Ritual Seduction

Chapter Four: It Beats for You

Draco had planned a special day for the two of them. He had told the elves to place his gifts for Hermione in her room; she would need them for the day. He made a few quick floo calls to make sure everything was organized then he dress in khaki pants and pale green and white button-down shirt, and he headed down to the kitchen to make sure everything else was ready.

Hermione found a blue box wrapped with a yellow ribbon on her dressing table that morning. Inside there was a pair of boat shoes and a butter soft cream-colored sweater. She smiled as she moved her hands over the beautifully made gifts. Apparently they would be spending some time out on the water.

She dug through the closet were all of her clothes had been moved to. A pair of black cut-offs and a light pink soft t-shirt would do well on a boat. She dressed and munched on breakfast Draco had sent up to her.

Once she saw him her heart speed up and her temperate rose. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs, basket in one hand with a checkered blanket draped over his forearm the other held another blue box with a yellow ribbon.

“You look lovely.” He greeted her with a bright smile.

“You look quite handsome as well.” She could not help but smile as she watched his eyes light up from the simple compliment.

“A gift for my lady,” he presented the gift to her.

“You have already given me gifts Draco, I hardly need more.”

“These are just as practical as the others. I know you have no desire for frivolous things, even if I do wish to shower you in prices shiny baubles you will never wear.”

They both laughed at the truth of the statement.

“You do know me well,” Hermione said as she opened the box to find a pair of Alain Mikli sunglasses.

“Draco you shouldn’t have” she gently took the delicate frames from their nest of velvet.

“You will need a pair, and those will look great on you.” He offered up his arm as she slid the glasses into place and they headed out for their adventure.

~~

It was a short walk to the docks and the schooner they stopped in front of was a piece of nautical art.

The name Epona was beautifully written in gold along the side of the black hull. Light blue and gold intertwining vines sprawled down the side all the way to the stern.

“What a beautiful ship.” Hermione observed.

“Yes, Captain le Clerc has been part of this ships crew since my grandfather commissioned her at the turn of the last century.” Draco explained as he led a stunned Hermione up the gangplank and onto the deck.

“Bonjour Capitan” Draco called out

“Bonjour Draco!” came the gravelly voice from the helm.

Hermione squinted into the sun to see an older man behind the giant wooden steering wheel.

“Where would you and your lovely lady like to go today?”

“The usual route will be fine.”

Out of nowhere a small crew of five men emerged from below deck and began the preparations to make birth from the dock.

Draco had set up a little nest for the two of them on the bow of the ship. The basket held a decadent lunch accompanied with chilled champagne.

The warm Mediterranean sun soon reached it peak and the pair had shed down to minimum clothing.

Hermione likened Draco to a Greek god; he was laid out with his pale chest bare to the sun and his khakis transformed into shorts.

She had transformed her clothes into shorts and tank top and had to cast a sun guard charm on her skin.

“Would you like me to cast one for you?” she asked, there was no way someone so fair skinned wouldn’t be a lobster by the end of day.

“No thank you, the sun doesn’t really effect my skin, one of the traits that stays with me even when I am not in full gancanagh state.” He explained

Hermione rolled on her side to look at him. “What do you look like in your full state?” she asked. She had read some on the subject but there was not a whole lot of information out there.

Draco rolled on his side to mimic her stance. “I have an idea, but I will not know until we have mated. Gancanaghs tend to have similar traits to the parent with the fairy blood. I have only seen my father in his gancanagh form once, and it was a sight to see.”

“Are you going to give me any hints?” she asked her hand cupping his smooth cheek and raising her eyebrows.

“That is just going to have to wait for the claiming.” He kissed her wrinkled brow.

~~

Hermione was brushing out her hair at the vanity late that night. The whole day had been wonderful. With or without his Gancanagh powers, Draco was a natural born seducers knowing just how to keep her engaged and aroused.

They had made dinner on the beach. A simple meal cooked over a fire then cuddles under a blanket until her eyelids started to weigh heavy.

She could not stop smiling as she thought about the man down the hallway from her. She wanted nothing more then to walk down there and kiss him on those pink lips. They had yet to kiss mouth to mouth and she found herself utter distracted with the thought of how it would be.

She slid into bed and curled on her side, thoughts of Draco twirling through her head. Just as she was about to drift into the realm of Morpheus when and overwhelming wave distress crashed over her.

She bolted up from her pillows. It was Draco- she knew it was.

She rushed from her suite, grabbing her wand and making a made rush down the hall. She nearly slammed into the double doors to his chamber in her haste to get to him. She flung the doors open and ran in search.

She found him lying on the floor near his bed- shaking. He whole body was convulsing in fits, his eyes rolling back and forth in his head.

“Draco! Draco can you hear me?” she asked falling on her knees, pulling his head into her lap.

“Her-min-nee?” He stuttered out, the quivers wracking his body.

“What wrong?” She was franticly looking over him but could not find anything physical, no wounds.

“Don’t...know.” he gasped as another wave of pain went through him.

“Lets get you in bed.” She used her magic to lift him into his gigantic bed.

“Call…uncle Sev…Spinner’s End.” He moaned

She went to his floo and opened the connection. “Professor! Professor!” Hermione called out. It seemed an eternity until the dark hair and beaked nose of the Potions Master appeared in front of her.

“Ms. Granger?” he asked confused to see his prized student in his fireplace.

“You must come through, Draco is very ill and I do not know what is wrong.”

“Of course, let me grab my kit and I will be through shortly.”

Hermione crawled up next to her mate, her fingers moving through his hair as she whispered calming words in his ear.

Soon the Potions Masters stepped through the hearth to tend his godson.

He looked him over but could not pinpoint the cause for his agony.

A few hours later Snape was befuddled, “I can give him a calming draught but every spell, every test has come back negative. You should go to bed Ms. Granger, I will send for an elf to tend to Draco.”

“No, I will see to him, I do not want to leave him alone.” She said, the famous defiant glint in her dark eyes.

“As you wish, I will stay in the sitting room, fetch me should his condition worsen.”

“I will, thank you again professor.”

Snape nodded and Hermione could have sworn there was a hint of smile on his tight lips.

After the professor left, Hermione curled up with Draco. His head was pillowed on her chest and her hands stroked up and down his back. She hummed softly until sleep finally claimed them.

Draco woke that morning wrapped around his mate. She had stayed with him all night, cared for him when he woke with a fever, running a damp cloth over his flushed skin. She had comforted him, cared for him and protected him.

She had given him her heart.

His own heart filled with unimaginable joy, she had passed yet another of the fates tests!

He kissed her neck and shoulders, caressed her soft curves, memorizing the feel of her softness against his body.

Hermione woke to his searching hands and lips on her body.

“Draco?” she asked, her hand reaching to lace their fingers together.

“Yes my darling?”

“How are you?”

“I am perfect my love, you have given me one of the greatest gift.”

“I have?”

“Indeed, you have given me your heart.” He explained as he brought her fingers up to his mouth and kissed every one.

“How?”

“You nursed me and watched over me when I needed you the most.”

“And what of your heart?” she asked.

“This,” he brought their joined hands to rest over his thumbing heart, “beats only for you my dearest one.”

~~
A/N So three tests down and three to go! Thanks to everyone for putting up with my editing deficiency!

To all my reviewers- many thanks and hugs, the encouragement keeps me going (And it is also a nice distraction from my Thesis!)

xox Sarah