Left Behind 2: Illusions (A Dramione Romance)

In the Oasis

Good Monday morning to everyone. I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend.

-

"This is incredible!" Hermione exclaimed. The world they were in was a perfect circle and she could see where the horizon met water. She felt as if she were in the middle of a snow globe, except was summer instead of winter. It was absolutely lovely. The breeze was beautiful and soft and played with her hair.

She spun around facing Draco.

"Is this a pocket dimension?"

Draco nodded.

"Did you inherit it?" she asked climbing onto the big rock by the palm tree and spreading her arms out. "It's perfect," she said before he could answer.

She jumped down and toed off her shoes squishing her toes in the sand.

"It's so soft," she exclaimed and looked up at Draco.

His expression was unreadable. She felt like there was a huge wall up between them. All the childlike wonder she had been feeling at having stepping into this miniature paradise gave way to worry.

"Draco?" she cocked her head to the side and walked towards him. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head and took a step back as if afraid of her, or at least afraid of opening up to her.

"You can tell me," she placed a hand on his chest.

"It's...I've..." he looked away from her, "You're the first person...the only... person who's ever been here."

"You mean other than the person who showed you this place and gave it to you," she said looking up at the sky.  "I knew the Malfoy's had a lot of money but I never imagined buying something like this. It must have cost a fortune, all the time and spells that had to have gone into making this place I would have taken months at least..." she trailed off looking around at the oasis.

"Years," said Draco so quietly she almost missed it.

"What?" she turned back to him.

"It took years..." Draco swallowed and pushed a hand back through his hair. "No one else...has been here...ever...well," Draco's face changed and he rolled his eyes slightly. "I did bring Fred here but he was unconscious and I've kept him in the room I made for him."

"The room you made for him?" Hermione suddenly registered everything that he was saying.

'No one else had been here.'

'Years to make.'

'The room I made for him.'

"Draco did you make this place?" she asked in wonder.

He nodded.

"You did..." she breathed and looked around and found that she was suddenly overwhelmed by the beauty and by the fact that the young man standing opposite her was responsible for something this incredible.

"I had no idea Draco...I mean I knew you were smart but this..." she gestured around. "This is a masterpiece." She looked at him. "This is art."

"You like it?" he asked and she realized just how vulnerable he sounded.

"I love it Draco," she said sincerely.

"Watch this then," he gave his arm a wave and the sun set and the night sky lit up with dozens of stars and oversized planets painted every colour of the rainbow. Jupiter with its bright oranges and reds, others green, and blue and shining purple. Stars glittered like burning fireballs in shades of blue or orange or yellow.