Stranded

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Stranded

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By Queen of Serpents

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Chapter Two: Of Leaders and Lagoons

The emptiness enveloped her. She let out a shaky breath she had been holding, and her knees gave way as she sunk to the ground.

She finally accepted the fact they were stranded on an island and withdrew herself into her thoughts. Draco Malfoy simply stood by her side, leaning against a tree and staring into the darkness.

It was cold, yet damp and humid, and Hermione noticed that her clothes were still wet from swimming--and nearly dying--in the ocean. A moment later, Draco Malfoy whispered, "Nox," and, just as the light flickered off, a swarm of bugs of all sorts flew in to attack their flesh. Mosquitoes and other such parasitic insects flocked to feast in their blood. A scream emitted from Hermione's mouth, and she stood up to slap them away.

"Malfoy! Do something!" she yelled at him, swatting away a particular mosquito that landed on her nose.

Draco was about to say "I know!" but just when he parted his lips to speak, a flying insect went straight into his mouth. Coughing and choking, he managed to spit the blasted thing out. Hermione quickly, and intelligently, took out her own wand and produced light that kept the bugs away at a safe distance.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, tentatively rubbing Draco's back as he spat out the taste of the insect.

"Just swell, Granger. Absolutely dandy!" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm just being polite, Malfoy," Hermione defended. "Besides, if you hadn't turned off the light, then none of this would have happened."

Draco, too fed up to reply, simply lit his own wand and began to walk towards the forest.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked in a slightly panicked tone.

"Going to collect some twigs. We should start a fire and get to sleep."

"Oh," she said. "Sleep."

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Draco Malfoy woke when the first rays of the sun landed harshly upon his sleeping face. A look of innocence had been there while he slept with his guard down, unconsciousness making his pointed face no longer scowling or smirking as usual. But as soon as the sun with its fiery heat nearly blinded his eyes, his face screwed up into a scowl, and he let out a groan of frustration. Putting a hand over his head to cover his face--particularly his sleepy eyes from the light--he turned in his side, his arm reaching over a warm and soft body--

He pulled her closer to him, his body still wet: even the heat from the sun and the ongoing fire had not fully dried his clothes. He tried to sleep again but it was no use. Once Draco Malfoy was awakened, it was impossible for him to sleep once more.

He opened one eye and then another, wondering why the mattress was so hard, and why it felt like it was slipping. He always preferred hard mattresses so that it would relieve the backache he had from flying on a broom and playing Quidditch, but this was different. He moved his legs, surprised to still be wearing his pants even though there was a girl sleeping next to him. He was even more surprised when he felt sand at his feet.

Suddenly, the memories all came crashing back to him in a whirlwind. Memories of laughter, and then screams of alarm. The booming voice of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, amplified by the Sonorous Charm, echoed in his eyes.

Stay calm--

But no one heeded her struggled cry to maintain order.

The entire ship went into a frenzied panic.

And then he remembered the screams and the ocean's tumultuous waves. A girl's plea for help, brown hair sinking beneath the water.

And then he saved her, brought her to the island after a half hour of simply running through the current, hoping that the girl was not dead--

Stranded and accepting defeat, they decided to build a fire. Their cloaks were used as temporary blankets, and they feel asleep with a full 3 feet distance. But Draco assumed that during the cold night, they sought out the warmth of the other's bodies, which explained why she was curled up at his side.

Her hand clutched the front of his shirt subconsciously, and Draco slowly uncurled her fist and moved away, despite Hermione Granger's moan of protest. He chuckled lightly to himself and then went out on the lookout for a private place to relieve himself.

