older, a CD player. Her parents' music tastes varied, but tended more towards classic rock. Hermione could sing along to Freddie Mercury at a young age. When Hermione was a teenager, in those rare times she found herself enjoying carefree weekends at home, she would mix in some of her music with theirs. Trying to explain the appeal of The Spice Girls to her parents seemed laughable, in retrospect. And the conversations they would have…
Politics, religion, sex, drugs, rock-n-roll, and off course, magic. Nothing was off the table as a topic of discussion. Debates could last for hours, ideas bouncing around inside the vehicle, like bullets ricocheting in an enclosed place. Only once or twice did one of them truly get upset. One of those times occured about three months ago when Hermione chose a road trip as the best time to break the news to her parents regarding her relationship with dating Draco.
The first of many incredulous questions: "The Draco Malfoy we heard you cry over being bullied by when you came home on breaks?" Which led to: "The same Draco Malfoy who watched you be tortured in his own home?" In a hissing voice, Mr. Granger asked, "Are you sleeping with him?" When she meekly nodded, he followed it up by nearly bellowing, "Have you lost your mind?!" That was a bit much. She snapped, "No, thank you very much!" "Well, then are you on drugs?" he demanded. "No, I'm not on drugs. And before you ask, no, he isn't using magic to make me do anything I don't want to do," she replied in a terse tone. Her dad actually pulled over the vehicle on the side of the road to get out and pace along the shoulder, muttering to himself, waving his arms in the air madly. She and her mum just looked on in silence.
When he got back in the car, he immediately turned around in his seat to face her. "Does he make you happy?" he demanded to know. She told him yes. "Well, then you better bring him round to dinner to meet us." And that was that. Well, it wasn't perfect; she would generously describe their first dinner as awkward, and she could tell her dad and mum were still hesitant about the whole situation, even now, months after her car confession, but her happiness meant a lot to them. At least no one (meaning Draco) left with a black eye.
Draco had heard of these wonderful car trips almost from the moment they got together. It was hard not to know about them when they sometimes meant he didn't get to take her out on the weekend, when she left town with her parents. At least he didn't need to be jealous about the little jaunts into the countryside. Early on, her parents made a strict rule about it being family only, so no friends or past boyfriends ever went on one. Which is exactly why Hermione knew she needed to plan a trip just for her and Draco.
Hermione settled on a two-night trip, the first night being spent at Seaham Hall and the second night in Haltwhistle, at a lovely little B&B – The Ashcroft Guesthouse. She made reservations at both places with plenty of time to get the best rooms and the little add-ons she knew Draco would appreciate. And then, she started to map out the sights to see along the way. Out of the three days, the last contained the most time behind the wheel – about five and a half hours, depending on traffic- still leaving plenty of time for planned stops.
Draco was formulating his own plan for their trip. He planned on learning to operate an automobile. He'd only ridden in one a handful of times; he found his curiosity growing steadily on the subject. He thought up his approach to Hermione, figuring if it didn't work, he would settle on just asking over and over and eventually wear her down. Yes, that seemed like the most reasonable way to go about it.
Start with a trust-worthy posture, he thought, she needs to know you can be counted on to take this seriously. Sitting at dinner the Monday before their trip, he smiled, leaned towards her, with one hand palm up, holding her hand and the other one in plain sight on the table. "I've been thinking it would the perfect opportunity to learn to drive this weekend…"
"No."
Ask open-ended questions to uncover her hesitations, then address them. "Tell me why you think that wouldn't be a good idea."
"No."
Huh, open-ended questions aren't supposed to allow the other person to answer with a 'yes' or a 'no'. "Why do you specifically think teaching me to drive would be a bad idea?"
"Because it would be."
Well, that is more of an answer. Stay open and positive. "Automobiles are an amazing Muggle invention and I really want to learn more about them."
"Read a book."
Try to emphasize with her. Yes, that is the next step, although it is tough when you aren't really sure what you are emphasizing with. "You sound reluctant to teach me to drive…"
"Actually, it is a disinclination to be in an automobile over which you have control. I've seen the way you fly a broom. A car has much more potential for causing injury to me, you, and others."
