A/n: Welcome to my newest story, Caribbean Cruising. Of course it's very Alternate Universe, but I know you'll love it. Or I hope. I hope my loyal readers, and the new readers I get, will enjoy this story! Be brutal! You guys are amazing…I love you all!
Disclaimer: Ya. I'm JK Rowling. I get online and write Harmony fan fiction because I'm afraid if I write it in the books, those damn militant Ron/Hermione shippers will come after me. Sh…you can't tell anyone. It's my little secret. Just kidding, I'm not her and I don't own this. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and The plot is based on Rachel Hawthorne's book, Caribbean Cruising. However, everything else, all the details, are mine.
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"I can't believe this! It's amazing!"
I really couldn't believe it either as my best friend Hannah Fairchild and I, Hermione Granger, gazed around the main deck of The Enchantment. It was enchanting all right. Downright amazing. A 10 day cruise on this? Could I even explore the length in that time?
"C'mon, Hannah!" I squealed, pulling her arm. "We've got to find my cabin!"
Hannah was my best friend. She had vibrant blonde hair compared to my brown and curly hair, pale blue eyes to my
brown ones. But, she was little shorter than me, which meant that when I was in a hurry like this, it could be kind of
hard to keep up. But my time here would be short, I had to explore everything!
"Merlin, slow down, Hermione! Your room's not going anywhere!" Hannah exclaimed as she got dragged along.
No, it really wasn't, was it? But I was anxious to get settled in and start this adventure. Although, I did slow down as we passed down a long corridor looking a lot like a boulevard. It had shops and restaurants lining each side, with bright, festive lights, plants, artwork, and a domed ceiling creating an effect I never expected to see on something that floated in the water. Sure, I had done my research, as always, but seeing it in person was completely different. It was like touring a gigantic muggle mall-one place I loved to hang out. With so many people mingling around, it was like a bustling city on water. I was a little overwhelmed.
"It's so not fair that I have to work and can't go on the cruise with you!" Hannah lamented.
That had been Hannah's mantra ever since I told her I was going on this vacation through the Caribbean.
"I would give anything if you could come!" I told her. We'd shared everything since we were eleven and had first started Beauxbotons Academy of Witchcraft. I couldn't imagine not sharing this too.
"I know, you have to send me a postcard from every port." She instructed.
"I will. I promise."
"And since you are so into lists," She started grinning, "I expect a report listing all the yummy details about every guy you meet. Wizard or muggle. Don't care."
I laughed. I was a little list-crazed. I liked organization and had established several different lists for this cruise-everything I needed to buy before I came on board, all the things I needed to pack and everything I planned to do on the cruise.
"Maybe I'll just send you a list of their names. I'm hoping there will be so many that I won't have room to tell you all about them."
"That is a definite possibility." She said. "Have you ever seen so many cuties in one place?"
"Nope." From the moment I'd checked in and we'd started to quickly tour the ship, I'd seen at least a dozen guys who I'd like to get to know better. Each one was smiling, laughing or talking to someone.
"I think it is so romantic that Sirius is going to marry your mum on a cruise ship," Hannah sighed.
"He's definitely gone all out."
Sirius Black was both enthusiastic and vibrant, and quiet and reserved. When he spoke, people listened and did as he asked. Mostly because his name appeared on famous list of the top one hundred wealthiest wizards in the world.
Hence the cruise. A special honeymoon for him and his new bride-who just happened to be my mum-and anyone else who wanted to go along for the ride. Of which I was undeniably one.
They say that most people are introduced to the person they'll marry by a friend. Well, that was kind of true for how mum met Sirius. She was attending a friend's funeral-who was among the many casualties of the second war against Voldemort, and her friend had known Sirius. So Sirius had gone to the funeral as well. He met my mum, they grieved together and `hit it off', and now my life was on the verge of changing forever in ways that I'd never anticipated. And truthfully, I was having a hard time comprehending it all. For as long as I could remember, it had been me and my mum. I don't remember a dad. He had died a few months before my birth. Now, it would be me, my mum, and Sirius.