On his journey, he made sure he was not too far away from his companion and hoped that she would understand he was nearby, as his shoes and socks remained by the dying fire. He was soon delighted to come by a lagoon of some sort, the newly risen sun making the water sparkle like diamonds. He began to unbutton his shirt and placed it carefully upon a nearby rock. The sun beat down upon his exposed chest, and he welcomed the warmth with a pleased grin. Unbuckling his belt, he allowed his pants to fall and then made sure they were stacked neatly by his shirt. He debated on whether he should take off his boxers too, but, in the end, the water beckoned him, and he couldn't resist. He did himself away with the boxers as well before lowering himself in the lagoon's inviting coolness.

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"Malfoy!" Hermione began to call out after she woke. The fire was reduced to ashes by the time she woke up, and was surprised to see that her companion was missing. At first, she thought he abandoned her, and was fuming to herself, thinking horrendous thoughts. She even went as far as thinking that it was all his fault that she was stranded, and that it was some sort of ploy he started to get back at her. She even thought that he was a Death Eater and gathered all the Gryffindors, mainly Harry, to please his Lord.

But just then, she saw his shoes and socks and her anger cooled down. Either leaving the shoes was a trick to show that he was there, or that he really was nearby. She walked down an aimless path, careful not to stray to far lest she lost sight of the camp they made and lose Draco completely. Suddenly she heard a splash in the distance and furrowed her brows, following the sound of running water.

"Where are you?" she called out.

Pushing an overgrown leaf aside, her eyes widened as she saw Draco casually leaning against the rock with the lower half of his body submerged under water. His hair was dark blonde, nearly brown because of the wetness, and his upper body was glistening with water. His eyes were closed, and he looked like a Sea God, completely at ease with the water. So much like her saviour...

Suddenly, her eyes landed upon the discarded clothes and she noticed that along with his pants, his boxers were not on either. She let out a squeak at the prospect of having him not too far away, completely nude, but this sound she made roused the boy in the water, and gray eyes began searching to find the cause of the interruption.

A playful smirk landed on his lips as he noticed Hermione standing there, and swam closer to her.

"Ah, Granger, what brings you here?" his derisive voice said. "Come to spy on me? Hoping to catch a glimpse of my delicious naked body?"

Hermione's eyes widened with indignation while color rose to her cheeks. "Of course not. I was just wondering where you went." She scolded herself for not sounding angrier than she was.

"Well, then, now that you're here, care to join me?"

"No, that's all right," Hermione replied, stepping back, though inside she really did want to join him. Not in the playful manner that he suggested, but because her hair was an awful mess with sea salt and sand, and she wanted to wash it out.

"C'mon, Granger. I suggest you do. The hair-"

"I know, Malfoy. No need to remind me," she interrupted.

"I didn't mean it to poke fun, Granger. Say, how about we have a truce? Since we'll be in this island for God knows how long, we shouldn't be trying to kill each other off."

"I agree, Malfoy," Hermione said, awed by his wise words. She never really thought of that, either, but his logic was reasonable. She stuck out her hand for him to shake, which he returned.

"Since that's over with, Granger, why don't you take off those clothes of yours and wash out your hair? I promise I won't do anything you don't want me to."

Hermione didn't quite believe him, but hesitantly, she sat down on a nearby rock of pinkish orange granite, and began to take off her shoes and then her socks, allowing her bare feet to dangle in the cool water.

"That's it? Why don't you come down all the way?" Draco asked. He wasn't quite sure why he actually wanted her to. Of course, he was a boy and he wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity to see a girl drenched in water with only the two of them, but she was Granger after all, so why would he want to? Plus, that truce? What was he doing? Was he going soft?

No, he reasoned. The truce was simply something to get her to trust him more, and then he'd be able to do anything he'd want.

"I'm fine where I am, Malfoy, but can you please hurry up so I can get a chance to wash up alone," she said, emphasizing the final word.

Draco swam up to her and gave her a uncharacteristic pout. Hermione giggled. "Pouting won't work, Malfoy," she said, surprising herself at being so at ease with him around. He hadn't called her a mudblood since the night before, and she was beginning to admit that she liked this side of Malfoy. "--and nor will sulking," she added when she caught his eyes lowering sadly, swimming slowly backwards. "It's not Malfoy-like."

