Chapter 12
She was in heaven. Stretched out on the chaise, with the warm sun bathing her skin and the soft ocean breeze sweeping over her. She had pulled her chaise, along with five others, over by the edge of the pool with her back to the house. Claudia, bless her, had brought out a cold pitcher of Mimosa and six glass flutes. She never had a mimosa before and found herself loving it. Orange juice and champagne. Who would have thought that combination would be fabulous?
She took one more satisfying sip before setting it aside on the small circular table to her left, and then let out a long, deep sigh as she tilted back and closed her eyes. She was probably going to get burned, she thought, her skin wasn't exactly sun friendly, even if she had slathered on a gallon of sunscreen. The price to pay for paradise, she thought before she let herself drift.
She was just about to doze off when a shadow had loomed over her, blocking the sun. "Well, well," the familiar voice of the shadow said in amusement. "Don't you look all high and mighty. Expecting someone to feed you grapes, Red?"
She tilted her sunglasses down her nose and peaked up at him. "Wouldn't say no to it. Would you be the one feeding me?"
He barked out a laugh. "Yeah right."
"A girl can dream." She gestured to the empty chaise next to her. "Sit down, then, if you're not going to spoil me."
"Ah…maybe it'll be better if I sit somewhere else and-"
"Oh, please," she said with a huff as she slipped her glasses back on. "You can't keep giving my brother the satisfaction of staying away from him the whole two weeks. He's going to have to get over it."
Draco tossed down the towel he had brought down on the chaise and sat on the edge of it, facing Ginny. "Considering drama and conflict has been a part of my life for so long, I've started to try to avoid it. It can get annoying."
"Bet." She watched him under her shades as he reached behind his back for his shirt and tugged it off. Merlin, he was built-those muscular arms and to die for abs-it almost didn't seem fair. "You're going to need some sunscreen."
"What?" He looked over at her and then took the tube she held out to him. "What for?"
"You'll get burned." She pointed to the sun. "Usually, I use a little sun protection charm, but since we can't do even the slightest bit of magic around here, I loaded up on sunscreen that muggles use."
He flipped the top and sniffed at it. "And this will help me from getting burned?"
"Mostly," she said with a shrug. "It depends on how long your out in the sun and everything. Just slather it on and in a couple of hours if we're still out, I'd reapply."
He had gotten burned once before, when he was younger and his family took off to France for vacation during the summer. Well, his mum and him at least took a vacation, his father had only agreed to the vacation because he had business to attend there. He hardly ever saw him. They went to beach one day and he had wandered off and had gotten separated from his mother. By the time she had finally found him, his fair skin had been practically boiling it was so burnt. It was an experience he didn't want to repeat, so he flipped up the top and quickly began to lather it over his arms and shoulders.
"You're going to want to get your back."
"I know," he said as he tried his best to twist around to lather some on himself. "It's hard to reach."
"Here, I'll do it," she said taking the tube from him.
He started to panic a bit when she got up from her seat to sit next to him. Letting her put her hands on him probably wasn't the best of ideas. "Er-that's okay-you don't have to-"
"Would you rather Ron or Harry do it, then?"
He opened his mouth, only to close it quickly and then wince. "No thanks."
"That's what I thought," she said with a laugh and gripped his shoulders to turn his back to him. "Now sit still and be a good boy."
He was going to fire back with some smart ass comment, but instead only managed to close his eyes when her hands explore all over his back. Her hands were lathered as she rubbed and kneaded the lotion into his skin. Her touch was soothing, and soft as a feather, and sent an unwanted ball of need building deep inside him. Don't go there, Malfoy. Just don't go there.
She probably could have stopped, she had more than enough lotion rubbed into him, but she just couldn't seem to lift her hands. His skin was warm, his muscles hard and-oh, Merlin this wasn't good, she thought as she closed her eyes, trying to get rid of the thoughts that were running through her mind. She can't-couldn't-have the hots for Draco Malfoy. It just wasn't possible. It just-
He flinched suddenly when her fingers grazed her ribs, causing her to freeze her hands. Then, she lifted a brow as she smiled slowly. "Well, well…ticklish are we?"
"No-okay, yes," he said suddenly, jerking away when she started to move her fingers again. "Cut it out."