Ahhhh… Now he had to show her he heard her fears and understood them. Then he could work on countering her argument! "What you are saying is that you feel I am reckless when flying a broom and I wouldn't take the proper care to keep you safe while driving a car?"
"Will you please stop using some horribly clichéd salesman tactics on me? You're coming off as a slimy git."
Well, since she saw right through plan A, it was time to enact plan B - asking over and over again. "Please, Hermione? I will take excellent care and listen to every single thing you tell me to do," he started in with the pleading and promises. Which he kept up for the next three days, even owling her Wednesday night to let her know that he had gone into Muggle London to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency earlier that afternoon to pick up literature regarding motor vehicle operation rules and regulations, and to acquire a provisional license.
When they met up in person at her parents' home on Thursday night to pack the car, she finally caved, after inspecting his provisional license. She even cast revealing spells on it to make sure it wasn't a conjured fake. As if. He tried not to gloat too much. No need to be a total ponce.
"You know that you're acting like a ponce, yeah?" she asked with a hand on her hip as she handed him back the license.
"Hmph," he answered, noncommittedly.
Hermione's parents owned four vehicles, while she did not own any. She'd gotten her provisional license the summer between 4th and 5th year, and then obtained her regular license over Christmas break during 6th year. She never found any reason to own a car. The few times she wanted or needed to drive somewhere, she would just floo to her parents' place and borrow one of theirs. For this weekend they would be borrowing the black Aston Martin convertible. If the weather held, she planned to have the top down for parts of the trip. The decent-sized back seat was helpful for items they would want access to while driving.
Prior to Draco's arrival, Hermione filled up the car's tank and purchased some Muggle snacks to have handy. She also had two thermoses of water, a map, a book of crossword puzzles, a book of riddles, foliage and fauna books, two pairs of omnioculars, a camera, a blanket, two umbrellas, and sunscreen arranged strategically in the backseat ready to go before Draco appeared. The omnioculars were going to be the only magic permitted. Originally packing field glasses, Hermione later changed her mind for this small allowance.
They embarked on their road trip date early on Friday morning. They drove north on the M11 to Cambridge. After Hermione helped him buckle his seatbelt properly, Draco spent the entire time fiddling with the nobs, turning on the heater, then blasting the air conditioner; he constantly changed the radio station, he rummaged through the glove box, he inspected his pores in the mirror on the visor; in other words, he acted like an annoying child. Luckily, only an hour transpired before Hermione parked at St. Mary's Church. The sun was just rising and the church itself would still be locked, but she didn't want to go inside. She chose this first stop for an extremely pertinent historical marker.
On the wall outside of the church was the Great St. Mary's Datum. It read "This disk marks the datum point from which in 1725 William Warren, Fellow of Trinity Hall, began to measure the one mile points along the roads from Cambridge at which were then set up the first true milestones in Britain since Roman times." She started in on what this meant for not only travelers like them, but also for the military, government agencies, the postal service, and everyone who needed more exact locations, routes, and distances to do their jobs. She was so excited to start Draco's first road trip with this piece of history! Draco yawned at her. Then his stomach growled, causing him to look sheepish. She took him out for breakfast.
Once back in the car, he started to demand his turn to drive. She told him that she wanted to get a bit farther away from the heavy traffic, and then he could have a lesson. In the meantime, Hermione quizzed Draco on each rule or law she could think of about driving. She managed to keep it up a detailed interrogation until they were out in the country, heading north on the A1.
"Stop procrastinating Hermione, pull off at the next service station and let me behind the wheel."
Hermione insisted that first she wanted to fill up the petrol and put the top down. She quickly pulled her hair back into a tight braid so it wouldn't be a complete disaster from the wind. Then she put on sun block, asserting that Draco do the same. When she felt satisfied, she pulled the vehicle over to a corner of the lot. She got out and permitted Draco to get into the driver's seat. She allowed him to shut the door and get himself comfortable with where he wanted the seat and helped him figure out how to adjust all of the mirrors. Then she opened the car door again and knelt down on the ground next to his feet.
