“Jessie!” Hermione leaned forward to give her a friendly hug but Jessie stopped her.
“Hermione! Not in public!” laughed Jessie. Hermione raised an eyebrow. “What will my new friends think?” she said, motioning to a group of girls and boys.
“Um…what will your friends think?” said Hermione uncertainly.
“Oh honestly, Herms! My friends over there are filthy rich! They are the most elite people in the society and so am I!” She looked at Hermione, shaking her head. “But you, Hermione…well, you don’t really belong in that crowd! They’re way out of your league!”
Hermione stared at her in surprise. She was shocked of how much her friend had changed over the years. “Jessie…I don’t understand…”
“If they see me hanging around with you, my whole reputation will get ruined!” she said, nervously looking at her friends. Hermione started to get angry.
“If that’s the problem, then why did you come and greet me in the first place?” hissed Hermione.
“Because silly! If we ever meet, you’ll know where your place is! You would know better than to come up to me when I’m surrounded by my friends!” she said, getting annoyed. “Anyway, I’ll see you around…see ya.” She gave Hermione a wide smile and went over to her friends. Hermione stared at her, mouth agape.
“Shut your mouth, Granger. A fly will go in.”
Hermione bit her lip and closed her eyes. “I am not in the mood for your insults, ferret. Go and get lost.”
Draco rolled his eyes and looked down. At the bottom of the swimming pool, he saw a necklace. He dived inside, took the necklace and went back to the surface. He looked at the pendant that was attached to the necklace and saw “Jessie” carved onto it.
“Hmm…now what’s this necklace doing here…Jessie?”
Hermione looked at Malfoy and saw him holding a silver necklace with a pendant. She sighed heavily and said, “That belongs to my friend, Jessie. Give it to me, I’ll give it back.” Malfoy threw the necklace at her.
“Yeah, whatever…” He turned around and started swimming laps. Hermione looked at the necklace and clutched it tightly. She looked at Jessie and frowned. Fine, Jessie, even though I’ve started to dislike you, I’ll give the necklace back to you because I know this stuff can be sentimental. Hermione got out of the pool. She’d give it to her when she wouldn’t be surrounded by her friends.
She went to her room, took a shower, changed her clothes and went to her balcony. The sun was setting now, and its light casted a red glow over the water. The warm breeze blew onto her face, taking her breath away. It felt so…good. She climbed onto the hammock and looked up at the fading sky. She looked at the balcony that stood beside hers. Malfoy’s balcony. “Hey Granger! Why aren’t you in yet? Waiting for me?” She didn’t know why, but a smile crept onto her face. With one last look at his balcony, she fell asleep.
Draco threw the towel that hung around his neck on the bed and ruffled his wet hair. He was exhausted after the swim and was in no mood to take a shower. He quickly took off his wet clothes and changed into a pair of comfortable shorts and a baggy T-shirt. He already started to enjoy this trip. Already, muggle girls were after him and he had Granger to annoy. He smiled to himself. Even the muggle girls were attracted to him. He flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes, thinking. Draco had never felt so…free. He could do whatever he felt like and nobody could tell him what he should or shouldn’t do. His father was no longer there to command him as he had been killed during the war. He could be whatever he wanted to be. He was no longer his father’s puppet. He never liked his father’s doing but always obeyed him because of fear of what he might do.
Malfoy decided to go to the muggle world because he needed to get away from all he had been through. If he had stayed back in the wizarding world, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to relax.
Draco shook his head and opened his eyes. He looked at the weird box with a screen and mumbled, “Muggle contraption. What in Merlin’s beard is it?” He got up and went nearer to the strange screen. He saw a button along the bottom and pressed it. Before he knew what happened, loud music errupted from the screen, making Draco yelp in shock. He quickly covered his ears and looked at the screen which now showed a man playing a guitar and screaming at the top of his lungs. Draco quickly pressed the button again and the noise disappeared.
He sighed in relief. “What kind of a music box is that!” Draco said, trying to get over the shock. He stood up and went to the balcony, trying to get away from the strange box as if it would errupt in any second.
He inhaled the salty air and felt the wind blowing against his face. The sun was gone but there was a tinge of light far across the horizon. He listened to the crashing of the waves against the boat and the sound of distant voices coming from his neighbouring rooms. Neighbouring rooms. He remembered Hermione’s room being right next to his. He looked over at her balcony and was surprised to find her sleeping outside on the hammock. A smile crept onto his face. It was going to be heaps of fun troubling Granger and the best part was, he was staying right next to her. He looked at her and saw how the wind blew against her hair and how…peaceful she looked. Draco shook his head and tore his eyes away from her. What had he just been doing? Staring at Granger?
He rubbed his eyes, trying to erase what he had just seen. He went into his room and flopped onto his bed. He closed his eyes and before he knew it, he fell asleep.
A/N:
Don't think things b/w Hermione and Draco will speed up! I'll really try and make it so that it seems...real! Before you leave...a review please!? Oh yea..not to forget...all thanks to my BETA!