Chapter Summaries

Draco and Hermione stopped the mercenaries from attacking the cruise ship, and Draco captured the two people aboard the speedboat. After they left the deck, the man in the navy-blue T-shirt took credit for subduing the attackers and was praised as a hero.

• Hermione bound the mercenaries on the deck while Draco Apparated to the speedboat and incapacitated its armed man and pilot.
• Draco bound the pair and returned them to the deck, where Trillian praised him and Hermione reprimanded her for overstepping.
• Hermione reminded Draco that he was married, and he took her hand as they left the cleanup to the captain.
• The captain and security officers arrived to find nine unconscious mercenaries, and the man in the navy-blue T-shirt claimed he had defeated them with a knockout drug.
• The captain thanked the man and promised him a reward, while the man accepted the credit with an awkward smile.

After escaping the luxury cruise ship with a load of torpedoes, the man left the mercenaries in the captain’s custody. Draco then watched a Chinese horror comedy with Hermione, who was frightened but enjoyed the film, and she ended the night eager to discuss it.

• The captain ordered the ship's police to confiscate the mercenaries’ weapons and lock them in the brig, then offered to host the man.
• The man declined the captain’s hospitality, left on his speedboat, and celebrated escaping the scheme with the torpedoes and his payment.
• Hermione asked Draco about more Chinese horror movies, and Draco set up a projector to show her Out of the Dark.
• Hermione laughed at the film’s comedy, then hid in Draco’s arms when its horror scenes frightened her.
• After the movie ended, Hermione told Draco that it was scary and praised its humor, pacing, director, and actors.

Draco and Hermione woke to learn that the cruise ship had struck an iceberg and began preparing to help evacuate its passengers. As the evacuation descended into panic, the ship’s bow sank and its keel snapped in half.

• Draco teased Hermione about clinging to him, then held her as they fell asleep.
• The iceberg collision caused the hull to buckle and seawater to flood the damaged compartments.
• Captain Smith announced the collision and ordered passengers to put on life jackets and gather on the upper deck.
• Draco and Hermione dressed quickly and teleported to the terrace, where Trillian joined them as passengers crowded toward the lifeboats.
• The second officer fired his sidearm into the air to enforce the women-and-children-first evacuation as the ship began sinking faster.
• The ship’s keel broke, the stern slammed back onto the sea, and the violent jolt threw passengers across the deck.

Draco and Hermione repaired the cruise ship’s broken hull and used Transfiguration to remove much of the seawater, saving the passengers from disaster. They returned to their suite, where Hermione kept Trillian from getting too close to Draco.

• Draco and Hermione used magic underwater to seal the ship’s broken hull, while the passengers on deck rejoiced at the ship slowing its descent.
• Draco transformed vast amounts of seawater into marine life so it could return to the sea, and Hermione was astonished by the scale of his magic.
• Draco teased Hermione about worrying over him, and she denied it before helping him clear the flooded ship.
• Draco and Hermione set the remaining seawater draining and Apparated back to their suite with their clothes dry.
• Trillian rushed to praise Draco, but Hermione blocked her and led Draco inside, shutting Trillian out.

Trillian picked the lock to enter Draco and Hermione’s room, but Draco caught her and she covered her intrusion by bringing breakfast. At breakfast, Trillian tried to learn how Draco had saved the cruise ship, then suggested a walk, hoping to get more details from him.

• Trillian picked Draco’s suite lock after hearing him dismiss her knocking, but Draco appeared and confronted her inside.
• Trillian hid her lock-picking wires and presented breakfast, telling Draco and Hermione she had brought it to care for them.
• Draco explained that Hermione was tired because she had helped save the cruise ship, and the three ate breakfast together.
• Trillian pressed Draco for details about how he had repaired the ship and removed the seawater, but he refused to explain during the meal.
• Trillian suggested a walk after breakfast, and Hermione agreed, leaving Trillian disappointed that she would not have Draco alone.

