Court Cases and Cafes

Ch. 25

When she awoke, Hermione blinked hard, feeling sunshine on her body but seeing nothing. Panic set in, until she remembered.

Flash of yellow.

Apparation.

Malfoy.

Hermione felt her way off of the couch, wondering if the sunlight was coming from some open window or a door, and if she could get outside and feel the salty spray.

Putting out a shaking hand, she found the floor and slowly lowered herself onto the ground.

Hating her helplessness, Hermione made her way to her feet, and breathed in deeply. The tang of salt and pine was sharp, and, though not entirely pleasant, it was a welcome reprieve from the damp-wood smell of the cabin.

Hermione wondered faintly where Malfoy was, and then found that she did not care. After his actions last night, she understood that if she wanted space for herself, he got space for himself also. That was just as well, for Hermione didn't think she could muster up the energy for polite conversation.

Things went in such a fashion for two months. Hermione and Malfoy did their best to stay out of each other's way, and, after he had helped her build her own shelter on the far side of the island, they only spoke about once a week. Hermione worked many spells from her refuge out in the sea, Confunding Aurors and anyone else who might come looking for her. It was not because she had fallen down some deep dark hole of depression. It was because the world was fascinating without sight, and she didn't want to be cured straight away. It was because she felt more comfortable with Malfoy living half a mile away from her than she had with Ron living a block away. It was because Malfoy's presence of wind and shadow was a natural resident in her mind, and she did not feel like ripping it out of her head and leaving just yet. It was because she wasn't ready to face the world again. Hermana Oscura felt more like home than anywhere else.

If Malfoy noticed, or cared, Hermione never heard anything about it from him.

Malfoy blinked sleep out of his eyes. He rubbed his back, feeling the indentions of tree bark on his inky, tattooed skin. Trying his best not to fall out of the tree, Malfoy stretched, reaching for the blue sky. Sensing someone nearby, he became more conscious of his movements and crouched in the shade of the tree branches.

Granger walked slowly beneath him, both arms outstretched, feeling her way through the trees. It would be comical, he thought, If it wasn't so....

Malfoy chuckled to himself. It's comical.

He followed behind her through the trees, almost falling twice, but keeping as silent as he could. Granger was following the smell of salt, her nostrils flaring like some wild pony.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

She made it to the beach after some time, underneath Malfoy's...stalkerish gaze, he realized quickly.

Good job.

Granger came to the water and practically lept into it, exhilaration written on her face. Malfoy saw her fling water droplets in the air, and got the distinct feeling that this was something he should not be watching.

Suddenly aware of his presence around her mind, he growled softly, and slipped away through the trees.

Hermione glared as well as she could towards the trees, or what she supposed were the trees.

Malfoy was louder than a niffler in a jewelry shop.