Still, Sirius was nice and liked him. I thought he'd be good for my mum. With me graduating from Beauxbotons next year, I didn't want to leave my mum all alone. I was definitely in favor of their marriage.
And I was going to be a maid of honor, in a wedding for the first time in my life. I had no doubt I was embarking on a summer of firsts. And I planned for most of them to take place on this cruise.
I didn't really think most cruise ships allowed wedding guests on board, but Sirius had made special arrangements so he and mum could have their friends and family attend the wedding. He'd reserved the top deck for the ceremony. At midnight, we'd have our official bon voyage and prepare to leave the American port of Galveston, Texas. The guests would depart, and the ship would sail away into the night toward the Caribbean.
"I can't believe you're going to spend ten nights on this ship! Did you see all the stores we just passed on that boulevard?!" Hannah asked.
"I know. It's like a fancy mall or something. Plus there are lots of little shops on the islands. They're supposed to have some great deals. Good thing I've been saving all my money."
Hannah glanced over at me. "If you run out of money, I'm sure wealthy Sirius will buy you anything you want."
"Yah, but I'm not really completely cool with that," I confessed. "I mean I know he's marrying my mum, and after tonight, he'll be…my dad. But I'm a little too old to need a dad right now."
My dad had died in car accident when my mum was still pregnant with me. I didn't remember anything about him. Mum showed me pictures sometimes, but it was a little weird missing someone you'd never met.
"I don't see why you're all bothered about spending his money." Hannah said. "I'd spend it in a flash."
I couldn't explain why I didn't want to spend all his money. He was paying for the cruise. He'd given me a special credit card to use whenever I purchased anything on board the ship: food, drinks, and souvenirs, whatever I wanted. He was paying the bill when the trip was over. Even though I knew he could afford it, I didn't want to take advantage of him.
Hannah and I stepped into the glass-enclosed elevator. Before the door closed, three guys about our age of sixteen joined us. They grinned at us, we smiled at them. I punched the button for my deck, where my cabin was.
"The fancy deck." One of the guys said as he leaned over and punched a button for a deck two below mine. "First Cruise?"
I cast a glance over at Hannah and then nodded. "Yeh."
"Us too." He broadened his grin and winked. "So far, so good."
The elevator stopped. "See ya around." He said as he and his friends got off.
As soon as the door closed, Hannah squeezed my arm. "He was flirting with you!"
I shook my head. "No way! He was just being nice! Plus, why would anyone flirt with me? I'm just an ugly freak."
She groaned. "No you are not!!! And he was not just being nice! Hermione, you shouldn't be so shy around guys! Open up. I know it's who you are, but c'mon, Hermione."
"I will. As soon as we leave the port." I insisted. I'd only ever dated a few guys, but I guess they didn't like me much, because one date was as far as we ever got. I was considered kind of a geek. I loved reading and learning. I'd spent most of my time studying, being rewarded at being the top of my class.
Hannah, on the other hand, had always been comfortable around guys. Probably because she had three brothers. She also had a steady boyfriend- William.
I saw this cruise as an opportunity to break out of my shell, to meet guys and flirt. I was leaving the old Hermione
back in England, and having fun on this cruise. I wanted to go places I'd never gone, not just traveling to
islands. I wanted to explore all the different facets of myself…and boys. I wanted to cut loose and do things I'd
never done.
The cruise seemed the perfect place to try out new things, because even if I made a fool of myself, I'd never see any of these people again. So it didn't really matter if I made mistakes. I could be wild and crazy. I could be uninhibited, stretching the limits, taking chances, completing my list of firsts. And no one would know that wild and crazy wasn't the real Hermione Granger.
The elevator stopped. As I stepped out, I shifted my backpack on my shoulder and pulled one of my small wheeled suitcases behind me while Hannah dragged the other along with her duffle bag.
With plans to meet up later, Mum and I had separated right after we came on board and checked in. Mum and Sirius were staying in a honeymoon suite. I had their cabin number and could find them if I needed to, but I certainly had no plans to go searching for them. It creeped me out a little to think of my mum on a honeymoon.
"It is too cool that you're going to have a cabin all to yourself," Hannah said. "You can do anything you want and your mum will never know!"
