. . . . . .
Travel makes a wise man better, and a fool worse. - Thomas Fuller
. . . . . .
It was a strange group who sat in a small pub overlooking the docks just outside the seaside town of Dover. Draco and Ginny Malfoy sat side by side on a bench, while nearby stood Pansy Parkinson, pouting, dressed in a scarlet robe that could not be very good for sea travel. Elise Stewart sat by the window, gazing rapturously out at the sea spreading out before them like a sparkling sheet extending to the horizon, and next to her stood her cousin Calliope Galliard, quietly fiddling with a button on her coat. On the other side of the Malfoys, his hands in the pockets of his slacks, was Seamus Finnigan.
The last member of the group was James Stewart, sitting on the corner bench and watching the people around him through scrutinizing eyes. James was the sort of quiet introvert who enjoyed observing those around him, which made him quite the opposite of his wife Elise. He supposed that was why they worked so well together; she talked enough for the both of them when they were out socially, and at home they had an understanding that she would be quiet when he wanted quiet and he would talk when she wanted to talk.
Right then, all was quiet as they awaited the ferry that would bring them from Dover to Calais, so James had plenty of time to observe the group he was presently with. He watched them all with interest, wondering what was going on in their heads. Pansy Parkinson, for instance. Didn't she care she was wearing robes that couldn't be comfortable to travel in? She was no stranger to travel, he knew, so she must have worn them to impress. From the looks she was giving Draco it was not difficult to guess just whose eye she was trying to catch. What Elise had said was true, then, and James felt glad they'd come after all. Draco and Ginny were also an interesting case; they were sitting side by side, but very stiffly, farther apart than was necessary, and it seemed to James that they were trying not to touch each other at all. A fight, perhaps?
On the other side of the room, Calliope pulled her coat a little tighter around herself, and James found his eye drawn to her. She was a terribly self-conscious little thing; no matter how many times Elise told her, she would not believe the truth: that she was quite pretty in her fragile way. That fact did not seem to be lost on the only single male member of their group, however; Seamus Finnigan had surreptiously watched her since he had arrived. James knew Seamus was a half-blood, and he wondered if the Irishman knew that Calliope's father, rest him, had been a small-time supporter of Voldemort before his death.
The group was presently in the Drowsy Maggie, a wizarding pub that reminded James of the Leaky Cauldron in several ways: they were both old, a bit dingy, and hidden from Muggle view by a spell. The Drowsy Maggie was part of a cluster of wizard establishments on the shore outside Dover; when Muggles looked at the Wizard Quarter, all they saw was a small bay, fenced off and marked as a wildlife preserve. In truth, there was an old lighthouse overlooking the docks, which were situated near a shipyard that looked much smaller on the outside than it did on the inside. Facing out over the water was a string of shops and businesses, where wizards crossing the Channel hired ferries to take them to France.
It was a source of great frustration to all British wizards that they couldn't simply Apparate to the Continent, but the current running through the Channel made that impossible, because of course magic couldn't cross over running water that way. So for thousands of years, any wizard going to the Continent had to find more time-consuming ways to travel. It was no wonder that most British wizards chose not to travel abroad. Broomsticks could be used in crossing the sea, but this was not practical for those witches and wizards who were long past their youthful flying days. In recent years, airplanes had provided an alternative for crossing the Channel, but between the long waits and heavy security most people found it to be more trouble than it was worth. Most wizards were forced to hire a ferry in Dover and cross the Muggle way. Fortunately, the running water didn't disrupt enchantments placed on the ferries themselves, so the crossing of the channel could be made in record time.
James found himself making that crossing often to go to Elise's family's chateau. He wished they'd bought a vacation house somewhere closer to home. It'd been in the family for years, though, so he supposed there was nothing to be done. The ferry ride usually wasn't too lengthy, but this particular ride was shaping up to be rather unpleasant, and he would be glad when it was over. The way he understood it, Pansy Parkinson hadn't found out until the previous night that Elise, James and Seamus would be coming on their trip, and apparently twelve hours wasn't enough time for her to get over her anger, because she was still fairly seething- as well as drinking, which explained why the group was at the pub, rather than at the ship company next door, where they should have been waiting for their boat to be ready. All told, James would be glad when they all arrived at the chateau and he could get out of Pansy's way.
It was nearly an hour later that James finally found himself at the chateau in Switzerland, climbing the stairs to he and Elise's usual room. It was good to be there; he hadn't been in nearly a year, and he'd forgotten how well he liked it. The chateau was a beautiful old building with rustic charm and every modern accomodation, as well as more rooms than seemed possible based on the size of the outside of the house. It was situated in a beautiful valley in the mountains of the the canton of Graubünden. The house was a few minutes' walk outside the little wizarding town of Eiche, which was in turn situated within easy distance of the two Muggle resort towns of Davos and Arosa, making it easy for those wizards who felt so inclined to take in the nightlife there. James never did feel so inclined. The scenery around Eiche was some of the most beautiful in the world, in his opinion, and he was quite content never to leave once he got there.
Unfortunately, on that day he was not granted his wish. Soon after arriving, Seamus looked out over the back porch and, seeing a hill rising through the trees behind the house, announced that he would like to see the view from the top of that hill. Ginny agreed with Seamus, and Draco, after a short pause, agreed with Ginny in a way that made James suspect he was only doing so out of duty. Pansy immediately agreed with Draco- she probably would have agreed if he'd insisted the world was flat- and then everyone decided to go. James wouldn't have gone but Elise wanted to accompany her friends, and he knew she was afraid of heights and would want him there with her.
