Chapter 19
When Hermione woke up the next morning a horde of feelings swept through her as she lied on her back, staring at the ceiling. What had happened between her and Harry just a few short hours ago was so unbelievable to her she had to assure herself it wasn't a dream. She remembered far too much for it to be just a dream.
She was both terrified and excited at the idea of where her relationship with her dear friend was going. What if this was a bad idea? What if this unexpected attraction between each other was nothing more than that? What if it eventually ebbed and became awkward after a few heated kisses? What if they hurt Ron and Ginny? What if….what if…what if. Merlin, she hated that stupid phrase.
And what if she got herself out of bed and stopped stressing herself over it and took this new and exciting step with Harry slow and steady? She let out a defeating sigh as she threw back her covers and crawled out of bed.
After quickly slipping her feet into her blue fuzzy slippers, she shuffled herself out of the room and headed to the kitchen with coffee on the brain. She pushed herself through the kitchen door to find Ginny sitting at the kitchen table, digging into a bowl of cereal.
Ginny looked up and gave a little wave as she quickly chewed her latest bite of Coco Puffs. "Hey," she said once her mouth was free. "Morning."
"Good morning," she said as she walked towards her then looked around. "Where's Claudia?"
"Her son's baseball game is today, remember? She'll be back this afternoon."
"Oh, that's right," she said and then made her way to the kitchen. "Are we on our own?"
"She made a pot of coffee before she left," she said between munching. "But I raided the pantry and there's a bunch of stuff. Cereal, bagels…things like that."
"Hmm," she pondered as she looked through the pantry, and then reached up on her toes for the box of Fruity Pebbles. "I haven't had these since I was a kid."
"I've never had muggle cereal before," Ginny said before taking another bite. "I think I'm in love."
Hermione laughed as she got down a bowl. "Chew first, Gin."
"Sorry," she laughed.
Hermione quickly fixed her bowl and then poured a small cup of coffee, before heading back to the table. "Everyone else asleep?"
"Looks like it." Ginny frowned slightly as she pushed around her remaining puffs with her spoon. "I can't quite remember how I got to my bed."
Hermione cleared her throat as she dug her spoon into the colorful flakes. "I can probably help with that," she finally said before taking in her first bite.
Ginny set the spoon down and straightened in her seat. "You can?
Hermione gave her an affirmative nod as she finished chewing her mushy cereal. "We fell asleep."
"I figured that since I don't remember much about the movie."
"They carried us up."
Ginny lifted a brow. "They?"
"Harry and Draco. I believe our heads somehow found their way to their shoulders. Harry told me they waited the movie out, hoping you'd wake up by the time it end, but apparently we were out like the dead." She decided to keep the intense conversation Harry and Draco had while they were sleeping in their arms to herself. It was for either Draco or Harry to tell.
"Hmm," Ginny said pondering for a moment. "So the short, hazy conversation I had with Draco in my room wasn't some random dream?"
"Probably not," Hermione said with a grin. "You woke up?"
"I guess," she said biting her lip. "It's kind of fuzzy to me, but I remember being in my bed and Draco was there-I don't remember much else. I then thought I heard him say that I was killing him, but that can't be right. That's when I assumed it was a dream."
"I see." Interesting…very interesting. "Ginny, is there anything going on with you and Malfoy?"
"What? No." She let out a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a snort. "That's ridiculous. Why would you even think that? That's beyond stupid and not to mention completely absurd and…and…and okay maybe there is something, but it's not what you're thinking…we're just friends…sort of. I can't explain it, but ever since the ferry ride I've felt drawn to him…but not in a sexual way-I don't think-but in a different way. Maybe. I don't know what I'm saying…I'm rambling. Could you please stop me before I start to sound incoherent?"
Hermione smiled. "Too late for that I'm afraid."
Ginny puttered out a breath as she ran her hands through her hair. "Sorry…I just get all crazy when I even go there with him. It's just not natural, is it? To lust after Draco Malfoy?"
Hermione giggled. "Lust after? Is that what you're doing?"
She threw her hands helpless in the air. "I don't know. "Maybe…can you blame me?"
"Not one bit," she said with no hesitation. "Malfoy has always been hot, even when he was an ass…but now that he's less of an ass but still has that hint of bad boy in him, he's moved up to insanely hot."
"Exactly," she said with a dreamy sigh, but then eyed her suspiciously. "You're not lusting after him as well, are you?"
Hermione cackled with her mouth full of Fruity Pebbles. "No, no…he's all yours. I just like to look at him and admire him from afar."
Ginny grinned. "And I certainly can't blame you for that."
