No excuses as to why this is SOOOO late- like a year probably. I'm just a bad person.
Disclaimer: I am many things to many people but not one of them have ever told me I was Ms Rowling…ever Sob --- do enjoy the story
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It had been a terrible three days for Draco. There was some sort of festival in Athens the god just HAD to attend which left no time to continue the Game. Draco spent this time moping around the beautiful palace tormenting him over how he lost the first challenge. Hermione didn't seem bothered. Not that Draco could tell as she was never around. No instead of sulking with him shed gone over to the enemy with his stupid golden sandals and stupid immortal glowing green eyes. Not that Draco was at all jealous. What on earth was he jealous of? Mud-Granger could do what ever the bloody hell she wanted. If she couldn't see through this stupid gods false glamour than what could he do about it?
Merlin he was BORED.
There was nothing to do here. Great architecture yes but not much else.
Just clouds, tapestries, stars and odd moaning noises.
Draco stopped out side the room.
Wait moaning noises?
He debated with himself to go and look. He was very well acquainted with those noises…a loud crash echoed from the room and down the hall. Draco couldn't resist as the moaning changed to cries of panic and confusion.
He opened the door to find an extremely attractive and more importantly naked woman lying down with a strong, dark also naked man. She was glowing a soft mother of peal while he was blasting a red nimbus that was confined by the strange chain mail blanket that covered them. The ugliest god Draco had ever seen was standing beside the bed with a look of great anger and angst, his earthy brown eyes gleaming from the dark corner.
Suddenly he yelled, his voice sounding like a hot furnace and the clang of metal on metal,
"Come to me my sisters and brothers, mother and father. Assemble and see this new shame my wife brings me."
The anger in his voice was intense and raw.
The room was almost immediately filled with what looked like water vapour.
Figures then began appearing just as they had at the pavilion for Zeus.
When the colourful nimbi had settled the gods all beheld the sight in front of them.
The women all shocked with the exception of white-eyed Athena who looked triumphant and the silver orbed Queen who looked jealous.
"Hephaestus what is this?"
Zeus asked gesturing towards the blushing woman and furious male on the bed.
At this point Hermione entered the room and shot Draco a questioning look he shrugged in response his face darkening when he saw Hermes following behind her.
"My wife Aphrodite has broken my heart and destroyed my dreams. I have oft thought that she was wanton and I sought to prove my fears. Behold here she lies with Ares, my brother. This has cut deep and I wish to denounce her in the sight of all others. She is unworthy and has defiled herself. Here my brethren, is my deepest shame."
It took awhile longer for the noise to die down then Ares and Aphrodite where released. Aphrodite stood gracefully out of the bed. She then glided past Draco whose face immediately began pinking as he felt his loins tighten. Merlin she was beautiful. Truly a goddess. He started towards her not sure what he was going to do. He felt a tug on his arm and was numbly lead out of the room his thoughts and awareness a blur.
"Unbelievable!"
Draco felt his arm being released as Hermione threw her hands up in the air.
"Just bloody unbelievable. What a bloody little flirt."
"Who?" asked Draco coming out of his daze.
" Aphrodite of course, worse than the Veela. Honestly she had every man in there in the palm of her hand." Hermione cast a glance at Draco
"Obviously including you."
"Well let's not pretend she isn't the most sexy woman ever to live." Replied Draco smirking.
"She isn't a woman Draco she is a Goddess, The goddess of promiscuity, vanity and lust, and as for her looks I hope you realize it is a glamour charm."
"Are you jealous of an immortal goddess?"
"Don't be ridiculous I have more sense than to worry of a second rate whore. For Merlin's sake Malfoy it's your life but you're an idiot if you think she will like you. Don't get me wrong she will sleep with you. I doubt she can help herself, it's what she does after all- you saw her with Ares, but she wont fall in love with you."
"Oh really well who said anything about love? Not that it's your business anyway. Oh and where have you been for the past three days? That's right, flirting with a messenger boy. Well I suppose that you two perfect for each other he is an idiot and you're a…" Draco trailed away
"A what Malfoy?" Hermione asked her voice dangerously quite.
"Your impossible! We have to get home and you spend your time with the flirty loser." Yelled Draco aspirated.
"As I recall you were the one who lost to him." Hermione retorted icily. "What is you're problem?"
"My problem?"