So, after everyone had eaten a late lunch, they all set out toward the hill. The day was windy and a bit chilly, and James was glad he'd brought a jacket. When they reached the base of the hill, Pansy pulled out her wand. "I'm going to Apparate to the top. Coming?"
"I'm going to hike," said Ginny. "It's such a beautiful day."
Draco looked at her appreciatively. "I'll go with you."
"Do you think there's a way up?" Pansy said immediately. "Because I couldn't see a good way up, but if there is one, I'll hike, of course."
James refrained from shaking his head in amusement.
In the end they all hiked up except the Stewarts, who Apparated. As Elise and James waited at the crest of the hill, Elise turned, smiling reminiscently, to her husband. "Do you remember the first time we came here together?"
"The winter after we got married," James replied.
"What a wonderful vacation," Elise said. "All the thrill of being newlyweds." She wound her arm around her husband's waist and laid her head on his shoulder. "I hope Draco and Ginny are just as happy."
"I hope so."
Elise could not be as passionate as she was and not come to understand something about about human emotions. At hearing the tone in James' voice, she turned to look at her husband. "What's the matter?" she asked, concerned.
"Draco and Ginny," James shrugged. "Didn't they seem a little distant today?"
Elise frowned a little. "I don't know. I didn't notice."
James smiled wryly. "I hope they didn't fight. If so, it's going to be an awkward vacation."
"Oh, no," Elise said. "They can't be unhappy on their romantic vacation! Something will have to be done."
James looked, surprised and amused, at his wife. "And I suppose you'll have a hand in that? I should have learned to be more cautious with what I say by now. You always take me more seriously than I intended."
Elise smiled. "I'm just going to make sure that they have the best vacation ever."
James laughed. "How very fortunate for them."
. . . . . .
The view from the top of the hill really was beautiful. Seamus was glad of that; he'd have been quite embarrassed if the whole group had followed him on his hike, only to find out there was nothing to see once they'd reached their destination. Smiling out at the scenery around him, he took a deep breath of the refreshing mountain air and then let it out in a contented sigh. He hadn't realized how much he needed a vacation until that moment. It was fortunate that Draco had decided to invite him.
Of course, Seamus knew perfectly well that he'd invited him only out of necessity. When Draco had first approached him about the trip, he'd explained his reasoning for doing so: so Seamus could help keep Pansy away from the Malfoys. Seamus glanced over at Pansy, an amused twinkle in his eyes. Despite her earlier claim that she'd love to hike, she did not appear to have enjoyed their walk at all. Seamus smiled. He'd only been with the group for a matter of hours, and he'd already seen that Draco's fears were entirely founded. Pansy had made several obvious advances toward Draco when she thought no one would notice. Seamus was glad he'd come along after all. He looked upon Ginny as a dear friend, and he was beginning to become friends with Draco, and he would do anything necessary to help their marriage.
And it wasn't as though helping them was a great sacrifice. Taking an all-expense paid week-long trip to a beautiful Swiss chateau was definitely something he didn't mind doing for his friends. The scenery was beautiful, the house was amazing, and the company- he snuck a glance at his companions- the company was not at all bad.
Particularly one Calliope Galliard. He'd never met her before, as she'd only returned to England after he'd gone home to Ireland, and he definitely felt that this was a serious failing in his life. His gaze returned to Calliope, and as though she could feel his eyes on her, she looked over at him from behind her fall of fair hair. Their eyes locked for the briefest of instants before she looked away, staring determinedly out at the mountains. Seamus smiled. So she was shy. Well, he certainly enjoyed a challenge, and he was more than ready to take this one on.
When they got back to the chateau the group broke up. Everyone went into their rooms to unpack, and once that was done they all fell into various calm activities to while the remaining afternoon away. Seamus was bored almost immediately, but fortunately by that point it was late afternoon and he only had a few hours to kill. He spent it reading in the library with Ginny and Draco; it turned out to be an interesting way to spend the time, but he was not at all sorry to hear Pansy call them for dinner.
He'd been wondering where Pansy had been all the while, but this became quite clear when she appeared in the library door. He'd thought her appearance before was overdone, but that had nothing on her evening look. Draco, he could see, seemed mildly surprised, but Ginny simply looked amused. Stifling a smile, Seamus put down his book and stood. "Let's go, then."
They ate dinner in Eiche at a quaint little restaurant, which according to their waiter dated back to the 1200's. Seamus contrived to end up sitting by Calliope, so she determinedly talked to Elise all the while. Looking around the table, Seamus was glad to see that he was not the only member of their group who appeared to be struggling to attract the attention they wanted. Pansy had roped Draco and James into a conversation, pausing every so often to say, "Don't you agree with me, Joanie?" And Ginny would roll her eyes and go back to talking to Seamus.
Even from a few seats away, Seamus could see the slightly glazed look in Draco's eyes, and he wondered at his friend's patience with Pansy. Perhaps Draco was not all that patient, however, and wanted to put Pansy off, because after some time of this he quite obviously took Ginny's hand, on top of the table where Pansy couldn't help but see it. To Seamus' surprise this appeared to make Ginny uncomfortable, though he was sure that if he hadn't already known Ginny for some time he wouldn't have noticed. He wondered at her discomfort, but after a moment decided she probably felt sorry for Pansy. That would be very like her; she was a very compassionate person, which was apparent from her choice of career.
