CHAPTER 5

20 December 1998 – Enchanted Forest

"What the hell are you doing?!" Hermione shrieked in horror. Draco didn't even bother raising his head in recognition to her outburst.

"Do shut it Granger," he said. "I'm trying to think."

"Quite an impossible feat for you I imagine," She shot back. "Now tell me why the hell are you trying to burn the map?" Hermione asked furiously though she did not wait for his reply. Instead she lunged for it, but Draco with his seeker reflexes had seen it coming and merely shifted from beside the fire.

"Stop it!" she cried. "That is the only clue we have! I don't want to be stuck in this bloody forest with you forever!"

Draco looked up and scowled, "It's not like it's been some picnic for me either!" he snapped but his hands didn't move away from the flame. He held the parchment at a fair distance above the flame and smiled as he felt the parchment appreciatively heat up beneath his fingers.

"Oh you insufferable git!" Hermione yelled. "Just what the hell do you think –"

"Bloody hell, shut the fuck up Granger. Come look at this!" he urged her. She eyed him suspiciously but did as he asked nonetheless.

Gasping in surprise, she saw the map transform once more. Except there were no pathways and trails to follow, instead it looked like a hastily drawn picture. However the picture itself was meaningless to both.

"Another fucking riddle?" Draco cried aghast. "This Wizard has issues."

"What is that supposed to be?" Hermione asked barely above a whisper. She looked at the drawing – a straight-line with three dots at the ends and middle – its only defining feature.

"Pyxis Nautica," Draco said with sudden realisation.

"A constellation?" Hermione asked.

He nodded, "It's also known as the compass. Why would he give us a picture of a constellation?"

Hermione mumbled through the riddle in her head, "….Look to the starry sky…" Draco could practically see the lightbulb go off in her head. She laughed, most unexpectedly.

"It's a point-me," she told him.

"That's not possible! We don't have our wands! How the hell is this stupid picture going to point us anywhere?" he asked sceptically.

Hermione didn't say anything as she continued biting her lip deep in thought. Again the riddle ran through her head once more and looking at the flames one stood out against the rest…. If only one remembers to turn on the light, she repeated.

Gently she placed her hands over Draco's as he still held the map. He looked at her in surprise but allowed Hermione to guide his hands where she wanted. Hermione pushed his hands further down to the flame, so close it almost touched and then she hesitated.

Being a quick study Draco realised just what it was that she had figured out, what it was she was trying to do but seemed to lack the courage to carry out. Taking the lead he pushed his hands down, closer to the flame, hoping she wouldn't move her hand away. He had been expecting it to burst into flames and crumble to ash at their feet. Instead the parchment caught alight. A wicked orange burned its way over the parchment, though neither Draco or Hermione let go. Rather Hermione seemed to grab his hands tighter.

The orange flame however, did not burn through the Pyxis Nautica, and it was still magically visible to them through the flames. It intensified for only a second before the whole thing burst into purple ash. Glittery purple ash Hermione noticed somewhat amused. Draco looked mildly horrified as the purple dust fell all around them. The wind picked up and swept the purple dust over their feet before gathering together and gliding through the dense forage. Draco blinked for only a second before he had the good sense to grab his bag as Hermione dragged him behind the purple dust.

"I told you it was a point me!" she cried gleefully.

"Granger you have no idea where this is going!" Draco reminded her.

She nodded, "That's the fun part."

"You have a warped idea of what is fun." He commented.

"Come on Malfoy," she said, "Not afraid are you?" she taunted.

"Don't be daft woman!" Draco snapped. "I have nothing to be afraid off! Besides I'm a Malfoy and coward is not a word we recognise."

"Good then you can lead the way," she said with a smirk.

He scowled at her but didn't give Hermione the satisfaction of an argument. The purple dust danced once more and swiftly flew through the air, barely touching the grass, guiding the two young apprentices onward.

They barely spoke, marching forward, which is shame because if they had been paying more attention they would have seen the nearly invisible shimmery barrier before it was too late. Draco had stepped forward and it closed off, effectively separating Hermione from Draco. Hermione walked into the barrier and cried out when she made contact with its shield.

Draco turned around and looked at Hermione, his silver eyes going large as they realised they had walked into a trap of sorts.

"Granger, do not move," Draco warned her.

She nodded but barely had time to say anything as the barrier drew closer to her. It moulded itself around her and when she reached out to touch it, the clear barrier burned her fingers. As it drew closer to her, it became less transparent and they could see its walls more clearly.

The barrier, now resembling a very large bubble which enclosed around Hermione, started rising. It was only when she realised that the bubble was taking her up too, that she really started panicking. Heights was a bit of an issue for her.

"Malfoy! Make it stop!" she yelled terrified.

"What?" he called back before a mischievous smirk graced his face. "No I think some time apart is exactly what the Wizard ordered for us." He said before turning to walk away.

Terror began to hit Hermione full as the bubble began a steady rise of the ground. "Malfoy! Don't be an insufferable git!" she yelled. She tried banging her hands against the bubble but it burned once more and she quickly tore them away.

"Now now! Name calling will do you no good Granger," he taunted. Leaning against a tree he watched as she rose further into the air.

"Get me out of here!" she cried. "MALFOY!"

"No."