"Isn't that interesting."
"No it's not," he said as he shifted away from her. "And you're plenty done anyway."
She just snickered as she rubbed the remaining lotion into her own hands. "You'll live, I guess. Shouldn't get too burned."
"You're a comfort to me, Red," he said dryly but then grabbed her wrist when she stood up. "What about you?"
She lifted a brow. "What about me?"
"You didn't get your back all by yourself, did you?"
"No, but-I've been lying on my back so I don't need it yet."
"Well then," he said with a slight curve of his lips as he tugged her back down. "Allow me to assist."
"Oh, ah-that's okay," she said as she waved it off. "I'll just get Luna to do it later."
He lifted his brows at that. "Really? That would be nice to see."
She laughed. "You're such a pig."
"No, just a typical male-and as much as I wouldn't mind witnessing that, I insist that I return the favor." He twirled a finger in the air. "Now turn around and sit still like a good girl."
"Smart ass," she muttered as she let him turn her around himself.
"Always," he said as he buried his hands in her hair and brushed it aside. He felt her shiver and she quickly reached up to gather her hair over her shoulder so her back would be exposed. Her back was long, slender and decorated by cute freckles here and there. Shouldn't be doing this, he thought as he flipped the top open and poured a generous amount in his palm. Really shouldn't be doing this.
She barley fought back the moan that nearly escaped her when his hands-his large, calloused hands-began to mold and knead her back. He started at her shoulders, spent quite a lot of time there, before swooping down to her upper back. "Make sure you go under the strap."
His hands paused. "What?"
"My strap," she said shifted her head until she was able to look at him over her shoulder. "Make sure you rub some lotion under my strap."
He swallowed. "Why?"
"Because I'm going to want to loosen it later when I lie on my stomach. I don't want to get a tan line."
"Oh," he was all he said, was all he could say, as he began to move his hands again. He slid them down to her lower back, then back up, slipping his fingers under the very narrow strap of her top, before spreading his hands out to the sides.
Ginny swallowed a gasp when he felt his fingertips were only inches away from the sides of her breasts, then slowly let out a silent, trembling sigh as his hands trailed down her sides. Then his hands lingered for a moment, before finally lifting them away. She turned again, looking at him over her shoulder. "All done?"
"Yeah," he said stiffly as he leaned away. "You're done."
"Okay. Well, thanks."
He nodded. "Sure."
She immediately retreated to her chaise; figuring distance was probably best for them both. As she got situated, she studied him discretely from under her shades. He whipped his towel out and spread it over the cushions, before plopping himself down and stretched out his legs. He then grabbed his sunglasses he had tossed aside and shoved him over his eyes.
"What's in the pitcher?" he finally spoke as he scowled towards the sea.
"Mimosa."
"Does it have alcohol in it?"
"As a matter of fact."
"Good…hand it over, will you?"
She did as he asked, plus an empty glass as well. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He poured a generous glass, and then downed half of it in one gulp. "Not a damn thing."
"Could have fooled me," she muttered into her own glass.
He pretended not to hear her as he kept his attention straight ahead. What the hell was wrong with him? Why did he ever feel like it would be a good idea to put his hands on her? To let her put her hands on him? Now, he knew too much. Would the rest of her be just as soft and tempting? Probably, and it was his own damn fault that he would now have to suffer while he tried his best to keep his hands permanently at his sides.
"Hey guys!"
Draco and Ginny both turned to see Luna fluttering down the steps to the veranda, with Ron following behind her. "Hey," Ginny said with a smile. "Pick a spot, any spot."
"Don't mind if I do," she said as she dropped her bag on the chaise next to Draco. "God, it's beautiful here. I can't wait to dive straight into that pool. Ron, are you going to sit or just stand there all day?"
Ron grumbled out some sort of curse as he sat himself down on the empty spot next to Luna on the end. He didn't like it…he didn't like to see Draco lounging there, looking entirely too pleased with himself, between his sister and Luna. He'd just have to get over it, he thought as he tore off his shirt and tossed it aside. It would be a long two weeks if he continued to fight with him. So ignoring him would probably be the best solution.
"Do you guys need some sunscreen?" Ginny asked. "Draco, hand it over to Luna, her skin is just as bad as ours. Don't give me that look, Ronald, you need to put some on."
