Chapter 7

The sun was brilliant the next day when Hermione woke up. The light really was different here. Stronger, more insistent and brightening up every colour. Ok, she needed some sun glasses. It was early and she was already squinting.

She dressed in a pale yellow sun dress. Her skin was a little pale, but she would brown up pretty quickly. She sat down and watched the ocean while Blaise showered. She was quietly excited about the day, although still a little weary of hanging out with the Slytherins.

She could hear them down in the patio. She could hear Pansy's demanding voice. Truthfully, she didn't quite know what to make of Pansy. Pansy wasn't stupid. She wouldn't be quite so manipulative if she was, but she also had no idea what Pansy's true feelings or intentions were. Hermione just felt like she had to watch her back.

Hermione watched while Blaise dressed. Oh, the small pleasures in life, she thought to herself. He wore light blue pants and a white shirt. Clothes that Harry or Ron would never, ever wear. They would never wear baby blue light linen pants. Clothes they would see as too feminine, but there was something quite masculine about a man feeling comfortable in more androgynous clothes. Maybe it was the sheer confidence, and although she could get away with wearing that, he didn't look feminine in the least.

She couldn't keep her eyes off him as they walked down to breakfast. He was holding her hand and he wasn't shy about it. He didn't hide anything and she admired that.

It had taken her years and a lot of work to get over her insecurities. They all had insecurities, deep seated ones. Harry had worked through a lot of his during the war, but they were still there, stemming from the fact that he didn't completely fit into the magical or the muggle world. Ron was one big insecurity from beginning to end, which was why they never really worked together. He resented her intelligence, and was now much more settled with someone who didn't really challenge him.

The Slytherins on the other hand, had always flaunted their inherent belonging, their position and money. They really did feel entitled. It used to grate something shocking, but she was trying really hard not to resent it. I really hurt to admit it. Something in her still wanted to strain against it. She just wasn't entirely sure why. Resenting their confidence and inherent belonging was in the end just a reflection of her own insecurity. She had over time come to the conclusion that dealing with her own insecurity was far more fruitful and mature than resenting them for their lack of it.

The table was laden with breakfast food. Some were eating while others were sunning on the lounges. Pansy was picking at the fruit with manicured nails. She was wearing a silver bathing suit, complimented with silver jewellery and matching deep red toes, nails and lips. The material of the suit was extraordinary, it really did look liquid.

"Blaise, Darling." Pansy said with a wicked smile. "You look well rested. I hope you haven't forgotten about our little boat ride today."

Hermione actually had forgotten about it.

"Oh course not." Blaise said. "Ready whenever you are."

"Excellent. We'll go in an hour or so. Maybe pack a little light lunch. Guiseppe!" Pansy called.

Hermione did notice Pansy treated Blaise's house and staff like they was hers. Then again, she didn't know what was normal, and even more importantly, she didn't want to think about it. She sat down and started to fill her plate with eggs, bacon, toast and fruit. Heaven knew what Pansy planned for a light lunch, probably champagne and caviar. Pansy ate hardly anything and Hermione didn't want to get stuck starving until dinner.

"I need to get some sunglasses." She said to Blaise. "I left mine behind."

"I'm sure I can find you something." Blaise said. He had a quiet wordd with Guiseppe after Pansy was done ordering him around.

Guiseppe returned a while later with a pair of ladies sun glasses, gold with diamonds. Hermione had a closer look and realised it was real gold, maybe even real diamonds. Who has real stones in their sunglasses? That was insane.

"They're my mothers." Blaise said. "She has quite a few, so she won't miss them."

They were so not her style, but if her eyes could sigh, they would have when she slipped them on. They weren't dark sunglasses, but they did take the glare off. Ok, all was forgiven. These silly glasses probably cost more than her flat, but they did the job rather nicely. She decided she didn't care that she had on glasses she thought were gaudy, her comfort was more important.

Justine appeared a little while later. She was wearing a teal bikini that worked beautifully with her tanned skin, and showed off her perfect curves. Pansy's smile stiffened a bit but didn't falter.

Justine spoke to Guiseppe in perfect Italian and then melting onto a sun bed. Hermione was impressed by the girl's Italian and the devil in her loved the pressure this perfect creature put on Pansy.

Guiseppe returned with a tiny little coffee cup and a pastry, as Malfoy joined them. He was wearing grey linen. He looked so different from the black suit he'd worn since she met him. She flopped down on another sun bed and proceeded to light a cigarette. Hermione hated smoking. Just another thing about Draco Malfoy to utterly despise.

Flint and Nott finished doing laps in the pool.

"The girlies want to go shopping in Rome." Nott said from the edge of the pool when Terence Higgs asked him what his plans were. Justine seemed to perk up. "I have been roped into escorting."

"Better you than me, mate." Malfoy said with a grin. Justine pouting turned to Malfoy, running her fingers along his arm. Hermione felt like throwing up. "Fine. Go."

Justine jumped up excitedly. "I have to change. Rome has the most exquisite designs."

She retreated back into the house, while Pansy huffed. "Everyone knows Milan is the place to go."

"That girl is going to drain my accounts," Malfoy said with his devilish smirk, "but worth every knut."

Hermione wanted to say something about how pathetic that scene just was, but decided it was best to mind her own business. How Malfoy spent his inheritance was certainly none of her concern, even though it gave her the creeps. Shake it off, she told herself.

"Draco, you simply must come with us." Pansy cooed.

Hermione's eyes snapped up. Please god, no, she said to herself.