"Oh?" He said, his face lighting with mischief. "So how's this for Malfoy-like?"

Without any time at all to process his words, Draco wrapped his hand around her ankle and pulled her into the water.

The splash was enormous, as was Hermione's rage. However, she wasn't angry, merely outraged that he would dare to do something like that. Spitting out the water that had gone into her mouth, she cried out in indignation, "Malfoy!" She looked at her soaking clothes and her heavy, water-soaked hair and glared at him. She swam back to where the water was shallow and was too angered and concerned with the fact she'd have to now go on another day with wet clothes that she didn't notice the lustful look Draco had on his face.

Suddenly, an idea sprang into her mind, and she felt the need to do something she never would have done. She swam quickly back to where Draco was, and he was too preoccupied at hoping she hadn't caught him licking his lips and staring at her abundant chest that had become visible through her shirt, due to the water, to stop Hermione from dunking his head in the water.

Surprised and shocked, he swam back up, and instead of doing the same thing she had done to him, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer to him, a look upon his face that Hermione had never seen before.

His eyes were beautiful when they were this shade of color. They was silver with a dark glaze of gray over it. His head was coming nearer, and she was reminded of their close proximity and the fact that he was naked before her. His lips were ever near and Hermione was still drawn into his eyes, and found herself involuntarily wishing them to descend upon her own. Suddenly, before she shut her eyes, she felt Draco give her a short kiss on the tip of her nose and then chuckle.

"You look surprisingly cute with that red bump on your nose," he said.

Hermione was both shocked at that point for a lot of things, but no emotion was greater than embarrassment at being told there was a bump on her nose and the fact she had almost wished that he would kiss her. She was also surprised at being called "cute" by him.

"A red bump?" she said, touching her nose with her fingertip, and suddenly, she had an urge to scratch it relentlessly.

"Mosquito bite, perhaps," he informed her.

Hermione's cheeks reddened, and she quickly rummaged her wet pockets for her wand, taking it out and casting a spell on it to vanish the bite and remove the itch. She glared at him and then swam to shore.

"Now what am I going to do with these wet clothes wear?" she cried out in distress when she was standing safely on the sandy ground next to the lagoon. She turned her head and for the first time noticed the miniature waterfall at the edge of the body of water. She was quite absorbed by the pretty sight but then Draco began to ascend from the water, his skin gleaming from the sun and the water.

She turned away immediately when she remembered he was nude.

"You can turn around now," he told her, and she obeyed him, noticing that he only put on his pants. She openly stared at his fine abdominal muscles and the way the muscles in his arms flexed when he took hold of his belt, and scratched his head, debating on whether to wear it or not.

Hermione let out a slight shiver when a cool breeze passed by.

"Hey, why don't you get rid of that wet shirt you're wearing and take mine for now. You'll have to keep the skirt on, because there are no replacements for that even though I wouldn't mine if you went without it..."

"Your shirt?" Hermione said ignoring the latter comment he made about her skirt.

"Yeah. That way you won't get a cold."

Hermione nodded her head, once again amazed by his logic. She ran to grab his shirt, and then disappeared behind a tree.

"Hey, where are you going?" Draco asked.

"Did you actually think for a moment that I'd take off my shirt in front of you?" Hermione replied, and came back into the clearing wearing Draco's shirt.

He smirked at her. "I suppose I hadn't thought of that. But anyway, a man's shirt suits you, Granger. Ever wear those tuxes they wear on shows?"

Hermione rolled her eyes but just as she did, her eyes fell upon a shell embedded in the weeds of the lagoon. Her eyes widened with fascination as she walked over and picked it out of the tangled weeds.

"What's that? A shell?" Draco asked looking at the creamy pink shell. He took it from her and weighed it in his hands.

"Yes, it is a shell. It reminds me of a book I read."

