Standing on the porch, as dawn peeked itself over the horizon shelf, Harry drank from his coffee cup. The orange glow of sunrise engulfed the sky,a multifaceted of color. The sun, warming his cheeks, and the wonderful ocean air filling his lungs. As the morning fog lifted, he could now clearly see the white caps breaking on the beach. His view extended for miles and miles in many directions. He had never been to the ocean and seeing this, taking it all in, was having a profound affect on Harry. Remembering back to the many hours he had privately spent with Professor Lupin, discussing his werewolf affliction, and how it had him notice not only the little things in life, but the simple things. How he would stare at the moon for so long, it became more of a friend. How something so completely ordinary as a sunrise could seem so completely complex in it's magnitude and meaning to this world. Remus memories always made Harry happy. Lupin made creation understandable. Even if Harry's life was still less than predictable, it was much easier for him to deal with it.
A creaking sound from the direction of the door let Harry know he was no longer alone.
" Alright Harry?" Ron asked, stepping out into the morning air, shivering a little.
" Hey Ron, sleep well?" Harry asked, turning around to lean on the railing.
Ron nodded, seeming very uneasy to answer the question, " Cold isn't it?!"
He said, rubbing his hands together.
Raising an eyebrow, Harry calmly asked again, " Ron? Did you sleep alright?"
Ron knew from the look in his eye, but mostly from experience, that it was pointless to give Harry the run around.
" Alright then, I'll tell you, but I don't want to hear everyone else found out." Ron said, running his hand through his hair.
Harry, riving him the go ahead look, moved a little, letting Ron sit next to him.
Ron took a heavy breath."Nothing." Ron said, avoiding Harry's eyes."absolutely nothing! We went into the room, and she immediately stripped down to her underwear. I froze, completely unable to move. Bloody hell Harry! She was more beautiful then I could have ever imagined.
Ron looked at Harry, half expecting him to be laughing.
Shaking off this feeling, Ron continued. " She turned off the lamp, letting the moon light the room. Slowly she went to the bed, beaconing for me to join her. So...I threw all my clothes onto the floor, as fast as I could. I jumped into the bed with her, almost falling off while doing so. She curled up to me and started to run her fingers up and down my back. Then my chest, then like, all over. Suddenly, almost like an animal ya know, she grabbed a holy strong hold around my neck and as kissing me. Kissing me hard! I don't even think I could explain the feeling of kissing her, running my hands through her hair." Ron stopped, starring off into space.
A large smile came across his face.
" Then what?This doesn't exactly sound like nothing Ron!" Harry said, snapping his fingers,bringing Ron back to reality.
" That's just it! We laid there, kissing for, jeez, a long time. Then, I don't know what happened. She just stopped. Poking my nose with her finger, saying " Boop!" All of a sudden she was curling up tot me, falling asleep!Nothing happened! And Harry, That's okay with me..." Ron was smiling even more now.
Turning to Harry he shyly said, " Do you think I'm mad ?"
Harry lowered his head, letting out a quiet laugh. " Ron,mate. I have never heard such a selfless, endearing story. I think you guys are going to be great together!" Harry said, patting Ron on the shoulder.
Waking up, Hermione was greeted with a sweet smell of the ocean, followed inexpectantly by another, that could not be identified. Sniffing the air, trying to track it, she wrinkled her nose a little. Turning her head, she brought her nose down. Questioning herself greatly, she sniffed Draco's chest. This was it! He smelled like, well almost like sweet pears and, well, the only way to describe it as rain in the spring time.
" Should I even bother asking why you are smelling me?" Hermione stopped dead, raising her eyes to him.
" Um, Is there anything I can say to you here to make you forget this ever happened?" She said, trying to cover her brief moment of silliness.
" No. It's cute though." He said, keeping his eyes shut, " Cocoa butter, by the way. " He ended.
" What?" she said, confused as all hell.
" you smell like cocoa butter, I think it's the stuff you use in your hair to keep it a little less crazy." He lifted his head slightly, peeking a little, " I know you very well Hermione. The next thing out of your mouth was going to be " Do you think I have a smell?", and don't you dare lie and say I'm wrong.."
She was grinning now, lying his head back on the pillow, he never saw her smile, but in his heart, he already knew she was.
Everyone converged in the kitchen, drinking coffee and enjoying a small breakfast of muffins and fruit. Hermione was quick to fill her face, trying to get a move on the days activities. As she and Harry gathered some things to go, both Ginny and Draco gave kisses goodbye. In a flash, they were gone.
With sadness and worry in his eyes, Draco turned to Ginny for comfort. In her eyes he only saw his same afflictions, reflected back upon himself.
