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Chapter Text

Thursday, 17 September 2020

Hermione was naturally a morning person. It wouldn't matter what she set her alarms for, she would wake up before they even went off. She always set three and let them go off, each fifteen minutes after the last one. When the third sounded, that was her cue to get out of bed and get ready for the day. Though often, by the time she hit dismiss for the third alarm, she had already emptied her bladder, brushed her teeth, and pressed brew on the Keurig.

When she woke up on that particular morning, she hadn't even bothered to set an alarm the night before. She had been waiting for this day since the trip had been solidified six months prior. Each night before bed, she would cross off that day on the calendar as a way to count down the days. It had been far too long since her last trip to the amusement park and she knew that this would be the best venture yet. Not only were all her friends going, but it was her twenty-fifth birthday too.

Few things got her this excited in life and this was one of them. In fact, this was the biggest one. Disney had always played a pivotal role in her life. Ever since she could remember, she had been obsessed with it. The movies, the channel, the shows, the songs; everything. Even those that didn't know her all that well knew she was obsessed with all things Disney. Harry had always liked it too, but not as much as his little sister. Hermione was just grateful that he never teased her with it.

It had come up as a wish she'd expressed at Theo's birthday party at the tail end of February. He and Harry had talked about taking a trip to Vegas for Harry's birthday a few months later. When Hermione had voiced her wishes to Harry later that evening as she helped clean up, she hadn't realized he would take it and run with it.

Not even a week later, Theo and Harry invited her over for dinner. She was mildly surprised to see her best friend Ginny and her boyfriend Draco there too. The two couples had always hit it off well. Theo and Draco had been best friends since their early years. Then Draco had started dating Ginny in college and Hermione had given her seal of approval. It was only a few short months after they started dating that Draco had brought his friend Theo to Hermione's birthday party. He had hit it off so well with Harry that night, that they had been inseparable since.

The downside to the two couples being so intertwined was that, from time to time, she felt like a fifth wheel. The few times Draco had brought along his slightly older cousin Tom to lessen that feeling had been a disaster. It still hadn't stopped her from thinking Tom was rather attractive, it was just his personality that drove her insane. She harbored her crush in secret and played nice until he pushed her buttons and she lost it on him.

Regardless, the night she arrived at Theo and Harry's after Theo's birthday, Tom was not present. It was after dinner that they gave her an envelope and after eyeing them all suspiciously, she opened it and read the contents within. It took her a full minute to comprehend what she was seeing. When it sank in, she lost the ability to breathe and she had started crying immediately.

"You guys-"

"All of it's paid for. We even got your tickets," Harry said, a large smile on his face. "All you'll be responsible for is food and souvenirs."

She wiped at her tears with her sleeve and reread the papers a dozen more times while sobbing her thanks to the people in the room. They had booked a three-bedroom suite at the Disneyland Resort Hotel complete with a park view. They had even gotten three-day park hopper passes for everyone as well as plane tickets.

"And it was largely a business expense, so don't even try to argue that it's too much," Draco said from his place beside Ginny.

Hermione hadn't even bothered asking how that was possible and decided to go with it. Thus had begun six months of planning their trip. In true Hermione fashion, she had every last detail nailed down to maximize their experience while leaving nothing unseen. She talked incessantly about it all the while; obsessing over every little thing. She even had T-shirts made for the trip and ears that only she and Ginny would wear.

On the first of September, she had started going stir crazy, wishing that time would speed up so her vacation could begin. She had even started packing way too early, wanting to make sure she didn't forget a thing. And she was grateful that, despite how much she was sure she annoyed all of them, they never let it show.

The morning of their flight, Hermione was up hours before her alarm. At least the time it would have gone off if she had even bothered to set one. She had leapt out of bed, showered, brushed her teeth, threw on the travel appropriate outfit she had already set aside, and made breakfast for her and Harry. Since Theo's job had changed since their original plans, he was going to join them on Saturday. Since he was away on business anyway, Harry had stayed on Hermione's couch the night before so they could share a Lyft.

Not even an hour later, the siblings arrived at the airport. It took a bit to check in and send their bags off, but she had left early to give themselves plenty of time. By the time they headed to security, Ginny had already informed her that she and Draco had just been dropped off and they would meet at the gate in a bit.

"Did you take your meds?" Harry asked as they stood in line at Starbucks for their second coffee of the morning.

"Why? Afraid I'm gonna puke on you?" she teased as she nudged him with her shoulder.

"If it had been the other way around, you wouldn't find it funny either," he said, grimacing at the memory of a car ride from their youth. The one where, as a family, they discovered she was prone to motion sickness by her throwing up all over Harry in the backseat.

Hermione rolled her eyes and patted her purse. "Of course I took them," she said. "And yes, I brought enough for the whole trip. Not like I can leave the house without them." It was the only way she would be able to go on the rides, though some of them would still be on her absolutely not list. Just thinking of those ones nearly triggered the nausea the medicine was supposed to control.

After they had gotten their coffee, they headed towards the gate. They had barely sat down before she saw Ginny's red hair in the sea of people as she and Draco approached. It was when she got up to greet them both that she did a double take at the sight of another familiar face, one that she hadn't expected to see.

"What's he doing here?" she whispered in Ginny's ear during their embrace.

"Draco invited him," Ginny whispered back and pulled away, giving a slight shrug.

But Draco was already in a conversation with Harry by the time he pulled her in for a half-hearted hug. And he was pulling away just as fast as he had drawn her in. The next thing Hermione knew, the pair went to sit with Harry, leaving her standing face-to-face with Tom.

"Hey," she said, forcing her lips upwards into a smile. "Never pegged you as the type to want to go to an amusement park."

"I assure you, I'm not."

Hermione's lips clamped shut and she sighed through her nose. "Then why-"

"Not usually," he amended. "Relax, would you? I know it's your birthday trip. I won't ruin it for you."

She snorted then; loudly and undignified. "As if you could."

His lips twitched for a moment, but Hermione had to turn away quickly so he wouldn't see the heat that rose to her cheeks. She took her original seat next to Harry while Tom took the one further down the row next to Draco. They all fell into a quiet conversation as they waited to board the flight. When they did, Hermione took a spot in an aisle seat towards the front of the plane. Harry sat next to her with other three in the row across from her. As usual, she grabbed hold of Harry's hand once they were seated and didn't let go until they were up in the air.

Hermione wasn't surprised when she opened her eyes to find that she had fallen asleep on Harry's shoulder. It was easier to sleep through the journey rather than deal with any of the nausea the medicine couldn't keep away. Harry had told her many a time that he would rather she sleep on him than puke on him, so he never protested being used as a pillow.

When they arrived at LAX, they went to baggage claim and then made their way to the pick up zone for a Lyft big enough to accommodate all five of them. None of them were at all surprised when her excitement returned in full force and she started spouting useless trivia facts and reciting the long list of things she was most excited to see when they went to the park the next day.

Being that they were staying on property, Hermione found it harder than she anticipated to not demand they use one of their passes or buy an extra to go that night. But she knew the others wanted to have a beach day, so she put a lid on that and followed them to concierge to check in. After getting their key cards, they and all their luggage, crammed into the elevator and ascended to their floor.

The suite was breathtaking.

Never in her life had she ever thought she would get to stay at one of the on-site properties let alone one of the biggest suites. Knowing that the round of happy tears that began to flow down her cheeks was the first of many, she didn't waste any time caring about them. Instead, she practically skipped into the room, taking sight of everything it had to offer.

It was set up like an apartment, but without a kitchen. Not that it mattered, they weren't planning on eating in anyway. The wall opposite the door was comprised entirely of windows from floor to ceiling and offered a lovely view of Downtown Disney. She already knew from memory that she would still be able to see bits of the park in the distance at night. Between the door and the windows, there was a quaint living room set up. There were two armchairs next to each other, facing the window and a three-seater couch on the wall adjacent to the window. Across from the couch was a small entertainment center with a television above it and a dining table with four chairs in the corner beyond that.

Ginny and Draco claimed the bedroom closest to the door on the left. It was the only one that wouldn't face the park, but they didn't care. Hermione followed Harry into the one next to theirs, leaving Tom in the lone bedroom on the opposite side of the suite. Realistically, Hermione knew that she would only be bunking with Harry until Theo joined them on Saturday. She and Tom could figure out sleeping arrangements then. Granted, with the view in the living room, she would have no qualms about sleeping on the floor in front of it.

They stayed in the hotel for about a half an hour; just long enough to change if need be and settle in. Once they were ready, the group made their way back downstairs and called another Lyft to take them to Balboa Pier at Newport Beach. Since it was already after noon, the first thing they did was stop at one of the restaurants and ate lunch on the pier while looking out over the ocean.

It was a peaceful afternoon of casual conversation and more fun than Hermione had ever had. Even if they weren't at Disney. The only person who didn't seem to be enjoying themselves was Tom. Then again, he always had a knack for being the sulking, brooding type. Even as they entered the Fun Zone of Balboa Pier and spent the rest of the day playing carnival games and eating treats like funnel cake, he seemed distant.

As the sun started to sink down towards the horizon, Ginny and Draco broke off for a bit of alone time and Harry answered a phone call from Theo. Hermione used that time to approach Tom who had gone up the pier a bit. She stood next to him and copied his stance of leaning on the railing, though she was careful not to give herself a splinter.

"Why'd you come with if you're determined to be in a sour mood the whole time?" she asked.

"I'm not-"

"You so are," she interrupted, quirking a brow as he cast her a sideways glance. "That's okay though," she added, turning towards him and patting his forearm. "I'm a firm believer that no one can be in a bad mood once they get inside the parks."

