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“Who’s idea was it to take a Muggle vacation?” Theo shouted as they hiked through the forest.
“Granger’s! And the bill from the magical spa in Paris will be going to her as well because after this ‘vacation’ I will need a week of pampering.” Pansy replied.
“Will you all stop complaining,” Hermione said as she eased her way over the rocks with the help of Draco’s hand. “We haven’t even been out here two hours. We are almost to the campsite.”
As they approached their campsite Hermione reminisced on how they ended up here. It had been 3 years since the Battle of Hogwarts and 2 years since the end of what was termed “8th Year” by the faculty. Hermione was one of only 4 returning Gryffindors and their entire 8th year was only 10 people in total. They had been moved into an unused tower and given privileges like visiting Hogsmeade any time they wanted and being able to leave the area completely on the weekends. In Arithmancy she had been paired with Theo Nott. They began a tentative friendship that led to her being included with the other “Snakes”. It wasn’t until they had left Hogwarts that Draco Malfoy had actually asked her on a date. He had been worried that when she left Hogwarts she would return straight to Ron Weasley’s arms. When she didn’t he didn’t let the chance go.
Here they were, two years later and all their friends now hung out together. Draco and Harry even played on the same recreational Quidditch team. It was a month ago that she suggested they take a Muggle-style vacation to a river that she used to visit with her parents. Draco, always wanting to give Hermione whatever she wanted, convinced the others that it was a good idea.
So here they were, Theo, Pansy, Draco, Harry, Hermione, and surprisingly Charlie Weasley. Charlie had joined their hangouts recently when four months ago Theo Nott brought him to dinner at her flat for game night. Apparently, the two became acquainted during some of Theo’s excursions to Romania for his potions business and had hit it off. They joined the other surprising pairing of Pansy and Harry. After Ginny and Harry realized that what they had was not going to last, and Ginny embraced the fact that she actually liked women more, Pansy and Harry decided to give each other a chance about a year ago after a really intense game of Veritiserum or Dare.
Hermione was jostled out of her daydream when the canopy of trees opened up and she could hear the soft current of the river. “We are here! Let’s set up the tent” she exclaimed.
Draco pulled the tent out of the bag with the extendable charms and realized that the tent she had packed for them was actually a true Muggle tent.
“Granger,” he said, “Why is the tent in our bag a muggle camping tent?”
“Because we are having a Muggle vacation!” She said smiling. “Didn’t the rest of you pack a muggle tent?”
“No Mione”, Harry said activating the charms on his tent. “I actually brought the tent we stayed in on the run. It’s the only one I had”.
“Granger, why would we bring a nonmagical tent?” Theo said rolling his eyes. “Where would we have gotten a muggle tent?”
Hermione was kind of embarrassed and kind of upset. “But it was supposed to be a Muggle vacation!”
“Don’t worry love,” Draco soothed her, “We can stay in the Muggle tent. I see you packed sleeping bags and pillows. It should be fine”
She knew he was just placating her but she smiled at him nonetheless. Hermione dropped a kiss on Draco’s lips as he started to open the tent.
“While you set up the tent, I will go gather firewood,” Hermione said as she walked to the clearing edge.
“Okay this can’t be so hard,” Draco mumbled. “Building a tent without magic. I can do this.”
Harry came over after Draco spent about 20 minutes struggling with the poles and canvas. “Need help mate?”
Draco grumbled and looked at Harry, “Think you can do this better Potter?”
“Trust me, I’ve done this before,” Harry replied smirking.
“He doesn’t mean pitching a tent in your trousers Potter,” Theo called snickering.
Harry rolled his eyes, “Thanks for that Nott. No Malfoy, half-blood raised by Muggles remember?”
“Okay Malfoy, grab those poles and I will grab the stakes,” Harry said.
“Stakes? What do we need stakes for?” Draco asked.
“They hold the canvas into the ground around the poles. See?” Harry showed Draco what he meant.
“This is ridiculous, why can’t I just use magic?” Draco grumbled.
“Because the reward will be worth it darling,” Hermione called over to him.
“Well Potter, what are you waiting for,” Draco said standing up, “Let’s get this tent built!”
Harry helped Draco with the tent as Hermione and Charlie built the fire.
When they had all settled in Hermione pulled big inflatable water floats from her extendable bag and introduced the purebloods to what Americans call “floating”. They spent the rest of the day just enjoying the river and each other’s company.
One year later, Draco took Hermione back to this same clearing, showed her he had learned to build a tent without magic, and proposed to her. They were married during the following Christmas holidays surrounded by their closest friends.