AN: So, this chapter is Hermione's big plan and a great big surprise when they head out for the first challenge their required to complete. Will she be able to count on Draco to help her get through it? Read on to find out, then leave a review when you're finished so I know what you think! Clumsy!
They both ordered their dinners, filet mignon, mashed potatoes, and Brussels sprouts for Draco, while Hermione ordered spaghetti and a spring mix garden salad. When they got to the table Hermione started talking.
"Before I tell you my plan, you have to swear to never tell anyone what we talk about, it's important. I haven't even told Harry." She said and then looked him in the eye.
"I promise not to reveal what we discuss tonight, though I'm surprised you'd trust me to keep my word." He promised.
She waved that away, "Ok, first you need to understand something. On the night we picked Harry up from his aunt and uncle's during the war before his seventeenth birthday, the Order members were paired up, one would be the lead, and the other would drink Polyjuice and become Harry. Kingsley was my lead and I was his Potter. As soon as we were in the sky to return to our safe house we were set upon by what seemed like hundreds of Death Eaters, and we were in a fight for our lives, even Voldemort came after us at first. Needless to say, surviving that kind of ordeal with someone creates a certain bond. He is special to me and vice versa."
She was watching him to make sure he understood. He nodded, so she continued.
"After he announced this completely hair brained idea, I went and saw him alone to try and tell him how pairing the two of us up was impossible. I even went so far as to ask him to change me to Blaise but he wouldn't. He then told me why this was necessary and what the plan is when we're done." She told him.
He sat up to full attention at this point.
"This is why you can't tell anyone else, why I can't even tell my heart brother. It would be betraying a man who means the world to me. But you have to understand what is happening in order for my plan to succeed." Hermione was almost pleading with him to understand.
Draco felt a bit incensed that she would prefer Zabini, but he wasn't sure why. This story of hers however had him intrigued.
"Ok, if it will make you more comfortable trusting me not to tell anyone, I will tell you a very embarrassing secret that nobody knows when you're finished. Deal?" Draco offered.
Hermione smiled, "I'll take you up on that! Now here's Kingsley's plan. They want to restructure Magical Law and have every Auror partnered with a Crime Scene Investigator, to utilize all areas of expertise during investigations."
It didn't take a stretch of the imagination to see where she was headed. "So we're partnered up with the person who's to become our permanent partner in the new system?" He asked.
She nodded. "Don't get upset though, because remember I have a solution."
She leaned closer to him in her excitement over her plan, Draco didn't think she noticed, but he certainly did. Her eyes glowed and she was looking triumphant. He shook his head a little, and tuned back in.
"We fake it! It's so very simple I don't know why it took so long to realize it. The two of us work together to excel in whatever they have planned for us, we beat the other pairs and when we return we can show that we've learned the error of our ways, and then suggest we would be better paired with other people to share our knowledge of overcoming dislike and resentment, thereby insuring the success of the merger he wants!" She finished happily and took a drink of her wine.
"Granger, that is brilliant! There is just one small detail you seem to have forgotten." He looked at her, thinking her plan through, but they had to work out this one gap.
"We don't know what we're going to be experiencing here to know how to beat the other partners." He explained when she continued to stare at him.
"Malfoy, honestly!" she huffed. "I think your forgetting that we were the top of the class, we can figure this out if we put our heads together."
"Well, I'm certainly willing to try but we'll have to set aside our dislike and work together, or your little plan has no chance." He told her.
"Done. Now, what's this secret?" she rubbed her hands together, and he actually started laughing.
By the time they had finished hammering out the details of the plan it was well after midnight and Draco was knackered. He fell into his bed and closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep, but he kept seeing HER eyes all lit up with her excitement. Her eyes were a deep brown, almost black and her soft looking brown hair and eyebrows were shaped in a way to enhance those soulful eyes.
Those eyes had been haunting him for years now, but the look in them tonight as she talked; he knew he'd never forget. Something about this Granger, the one working with him instead of fighting with him, made him edgy in a way he'd never been before, and he didn't know what to do about that fact.
When Hermione woke up the next morning she went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth, then changed into her workout clothes, then grabbed her MP3 player and yoga supplies and headed for the beach. After warming up her muscles she set out for her run on the beach, running to the rhythm of the songs she had in her exercise playlist. She giggled to herself when she thought about last night, and Malfoy telling her his big secret. The man was honestly terrified of butterflies; she'd never met anyone before that was afraid of the delicate creatures. After she'd run her normal distance she turned back and walked the rest of the way to her yoga set up and finished her routine. Since the beach was secluded, only she and Draco had access to this part of the island, and he was asleep, she decided to skinny dip in the ocean for a bit before heading in to shower. She felt a bit adventurous this morning and this would be a fun way to cool off!
Draco was listening to his Ipod while heading to the beach, he figured a nice swim would be a different way to exercise this morning than his usual work out, and work muscles he didn't normally use. His music was cranked loud enough that he didn't hear Hermione splashing around before he stepped through the path opening to the beach. He definitely saw her though and stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, and he was so shocked by it that he didn't turn away immediately, just looked at her. When his eyes travelled up her body to meet her surprised eyes, he turned around.
Hermione shrieked and fell under the water, she came up coughing and spitting water out of her mouth. She couldn't believe he saw her naked!
Draco turned off his music and started explaining, "Granger, I didn't know you were out here, I just was listening to the music a bit loud and didn't hear you. I'm sorry; I wasn't trying to be a peeper or anything."
"Don't turn around until I say or that fungus you dealt with after the Leaky Cauldron when we found out about this little trip will seem like a walk in the park." Hermione threatened.