My thoughts exactly. I had a feeling this new Cruising Hermione was going to do some things that Mum definitely wouldn't approve of.
"I think Sirius made special arrangements," I explained. More examples of his power to pull strings. From the research I'd done on cruise ships, Sirius and Mum were supposed to stay in cabin with me since I was sixteen. Twenty one was the magical age for solo cruising.
I wasn't sure how Sirius bypassed that `not without adult supervision' restriction. He probably pulled more strings. Or maybe he just cast a memory charm on the cruise chairmen. Whatever he did, I was glad he did it.
Since Mum had always worked, I'd grown up fast and acted responsibly for as long as I knew. I never got into any trouble, always did my homework, and babysat during my summers' home from school. So I really didn't think I needed anyone to look after me on the cruise ship.
Sirius apparently felt the same way. He had managed to accomplish the impossible, and that's all that mattered to me. With the ship being as large as it was, I might never see Mum or Sirius again. It was all going to be perfect. Except I did wish Hannah was coming with me.
I reached the door to my cabin and pulled the keycard out of my pocket. I slipped it into the slot, cranked down the
handle and swung open the door.
My jaw dropped. My first thought was that somehow I'd mistakenly gotten the key to mum's suite. My second thought was that Sirius had spared no expense to see that I was comfortable. My cabin had a king sized bed, a large sitting area, and an amazing ocean view. Or at least it would be, once we were surrounded by nothing but ocean.
I pulled my suitcase inside. "Hannah, is this cabin not absolutely incredible?"
"A small family could live in here," she said. "I thought rooms on board ships were supposed to be tiny."
"I'm sure there are some tiny rooms some where," I admitted. "Mine simply isn't one of them."
"I bet this room cost a fortune."
"You know, Sirius is more than money." I reminded her.
"I know, but Merlin, Hermione, it's like your moving into a totally different world."
I heard in her voice that she thought maybe it was a world away from her. As soon as we returned back to England from the cruise, Mum and I would move in to Sirius' house. I'd have a big bedroom there, too.
"You'll always be my best friend, Hannah." I said softly.
"I know. I just wish I was going with you." She laughed. "I keep saying that don't I?"
"Yeh, you do. And I keep saying that I wish you were coming too."
"But I'm not, and I need to accept that. Although I will totally take advantage of the few hours I will be on board. I'm going to hit the pool as soon as possible. Hey! Look at this! You've got a mini bar! Can we have one of these tiny bottles of wine?"
"Sure. Have anything you want. Drinking age is eighteen on this ship…I wonder why they put that in here. Oh well."
"Cool! What about gambling?"
"Age 21. And I doubt they'll look past that, Hannah." I laughed.
I shrugged off my backpack and walked across the cabin. I unlocked the glass door, slid it open and stepped onto the balcony. I felt the breeze and smelled the ocean.
I glanced around. Apparently no one was above me. Around me all the cabins on this level had balconies, each separated from one another with a waist high wall that offered a little privacy. I could sit out here with a good book and be alone in my little world.
No! I chastised myself. That's what I would do if I were at home. Here, I need to be hanging around the pool, meeting guys and being completely different from my normal boring self.
Hannah joined me on the balcony.
"Is this not great?" I asked.
"Absolutely." Hannah handed me the tiny bottle of wine. "I want to make a toast."
"There are probably glasses somewhere in there."
"Nah, this'll do." She said. She lifted her bottle. "Here's to hoping you have the best time of your life!"
"I'll drink to that!"
I clinked my bottle against hers. This vacation was going to be perfect. I knew it without a doubt, because I was leaving nothing left to chance. I'd made a list of things I needed to do in order to have a great time:
+Soak up the rays
+Shop until I drop
+Drink margaritas by the pitcher
+Dance all night
+Climb a waterfall
+Snorkel
+Kiss a lot of cute guys
+Sleep with a guy for the first time
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A/n: I know if you read this book, which I'm not sure anyone else has, you'd realize that it's a TON like the real first chapter. But it had to be. It'll get more different later on. Trust me. I hope you like the first chapter. I promise, its only chapter one, it'll get a lot better. Stick with me, you wont be sorry!
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