Draco, Hermione, and Trillian confronted Captain Smith about the cruise ship’s collision and breakup. Draco ordered everyone responsible for navigation, lookout, communications, engineering, and construction to be brought to the captain’s office within ten minutes.

• Draco led Hermione and Trillian to the captain’s office to demand an explanation.
• Captain Smith nervously welcomed Draco and struggled to explain how the ship had hit an iceberg.
• Hermione challenged Smith’s account, arguing that the collision alone could not explain the ship breaking in two and listing possible structural and operational failures.
• Smith admitted he bore responsibility but avoided addressing the specific problems Hermione raised.
• Draco ordered Smith to bring all personnel involved in the ship’s navigation, operation, engineering, and construction to the office within ten minutes.

Draco and Trillian interrogated the ship’s officers about the iceberg collision, but fear kept everyone silent. Draco used Legilimency to uncover their thoughts and offered leniency, while Captain Smith realized he had to accept responsibility before someone else did.

• Captain Smith brought the lookout, radio operator, technical supervisor, designer, and other involved officers into the office to face Draco.
• Trillian questioned the officers about the iceberg, missed warnings, and the ship’s construction, but none gave a direct answer.
• Draco used Legilimency to learn about the officers’ negligence and attempts to shift blame.
• Draco offered the officers one last chance to confess in exchange for possible leniency, but they remained afraid to speak.
• Captain Smith recognized that he could not escape responsibility as captain and considered acting before he was singled out.

Draco heard the captain and five other officers confess their failures after the ship’s collision, but refused to punish them while the ship was still at sea. He explained that their failings represented a wider chain of negligence, then turned his attention to enjoying the final day before docking.

• Captain Smith accepted primary responsibility, and the lookout, radio operator, first officer, designer, and technical supervisor confessed their negligence to Draco.
• Draco stopped Trillian from berating the crew and left them to keep the ship operating until it reached port.
• Trillian questioned Draco’s decision, and he explained that the crew would face a maritime court and other consequences after docking.
• Draco told Hermione and Trillian that each of the six crew members represented a link in the disaster’s wider chain of failures.
• Draco suggested they enjoy their last day at sea, and Trillian invited him to go fencing while Hermione planned to return to their room.

Hermione joined Draco and Trillian at the ship’s fencing hall, where coach Isabella Windsor demonstrated her skill and offered to teach them. Hermione challenged Windsor to defeat Draco in exchange for hiring her as their temporary coach, leaving Draco facing an unexpected fencing match.

• Hermione changed her mind and accompanied Draco and Trillian to the fencing hall, where Draco admitted he had never tried fencing.
• Isabella Windsor introduced herself as the hall’s coach and demonstrated her fencing skill after Trillian questioned her abilities.
• Hermione refused Windsor’s offer to teach them because she worried the coach might get close to Draco during lessons.
• Hermione challenged Windsor to defeat Draco decisively, promising to hire her as their temporary coach if she won.
• Windsor accepted the match and said her private coaching fees were extremely high.

Draco fenced Windsor to avoid sleeping on the couch and surprised her by taking a 3-0 lead. As the match continued, Windsor realized he was no beginner, and Draco challenged her qualifications as their coach.

• Hermione told Draco he would sleep on the couch if he lost, and she and Windsor agreed to a first-to-five fencing match.
• Windsor attacked first, but Draco scored with a precise strike and asked Hermione if he had escaped the couch.
• Windsor dismissed the first point as carelessness, then attacked again as Draco began countering her moves.
• Draco scored two more points, making the score 3-0 and leaving Windsor stunned by his skill.
• Trillian praised Draco, while Hermione reacted with surprise and pride, and Draco asked Windsor why she thought she was qualified to coach them.

Draco defeated Windsor in a fencing lesson and impressed her enough that she asked to learn from him. Hermione agreed to an informal exchange after Windsor assured her she had a boyfriend, and Draco began assigning the first lessons before teasing Hermione into backing down from hands-on instruction.

