The Set-Up (H/D, PG-13)
Title: The Set-Up
Author: sesheta_66
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~ 1050
Challenges: abovethestars's birthday request of "spa." It also fits awdt's Valentine's Prompt #10 - "champagne and oysters".
Summary: Hermione, in a word, is relentless. Sometimes that's not such a bad thing.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
The Set-Up
Harry opened his card and gave Hermione a curious look. Despite everyone's signatures, this had Hermione written all over it.
"A spa?" Harry asked.
"Yes," she replied emphatically. "You work too hard, and in three years you've never taken a vacation. In fact, you rarely ever get away from the office. You need a life, Harry."
"I know, but there's always a lot going on," he argued.
"True. That's why I arranged it with Kingsley. You have the next two weeks off, and this trip fits right in. I've booked everything, including the international Portkey that leaves Saturday."
Harry glared at his friend, then at the rest of the room.
"No use fighting her, mate," Seamus piped up. Everyone else nodded their agreement. "It's not like any of us had a choice in the matter. You know what she's like when she makes up her mind."
Hermione beamed, as though this were a compliment. The fact that she went to his boss should have angered Harry, but it didn't. Sure, he was exasperated, as always, by her pushy approach, but he knew she was right. He was getting more irritable as the days went by, and he really did need, and deserve, a break. It's not like the bad guys wouldn't be there when he got back.
*****
Saturday morning Harry Portkeyed to the spa on Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the French Alps. It was a popular Muggle tourist attraction, according to Hermione, but Harry would be staying at the wizard-run resort.
Once he got settled in his luxurious room, he went to the first appointment Hermione had booked for him -- a massage.
As he waited, the familiar figure of Draco Malfoy entered the waiting room, apparently having just finished his appointment and looking relaxed.
"Malfoy? What are you doing here?"
"Potter?" Malfoy looked at him, then looked around as though he expected someone to jump out from behind a plant or something. "I think I'm the one who should be asking that."
"I'm here on vacation."
"Very good. I would never have guessed." Sarcasm dripped off every word.
Harry rolled his eyes. "So what are you doing here?"
"The same. My parents now reside in France, and I come here every year." He gave Harry a once-over. "Isn't this place a little high brow for you?"
Harry stiffened at the insinuation and glared at Malfoy.
"Relax, Potter. It wasn't an insult. It's just, well … people that come here are usually …"
"Snobs?" Harry offered.
And to his utter amazement, Malfoy laughed. Harry thought it made him look almost human. And rather attractive. Huh. Who knew?
"Well … yes," Malfoy replied. "As a matter of fact, they are."
He chuckled at Malfoy's self-deprecating remark.
"Seriously, Potter. What made you decide to come here of all places?"
"It was a gift from my friends."
"And you agreed?"
"Well, I didn't know how high brow it was. And besides, I wasn't given much of a choice, really."
Draco smirked. "Granger?"
"How did you know?" Harry asked. Malfoy gave him a disbelieving look. "Never mind." Harry knew very well that Hermione had been working with Malfoy for the past three years. Her co-worker must have some idea how pushy she was.
"She can be rather … relentless at times," Malfoy offered.
Harry snorted. "Yeah. She even booked my vacation directly with Kingsley."
"You know Potter, I've often wondered if that woman hid a set under her skirt."
Harry's mouth dropped open.
"Close your mouth, Potter." Malfoy leaned over and said the next bit directly into Harry's ear. "Unless you want to put it to better use."
Then he walked out the door.
**************
Harry was slow. No, really. Despite being one of the force's up-and-coming Aurors, he was known for being oblivious in social situations, especially in the romance department. But as he lay there on the massage table, the wonderful hands of what's-her-name working out all the knots in his back, Harry recalled recent conversations with Hermione.
She had tried several times, unsuccessfully, to get Harry to join her for dinner right after work. She had even tried to convince him to attend work-sponsored social functions she knew very well he'd rather not. And she was forever going on about how much Draco had changed … how smart Draco was … how Draco had donated to the rebuild of Hogwarts … how Draco was helping this charity or that.
Suddenly everything became clear to him. Of course Hermione would know this was where Malfoy vacationed every year. Running into him was no coincidence, Harry was sure.
*************
As Harry entered the dining hall later that evening, he looked around for the familiar head of blonde hair. Once he spotted Malfoy, Harry made his way over to the table. Surprisingly, when Malfoy noticed him approaching, he offered Harry a smile. Once again, Harry was struck with how attractive the man was when he wasn't scowling, glaring or sneering. Harry took the offered seat, and before he had a chance to say anything, Malfoy spoke.
"I suspect your good friend and my colleague has set us up."
Harry nodded. "It appears that way."
"So what are we going to do about it?" Malfoy asked.
Harrt grinned. "Well, we've got a couple of weeks to come up with some form of retribution. Meanwhile, I plan to make the most of my holiday." He noticed that Malfoy had nearly finished his drink. "Shall we order some wine?"
"You don't have to --"
Harry held up his hand. "Hermione, as you say, is relentless. She won't give up."
"And?"
"And would dinner together be such a hardship?" Harry waved the waiter over, then turned back to Malfoy. "Besides, for what it's worth, she's usually right."
***********
Harry smiled as he watched Draco's steady breathing, his body relaxed in slumber beside Harry's own. Dinner that first night hadn't been a hardship; in fact, it had been quite enjoyable . As had the meal, beginning with champagne and oysters and ending with strawberries and cream, in Draco's room the next night. As had the rest of the two-week vacation. Tomorrow they were returning home -- as a couple. A couple with a plan.
