Stupid Trees by Lady Draherm



Rating: PG

Disclaimer: All JK�s. I just borrow them.

Words: 1265

Author�s Notes: This was written for my loffly Charming & Wise co-captain,Inell. She suffered through my angsty D/B fic, and I told her I would write her some fluffy A/Hr to make it up to her, and she got to choose 5 ingredients she wanted added. Here they are:

-A Kiss

-Hot Cocoa

-Flirting

-Snowflakes

-Fireplace

Hope everyone enjoys!

STUPID TREES (1/1)

Hermione Granger trekked through the woods, bundled up tight in her winter apparel. It was bloody freezing out and she wasn�t overly happy with the situation that she was in at the current time. She was having difficulties walking in the deep snow and weaving her way around the branches of the many trees. Walking in front of her was a tall, lithe body of a slender man, making his way through the thicket with ease. An axe was slung over one shoulder and he was whistling a Christmas tune.

Hermione took one step forward, but felt a tug and fell back onto the snow. She tried to twist her body around, and could see that her scarf was tangled in a bundle of branches. �Adrian!� she called out, needing to enlist the help of her boyfriend. His happy whistling and the crunching of snow under his boots indicated that he did not hear her. �ADRIAN!�

The whistling stopped, and Hermione could practically hear the smug grin being carried over the wind. �Troubles, Kitten?�

�What do you think?� she asked bitterly as she ceased her struggling, and lay back on the ground in defeat. She could hear him tisking under his breath.

�That�s no way to get help, you know.�

�Just get me unstuck! It�s cold on the ground.�

Adrian stood over her and looked down, his mischievous grin looking even more boyish from the upside down angle. �And what do I get if I do?�

�Let�s just say that you�ll get something if you don�t, buster.�

�Buster?�

�Doesn�t work, does it?�

�Not really.�

Hermione sighed. �I�ll find a nickname yet.�

�No doubt you will, kitten.� Adrian set down his axe on the cold snow, and untangled her scarf from the bushes. He then extended out his hand to her, and she took it with a scowl. �What�s that look for?�

�For being out here in the bloody freezing cold!� she said unhappily. She sighed unhappily as she noticed the soft, fluffy snowflakes floating down around them. �And now it�s snowing.�

Adrian only laughed at her. �This was your idea in the first place.�

�No, it was not!� Hermione protested.

�Yes, it was,� he insisted. �You wanted to spend Christmas with your parents and celebrate it in the traditional Muggle way.�

�I did not mean trekking through a forest to cut down a Christmas tree with an axe!�

�It�s an adventure,� Adrian shrugged easily.

�That�s so like you,� Hermione grumbled. �You find some hands-on, macho task, and you just have to do it. I wish my father never told you how trees were traditionally found. We could have very easily gone to the store and bought one.�

�A fake one?� Adrian asked incredulously. �That�s blasphemy.� He turned to walk away, and she unhappily followed. Only, she didn�t get very far, because the long curly tresses the flowed from underneath her winter cap got caught on some different branches.

�ADRIAN!� Hermione yelled. He turned around, and started laughing at her.

�Not your evening, is it?� he jested, once again helping her get free of the evil branches of entanglement.

�That�s it,� Hermione grumbled. �There are plenty of trees right here, just pick one.�

�Did I ever tell you how cute you are when you�re pissed off and demanding?� Adrian asked as he flashed a smile. She only scowled while he bent over to kiss the tip of her nose.

�Are you trying to flirt with me right now ?� she asked in an unimpressed voice.

�When don�t I try?�

�You�ve got to learn when it�s not appropriate,� Hermione scolded, although a tiny smile started to tug at the corner of her mouth. �Now, cut your bloody tree.�

Adrian looked around at the handful of spruces that were in their radius, assessing each of them. Hermione huffed impatiently, and he finally pointed. �That one,� he said, sounding quite confident and pleased with his choice. Hermione had to silently admit to herself, although a little on the small side, it was a pleasant enough looking tree.

�All right, Lumberjack Man, go ahead,� she prompted.

�Lumberjack Man?�

�Not working?�

�Definitely not.�

�Just cut down the bloody tree.�

Adrian walked up to the tree, and took a moment assessing its trunk. He grabbed the axe with both hands, and held it high over his head.

�Do you even know what you�re doing?� Hermione asked.

Adrian glanced over his shoulder and smiled. �Of course, you�re father demonstrated it for me.�

�Oh, dear,� Hermione muttered under her breath. �This isn�t going to be good.�

Adrian raised it higher over his head, and then finally swung with all his might. The blade of the axe sunk deep into the tree, and Adrian hollered in triumph. �You see?� he asked excitedly. �I know what I�m doing.�

He placed his two large, gloved hands onto the handle of the axe, and pulled on it. It was embedded too deep into the tree, and didn�t come out. A look of determination crossed Adrian�s face as he placed one foot against the trunk to use as a push off, and he wrapped his hands around the handle of the axe. With one loud grunt, he pulled with all his might.

It didn�t work, and his hands slipped right off the handle. His entire body flew backwards, and he landed with a large thump onto the snow, hitting his head on a nearby tree trunk. �DAMN IT!� he yelled loudly as he brought his hand to the back of his head. �That damned tree! I�m going to kill it!�

�Kill it?� Hermione asked, trying desperately to keep her laughter on the inside. She knew he was hurting, but the whole scene had been rather funny.

�Yes, kill that bloody tree,� Adrian growled.

�Just how to you propose to do that?�

�A fireplace.�

�Ahh,� Hermione said knowingly as she nodded. She walked over to her boyfriend, and extended her hand to him. He took it, and jumped up onto his feet. �Are you done now?� Hermione asked.

Adrian winced as he touched the back of his head. �Yes, I�m done now,� he muttered in defeat. �Stupid trees.�

�Well, I know what will make you feel better,� Hermione said, smiling. Adrian cocked an eyebrow in her direction.

�Oh, do you? And what�s that?�

�My mother�s homemade hot cocoa. It�s delicious.�

�Is this an appropriate time to flirt?�

�Excuse me?�

�I asked, is this an appropriate time to flirt? I don�t want to get in trouble again for choosing an inappropriate time to flirt.�

Hermione tilted her head to the side. �Well,� she started in mock consideration. �Yes, I do believe it would be an appropriate time to flirt. But hasn�t the moment passed?�

Adrian slipped his arms around her waist. �The moment never passes. May I begin?�

�Proceed.�

Adrian pulled her close to his body, and flashed one of his full, dazzling charming smiles. �I know something I�d rather have to make me feel better.�

�Oh, do you? And what�s that?�

Adrian leaned down, and crashed her mouth against hers, passionately seeking entrance to her mouth. After a few minutes of a mind blowing, seeing fireworks kind of kiss, he finally released her lips.

�Feeling better already,� he said.

�That�s most excellent,� she murmured, feeling short of breath. Adrian took her hand in his, and started to lead her out of the forest, paying extra care to sidestep the ones she might get ensnared in.

�Wait!� she exclaimed, tugging on his hand to halt his path. �What about the axe?�

�Let�s just say I know what I�m getting your father for Christmas.