Seamus stole a glance at Pansy and saw in her eyes that Draco's gesture was not lost on her. It was a sad spectacle, and Seamus wondered if this bid for Draco's attention was going to last the whole trip. Well, it was Pansy's problem, so Seamus simply shook his head and picked up his menu.
. . . . . .
The house finally quieted down around eleven. The group had returned from dinner some time earlier, but no one had been ready to sleep yet, so they'd passed the evening lounging about the rec room in the basement, playing pool and cards. Ginny was a terrible pool player, because she'd never had easy access to a table; Draco, not surprsingly, was excellent and had beaten everyone else handily. Ginny had simply shaken her head at him, but she couldn't help feeling a swell of pride that her husband had proven to be the best player. Finally, when Elise dozed off sitting by the fire, everyone decided to go to sleep.
Ginny got to the bedroom of the suite that had been given to her and Draco first and sat uncertainly on the bed. It was getting late, and she was a bit tired, but she didn't want to go to bed until she and Draco had figured out their sleeping arrangements. She'd been wondering for some time now what they were going to do about it- in truth, it was one of the first things that came to her mind when she heard they were taking a vacation- but there hadn't been a good time to bring it up. Really, when was it a good time to ask your smarmy partner in your platonic marriage if you were going to share a bed? Even when they'd been unpacking earlier, and it had been obvious that there was one bed and no couches long enough for either of them, neither Malfoy had said a thing. It was just a strange thing to discuss. So Ginny waited, hoping Draco would come up to bed soon so they could figure it all out. Her husband, unfortunately, had wanted to finish one last game before he came up to bed, so after some time she went to the dresser to pull out her pajamas.
Sleeping in flannel pants and a t-shirt was a time-honored Ginny Weasley tradition. Still, as she'd been thinking about sharing a room with Draco the week before, she'd wondered if she shouldn't buy herself something nicer to wear to bed, so that Draco wouldn't think her even more rough and uncultured than he already thought she was. That idea had eventually been shot down, however; she'd decided that if Draco couldn't handle her old, comfortable pajamas, she didn't really care to have his good opinion. So she changed into pajama bottoms and Chudley Cannons t-shirt and went into the bathroom.
She was in the middle of brushing her teeth when Draco entered the room. Silently he changed into his pajamas in the large closet- blue silk, she noticed with satisfaction, which meant she was right in guessing he wore fancy pajamas- then came to the large bathroom and prepared for bed as well. They finished at the same time and stood together in the doorway of the bathroom, looking over the spacious bed. Draco didn't speak, so after a moment Ginny said, "I guess we're sharing."
"Are you sure?" Draco responded immediately. "I'd hate to get hexed for daring to sleep with you."
"Shut up," Ginny said drily. "It's late, I'm tired, and I'm turning off the lights in about ten seconds, so if you want a bed you'd better get moving."
He raised a suggestive eyebrow. "If you wanted to get me in- what are you doing?"
Ginny looked up at him blankly from where she was climbing under the covers. "What does it look like I'm doing?"
"That's the right side of the bed," Draco said as though that should have been obvious. "I always sleep on the right side of the bed."
"Are you kidding?" Ginny asked. "What difference does it make?"
"I've always slept on the right side of the bed," Draco repeated. "And my father always slept on the right side of the bed. I'm sure Malfoy men for generations have slept on the right side of the bed."
"I- fine, Draco. Whatever. Take it." And with that she scooted across the bed. Draco watched her, scowling. "What now?" she demanded.
"You messed up my side," he said calmly.
Ginny looked at him a long moment, then climbed out of bed, got her wand from its resting place on the dresser, and shut it in the bottom drawer with a loud click.
"What was that for?" Draco asked blankly.
"I'm just trying to keep out of the way of temptation," she said resignedly. "I'd hate to start our vacation out by sending you to the hospital."
She crossed back to the bed and climbed under the covers. "What?" demanded Draco, still standing on the other side of the bed. "Now I have to turn off the lights?"
She simply closed her eyes. The lights went out and Ginny felt the bed shift as Draco climbed in next to her. "Good night, Draco."
"Good night, Joanie," came the sing-song reply.
Ginny opened her eyes and lay still amid the sudden darkness and silence. The bed shifted and she could hear Draco settling in next to her. In actuality he was all the way on the other side of the bed, but her sudden awkwardness at finding herself so near to Draco made her feel like he was much closer. She wondered if he was really as calm as he sounded; she knew that she wasn't. For all her confidence in declaring they should share the bed, she was more than a little nervous about it. It was Draco Malfoy, of all people; despite the month they'd spent as man and wife, she still sometimes felt strange about living with him. Stifling a sigh, she turned toward him.
Looking at him was a mistake. The delicate lines of his face were just visible in the moonlight filtering through the gap in the drapes. What little light was in the room was caught in his hair, fairly glowing in the moonlight. Looking at him, she was suddenly terribly self-conscious. She wished she'd bought herself new pajamas. Nice pajamas. Flattering but not seductive pajamas.
But she was not going to let herself dwell on it. She was going to close her eyes and go to sleep. She was going to sleep calmly on her side of the bed, trying her best not to flail around in the night and end up on his side of the bed, although a part of her mind that she absolutely hated but could not repress suddenly insisted on imagining what it would be like to wake up with his arm strewn carelessly but protectively across her middle.