They both shared a laugh as they dug back into their cereal and Luna waltzed into the kitchen. "What's the joke?"
"Draco Malfoy and his extreme hotness," Hermione said, filling her in.
"Can I get on that?" she asked as she snagged a blueberry muffin the size of her fist and shuffled her self to the table.
"By all means," Ginny said as she plopped down across from her. "What would you like to share?"
"Well," she said as she broke off a chunk of her muffin. "He does have a delectable bottom end."
Hermione and Ginny both snorted out a laugh while Luna smiled as she popped in her first bite. "Mmm, it's really tasty."
"Which?" Hermione asked with another laugh. "The muffin or Draco's bottom end?"
Luna choked out a giggle as she swallowed her food. "The muffin," she finally said when she had a breath. "I can't say I know what Draco's bottom end tastes like."
"Ginny wants to find out," Hermione said with a grin. "She'll have to let us know once she does."
"Oh, shut up," Ginny laughed as she gave Hermione a slight shove.
"I've obviously missed something," Luna said as she scooted up in her chair. "You want to taste Draco's butt?"
"No!" she laughed completely mortified.
"She's just lusting after him," Hermione informed Luna with a grin. "And I was just letting her know I don't blame her because Draco is hot. That pretty much was what you missed."
"That's brilliant."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm not lusting after Draco-really-I just been having theses slight urges to…jump his bones and rip his clothes off every time I see him."
Luna bounced in her chair. "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!"
"I think Luna might combust," Hermione said with a chuckle.
"It's just great," she said beaming. "I think you should just do it. Just walk on up stairs, knock on his door and then jump him as soon as he opens the door wide enough to do so before he has a chance to think."
"Oh, really?" Ginny asked with slight amusement. "You really think I should just go on up there and do that?"
"Do what?"
Both girls whipped around to the voice in the kitchen to see Malfoy stalk over to the coffee with a scowl on his face. Ginny turned immediately red while Luna and Hermione snickered at each other. Draco gave them a weird look as he poured coffee dangerously close to the rim. "What am I missing?"
"Nothing!" Ginny squeaked and then nervously cleared her throat. "A girl thing…wouldn't interest you." She then turned back around and told them to hush when their giggles weren't quite under control.
"Hey, Malfoy?"
"Hey, Luna?" he grumbled back as he went towards them but lingered at the edge of the kitchen.
"Would you like a muffin? They sure are tasty."
Hermione choked on her coffee, then proceeded to laugh so hard that Draco thought she might fall off the chair. Luna was just giving him a smirk that said, "Yes, it was an inside joke and yes, it's about you and no, we're not going to tell you." Ginny, however, wasn't laughing or looking at him, instead she had her back to him as she became very focused on eating her cereal.
"It's too early for this crap," he muttered before turning on his heels and walked out of the kitchen.
While he was ascending up the stairs, Ron and Harry were descending and they met in the middle. "Proceed with caution," Draco warned.
Ron blinked. "Huh?"
"The girls are acting all…weird. They're saying stuff that shouldn't be funny, yet they're laughing anyway and you know there's an inside joke in there somewhere and when you realize you're out of the loop you just feel like an idiot."
"I hate that."
Draco nodded at Harry. "Yeah. Same. Which is why I'm escaping up to my room."
"Well…thanks for the warning," Harry said giving him a pat on the arm before passing him while Ron followed.
Draco took one step up only to turn around. "Hey, is there any sort of plan today?"
Harry paused on the bottom step and looked up. "Not really. I was going to suggest the beach, but it's not mandatory or anything."
"Fine…just let me know." Then he turned and walked up the rest of the way and disappeared around the corner to his room.
"Well," Harry said as he turned to Ron. "Ready to face the fire?"
"I guess. If they're the only ones staying in the way of my coffee."
Harry chuckled as they headed down the long hallway towards the kitchen. "All of you have become addicted to that stuff."
"You're fault," he grumbled as he followed him through the swinging doors.
The musical female laughter stopped immediately and all three girls turned, stared and then smiled. "Good morning, boys," Luna said as she propped her chin on her open palm.
"Good morning," Ron said warily as he inched his way towards the coffee but kept one eye on the girls.
"Pour me a cup," Harry said before making his way over to the table. "Is this seat taken?"
Hermione looked at the empty chair Harry had pulled out, and then up at him. "Not at the moment."
Harry's grin broadened. "Well…I better snag it while I can."
Harry made contact with her as he sat down and held it long enough for her to start blushing. "So," he said before finally looking away and addressed the table. "I was thinking the beach today. Thanks Ron," he added when he set the cup of coffee in front of him.