He turned towards her too and she tensed when she realized just how close they were standing; that her hand was still on his forearm. "Is that so?"

She couldn't help but gulp as she looked up at him and nodded slowly. "Disney magic," she breathed before clearing her throat. "I'll bet you'll even smile at least once tomorrow."

"How much?"

Her brow furrowed slightly.

He smirked. "How much would you bet?"

Hermione withdrew her hand and stood tall at being presented with a challenge. "If I see a genuine smile on that face of yours tomorrow, you have to wear ears for the rest of the day."

"And if I don't?"

She shrugged and folded her arms over her chest. "There's really not much I would consider a punishment involving Disney." She rolled her eyes at the way he perked up at this challenge. "I'm sure you'll think of something. You always do."

He stuck out his hand expectantly; his brow quirking up when she hesitated. She swallowed hard as she reached out to take it and gave a firm squeeze as they shook. "Deal," they said in unison.

Harry was the first to join them shortly after that. Ginny and Draco a good fifteen minutes later looking rather disheveled and flushed. Tom, Hermione, and Harry all shook their heads and smirked at the unashamed pair and the next thing they knew, they were in a Lyft on the way back to the Hotel.

Not surprisingly, Ginny and Draco turned in early for the night and Tom sprawled out on the couch to take over the television. Harry only had to take one look at Hermione staring out the window before he gestured with a nod of his head and led her out of the hotel. They spent a few hours walking around Downtown Disney. They checked out the shops, had dinner, and watched the fireworks from a bench outside the main gates.

When they went back to the suite, Tom was no longer in the communal area and his door was shut. Harry and Hermione went into theirs and after taking turns in the bathroom, they crawled into the single king bed and laid on their sides, facing each other.

"Are you going to be awake the whole night or do I need to drug you so I can get some sleep?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes, but her answer came in the form of a yawn. "You should be more concerned with the time of which I plan to wake all of you up tomorrow."

He groaned and rolled onto his back. "You're lucky I love you, little sister."

"Remember that by the time we're done with this trip," she said before rolling to her other side, facing the window. "Goodnight, Harry."

His muffled reply indicated he had already fallen asleep, and Hermione wasn't far behind. A smile took hold of her lips as she focused on the sights outside the window. Sure enough, once sleep took hold of her, she dreamed of what the next three days would be like. Whatever happened, she counted on them being absolutely magical.

Chapter Text

Friday, 18 September 2020

Using the Disneyland app, Hermione had already booked their breakfast at the Carnation Café for Sunday at ten in the morning. She would have to wait for Theo to join them in order to get her Mickey shaped waffles. Until then, she was content with eating at Earl of Sandwiches with her four companions. It was the closest restaurant to the hotel and, truthfully, it was one of her favorites anyway. She didn't even complain that it took Ginny and Draco the longest to emerge from their room, pushing back the start of their day.

Three days was plenty of time to see both parks completely at least twice. She had to keep reminding herself that there was no rush. That they were all there to have good time. That it wasn't the last time she was going to ever come to the park. So she took a deep breath and enjoyed her present company as they finally ventured out for a late breakfast.

Despite the second entrance into the parks being the Monorail across the way from where they had eaten, Hermione refused to use it. The first time she walked into the park, she wanted to go through the main gate and see the castle at the end of Main Street. It was the one thing she refused to budge on. Later, if they went back to the hotel for any reason during the day, she would use the other entrance, but not for the first entry of the day.

Bags checked and passes scanned, the five of them passed through the entrance after waiting in line for a few minutes. Knowing it would be better to get a group shot with Theo at the more iconic places like the flower bed just after the entrance, Hermione didn't even stop to look at it. She hadn't even realized that she had put speed into her step and gotten ahead of her group until Harry caught up to her. He linked his arm through hers and pulled her to a stop so the others could catch up too and then kept it there to make sure they didn't get separated.

They went through arch, taking in the sight of the old fashioned posters, and then stepped out into the main courtyard before the train that circled the main park. Hermione went still as she reached the barrier surrounding the large circle of flowers in the middle of the road. Since it was off season, it was missing the pumpkins for Halloween or the Christmas tree for the winter. But it did give her a perfect view of Main Street as a whole and the castle beyond.

Indecision kept her rooted to the ground for a moment and tears of joy clouded her vision. There was so much to see and do. Even with her plans she'd made months ago, she wanted to see everything at the same time. Being faced with it all made it hard to choose. Luckily, Harry had been here with her before. They had gone several times as a family when they were younger and a few times since graduating high school. He knew that by taking her hand in his and leading her down the center of the road, she would calm down.

They were halfway down the road when she wasn't feeling overwhelmed anymore and gave his hand a squeeze to assure him that she was in her right frame of mind. They continued on as none of them wanted to peruse the shops right off the bat. Besides, the street was much better at night when it was all lit up.

The first stop they made was the statue of Walt and Mickey. Ginny and Draco took a selfie in front of it and then Hermione pulled Harry into one with her. She took pictures of the statue by itself and was surprised when Tom volunteered to take a photo of the other four in front of it. He did the same thing when they got to the castle, but Hermione was too enamored with the iconic structure to notice that during all the photos being taken, he was never featured in any of them.

"Where to first?" Ginny asked once they put their phones away. None of them had bothered to pick up a paper map. They all knew Hermione was more than happy to be their own personal tour guide. She had already made them download the app too in case they split up at any point.

Out of habit, Hermione over the bridge and through the arch beneath the castle towards Fantasyland. The first ride she always went for was Peter Pan's Flight. Not that she couldn't go on all the rides multiple times a day, but this was one of her top five. It was also one with the longest line, but Disneyland was the only place she didn't care about that. So long as she was in the park, she would happily wait as many hours as it took to get through each line.

It wouldn't stop her from using Fast Passes where she could though.

As Ginny, Draco, and Harry launched into a debate about sports, Hermione turned her attention to Tom. "Have you been to Disneyland before?" she asked.

"Once," he replied. "I went with Draco and his parents when we were younger."

"Your parents didn't want to go?"

Hermione saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes and her heart ached for him. She didn't know much about Tom's life before college. When it came to his family, all she knew was that Draco was his cousin and that their fathers were cousins too.

"No," he said, keeping his voice light, but she heard the strain behind it.

"Did you have fun?" she asked, hoping to change the subject as best she could.

He snorted and nodded towards Draco. "You know how he is. Imagine him a thousand times more entitled and spoiled and in a place like this."

Hermione's eyes widened as she looked over at the blond. "He must have been a nightmare."

"Understatement," he murmured as the line finally moved, putting them under the awning and out of the sun. "Though I can't imagine coming here with you as a child being any different."

"Hey!" She reached out and slapped his bicep slightly and pretended to pout as he started to smirk at her. "Careful, Tom, that was almost a smile."

"Whatever you say, Princess."

Hermione's eyes went wide a moment before she looked away. Never had she ever been so grateful for the heat of the sun having already warmed her cheeks. The moment she turned back towards the other three, they had changed the subject and roped her into their conversation. She could feel Tom's presence next to her as they continued moving with the line, but she didn't dare look his way again.

As they approached the boarding zone, all thoughts of him were forgotten. Harry slid into the ship first and Hermione after him. Before she knew it, they were going through the ride and she was pointing the same things out to Harry that she always did. By the end, she was like a kid on Christmas morning and ready for her next gift.

Ginny and Draco stepped off shortly after her and Harry, but it took her a moment to realize that Tom was already waiting outside the exit zone. She narrowed her eyes at him, but Ginny was already pulling her towards Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. She made a mental note of it and filed it away to ask him about later. For now, she focused on finishing out Fantasyland and then heading to the left side of the park and working their way over to Tomorrowland.

Especially when she noticed him sitting out more rides than the joined them on. The only ones he went on were the Jungle Cruise, Indiana Jones, Pirates, and It's A Small World. Though Ginny might have threatened him if he didn't get on the latter. When they got to Tomorrowland, Harry, Draco, and Ginny made a beeline for Space Mountain to use their Fast Passes. Even with mostly just waiting in the lines, they had nearly ridden everything they could. They had all decided after this one, they would grab something to eat and then go back through the main park once again. Only this time, they would take their time and enjoy the sights instead of jumping from one ride to the next.

Hermione was only mildly surprised when Tom stayed with her when the other three went off towards the attraction. "Here I thought you'd go on all the rides," he said as he plopped down next to her on the bench.

She sighed as she looked over at the entrance from where they sat. "All the medicine in the world won't stop me from puking on that," she replied. She had already learned long ago which rides she absolutely could not handle despite the anti-nausea meds in her system. It wasn't worth the lingering sickness for the rest of the trip for five minutes of fun the ride would provide.

"Medicine?" Tom asked, his eyes going round in surprise.

She nodded and waved him off. "Vertigo," she clarified. "Most of the rides are alright so long as I take Dramamine first. Others like that one will not only make me puke, but I'll feel sick for a few days afterwards."

He quirked a brow at her then. "How is that you managed Thunder Mountain Railroad?"

"Barely," she corrected. "I rode it today, but I won't go on it again after that."

He hummed in response and began to scan the crowd. His eyes landed on the pretzel cart across the way and she saw the moment he decided to get one before he asked, "Want a pretzel?"

There was no way she would be able to eat a whole one, but she would never pass up anything Mickey shaped. "Wanna split it?" He nodded and they got up from the bench to make their way over to the small line. "Do you like cream cheese?" she asked.

