2

"I think we're in the land of Kemet," Hermione said, looking at the blazing sun.

"The land of WHAT?" Draco asked, looking at the bushy-haired witch incredulously.

"K-E-M-E-T. It's what the ancient Egyptians called their land," Hermione explained.

Draco smacked his forehead in irritation. "I don't really care what the friggin' Egyptians called this fucked up land. I just want to know how the bloody hell we ended up here and how the bloody hell we're getting back."

"Let's just get back inside the clock and return to Hogwarts," Hermione said, turning around to go back inside the device. Finding it no longer there, she hissed, "Shit!"

"What?" Draco asked, baffled.

"The clock is gone!" Hermione replied, wide-eyed with wonder.

"What do you mean it's gone?" Draco yelled. He knelt down and started digging frantically in the burning sand. "Maybe it's buried."

"Get up!" she said, pulling on his arm. "Why would it be buried? That's just stupid!"

Draco stood up and brushed the sand from his pants. "This is all your fault, you know!"

"My fault? You're the one who told me to meet you at the clock! It's all YOUR fault!"

"If we ever get out of here, I'm going to make you pay for this!" he said, giving her a death glare. "Look at my face. I can feel it burning already!" He touched his face and then winced at the tender, hot flesh.

"Oh my! You might get some colour. It's the end of the world for Draco Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Draco glared at her. "I happen to be proud of my white skin," he said haltingly.

"White!" Hermione scoffed. "You're so white you're practically clear. You're whiter than a fart, for Merlin's sake!"

Draco couldn't help himself, and he burst out laughing. "I never in a million years thought I'd be standing in the middle of a desert listening to Hermione Granger using the term fart!"

"Oh shut up!" she replied, shielding her eyes from the sun and peering into the distance. "Do you have your wand?" she then asked.

"My wand?" Draco replied, puzzled, and wondered why she needed his wand. He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"Yes, your wand," she said in exasperation. "You know that piece of shiny wood that you wave around to make magic happen?" she said, pulling out her own wand from her under her shirt.

"Maybe we can just Apparate back home," he said hopefully.

"I don't think it works for time travel, but what the hell, let's give it a try," Hermione replied skeptically. They both closed their eyes and concentrated on their destination point, and after a few unproductive moments, they gave up. "Well, that was a complete waste of time!" Hermione huffed in frustration.

"What the fuck are we going to do, Granger?"

"Why are you asking me?" she snapped. "It's not like I've been in this situation before, you know!"

Draco was about to respond when the sound of voices stopped him. He and Hermione looked at each other, and panic was evident on their faces. "Quick!" He pulled out his wand and changed their clothing into proper Egyptian attire.

"Nice wig!" Hermione said sarcastically. He quickly pulled the black braided hair-piece from his head.

Draco looked Hermione over. She could pass for Egyptian; she had a deep tan, and her eyes were sort of brown. "They'll believe you're one of them, but look at me! I'll never pass!" he complained.

Hermione knew he was right. He was just so pale, and the colour of his eyes, even though they were quite striking, was definitely not brown. "You need to darken your skin and eyes. Hurry!" she said urgently as she heard the voices drawing closer, just over the sand dune.

Draco reluctantly changed his hair and eyes, and then turned his skin to a beautiful, golden bronze colour. "How's this?" he asked, posing.

Hermione was speechless. "You look... look... you look fine." In fact, she thought he looked more than fine. Fleeting visions of herself running her hands over his tanned, muscular chest flashed through her mind. "I... They're here!"

Draco turned around and beheld what he thought were priests of some kind. One was very tall, both of their heads were bald, and they wore long, white, linen robes. One carried a bundle of papyrus scrolls, and the other a plate of bread.

They seemed to be arguing and didn't notice Draco and Hermione until they were right in front of them. The priests stopped in their tracks and fell to the sand, bowing and worshipping them.

"This is more like it," Draco said with a smirk. "Worship me! I'm the god of..."

"Hair care?" Hermione finished with a raised brow.

Draco gave her a roll of his eyes. "You're just jealous."

"I AM not!"

"Are too! Right now, with that wig on, you look like a beaver with corn rows!"

"Just shut up, Malfoy!"

"Stop telling me to shut up or I'll..."

"You'll what? Huh?" she asked. "You're not man enough to DO anything!"

The priests looked at Draco and Hermione in confusion. They were speaking a language that was unknown to them, but clearly they were arguing.

