Living Proof

Chapter 21

Hermione thought Draco had been cursed.

"Stop being such a pussy Granger!" Draco yelled from the water up to her. Spitting water like a fountain as he did. Hermione grimaced at the thought of having nasty river water in her mouth.

"That's so unsanitary." She said with a snarl.

She contemplated her situation and realized she should take advantage of any time wasted. She noticed Draco had stopped the current with magic so it didn't seem like an absolutely horrible idea.

"I don't have any clothes to swim in Malfoy! Besides, this is barbaric." She said with crossed arms.

Draco scoffed. "For fucks sake. Grab my jumper and hold it up."

Hermione held up his jumper while Draco transfigured it into a pair of swimming trunks.

Hermione raised her eyebrow at the trunks in her hand.

"Shit!" Draco laughed hysterically. "I meant for them to be women's bottoms!"

He's shitfaced.

"Malfoy, you shouldn't be swimming while you're drunk." She said dishearteningly.

Draco shot her a drunken smile before leaning back to float on his back in the water.

"You don't know shit Granger. Now, put on the trunks and come on." Draco shouted to her.

Hermione turned and looked around her for the widest tree. She found one to her left and began changing from her flannel pajama bottoms to the black trunks.

She tied the shirt tighter and higher around her midsection so it wouldn't drag.

She walked slowly over to the riverside again and stared down at the water contemplating how she would enter.

"Just jump in." He said.

"No, if it's too shallow I could hurt myself." She said as she began an attempt to slide down the bank only making it a foot or so before she stopped out of fear of falling.

"No no no, that ruins it, hold on." Draco swam to the riverside and half walked half climbed up the dirt embankment. He grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her with him to the top.

"You ready?" He looked at her. The sight of his bloodshot blue eyes took Hermione's breath. All she could do was shake her head frantically.

Draco grabbed the girl around the waist and picked her up to hug her to his wet chest.

"No!" Hermione squealed.

He didn't listen to her protests and before she could escape his grasp she felt Draco leap and then cold water engulfed her body.

She gasped for air as she broke the surface and immediately her jaw was chattering from the cold.

Draco emerged after and let out a shout. He looked at Hermione.

"Oh my fault." He waved his hand in her direction and Hermione felt a warmth surrounding her body and the chattering stopped.

Hermione did her best to wade and keep her head above water but her body was aching. Her body wasn't strong enough.

"Malfoy, I can't swim well." She said as he turned and noticed her struggle.

"I can teach you." He said as his face lit up as if he had a brilliant idea.

"No, I know how. It's just my body, it's not very strong right now." She said, spitting some water that seeped into her mouth.

Draco swam towards her. She felt his cold touch on her waist and she nearly jumped entirely from the water.