"Sure, why?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Just trust me." When they got up to the vendor, she ordered one of the filled pretzels and two bottles of water. Items in hand, they returned to the same bench they had vacated; surprised to see it open still. She tore off a piece and handed it to him, watching as he eyed it suspiciously. "Just try the damn thing."

His gaze lifted to hers for a moment before he rose to the challenge and took a bite. He chewed slowly at first, but then nodded and devoured the remainder of the piece she had given him. He even went back for more; a smile on his face.

"You're smiling."

"Over food," he replied, shaking his head. "Doesn't count."

"Of course it counts; it's Mickey shaped," she argued, taking a bite of her own.

She was unprepared for the bout of laughter that spilled past his lips and the grin it put on her face from the sound of it. "Alright," he said, uncapping his bottle of water. "Touché."

"What was your favorite treat when you were here the last time?" she asked, enjoying this side of him.

He gulped down nearly half his bottle as he thought about it, but simply shrugged when he put the cap back on. "I honestly don't remember. I was thirteen then. I was determined not to have fun. Draco was having enough for the both of us."

"That's what happens when you spend all your time sulking," she reprimanded, smirking as she took another bite. "Don't worry," she added as she swallowed. "We'll fix that."

They lapsed into a bit of silence after that. It was a comfortable silence as they observed the crowd mill about before them while they finished off the pretzel and their waters. He threw out the wrappers and their bottles when they were done and a few minutes after that, the other three rejoined them.

Saving their expensive dining options for the following day, they ate at the Galactic Grill. They took their time, something Hermione was more than content to do the atmosphere of Disneyland was her favorite part. When they were ready, the sun had nearly dropped below the horizon and the park took on a completely different look. To save their feet and relax a bit before they started another go around the park, they boarded the train. They took it around the park completely once and then rode it part way a second time until they got off near the Haunted Mansion.

They spent a good portion of their time between Adventureland and New Orleans' square. They stopped for a few treats and to browse the shops along the way. Hermione and Ginny had purchased matching ears in the Arendale Blue; donning them for the rest of the evening. They tried to talk the boys into it, but weren't surprised when they protested.

"Fine, but if you wear them for Theo and not for me, I will throw up on you, Harry," Hermione threatened with a loving smile. He simply rolled his eyes and walked out of the shop while she and Ginny continued to look around.

Having hit the Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and India Jones once more, they made their way back to Main Street. With a little over an hour to go before the nightly fireworks, they took their time browsing more shops. Hermione found it hard to resist spending all her shopping money on the first night, but there were two more days to go. Not to mention they hadn't even made it to California Adventure yet.

They did, however, cave and stop at Gibson Girl for ice cream before scouting for a good place to watch the fireworks. When the music started and the lights moved in tandem with the display, she reached for Harry's hand. She saw him smile from the corner of her eyes, but her gaze was transfixed on the technicolor bursts in the sky. Fireworks weren't something she really enjoyed anywhere else. She was sure it was the fact that Disney's show was so perfect that nothing else could compare.

Harry held her hand throughout, bringing her back to the first time they had witnessed this sort of magic. She had been afraid of the loud sounds, but his simple gesture of threading his fingers through hers and squeezing tight had helped so much that it was just second nature now.

Honestly, as far as big brothers went, she had lucked out.

When the show ended, Hermione sighed with longing. It could last for eternity, but it would never be long enough. She extracted her hand from Harry's and nodded her thanks to him before turning towards Ginny. However, it wasn't her friend at her other side, it was Tom. And he was looking away from her far too quickly for it to be a coincidence of her timing. Her cheeks flushed as she wondered how long he had been staring at her.

Shaking her head slightly, she shoved the thought away and continued to seek out Ginny's attention. Once she had it, they excused themselves to find the nearest restrooms. "You okay?" Ginny asked once they were away.

Hermione's nose scrunched at the question. "Yeah, why?"

"You look a little flushed is all," Ginny said, giving her that secretive smirk that looked far too much like Draco's it made Hermione shiver.

"You know me," Hermione said with a shrug. "I'm not used to being outside."

"Uh huh," Ginny replied, nudging her softly.

Hermione's lips pressed together in a thin line as she refused to say anything further. She was glad when Ginny let the subject drop. Even if she knew it would be brought up again the moment her friend sensed anything sort of change. She was like a bloodhound for gossip.

Their trip to the bathroom didn't take long and they found the boys relatively quickly after that. They spent a fair bit of time back in the main park, riding a few of the other rides; some of which they had skipped before. Mostly the older ones from Fantasyland.

By eleven they were back at the hotel, bidding each other goodnight before retreating to their respective rooms. Harry let her use the shower first so he could say goodnight to Theo over a phone call. When she came out, she brought the hair dryer into the room with her when he took his turn. Normally she wouldn't touch the tool, but she planned on braiding her hair again so it didn't matter what state it was in.

By the time they collapsed into bed for the night, it was nearing midnight. "Happy birthday, Hermione," Harry mumbled, already half asleep.

"Thank you," she returned, just as sleepy.

And a few moments later, they were both out like a light.

Chapter Text

Saturday, 19 September 2020; part 1

Despite having gone to bed late, everyone was up and ready to head out the next morning at nine. They took their time getting to La Brea Bakery Café that was next to the World of Disney gift shop. Since it was her birthday, Hermione was determined to sample as many different food items as she could throughout the day. A feat she wasn't sure she could accomplish after she walked away from breakfast feeling fuller than she ever had before. And that was even after sitting at the table for quite some time.

They chose to go to California Adventure to start the day. Knowing it would only take about half a day to see everything, even if they took their time, Hermione didn't mind. They had planned to go back to the main park later that afternoon as a group, but were waiting until Theo joined them for that to happen. According to Harry, his flight was due to land slightly after noon and he would be at the hotel no later than one.

Knowing that there weren't many rides she could go on in this park, Hermione was content to mostly walk around with her friends. They ducked in and out of the shops on Buena Vista Street, killing time before it was time for Draco, Ginny, and Harry to use their Fast Passes for the Guardians of the Galaxy ride. Something she refused to call anything other than the Tower of Terror when she spoke out loud.

As they disappeared towards the attraction, Hermione glanced up at Tom. The question tumbled past her lips before she could stop herself. "Why don't you like going on the rides?"

He gave a half-hearted shrug and leaned his back against the railing of the barrier they had ended up next to. "Do I need a reason?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "You know, if you're afraid-"

"I am not afraid of the rides," he insisted, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes in her direction.

Her lips twitched, but she resisted the urge to smile. "Then you won't object to going on one with me right now?"

There was a moment where Hermione thought she might have to drag him, but he relaxed his stance and shrugged. "Which one?"

She smirked at that. "Does it matter? As the birthday girl-"

"Oh no," he said with a shake of his head. "You don't-"

"Then just say yes and follow me and I won't have to pull that card," she said, a Cheshire smile taking hold of her lips as she saw him relent.

He scowled briefly as he pushed himself away from the barrier and fell into step beside her. "If you don't pull it now, you will later."

"Yes," she said, nodding along. "And probably more than once."

She heard him sigh, but she smiled in her victory all the same.

For it being a Saturday, she was a little shocked that there wasn't a larger crowd of little children gathered around the Monster's Inc. ride as they approached. Not that it would have really mattered, from what she remembered, the line moved pretty quickly regardless. When it became clearer that that was their destination, Tom mumbled something under his breath, but didn't protest as they found their place at the end of the line.

"What's your favorite movie?" she asked, refusing to spend her time with him in silence.

"Disney, I presume?"

She rolled her eyes, but didn't comment as she waited for him to answer.

"Star Wars."

Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes yet again. She should have expected that answer and yet she hadn't. "Technically-"

"If it's at the parks, it's Disney," he quipped.

Her lips pressed into a thin line for a moment as she studied him with wide eyes. "Is that so?"

He hummed as they moved further up the queue. "Heard it from a reliable source once or two dozen times."

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek as she turned away; heat rising to her cheeks again. "Fair enough," she said, clearing her throat. "And I suppose your favorite character is Darth Vader?"

"You assume I would pick someone from the dark side?"

She looked back at him, brows raised as if daring him to prove her wrong. "Well…"

One second she was sure of her assessment and another she was filled with uncertainty. But soon he was grinning from ear to ear as he reached up to rub at his chin. "Close. Kylo really speaks to me."

She tipped her head to the side at that. "As Kylo or as Ben?"

The fact that he didn't ask her what the difference was did something to her. Instead, he looked thoughtful as he contemplated his answer before giving it to her. "Kylo."

If she rolled her eyes any harder, they were sure to get stuck inside her head. "Really?"

"Why would I chose Ben? His sole purpose in joining the light was to bring Rey back to life so she could keep the balance in the force. I can't identify with a character who would squander all that power over something as frivolous as-"

She snorted when he realized what he was about to say. "A girl?" she finished for him. "You're definitely Kylo then. I'm sure your idea of foreplay is kidnapping someone too."

The grey of his eyes darkened a bit as he leaned closer. "Nothing wrong with a bit of bondage," he said as he slipped past her and up to the front of the line.

Hermione gulped and tipped her head down to stare at the floor while she tried to recover from that. How that conversation had taken such an extreme turn was beyond her. Thankfully, as they slid into the back row of the next car, he dropped the subject. In fact, neither one of them spoke for the duration of the ride. Hermione wasn't sure if that was because she was too engrossed in the attraction itself or if it was the two children and their mother sitting in front of them in the same car.

Either way, she was grateful it was over.

When they got off the ride and started the short trek back to where the others would be, she filled the silence by spouting off trivia about Monster's Inc. Whether he cared or not, he actively listened to her and nodded along from time to time. Luckily, they were only alone for a few more minutes before the rest of their group met back up with them and they made their way over to Paradise Pier to take in the sights.