But of course that would be terrible. You climb into bed with Draco Malfoy and your hormones go into overdrive, she thought with disgust. Get a grip, girl. She turned away from him and closed her eyes, though it didn't make much of a difference because she could feel his presence behind her as clearly as she could feel the Egyptian cotton sheets underneath her fingertips. Stifling a sigh of disgust at her sudden juvenile behavior- just because you're in bed with the most attractive man you know, honestly- she forced herself to relax. It was just a strange situation, that was all. When they were back at Malfoy Manor, it was perfectly easy to pretend they were just roommates, but here, in Switzerland, in a large and rather comfortable bed, it was harder. There was also the fact that here in said comfortable bed in Switzerland, she couldn't ignore that at the end of the day, she was a young woman with a great appreciation for a fine looking man like Draco.
She made a face in the darkness. No more thinking, she told herself firmly. It's time for bed.
An hour later she was singing a different tune. As she'd feared, she was still awake, and as she feared, it was because of Draco. But it was not because she was closer to him now than she'd ever been. No, it was because Draco had been tossing and turning for the last hour and it was making her crazy.
As he turned over once again, Ginny covered her mouth to keep from groaning. Did he always move this much? He was so formal most of the time- she'd half expected him to sleep perfectly still, probably with his hair done, with a perpetual smirk glued to his face. This was certainly not the case now.
Draco turned over again and flopped down hard onto the mattress, and Ginny looked up at the clock. It was after midnight, and she'd been up at six packing. In frustration she stared up at the ceiling and groaned, "Draco, stop moving!"
"I'm sorry," Draco snapped immediately, startling Ginny so much that she actually jumped.
"You're awake?"
"Obviously," Draco said. "Would I be talking if I weren't?"
"Why aren't you asleep?" demanded Ginny.
"Why aren't you asleep?" Draco countered.
"It probably has something to do with your doing tai chi in bed," she said drily.
Draco, surprisingly, didn't take the bait. "I can't get comfortable. Was I keeping you up?"
He spoke calmly, but Ginny picked up something in his tone. "Are you all right?" she asked.
He was silent a moment. "No, I actually don't feel well," he admitted.
"Well, why didn't you say something?" Ginny demanded. "If you're going to be married to a Medi-witch, you might as well take advantage of her. Of it," she corrected quickly, grimacing as she got out of bed to hunt for her wand. Another brilliant Ginny Weasley moment, to make a slip-up that sounded like innuendo while she was sharing her bed with Draco.
Once her wand was free of the drawer, she lit the candles on the night stand, figuring that the full lights would probably make him more uncomfortable than he already was. When she turned back to the bed she gasped; Draco was wearing a pained expression, and his face was flushed and covered with sweat. He'd certainly been telling the truth about not feeling well. "Oh, Draco," she murmured without thinking. "Why didn't you say something?" She wasn't sure if he was going to answer, or if she wanted him to answer, so she pressed on. "I'm going to do something for the pain," she said, and murmured an incantation. Then, patting him on the shoulder, she walked into the bathroom to get a washcloth.
Back in the bedroom, she sat on her side of the bed and leaned over Draco, dabbing gently at his sweat-covered face. "Are you feeling any better?" she asked.
Draco shook his head. "Still feel the same."
She sat back, surprised. "Nothing? Are you sure?" She frowned in thought. "All right, then." She tried a different spell. "Better?"
He shook his head.
Those were the two most effective pain-killing spells in use in the wizarding medical world. She'd rarely had them both not work, and that was only when the illness or injury was quite serious. Suddenly very concerned, Ginny asked, "Could you describe your symptoms?"
Draco shrugged. "I'm nauseated mostly. My head hurts too."
Ginny frowned. It sounded quite standard. Why weren't her spells for the pain working? It was almost as though this was caused by something other than illness. An idea popped into her mind, one that made her lips twist in a smile, which she tried to hide. "Draco?" she asked, holding out her wand. "Take this and try to do a spell. Something small."
"That'll help," Draco retorted sarcastically, but he took the wand. "Lumos!" Nothing happened.
"Ah," Ginny said, smiling.
"Ah, what?" Draco asked.
"Ah, you're not sick," Ginny explained.
"Oh, excellent," he retorted. "Do tell my body that."
"Do you remember the day we married? The oath I made you swear?"
"What, not to- you're kidding."
"You swore never to sleep in the same room as me. You're suffering the side effects of breaking a wizard's oath."
Draco shook his head while Ginny smiled. Taking her wand back from Draco, she spoke clearly and loudly. "I revoke the section of my oath with Draco Malfoy about our sleeping arrangements."
A brief tingle of magic ran down her spine, and at the same moment, Draco collapsed back onto the bed, taking the deep breaths of one who has recently been relieved of pain. Ginny picked up the washcloth and dabbed his forehead again, and after a moment Draco spoke. "How does that work? I also swore never to touch you. I've touched you before."
Ginny shrugged. "When I said it, I meant in a romantic sense. Maybe the spell picked up on that." She laughed. "So I suppose that means that if you ever do want to touch me romantically, you'll have to tell me first."
Dead silence fell over the room, and Ginny froze, wondering what on earth had possessed her to say something like that. She spoke quickly, trying to fill the awkward silence. "Umm . . . good night, Draco." She put the lights out and placed her wand on the table, then buried her face in the pillow, even though she knew the darkness would hide her expression of embarrassment from Draco.
"Good night, Ginevra," Draco said slowly, and she could hear he was trying not to laugh.
He settled back down next to her, and this time he didn't move. Perhaps, Ginny thought, now she would be able to get to bed. She was nearly asleep when Draco suddenly spoke again.
"Really, Weasley, do you have to breathe that loudly?"
Ginny buried her face in the pillow and groaned.