"I'm up for that," Ginny said as she pushed her bowl aside. "I've been anxious to get back down there after yesterday morning. It's beautiful down there."
"Yeah, let's do the beach," Luna said between a mouthful of blueberry muffin. "That sounds fun. We can build sandcastles!"
"Sandcastles?"
She looked at Ron. "Well, sure…haven't you ever built a sandcastle before?"
"Not that I can remember. If I did, it was when I was younger."
"Well, you're way over do. We'll build one together."
He grinned into his coffee. "Looking forward to it."
"Let's plan on heading down there around ten-thirty? Ten-forty five?" Harry paused to take a long sip of his coffee. "We might want to make some sandwiches to bring down and we can bring a cooler down with drinks. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic."
"Us girls can take care of that," Hermione said looking at both Ginny and Luna who nodded in agreement.
"Do you think you can make a batch of margaritas, Harry?"
Harry chuckled at Luna. "Sure, I can. I'll make two batches."
"Brilliant!"
"There's a ridiculously large tent in the storage room," Harry continued and then looked at Ron. "Between you, me and Draco, we'll probably be able to put it up securely."
"If you say so."
"We'll go down in a minute and set up beforehand," Harry decided and then finished off his coffee.
"I'm going to run up and change into my suit," Ginny said as she got up from her chair. "Get it out of the way and then we can meet back down in the kitchen to make the sandwiches."
"I'll go ahead and start fiddling around in the kitchen." Hermione got up from her chair as well and picked up both her and Ginny's cereal bowl. "Look around and pull out all the stuff to make the sandwiches."
"I'll be in charge of refreshments," Luna said before finishing off her muffin.
"Make sure you pack lots of beer," Ron said. "I'm having an intense craving for some."
"We're all going to turn into alcoholics after this trip," Harry said with a shake of his head. "Hey, Ginny…knock on Draco's door while you're up there, will you? Tell him we need his help?"
"Sure," she said and then scowled at her friends when they started to giggle.
"Remember what I said," Luna murmured softly to her as she walked by on her way to the door.
"Yeah, Ginny," Hermione whispered. "Jump him, jump him!"
Ginny just shushed them before escaping through the swinging door and down the hall. She shouldn't have admitted to them about her secret lusting for Draco, because now they were just going to continue to tease her mercifully about it. That's what friends were for after all.
When she was in front of his door, she paused a moment to run her fingers through her hair, then immediately hated herself for it. "Get a grip," she told herself before finally knocking on the door and when it opened, the urge to jump him was so strong she almost went for it. "Hey!" she exclaimed with a smile, but then it faltered a bit when she noticed the hard look on his face. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Damn her for looking so fucking irresistible in the morning. It was ridiculous that even in a tank top, shorts and…Christ, she even had those silly lion slippers she had on last night…yet, she looked just as good as if she were wearing a skimpy silk teddy. Merlin, she would look good in one of those. Don't go there, Malfoy. "What do you want?"
She was a bit taken back by the slight edge in his voice, but chose to let it pass. Everyone was entitled to have crappy moods now and again. "Harry wanted me to stop by and let you know they need your help setting up the tent."
"The tent? Are we bloody going camping or something?"
"It's for the beach, Malfoy. It's some kind of large tent we use for shade."
"Oh." He let out an annoying huff. "Fine, whatever…I'll be down in a minute. Is that all?" he added in a bored voice.
"Okay, I was going to let it go, because I know everyone gets in crappy moods, but I have to know…" She slapped her hands on her hips with attitude. "What the hell crawled up your ass?"
His mouth tilted up in a sneer. "You did. Now leave me alone."
Ginny jumped when he slammed the door in her face, then her mouth dropped in shock. What the hell? She angrily banged on her door with the side of her fist. "What the hell?" she repeated out loud this time when he opened the door. "What the bloody hell did I do?"
"You're a smart girl. Figure it out."
When he shut the door in her face again, she was practically fuming. She raised her hand to knock again, only to thrust her arm back down at her side. "Jerk!" she yelled and then kicked the door as hard as she could before stalking away.
She was pissed off and her foot throbbed like a bitch and now…she was the one in the crappy mood. Draco Malfoy can crawl up his own ass and die for all she cared!
After the second time he slammed the door on her, he leaned weakly against it. He heard her muffled voice call him a "Jerk", and felt the door shudder against him when she had kicked it and as he heard her walk away, he told himself it was for the best. It was better that she hated him, maybe then she'd keep her distance and then he wouldn't have to worry about doing something stupid. Like touch her. Kiss her. Do unspeakable things to her.
Yes, he thought again when he heard her door slam down the hall. It was for the best.
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