They were only there for about an hour before Harry got the call from Theo that he was on his way to the hotel. Knowing they would probably want to spend some time alone, Hermione suggested they do just that. She reminded him they had dinner reservations at Wine Country Trattoria at five and to not be late. Shortly after Harry departed, after several reassurances that he and Theo would be there, Ginny asked Hermione to go with her to the bathroom. Before they headed back to Tom and Draco, Ginny asked what Hermione knew she would.

"You alright if Draco and I split off for a bit too?"

"I expected that you would," she said, giving her friend a smile.

"I hate to ask, but-"

"It's my birthday, but we're all here to have a good time. We spent all day together yesterday so go off and have a good time with your boyfriend. Tom's been nice so far; I think I'll be okay," she said as she pulled Ginny into a hug. "Just don't be late for dinner either. Then I'll be mad."

Ginny snorted, but nodded as they started to walk again. And a few moments later, Hermione was alone with Tom yet again; this time for the next four hours or so.

"Where to?" Tom asked when they were alone.

"Anything you have in mind?" she countered.

He shook his head like she knew he would. So instead of saying anything, she motioned for him to follow her. They took their time walking up the path towards Grizzly Peak. It was her favorite part of both parks during the winter holiday season. She almost wished they had come for Christmas instead, but there was always next time. As they passed the entrance to the ride, he paused to check if that was where they were headed. When she shook her head no and continued, he quirked a brow, but followed after her.

"Do you not like the water rides?" he asked.

"I don't mind them on occasion, but that one in particular has you sit in a circle and spin your way down the river." She swallowed hard as the thought of it alone made her nauseous. "Trust me, it was not a good experience the first time."

He nodded and they lapsed back into silence as they approached the ride she had in mind. When they entered the line for Soarin', Tom looked around as if trying to guess what would be there. From the outside, the only hint was really that it was shaped like an airplane. Inside, she knew there was more flight related paraphernalia, but nothing that would clue him in. If he hadn't been on this before as she suspected he hadn't, he was in for a treat.

They made casual small talk while they waited in line for a little over a half hour. They talked about what they had gone to college for and what classes had interested them the most. She knew he was intelligent; it was one of the things Draco would go on and on about when he wasn't around them. She surprised him by being interested in some of the topics he had brought up and the courses she had taken. Even the course load of which she had done through her entire college career impressed him.

The break in their conversation happened when they filed into the sections while they waited for the current riders to finish. She had already memorized the little video by heart so she stood there, watching his reaction to it. She could see the inner cogs of his mind trying to figure out just what kind of ride she had brought him along for. She grinned to herself as the video ended and the doors opened to reveal the hang gliders inside, facing the large, round screen.

They followed the few people ahead of them and took their seats. Hermione stashed her bag in the netting beneath her seat and then strapped herself in. She spent the few moments before the ride started to get her breathing under control. This ride was one of the ones that triggered her Vertigo, but she loved it too much to give it up. As it was, she laced her fingers together and placed them in her lap as she stared up at the screen in anticipation.

And then they were off. The screen turned on, the gliders moved into position, and she lost herself in the ride. She inhaled deeply as certain scents were gently sprayed to enhance the experience. She had been on the ride enough times that she knew when the transitions from one place to the next would occur, giving her plenty of time to close her eyes. The only time she didn't was when the ride surged forward, bringing them closer to the fireworks display that signaled the end of the ride. She would happily deal with a few minutes of being dizzy if it meant never taking her eyes off her favorite sight.

As the screen blanked again and the gliders began to lower themselves into boarding position again, Hermione realized her hands were no longer in her lap. They were both curled over the edges of the arm rests. At least, that's what her left hand was doing. Her right hand, however, was twined tightly with Tom's. Her cheeks began to burn; so much so that she was pretty sure the tips of her ears were red too.

He cleared his throat a second before he let go of her hand and had Hermione not been trying to hide her own blush, she might have seen his. Instead, she busied herself with reaching for her bag and undoing the belt around her lap before sliding to her feet and walking behind Tom on the way to the exit.

"What did you think?" she asked as they emerged back into the fresh air of the park.

"I liked it," he admitted. "That one doesn't make you sick?"

She shrugged as she tucked the few pieces of her hair behind her ear; the ones that refused to stay in her plait. "It does a little, but I'll just get some water and not ride anything for a bit and I'll be fine. Trust me, it's worth it."

He gave a nod and then pointed to a bench a family of four had just stood up from. "Sit," he insisted, staying on his feet as she did. "I'll get your water. Do you want anything else?"

She shook her head, bewildered that he was volunteering to do something nice. He was gone before she could say anything and in his absence, she stared at her hand. A small smile graced her lips for a moment. She had always berated herself for having a crush on him because of his attitude, but he was different this time. Until he returned, she let her mind wander.

"Thank you," she said, smiling up at him when he returned. She sipped at her water for a few minutes and then shoved the bottle into her bag before pushing herself up. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way."

Chapter Text

Saturday, 19 September 2020; part 2

After Soarin', they left California Adventure to go back to the main park. Instead of going across the draw bridge towards the castle, she went left towards Adventureland. They hit the major rides; the ones she would never be caught dead passing up on. They started with Pirates in New Orlean's Square and then worked their way back to Indiana Jones followed by the Jungle Cruise. By the time they were done with just those three, it was already time to start heading back to California Adventure so they wouldn't be late for dinner.

The last thing she wanted to do was give any of the other four satisfaction of her being late when she had made it a point to threaten them about it earlier.

It did nothing to deter her from hopping into the absurdly long line for the Dole Whips though. She hadn't stopped for one yesterday and refused to make that mistake again this time. She had gone the traditional route with just the soft serve, but Tom had opted for the float. Having never strayed from the original, she asked for a taste and he obliged. While it was good, she wasn't sure she could drink a whole one by herself.

She was glad that he was easier to talk to as time went by. She didn't know what she would have done if he had kept up his hardened exterior. But it seemed that there was no topic that was off limits and they spent the afternoon trying to one up each other in terms of knowledge. So far, they had yet to find something the other didn't know anything about. If anything, he had given her a list of topics to delve into when she got home; ones she was familiar with, but with his perspective, she wanted to know more.

They had finished their treats just as they arrived to the venue; something she was grateful for as she found herself being pulled into a warm embrace and hoisted off her feet in greeting. "Happy birthday!" Theo's excitement spurred her own. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him until he was there.

"Glad you're here," she said, hugging him back tightly before stepping away. "And thank you."

She saw the look of surprise on his face as he recognized Tom standing behind her, but it was short lived. As he smiled and stepped forward to greet him in turn, she moved to hug Harry. When she turned around to see Theo and Tom talking, Ginny and Draco were approaching as well; right on time. After another round of greetings, they all moved inside to announce their arrival and claim their reservations.

Dinner, like the rest of her trip so far, was perfect. The food was just as delicious as everything else in the park, the conversation among the six of them was lively, and the atmosphere was exactly what she had pictured. They spent nearly an hour and a half making their way through a three-course meal and a round or two of drinks. The staff even did a special bit for her when the dessert came. She had expected it, especially since Harry of all people had beat her to the restaurant, but she went with it while everyone sang happy birthday to her.

As Draco took care of the tab, something she tried to protest, they were given their passes for that night's World of Color show. It was one of the reasons she had made this reservation; so they could see the show from the front row without having to fight for it.

Once they were back outside, Harry informed them he and Theo had Fast Passes for Radiator Springs Racers. It turned out Ginny and Draco also had Fast Passes for around the same time. So the group decided to head to Cars Land; taking their time to enjoy each other's company as they went. When the four split off, Hemione told them her and Tom would catch up at the reserved section for the show. It was less than two hours away now.

Wanting something to drink, she and Tom went to the Cozy Cone Motel. Knowing that, as per usual, she would never finish anything, she asked if he would be okay splitting something with her. When he said that he wouldn't mind at all, he followed her over to the fourth cone and waited with her while she ordered a Red's Apple Freeze. He rolled his eyes when she asked for the souvenir cup, but didn't say anything.

She took the first drink and closed her eyes as the flavor made her taste buds explode. She licked her lips after pulling the straw away and handed it to him with wide eyes. He took it from her and placed his lips around the edge of the cup before tipping it back to taste it for himself. He hummed in approval and nodded his head as he gave it back to her.

"Good, right?" she asked as they moved towards the little seating area. There weren't any places left to sit, but they stood off to the side near the line of hedges to get out of the way.

He nodded again as he took the cup back and went in for a second drink. She laughed quietly as his eagerness had earned a bit of spillage. A bit of the red mixture spilled out over the corner of his mouth and she automatically reached up with the napkin in her hand that had come with the drink to wipe it away. They both went still as they realized what she was doing, but if he objected to her cleaning him up, he kept it to himself.

He simply inclined his head to her in thanks when she was finished and she let her hand drop back to her side. "If you don't hurry up and drink some, I'm going to finish it," he warned before taking another sip.

"Then I'll have two souvenir cups," she quipped.

He was quick to pull the cup away from his mouth as a smile took hold of his lips and a laugh bubbled past them.

She took the cup back then and took a smug sip of her own. "So which ears are you planning to get?"

"None?" he replied, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I would say that was a pretty big smile; one that you said wouldn't happen. Remember our bet?" She smiled more as his eyes widened. "And food or not, you've definitely smiled more than once since yesterday. I think that constitutes a win for me."