. . . . . .
Travel makes a wise man better, and a fool worse. - Thomas Fuller
. . . . . .
It was a strange group who sat in a small pub overlooking the docks just outside the seaside town of Dover. Draco and Ginny Malfoy sat side by side on a bench, while nearby stood Pansy Parkinson, pouting, dressed in a scarlet robe that could not be very good for sea travel. Elise Stewart sat by the window, gazing rapturously out at the sea spreading out before them like a sparkling sheet extending to the horizon, and next to her stood her cousin Calliope Galliard, quietly fiddling with a button on her coat. On the other side of the Malfoys, his hands in the pockets of his slacks, was Seamus Finnigan.
The last member of the group was James Stewart, sitting on the corner bench and watching the people around him through scrutinizing eyes. James was the sort of quiet introvert who enjoyed observing those around him, which made him quite the opposite of his wife Elise. He supposed that was why they worked so well together; she talked enough for the both of them when they were out socially, and at home they had an understanding that she would be quiet when he wanted quiet and he would talk when she wanted to talk.
Right then, all was quiet as they awaited the ferry that would bring them from Dover to Calais, so James had plenty of time to observe the group he was presently with. He watched them all with interest, wondering what was going on in their heads. Pansy Parkinson, for instance. Didn't she care she was wearing robes that couldn't be comfortable to travel in? She was no stranger to travel, he knew, so she must have worn them to impress. From the looks she was giving Draco it was not difficult to guess just whose eye she was trying to catch. What Elise had said was true, then, and James felt glad they'd come after all. Draco and Ginny were also an interesting case; they were sitting side by side, but very stiffly, farther apart than was necessary, and it seemed to James that they were trying not to touch each other at all. A fight, perhaps?
On the other side of the room, Calliope pulled her coat a little tighter around herself, and James found his eye drawn to her. She was a terribly self-conscious little thing; no matter how many times Elise told her, she would not believe the truth: that she was quite pretty in her fragile way. That fact did not seem to be lost on the only single male member of their group, however; Seamus Finnigan had surreptiously watched her since he had arrived. James knew Seamus was a half-blood, and he wondered if the Irishman knew that Calliope's father, rest him, had been a small-time supporter of Voldemort before his death.
The group was presently in the Drowsy Maggie, a wizarding pub that reminded James of the Leaky Cauldron in several ways: they were both old, a bit dingy, and hidden from Muggle view by a spell. The Drowsy Maggie was part of a cluster of wizard establishments on the shore outside Dover; when Muggles looked at the Wizard Quarter, all they saw was a small bay, fenced off and marked as a wildlife preserve. In truth, there was an old lighthouse overlooking the docks, which were situated near a shipyard that looked much smaller on the outside than it did on the inside. Facing out over the water was a string of shops and businesses, where wizards crossing the Channel hired ferries to take them to France.
It was a source of great frustration to all British wizards that they couldn't simply Apparate to the Continent, but the current running through the Channel made that impossible, because of course magic couldn't cross over running water that way. So for thousands of years, any wizard going to the Continent had to find more time-consuming ways to travel. It was no wonder that most British wizards chose not to travel abroad. Broomsticks could be used in crossing the sea, but this was not practical for those witches and wizards who were long past their youthful flying days. In recent years, airplanes had provided an alternative for crossing the Channel, but between the long waits and heavy security most people found it to be more trouble than it was worth. Most wizards were forced to hire a ferry in Dover and cross the Muggle way. Fortunately, the running water didn't disrupt enchantments placed on the ferries themselves, so the crossing of the channel could be made in record time.
James found himself making that crossing often to go to Elise's family's chateau. He wished they'd bought a vacation house somewhere closer to home. It'd been in the family for years, though, so he supposed there was nothing to be done. The ferry ride usually wasn't too lengthy, but this particular ride was shaping up to be rather unpleasant, and he would be glad when it was over. The way he understood it, Pansy Parkinson hadn't found out until the previous night that Elise, James and Seamus would be coming on their trip, and apparently twelve hours wasn't enough time for her to get over her anger, because she was still fairly seething- as well as drinking, which explained why the group was at the pub, rather than at the ship company next door, where they should have been waiting for their boat to be ready. All told, James would be glad when they all arrived at the chateau and he could get out of Pansy's way.
It was nearly an hour later that James finally found himself at the chateau in Switzerland, climbing the stairs to he and Elise's usual room. It was good to be there; he hadn't been in nearly a year, and he'd forgotten how well he liked it. The chateau was a beautiful old building with rustic charm and every modern accomodation, as well as more rooms than seemed possible based on the size of the outside of the house. It was situated in a beautiful valley in the mountains of the the canton of Graubünden. The house was a few minutes' walk outside the little wizarding town of Eiche, which was in turn situated within easy distance of the two Muggle resort towns of Davos and Arosa, making it easy for those wizards who felt so inclined to take in the nightlife there. James never did feel so inclined. The scenery around Eiche was some of the most beautiful in the world, in his opinion, and he was quite content never to leave once he got there.
Unfortunately, on that day he was not granted his wish. Soon after arriving, Seamus looked out over the back porch and, seeing a hill rising through the trees behind the house, announced that he would like to see the view from the top of that hill. Ginny agreed with Seamus, and Draco, after a short pause, agreed with Ginny in a way that made James suspect he was only doing so out of duty. Pansy immediately agreed with Draco- she probably would have agreed if he'd insisted the world was flat- and then everyone decided to go. James wouldn't have gone but Elise wanted to accompany her friends, and he knew she was afraid of heights and would want him there with her.