• Windsor admitted she had misjudged Draco and asked him to point out flaws in her fencing as they sparred.
• Draco corrected Windsor’s footwork and defense, then ended the bout with a circular thrust and a crossover feint followed by a disengage.
• Windsor asked Draco to take her as a disciple, but Hermione interrupted and Trillian teased her about being jealous.
• Windsor said she had a boyfriend and only wanted to learn fencing, so Hermione agreed to an informal exchange instead of a formal master-disciple arrangement.
• Draco told the group to learn the basics from Windsor, then teased Hermione about hands-on instruction until she blushed and backed away.
• Trillian asked Draco for close personal instruction.

Draco watched Hermione and Trillian practice fencing before Windsor asked him to teach her. He began correcting Windsor’s rigid technique, focusing on footwork, distance, and subtle sword control.

• Hermione insisted that Trillian learn fencing basics from Windsor instead of seeking shortcuts.
• Hermione and Trillian began sparring after Trillian teased her about Windsor and challenged her to a match.
• Windsor sat beside Draco and asked how long he had fenced, but he claimed he had a natural-born sacred fencing physique.
• Draco agreed to teach Windsor and explained that she relied too much on textbook correctness instead of effectiveness and adaptability.
• Draco demonstrated how footwork could control distance and how subtle wrist and finger movements could create feints.

Hermione secretly used magic to catch up with Trillian in their fencing match, then won the deciding point through observation and technique. The two made peace over the unfair match and went to see how Draco’s lesson with Windsor was progressing.

• Draco taught Windsor to read an opponent’s movements and demonstrated basic fencing techniques.
• Trillian took an early lead against Hermione, who secretly used several spells to even the score at 4-4.
• Trillian confronted Hermione about cheating, and Hermione blamed Draco for teaching her bad habits.
• Hermione and Trillian resumed the match without magic, and Hermione won the final point with a precise parry and counterthrust.
• Trillian accepted Hermione’s victory but maintained that the four points won through magic did not count, and the two went to see Draco and Windsor.

Draco, Hermione, and Trillian took a break from fencing while Windsor practiced the techniques Draco had taught her. Draco teased and favored Hermione, then kissed her when he noticed her dry lips and returned with watermelon, leaving Hermione to share her portion with Trillian.

• Hermione and Trillian rested while Windsor practiced alone, and Draco teased Hermione about secretly using magic to cheat at fencing.
• Windsor asked Draco for more practice, and he advised her to spar with a fencer closer to her skill level while he watched and coached.
• Trillian asked Draco for a drink, but Hermione refused to let him fetch one until he noticed Hermione's dry lips and kissed her to moisturize them.
• Draco went to get drinks and returned with two watermelon halves, giving one to Hermione and explaining that he would share hers.
• Hermione handed her watermelon to Draco and gave Trillian the other half, telling her to stop being picky.

Draco and Hermione shared watermelon when Windsor introduced them to Evelyn, who had mistaken Trillian for the expert fencer. Evelyn challenged Windsor to practice and quickly discovered how much Draco’s instruction had improved her fencing.

• Trillian happily ate the watermelon while Draco fed Hermione a spoonful from the center.
• Windsor introduced Evelyn, a skilled amateur fencer, and Trillian clarified that Draco was the expert she meant.
• Hermione introduced herself and Draco as husband and wife, while Evelyn expressed surprise at Draco’s youthful appearance.
• Evelyn and Windsor put on protective gear and began fencing, with Windsor using Draco’s new techniques to take a 4-0 lead.
• Evelyn prepared to use her signature charging attack and disengaging thrust for the final point.

Windsor defeated Evelyn 5-0 after applying Draco’s fencing advice, and Evelyn asked Hermione to lend Draco to her for a coaching session. Hermione agreed in exchange for one condition, leaving Draco uneasy about what she would ask.