"I think you're-"

One of the little kids in the area barreled into her from behind, pushing her closer to Tom. He caught her by the biceps and held her in place to ensure that she didn't stumble and fall. Her eyes went wide as she stared up at him. She had never been that close to him before and now that she was, she couldn't think straight. It was as if the world around them was fading out completely and the only thing she could focus on was the way his eyes kept flickering towards her lips. At least, she would have noticed if her eyes weren't glued to his lips. Her breath caught in her throat as they both seemed to move towards the other.

But the moment was over before it had even really begun.

"I'm so sorry," came a female voice from beside them. Tom released her and took a half step back. He looked away and Hermione forced her attention to the woman that had interrupted them. "They didn't hurt you, did they? Or make you spill your drink?"

It took a moment for Hermione to realize the woman was probably the mother of the kid that had knocked into her. She shook her head and smiled. "I'm fine. I barely felt it."

She looked relived as she nodded. "I really am sorry."

Hermione shook her head. "It's alright, I promise."

"You're too nice. Have a good rest of your night, you two," she said and then tipped her head at Hermione. "Sorry to interrupt," she added with a whisper then winked and walked away.

Hermione cleared her throat and looked back at Tom who was still looking away from her. She tapped him one the shoulder and beckoned with a nod of her head for him to follow her. "Thanks," she said as she handed the drink to him again.

"You're welcome," he said, taking another swig.

"For the record, if you thought that would make me forget we were discussing which ears you're getting, you're wrong," she said as she led him out of Cars Land and making a left; opposite of the restaurant they had had dinner at earlier.

"Then I'm sorry I didn't let the kid knock you on your ass."

She laughed as she took the drink back and took as much as she could handle before handing it back. "Such a gentleman," she muttered. "I'm done with that, by the way, so make sure you finish it before we get in line."

"In line for what?" he asked, nearly draining the remainder of the cup as it was.

"The Little Mermaid."

He stopped and she smirked at him. "Really?"

"You don't want ears for the rest of the night, fine. You have to ride that with me instead."

He sighed before tossing back what was left and handing her the empty cup. "Deal."

She beamed up at him and led him to the nearest bathroom before going to the ride. After she washed her hands, she rinsed out the cup and dried it with towels before stashing it in her bag. Tom, not surprisingly, was done and waiting for her outside so she led him back to the ride; thoroughly enjoying the deep sigh that escaped his lips.

As it was every time she went on this particular ride, the line was rather short. They were in it for all of ten minutes before they were stepping up to the platform and sliding into the blue clamshell that would take them through the attraction. She set her bag on the floor by their feet and settled into her seat as the bar came down gently over their laps.

She smiled at the sight of Scuttle and then sighed as they dipped lower on the track while a projection of bubbles signified them going under the sea. Just as it always was with that song, the moment Ariel's projection above started singing Part of Your World, Hermione found her lips moving too. It was hard to resist the urge to belt the lyrics at the top of her lungs like she normally would.

It was the same when they got to the next part with Under the Sea and for Poor Unfortunate Soul. She heard Tom chuckle under his breath when they got to the figure of Ariel surrounded with the spell that removed her voice and Hermione felt her cheeks flush again. As they continued to move, there was another round of bubbles, indicating they were no longer under the sea and Hermione stilled as she remembered which song was next.

She couldn't stop herself from looking over at him and was surprised to see him staring right back at her. The same feeling that had washed over her earlier at the Cozy Cone resurfaced, but this time, there was no one to interrupt them as they leaned in towards one another. As their lips met, she realized the moment couldn't have been more perfect if she had tried.

Her eyes closed as he kissed her; meanwhile Kiss the Girl played in the background, adding to the moment. Hermione had been dreaming of a first kiss like this since she had watched the movie for the first time. She sighed against his lips as he shifted closer. The kiss stayed gentle; just a repeated pressing of lips against one another; neither one of them ready for more. Especially when the moment was ended too soon as a Cast Member cleared their throat and waved for them to exit the clamshell.

They both blushed as they broke away. She reached for her bag and took his hand when he offered it to her. They said nothing as they followed the others out the exit; only stopping when they had reached a place where they were out of other people's way. It occurred to her then, as she stared up at him, that she hadn't even noticed she'd missed the rest of the ride.

As her lips parted to ask him about their encounter, his phone rang. He was rather quick about fishing it from his pocket and answering it. He looked around, leaving Hermione to assume he was talking to Draco. "We'll be right there," he said and put the phone back in his pocket. "They're waiting for us."

She said nothing as she nodded and fell into step beside him as they made their way over to the reserved seating area. They showed their vouchers to the Cast Member at the entrance and then proceeded to meet the others in the front row. She plopped into the seat next to Ginny and was vaguely aware that Draco had led Tom off to the side to speak with him away from everyone else.

"You alright?" Ginny asked, studying her intently.

With Theo and Harry to her right, engrossed in a private conversation with their heads together, Hermione decided she could speak about it. "Tom kissed me," she said, her voice lowered.

Ginny's eyes nearly popped out of her skull and her jaw dropped, but as she turned to look in Tom and Draco's direction, Hermione dug her nails into Ginny's arm.

"Don't look at him," she hissed under her breath.

"Then start talking," she demanded, her voice equally as low.

Once again, her lips parted to speak, but was interrupted; this time by music. Draco took his seat on the other side of Ginny and Tom next to him. For a moment, Hermione was surprised at the disappointment that coursed through her at having him so far away from her. She was even more surprised at the fact that the display wasn't enough to make her forget. Normally, she would be so engrossed by the show that she forgot the world around her, but this time…

This time all she could think of was the way his lips felt against hers. How she wanted to feel them again. She wondered if he would have tasted like the drink they had shared or what his tongue would have felt like as it slid against hers.

She was brought out of her reverie rather quickly as Draco slid out of his seat and knelt in front of Ginny. He took her hand in his over her lap and began to speak. It took a moment for Hermione to realize what he was doing and before she knew it, all she could focus on was her best friend being proposed to.

The whole crowd around them cheered like crazy when Ginny said yes. When Ginny finally let go of Draco, Hermione launched herself at her friend; the two of them screaming with joy. It wasn't until after the show was over that they were aware of the professional photographers and videographers off to the side. Draco had arranged for them to capture the whole thing as well as group photos after the show.

They all agreed to head back to the hotel an hour later, once the celebration had started to die down. Their emotions were still running high, but they wanted to continue celebrating in private. By ten-thirty that night, they were back at the hotel. To no one's surprise, Ginny and Draco went straight to their room. Hermione went into Harry's to retrieve her things and when she came out, Tom was hauling his suitcase into the living room.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Clearing out so you can have the room," he stated, his tone flat as if it were obvious.

"You don't-"

"I always planned on giving you the room once Theo came out."

"I won't be able to sleep knowing you're on something as uncomfortable as the couch." She shook her head and folded her arms over her chest. "I don't mind sharing the room with you."

"There's only one bed," he said.

Hermione had known that, but to be faced with that knowledge was something else entirely. She shrugged after a moment. "Is that a problem?"

She saw the corners of his lips twitch at her challenge, but he shook his head. "Not at all."

"That settles it then," she said, reaching down for the handle of her suitcase. "I hope you don't snore," she added as she passed him.

"Same," he replied, earning a small laugh from her.

She opened her suitcase on the side of the bed closest to the window and dug around for her toiletries and night clothes. "Do you mind if I use the shower first?"

He shook his head and stretched a hand towards the bathroom in invitation. She inclined her head in thanks and made her way to it. Just like the previous two nights with Harry, she brought the hair dryer into the room when she was done and dried her hair while Tom showered. She was just sliding under the covers when he came out of the bathroom, toweling off his hair.

Neither of them spoke as she plugged her phone in and bounced around her usual apps. He joined her a short while later and seemed to do the same. It wasn't long after that before they were both yawning every few seconds and decided to put their phones up at the same time. They ended up laying on their sides, facing one another. She smiled sleepily at him and he returned it with one of his own.

"You're still getting ears tomorrow," she murmured as her eyelids fluttered closed.

His voice was soft and she heard it right before she drifted off to sleep. "Whatever you say, Princess."

Chapter Text

Sunday, 20 September 2020; part 1

Hermione was pulled from her dream by a gentle shake to her shoulder and a slightly familiar voice calling her name from a distance. As the fog of slumber slowly started to recede, the voice grew closer. When she was finally able to open her eyes, Tom was sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed. He was staring down at her with his hand stretched out; fingers curled around her shoulder.

It took her a moment to remember that they had decided to share the room the night before since she was no longer bunking with Harry. He withdrew his touch as she shifted into a sitting position and rubbed at her eyes. "What time is it?" she asked, covering her mouth as her words sparked a yawn. Her gaze drifted towards the window where weak light streamed around the edges of the curtains.

"A little after five-thirty," he answered, his fingers playing with the comforter.

Her eyes widened at that.

"We have that early access thing, right? Where we can get in before the majority of the visitors?"

She nodded slowly. "Magic Morning Hours," she mumbled, her lips curving up into a smile. "They start at seven."

"Then I suggest you get up so we can make the most of them."

Had it been any other day, she might have asked for more information. Might have protested or tried to pry and see what angle he was playing at. Seeing as how it was a Disneyland day; her last day there, she was quick to slide out of bed and gather her things so she could get ready in the bathroom. Within twenty minutes, they were both ready to go.

She paused in the living room and looked at the other two rooms before Tom. "Are they not-"

He shook his head. "They can join us later."

"Oh," she said, turning away as she started to blush again. Quickly, she scrounged around for a pen and something to write on. She was planning on texting everyone later, but she left the note sticking out of the door where it closed for them to see. It was a reminder to meet at the Carnation Café for breakfast and their reservation was for ten. With that in place, she and Tom took their leave of the hotel.