Harry hadn't apparated himself and Hermione directly to her apartment, but rather behind the diner on the corner.
" This way, if there's trouble, we're not jumping right into it. Your place is very tiny, doesn't leave a lot of room to duck." Harry said, seeing the look of confusion in Hermione's face.
After making sure that the coast was clear, they dodged down the street, past the first two houses, then in the front door of the apartment building Climbing up the few flights of stairs, their hearts beating faster with every step. Reaching her door, Hermione came to a sudden halt. The door had been damaged, clearly blown open. A faint lump formed in the back of Harry's throat. With a look to each other, Harry and Hermione withdrew their wands. Cautiously , Harry stepped forward, using his foot to nudge the door open. In he went, wand at the ready, searching the entire flat.
A moment later he returned to Hermione's view, " 'Mione, come on, no one's here!"
By the looks of it, a severe tornado ripped through the room. Everything was rummaged through. The couch was overturned, all the cupboards were emptied, they even broke the dishes. Under the mess, Hemione could see the evidence of the movie night her and Ginny had And yes, even the spot under the window where Draco and herself spent the night, sitting, holding on to each other.
Turning to Harry as she entered her room, " I'll just be a minute".
He nodded, wand still up, trying to stay prepared for anything. Waling into the room, it's appearance was equal, if not worse, then the main room. Her covers were pulled back, her clothes stern everywhere, picture of her parents, destroyed. Walking to her overturned bookcase, she had stepped over many broken awards she had won in muggle school for academia. She had to use a lot of strength to move the bookcase, considering she had so many books. Once she had collected everything she needed and packing it all in her bag, she got up off the flood to leave. Stopping at her dresser, she turned to check where Harry was. Taking notice that Harry was looking out the window, she opened the top drawer. Trying not to draw too much attention to herself, she quickly slipped her hand deep into it, extracting a small paper, and placing it into her bag.
Returning to Harry, who was peering out the window, she could sense something was wrong. " I'm all se...Harry what's wrong?"
Making sure he could not be seen from the street below, he pointed.
" That man there. I've seen him before. He was at Hogwartz the night that..um...Dumbledore fell. I remember him from his awkward limp. He's been pacing back and forth across the street since we got here. 'Mione we gotta go!"
He didn't have to tell her twice. Grabbing a hold of him, she turned to the door. At the very last second they were apparating, she saw a man in the room, wand drawn, pointing at them.
She was still holding her breath in anticipation for a spell, when a familiar voice reach out to her.
" love, are you alright?" Looking up from her slightly fetal position, she could see Draco's stunning gray eyes, burrowing deep inside of her.
" Oh shit! Ginny, grab me a towel!" Before she could speak, Ginny was forcing a towel towards her, placing it on the peak of her shoulder and neck.
The moment the towel touched her, searing pain scrolled throughout her body.
"aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh" she screamed in pain.
The towel was blood soaked, so much that after a moment it was drenched, and Draco took another to her.
" Harry what the fuck happened?" Ron yelled, in hysterics.
" I don't know. There was a death eater down on the block. She grabbed my arm. Next thing we were here!" Harry said, staring at Hermione's bloody body, beginning to cry.
"The door." Hermione muttered, still in terrible pain." There was a man in the door. Before we left I saw his wand pointed at us"
Slowly removing the towels, Draco could see a terrible wound. stretching over her shoulder, to the base of her neck.
Quickly replacing the wrap, he spoke, barely audible," This looks like sectumsempra." Turning to Harry, " You said Snape had cast this before, in front of other deatheaters. If they saw what it did to George, they probably realized it was to their advantage."
Harry went white, remembering a run in with Draco years prior, when he himself cast this at Draco. His stomach lurched forward.
" Get out of the way." Ginny said, coming to Hermione's side.
Pushing the boys back, giving herself more room.
" I watched Mum heal George. I think I remember..." She trailed off.
No one could really hear what she said, over the crashing waves just outside, but suddenly a great blue like erupted out of her wand. It flowed like water over wound. Winding it self, over and over again. like a snake, until it vanished. Standing up, she revealed Hermione, who head was laid back on a chair seat. Her entire left shoulder covered in this vine like black scar. No one knew what to do. They all just sat there, watching her, unable to speak.
"Draco" Hermione whispered, " Come sit with me"
Draco scooted himself over to her, letting her head now rest on him. Putting her head on his heart, she drifted into a deep sleep.
A/N I had to work that spell into my story. I always figured that even though Snape invented that spell, that sooner or later, it would become popular. loves - dazen