Drabble: We Follow the Sea
I can't believe it, but I won this week's challenge at dramione_ldws (38 votes, +18) AND I picked up Mod's Choice as well. I'm in the final! Wooo! I was able to truly indulge myself this week: I'm one of those women to whom adjectives like "responsible," "dependable," and "steady" are frequently applied...sailing away and leaving leaving my life behind is one of my favorite fantasies. :)
Title: We Follow the Sea
Rating and Word Count: PG-13, 498
Summary: Hermione owes a duty to the wizarding world, and Draco owes a debt. Neither one of them cares.
Notes: Written for challenge #10 "Out of the UK" at dramione_ldws and prompt #028 Journey at 100quills.
He named their boat The Sea Serpent, but Hermione, upon discovering he Confunded a Muggle into selling it to them for two Knuts and a button, insists it is named Flight From Prosecution.
Draco hides in the shade of the galley, seeking shelter from the West African sun as Hermione swims. She swims every day, wherever they may be. Since leaving England after the final battle, Hermione has slipped beneath the surface of a half-dozen seas.
He loves to watch her, especially in that moment when she dives off the back of their boat, and her body arcs into a perfect curve before slicing through the water. He spends entire days like this: watching and wanting Hermione, not thinking about the War, and searching the skies for owls. Because no matter where they go, owls always find them.
Potter found them right away, in those first crazy days in France when they had no ship and no plan, just a burning desire to get away and a green and gold bikini Draco bought Hermione in Marseille. She struggled for days to answer Potter's letter, which was full of questions and quiet concern, but she never found the words.
Weasley's letter, all red anger and accusation, found them in Venice. Hermione read a few lines before crumpling it and stuffing it in a trash bin. Draco bought her a gelato and kissed her for the first time.
They were watching the sun set over Cyprus when McGonagall's invitation back to Hogwarts arrived. He kissed the tears from her eyes and she crawled into his lap. They made love as the stars rose above them and left the letter for the tide in the morning.
Through the Suez and the Red Sea, while the equatorial sun boiled Draco like a lobster and painted Hermione in bronze and gold, they were chased by requests for interviews, politely-worded demands from the Ministry that Hermione return and make public appearances, and less politely-worded demands from the Wizengamot that Draco return for questioning. All were incinerated.
Near the bottom of the world, at a place Hermione told him was called Cape of Good Hope, Draco watched her tear letters from family and friends into shreds for the wind to snatch and carry. He likes to lay her down on the deck, to sink into her under southern skies and let the waves rock them gently together. She traced alien stars on the skin of his back, charting the Southern Cross and Carina with her fingertips. He buried his face in her sun-bleached hair and murmured “good hope” against the shell of her ear over and over.
Draco stands up as Hermione pulls herself on board. Wearing nothing but bikini bottoms and sunshine, she looks nothing like the girl she used to be, far away in England. She is tense, and Draco looks up to see a dark owl approaching with a red envelope.
They will be sailing west by sundown.
Title: We Follow the Sea
Rating and Word Count: PG-13, 498
Summary: Hermione owes a duty to the wizarding world, and Draco owes a debt. Neither one of them cares.
Notes: Written for challenge #10 "Out of the UK" at dramione_ldws and prompt #028 Journey at 100quills.
He named their boat The Sea Serpent, but Hermione, upon discovering he Confunded a Muggle into selling it to them for two Knuts and a button, insists it is named Flight From Prosecution.
Draco hides in the shade of the galley, seeking shelter from the West African sun as Hermione swims. She swims every day, wherever they may be. Since leaving England after the final battle, Hermione has slipped beneath the surface of a half-dozen seas.
He loves to watch her, especially in that moment when she dives off the back of their boat, and her body arcs into a perfect curve before slicing through the water. He spends entire days like this: watching and wanting Hermione, not thinking about the War, and searching the skies for owls. Because no matter where they go, owls always find them.
Potter found them right away, in those first crazy days in France when they had no ship and no plan, just a burning desire to get away and a green and gold bikini Draco bought Hermione in Marseille. She struggled for days to answer Potter's letter, which was full of questions and quiet concern, but she never found the words.
Weasley's letter, all red anger and accusation, found them in Venice. Hermione read a few lines before crumpling it and stuffing it in a trash bin. Draco bought her a gelato and kissed her for the first time.
They were watching the sun set over Cyprus when McGonagall's invitation back to Hogwarts arrived. He kissed the tears from her eyes and she crawled into his lap. They made love as the stars rose above them and left the letter for the tide in the morning.
Through the Suez and the Red Sea, while the equatorial sun boiled Draco like a lobster and painted Hermione in bronze and gold, they were chased by requests for interviews, politely-worded demands from the Ministry that Hermione return and make public appearances, and less politely-worded demands from the Wizengamot that Draco return for questioning. All were incinerated.
Near the bottom of the world, at a place Hermione told him was called Cape of Good Hope, Draco watched her tear letters from family and friends into shreds for the wind to snatch and carry. He likes to lay her down on the deck, to sink into her under southern skies and let the waves rock them gently together. She traced alien stars on the skin of his back, charting the Southern Cross and Carina with her fingertips. He buried his face in her sun-bleached hair and murmured “good hope” against the shell of her ear over and over.
Draco stands up as Hermione pulls herself on board. Wearing nothing but bikini bottoms and sunshine, she looks nothing like the girl she used to be, far away in England. She is tense, and Draco looks up to see a dark owl approaching with a red envelope.
They will be sailing west by sundown.