Draco tried not to roll his eyes this times. Did she always have to think about books?

"Oh, really?" he said, pretending to be interested.

"Yeah. It's called the Lord of the Flies by William Golding, I believe, and there was a shell like this just in there too. The fat little boy called it a conch."

"A conch?"

"Yeah... which reminds me, it's sort of similar to how we are right now. The basic plot is about a bunch of boys deserted on an island--"

"Much like us!" Draco said, beaming at the resemblance. "Well, what happens in it?"

"Well, the boys basically turn into savages and whatnot and were practically killing each other, but there's much more to it than that. It's more about the idea of humans having to undergo a period where upon no rules are set, no society to fall into, and--"

"Granger, I think I get the idea," Draco said, not wanting to hear the more analytical and complicated version. "Just tell me if they get saved."

"They do," Hermione said making Draco smile with hope. "But you see, the ending is much more vague and ambiguous than that. The Cruiser that comes to rescue them, does come, but it can quite be possible that the Cruiser might sink as well being a warship and all."

"Thanks a lot for that bit of information Granger," Draco told her with a sullen looking face.

"I'm sorry... I think I got a bit carried away."

"Oh yes, just a bit," Draco said sarcastically.

"Anyway, why don't you blow it?"

"Now why would I want to do that?" Draco asked, giving her a funny look.

"Because in the book, there was a fat-looking kid that told the fair-haired boy to blow it, and he did."

Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Alright," he agreed. "But how?"

"Well the fat kid told him that you have to kind of spit but blow from down here," she explained patting her lower abdomen.

"Okay," he said, but when Draco blew it, it didn't work.

"From there," Hermione repeated only this time patted Draco's lower abdomen; his hard six pack was wet and gleamed in the sun. She snatched her hand away and willed her cheeks from going red when he raised her eyebrow.

Lucky for her, he blew on it without a word more and this time it worked, the sound of the shell booming around the island, shaking the ground and arousing the birds and creatures around them.

"Why am I doing this again?" Draco asked.

"To call the others. Hopefully they'll hear it and come to us. That way we could have everyone together and when rescue arrives, we'll all be together. Maybe we could think of someway to get out of this island ourselves, too."

"I could've just used the Sonorous Charm instead of this Muggle way," he informed her.

"Oh, but this is so much more fun!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Maybe it was just an excuse to touch my stomach," Draco mused aloud. Before he could hear her protest, he blew the shell again, his face getting red with lack of air.

Hermione giggled at Draco's crimson face, forgetting his comment, but then stopped as the two of them caught sight of a shadow of life approaching them.

Apparently the doing things the Muggle way worked, Draco thought as he waited.

Finally the first person appeared clearly and Hermione beamed when she saw him. When the red-haired boy saw Hermione, his freckled face lit up and he ran into her, enveloping her in a hug.

"Hermione! I'm so glad you're alive!"

"I am too, Ron," Hermione exclaimed, happy to see him alive and looking well.

"Isn't Harry with you?" Hermione asked in a slightly worried tone.

"No, I hadn't seen him," Ron said sadly. He finally noticed the shirt Hermione was wearing and furrowed his brows. "I always knew you wore large shirts, Hermione. But this is just ridiculous."

Hermione blushed, wondering how to explain but then another 6th year came, which spared her from answering. This one happened to be a Slytherin, but Draco was not too well aquatinted with him. Survivor after survivor appeared, from all the houses Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. All were in their 6th Year and all were sent on this crazy trip that went so horribly wrong.

Finally a band of students came, the crew all wearing their black cloaks with their green and sliver Slytherin insignia. When they were close enough, Draco smirked at seeing Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and a few others whose names Hermione didn't know well.

"Where's Pansy?" Draco asked after Blaise and he shared a manly hug.