"Yes you. I'm talking about in general here. You meet me in our first year and find out that I'm not from a wizarding family suddenly we are enemies and we remain enemies for years, of course thanks to your inane pranks this year we end up in the middle of ancient Greece. We start to work together and dare I say it almost become friends." Hermione was pacing now. "Then you start hitting on me. Just when I think maybe your different you start talking and acting like this. Is this game to you? Or do you just have to snog someone even if she is the hated mudblood."
"I thought you said you weren't jealous, and I didn't kiss you because I'm some weirdo freak who can't go a few weeks without sex or a snog. I…" Draco seemed a little uncomfortable, "I don't know why I kissed you it just felt like I should. I'm not usually that impulsive. Look,"
Now he was really uncomfortable,
"Gah!" He threw his hands up, "What does it matter anyway when we get back home nothing will change. You will still be the golden trio and I will still have to face my life. This whole thing has been like some unreal vacation. Merlin, just forget about it."
He turned and left the room; Hermione sat there even more confused.
xXx
As the Gods met with the mortals again this time Hephaestus was the god who strode forward. Ugly as always he stood in horrid contrast to the cold haughty and exceedingly beautiful gods that surrounded him. Hermione could see on is face that he was still hurt by Aphrodite. Obviously he loved her. Why Hermione had no idea but there it was.
Hephaestus stood stooped his powerful arms limp by his sides. He spoke to Hermione and Draco instead of the assembly though his voice was loud enough to carry across the crowd.
"Ah my young mortals, my challenge for you is a quest. Complete it and you will have passed my part of the Game."
"Is that all?" Draco asked waiting for the catch.
"Don't be hasty my friend this task is not as simple as you might wish."
Hermione was getting impatient.
"Sir, what is this task?"
Hephaestus' liquid brown eyes fastened on Hermione.
"To make Artemis her Great Bow of the Hunt I require a string. I make this string from the hair of certain animals, which you need to find. A unicorn tail hair, a centaur tail hair and a hair from a sphinx's mane."
"Wait isn't the Sphinx Egyptian?"
"We like to borrow from other cultures." Said Hephaestus, amusement clear in his voice.
"How long have we got? And how do we find these creatures?" Hermione asked briskly.
"Hmm there is no real time limit, if you don't return in a month you lose but I hardly think it should take you that long. As for where, the unicorns can be found in the Unicorn glade, which the river of Thermodon runs through. The centaurs live in a wood in Thrace and the Sphinx as your companion has pointed out is in Egypt. I bid you good luck on your travels, and magic is permitted."
Then Hephaestus turned and hobbled away. The crowd also dispersed looking a little disappointed.
"Honestly he is no fun when he gets into these moods." Hermione overheard Poseidon remark to Ares.
Hermione understood. He was going easy on them to cheat the other gods out of their sport. Hermione felt relieved, now all they had to do was complete the quest and they were one step closer to going home.
Hermione and Draco sat together planning how they were going to go about getting the hairs. There was an unspoken agreement that they abided by to not speak of what happened in the hall.
"Well what about brooms?"
"Draco, don't be ridiculous I can't fly. We could apperate."
"We don't know where we are going." Replied Draco not adding that he had yet to actually pass his apperating test.
"Well what about a port key?"
"Hermione I have no idea how to set that up do you?"
"Well I read about it a few times but I could never attempt it without the right books."
"Merlin." Said Draco letting his head drop to the table with a thud.
"Despairing already?" a voice that sounded of the ocean. Hermione looked up to see Ino dressed in all her Grecian glory. She seemed to shimmer, her skin pale and her green olive eyes that seemed to hold all the depths of the ocean in them.
"Well never fear I have come to help you."
Draco perked up. "Really can you transport us like Hermes did?"
"I'm afraid not I'm not that powerful however pack some provisions and all you will need to travel then meet me in the throne room."
They quickly packed stuffing all their possessions into sacks that had been supplied to them.
They found Ino waiting for them in the throne room. She ushered them to her then lead the way to a side room. In this room was a giant life like model of the Mediterranean and of Greece.
"I can transport you instantly through this." Ino said pointing one graceful hand toward the map. "It is one way however so choose your destination and then you will have to find your own way around."
"We aren't familiar with Greece how will we find these places? Hermione asked still a little frustrated.
"Hold out your hand." Ino instructed
Hermione did as she was told Ino took her hand gently and breathed on the top. Hermione shivered as she felt the skin on her hand move and flow. When she looked at her hand there was a blue tattoo of the land and sea. There were three red dots on the map and a small yellow one.
"There now that should do it. Use you're wand to zoom in and out."
Hermione was thanking Ino profusely until the beautiful goddess shook her head.