So, after everyone had eaten a late lunch, they all set out toward the hill. The day was windy and a bit chilly, and James was glad he'd brought a jacket. When they reached the base of the hill, Pansy pulled out her wand. "I'm going to Apparate to the top. Coming?"
"I'm going to hike," said Ginny. "It's such a beautiful day."
Draco looked at her appreciatively. "I'll go with you."
"Do you think there's a way up?" Pansy said immediately. "Because I couldn't see a good way up, but if there is one, I'll hike, of course."
James refrained from shaking his head in amusement.
In the end they all hiked up except the Stewarts, who Apparated. As Elise and James waited at the crest of the hill, Elise turned, smiling reminiscently, to her husband. "Do you remember the first time we came here together?"
"The winter after we got married," James replied.
"What a wonderful vacation," Elise said. "All the thrill of being newlyweds." She wound her arm around her husband's waist and laid her head on his shoulder. "I hope Draco and Ginny are just as happy."
"I hope so."
Elise could not be as passionate as she was and not come to understand something about about human emotions. At hearing the tone in James' voice, she turned to look at her husband. "What's the matter?" she asked, concerned.
"Draco and Ginny," James shrugged. "Didn't they seem a little distant today?"
Elise frowned a little. "I don't know. I didn't notice."
James smiled wryly. "I hope they didn't fight. If so, it's going to be an awkward vacation."
"Oh, no," Elise said. "They can't be unhappy on their romantic vacation! Something will have to be done."
James looked, surprised and amused, at his wife. "And I suppose you'll have a hand in that? I should have learned to be more cautious with what I say by now. You always take me more seriously than I intended."
Elise smiled. "I'm just going to make sure that they have the best vacation ever."
James laughed. "How very fortunate for them."
. . . . . .
The view from the top of the hill really was beautiful. Seamus was glad of that; he'd have been quite embarrassed if the whole group had followed him on his hike, only to find out there was nothing to see once they'd reached their destination. Smiling out at the scenery around him, he took a deep breath of the refreshing mountain air and then let it out in a contented sigh. He hadn't realized how much he needed a vacation until that moment. It was fortunate that Draco had decided to invite him.
Of course, Seamus knew perfectly well that he'd invited him only out of necessity. When Draco had first approached him about the trip, he'd explained his reasoning for doing so: so Seamus could help keep Pansy away from the Malfoys. Seamus glanced over at Pansy, an amused twinkle in his eyes. Despite her earlier claim that she'd love to hike, she did not appear to have enjoyed their walk at all. Seamus smiled. He'd only been with the group for a matter of hours, and he'd already seen that Draco's fears were entirely founded. Pansy had made several obvious advances toward Draco when she thought no one would notice. Seamus was glad he'd come along after all. He looked upon Ginny as a dear friend, and he was beginning to become friends with Draco, and he would do anything necessary to help their marriage.
And it wasn't as though helping them was a great sacrifice. Taking an all-expense paid week-long trip to a beautiful Swiss chateau was definitely something he didn't mind doing for his friends. The scenery was beautiful, the house was amazing, and the company- he snuck a glance at his companions- the company was not at all bad.
Particularly one Calliope Galliard. He'd never met her before, as she'd only returned to England after he'd gone home to Ireland, and he definitely felt that this was a serious failing in his life. His gaze returned to Calliope, and as though she could feel his eyes on her, she looked over at him from behind her fall of fair hair. Their eyes locked for the briefest of instants before she looked away, staring determinedly out at the mountains. Seamus smiled. So she was shy. Well, he certainly enjoyed a challenge, and he was more than ready to take this one on.
When they got back to the chateau the group broke up. Everyone went into their rooms to unpack, and once that was done they all fell into various calm activities to while the remaining afternoon away. Seamus was bored almost immediately, but fortunately by that point it was late afternoon and he only had a few hours to kill. He spent it reading in the library with Ginny and Draco; it turned out to be an interesting way to spend the time, but he was not at all sorry to hear Pansy call them for dinner.
He'd been wondering where Pansy had been all the while, but this became quite clear when she appeared in the library door. He'd thought her appearance before was overdone, but that had nothing on her evening look. Draco, he could see, seemed mildly surprised, but Ginny simply looked amused. Stifling a smile, Seamus put down his book and stood. "Let's go, then."
They ate dinner in Eiche at a quaint little restaurant, which according to their waiter dated back to the 1200's. Seamus contrived to end up sitting by Calliope, so she determinedly talked to Elise all the while. Looking around the table, Seamus was glad to see that he was not the only member of their group who appeared to be struggling to attract the attention they wanted. Pansy had roped Draco and James into a conversation, pausing every so often to say, "Don't you agree with me, Joanie?" And Ginny would roll her eyes and go back to talking to Seamus.
Even from a few seats away, Seamus could see the slightly glazed look in Draco's eyes, and he wondered at his friend's patience with Pansy. Perhaps Draco was not all that patient, however, and wanted to put Pansy off, because after some time of this he quite obviously took Ginny's hand, on top of the table where Pansy couldn't help but see it. To Seamus' surprise this appeared to make Ginny uncomfortable, though he was sure that if he hadn't already known Ginny for some time he wouldn't have noticed. He wondered at her discomfort, but after a moment decided she probably felt sorry for Pansy. That would be very like her; she was a very compassionate person, which was apparent from her choice of career.