"See this one here? It's the brake. That one will stop the car. And this one farthest inside? It is the gas pedal. Remember that you need to give the engine gas in order for it to propel the car forward. I don't suppose you read up on combustible engines? No? Well then. This third pedal is the clutch. It allows the engine to shift gears. Think of it as a Lumos spell. You can add more power behind the spell in order for your wand to give off increasingly brighter light. You push the clutch in to put the engine in neutral, then you can change the gear and the speed at which we move. The "R" is for reverse. The slowest forward-moving speed starts out when you are in first gear and goes up from there. I know you were watching what I did with my hands earlier very carefully, but I figured it might be tough to see my feet. Do you at least feel like you have the basics down?" She was feeling anxious. Part of her didn't want to get in the car with him. Too bad he couldn't drive around the building a few times without her.
"Yes, I watched carefully the past hour and I think I understand the steering wheel, the blinkers, and the shifter thing. And I know that I need to obey the speed limit. Just, how do I know when or what to do with my feet?" He said all of this hoping if he slipped the speed limit bit in the middle, she would trust him on that point.
"Well, the secret to you using your feet is that one is just for the clutch and the other foot is used for both the gas and the brake. That way it can only be on one or the other pedal so you don't make the accident of trying to do both at once. When you step on the clutch, it needs to go all of the way down. Then you ease it up, trying to even it out with the gas pedal. I'll get in and you can give it a try."
Draco was mortified as the car bucked around the lot, stalling out over and over. People snickered at him. One guy walked up to the passenger's side door to berate Hermione for allowing a beginner to grind the transmission like that and treat an expensive automobile like a piece of shite. Draco wanted to hex him; instead he decided to give the wanker his best aristocratic sneer. After the areshole walked away, Draco asked Hermione how much an Aston Martin cost. She explained that there were more expensive cars out there, but even he thought it a bit much when she gave him a ballpark figure. Which was saying something coming from a man who treated his 800-thread-count, hand-embroidered handkerchiefs like disposable tissues.
Draco felt frustrated and tried his best to remain civil with his girlfriend. Hermione made it difficult when she just kept on saying, "Even out the clutch and gas!" over and over in an exasperated tone, getting a bit shriller with each reiteration.
Draco thought he was getting the pedals as even as possible - maybe they should both be closer to the floor?
"What the bloody hell are you doing revving the engine like that Malfoy?" she berated him.
"What the fuck? I am doing exactly what you say, Granger, but you haven't told me how far up or down to have the pedals while I keep them even."
"Why are you trying to keep the pedals even? Are you trying to use the brake at the same time as the gas?"
"No! For fuck's sake! I am trying to keep the clutch and the gas pedal even, just like you keep on fucking yelling at me."
"I don't mean literally even, I mean that as you are easing up on the clutch as you are pushing down on the gas. You are evening out what you are doing with the engine. Maybe it would be better explained by saying that the two pedals should always be used in opposition to each other? Does that make more sense? The car doesn't need fuel while in neutral, so foot off the gas pedal while shifting. Not all of the way off, leave your foot lightly resting on top of it, not exuding any pressure. Once the vehicle is in gear again, the clutch can come all of the way up, and the gas pedal can be pushed down." Hermione said all of this in her best 'I'm sorry' voice without really apologizing.
Once they figured out that Hermione wasn't explaining the intricacies of shifting in a normal way, Draco felt confident he could do this; which meant that the car still stalled out on the very next try. And on the one after. On the third try to get somewhere in first gear and then shift into second gear, a miracle happened. The car responded to him. From there, it all came together.
Until he started driving on the actual streets, that is. "Hermione, the light just switched to yellow! What do I do?" he yelled at her as he came up to an intersection, still going full speed.
"Keep going, you are close and you will make it through before it turns to red."
