From Venice with Love

Hermione took advantage of her alone time. She went to the front desk and found out where the nearest grocery store was. She walked there and purchased sodas, popcorn and candy. Hurrying back, she had just enough time to change her own clothes. She stood in front of her dresser, trying to decide what to wear. Casual, but not too casual. She wished, for not the first time this week, she had Ginny to help her. She didn’t want to ask her mother this time, it just felt too odd. Finally, she decided on a t shirt and sweat pants and went down to the lobby where they had DVD’s to rent. She thought carefully about what to rent for the evening- nothing too serious-or too mushy. She finally chose “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, “Maverick” and “Austin Powers” figuring all three were safe choices. She then made her way upstairs and watched as her parents got ready for their night out.


“Are you sure this is okay?” her mother asked as she fastened her necklace.


Hermione nodded. “Of course. We’ll just watch some movies.”


“We won’t be late, Hermione,” her father said pointedly.


“Dad!” Hermione gasped.”We’re just friends.”


Her mother patted her hand. “Of course, dear. Your father is just being, well, fatherly.”


The doorbell ringing made Hermione jump, and she went to answer it. Draco was standing there in what looked like a sweat suit and trainers but the dark grey material looked very soft. Hermione reached out and touched it. “Is that cashmere?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.


Draco shrugged. “So what if it is?” He came in and folded his arms defensively.


“Do you have any truly comfortable, only for the house clothes?” Hermione asked. “That looks like as if you just bought it.” She looked at his face.”You did just buy it, didn’t you?”


“So? Some of us rarely stay in, Granger,” he said coldly.


Hermione realised she’d offended him.”Sorry,” she said.”It’s very nice.”


He nodded stiffly, but she felt his demeanour soften a little. She took his hand; a little afraid of the old Malfoy she was seeing resurface. “Draco?” she said timidly.


He stared at her blankly a second, and then she saw his eyes change to the way she’d seen them lately. He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s just- my father came to visit.”


Hermione felt her insides turn to ice. “Oh?”


Draco walked over to the couch and sat down. “He didn’t stay long-on his way someplace. It just reminded me how soon I have to leave, go back to school.”


“It’s still a week away,” Hermione said, sitting down next to him. “Besides, don’t you like school?”


“I like it better here,” Draco said simply, laying his head back on the sofa and closing his eyes. “Here, it’s easy to forget-who I am.”


“Me as well,” Hermione sighed. “It all seems like a different world. But, Draco, you can’t stay away forever. You’ll have to decide one day soon.”


“It’s easy for you,” he said, eyes still closed. “You already know what side you’re on. Bloody Gryffindor,” he muttered.


“What side are you on?” she asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.


He was quiet for a moment, then opened his eyes. “Do you really want to know?” he asked. Hermione hesitated before nodding.


“I’m on my own side. Whatever is best for me,” he stared at her as he said it, unapologetic.


She took a deep breath. “You’re not evil, Draco.”


“No, no, I’m not. Not yet,” He put a hand up to play with her hair and continued to stare at her as if they were discussing the weather. “I want to be alive when this is over.”


“So do I,” she said. “But I’d rather be dead then see that-that freak in power.”


Draco smiled at her. “Do you get so flushed about anything you’re passionate about?”


“I’m being serious, Draco!”


“So am I, Hermione! Nothing will be settled tonight, I promise you that. Let’s just keep all that away as long as we can.”


Hermione paused a minute and then decided he was right. She would let it go, for now. It didn’t mean she would give up, however.


Her parents came in then, and they both stood up.


“Well, we’re off.” Mr. Granger said, helping his wife on with her coat.


“Have fun,” Hermione said. Mr. and Mrs. Granger smiled at them both, and left.


Hermione pulled out the movies.”Which one should we start with?” she asked.


Draco looked at all three before handing her the Austin Powers one. “That chap looks funny,” he said.


“He is,” she said, putting the movie in. As the coming attractions played, she fixed them popcorn and soda and brought them in, as well as the candy, on a tray she put on the coffee table.


She noticed Draco had taken off his sweat shirt and now was wearing a black t shirt. He grabbed the candy straight off, his eyes never leaving the movie screen.


She sat down beside him with some popcorn to watch the movie. She tried to watch the movie, but couldn’t help be annoyed that Draco made no move to touch her. He was transfixed by the activity on screen-and it was getting on her nerves. She shifted a little and bumped her leg onto his.


“Sorry,” he said absently, still not moving his eyes from the screen. Hermione stifled a sigh and watched the movie.


