Title: Adrift
Summary: It was supposed to be the perfect holiday, but a tragic accident plunges Harry and Hermione adrift in to a new, uncertain life.
Rating: PG-13 for language and adult themes
Authors Notes: I'm back a little bit earlier than normal for this post- I'm currently bored, so I decided to share some more of this.
Again, a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far and I hope that more of you will review this chapter. I thrive on your words of praise and criticism- the email account that my reviews are emailed to is synced with my Blackberry so I received them instantly and it really makes me feel good when I do get them!
So enjoy this chapter and I will be back with another before the week is out.
THREE
The bar was only half full as the quartet entered and checked out their surroundings. The air was full of smoke and the women made their way out onto the deck that overlooked the beach. Harry and Ron went to the bar and then found their way to their wives at the table, one carrying a tray full of drinks, and the other a tray full of snacks.
Raising her glass, Ginny looked around at all of them and smiled.
'Here's to the best holiday ever,' she said as they clinked glasses and had a sip of their drink.
A jukebox was playing in one corner, playing music none of them recognised. There were several televisions, each tuned to a different network. One was playing soccer, another was playing some sort of news cast and then there was one with music videos. The mesh of noise made everything but immediate conversation indistinguishable.
They took it in turns returning to the bar for more drinks and more food and they settled in for a long night. The sun was slowly setting, casting the deck and beach in a beautiful orange and pink glow, before the sky turned black with a great spattering of stars.
'Let's go for a walk on the beach,' Ron said, standing up and draining his beer.
'Sounds good to me,' Harry said, copying him. 'We can walk back to the villa on the beach.'
Ginny and Hermione stood up too and they had just started to walk down the stairs from the deck to the beach, when Ginny stopped and looked at Harry.
'You didn't happen to pass a shop or a market or something on your run, did you?' she asked him. 'It's just that we have no milk or bread or coffee, or anything edible back at the villa.'
'There's a big outdoor market, just down the road a bit,' Harry said, pointing. 'And there was a few general store type shops just near it, one of them might be open.'
'I might go by there before going back to the villa,' Ginny said. 'Anyone want anything?'
'I'll come,' Ron said eagerly, swaying slightly. 'Can't have my little sister wandering these strange streets on her own!'
'How protective,' Hermione said almost sarcastically, before looking at Harry. 'Looks like it's just me and you, then.'
They waved to Ron and Ginny, who were now leaving through the front door of the bar. Harry and Hermione kept going down the steps that lead from the deck down to the beach, both removing their shoes as their feet touched the cold sand.
'Feels like we're a million miles from home,' Harry said as they strolled along slowly, his head tilted up towards the sky, watching the stars.
'I'm glad Ginny went along with my idea,' she said with a smile, walking a bit further in towards the water and letting a wave crash over her feet.
'Your idea?' Harry asked, confused.
'I suggested the holiday to begin with,' she looked at him slyly. 'I knew we all needed a break, so Ginny and I plotted the whole thing together.'
Harry laughed.
'Why didn't I see this coming,' he said and she laughed too.
They kept walking in silence. There was no moon, but the stars shone brightly down on them. The water was chilly when it hit their feet, despite the fact that it was quite a warm night. Before either of them realised, they were back at the villa, climbing the stairs and letting themselves in.
'All the shops were closed,' Ginny informed them as they entered the lounge area. 'So I'll go down first thing in the morning. I was talking to a local who said the market opens real early and that it's cheaper, and better too.'
'Are you sure you want to go?' Hermione asked, pulling off the light coat she had worn. 'I'm quite happy to go.'
'No, no, I'll fine to do it.'
'Are you sure?'
'Women,' Ron muttered to Harry who laughed, earning them both stern looks.
'I'll be fine, Hermione,' Ginny said with a smile.
'I think I'm going to go to bed,' Harry said, to break the silence. 'Coming, Ginny?'
They waved goodnight to Ron and Hermione, who had seated themselves on the lounge and Ron had switched on the television. Harry changed into his pyjamas in the bedroom, whilst Ginny had a brief shower in the adjoining bathroom. When she came out of the bathroom, Harry was already in bed, flicking slowly through one of the many novels she had bought with her.
'You tired?' she asked him, sliding underneath the covers beside him and he shrugged his shoulders.
'Sort of.'
'I've got something to tell you,' she said slowly, rolling onto her side and looking at him. She smiled as she realised that he had clammed up, looking incredibly nervous. It was the exact same look that he'd had on his face each time she had told him that she was pregnant.
'What?' he managed to say and she smiled.