Hermione paused in her tirade and saw that the two Egyptians were frightened. "It's all right. We're just having a row, nothing to worry about! It happens all the time."

"They don't understand what you're saying, Granger."

Hermione frowned and stepped toward the prostrated men. They jumped up and started speaking rapidly, clearly scared out of their minds at the divine presence of who they thought were the god and goddess, Osiris and Isis.

"We need to do something about this. Do you know of any spells that would make us understand each other?" Draco asked her. "If we could talk to them, maybe they could tell us how to get back."

Hermione thought for a moment. "I've read about a spell that might work. Come over here, away from them, so they can't see us."

They walked a few steps away from the priestly men and then huddled together. The two priests were left standing there, waiting.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Granger," Draco said, watching her warily.

"I always know what I'm doing," she replied, full of confidence.

Draco looked like Christmas had come early as his eyes gleamed in excitement. "So you knew what you were doing when you kissed me? When you let me stick my hand up your shirt? When you put your hand on my..."

Hermione thumped him on the head. "Would you please try and concentrate?" she said through clenched teeth. "And stop thinking about that!"

Draco laughed in glee. "Never, Granger. Whether you like it or not, I'll think about it whenever I want," he said smugly. "It's not like you can stop me from remembering how my fingers felt when they pinched your hard nipples or how it felt to kiss the soft skin on your stomach..."

"I think you better stop remembering before you have an orgasm right here!" she said, pointing to his growing erection. "And you never kissed my stomach!"

"Oh, yes, I did!"

"Just shut up and let me cast this spell!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he said, smirking. "I love it when you order me around. Oh, Malfoy, kiss me there! Oh, yes, mmm... more!"

Hermione was tempted to hex him to death, but refrained from doing bodily harm to the insufferable git. "Are you through? I'd like to get this over with and find a way home, if that's all right with you?" she said calmly.

"Go ahead, do your stuff! Thanks for asking my permission," he acquiesced arrogantly.

"Honestly! You are so impossible sometimes!" She raised her wand and muttered a spell Draco had never heard before.

"Say something," Draco commanded Hermione. "Hey!" he blinked in surprise. "This is weird!" He was hearing himself speak English in his mind, but what came out of his mouth was Egyptian. "Can you understand me?

Hermione nodded her head. "Can you understand me?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Then understand this: I NEVER want you to mention what happened in the library EVER again! Pretend it never took place, because I do!" she bellowed.

Draco was stunned and hurt. "You do?" he asked slowly, trying to mask his feelings.

"I can't believe that I even let you touch me! I absolutely regret it!" she said in disgust, ignoring the dark look he gave her.

Draco glared at her angrily. "You ARE a bitch," he hissed venomously. "You know you wanted me!" He suddenly grabbed her and shook her vigorously. "I think you STILL want me," he sneered.

"Get your hands off me, Malfoy, or so help me I'll..."

"You'll what?" he asked mockingly. "What could you possibly do to hurt me more than you already have?"

"Plenty!" she shot back at him hotly, her dark eyes blazing with fire.

The two Egyptian priests listened in disbelief at the bickering amongst the two supreme deities. One of them built up his courage and approached them. "Please..."

Draco let go of Hermione, and they both looked at the man intriguingly. He was bowing again and wouldn't lift his eyes from the ground.

"What do you want?" Draco snapped in irritation, brows furrowed.

The other priest came forward and spoke. "We wish to offer our services to our god, Osiris, and his heavenly wife and sister, the goddess Isis."

Draco's eyebrows shot up in shock, but he quickly composed himself, and Hermione felt as if she would faint.

"Did you say 'god'?" Draco asked, amused.

"Are you not Osiris, Lord of the Underworld?" the priest asked, befuddled.

Draco gave the priest a dazzling smile. "Yes, yes, I am."

Hermione slapped his bare arm. "No, you're not!"

The priests seemed to hesitate. "You are not Osiris?"

Draco gave Hermione a defiant look and then turned his attention to the two priests. "Do not listen to her! She is but a woman! I AM Osiris!"

The priests fell to the sand and started worshipping him. Draco smiled insolently at Hermione, who was clearly upset.

"Come! We will take you to Pharaoh. He has been expecting you!" The taller of the two Egyptians said.

Draco looked over at Hermione, who was still standing in the same spot with her arms crossed, glaring at him. "You heard what the man said! Come, Isis! The Pharaoh awaits!"

to be continued...