Hermione found it hard not to run ahead, but each time she caught herself and went to slow down, Tom was right there at her side, matching her pace. In all the times she had been to Disneyland, not once had anyone been willing to get out of bed at the crack of dawn with her so they could take advantage of the early morning access. Being grateful that people wanted to go with her at all, she never said anything and was just happy with their company.

The fact that it was Tom, of all people, to join her without prompting made her feel things she wasn't sure she was ready for. Things she wasn't exactly opposed to.

They filled their wait with easy conversation, mostly about one of the topics they had been cut off on the other day. Time passed relatively quickly and before she knew it, they were being let in with the crowd. Since it was so early, she stopped at a good place in front of the castle and pulled out her phone to take a picture. He took it from her and stepped back as if to take her picture.

He stopped at the sight of her frown. "Don't you want your picture in front of the castle?"

"Yes, but I want you to be in it too," she said, surprised at how level her voice sounded.

He looked hesitant to oblige and it was then that she remembered their first day where he had taken all the photos, but was never in them.

"Do you not like having your picture taken?"

He shrugged. "Not used to it."

She nodded and walked over to him with the intention of taking her phone back. Instead, she gave a small gasp as he looped an arm around her and pulled her close. Out of instinct, she reached up to put both hands on his chest and looked up. "Tom-"

"Just look at the camera," he said, a smirk on his lips.

She turned her head then and relaxed her stance as he shifted closer ever so slightly. She couldn't help but smile then as he brought the phone up to take a selfie. When he was done, he let her go; the sudden loss of his body against hers made her shiver. She took the phone when he finally handed it to her and pulled up the pictures he had taken. Her smile widened at the sight of them on her screen.

"I'm making this your contact image."

"I figured," he muttered, but the smile on his face didn't waver.

Closing out of the camera and putting her phone back into the front pocket of her bag, she tilted her head and led him towards Peter Pan's Flight. There was still a line, but it wasn't nearly as long as it usually was. They were through it in fifteen minutes.

After they slid into the ship and began to move, she turned to smile at him. "You didn't ride this with us the other day, so you'll finally see what you missed out on."

He rolled his eyes, but returned her smile anyway.

She studied him for a moment as they flew through the kid's bedroom. She watched as he took in the sight of flying over the map of London, enjoying the sense of wonder she saw on his face. It was the first time she ever paid attention to anything other than the ride. In an overwhelming rush of boldness, her hand sought his and she twined their fingers together.

He turned his attention towards her and her smile broadened. "Thank you," she said, just loud enough to be heard. "For doing this with me this morning."

"You're welcome," he replied, giving her hand a light squeeze before turning his attention back to the ride.

When he let go of her hand, it was only because the ride had ended and they were stepping off the ship. As they exited the area, she wanted to ask about their kiss from the night before, but the boldness that had gotten her to reach for his hand disappeared and she thought better of it. Instead, she started moving towards It's a Small World where the lines were sure to be shorter as well.

"How does this ride not annoy you?" he asked as they found their place at the back of the line.

"It's less annoying during the Holiday season."

He snorted. "I highly doubt that."

"What, you don't like Christmas music either?"

"In small doses," he countered, looking up the way were people were stepping into the boats. "I can't imagine my eardrums not wanting to rupture at a combination of the two."

"Don't knock it until you try it," she quipped.

He hummed in response and looked up at the façade of the building. Hermione took the opportunity to study him for a moment before the line started to move again. As they got closer, a thought occurred to her.

"Your birthday is New Year's Eve, right?"

His gaze found hers so fast, the tiniest bit of nausea presented itself from watching the motion. "You know my birthday?"

She nodded slowly as she waited for her skin to flush. "It's kind of a significant day."

"My birth or the holiday?" he questioned with a smirk.

She let out a laugh that was more nerves than anything and shook her head at him. "Maybe we should plan a trip to come back for your birthday." She had felt her lips move; had heard the words aloud in her own voice, but she was still in disbelief that that was real. In order to try and feel less awkward, she added, "All of us, I mean. It would be a fun holiday."

"All of us?" he questioned, his brow quirking up. "Might as well just be the two of us. Aside from the first day, they were pretty quick to go off on their own. What if I wasn't here?" he asked.

Hermione's lips parted with the intention of defending the rest of their group, but to a certain extent, he was right. She wasn't mad by any means; they wanted to spend time with their significant others too. Then again… What if Tom hadn't come along? Would they have still separated? Realistically, they would have, but she would have either been alone in the parks or tagged along with one couple or the other like a third wheel.

Either way, Hermione had never felt more aware of the fact that she was single than in that moment. Her shoulders slumped forward a bit as she deflated. It had never bothered her either, but in instances like this, it did. Harry had Theo to enjoy the park with and Ginny had Draco. He had even proposed to her; a fantasy Hermione harbored and was trying her best not to be jealous of.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she barely realized when the Cast Member told her a number and she drifted over to that queue to wait for her boat. Tom went first and turned to offer his hand to help her. As they sat, she realized he was sitting closer than he needed to and she felt her lips curve into a small smile.

Of all the people to have made this vacation; this birthday the most enjoyable one yet, it was Tom. If someone had told her Wednesday night or even at any point on Thursday that that would be the case, she would have told them off for going crazy. But when Harry had left to meet up with Theo and Ginny traipsed off with Draco, Tom had been there.

He talked to her about anything and everything. He made her laugh. Not once had he ever said no to anything she wanted to do whether it was food, drinks, or choice of rides. Even when he teased, there was no malice behind it. He had held her hand on Soarin' when the smallest bit of fear had kicked in and he hadn't teased her about it. He even offered to get her water and made sure she sat when it was over so she didn't get sick.

He had kissed her.

Her lips tingled at the mere memory of it.

And if that wasn't already enough, he had woken her up to make sure she got at least one day's use of their extra hour of park time. That had never come up in any of their conversations whether in the group or by themselves. She had never expressed her desire of even wanting to make use of it, but after three full days in her presence, he had done so without being prompted.

It wasn't until they emerged from the tunnel and into the sunlight once more that Hermione realized she hadn't paid attention to a single thing within the ride. Being around him was causing her to miss an awful lot of the park experience, but she wasn't entirely convinced that it was a bad thing.

He stepped off the boat first and extended his hand to help her out. Even when she was on solid ground, she decided she didn't want to let go and when he made no move to do so either, she laced their fingers together and tugged him towards the one place they hadn't been yet.

Toon Town.

Was she going to take advantage of the fact he had yet to say no to her? Absolutely. But as they took in the sights of this part of the park, she realized he wasn't holding back as much anymore. He was laughing with her at every turn. He didn't protest when someone offered to take their picture behind the bars of Pluto's Dog House. He went through the other characters houses and let her take all the pictures of them that she wanted.

Shortly after nine, they started making their way out of Toon Town so they wouldn't be late for breakfast. Her stomach was already rolling with the need for food. They had made it as far as the small gift shop outside of It's a Small World before her phone rang. They stepped out of the main path while she answered Harry's call and he stayed a few paces back to give her some privacy.

"You guys didn't wait for us?" he asked in lieu of a traditional greeting.

"Good morning to you too, Harry," she returned. "And no. He woke me up early so we could be inside the gate by seven. The four of you won't be late, right?"

He was silent for a moment and Hermione braced herself for a fight. "We'll be there," he said with a small sigh. "I know he's not-"

"He's fine, Harry. I promise. He's been really…nice."

She could practically see Harry's face contorting as he realized there was more to that story than he wanted to know. She bit her lip when she heard him mumble something under his breath, but it sounded as though he had pulled the phone away.

"On that note, we'll see you at ten," he promised.

Tom rejoined her at her side as she put her phone back into her bag and they continued on. She had planned to head straight to Main Street, but she let out a small gasp of surprise as his fingers slid over her wrist so he could tug her into the line for the Storybook Land Canal Boats. He simply smiled down at her when she looked up to make sure he hadn't tripped or something.

Genuinely shocked by the fact this was his idea, Hermione continued to stare after him as they went through the relatively short line. This time, she was too enchanted by all the small scenescapes before her to really pay attention to Tom. This ride was also one of her top five; mostly due to the tranquility and the ambiance of her favorite songs floating through the air.

As they entered the Cave of Wonders and the Cast Member gave her spiel about the Genie, the lamp, and the wishes, Hermione let her mind drift. She had always wished that she could make time stop. That she would never have to leave the parks. This time, she found herself wishing whatever was happening between her and Tom would continue. That their first kiss wouldn't be their last. That the next would happen soon.

As they exited the cave, the next miniature kingdom was Prince Eric's from The Little Mermaid. As the music from the movie reached their ears, his hand settled over hers. She went still; afraid to look at him. Instead, she simply enjoyed the warmth of his touch and went back to paying attention to the rest of the ride. And just like It's a Small World, their hands stayed joined until for a fair bit of time after they stepped off the boat.

They walked back down the main path of Fantasyland and did the walkthrough beneath the castle. The crowd had definitely thickened since they had first arrived, but that was too be expected. It was when they rounded the statue of Mickey and Walt that they started to converse again. It wasn't until she heard Tom's voice that she realized they had even fallen into silence to begin with.

"So this café we're going to…" he started. "Is it really that good we had to make reservations for it?"

She snorted. "It's the best," she informed him. "And if you don't order the Mickey waffles, I don't think we can be friends anymore."

"Anything special about these waffles or is it just the shape?"

She could tell that he was teasing her, but she didn't care. "Anything Mickey shaped tastes better. Everyone knows that."