"Fine," he said with a roll of his eyes. "You're sounding like mum."
"Well, someone needs to look after you when she's not here."
He gave her a smirk. "Funny."
"Is this where the party is at?" Hermione walked up with a tote bag over her shoulder, sunglasses perched on top of her head and a red and white striped cover-up that stopped just above her knees.
"You've come to the right place," Ginny said with a smile and then looked past her. "Hey, Harry."
"Hey. Is that mimosa?"
"Sure is-here, I'll pour everyone a glass."
"Sounds good," he said and then maneuvered past Hermione, giving her a quick shoulder rub as he passed, and then took the chaise next to Ginny. After spending quite awhile analyzing what had happened between the two of them, he decided the best idea was to act like nothing had happened. After all, that's what was supposed to happen and the kiss was nothing more but a kiss between friends. Even if the kiss left him shaking down to the soles of his feet. It meant nothing.
"Come sit down, Hermione," he said finally looking up at her. "I'll pour you a glass."
When he smiled up at her, she felt a sigh of relief sweep through her. Nothing had changed, she assured herself as she went over to the last chaise available on the other side of Harry. What happened between them was just her imagination and nothing more. Harry was her friend-her dearest friend-and nothing could change that.
"Thanks, Harry," she said as she sat down and accepted the glass of mimosa. She then stretched herself out on her cushions and looked out into the ocean. "Have I told you how beautiful this place is, Harry?"
He grinned. "Once or twice."
"Ron, would you do me?"
Ron, who was in the middle of skimming through a Quidditch magazine, looked up with wide eyes. "Sorry?" He shook his head clear. Surely he heard her wrong. "Sorry, what?"
"My back," Luna said as she got up to sit on the edge of his chair. "Would you do my back?" She held out the tube of sunscreen to him as she turned her back to him. "I can't reach it."
"Oh. Well." He cleared his throat as he sat up slightly. "I guess."
"Thanks," she said as she slapped the tube in his hand. "Make sure you do me good, I don't want to be burn."
Ron heard a snorted laugh and glared over at Draco, who then pressed his lips together and turned his attention back to the water.
"Problem?"
"What?" He looked back to see Luna staring at him with a raised brow. "No-sorry." He fumbled with the lid of the lotion and squirted some in his palm. "So, you just want me to-rub it all over."
"That's the idea." He was nervous, she realized with a hint of a smile. How lovely.
Ron was hesitant at first, trying hard not to touch her much, but when she dropped her head forward and sighed, something stirred inside him. Did she like his touch? He wondered as he spread his fingers wider on and caressed his hands all over her back. She was making small sounds-sounds soft enough for only him to hear-and it felt bloody fantastic.
"That should probably do it."
"What? Oh," he said with slight disappointment as she turned and leaned away from him. "Okay."
"Would you like me to do you?"
"Yes," he said so quickly, he felt himself blush. "I mean-sure-that would be a big help, Luna. Thanks."
"No problem," she said and took the tube from him while he turned around. "Hermione? Harry? Did you need some?"
"I've got my own," Hermione said, leaning forward so she could see her. "I lathered myself up before I came down but-oh, right. My back. Someone will have to help me there."
"Ginny could do it."
Ginny snorted. "Draco's a typical male and gets turned on by the idea of two woman rubbing each other."
"Yeah, Ginny could do it," Harry added, getting a laugh out of Draco.
"Harry!" Ginny laughed as she leaned over and smacked his arm.
"What?" he asked with a grin. "I'm also a typical male."
"You two are talking about my sister," Ron said while Luna kept rubbing long slow circles over his back. "Don't make me hurt you."
"You can't blame us," Draco said looking at Ron for one of the first times on the trip. "What would you think about Luna rubbing Hermione's back, then?"
"Well, that's just-" He paused, and pondered for a moment. "Hmm-I see your point." He then flinched when Luna slapped him. "Ow!"
"Serves you right," she said, playfully shoving him before she got and returned to her spot.
"Harry, can you just do it?" Hermione asked as she fished out her lotion. "You're the closest to me."
"Oh." He hesitated a moment before finally taking the brown bottle from her. "I guess that makes sense."