She looked outraged. "How can you be so cruel? If it was you in this bubble I would help you! Have you no heart?" she yelled but as soon as the words left her mouth she regretted it.

He looked menacingly at her, "Watch yourself Granger. I have been fairly tolerant of your behaviour but my patience is running low."

Hermione grumbled and dared to look down at him, "I didn't mean it like that!" she tried reasoning.

"Don't stand there …oh sorry float there with your holier-than-thou attitude because we both know if the roles were reversed you would take your own sweet time in helping me." He spat.

Hermione was shocked, because a small part of her knew he was telling the truth. She would not hurry to get him out, but rather enjoy every moment he floated further up. That thought brought her back to her reality of just how high she was going. Suddenly the only thing that mattered was that she was on solid ground again and it didn't matter how she got there.

"Malfoy I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that…and you're right I wouldn't hurry to help you. It's just I…I don't like high places and its making me increasingly nervous the higher up this thing goes!" she squeaked out, her voice filled with fright. "Please get me down!," she cried, "Please… Draco!" she whispered.

Draco faltered for a second at the sound of his name escaping her lips. "Fine," he muttered. There was no way he could leave her up there. Not when she looked so damned frightened.

He had been looking around trying to cultivate an idea on breaking the bubble when he saw her moving towards the top of the trees, with its branches nervously pointed. It didn't take long before one came into contact with the bubble, effectively pooping the bubble and sending Hermione back down towards the ground.

Hermione gave an terrified shriek as she plummeted to the ground. The air rushing around her dulled all her other senses as her heart thumped frantically in her chest. The branches scraped her as she passed them on her way down as she prepared for her rude landing.

Only as she fell, Hermione made contact with something solid, as it grabbed her tightly around the waist and didn't let go as they fell to the floor. Hermione landed on top of Draco who groaned in pain beneath her.

'Fucking hell woman," he groaned, "You're going to kill me very soon I feel."

She blushed, "Oh my god! Draco! I'm so sorry!"

Draco stopped moving and groaning, his pain momentarily forgotten. She had done it again, called him Draco rather than Malfoy. Did she even realise it? It shocked him just a little what an effect Hermione caused by calling him Draco rather than Malfoy. Now she lay practically on top of him, with his arms securely around her waist and he found that he didn't mind the invasion of his personal bubble so much.

"Draco, are you okay?" Hermione asked snapping him from his thoughts.

"I will be once you get off me," he said, "Unless of course you don't want too." He added smirking at her.

"Ugh you're insufferable!" Hermione said rolling her eyes and attempting to move. "Malfoy if you want me to move, you have to let go." She said looking into his silver eyes.

"Hmm?" he asked not fully hearing what she had said. He was more focused on how rich her chocolate eyes looked this close.

"You have to let go if you want me to move…unless you don't want me too?" she asked a small smirk playing on her lips.

"Would it be so bad if I didn't?" he replied and nearly regretted it when he saw Hermione freeze and look at him in shock.

"Did you hit your head?" she asked reaching for his blonde hair. Her touch was delicate and Draco suddenly wished she would never stop. Quickly he grasped her hand and held it in his.

"Would it be so terrible if I didn't?" he asked again. Part of Draco knew that yes it would be because there was no way his father would approve. But a greater part of Draco didn't care. The part that was striving to be something better than just the son of a Death Eater – hoped and prayed it wouldn't be such a terrible thing.

Since the War had ended Draco had made it a point to regain control of his life. He worked hard to take that power away from his parents and in doing so he had found himself lost in an Enchanted Forest with Hermione Granger of all people. Had he been the cruel spiteful boy from his younger Hogwarts years, he would have cringed and bitched and moaned at having to work with Hermione Granger of all people. But… he wasn't that boy anymore…and some part of him hoped that Hermione saw that too now. However, he was realistic about his life and more than likely Hermione would say it was a terrible thing.

Hermione opened her mouth to respond but no words came out. She couldn't formulate any sort of response because honestly she didn't know how to respond. A part of her, much like Draco thought that it would be the most terrible thing – after all this was Draco Malfoy… but another part – the daring brave Gryffindor thought the opposite. It wouldn't be such a terrible thing and that part yearned to stay as they were. She felt a sense of calm she hadn't felt in a very long time. As they were, Hermione felt like a part of her belonged there. It should have scared her, but it didn't.

"No," she whispered, "It wouldn't be terrible at all."

Draco looked up at her in absolute surprise. He had never expected that answer from her. In fact he was expecting her to punch him in the face again and because of their current position, possibly a well-placed knee in the groin. He looked up at her unsure what to say next.

She smiled sweetly noticing his hesitation, "Thank you for catching me."

"Don't mention it," he told her.

Suddenly Hermione gasped and much to Draco's disappointment began moving away from him. "Oh no! The purple dust!" she cried looking around.

The pair sat up and looked around hoping to spot the floating dust. "There!" Draco pointed to the dancing dust in the distance. "You okay?" he asked standing up.

Hermione nodded as she dusted the twigs and leaves of her and was about to pull herself off the ground when she noticed Draco's outstretched hand. Tentatively she placed her hand in his and his fingers tightened around her small hand before pulling her to her feet.

"Come on Granger, before we lose it again," he told her pulling her by the hand he still clasped in his, forward towards the purple dust.

Hermione smiled as she followed him towards the next part of their unexpected journey.

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