Chapter Text
“I see a bad moon rising,” I sang as I started my descent into the valley that would take me to the eastern beach. And, as luck would have it, there was a storm brewing. I could only see the tops of the dark clouds through the trees. Still, I didn't turn around. I continued, “I see trouble on the way. I see earthquakes and lighting...”
I felt guilty. I really did. Which was just as confusing as anything else since I probably would have boldly lied to both of their faces about the color of the sky a week ago.
I had left them behind. I'd told them to go find ingredients, packed my shite, and I left.
But I had to be able to concentrate right now. When those two were around me anymore, all I could think about was inappropriate things that wouldn’t save us from this island. What was more important than anything was us getting home safe and sound, and I felt, in my gut, that I was heading in the right direction.
The Slytherins would be well into brewing the potion by the time they realized I’d gone. If they were going to follow me, it would have to be through the spider forest without a ward, and it was very likely that, if they managed that, they’d probably go in the wrong direction. They'll undoubtedly try the beach hut first. By the time they got there, I’d already be on the beach on the opposite side of the island.
I pushed away the guilt, and the fear I could no longer deny at the thought of them recklessly walking about the island in search of me. I really hoped that that infamous “Slytherin self-preservation” struck them, and they decided to stay put while they trusted I could handle myself. I'd packed three of the seven remaining healing draughts, which was about as safe as I could get, and my book. I could find food, or make a shelter. I could do enough spells to keep me alive. They knew that now.
Still, I hoped they stayed at Camp 2.
The way down to the eastern beach was a treacherous bitch. I almost twisted my ankle, got my hair badly snagged by a very rude flower bush, and slid down an embankment, scratching and bruising up my arse. I got a shoe stuck in the mud and had to do a one-legged hop to the other side of the river before I could Accio it, only for the mud to splatter in my face as I caught it. A bird flew into my hair, I watched a spider eat a snake, and I had to sidle past a pack of monkeys who'd eyed me like I was trespassing. I was, of course. I knew that much. But it hadn't kept me from sending a bit of fire out of my palm when one of the larger males looked to be ready to pounce. My display of power had stopped them from attacking, but I could tell they still wanted to.
To save time, I repelled down a cliff-face that I didn’t want to know the height of. I had tears hanging from my chin by the time I made it down, and my legs trembled so badly I didn’t even care to gather the rope. I just slowly “walked” away to lean against a tree and gain control of myself again. I'd had to lie down eventually, just to stabilize my entire form, for sitting didn't quite cut it.
Then, at one point, after I’d managed to start walking again, I could swear I heard what I could only guess was an explosion. I couldn’t tell where it had come from. It echoed all around me, and I felt my worry for the Slytherins double. I told myself, to keep myself moving forward, that the sound could have been the crashing of a large boulder falling off the cliff after I’d loosened it on my descent.
That didn’t settle me any, if I’m honest. I abhorred heights. But I pretended it was more comforting than something happening to either of the men.
Even through all of this, I refused to turn back. I refused to look at all of these hurdles as anything but. I would not give in to thinking the Universe was trying to tell me to turn back; return to the safety of the oasis; forget about rescue and the world beyond, and live here forever.
All that I could decipher from my trudge was that I must be going the right way, otherwise this would have been easy. The only things worth having are earned through hard work, and I was going to earn it, dammit. I was going to get us home if it was the last thing I did.
By the time I began to feel the temperature drop due to the storm ahead, the sun was starting to set. I had about an hour before hiking would be dangerous and I'd have to find somewhere to bunker down for the night. Still, I kept going, determined to get as far as possible before I was forced to stop. And it was twenty minutes later that I heard the sound of crashing waves not far ahead.
I took off at a run, excitement coursing through me as I jumped roots and avoided gnarled branches, and when I finally saw the eastern beach, a hand went to my mouth as I gasped. The sand was red, and in the setting sunlight it looked almost like blood. It was eerily beautiful.
Dropping the pack I'd fashioned from my blanket to the rocky beach at my feet, I took in a deep breath and walked to the water's edge to look out over the ocean as lightning lit up the sky. This storm looked so much worse. So, so much worse, and this was the first time I felt real regret leaving the men behind. There was no way I could make it back to them now. They were going to have to make due without me for at least a day, if not two or even three.
My stomach dropped at the thought, and I worried my lip with my teeth, then sang, “I hear hurricanes a-blowin'. I know the end is coming soon. I fear rivers overflowing... I hear the voice of rage and ruin.”
A strong wind whipped past me, blowing through my shirt, blowing my skirt up to my stomach, and tore my hair around my face. As it died, I heard a voice. I froze, my back rigid as I tuned in to the sounds around me.
Then I heard it again, only this time, it said, “Granger!”