"Can't sit around her sulking all day." Pansy continued. "I insist. We have room for one more and poor Blaise could use some male company."

Malfoy just drew another breath from his cigarette. Say no, Hermione urged him silently.

"Maybe." He said.

Pansy looked pleased. "Now where is that man?" She said and wandered off.

Malfoy was down by the jetty when Pansy had ordered all of them to be there. Just typical, Hermione said to herself. Her little jaunt out with Blaise was now burdened with Pansy and Malfoy. Just great.

"Don't worry, Granger." Pansy said with a smile. "I know you two never got on at school, but he'll be gentle as a pussy cat, won't you?"

"Always." Malfoy said. Hermione had the distinct feeling that Pansy didn't truly care one bit if he was. Was Pansy up to something inviting him along, she wondered.

Blaise helped her into the boat and settled her on one of the seats. Pansy had taken one of the seats up front next to the driver's spot. Blaise started the boat and Malfoy took the other seat along the side in the back. The boat roared to life and Blaise gave little warning of taking off.

The boat was fast. Hermione hair whipped in her face and she had to tie it back so she could see. The wind was whipping Blaise's clothes back as he was standing by the wheel. He looked absolutely gorgeous. It was too loud and windy to speak, and the sheer speed of the wind was cold. She felt her skin start to goosepimple.

She kept her eyes on Blaise the whole time, because she knew that Malfoy was watching her, and she didn't want to acknowledge it. He wouldn't be shy about it or look away if she snapped him. He was in all, confrontational.

They got where they were going about twenty minutes later. She felt absolutely chilled after the ride. They had arrived at a deserted little beach on an unoccupied island. The water was crystal clear and Hermione could see the bottom all around her. Blaise grabbed a picnic basket while Hermione jumped down into the thigh deep water. It was a bit chilly, but the sand was warm and welcoming.

Pansy had picked a spot and was stripped down to her liquid silver suit. Hermione needed some sun to warm up and took off her sundress as well. She'd put on the olive green bikini she'd bought in Spain some years ago. It was in no way spectacular.

Hermione settled down on her towel and stretched out. The sun was glorious.

"I'm going for a snorkel." Blaise said. "The shore is loaded with lobsters. Might catch a few for lunch."

Fresh caught lobster sounded too good to be true. Blaise stripped down to his swim trunks and grabbed the snorkling gear. He waded into the water and disappeared.

"I'm going for a swim." Malfoy followed. He stripped down as well. He was pale compared to Blaise, but he was not unfit. Hermione made a distinct effort not to look at him.

"I can't believe he's with that whore." Pansy said. "Did you see her at breakfast? How crass."

Hermione didn't answer, and apparently this conversation didn't need any input.

"But, he'll tire of her. Girls like her are available at a drop of a hat."

"Weren't you a couple once?" Hermione asked.

"Long time ago." Pansy said. "He's a sweetheart, really, but we just didn't work."

Hermione knew what she meant, although she had loved Ron and still do, they just never worked.

"Although you wouldn't know that because he hates your guts." Pansy said without completely trying to hide her fake sympathy.

Don't give me fake sympathy, Hermione thought, I don't care.

"But don't worry, he'll behave." She continued. "If only for Blaise's sake. That sun really does heat up fast doesn't it. I need a dip."

Pansy got up and ran down to the water. Hermione didn't mind one bit. Peace and quiet in the sun was just what she needed. She stretched out and groaned a little with pleasure. She placed a hat on her face and meditated a bit, or imagined that she did.

After a while she felt a couple of water drops on her skin. She wondered if it was raining, but then heard someone settle on Pansy's towel. She got suspicious with the quiet and lifted her hat up enough to see pale skin on muscled legs.

She dropped her head back and replace the hat. Not speaking at all would probably make this situation better.

"You're going to burn." He said after a while.

Hermione contemplated her options, and ignoring him did seem attractive. Although spending the rest of her vacation red as a lobster didn't appeal.

"I have some lotion." She finally said and sat up. She pulled it out of her bag and started on her arms. He was on his side propped up on his elbow, watching her the entire time.

She was getting really uncomfortable with the watching. Didn't he have any humility at all? She felt like an idiot rubbing lotion onto every inch of her skin in front of him.

"Is the water nice?" She asked by way of conversation and distraction.

"It's refreshing." He said blandly.

She couldn't see Blaise or Pansy. She smiled as she realised that she was stuck on a desert island with no one other than Draco Malfoy. A scenario that would have been counted as hell as many points in her life. She tried to get the sun lotion up her back, but wasn't going a great job off it.

Malfoy grabbed the lotion out of her hand and she froze and he squirted some onto his hand and applied it to her skin. She wanted to shrink away but had too much pride. His hand was big and warm and it made long firm strokes along her back.

"Watching you grabble with put that on it like watching a turtle on its back." He said as he finished with the lotion on her lower back.

He lit up another cigarette and Hermione coughed her protest. It didn't sway him.

"So, you and Blaise make an interesting couple." He stressed the interesting.

Hermione felt her heckles bristle. "We seem to get on alright."

"Its never hard to get on with a girl." Malfoy said spat some particle off his tongue.

Hermione knew he was talking about sex, she just wasn't sure what he was getting at.

"Yeah well, so it is." She said and lay back on the towel. She put the hat back on her face and ignored him. She stretched out again and left her arms languidly up above her head.

If he was trying to tell her that Blaise was only with her because of the sex, she felt fine with quietly indicating that the sex was spectacular.