"We don't know. Haven't seen her," answered Millicent, who patted Draco's cheek after playfully smacking his shoulder. Crabbe and Goyle both grunted happily at seeing their leader, and Draco fell into face among his crew. Still, Blaise could tell he was worried about Pansy.

Not too late after, two heads with flaming red hair, tall and lanky, and another boy with messy black hair arrived. It was Fred and George Weasley, and Hermione was almost sure Ron groaned at seeing them. The two boys were forced to go back to school, not being able to convince Mrs. Weasley, and even had to go back a year to finish their incompleted 6th year.

Harry Potter was the boy with the black hair, and Hermione ran into his arms. During the time since Ron appeared, Hermione had a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach. An awful thought that maybe he hadn't made it. That maybe something bad had happened to him. Thus, as she buried her face in Harry's chest, she had tears of joy on her cheeks that she dried on his shirt.

"Oh, Harry!" she cried out. "You're here."

"Of course I'm here. You can't get rid of me so soon," he said with a playful grin.

Ron approached them and sentimental moments soon followed as everyone reunited with each other. Draco blew on the conch one more time. An entire hour passed, and when no more people came, it became apparent that either some had not made it or they were probably too far away or even lost.

"Order!" Hermione yelled, standing upon the pink granite where she had sat on once before when taking off her shoes.

No one listened to her, and the loud laughter and merriment had not gone down at all. Finally Draco stepped in, raising the conch to his lips and blowing into it to gather everyone's attention.

"Thank you," Hermione told Draco when everyone was quiet and looked at her, giving their undivided attention. She turned back to the small crowd of 6th years and spoke. "Well now that everyone is here, I suppose you're all wondering what we'll have to do right?"

They nodded their head and whispered began but when Draco raised the conch once more, they all fell quiet.

"Therefore, I think we'll have to discuss what should happen and how we may be rescued from this island we're stranded on."

"Island?" a Slytherin yelled. "What do you mean that we're stranded?!"

"Granger is right," Draco butt in, silencing the Slytherins and everyone else's murmurs. "We are stranded on this island."

"Prove it, Malfoy. How do you know we're on an island." This was Ron this time who challenged Draco.

"He's right, Ron," Hermione said before Draco got mad, and Ron got carried away. "This is an island and there is even some sort of magical barrier over it that isn't allowing our signals to work."

Whispers erupted within the group of survivors.

"We tried as much as we could to send signals to get us rescued," Hermione said, this time her voice rising to be heard over the murmurs. "But apparently something has happened."

"What has happened?" a Hufflepuff asked.

"We don't know yet," Draco answered. "But Snape warned me beforehand that we should avoid this island. Now we are here. And--" Draco yelled to stop the loud talking that started after his statement. "--that mean we'll have to wait until someone comes to our aid. Since Snape told me about the island, when the words gets through that the ship sunk, they'll probably know we're here and save us."

"What do we do until then?" Harry asked.

"Well we should have some order since we're here. To make sure that no one strays away and we don't get out of hand," Hermione answered.

"How about a leader then?" Hannah Abbott suggested.

"I pick Harry!" Parvati yelled out.

"Yes, Harry!"

"Harry!"

Shouts of his name echoed through the members of each house except Slytherin.

"Why Harry?" Blaise asked hotly. "Just because he's got the scar?"

"That's not fair," Millicent said. "Just because Harry always saves the day doesn't mean he'll be a good leader."

"Let's have a vote then," Hermione shouted over the screaming.

"Okay!" Fred and George agreed.

"Who should be the candidates?" Anthony Goldstein asked.

"Harry!" Lavender called out, giggling with Parvati.

"How about ikle Ronnikins?" Fred and George offered at once causing Ron to flush in anger and embarrassment.

"I pick Anthony!" Hannah called out, blushing when Anthony gave her a hug, and kissed his girlfriend's cheek.

"Hermione!" Neville said and smiled when Hermione beamed at him.

"Crabbe!" Goyle shouted.