A few blocks later, it happened again. Only this time, Draco wasn't quite as close to the cross street when the light turned. "Should I keep on going? How do you decide?" he looked so flustered as he asked her.
"Give it a little more gas, you can make it!"
The third time he had to make a decision, he did it without asking, which, of course, meant that he ran a red light and found himself on the receiving end of the two finger salute from an octogenarian.
"Did you see that little old lady? Oh Merlin, that was bloody hilarious!" Draco was dying.
Hermione? Not so much. "What were you thinking? We could have died! You have to stop for red lights!"
"Yellow lights make no sense. Instead of a light, there should be a countdown between the green and red light. That way you know exactly how much time is left to make it through the intersection," Draco informed her.
"Well, that is, surprisingly, an erudite suggestion." Although Hermione had no idea whom she should pass the suggestion on to.
Hermione made Draco stay on this side road for a few miles, until they came to a market and Hermione purchased a few items appropriate for a picnic lunch. Draco felt confident, and asked if he could drive for a while on the main road. When they got up to speed, he couldn't get over how similar the feeling was to flying when the top was down. He didn't feel like he wielded the same control over the automobile as he did over his broom, but he admitted (only to himself) that he felt safer. He had read all about the airbags in the owner's manual in the glove box.
Hermione sat very still in the passenger seat. She was practicing her "Draco façade" and refused to show her emotions to him. She was scared shiteless. Sure, he was driving carefully now and going the proper speed. How long would that last? Had Draco been content to ride a training broom as a child for more than an hour? Adult Draco still possessed little to no will-power when he wanted something. Any minute now he would have the confidence to go as fast as she knew he wanted to.
She had never tried to cast a Protego Totalum around a moving motor vehicle before. The academic side of her wanted to know what the results of such a spell would be. Would it protect the car in the case of a crash? Or would an Impervious Charm work better? Oh wait, maybe she should try the Horton-Keitch Braking Charm? Hermione had never had an opportunity to use that particular spell before, it was just something she'd read about. Doesn't mean she didn't know the incantation and proper wand movements, did it? Whatever she chose, she probably shouldn't do it while Draco drove for the first time. It would be distracting. Plus, it may hurt his feelings. Hey, if they were dead, there wouldn't be any feelings to hurt. There was still the distraction factor to consider. Maybe she could quietly do it while turning around and pretending to look for something in the back seat?
Shield charms were something Hermione had worked very hard at doing both wandlessly and non-verbally during the year on the run with Harry and Ron. First because it seemed like a smart thing to do, and later when Ron left, and she and Harry were sharing a single wand between them, it could mean life or death if you were the one standing wandless. Harry didn't disagree, and they both practiced it continuously until Ron returned. They reached a point where either one could cast a strong enough shield to cover the both of them while the other person wielded the wand to throw spells.
The concentration needed to cast a large shield and attach it to a moving object seemed like something she would want to channel through her wand, at least the first time. So, she let it slip down her sleeve into her hand as she turned around to rummage in the back. She whispered, "Protego Totalum," and turned back around holding the thermos, wand already back up her sleeve. "Water?" she asked Draco.
"Don't think I didn't notice what you were doing," he responded, never taking his eyes off of the road.
They pulled into a turn-off soon after and found themselves parked 50 meters or so from the top of a knoll, looking down at a field full of heather. Hermione handed Draco the omnioculars and the blanket to spread out on the grass, while she brought over the food for a lovely little repast.
"Admit it. I am a better driver than you expected," the wizard demanded with righteous arrogance.
"I admit that you're not as dangerous of a driver as I feared," her brown eyes not quite meeting his silver ones.
"Same thing," he let out a genuine chortle, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze, an acknowledgement of her reluctance to admit she was wrong twice in the same day.
There were times Hermione didn't understand Slytherins at all. Why not just come out and say what you meant - it was quicker and easier. She didn't have time for the machinations, and the energy needed to sustain it all gave her a headache. Then came moments like this, when she couldn't help but appreciate more subtle forms of communication than most of her other friends seemed capable of sustaining.
