Training Day One (Part II): Harry's Helper

Hermione didn't realize that she was backing up into Draco. Draco put his hands on her shoulders to keep her from exiting the door due to her shock. Her eyes were wide in disbelief; she shook her head saying that it couldn't be possible.

"What are you doing here?"

Harry chuckled at her question. A man that seemed vaguely familiar to her stood behind Harry waiting for instructions. "I'm Head Auror as of Friday. Can you believe Dumbledore recommended me? I am here to train you."

Hermione shook her head. Well of course she believed that Dumbledore would recommend Harry. Who wouldn't after everything that he did for both the wizarding and muggle worlds? She saw Harry the other night and he didn't mention any of this to her. She would have been relieved if she knew that one of her best friends was going to be there to help her through this ordeal with 'saving the world' not to mention working with Draco. It really wasn't as bad as she originally thought it would be, but she was entitled to complain.

"Harry…why didn't you tell me on Friday?" She felt betrayed by her friend. He must have a good reason, but she couldn't help but feel a little upset that Harry wouldn't confide in her.

"I would have if I'd known when you came. It was a last minute decision from both the Minster and Dumbledore. I didn't find out until that night. They both felt that I would better help both you and Malfoy succeed in this mission." He explained, keeping his attention on Hermione. He didn't want to look at Malfoy for the fear that he would say something that he would regret later on. It was hard for him to comprehend that he had to be civil towards the ferret. Duty was duty and he had to obey that duty.

"Oh. I am not mad or anything…actually I am a bit relieved."

Draco eyed her and felt his stomach clench.

"Hermione why didn't you tell me the truth. That whole thing about the house elf was a lie." He looked disheartened, his eyes crestfallen.

Hermione sighed in frustration. Harry was right; she shouldn't be questioning him because she lied to him first. She didn't think that she would actually have to confront her friends on her little white lie. Well small big lie. Her cheeks blazed red from shame.

"Harry I'm sorry, but both of us know that I couldn't. You do understand?"

"Hermione you shouldn't explain yourself. Mr. Big Shot Auror knows the situation or he wouldn't be here." Draco jumped in to keep her from feeling ashamed. She had no reason to be. She didn't have a choice…they both didn't. Why should she have to explain if there wasn't any other way?

He couldn't believe that he defended Hermione of all people.

Hermione turned her gaze on Draco and glared.

"Draco I can handle this and Harry is my friend, so I'd appreciate if you'd show him some respect." She turned to Harry and took his hand.

Harry refused to take it and turned himself towards Draco, his face was indifferent, but his eyes betrayed his emotions. "No Hermione, I think Draco has earned himself a lovely day of training," he said with derision.

It was odd how Harry and Draco were both trying to protect Hermione, but in their own way. Draco was unaware of the new feelings invading his senses and Harry was trying to suppress his.

Hermione looked at Harry in confusion and Draco smirked not really expecting Harry to
do anything, but he was gravely mistaken for he would be challenged until breaking point that day.

Harry remembered his duty and got down to action. He took a more serious and informal tone with both Hermione and Draco. "Now as you know today is your first day of training and mind you it will not be easy. Meet my advisor on physical training." He motioned for the man behind him to come forward.

He was slightly taller than Harry and had short brown hair. He was wearing a tight trainer's shirt that showed every one of his toned muscles. His biceps bulged from under his sleeves and the muscles in his jaw clenched as stepped forward. Something about him told you that he didn't like being Harry's second-in-command.

Hermione eyes brightened when she realized whom it was. Draco seemed not to notice, until the man was introduced; all those years of Quidditch came back to mind.

"Hermione you remember Oliver Wood," Harry completely ignored Draco during the introduction.

"I prefer Wood," the man said sternly with a very thick Scottish brogue.

"Weren't you that pansy Captain for Gryffindor a few years back?" Draco sneered.

Hermione grumbled in her throat. It would be hopeless to stop Draco from insulting people, especially people that were his enemies for so long. It took them a while to talk nicely to each other, so it wouldn't be easy here either.

Harry smiled at Draco's remark, knowing that it was a wrong move. Draco didn't know that Wood was a Lieutenant in the Ministry's 25th Division Auror Squad, meaning he was one tough bugger and wouldn't let Draco out of this one… not to mention that he grew into quite a threatening size.

"I would watch your mouth if I were you," Wood mentioned.

"What are you going to do…beat with your broom?" Draco went too far.

"No, but I guarantee that you will be in pain."

Draco smirked and crossed his arms across his chest, willing him to do so. "Try me."

He never gives up does he. Hermione was shaking her head, knowing that Wood was serious and he was their trainer after all, meaning both Harry and him had complete, and utter control over them. They had sold their souls and handed them both over to the devil…personally.

Wood smiled at this remark; his eyes alight with amusement and challenge.

"Today I will stretch your physical capacities to their limit…even beyond that." His tone was dead serious.

Hermione's stomach rumbled in nerves and Draco still had a haughty air to him.

"We will start of with six laps around this field. Do I make myself clear?"

"What are we muggles?"

"Mr. Malfoy, I am either making this clear to you or not, but it is vital that you are in top notch physical condition before you take on this task at hand."

"Sure."

Wood didn't like the disrespect lacing his comment. Wood walked up to Draco and put his face in Draco's. "Then do not question my training techniques!"

Never in his life did Draco feel so inferior.

Hermione gulped, knowing that this was the real deal. She heard about muggle training facilities in the military and she was taking every precaution.

"Now get going!"

Hermione and Draco took off at a brisk pace, but slowed down when they neared the first curve, already winded.