"Not everyone."

"Yes everyone," she argued. "You'll see."

"What makes you so sure I'll order them?"

"You want to keep being my friend, don't you?" she challenged, looking over at him with a smirk on her face.

He was grinning back at her, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes as he said, "I suppose."

Clearing her throat, she looked ahead and they finished their journey to their destination in comfortable silence.

They didn't have to wait long for the others to join them outside the café and after a round of greetings, they made their way inside. They were seated at one of the outside tables and Hermione sat facing the castle. Tom sat to her left while Harry sat to her right. Ginny smirked at her from across the table as the boys scoured the menu. She shook her head, but bit her lip to keep herself from grinning too widely. Something she was not able to hold back for long when Tom told the waiter he wanted whatever Hermione was getting.

Just as it always was around her friends, the conversation was easy as they enjoyed their food. They took their time in eating and just enjoying each other's company. As the meal started to wrap up, they discussed their next venture, already having agreed to stick together for a bit that morning. Somehow, Harry and Draco talked her into getting a Fast Pass for the Cars Land rollercoaster. Harry assured her that it wasn't something that would make her sick and since he would know second to herself, she booked her Fast Pass with the rest of them.

Even Tom.

They had all lucked out and gotten one within an hour of booking it. It gave them plenty of time to pay their tab and take time to walk over from the main park to California Adventure. By the time they got there, they would still have time to spare before they were able to get in line. So sure of her timing, she convinced the rest of them to stop into the Emporium with her to look around.

Having left her ears in the hotel room and knowing she could never have enough, that was where Hermione went for first. As she grabbed the ones representing Ariel, she heard Tom's quiet chuckle from beside her. "I thought you would have gone straight for these," he said, pointing to the yellow ones with a red bow for Belle.

She simply looked up at him with a quirked brow, waiting for his explanation.

"Isn't Belle your favorite princess?"

Her eyes went wide in astonishment. It wasn't as though it was a secret, but she didn't think he cared enough to know that. "She is," she replied.

"Figures. Your nose is always stuck in a book too."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she stared at him. "Have…have you seen Beauty and the Beast?"

"It's been on while I was in the room before," he said, determined to admit nothing, but doing so anyway with the slight flush of his cheeks.

Hermione shook her head and set the headband back onto the peg. "When I was little, I used to want to grow up to be Belle. She was the only princess I identified with."

"And Ariel?"

"She was always my second favorite princess, but recent events have me seriously considering whether or not she should be first."

Her gaze slipped to his lips as his tongue darted out to moisten them. She could tell by the way he shifted; at the way his eyes flashed that he was going to say something, but the moment was ruined by the others joining them. Instead, Draco pulled Tom into a conversation with Theo and Harry while Ginny beckoned her to follow towards another section of the shop.

It was easy to get swept up in the excitement of the proposal from last night. Since Ginny had been Hermione's best friend since they were little, they had often fantasized about their future weddings. Now that one of them was about to come to fruition, they couldn't contain themselves. They even found themselves outside waiting across the path for the guys to join them as they lost themselves in the dreams of a grand wedding affair. Realistically, they knew it wouldn't be what they planned right now, but it was fun to dream about it anyway.

Hermione was too busy watching the crowd and looking down Main Street towards the castle to notice when the guys came out of the shop. The only reason she did was because Ginny nudged her side with her elbow. She turned a scowl at her friend who smirked in return and nodded towards the Emporium. Hermione followed her gaze and did a double take at the sight.

She was vaguely aware of The Little Mermaid inspired headband in Tom's grasp as her eyes only lingered on it for half a second. She barely even noticed the other three boys as her gaze traveled up to Tom; more specifically what rested on his head. He was wearing a Mickey ears headband with Merlin's hat from the Sorcerer's Apprentice in the center.

Hermione wasn't even aware that she was moving until she found herself stopping in front of Tom. They were standing in the middle of the road, but she didn't care. She didn't even think about the fact that the others were watching them as well as all the strangers passing by. She followed her heart and threw her arms about his neck and pressed up on the tips of her toes. She was grateful that he seemed to have known this would be her reaction and wasted no time in leaning down to capture her lips.

Time seemed to stand still around them as she closed her eyes and surrendered to the way his kiss made her feel. She parted her lips almost immediately and he did the same. Their tongues met in the middle and as they explored each other's mouths eagerly, she smiled at the taste of the waffles from earlier. His lips were gentle on hers and he sighed into her mouth a moment before he pulled back. She sighed too as he rested his forehead against hers.

As much as she wanted to stay where they were and kiss him for all eternity, they needed to breathe. She hadn't even realized her lungs were burning from lack of oxygen until he pulled away from her and handed her the Ariel ears. "You forgot these."

She took them, removed the tag, and placed them onto her head before reaching for his hand and turning back towards the others. "Shall we?" she asked them as they stared at the pair with smirks and laughter in their eyes.

With a squeeze to her hand as he laced their fingers together, he took the lead for once and the others followed suit.

Chapter Text

Sunday, 20 September 2020; part 2

Tom and Hermione sat in the front of the red car while Harry and Theo filed into the front of the blue, leaving Ginny and Draco in the row behind them. A couple they didn't know took the back seat of the red car. It didn't matter once the race started. Hermione was glad she had put her hair in a braid; though by the end of it, she had to redo it. And she was glad that she had taken both her and Tom's headbands and stashed them into her bag before takeoff.

The red car won, earning Tom and Hermione bragging rights for the rest of the day. Tom even purchased the picture of their victory and the Cars themed frame to put it in.

The group stayed together for awhile, taking their time to work their way back through California Adventure before heading back to the main park. They caught a few rides here and there, but mostly spent their time looking through the shops and binging on all sorts of treats. Tom got another Dole Whip float and shared it with Hermione and on their way back to Tomorrowland later that afternoon, they shared beignets.

The four of them had gotten Fast Passes for Space Mountain again. Hermione had talked Tom into getting passes for Astro Blasters with her around the same time. With a bit of time to go before they could enter the lines, they found themselves in The Star Trader to look around. She wasn't at all surprised that Harry went straight to the build your own lightsaber. In fact, watching him sift through the parts put a smile on her face.

At one point, she found herself alone with Draco and she took the opportunity to thank him. "I know you probably invited Tom because you proposed to Ginny, but thank you anyway."

He gave her that signature smirk of his and his gaze flickered to something behind her shoulder for a brief moment before finding hers. "He asked to come along before he knew I was proposing."

Hermione paused mid inhale as though she had suddenly forgot how to breathe. "What?"

He stared at her for a second with a mischievous glint in his eye; as if he were contemplating on saying anything more. Luckily, she knew he would cave and tell her because, like Ginny, he loved meddling. "He heard me talking about it with Theo and asked if he could come too. He knew it was for your birthday and that was why he wanted to be here."

"Oh…" she breathed as her mind began to race alongside the wild beating of her heart. "I didn't think he liked me very much."

"I'm not sure why he does," he said teasingly. "You're an insufferable know-it-all at best."

She scowled at him for a second before she slapped her hand across his shoulder. They exchanged a smile and she shook her head. "I can take back my permission for you to marry my best friend at any time you know."

"You never gave me any."

"I know, you asshole. You never ever asked me. I'm offended."

They laughed at one another before he tossed an arm around her shoulders and gave her an awkward hug. "Tell you what, I'll give you permission to date my cousin if you give me permission to marry your best friend."

"Deal."

As she stepped away from Draco, her gaze found Tom's across the room. He was watching their interaction with a stoic expression; one that brightened when she smiled at him. The sight of his lips curving upwards set off a storm of butterflies in her stomach. Knowing that he hadn't been forced into this trip; that he had wanted to be a part of it all along because of her made her feel incredible. As if she were floating high on Cloud Nine.

She went towards him without even thinking then and reached for his hand. "You and Draco have a nice chat?" he asked.

She hummed in response, but knew it was better not to divulge what Draco had told her. She didn't want him to get mad or the moment to be ruined. "He was asking me for permission to marry Ginny."

He snorted. "Typical. He always was good about asking for forgiveness afterwards rather than permission beforehand."

Hermione laughed and nodded in agreement. They continued looking around the place until the others made their purchases and they regrouped outside. They talked about where to eat after the rides. When none of them could agree on a place, Hermione suggested they split off until later for the fireworks. Having agreed that that was the best course of action, Tom and Hermione split away towards Astro Blasters while the other four went to Space Mountain.

With the Fast Passes, they were only in line for a good ten minutes before sliding into their car. Tom stared at the mechanism for a moment and then back at her. "It's an interactive ride. Shoot the targets and rack up points."

"Who are we playing against?" he asked.

"Each other," she replied.

The look in his eye told her he wanted to make a wager, but the ride started before he could. Instead, they lost themselves in the experience and Hermione tried harder than she ever had before to rack up as many points as she could. When she saw their final scores at the end, she stared at him; her jaw dropped in astonishment.

"Were you even trying?" she asked. "I suck at this game. There's no way you-" She narrowed her eyes at him then. "Did you let me win?"

"If I did, do you really think I would admit to that?"

She rolled her eyes as she gathered her bag by her feet and followed after him to find their picture. "If we had more time, I would demand a rematch," she said when they found the right screen.

"Next time."

Her head fell back so she could stare at him in wonder.

"For my birthday so you can show me how much better this place is during the holidays." He gave a fake pout for a moment. "I thought it was a done deal."

"I didn't think you were serious," she breathed.

"I wasn't, but I've changed my mind since. Not this year, obviously, but maybe next year," he said as they began to walk outside again.

"You see us being friends that long?"

