Hermione had dashed to the beach, Harry and Draco on her heels. She won, of course, but Draco made sure to stumble, just enough to let Potter beat him.
"I won!" Harry grinned, thrusting his arms in the air.
"No, I won!" Malfoy growled back, his light eyes flickering over to Hermione.
Luna was seated on the beach, but seemed to be looking at all of them in her sort of owlish way. Draco thought they must have all seemed foolish.
"You're a ruddy liar, Malfoy!" Potter howled, his face starting to turn serious.
"What Slytherin isn't?" Draco Malfoy smirked. "I still get the girl," He said, taking a long, bouncing step towards Hermione.
Potter moved - less to outrace Draco than to drown him (Playfully, Draco hoped).
"Gentlemen," Hermione said in a starched voice reminiscent of Snape in a good mood. "I got here first. I won the kiss."
Potter and Malfoy exchanged looks, seemingly deciding between them that it would be fine if she won.
"Who's your partner?" Malfoy prompted, despite knowing that he'd lose the contest that way.
Hermione's laughter was light and silvery. She closed her eyes, and said, as her brown eyes flicked back open. "I chose the ocean!" She then bent and kissed it. Draco squinted slightly - was she using tongue?
"That's our Hermione," Harry said, in a tone that shouldn't be used between "just friends." But far be it for Draco Malfoy to tell Harry Potter that.
Draco shot a look back up onto the beach - Nott was with Lovegood, trying to hide under her transluscent parasol from the sun. His eyes went higher, and he froze.
Daphne was here.
Unfortunately, Daphne'd also caught just the moment when Draco realized she was there. "Draco, Darling, you must be losing your mind. You forgot to invite us to this gathering!"
It was just a flick of his lips, but there was Nott's smirk. The I told you so for dragging him out here.
I'll get you later, Nott, Malfoy thought. Daphne was a dangerous potions ingredient at the best of times, and Draco already had his hands full. From the Villa, Neville Longbottom trundled down the hill, looking buffer than he had at school, no big surprise.
Not even Longbottom was enough to distract Daphne.
"How could you even begin to imagine we wouldn't show up?" Blaise said, in his grandstanding fashion. Probably thinks he's helping.
[a/n: any guesses as to why Daph's such a bad idea? As always, I love reviews!]
