11 Reasons General Theme: 11 Reasons why Draco and Hermione Belong Together
Pairing: Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger
Title: The One Who Knows
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter
Word Count: 1491
Prompt: Table 3 (Favorites)—Place: Hers
Notes: Many thanks to my wonderful beta, eilonwy!
…
Before the mountains call to you
Before you leave this home
ooo
"I cannot believe you do this for fun. I can't believe anyone does this for fun."
Hermione rolled her eyes and giggled. "Buck up, Malfoy. We're only just getting started."
"How much further?" he asked.
"Eight miles."
"That sounds like a long way."
She shrugged. "Two hours or so."
"What?!" He stopped walking and set his backpack on the ground beside him.
Hermione turned around, smiling, an eyebrow cocked. "Honestly. The wizarding lifestyle promotes laziness. You'll live, Draco. I promise."
"Speaking of the wizarding lifestyle," said Draco, pulling his water bottle from the pack and taking a long drink. "Why don't we just Apparate to where we're headed? Save all this time and energy."
"Draco," Hermione said patiently. "It's not always about the destination, you know. Sometimes it's about the journey."
"The journey," he repeated, as though tasting something quite sour. "This…walking for two hours. Carrying all this stuff. That's what it's about?"
"Yes. We'd miss all of this," she said, indicated the forest around them. "All the trees and wildlife and natural beauty around us. I assure you, the end of this trip is fantastic as well, but it'll be all the more wonderful after we've really earned it. Do you honestly want to miss all of this?"
He chuckled. "Would you say I'm a bad person if I said yes?"
"No, but trust me when I tell you you'd be missing out. I'm walking; you may Apparate." She turned around and resumed walking.
Draco sighed. Of course he wasn't leaving her. After watching her back get smaller, he gave one final, silent protest and slung the pack onto his back and hurried to catch up with her.
After twenty minutes in silence, Draco said. "So you did this with your parents, right?"
"Yes, many times. This particular trail at that."
"I saw a deer back there."
Hermione stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him. "You did? Why didn't you tell me?"
Draco's eyes widened. "I didn't know I was supposed to!"
"Lucky!" she said, glancing around the forest as though she might be able to spy another one. "Next time you see something, tell me, okay?"
He grinned at her. "Maybe you should slow down and enjoy the journey."
"Very funny," she said and started walking again.
Draco fell in step beside her and took her hand in his. No matter how many times they'd held hands, he still marveled at how small her hand was compared to his, how well they fit together. And more recently, he felt pride well inside him at the feel of the thin, gold band on her finger. He smiled and very nearly started whistling.
They talked about what they saw, Hermione acting as a kind of tour guide. Soon they heard the sound of water.
"Ooh," Hermione exclaimed, her eyes bright with excitement. "That means we're getting close to the waterfall!"
"Hey, no fair! You know what's coming."
"I told you, I've been on this trail before. Though I must admit, I was never a huge fan of hiking and camping when my parents made me go."
"Oh?" he asked her.
"I know, hard to believe, right?" she replied sarcastically.
"So you've decided to enjoy it all of a sudden? Or is this for my benefit? Do share with me a little of your wild Muggle ways."
She jabbed him with her elbow, then looked at him sideways. "I enjoy it now, thank you very much. It's incredibly peaceful being surrounded by only nature. And…any excuse to get you into a pair of jeans is completely worth it."
He stopped and turned to her, one eyebrow cocked, a smile slowly forming on his face. "Why, you scheming little minx."
Hermione giggled and stepped closer to him. "You know, Draco. We're…all alone out here. No one around for miles…" she trailed off, letting him make all the right connections in his mind.
His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in consideration. "Where?" he asked, glancing around. All he could see were trees, trees, and more trees.
"We're magical, don't forget. We can Transfigure just about anything. And there's always the river… or the waterfall."
Draco wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. "Waterfall?" he asked, his voice low and his eyes shining.