By the time the movie ended, Hermione was beyond irritated. His laughing did not help her mood.


“That was great!” Draco said, as the credits began to roll. “Which one next?”


“Whichever you prefer,” she snapped.


He raised his eyebrows at her. “What’s with you?” he asked.


“Me? Nothing.” Hermione got up and put “Four Weddings” into the player. She sat back on the couch as far as she could get from him.


“What is wrong?” he said slowly, with an edge to his voice.”I don’t like games, Granger.”


“It’s not a game!” she said, exasperated. “I just thought, well, never mind,” she said, blushing fiercely.


Draco’s face relaxed into an easy smile. “Hermione, you practically jump out of your skin if I get near you and you made such a big deal about this being ‘just movies’.”


“Yes, well,” she couldn’t think of anything to say.


His smile got smaller, more intimate as he slid closer to her on the couch. “All you had to do was say something,” he whispered, and kissed her.


Hermione felt her emotions swirling around her as she kissed him back, for once not afraid. She gotten a little used to kissing him now and was not as fearful, even when he deepened the kiss, pulling her so she lay flat on the couch beneath him.
They lay there for awhile kissing, until she felt his hand, feather light, move from her arm up to her shoulder. His other arm was behind her head and she brought her arms up so they were around his neck, one hand stroking his hair. All she thought about was how wonderful his kisses were, his lips moved from her mouth to her chin and then her neck as his hand moved slowly downward and suddenly she felt him brush her breast. Before she could react, his hand had moved further down, to where her shirt met her sweatpants. There it stayed and his fingers lightly brushed her bare skin where the two garments separated.


After a moment, she began to relax more and his mouth found her lips again. She became aware his hand was slowly moving back up again, this time under her shirt. Her heart beat wildly as she tried to decide whether to stop him or not. Before she had time to decide, his hand had found the lacy material of her bra. As if he felt her stiffen slightly, he pulled her harder into the kiss. She forgot her misgivings again and just thought about how much she liked this feeling, and she noticed that his hand had moved up again and was now covering her breast.


She tensed up a little. As embarrassing as it was, she had never been this intimate with a boy and not entirely sure how to react. She had funny feelings in her stomach and below she had never felt before, telling her to keep going, how handsome he was, and how good she felt. Her mind, of course, told her something different.


“It’s okay,” she heard Draco whisper. “I won’t hurt you.” His voice seemed a little forced to her and his mouth moved again to her neck. The combination of his mouth and hands made her involuntarily arch her back and she could feel his erection on her leg.


Scared now, she began to pull away. “Draco, wait,”


Immediately he stopped and fixed his eyes on her. “What’s wrong?” he asked.


“I-I need to slow down,” she said breathlessly.


He was quiet for a moment. “Hermione, are you a-“ he stopped.


“Yes,” she said, trying not to blush.”Does it matter?”


He sat up a little. “Matter? No. I just wanted to know.”


“Are you?” she asked, already knowing the answer.


“No.” he said.”Does that matter?”


She shook her head. Her breathing was getting back to normal now, she could think clearly.”It’s just-we’re not even dating.”


“Really?” he asked, amused. ”We go out daily, I pay, we snog-what do you call dating then?”


“I didn’t know what you thought it was,” she admitted.


Draco laughed. “Hermione, you can be so daft! You’re so smart about book things but when it comes to things you can’t read about you’re hopeless!”


“Thanks,” she snapped, pulling away from him a little but he grabbed her arm.


“Listen to me,” he said. “You are smart, beautiful and fun as hell. Don’t think so badly of yourself.”


She felt herself melt at his words and she tried to fight it. “We go back to school in a week,” she stammered.


“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “Unless you don’t want to?” He looked at her seriously.


“I-I want to,” she said.


He relaxed a little. “Good. I’d hate to think you were using me.”


“What?”


“Using me. For my body. It happens to me a lot, I’m afraid.” He tried to keep a straight face at her shocked expression.”It’s a curse, looking like this. I always-hey, Granger, do not hit me again! I’m warning you! Granger, you asked for it!”
He pulled her down and started tickling her.


“Draco, stop! Malfoy!”


“Back to Malfoy now, are we?” he asked, not letting up.


“Draco, please!” Hermione wheezed, wriggling under his grasp.


He let her go and moved slightly away. “Now can you keep your hands off me long enough for me to watch the movie? Merlin, woman,” he straightened his clothes and turned back to the TV.


Hermione, flabbergasted, tried to do the same.