"This is shite man. Who does he think he is?" Draco complained to Hermione, trying to gasp for air at that same time. He was always toned, but endurance was his weakest link. The last time he ran for a long period time was during his Quidditch years.

"You are better off with your mouth shut."

"So your on his side now?"

"It's the smartest thing to do Draco, so stop being an idiot about this whole thing. We have to get through it in one piece and together to say the least."

"Fine." He picked up his pace, trying to get his frustrations out. Hermione caught up to him in a matter of seconds. Out of no where Wood came zooming up to them on his broom.

"You call that running?" he bellowed. "Faster!"

They both picked up their speed. Calves were burning and their chests couldn't get enough oxygen. For the next few minutes Wood made them sprint the next two laps, which wasn't as easy as it seemed. The size of the stadium matched that of two muggle tracks put together. In the end, they ran a total of three miles in eighteen minutes under Wood's command.

Draco and Hermione took a few minutes to catch their breath, but soon found themselves doing calisthenics. Both struggled through multiple sets of push-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, squats, flutters, scissors, more push ups (which Hermione couldn't believe she could do…well only ten then she could only hold herself in a starting position, which made Wood very mad), Russian kicks, crunches. Every muscle was burning and deprived of oxygen, but Wood would not give up. Harry watched over the whole operation and didn't say anything or question any of Wood's nearly fascist decrees.

"You're mad!"

Wrong move by Draco as they soon found themselves completing a rather large O course set-up by Wood himself. Hermione and Draco had to motivate each other immensely through each task in order to find the will to complete them because they were physically spent.

Six hours later they were given an hour reprieve for lunch. After they finished lunch, they did weight training and team building exercises, even though there were two people. The whole idea of this training was to help create a stronger bond between Draco and Hermione. If they learned how to help each other in a time of need even in something as simple, like climbing a fifty foot wall or climbing over trenches, then trust would become easy for the both of them.

Harry knew that Hermione needed to find a certain type of friendship with Draco and that made him envious. He hated Draco with every morsel of his being and he didn't like this mission at all. He couldn't stand the sight of his best friend working with scum, like Malfoy. It made his stomach churn with jealousy.

Sixteen hours after they started their training, Wood let them go for the night.

Hermione walked up to Harry and gave him a hug, even though her muscles protested the further exertion.

"Take care of Gin and the baby Harry."

"Take care of yourself." Her touched lingered in his mind for a moment longer then he let it vanish.

Hermione and a very disgruntled Draco limped back to their room. Draco left glaring at
a chuckling Wood.

Draco and Hermione moved at a glacial speed, their bodies sore from the day's events.

"My body is killing me," Draco complained.

"Oh do stop being a baby. You think this is rough. Wait until tomorrow."

Draco looked at her in bewilderment. "How can you be so calm? Wood practically killed us today. I don't even know if I will be able to walk tomorrow."

"Relax. It isn't that bad." Her face suddenly grimaced and she clutched her calf.

"Hermione. What's wrong?" His voice raised in alarm and went to help Hermione stand up straight.

"It's my calf. I think I have a charley horse. Oi! Fuck. It hurts like hell." She leaned into Draco's hard body. Draco was in as much pain as she was, but he was concerned for well being, which was very unusual.

"Here…here lean on me." He helped her walk to their room. When they got there, he picked her up, which made her squeal in protest and walked her over to their couch and placed her gently upon it.

Out of no where he started to knead her clenching muscle. "Draco, you don't have--"

"Sssh Hermione. Don't worry." His voice was like silk, his complete intention on working Hermione's tired calf muscle. A piece of his sweat-drenched hair fell in his face, making him look completely desirable. Hermione couldn't keep her eyes off of him. She smacked herself mentally when she realized she was thinking of Malfoy in a very sensual way. A soft moan escaped her lips. This caused Draco to smirk at her seductively.

She blushed profusely at that look and tried to keep her cheeks from turning red.

"Does that feel good?"

She nodded, lost for words. She blushed, realizing the compromising position that she was in. She pulled her leg up to her chest and gave Draco a questioning look. Her stomach fluttered at the sweet gaze he was giving her.

Draco couldn't help the connection he felt with Hermione at that moment. His heart was still racing from touching her leg like that…it was too intimate for his liking. He met her honey gaze, which was so unguarded that he wanted to cry. She looked like a confused child. Her face was still red from the physical exertion they had just gone through. He wanted to comfort her…he wanted to touch her. This scared the bejesus out of him. He remembered that she was very uninformed with intimate relationships. Wait a second…what was he talking about? This was Hermione Granger for Merlin sakes. He couldn't like her…he wouldn't. His heart was telling him differently.

An awkward silence formed between the two of them.

Hemrione eventually realized the situation. She broke the silence. "Anyway Draco I really appreciate your massage, but I think it is about time that I get to bed." She quickly jumped up, keeping her whimpers of pain to herself, as her muscles strained to drag her body to the haven of her warm bath. She didn't want an interest to form for Draco, but it was too late. She was starting to like Draco more and more everyday. This was the scariest thing she had ever encountered.

Draco was taken by surprise. He didn't have a chance to say goodnight because Hermione disappeared into her room without a second glance behind her. He felt lonely with her gone. Draco didn't understand this light feeling. He didn't know that his heart could actually leave his body and float. He didn't understand the jolt of electricity that went through his body when he touched Hermione. It was terrifying, but he wanted to learn more.

"Goodnight."

This, my friend, is love and Lucius was wrong all along. Malfoys' can love…

A/N: Please let me know how this turned out. I would appreciate the feedback. It makes me write faster. Thanks for reading! Wood is crazy in this story. I love him anyway.

Liadan Lightflower