LOST

By Lizzy-Fiction-89

Chapter One

Draco had lost his way. He didn't know who he was anymore.

Growing up he had been made to feel that he was more important than the average wizard and even more so against those born to muggle parents. But in the aftermath of the war he had lost everything; worst of all the one person who supported him unconditionally had given her freedom so that Draco would be free to repair his life.

He was the son of a Death Eater, and though his father had lined the pockets of the officials throughout the Ministry, but with their family name in ruins, opportunities that where once offered to him were taken away.

The job he had dreamed off with the Aurors, was no longer an option for him due to the his criminal record and his vault that once filled with piled of gold, saved by his mother for him was almost depleted and he was not allowed to access his family vaults due to his father's jail sentence.

Draco had completed his probation and the mandatory community service that kept him out of Azkaban and filing all the paper work through his lawyer for permission to leave the UK, he made the choice to pack up and go out on an adventure, maybe even start a new far from his home. He wasn't sure where he wanted to go but he knew that he needed to find out who he was.

XXX

He stepped on board the muggle ship, passing his ticket and documents to the passport to the official. He was genuinely suppressed that he was actually here. He had shown up at the port and headed to the ticket office with no real plan other than to approach the clerk and maybe book something for a few days or weeks away,

"Anywhere good to go?" he had asked the young man behind the glass partition and much to Draco's surprise the man gave a friendly smiled and told him it was his lucky day, that the boat in the dock had several rooms free and his boss had wanted as many of them booked up before it departed later that afternoon and as long as Draco had his documents and the funds her could book it there and then.

So that was how Draco Malfoy found himself stepping on board the large muggle cruise ship, believing that he would leave his past in Portsmouth.

"Everything seems in order here, you will need to book in at the main atrium just through the double doors ahead, enjoy you stay Sir" the official handed back Draco's documents.

Draco followed the officer's instructions heading through the double doors to where the check in desk was situated. Being one of the last to check in had its perks; mainly that most of the other passengers had booked in and collected their room keys and itineraries, leaving one person in front of him, the woman in front of him had a figure to die for,

'Maybe this will be an interesting break' he smiled to himself, he couldn't see her face, but she had legs that went on for days and wore a tight arse hugging jeans and Gypsy style blouse, as she walked away Draco stepped forward and the smell of honey and strawberries assaulted Draco's nose 'a very interesting break' he smiled to himself.

After collecting his room key, ship itinerary and a map that the assistant had circled his room and the main dining hall on. He glanced around the now practically deserted entrance way it was a beautiful ship one of the best in the fleet. It beautifully decorated, with the atrium being adorned in beautiful ocean blues and greens with inlays of gold and silver, reminding Draco of the common room he had spent his school days in.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," the voice from the speakers made him jump "I am your Capitan Simon Troy. Myself and my staff wish to welcome aboard the Missatainia and should you need any assistance please feel free to approach any of the staff on board. We will be setting sail at 5:00pm and we have clear weather and sea's ahead. Please listen carefully to the following safety announcements" Draco half listened as he headed past the lift to the stairway and down to the second floor, passing through halls lined with doors and the occasional Ice and vending machines he noted the numbers slowly increasing, 180, 184, 188, 190, 196, 199, and finally his room, 200.

Using his key card, he stepped into the small cabin, he could hear a deep rumble from somewhere below, indicated the engines starting up.

The room was small, with a shower room and toilet imminently to the left as you entered, with a fold out sofa and bed and a pull-down TV, currently showing all the fun activities available on board the three-week cruise. He looked through the porthole on the far wall where he could see the port walls in the distance, not the best view in the world however Draco only planned on sleeping here and was intending spending the trip in the casino and bar, with the possibility of having some fun should the right woman come along. He flopped down onto the sofa stretching out and letting out a sigh.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen" he ran his fingers through his blond hair absentmindedly watching the TV screen until the advertisements began repeat. He stood up grabbing his toiletries and a change of clothes before jumping in the shower.

XXX

An hour later feeling refreshed he made his way up to the top deck where one of the four casinos where opening now that they had left port. Upon arriving he made his way to the exchange to change up the muggle money he had into casino chips, before he started walking up and down the rows of slot machines and gambling tables finally settling at a colourful slot machine. He dropped a chip in and hitting the spin button making the colourful reels spin, then stop one Joker, stop two Joker stop three Joker and finally Stop four Joke, Maybe today was his lucky day, first spin and he was already making a prophet having won £100.

"Congratulations Sir, can I get you a drink?" a waitress smiled at him. They would pass every twenty or so minutes to top up his drink, all-inclusive trips have their perks after all.

It must have been two maybe three hours later when he felt his stomach growl. Letting out a yawn he hit the collect winnings button, that produced a recipe out a receipt, £2000.

'Not a bad night' he thought to himself, heading to the Exchange desk. Although the casino was full of many smells, he caught the smell off honey and strawberries, his eyes desperately searched the busy room. There she was, her back to him again, her curly hair in ringlets down her back, a red curve hugging low backed dress with a long skirt that had a split up the side revealing the skin of her exposed leg, 'she had curves to die for,' he thought biting his lip subconsciously, the thought that him pining over a muggle would have driven his father into a nut house…and that made him smile more.