Seamus stole a glance at Pansy and saw in her eyes that Draco's gesture was not lost on her. It was a sad spectacle, and Seamus wondered if this bid for Draco's attention was going to last the whole trip. Well, it was Pansy's problem, so Seamus simply shook his head and picked up his menu.
. . . . . .
The house finally quieted down around eleven. The group had returned from dinner some time earlier, but no one had been ready to sleep yet, so they'd passed the evening lounging about the rec room in the basement, playing pool and cards. Ginny was a terrible pool player, because she'd never had easy access to a table; Draco, not surprsingly, was excellent and had beaten everyone else handily. Ginny had simply shaken her head at him, but she couldn't help feeling a swell of pride that her husband had proven to be the best player. Finally, when Elise dozed off sitting by the fire, everyone decided to go to sleep.
Ginny got to the bedroom of the suite that had been given to her and Draco first and sat uncertainly on the bed. It was getting late, and she was a bit tired, but she didn't want to go to bed until she and Draco had figured out their sleeping arrangements. She'd been wondering for some time now what they were going to do about it- in truth, it was one of the first things that came to her mind when she heard they were taking a vacation- but there hadn't been a good time to bring it up. Really, when was it a good time to ask your smarmy partner in your platonic marriage if you were going to share a bed? Even when they'd been unpacking earlier, and it had been obvious that there was one bed and no couches long enough for either of them, neither Malfoy had said a thing. It was just a strange thing to discuss. So Ginny waited, hoping Draco would come up to bed soon so they could figure it all out. Her husband, unfortunately, had wanted to finish one last game before he came up to bed, so after some time she went to the dresser to pull out her pajamas.
Sleeping in flannel pants and a t-shirt was a time-honored Ginny Weasley tradition. Still, as she'd been thinking about sharing a room with Draco the week before, she'd wondered if she shouldn't buy herself something nicer to wear to bed, so that Draco wouldn't think her even more rough and uncultured than he already thought she was. That idea had eventually been shot down, however; she'd decided that if Draco couldn't handle her old, comfortable pajamas, she didn't really care to have his good opinion. So she changed into pajama bottoms and Chudley Cannons t-shirt and went into the bathroom.
She was in the middle of brushing her teeth when Draco entered the room. Silently he changed into his pajamas in the large closet- blue silk, she noticed with satisfaction, which meant she was right in guessing he wore fancy pajamas- then came to the large bathroom and prepared for bed as well. They finished at the same time and stood together in the doorway of the bathroom, looking over the spacious bed. Draco didn't speak, so after a moment Ginny said, "I guess we're sharing."
"Are you sure?" Draco responded immediately. "I'd hate to get hexed for daring to sleep with you."
"Shut up," Ginny said drily. "It's late, I'm tired, and I'm turning off the lights in about ten seconds, so if you want a bed you'd better get moving."
He raised a suggestive eyebrow. "If you wanted to get me in- what are you doing?"
Ginny looked up at him blankly from where she was climbing under the covers. "What does it look like I'm doing?"
"That's the right side of the bed," Draco said as though that should have been obvious. "I always sleep on the right side of the bed."
"Are you kidding?" Ginny asked. "What difference does it make?"
"I've always slept on the right side of the bed," Draco repeated. "And my father always slept on the right side of the bed. I'm sure Malfoy men for generations have slept on the right side of the bed."
"I- fine, Draco. Whatever. Take it." And with that she scooted across the bed. Draco watched her, scowling. "What now?" she demanded.
"You messed up my side," he said calmly.
Ginny looked at him a long moment, then climbed out of bed, got her wand from its resting place on the dresser, and shut it in the bottom drawer with a loud click.
"What was that for?" Draco asked blankly.
"I'm just trying to keep out of the way of temptation," she said resignedly. "I'd hate to start our vacation out by sending you to the hospital."
She crossed back to the bed and climbed under the covers. "What?" demanded Draco, still standing on the other side of the bed. "Now I have to turn off the lights?"
She simply closed her eyes. The lights went out and Ginny felt the bed shift as Draco climbed in next to her. "Good night, Draco."
"Good night, Joanie," came the sing-song reply.
Ginny opened her eyes and lay still amid the sudden darkness and silence. The bed shifted and she could hear Draco settling in next to her. In actuality he was all the way on the other side of the bed, but her sudden awkwardness at finding herself so near to Draco made her feel like he was much closer. She wondered if he was really as calm as he sounded; she knew that she wasn't. For all her confidence in declaring they should share the bed, she was more than a little nervous about it. It was Draco Malfoy, of all people; despite the month they'd spent as man and wife, she still sometimes felt strange about living with him. Stifling a sigh, she turned toward him.
Looking at him was a mistake. The delicate lines of his face were just visible in the moonlight filtering through the gap in the drapes. What little light was in the room was caught in his hair, fairly glowing in the moonlight. Looking at him, she was suddenly terribly self-conscious. She wished she'd bought herself new pajamas. Nice pajamas. Flattering but not seductive pajamas.
But she was not going to let herself dwell on it. She was going to close her eyes and go to sleep. She was going to sleep calmly on her side of the bed, trying her best not to flail around in the night and end up on his side of the bed, although a part of her mind that she absolutely hated but could not repress suddenly insisted on imagining what it would be like to wake up with his arm strewn carelessly but protectively across her middle.