Draco gasped, "That was you? You couldn't have been there, we would've seen you."
"I quote, 'He's mental if he thinks any amount of time together will make Granger and me friendly, "What complete rubbish.' She proved to him.
"That was dirty Granger, especially given that you were eavesdropping." He accused her.
"You can turn around now. I'm going to shower, and we're never discussing what just happened, got it?"
She then took off back to the bungalow, completely embarrassed. While she showered, she could almost still feel those eyes burn a path up her body, and the feelings that arose in her at the memory were confusing the hell out of her.
The next day they headed together for the lounge where they were supposed to all meet and then they'd be given instructions. She smiled when she walked through the doors and saw her friends, hurrying over to them and hugging each in turn.
When she got to Harry he whispered, "How are you? Has he been an insufferable ass?"
"He hasn't been too bad actually. We've gotten along fairly well, considering." She answered honestly. "Although, it was rather humiliating when he caught me skinny dipping!"
Harry looked at her, his eyes wide open and then he just cracked up laughing at his best friend, and tears flowed out of his eyes.
All laughter and conversation was brought to a halt when a man in jeans and a black T-shirt walked up to the group. "Good morning. I am Rich Thomas, and I will be one of your coaches during your stay. I would like you to split off into partners." He waited as some of them took their places grumbling. Draco and Hermione however made no complaints, or showed any outward sign that they disputed their pairing. The 'Plan' had begun.
"Ok, now the first exercise we're going to do is a trust building experience. I want everyone to follow me, when we reach our destination you will all lay your wands down off to the side. For the challenge, you will not be allowed to use your magic. You will succeed only by fully working with your partner and leaning on each other for support." He told them. Then he turned around and we all followed, a bit uncertain about having to leave our wands behind.
We walked about four miles toward the center of the island. It was a beautiful walk, there were so many different animals, and they passed two waterfalls, and many, many caves. The walk was so peaceful and breathtaking that she almost forgot HE was beside her. So when their hands brushed, she was shocked back to reality. A few minutes later he elbowed her and pointed ahead. Her stomach dropped, she just knew that was where they would stop, and she could have cried, because she's so terrified of heights that there was no way they could come out of this in the lead.
Sure enough Rich stopped and the base of a cliff that was about 150 feet high. They were each then tethered together in a safety harness. When everyone had geared up, Rich explained what we were to do.
"The point to this exercise is for you to depend on each other to reach safety. You will work together to climb to the top. The team with that works best together gets a point each. So, don't forget while your climbing that it's not about speed, it's about the journey up. Work with each other to find the best way for each of you. You may begin whenever you're ready." He finished, then walked over and conjured a chair to watch from.
Hermione ran to the bushes and heaved her breakfast. She was in the midst of a full on panic attack, and when she heard footsteps behind her she said, "Harry, how am I going to do this? What the hell did Kingsley think he was doing making me do this?"
"Last time I checked Granger, Potter was about 5 feet off the ground doing his climb." Draco uttered.
Hermione spun around so fast that she lost her footing and fell into his chest, her arms going behind him, and mortifyingly one of her hands landed on his arse! She blushed furiously and got back onto her feet in a hurry.
He smirked, "While I can understand why you would want to cop a feel Granger, our plan would actually be better served if you saved that for later and we start the exercise!"
She growled at him, "Whatever Malfoy, that big head of yours might hinder our climb! Actually, I am terrified of heights, that's why I don't fly. I can't do this Malfoy."
"Yes you can, I will be right there, and I promise I won't let you be hurt this time." He said with true conviction. "Now, we're going to go over there and you aren't to look towards the ground at all, okay? Just look at me, and we'll get through it together. Let's show 'em how it's done, shall we?"
He then took ahold of her hand in his and pulled her along with him. When they got to the start point, they saw everyone else was way ahead of them.
"Granger, see that rock sticking out over there?" He pointed to a jagged rock jutting out within arm's reach. "I want you to grab it with your hand, then I will lift you up and you put your foot over there." Pointing to another rock.
She nodded and did what he told her. This strategy worked well for them until about half way up, Hermione accidentally looked down, and in her panic she slipped. Her heart flew into her throat as she screamed. Then she felt strong arms wrap around her and pull her to his side where she found purchase on a natural ledge of sorts.
"I keep my promises; I won't let you get hurt this time." Draco vowed to her. She was confused by his wording of the sentence for the second time this morning.
They began climbing again once Hermione got a semblance of control over her fear. The whole way up he encouraged her, pointed out the safest place for her hands and feet. Up they climbed, higher and higher. He talked about nothing the whole way, just babbling to keep her focus off her fear and she was stunned when she realized that they had done it. He helped her make it to the top, and when they were on solid ground safe and sound, she hugged him without thought, and thanked him profusely.
"No problem, I'm quite sure at some point you will have to do the same thing. I have fears as well." He admitted.
Draco found himself feeling proud of her for what she had faced; she was a very brave woman to have done that with her fear. One more thing that went on the fast growing list of things he admired about Hermione Granger.
When the group returned to the resort's main lounge they all decided to get dinner as a group, instead of returning to the isolation of their separate bungalows. They all found themselves interspersed with each other, one group instead of two, and it wouldn't hit any of them until later that there hadn't been one awkward moment during the two hours they all sat and talked.
AN: So, I'm not a rock climber so I don't know all the procedures, so if you catch something wrong in there, I apologize. Just take it with a grain of salt, please. I did recount my own experience when I went camping with some family and friends. My cousins and I thought it would be fun during our hike to climb a cliff, and I got stuck in the middle because I looked down, and my oldest cousin had to climb back down and direct me up, so Hermione's experience was mine.