When they got up to walk back to the car, Hermione surprised them both by offering to let him drive again. The weather held and they kept the top down all the way to Seaham Hall. Hermione forced Draco to stop twice more when they passed historical markers along the way.
She read them aloud to him, like he was bloody illiterate. Then she would explain the history of the site in more depth then the plaque. Draco had been duped into an educational trip. With a sigh, he realized he should have known.
After their numerous stops, they arrived at Seaham Hall just past tea time. Hermione had booked the penthouse suite and set up something for them called The Evening Package. She explained that they would receive 45-minute-long massages, and could eat a two course dinner on the terrace in their spa robes afterwards.
"Since there's a little time to spare, I challenge you to a game of billiards. There's a table down the way, in the Tattinger Lounge," Hermione flounced down hall, not waiting for his answer. Draco was ready for anything more fun than a dry history lesson.
"You know I grew up with a table in my home, yeah?" she tossed back over her shoulder at him as he followed at a more sedate stroll, enjoying the way her pert arse bounced when she skipped like that.
Draco ignored the curly-haired witch's challenge. He'd grown up with a table too, and he'd used it to win plenty of money off of his friends.
Later on, when they were sitting down for dinner, Draco thought that maybe all of the stress of the day, with the constant stopping, and even the yelling during his driving lesson, were mitigated by the pleasure of staring at Hermione's arse constantly as she leaned over the billiards table. He had managed to slide down one shoulder of her robe for a moment to roll a nipple with his fingers before they started their massages. Between that, and the actual massage, he was horny as hell.
Hermione opted to start with the Onion Bhaji, followed by the Beef Panaeng Curry. Draco decided to try the Duck Pancake for his first course. He was truly excited over the Pork Belly with stir fry vegetables for second course. Pork Belly was most definitely a Muggle food. They found they had a bit of room left to share an order of Banana Spring Rolls for dessert.
Hermione's robe dropped the moment their room door shut behind them and Draco had a fleeting thought regarding her masseuse and what teasing may have occurred. By the time he could have formulated anything aloud, his mouth was otherwise occupied. The first time, he took her from behind.
From Seaham Hall, they were going to take a leisurely drive through the Lake District. Hermione had talked about the sites she wanted to visit that day, the amazing views to come, and the twisting roads they would travel. Draco was thinking less about the views, and not at all about the "sites", but rather about getting the car up to top speed on some of these roads Hermione was describing. He'd done an admirable job of reining himself in yesterday. Now it's time to see what this car could really do, he thought with a smirk. Which Hermione saw. Damn.
She saw Draco's smirk as they walked out to the car. She had a pretty good idea what was going on in his scheming mind.
He tried to be pre-emptive with, "Don't you know that one of the first lessons a Slytherin learns is 'Don't get caught'?"
Hermione smirked in return. She knew people often underestimated her as a rule-follower. Hermione definitely liked rules. She liked knowing the rules forwards and backwards. Then, she liked to find the grey areas within the rules to exploit them. She handed Draco the keys without a word.
Draco felt afraid, very afraid. Along with cars keys, he wondered if he had also been handed just enough rope.
Hermione directed Draco to the A688 and Barnard Castle.
Draco couldn't believe they had traipsed around the ruins of a castle. Actual castle ruins. Not just charmed ruins, like Hogwarts, with something interesting which only wizards could see. The only good thing about their stop was the bakery with delectable scones he decided made an excellent second breakfast. Yes, second breakfast became a real thing after Hermione introduced him to Lord of the Rings.
And then it all just fell away. All of the stress of waiting for the other shoe to drop, all of his boredom, all of it. He was driving on the most amazing stretch of road with the top down and the wind in his hair. "It's called Kirkstone Pass," she informed him over the sound of the wind. "Some locals also call it the The Struggle." He let the other shoe drop then, quite literally. Hermione didn't say a word about how much over the speed limit he was going, however he felt sure that the car now had four separate charms on it. Three cast by Hermione and one by him. He surreptitiously cast a Confundus Charm to keep away police officers while Hermione wasn't looking.