"And I'll return the favor."
"Great," he said with a small smile. "Sure."
"Let me just-" She stood up in front of him then gathered material at the bottom of her cover-up, crisscrossing her arms, before pulling it up and over her head.
Bloody hell, she wore the red bikini, he thought, as he quickly adverted his eyes away, but not quick enough to get rid of the image in his head. While she moved to sit in front of him, he took a quick glance at Ginny who was wearing a lime green bikini that was just as revealing, just as sexy, but-nothing. Crap, crap, double crap!
"I got most of my lower back," she began as she gathered her hair and slid it to the side. "So just concentrate on my upper back and shoulders."
"Okay," he said and then frowned when he couldn't help but miss the slight disappointment for not being able to touch-don't go there. Just slather her back and shoulders and be quick about it.
He squeezed out a reasonable sized dollop, rubbed his hands together to spread out the lotion and then rubbed his hands over her shoulders. His mind told him to quickly get through it, but his hands didn't seem to follow. He spread his hands wide and in slow, soothing circles, rubbed the lotion into her soft skin. Like satin, he thought as his hands started to venture down. "Just in case," he found himself saying as he moved to her lower back. "You might have missed spots."
"O-okay," she said as she tried desperately not to moan. Merlin, his hands were remarkably gentle, yet strong at the same time. He lingered, caressed and kneaded his hands up and down her back, then couldn't help shiver when his fingers slipped under her strap.
"I guess that'll do it," he said as he swiped his hands one last time across her back before pulling them away.
She bit back a sound of protest at the absence of his hands. She had forgotten what it was like to be touch by a man, yet-she couldn't remember it ever being this exhilarating. Probably because her and Ron never even got to that point yet, she figured as she turned around so she could return the favor. He did a bit of caressing during the few and very far in between snogs they had shared. Actually, Harry basically had just gotten further than Ron ever did. Interesting.
"Claudia turned the water on the waterslide," Harry said as soon as Hermione started to touch him. He figured it would be best to distract him by talking with the others. "We'll have to make some runs down it soon."
"Really?" Ginny said sitting up and looked over to the rockslide and grinned when she saw the water rushing into the pool. "Forget soon, I'm all about now. Who's with me?"
"Me!" Luna exclaimed, and then took a long gulp of her mimosa before standing up. "I've never been on a waterslide before…I think I'll go head first, live dangerously."
Ginny laughed. "Any other takers?"
"Sure." Draco tossed aside the book he had just picked up to read. "Why the hell not?"
"I'll come, too, I guess," Ron said as he set aside his magazine. "Could be kind of fun."
"Fine, but you two better behave," Ginny said pointing a finger between Draco and Ron.
"I'll do my best, sis," Ron said as he threw a friendly arm around her as they took off towards the slide, with Draco and Luna following close behind.
Now, how the hell did that happen? Harry asked himself as he frowned at their backs. He had mentioned the slide to start a conversation to keep him from thinking inappropriate thoughts about Hermione and now he was alone with her. "Well, I…er…you've probably gotten it fairly good."
"Just a bit more on your shoulders," she said as she reapplied more lotion before rubbing it in. "You feel kind of tense, Harry. Are you okay?"
"Hmm?" He asked, and then groaned when she pressed harder into his muscles. "Yeah, I-I'm fine. Just a little kink there." He flinched and then let out a hissing curse when she hit a sore spot on his right shoulder. "Must have slept on it wrong."
"You want me to try to work it out for you?" she asked as she started to rise up on her knees to get her more leverage.
"Ah, no…no, it's okay," he said as he tilted his head from side to side and rolled his shoulders. "I'll try and spend some time in the hot tub today to sooth it out. Thanks, though."
"Sure," she said as she scooted back. "So…want to join them on the slide?"
"Definitely," he said and then looked over when he saw a delightful female laugh erupt towards the slide moments before Luna popped out from the end and disappeared into water.
"Well, let's go," she said as she grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet. "It's time we got this vacation officially started."
He couldn't help but smile as he let himself be tugged eagerly towards the slide. Then, he pulled her back hard and darted ahead of her. "Me first!"
"Hey!" she exclaimed as she stumbled backwards, but then laughed as she chased after him. "No, fair!"
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