"Don't thank me I have ulterior motives."
Then Ino stood back and motioned them to touch the board.
Draco and Hermione nervously approach the map. Placing a hand to it Hermione closed her eyes. Draco saw Ino say something then gesture. With a wave she disappeared from view along with the rest of the room. Draco began to feel sick it was like the drugged up floo ride with all the portkey extras (Except for an actual port key of course, the map disappeared with the rest of the room.) Sparks of purple and blue energy burst and sparked around him.
Suddenly it was over. Draco fell on the grass with a thud Hermione somehow managing to fall not on the grass but on him.
"Ooof" The wind was knocked out of him making him feel even worse.
Hermione opened her eyes on the impact.
She looked down and came face to face with the very pained look on Draco's face with a small gasp she rolled off him.
"Sorry." She squeaked peering at him in concern. "Are you alright?"
Draco turned on all fours still catching his breath.
"Never been better." He managed to breathe out. Gradually he got to his feet to look around.
They were in a forest.
A raging river, the River Thermodon he assumed, rushed past at an alarming rate.
The forest was like a lot of forests. Green, brown, large and wild.
"Where do we go then?" Draco asked Hermione, "Up or down stream?"
Hermione closed her eyes for a moment and then said with absolute certainty. "Up"
"How on earth do you know that?"
"It's strange I can feel it, feel them."
"Them?"
"Draco jus trust me, please."
She looked so innocent and certain.
Draco sighed, "Alright up it is."
Hermione looked excited like it was her birthday or she had found a really big book that was written in a half dead language.
She eagerly took the lead.
Her enthusiasm wasn't dampened in the least when after two hours of walking there was still no sign of a unicorn glade.
Draco was less enthusiastic but her bubbly mood had an effect on him. He wasn't as annoyed by the tedious walk than he felt he should be. He found he was actually enjoying the walk.
Enjoy was perhaps the wrong word but he felt contented. Hermione was humming a strange and beautiful melody under her breath.
"What is that song?" Draco asked.
"Hmmm?" Hermione looked up.
Draco patiently repeated the question.
"I don't know but I…" Hermione broke of then sighed, "This is going to sound weird but it was just a tune that came into my head ever since we came here. It gets stronger the further we go up stream."
Draco stopped walking and stood in silence. That's all her could hear- silence.
"Well why can't I hear it?" He demanded.
"I'm not making it up!" Said Hermione indignantly
"I never said you did." Pointed out Draco smoothly.
"Well I…" Hermione began to reply when Draco came up to her face, very close to her face. She could feel his breath on her cheek as she shut her mouth and swallowed nervously.
"Stop trying to antagonize me and lets keep walking." He whispered into her ear.
She nodded mutely then whirled away to resume following the river.
Draco stayed where he was a moment longer fixing in his mind the scent of her hair. It smelt of jasmine and spices.
Ten minutes later they stumbled onto a meadow surrounded by strong oaks and beeches.
Here the river was slower and shallower and wound through the meadow before disappearing into the wood. A collection of stones near the center of the meadow provided a ford through the river. On both sides of the blue water were grassy areas of green. Dotted around the glade were beautiful apple trees that against all logic had blossoms and red ripe fruit hanging from the branches. Clover and wild flowers dotted through the grass. Bees and butterflies flew in graceful dances from plant to plant. A small herd of about seven creatures were grazing. Silver manes and tails, coats so white that they made the white of the clouds above seem dirty and tainted, and upon each of their heads was a shimmering iridescent mother of pearl horn shaped in a delicate spiral cone.
It was in short the most idyllic and breath-taking place Hermione had ever seen and the Unicorns looked so pure and innocent. The melody she had heard so faintly where they landed was rushing through her ears. It added to the splendor in front of her. She unconsciously began singing along to the tune.
The herd stopped grazing their ears swiveling around and locking on to Hermione's voice. The stallion raised his head in a whicker then walked sedately over to Hermione.
She kept singing and made her way toward him ignoring Draco's attempts to stop her. The beautiful Unicorn coming toward her in entranced her.
As far as Draco could see Hermione had been put under some kind of spell and the horn on the unicorn looked deadly enough.
Hermione was almost at the stallion now her hand outstretched.
"Halt!" Commanded a fierce voice that cut through the song in her head.
Hermione froze.
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I really wanted to use Rowling's creatures from that side book that was published a few years ago but I couldn't find a copy to use. So I chose mythology creatures instead.
And apologies again for the lateness. Much love to all who review.