Hermione decided there was no time like the present for trying out a new charm. She would need to make sure she told Ron and Ginny about it, since the Horton-Keitch Braking Charm was originally developed for Quidditch, after all. She breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the shores of Lake Windermere. They parked and admired the view of the road that Draco had attempted to use as a means of killing them. She stood convinced of this, no talking her out of the fact of the matter.
Draco loved driving. Maybe as much as flying. Could it be possible? He was on such a high right now. He contemplated casting a Notice Me Not charm and shagging Hermione on the blanket still in the backseat. Draped over the hood of the car. He wondered how that would fit into her perfect little schedule for their day. He leaned over and kissed her deeply to test the waters. She pulled away and he couldn't help but pout.
"Uh uh," Hermione wagged a finger at him. "Keep it in your trousers. We are going to get some lunch and then head to Birdoswald Roman Fort." Draco groaned, realizing his fun time was over before it even started. Well, not completely. She still allowed him to drive the car.
The drive through the rest of the Lake District was just as exhilarating and beautiful. In less than two hours, they were parking at the fort. As it happened to be a Saturday, the place was busy. Hermione suggested a walk along Hadrian's Wall first, and then tea after. Once they finished tea, they could explore the ruins of the fort itself.
Hermione was beside herself. There were otters in the River Irthing! They frolicked around and if it wouldn't have broken the Statute of Secrecy, she would have cast her Patronus to see if it would have played with them. It felt inadequate to merely have Draco snap her picture with a muggle camera while standing with the otters visible in the background. They walked through an apple orchard in bloom, blossoms falling around them in the spring breeze, the journey transpiring into a romantic enough experience to cover the ache left by the otters. As they walked along the wall, Hermione read aloud from site literature.
"Hadrian's Wall formed the north-west frontier of the Roman Empire for most of the period AD 122-410. The empire's frontiers extended over 5,000 km from the Atlantic coast of Britain through Europe, the Middle East and across North Africa to the Atlantic. Today, Birdoswald Fort has the longest intact continuous stretch of wall. This incredible sight makes you appreciate the feat of Roman Engineering. You will be transported back in time, imagining yourself as a Roman soldier, guarding your empire and keeping a watchful eye out for invading troops."
"I would have never been a mere soldier, stationed at some gods-forsaken outpost," Draco snorted, lifting his chin with patrician haughtiness.
Hermione snorted right back at him. Malfoys styled themselves as the creators of political maneuverings. The man behind the curtain. Off on a tangent in her head she asked, "Have you seen the Wizard of Oz?"
Draco looked rightfully confused, "Who? What is Oz?"
"Where. Somewhere over the rainbow," she giggled.
"Have you gone barmy on me?"
She still giggled a little madly. "It's a movie about a girl who finds herself in a magical land, called Oz, which can only be found by traveling to the other side of a rainbow. The witches in the movie are real, but the wizard who rules the land is a charlatan who uses electricity to fool everyone into thinking he has magic."
"What does that have to do with me being a Roman Senator?"
"A Senator, but not the Emperor, right?"
"Never an Emperor. Better to be the influence behind the face of power," stating what Hermione already knew about him. Malfoys learned the lessons of cunningly wielding authority at their mother's breast. Although Draco didn't crave the same type of power as his father, he still enjoyed the rush when he exerted himself in successful business transactions.
"There's a muggle saying for people like that – the man behind the curtain. In the Wizard of Oz, the "wizard" hides behind a curtain while performing his tricks in the throne room. So you see, I was about five steps into a tangent-" Draco cut Hermione off by pulling her against him and putting his mouth over hers in a scorching kiss. He bit her bottom lip and then swept his tongue into her mouth when she opened it with a gasp. She could only imagine where this would go if they weren't standing on a walking path with people coming up behind them.
She pulled back with a content little hum. "What was that for?"