But of course that would be terrible. You climb into bed with Draco Malfoy and your hormones go into overdrive, she thought with disgust. Get a grip, girl. She turned away from him and closed her eyes, though it didn't make much of a difference because she could feel his presence behind her as clearly as she could feel the Egyptian cotton sheets underneath her fingertips. Stifling a sigh of disgust at her sudden juvenile behavior- just because you're in bed with the most attractive man you know, honestly- she forced herself to relax. It was just a strange situation, that was all. When they were back at Malfoy Manor, it was perfectly easy to pretend they were just roommates, but here, in Switzerland, in a large and rather comfortable bed, it was harder. There was also the fact that here in said comfortable bed in Switzerland, she couldn't ignore that at the end of the day, she was a young woman with a great appreciation for a fine looking man like Draco.
She made a face in the darkness. No more thinking, she told herself firmly. It's time for bed.
An hour later she was singing a different tune. As she'd feared, she was still awake, and as she feared, it was because of Draco. But it was not because she was closer to him now than she'd ever been. No, it was because Draco had been tossing and turning for the last hour and it was making her crazy.
As he turned over once again, Ginny covered her mouth to keep from groaning. Did he always move this much? He was so formal most of the time- she'd half expected him to sleep perfectly still, probably with his hair done, with a perpetual smirk glued to his face. This was certainly not the case now.
Draco turned over again and flopped down hard onto the mattress, and Ginny looked up at the clock. It was after midnight, and she'd been up at six packing. In frustration she stared up at the ceiling and groaned, "Draco, stop moving!"
"I'm sorry," Draco snapped immediately, startling Ginny so much that she actually jumped.
"You're awake?"
"Obviously," Draco said. "Would I be talking if I weren't?"
"Why aren't you asleep?" demanded Ginny.
"Why aren't you asleep?" Draco countered.
"It probably has something to do with your doing tai chi in bed," she said drily.
Draco, surprisingly, didn't take the bait. "I can't get comfortable. Was I keeping you up?"
He spoke calmly, but Ginny picked up something in his tone. "Are you all right?" she asked.
He was silent a moment. "No, I actually don't feel well," he admitted.
"Well, why didn't you say something?" Ginny demanded. "If you're going to be married to a Medi-witch, you might as well take advantage of her. Of it," she corrected quickly, grimacing as she got out of bed to hunt for her wand. Another brilliant Ginny Weasley moment, to make a slip-up that sounded like innuendo while she was sharing her bed with Draco.
Once her wand was free of the drawer, she lit the candles on the night stand, figuring that the full lights would probably make him more uncomfortable than he already was. When she turned back to the bed she gasped; Draco was wearing a pained expression, and his face was flushed and covered with sweat. He'd certainly been telling the truth about not feeling well. "Oh, Draco," she murmured without thinking. "Why didn't you say something?" She wasn't sure if he was going to answer, or if she wanted him to answer, so she pressed on. "I'm going to do something for the pain," she said, and murmured an incantation. Then, patting him on the shoulder, she walked into the bathroom to get a washcloth.
Back in the bedroom, she sat on her side of the bed and leaned over Draco, dabbing gently at his sweat-covered face. "Are you feeling any better?" she asked.
Draco shook his head. "Still feel the same."
She sat back, surprised. "Nothing? Are you sure?" She frowned in thought. "All right, then." She tried a different spell. "Better?"
He shook his head.
Those were the two most effective pain-killing spells in use in the wizarding medical world. She'd rarely had them both not work, and that was only when the illness or injury was quite serious. Suddenly very concerned, Ginny asked, "Could you describe your symptoms?"
Draco shrugged. "I'm nauseated mostly. My head hurts too."
Ginny frowned. It sounded quite standard. Why weren't her spells for the pain working? It was almost as though this was caused by something other than illness. An idea popped into her mind, one that made her lips twist in a smile, which she tried to hide. "Draco?" she asked, holding out her wand. "Take this and try to do a spell. Something small."
"That'll help," Draco retorted sarcastically, but he took the wand. "Lumos!" Nothing happened.
"Ah," Ginny said, smiling.
"Ah, what?" Draco asked.
"Ah, you're not sick," Ginny explained.
"Oh, excellent," he retorted. "Do tell my body that."
"Do you remember the day we married? The oath I made you swear?"
"What, not to- you're kidding."
"You swore never to sleep in the same room as me. You're suffering the side effects of breaking a wizard's oath."
Draco shook his head while Ginny smiled. Taking her wand back from Draco, she spoke clearly and loudly. "I revoke the section of my oath with Draco Malfoy about our sleeping arrangements."
A brief tingle of magic ran down her spine, and at the same moment, Draco collapsed back onto the bed, taking the deep breaths of one who has recently been relieved of pain. Ginny picked up the washcloth and dabbed his forehead again, and after a moment Draco spoke. "How does that work? I also swore never to touch you. I've touched you before."
Ginny shrugged. "When I said it, I meant in a romantic sense. Maybe the spell picked up on that." She laughed. "So I suppose that means that if you ever do want to touch me romantically, you'll have to tell me first."
Dead silence fell over the room, and Ginny froze, wondering what on earth had possessed her to say something like that. She spoke quickly, trying to fill the awkward silence. "Umm . . . good night, Draco." She put the lights out and placed her wand on the table, then buried her face in the pillow, even though she knew the darkness would hide her expression of embarrassment from Draco.
"Good night, Ginevra," Draco said slowly, and she could hear he was trying not to laugh.
He settled back down next to her, and this time he didn't move. Perhaps, Ginny thought, now she would be able to get to bed. She was nearly asleep when Draco suddenly spoke again.
"Really, Weasley, do you have to breathe that loudly?"
Ginny buried her face in the pillow and groaned.
. . . . . .
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