• Windsor beat Evelyn 5-0, shocking Evelyn and impressing Trillian and Hermione.
• Windsor credited Draco’s advice for her improvement, and Evelyn apologized to him before asking for guidance.
• Draco redirected Evelyn to Windsor, prompting the two coaches to trade insults about each other’s teaching and appearance.
• Windsor told Evelyn that Draco had taught her because she had a partner and had assured Hermione she would not cross the line.
• Evelyn offered Hermione a fencing sword in exchange for one coaching session with Draco, and Hermione agreed on the condition that she had not yet revealed.

Hermione, Windsor, Evelyn, and Trillian teamed up to fight Draco in a sword bout, with the agreement that he would teach them swordsmanship if they could beat him. Draco initially outmatched them with skill alone, but their chaotic attacks began to overwhelm him.

• Hermione set the terms: the four women would fight Draco, and he would teach them swordsmanship if they defeated him.
• Evelyn offered Draco a reward, but Hermione’s jealous glare prompted him to insist that helping his wife was reward enough.
• The four women armed themselves and began the bout against Draco, who agreed not to use magic.
• Draco easily parried their attacks at first and even corrected Evelyn’s technique while fighting.
• The women abandoned orderly swordsmanship and attacked from all sides, with Hermione distracting Draco by targeting ticklish spots.
• Hermione’s tap on Draco’s ankle made him falter, allowing Windsor and Evelyn to land hits on his thigh and arm.

Draco’s fencing lesson turned into a playful beating by Hermione, Windsor, Evelyn, and Trillian, after which he taught Evelyn how to improve her technique. Evelyn used his advice to defeat Windsor, and the chapter ended with Bruce bringing drinks to the women.

• Hermione, Windsor, Evelyn, and Trillian overwhelmed Draco in a mock fencing bout, with Trillian striking his crotch and later helping knock him onto the floor.
• Trillian massaged Draco after the bout, while Windsor teased Evelyn about learning how to handle a man.
• Draco taught Evelyn about distance, rhythm, anticipation, and wrist movements, then gave her pointers based on her earlier fencing match.
• Evelyn applied Draco’s advice in a rematch and defeated Windsor 5-2.
• Bruce arrived with chilled drinks, and Windsor affectionately thanked him while Evelyn greeted him by name.

Bruce offered the group a free sanda lesson, but Hermione and Trillian declined, and Draco joked that Hermione would protect him. After Draco, Hermione, and Trillian left, Bruce began teaching Windsor and Evelyn basic techniques.

• Bruce introduced his girlfriend, Windsor, to Draco, Hermione, and Trillian, then offered them chilled fruit wine.
• Bruce proposed teaching the group sanda self-defense, and Windsor and Evelyn praised his skills.
• Hermione and Trillian declined the lesson, while Draco said he was too lazy to train and leaned on Hermione, claiming she would protect him.
• Hermione hurried the group away after Draco embarrassed her, and Trillian followed them out.
• Bruce began teaching Windsor and Evelyn a basic stance and straight punch.

After leaving the fencing hall, Draco joked with Hermione and Trillian about being kept by his wife and compared himself to a valuable company employee. Trillian asked whether Draco knew sanda, but he dismissed the idea of fighting Bruce and said it would be more satisfying to defeat him in a way he looked down on; Hermione and Trillian agreed that Bruce’s wandering gaze was disgusting.

• Hermione pulled away from Draco once they were out of sight, and Draco told her and Trillian that living off a woman was his life's mission.
• Trillian asked Hermione to keep her too, but Hermione refused, and Draco declared that his wife's support was exclusively his.
• Hermione called Draco an investment she could liquidate, and Draco boasted that he was a core employee with lasting value.
• Trillian asked whether Draco knew sanda and urged him to use it against Bruce, but Draco said he was bored of slapping faces and did not want to waste time fighting.
• Draco suggested it would be more interesting to defeat Bruce in a way he looked down on, and Hermione and Trillian criticized Bruce for his wandering gaze.