I turned on the spot, my eyes wide and mouth open as I watched the Slytherins stalk out of the forest some ways down the beach. I was in such a state of disbelief that I didn't move, or even speak as they came to stand before me. Words were stuck further in my throat as I saw how angry they were. They were more cross than I'd ever seen either of them. Their eyes burned.
“Oh, shite,” I mumbled as they reached me.
“What the fuck, Hermione!? Are you actually mental?!” Theo yelled at me over the wind. His green eyes looked particularly dark at the moment, abandoning their jade hue for a more emerald one that sparkled dangerously.
“You left us behind! Again! You arsehole!” Draco's voice shook with rage, and I noted that his eyes were like mercury once more.
Man. They were livid. It may have had mostly something to do with me, but I’m sure the rips in their uniforms and the dirt that covered the entire lower half of their trousers also had something to do with it. They’d survived a rough hike.
“What were you thinking? You could have died out there! Draco had to Confringo some monkeys so they wouldn't eat us!” Ah. So that was what that explosion was. “And that cliff! I thought you said you were afraid of heights!”
“What did we do, hm?” Draco didn’t have to yell his anger. He chose to get his face close to mine as he growled, “Did we do something to anger you again? So much so that we deserved to be left behind while you- you- do whatever the fuck it is you think you’re doing!?”
“It doesn't matter if we did, Dray,” Theo cut the blonde off, then pointed at me as he said, “You don't get to leave us behind anymore! Alright? We're all in this together! You don't get to decide when that ends, because it doesn't end until we're home.”
“What the fuck, huh?” Draco continued. “Do you still hate us, or something? How could you leave without saying anything?! That's fucked up, Granger!”
“Well? What have you got to say for yourself?” Theo asked as I remained silent. “Go on, then.”
I could only stare up at them. They were both extremely close to me, because I'd been frozen to the spot as they'd advanced. I still couldn't move, nor could I talk. Their expressions and proximity had done something to me. And the fact that I had been happy to see them hadn't helped either. They could be angry all they wanted. I was just glad that they were here.
Gods, I could be unreasonable at times.
“Oh, what?” Draco asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “Learn how to finally shut your trap? Today of all days?”
“How- how did you find me?” was what I finally managed, which was definitely the wrong answer.
Theo threw his hands up at the sky and gave a growl of frustration, and Draco glowered at me, saying, “You aren't half as slick as you think you are. You'd been looking in this direction all bloody morning.”
I cringed, because he wasn’t wrong.
“We realized you weren't coming back when we noticed the book was gone,” Theo added.
A crack of thunder sounded, one so loud it seemed to shake the whole beach. I jumped, turning to watch as a streak of lightning fell from the sky and struck the open ocean. It was a terrifyingly powerful thing to witness.
“Ah, fuck. Not again,” Draco said. Then he took me by the hand and started dragging me along the sand. I looked at him, confused, then back over my shoulder to see Theo head back to grab my pack.
Without letting me go, Draco pulled me toward the cliff face that lay far to the north of us along the beach. Soon, Theo fell in step beside us, and even though he didn't hold my other hand, he stayed close to my side as we went. There had been a time or two I thought to pull my hand from Draco's, but his grip was rather tight. I supposed I'd brought it upon myself by leaving them. Now he was holding onto me as if to tether me to them; to keep me near and to keep me from running off like a delinquent child.
I suppose I kind of am a delinquent child. I'd definitely been known to be capable of delinquency in the not-so-distant past.
It was after five or so minutes of walking that we made it to the red and black cliff, where we found an overhang that blocked some of the wind from the east. It was up the beach a ways from the water, not too close to the tree line. As long as there wasn't a hurricane, we'd be fine here for the night, but I already knew we'd have to find shelter farther inland in the morning.
Without me even needing to ask them, the men started gathering materials to build a protective wall to the south. With some bamboo, plenty of my favorite leaves, and lots of rope and magic, we made a makeshift shelter. We stocked it with food, firewood and extra materials for me to make a large mat that acted as a floor covering for the red sand beneath us. I finished it off with a large curtain to act as the fourth wall, sticking it to the bamboo on one side and the cliff face on the other.
As the darkness settled around us, we three kicked off our shoes and sat on the mat in our little alcove. Once I'd started a good-sized fire, I settled with a sigh, finally looking at the men who reclined against a stack of pillows I’d Transfigured. One of them had come out actually feeling like a pillow this time, which had lifted my spirits some.
“Alright, witch,” Draco said with glare as he got extra comfortable, looking like some irate, entitled king as he scrutinized me. “You owe us an explanation.”
“And it better be fucking good,” Theo said with a frown, scooting to sit closer to his friend so that their royal highnesses could glare at me together.
I was in so much trouble.
Thunder sounded once more, and as it ended, the first pattering of raindrops could be heard on our southern wall.
“Well…” I began. “You see. What happened was-”