"Draco, of course," Millicent added, glaring at Goyle.

"Okay," Hermione said, still standing on top of the rock. Let the candidates come up front please!"

Casually Harry, a red Ron, Anthony, grunting Crabbe and a smirking Draco came forward.

"Okay first Crabbe. Who votes for him?"

The poor obece boy gained no votes because Millicent threatened Goyle, the only person who wanted to vote for Crabbe and who chose him in the first place. Hermione shook her head, saddened and then continued, "Okay, who votes for Ronald Weasley?"

Fred, George, and a single Hufflepuff raised their hand to pick him. Ron, hung his head, his ears still going pink.

"So that's three for Ron."

"Next, Anthony Goldstein!"

A chunk of the Hufflepuffs and, of course, Hannah chose him.

"So that's a five for Tony," Hermione counted. "Next, Harry Potter!"

The majority of Gryffindors picked him and so did a few Ravenclaws, but no Hufflepuffs, perhaps still sore at him because of Cedric's death. Hermione found this unfair but voiced no thought on the matter.

"Nine for Harry. Draco Malfoy?"

Every single hand from Slytherin was raised as did a few Ravenclaws. Shouts and cheers were made in favor of the blonde Slytherin who held every air of authority one could possibly have as their personality. Hermione reflected on how, for once, Draco Malfoy did make a capable leader, and quite possibly a good one.

"Another nine. Now how about me?" Hermione asked, giving them a startling smile.

The remaining Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and 2 Slytherins raised their hand in favor of the Gryffindor. They knew of her vast knowlegde and leadership qualities and wisely chose her. However, the count was not enough for Hermione to take on the role of the chief. Therefore, hiding her disappointment she said, "Only eight for me. So that leaves Harry and Draco at a tie."

"How about another vote. This time only for them. The most wins," Blaise suggestly wisely.

"All right. How many choose Harry?" At a show of hands, Hermione counted silently and then informed them: "Seventeen, which leaves it at another tie."

"You didn't vote!" Neville pointed out over the shouting and murmurs.

"Me? Well... I..."

"Well that's easy then. The leader is Harry!" Ron exclaimed happily. The Gryffindors cheered excitedly.

"No wait! Let her say who she picks!" Blaise roared over their voices.

They all fell silent, their gazes intent upon Hermione. The Gryffindors, namely Ron, looked at Hermione expectantly, and the Slytherins gave her a fake sweet look that looked far too sinister to be sincere. Harry simply sat down on the ground, not looking at anyone but Draco's stormy gaze was locked with hers. Hermione knew for a fact that Harry was great at being a leader. In DADA, he was quite well at it but his influence wouldn't spread to the Slytherins.

"Well..." Hermione began. Her hands were shaking and she was at a loss. In the end, after a full minute of leaving the rest of the sixth years in suspence, Hermione finally spoke: "I'm sorry, Harry, but I choose Draco instead," she said quietly.

Everyone looked at her as though she grown an extra head.

As much as Harry was great, Hermione had reasoned to herself before answering, Draco was fair and wise. He spoke logically and in the short time they were alone, she found he was quite reasonable as well. He would make the better leader and would have control over the Slytherins, unlike Harry.

The Slytherins were looking at her incredulously. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were at a loss and the Gryffindors looked as though they might roast Hermione alive.

"But Harry could always be the co-in charge," she added wisely and hurridly for the look on the Gryffindor's faces were frightening her. The Gryffindors would have trouble accepting Draco but if Harry works as a co-chief then things would go smoothly... or least they'd think twice before killing her.

There was silence until this idea was digested, and soon afterwards the Slytherins cheered. A group even picked her up on his shoulders and they all shouted at how happy they were.

She might be Muggleborn, but it wasn't everyday that Draco Malfoy beat Harry Potter at something, and it was all thanks to her. For a moment, Hermione wondered whether it really was a good idea. Well, she'd just have to see to find out.

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