'It's nothing dramatic,' she started and he relaxed slightly. 'I've been offered a job.'
'What!' he exclaimed, rolling onto his side so they were face to face. 'What job?'
'National team coach,' she said softly and Harry beamed at her.
'Gin, that's incredible,' he said, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her tightly into his body. 'I'm so proud of you.'
'I knew you would be,' she said, but then sighed. 'It just means that I'll be away from you and the kids for most of the summer.'
'The kids and I will be fine,' Harry assured her. 'We can survive without you. And we'll come with you, as much as we can. The kids will think it's great.'
Ginny kissed him firmly and passionately.
'You're wonderful,' she murmured as Harry waved his wand to turn off the lights.
~*~
Downstairs, Ron and Hermione lay on the lounge, Ron flipping through the television channels. Hermione had her head in his lap, and for the past hour had been battling the urge to fall asleep where she lay.
Unable to stave sleep off for much longer, she slowly rose and headed upstairs silently. One of the many things she loved about her marriage with Ron was how seldom they needed words. From the outset, she had made it clear that she was not obligated to do what Ron was doing, nor was he obligated to do what she was doing. She knew that he would follow her to bed soon, he always did.
She pulled her nightgown on and slid under the covers. She had left the blinds open and the room was bathed in moonlight and as she lay perfectly still and silent, she could hear the waves crashing on the beach.
Closing her eyes, she opened them again slowly and was shocked the find the room now bathed in early morning sunlight. She could hear Ron in the bathroom and she sat up slightly and looked at the clock on the wall next to the balcony door. It was slightly past six am.
'Good morning,' Ron said, coming out of the bathroom and kissing her on the forehead.
'I didn't hear you come in,' Hermione said, yawning slightly and laying back down. 'I had a good sleep.'
'You stay in bed,' he ordered, sitting down on the edge and pulling his shoes on. 'I'm going to the market with Ginny.'
'Can you bring back something nice for supper?' Hermione asked, reaching over for her handbag to give him some money. He shook his head and pulled the bag out of her reach.
'You stay in bed and relax. It's all under control.'
'I love you,' Hermione said with a smile as he reached the bedroom door.
'I love you too,' he said, blowing her a kiss. 'We won't be long.'
~*~
In the other bedroom, Harry was still snoring as Ginny slid out of bed and dressed quietly. She kissed his forehead gently, earning a sleepy swat as he rolled over and continued to snore.
Smiling and trying not to laugh, she left the bedroom and crept downstairs. She was startled when she reached the bottom of the staircase and found Ron loitering by the front door.
'Thought I'd tag along,' he told her, opening the door. 'Have to protect my baby sister, you know.'
'Have I ever needed protecting?' Ginny asked him and they both laughed, making their way outside and down the front stairs.
~*~
Hermione dozed fitfully for another hour, before rising and dressing. The house was silent still, indicating that Ron and Ginny were not yet back and that Harry was obviously still in bed. She collected her novel from the bedside table and headed downstairs. The pool out the back was bathed in sunlight and Hermione laid claim to one of the lounge chairs in the warmth.
She settled in and opened her book, breathing in the stillness of the morning air and the salty seawater smell that invaded the air.
Upstairs, Harry was also climbing out of bed, and he was pulling on his running clothes. He decided, on his was downstairs; to run the opposite way to what he had run yesterday, to see what else he could discover. He also decided that whilst they were here, he would try to do as much beach running as possible- he remembered reading a long time ago that it was an excellent work out and he hadn't yet been able to try it out.
'I'll be back soon,' he called over his shoulder to Hermione as he slowly jogged away. He didn't wait for a sign of acknowledgement, just started running.
The sun was bright and warm enough that after a kilometre Harry was sweating profusely. Up ahead he saw the rocks that marked the end of the stretch of beach and he was determined to reach that point before crossing over and running back along the beach.
He was passing through a mainly residential area and was glad he had run the other direction yesterday, discovering the pub and the market and the shops. As he crossed over the road, he was salivating the breakfast that he was hoping would await him when he returned to the villa.
As Harry started to make his way along the beach, Hermione put her book down and looked at her watch. It was almost 9am and she was starting to worry about Ron and Ginny- they had left not long past 6am, and it surely didn't take this long to walk there and back and get some basic groceries.
She picked up her book again, not really focusing and reading the same sentence multiple times. She heard panting behind her and she jumped, and then relaxed slightly when she saw it was only Harry.
'Aren't they back yet?' he asked with concern and she shook her head.
And then the ground shook and a great plume of smoke began rising into the sky.