"It's pretty shallow," Hermione replied with a smirk. "I've been swimming there before."
He growled and kissed her. "I think I'm starting to appreciate nature."
"I thought you might," she said, pulling out of his hold. "Come on, it's a little walk yet."
Draco decided he really liked nature after visiting the waterfall. He didn't even think twice about the fact that their stop extended the trip by an hour.
Hand in hand they continued until Hermione stopped.
Draco looked at her skeptically. "This is our destination? A cave?"
She grinned. "Yes. Trust me, will you?" She let go of his hand and entered the cave.
"Hermione," Draco called. "Wait! What if there are animals in there? And it's awfully dark."
"Come on, you pansy. I've been in here before. And we both have our wands." On cue, he could see a faint light coming from inside. Reluctantly he followed. The path was narrow, crooked and winding. He'd lit his want too and quickly regretted it. The light illuminated the various cave-dwelling insects and the plant-life growing on some parts of the cave walls. They walked for ten minutes, Draco's anxiety increasing with every step.
"Hermione," he said finally. She stopped. "Uh, I trust you and all, but where are we going?"
She turned around and quirked one side of her mouth. "We're here." Then she took a few more steps and disappeared from his sight. Quickly he followed and stepped out of the tunnel into an enormous cavern.
The floor sloped gradually down to a large pool of water. Stalactites and stalagmites jutted from the ceiling and floor everywhere he looked, and the only sound was a steady dripping of water somewhere in the dark.
"Wow," he said, waving his wand around to see as much as he could. The roof and far wall of the cavern were too far to be touched by his light. He turned to Hermione, who was watching him.
"Come on, let's eat lunch. I'm starving," she said.
Hermione had packed a romantic meal of bread, cheese, fruit, and even a little wine. She spread a blanket on the floor and Transfigured a stick she'd brought from the forest into a torch and suspended it above them.
"See?" Hermione said as they ate. "Wasn't the walk worth it?"
He looked at her. "I became pleased with the walk at the waterfall. But yes, it was."
"Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"Happy anniversary."
He grinned. "I can't believe it's been three years. I love you more today than ever."
"Me too." She paused. "Draco?"
"Yes?"
"How many kids do you want?"
He frowned. "Kids? Where is this coming from?"
She shrugged. "I'm curious is all. We both want children, but I'm an only child and so are you. . We have no experience with a larger family, and it hit me the other day. Do you want just one, or more?"
Draco considered the question as he finished his cheese. "I've always wished I had a brother or sister."
"Me too."
He chuckled. "Though I imagine I would have got into a lot more trouble if I'd had a brother." The smile slowly faded. "Probably a lot less if I'd had a sister."
"What makes you say that?"
He shrugged. "I suppose the way I feel about you. I want to protect you, keep you from all the evils of the world. I imagine I'd feel the same about my sister. Maybe…maybe I wouldn't have been so drawn in by my father."
Hermione gave him a reassuring look. "It's all right in the end, love."
"I know. I know." He shook his head. "Sorry to bring him up today."
They were quiet for a few minutes. Then Hermione said, "Then we are in agreement? More than one kid?"
"You know," he replied thoughtfully. "If we had seven, that would make an entire Quidditch team."
Hermione's eyes widened and then she rolled them. "I'm not having children to produce a Quidditch team."
"I know, love. It was a joke."
"Very funny."
Draco leaned over the blanket and kissed her softly, purposefully. "As many as we want." He settled back in his spot and finished his glass. "How many do you want?"
"Two, or three. Or four."
"Very specific," he said with a chuckle.
She smiled and then very quietly said. "When, uh, do you want to start?"
He considered her for a moment, taking in the nervous, expectant, hopeful look in her eyes that extended to her cheeks, causing them to flush. Then he glanced around him at the dark, secluded yet damp and stuffy cave and, thinking back to the waterfall, smirked.
"How about on the walk back?"
ooo
A/N: Thanks for reading! Another one up soon:)