Hermione Voldemort's Daughter

Chapter 35: Muggles and Mermaids

It was 9 o'clock in the morning, and I was stood in the hallway waiting for Luna and Draco. Around me was a ginormous bag filled with things to do for the day, a picnic Dotti had made, an umberella, and some towels. Over my green swimming costume was a nice, semi-long blue dress. Blue and green were colours I was going to be wearing for a long time this summer.

"Dad?" I called into the other room, where he was resting up and reading yet another Daily Prophet. "Do you want to come to the beach with us?"

"No thank you, Sophia." He replied. "And besides, I thought the water was freezing there?"

"It was a cold day yesterday. Today is much warmer, so I figure it's okay to go swimming in." I told him.

"Yes, but I don't own a swimming costume." My father called.

"We'll take you to buy one!" I grinned, "Me and Luna know this perfect menswear shop!"

"Don't listen to her!" Draco called from his room, "She'll bribe you with cake, then drag you around the shops all day!" I laughed.

"There's ice creams..." I bribed.

"Ice cream?" I could picture my father sitting up, but then slouching down again, "It's not worth it."

"Okay then, it's your loss." I shrugged. "HURRY UP YOU TWO, OR WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO THE BEACH! DOTTI HAS A LOT OF JOBS TO DO, YOU KNOW!" My call rang true, because Dotti walked in not three seconds later saying,

"Is Miss's friends ready? Dotti has to clean the third floor today, and Dotti must get started soon..."

"Don't worry Dotti, they're coming. LUNA! DRACO! I AM LEAVING WITHOUT YOU IF YOU DO NOT COME DOWN IN FIVE SECONDS!"

"NO YOU WON'T!" Draco yelled back, he knew me too well. None the less he bounded down the stairs quickly, a t-shirt and some shorts thrown over his swimming trunks. In his hand was clutched a light green sandcastle bucket and a little shovel.

"Draco, why have you got a sandcastle bucket?" I asked him.

"Isn't it obvious?" He rolled his eyes, "To make castles with! Duh!"

"Draco you can't make a sandcastle on a pebble beach, there's no sand." I told him, as if I was telling off a little child.

"I'm not making a SANDcastle- I'm making a PEBBLEcastle!" He told me proudly, holding his head up high.

"A pebblecastle." I shook my head. "It's never going to work."

"Yes it will! You'll see!" He nodded excitedly, and I shook my head.

"10 GALLEONS IT WON'T WORK!" My father yelled from the other room.

"Your on!" Draco betted, and I grinned. The Riddles were going to be 10 galleons richer by nightfall. Next Luna hopped down the stairs wearing a white dress, which probably had her swimming costume underneath. She was carrying three nets.

"Why do you have nets?" I asked her.

"To go hunting in rocks for, see?" She said, handing Draco a green one and me a purple one. "We'll look for crabs, and fish, and stuff like that!"

"Okay then," I nodded, "It's saner than Draco's idea anyway."

"What's wrong with making a pebblecastle?" He pouted.

"Nothing, nothing." I grinned. "Okay, Luna, grab Dotti's other hand." I instructed, holding Dotti's hand, ready for side-apparation. "Draco," I held out mine and he took it. "Dotti, Budleigh Salterton beach, please." Dotti nodded and the world jerked away from us. Colours spun around and the world jerked and dived. I felt like I was being stretched and poked with a stick. Then the world filled in again and we were on a beach. The beach had a few people on, but none were looking our way. "Thanks Dotti. I'll call you when we're ready to come back, okay?" She nodded and apparated off to go clean the third floor.