"You. Are. Perfect," he stated, his hands cupping her face while he stared into her eyes, "The way your mind works. How genuine you are. Your acceptance of who I am. Just… everything." Draco remained at a loss for words, so he grabbed her hand and continued on the path back to the fort for some tea.
After tea, he let her drag him around the inside of the fort, nattering on about the excavations and such, for an hour before he finally admitted to her that he was bored to tears.
They spent the night just up the way in Haltwhistle, at the place Hermione had reserved. Hermione talked to the owners of the guesthouse about taking a sunrise ramble and they said they would pack a hamper with some fruit, pastries, and a thermos of coffee. The wife asked Draco how they took their coffee and Hermione sighed, feeling something between exasperation and adoration, when, like a walking cliché, he quipped, "Black. Like my soul."
It was foggy the next morning, but not enough to deter them when they started out before dawn. On the contrary, Draco enjoyed the peace the damp air imparted. As the sun rose, the fog began to lift. The quiet they previously enjoyed broken by the sound of birds. They hiked for a few hours before starting the drive home.
Hermione got behind the wheel to get them back to London. They would stop for lunch, but she didn't have any other stops planned. She filled up with petrol before they embarked. You know what they say about the best laid plans…
"Oooh! We have to stop to see what the sign said! Do you see a good place to turn around?"
"No! No more historical markers! Do you have any idea how bloody boring they are? What is your obsession with them?"
"Boring? History is never boring!"
"Binns."
Hermione thought about admitting defeat. It wasn't technically true that the history of magic was boring, just the professor teaching it was. She knew countless witches and wizards ended up turned off of the subject because of him. She felt the need to prove it to Draco. Which meant she turned the car around to go back to the marker.
"Let's just see what this one is. Maybe you'll really like it!" Ever the optimist.
It turned out to be about the 303rd Bombardment Group, also known as the "Hells Angels", from World War II. Draco hated it and did not stay quiet about it.
They arrived back at her parents' home in the early evening. The Grangers came out to the garage when she pulled the Aston Martin back into its stall. Her mum asked if they were hungry – they were. She headed inside to put something together. Her dad asked Draco about the trip. Draco almost launched into how much he hated being dragged all over the countryside for history lessons when it occurred to him that at least one of her parents must have imparted a love of history to Hermione, and she'd spent the weekend showing him something special. She had taken him on a little tour of her childhood. She hadn't shared this with any friends or ex-lovers before the Slytherin.
She may be a swot, but he was a complete arse. He didn't want to be a complete arse. He had told her with words that he loved her for the first time less than two months ago. He wasn't afraid to declare it privately, both in words and actions. He considered that the time now came to prove it with words and actions in public.
"I learned about the "Hell's Angels" when we stopped at a roadside memorial. Do you know they don't teach anything about World War II in the wizarding world?"
"What the hell do you they teach you?" Hermione's dad asked as the two men walked towards the house together. Hermione heard Draco start to tell her dad about Grindelwald and how as a child his tutor taught him there'd been some disturbances with Muggles in Europe that were merely fallout from the wizard war of the same era.
Hermione smiled at the men's backs. She knew Draco didn't suddenly change his mind. He really had been bored as all get out. That didn't mean the knowledge wasn't being absorbed. His intelligence was sexy as sin to her.
Hermione removed all four charms from her parents' car, the three she placed and the one her sneaky boyfriend put on. It occurred to her that the three she placed could be legal, since they would only protect the car and the occupants. Draco's, on the other hand… Well, best not to think about it too hard. Could there be a market aimed at wizards or witches looking to learn to integrate more into Muggle life which would include a package of her three charms from this weekend? Tomorrow she would pop into the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry to see about getting the proper forms. It shouldn't be too tough to convince Perkins, since the Ministry already added undetectable extension charms to their cars for official use. Her set of spells would be less of a risk under the Statute of Secrecy than those already in use. She could stop to see Arthur Weasley while she was in the building. He still hung pictures of automobiles up in his new (much larger) office as the head of The Office of Muggle Relations; he was sure to be enthusiastic about this idea.
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