Hermione wouldn't know what hit her.
Author: sesheta_66
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~ 1050
Challenges: abovethestars's birthday request of "spa." It also fits awdt's Valentine's Prompt #10 - "champagne and oysters".
Summary: Hermione, in a word, is relentless. Sometimes that's not such a bad thing.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
The Set-Up
Harry opened his card and gave Hermione a curious look. Despite everyone's signatures, this had Hermione written all over it.
"A spa?" Harry asked.
"Yes," she replied emphatically. "You work too hard, and in three years you've never taken a vacation. In fact, you rarely ever get away from the office. You need a life, Harry."
"I know, but there's always a lot going on," he argued.
"True. That's why I arranged it with Kingsley. You have the next two weeks off, and this trip fits right in. I've booked everything, including the international Portkey that leaves Saturday."
Harry glared at his friend, then at the rest of the room.
"No use fighting her, mate," Seamus piped up. Everyone else nodded their agreement. "It's not like any of us had a choice in the matter. You know what she's like when she makes up her mind."
Hermione beamed, as though this were a compliment. The fact that she went to his boss should have angered Harry, but it didn't. Sure, he was exasperated, as always, by her pushy approach, but he knew she was right. He was getting more irritable as the days went by, and he really did need, and deserve, a break. It's not like the bad guys wouldn't be there when he got back.
*****
Saturday morning Harry Portkeyed to the spa on Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the French Alps. It was a popular Muggle tourist attraction, according to Hermione, but Harry would be staying at the wizard-run resort.
Once he got settled in his luxurious room, he went to the first appointment Hermione had booked for him -- a massage.
As he waited, the familiar figure of Draco Malfoy entered the waiting room, apparently having just finished his appointment and looking relaxed.
"Malfoy? What are you doing here?"
"Potter?" Malfoy looked at him, then looked around as though he expected someone to jump out from behind a plant or something. "I think I'm the one who should be asking that."
"I'm here on vacation."
"Very good. I would never have guessed." Sarcasm dripped off every word.
Harry rolled his eyes. "So what are you doing here?"
"The same. My parents now reside in France, and I come here every year." He gave Harry a once-over. "Isn't this place a little high brow for you?"
Harry stiffened at the insinuation and glared at Malfoy.
"Relax, Potter. It wasn't an insult. It's just, well … people that come here are usually …"
"Snobs?" Harry offered.
And to his utter amazement, Malfoy laughed. Harry thought it made him look almost human. And rather attractive. Huh. Who knew?
"Well … yes," Malfoy replied. "As a matter of fact, they are."
He chuckled at Malfoy's self-deprecating remark.
"Seriously, Potter. What made you decide to come here of all places?"
"It was a gift from my friends."
"And you agreed?"
"Well, I didn't know how high brow it was. And besides, I wasn't given much of a choice, really."
Draco smirked. "Granger?"
"How did you know?" Harry asked. Malfoy gave him a disbelieving look. "Never mind." Harry knew very well that Hermione had been working with Malfoy for the past three years. Her co-worker must have some idea how pushy she was.
"She can be rather … relentless at times," Malfoy offered.
Harry snorted. "Yeah. She even booked my vacation directly with Kingsley."
"You know Potter, I've often wondered if that woman hid a set under her skirt."
Harry's mouth dropped open.
"Close your mouth, Potter." Malfoy leaned over and said the next bit directly into Harry's ear. "Unless you want to put it to better use."
Then he walked out the door.
**************
Harry was slow. No, really. Despite being one of the force's up-and-coming Aurors, he was known for being oblivious in social situations, especially in the romance department. But as he lay there on the massage table, the wonderful hands of what's-her-name working out all the knots in his back, Harry recalled recent conversations with Hermione.
She had tried several times, unsuccessfully, to get Harry to join her for dinner right after work. She had even tried to convince him to attend work-sponsored social functions she knew very well he'd rather not. And she was forever going on about how much Draco had changed … how smart Draco was … how Draco had donated to the rebuild of Hogwarts … how Draco was helping this charity or that.
Suddenly everything became clear to him. Of course Hermione would know this was where Malfoy vacationed every year. Running into him was no coincidence, Harry was sure.
*************
As Harry entered the dining hall later that evening, he looked around for the familiar head of blonde hair. Once he spotted Malfoy, Harry made his way over to the table. Surprisingly, when Malfoy noticed him approaching, he offered Harry a smile. Once again, Harry was struck with how attractive the man was when he wasn't scowling, glaring or sneering. Harry took the offered seat, and before he had a chance to say anything, Malfoy spoke.
"I suspect your good friend and my colleague has set us up."
Harry nodded. "It appears that way."
"So what are we going to do about it?" Malfoy asked.
Harrt grinned. "Well, we've got a couple of weeks to come up with some form of retribution. Meanwhile, I plan to make the most of my holiday." He noticed that Malfoy had nearly finished his drink. "Shall we order some wine?"
"You don't have to --"
Harry held up his hand. "Hermione, as you say, is relentless. She won't give up."
"And?"
"And would dinner together be such a hardship?" Harry waved the waiter over, then turned back to Malfoy. "Besides, for what it's worth, she's usually right."
***********
Harry smiled as he watched Draco's steady breathing, his body relaxed in slumber beside Harry's own. Dinner that first night hadn't been a hardship; in fact, it had been quite enjoyable . As had the meal, beginning with champagne and oysters and ending with strawberries and cream, in Draco's room the next night. As had the rest of the two-week vacation. Tomorrow they were returning home -- as a couple. A couple with a plan.
Hermione wouldn't know what hit her.