He watched her roll the dice, her hair slid from her shoulder revealing an elaborate tattoo, a Golden Phoenix…At least, that was what Draco thought it was from this distance away and by did he wish he wasn't this far away.

"Hello, Sir?" his attention was snapped back to reality as the Exchange clerk called him to collect his winnings.

After collecting his winnings, he turned hoping to see the woman again and maybe approach her however she was gone. Draco was beginning to think his sex starved brain was imagining the woman.

He headed out of the Casino stepping out into the cool night air and walked along the deck and up through the double doors through to one of the bars. He approached the bar and ordered a steak and chips with a beer and a bottle of tequila.

"The whole bottle?" the man behind the bar asked

"The whole bottle" Draco said passing the man a £50 "For the trouble" he smiled

"Yes, sir of course I'll bring it straight over" the man took the note and Draco headed over to a table near the back where he could watch the band playing. After finishing his meal and people watching he decided to call it a night headed back down to his room. He was full the steak had been perfect but he was less drunk than he wanted to be Muggle alcohol not being as strong as fire whiskey, meaning he would not have a good night sleep…again.

He was at the top of the stairs down to the lower deck when a noise caught his attention,

"Get your hands of off me!" he heard a woman snap followed by the sound of skin on skin, she had clearly slapped whomever she was fighting with.

"Little baby wants to play" he heard a male voice. Draco crept down the stairs hoping he could pass the dispute unnoticed and out of their business. But the smell of honey and strawberries hit his nose and his brain stopped him and made him approach the two very large, very drunk men who had the woman by the wrists trying to force her through an open cabin door

"You heard her" Draco squared up to the men,

"What?" One asked

"Are you deaf as well as stupid" Draco asked

"Piss off this has nothing to do with you!" one spat as the other swung his fist at Draco, who easily moved out of the way causing the man to lose his footing and fall flat on the floor. Draco swung back knocking the other man out in one hit, the man on the floor struggled to his feet,

"Take your mate and piss off" Draco said angrily, "if I see you near, ANY woman, like this again... they will need to airlift you of off this ship...do I make myself clear?" Draco glared at the man, who nodded pulling his friend through the open door.

"Thank…thank you" the woman who had run behind him when her arms where let go. Draco turned to her "Malfoy?" she gasped

"Granger?" It took a few minutes but he found his voice "Are you ok?" She nodded, "Would you like me…to escort you, back to your Cabin…I mean so they don't come out and follow you" he said, she stared at him still in shock that he of all people was here on a muggle ship and had saved her, "Look Miss Granger, We're not in school anymore, I hope since we're confined to this ship, as large as it is, for three weeks that we can be at the least civil with one another?" he offered her his hand, Hermione nodded taking his hand in hers, it felt strange but Draco wanted to admit it felt nice.

"I would appreciate that" she finally smiled.

Hermione's cabin was one of the pricy rooms on the top floor, a suit that could have fitted Draco's room in several times over.

"Would you like a drink?" She asked, Draco swallowed, he knew he shouldn't, they had been enemies, but as he had pointed out moments earlier, they were not in school anymore, he let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding and nodded. "Look," she breathed out "I didn't mean to be rude. It's just I left that life behind and everything that came with it…after..." she stopped. Draco knew what it was she didn't want to speak aloud, it was thar her now ex-husband had a very public affair with her friend and fellow Gryffindor Lavender Brown, she had found out about the affair when she was 11 weeks pregnant the stress that she experienced caused her to go through a traumatic miscarriage with no one to support her. "Who would have thought…" she mused "the last person I would have expected on a muggle cruse let alone rescue me, would be you. How times have changed." she smiled handing Draco the drink

"I'm glad I could be there for you." He raised his glass before taking a sip, the burn surprised him "I see you didn't give up everything from the wizarding world" he winked, grateful for the strength of the downing the remainder of his drink.

"Muggle alcohol…doesn't make you feel when you're numb. "she said downing her glass

"Tell me about it" Draco smiled holding out his glass for her to fill again,

"So, you're here? On a muggle cruise?" she said filling both their glasses again.

Draco hadn't intended to spill why he was here and wasn't sure why, but without hesitation he opened up to her. It was past midnight and they had finished several of the bottles of fire whisky and they sat facing one another on the soft rug laughing like old friends.

"A Cat, seriously? I thought that was just a rumour" he laughed so hard with her, she nodded as they both tried to control the laughing and gasping for breath.

"Nope…It really did happen, Merlin, I felt so stupid" she said between hiccups.

The two spend the next few minutes getting themselves together, breaths raged. Hermione looked at the man before her, she wasn't sure if it was the effects of fire whisky or if it was the fact that Draco was broken, just like she was but she leaned forward pressing her lips to his.

Draco was shocked at first but didn't pull away, the taste of honey and strawberries hit him and he wanted more! He scooted closer to her giving him better access to her body, his hands moved up her sides his thumbs brushing over her chest before moving up into her hair deepening the kiss, his tongue seeking permission to explore past her soft lips.