She knew Draco had just told her that Tom liked her and must have liked her for time, but she wanted more confirmation than a few kisses and holding hands. He glanced at her from the side and nodded for a moment before guiding her off to the side so he could stop and face her. A shiver erupted down her spine as he reached for both of her hands and pulled them up against his chest.

"I was hoping to be more than just friends with you, Hermione."

She smiled up at him and nodded eagerly. "For the record, I am absolutely counting this as our first date."

He sighed, but a smile took hold of his lips regardless. "That's setting the bar awfully high for me."

"Deal with it," she said as she slipped her hands from his so she could cup his face and bring it down to hers.

Their kiss was short lived as both of their stomachs gurgled, making them laugh and pull away. He took her hand in his again, but let her lead when she said she had a restaurant in mind. He wasn't surprised at all when they got to the Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland. She had been trying hard to stay away from it for the entire trip because she wasn't sure if she would be able to leave once she went in.

As they ordered their food and found a place to sit, she realized just how lucky she was. Not only had he not teased her too harshly about ordering her drink in yet another souvenir cup, he had gotten one for himself. And as they sat and ate, not once did he ask her to stop humming or singing along to the music. She even got him to admit that he had watched the movie; that it hadn't been background noise as he had originally tried to pass it off as. And he didn't complain once when they had finished their meal and lingered because she couldn't pull herself away.

When they finally did leave, they went back towards New Orlean's Square. They got in line for the Haunted Mansion which took a good chuck of their time. By the time they came out of the attraction, the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon already. Hermione sighed slightly at the thought of her Disney trip coming to an end. She hoped Tom wouldn't judge her too harshly because she knew she was always one to cry upon leaving the park for the last time. Regardless if she was already planning a return trip or not.

Having looked at the time, Hermione figured they had time for one more ride before they had to meet the others for the fireworks. They most likely had time for two, which was why she always left plenty of wiggle room in her plans. Typically, she reserved Pirates of the Caribbean for her last ride of her entire trip, but there would be time after the fireworks to ride it again. They didn't have to wait very long and when they got to the front of the line, she asked the Cast Member if they could sit in the back of the next boat.

Having slid into their seats, Hermione slid as close as she could to Tom without being in his lap. He smirked at her as his arm came up to rest atop her shoulders and pull her even closer. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they began their journey. The beginning part with the bayou was her favorite part and experiencing it this way made it ten times better.

As they went down the first drop, she turned her face towards him to avoid the few drops of water that splashed over the sides. There was a moment of darkness before the Pirate's Life For Me song filled the air and the floated into a cavern of cool toned colors. She sighed heavily as she took in the sights around her. If she wasn't careful, she was going to close her eyes and fall asleep in his arms like she had when she was younger and curled up against her father.

They went to through the second drop and Davy Jones cautioning that dead men tell no tales. His arm tightened around her when she shifted closer as they reached the skeleton pirate steering his ship through a storm. She could feel his head moving above her as he took in the sights of the ship wrecks and the captain's quarters littered with treasure. As they drifted from the battle of Port Royal to the pirate town of Tortuga, his free hand stretched across their laps and rested palm up in invitation. She smiled as she reached over and grasped his hand; holding tight.

As they moved from Tortuga into the dungeons, she lifted her head and found him staring down at her. As the pirates in the jail cell whistled for the dog with the keys to come closer, Tom slid his hand from beneath hers and moved it up to cup her face. Her hand curved over his thigh as she turned and closed her eyes as his lips touched hers.

As with all the other rides he had stolen her attention from, this one was no different. In her mind's eye, she pictured the glowing embers of the ship falling apart above them, but her focus remained on the way his lips tugged at hers. When the shots of the drunken, dueling pirates rang out, his tongue rang across the seam of her lips. Her lips parted in invitation; partly from the fact that their boat docked on the track that would bring them up as well as wanting to taste him again. His tongue gently caressed hers as they ascended and his fingers tightened ever so slightly along her jaw.

When they parted, it felt like a mutual decision, but they lingered with their foreheads against one another; their breath mixing together in the space between them. As they waited for the boat to get to the dock so they could get out, she laid her head back onto his shoulder, wondering if he was smiling as wide as she was.

As they took their leave of the ride, Tom surprised her by backtracking slightly and pulling her into the line at the Mint Julep. Once they had another order of beignets in hand, they decided to save their feet and take the train to the Main Street Station. They spent their time on the train chatting about whatever came to mind as they feasted on their treats. As usual, the pastries were gone far too fast and left them covered in powdered sugar. Something Tom had no qualms about licking from her lips as he moved in to kiss her again. Neither one of them came up for air until they reached their destination and had to leave the train.

Having gotten a text from both Harry and Ginny about their respective proximity to their meeting place, Hermione and Tom took their time walking up Main Street. Most of it was spent window shopping. At this point during her last day of every trip, she had already spent more than she really should have and had to tote around more bags than she could carry. This trip she had already received everything she wanted; things that couldn't be bought in the parks. At the thought of that, she glanced up, smiling wide at the sight of the headband still nestled atop his hair.

They found the others and staked out a good place to watch the display from. This time, she didn't have time to reach out for Harry because when her hand moved to do so, she found Tom's hand was already twined with hers. She squeezed slightly and then smiled to herself as he let go so he could stand behind her and wrap his arms around her. She leaned back against his chest and tilted her head up to watch the majority of the show. But as it came to a close, she turned in his arms and brought his face down to hers.

This kiss was less gentle than all the others. This one still brought about butterflies, but it sent them rushing further south than she anticipated. The sensation made her shiver and she gasped as his fingers curled around her hips and pulled her closer to him. He took advantage of her parted lips and delved his tongue into her mouth. He tasted her with a reverence that stole the very breath from her lungs. And just as she thought she might not be able to stop herself, the sound of more than one throat clearing had them breaking apart with guilty smiles on their faces.

"We have two hours left," Harry said, checking his phone. "What do you want to do?" he asked, looking directly at Hermione.

She could feel the heat on her cheeks as she forced herself to hold Harry's gaze. "We rode Pirates before we got here." Harry's brow rose significantly as he knew exactly what that meant. "Since we got such a head start, I think we might turn in early."

Theo and Draco both turned away, but their snickers still reached her ears. Ginny didn't even bother to try and hide her smirk and Harry started to look a little green around the edges. "Well, alright then," he said as he reached up to rub the back of his neck; something he always did when he was uncomfortable. "See you in the morning I guess."

"Goodnight guys," Hermione said, waving at them before reaching for Tom's hand and turning away from the castle.

"We don't have to leave yet," Tom said as he peered down his nose at her from the side. "It's our last day and-"

"I know, but I've made more amazing memories than I ever thought possible."

"So why leave for the hotel?"

She wet her lips as she turned her head to look up at him. "To make some more."

His eyes darkened when he realized what she was implying and after a squeeze of his hand, they both picked up the pace as they made their way out of the park. She almost wished they had cut back through Tomorrowland and taken the Monorail to the entrance in Downtown Disney since it was right outside their hotel, but the walk was nice regardless. Even if her feet were screaming at her to let them rest.

Along the way, she opened a message from Ginny. The smile on her face was large as she took in the sight of the picture she sent. Instead of watching the fireworkds herself, Ginny had snapped a picture of Hermione and Tom snogging while the fireworks erupted in the sky behind them. It was a picture she would treasure forever. It took about a half an hour for them to get to the suite. Once they were inside their shared room, Hermione set her bag down next to her suitcase. Having already stepped out of his shoes, Tom came around to her side of the bed as she was getting out of hers. He took her hands in his and brought them up to his chest as he stared down at her.

"We don't have to do this tonight."

"Do you not want to?" she asked, staring up at him through her lashes.

He snorted as he smirked at her. "Of course I want to, but I'll understand if you would rather wait. We only just had our first date and all. I'm not presuming anything just because we're sharing a bed."

"Your gentlemanly notions have been heard, loud and clear, Tom," she assured him as she detangled her fingers from his and slid them up so she was cupping his face. "But I have had a crush on you for way too long and earlier I discovered that you had one too. This has been the most perfect weekend and trust me, this will-"

She sighed with relief as he silenced her by slanting his lips over hers.

They wasted no time in divulging one another of their clothing. Once they were completely bare, they moved towards the bed. Hermione laid down first and reached for Tom as he crawled over her. She drew up her knees, cradling his body between her thighs. He loomed over her as he took his time kissing her; tasting her until neither one of them could breathe.

They took turns exploring each other's bodies every which way. At first it was simple caresses and light touches. That quickly gave way into roaming gazes and trailing lips. Before she knew it, he had kissed every square inch of her until the only thing left was the part of her that craved him most. When he finally did taste her, his tongue brought nothing but wave after wave of pleasure to her.

When she had come down from her high, she pushed at him until he was beneath her so she could return the favor. His lids fluttered as she sampled his skin with her lips and her tongue. She left no trace of him untouched, just as he hadn't with her. The only difference was he wouldn't let her bring him off with her mouth. As he neared his edge, he pulled her up and pinned her beneath him once more.

She cried out for him as he buried himself inside of her over and over again. She lost count of how many times he made her experience fireworks bursting behind closed eyes. Solidifying the fact that this was the happiest place on earth.

When they had hit their breaking point, he laid on his back with an arm around her. She nestled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder as if he were her pillow. His other hand stretched around them to skim over the sensitive skin of her hip while her fingers played with the dark cluster of hair that dusted his chest.

She could feel herself drifting off to sleep, but she was awake enough to feel his lips brush against her temple as he whispered, "I told you I wouldn't ruin your trip."