From Venice with Love

Thank you again for your reviews! i love reading them!
Lynnie- Let me know what suggestions you have. Three quarters of the story is either written or planned out, but I'd love to hear from you!
Shananigans- Thank you! My spell checker didn't catch that- I think I fixed them all!
Here's Chapter 18:


Hermione could barely wait until the Prefect meeting and patrol afterwards. She sat at dinner, smiling, as she listened to Harry and Ron complain about the amount of homework they had, and Ginny talk about a date she was going to have this weekend with Dean Thomas.

“You’re barely listening Hermione,” Ginny said. “What are you so happy about? Did you get an owl from Alessandro?”

“Um, yes, I did,” Hermione lied. “He’s going to be visiting very soon.”

“Who’s going to be visiting?” Lavender asked, from Ginny’s other side.

Before she could stop her, Ginny said, ”Hermione’s got a boyfriend.”

“Really?” Lavender’s face lit up. “Who is it?”

“Someone she met on holiday,” Ginny continued. “He goes to Durmstrang.”

Hermione hit Ginny as Lavender turned away to tell Parvati. “Why did you tell her?” she asked. “It’ll be all over school by bedtime.”

“So?” Ginny said. “Why should it be a secret?”

“It’s not.” Hermione stood up. “I’ve got to go get ready for the prefect meeting-I’ll try and come by later.” She said goodbye to Harry and Ron and tried to ignore Lavender and Parvati whispering fiercely as she walked away.

She had just enough time to stop by her room and grab up some notes she needed for the meeting and change out of her school clothes before she met Ernie in the common room to go over some last minute items. A few minutes later the prefects began to arrive. They had been given the common room password so they could come and go to meetings, as well as find the Head Boy and Girl when they needed to. Hermione smiled at Ron when he arrived, and tried to ignore Lavender’s giggling. She saw Draco and Pansy out of the corner of her eye, but did not look directly at them.

Ernie began the meeting by discussing their responsibilities as prefects. Hermione then led a talk about how to help fellow students and finally Ernie ended the meeting by giving them their schedules and the date of the next meeting. Slowly, everyone began to grab their schedules and leave the common room. Hermione slipped quickly into her room before Pansy could get to the schedule, but she could hear the girl scream even through the walls. She grinned as she started her homework, feeling much better than earlier that day.

Hermione left her room at 8:30 to go see Ginny before she had to meet Draco for their patrol. She was walking toward the Gryffindor dorm when she heard both Draco and Pansy’s voices coming up the stairs. Quickly, she slipped behind a statue to let them pass without incident. Pansy was, as Hermione expected, complaining about her.

“I don’t know how you can be so calm about this, Draco,” she was whining as they came up the stairs.

“Forget it,” Draco said to her coolly. “It’s just more of an opportunity for me to torture her.”

“Still,” Their footsteps stopped and Hermione peaked around the statue to see what was happening. Pansy had stopped Draco and her hand was travelling up his arm. Hermione fought the urge to jump out and slap her. Slap him as well for just standing there.

“Stop it, Pans,” Draco brushed her hand away like it was an insect. “I told you.”

Pansy sighed and looked at him with a pouty look on her face. “Oh please, she’s not here, how would she know? And I know you have needs-“

“She cast a cheating charm,” he said. “If I cheat my skin will break out in boils. Not only would she notice, but I would be very uncomfortable and no one is worth that. Sorry, Pansy.” He began to walk again.

“My poor Draco,” Pansy started, walking after him until their voices faded off.

Hermione practically skipped up to the Gryffindor dorm grinning ear to ear. “Penance,” she said to the Fat Lady and walked into the common room.

“Hi!” She said to Harry and Ron who were playing chess by the fireplace. They grunted in return and didn’t even look up.

“Ignore them,” Ginny said, waving her up the stairs. They went up to Ginny’s room and sat down on her bed. “So,” she said, grinning wickedly. “Tell me more about this Alessandro. What’s he like?”

“You don’t have to ask, Ginny. It’s okay.”

“Are you crazy? I want to know.” Ginny gushed. “Is he a good kisser?”

“Ginny!”

“Come on, Hermione, spill it. I’ll tell you about Dean.”

“I don’t care to know.” Hermione said stiffly.

“Hermione, please?”

“Yes, he’s a wonderful kisser,” Hermione admitted.

Ginny squealed. “That means he’ll probably be good at other things too,” she said slyly.

Hermione’s face burned and Ginny’s smiling face turned to one of shock.

“Hermione, did you really? You did, didn’t you? You naughty girl!”

“You can’t tell Ron or Harry, Ginny, promise me!”

“Of course I won’t. What do you take me for? I can’t believe you shagged him!”

“Keep your voice down,” Hermione looked around wildly.

“Alright, don’t get so upset. Was it good?” Ginny asked.

Hermione shrugged. “I don’t know- I’ve nothing to compare it to. It wasn’t what I expected, I guess.”

“It never is,” Ginny said. “My first time I-“

“You’ve done it?” Hermione broke in.

Ginny nodded. “Last year. I would’ve told you, but I didn’t think you would approve.”

“You’re probably right. I guess I’ve changed this summer,” Hermione said.

“Well I didn’t think we’d have this discussion for years yet,” Ginny replied. “So I guess you have. Change doesn’t have to be bad, you know.”

“I know.” Hermione looked at the clock on the wall and stood up. “I’ve got to go patrol now. I’ll see you tomorrow. Remember, no telling the boys.”

Ginny waved. “I know. See you tomorrow, then.”

Hermione waved and said goodbye to Ron and Harry before she went to meet Draco. She found him waiting with Pansy and Ernie, a sullen expression on his face. Pansy looked like she could kill, and Ernie just looked impatient.

“I’m not late!” Hermione snapped before he could open his mouth.

“I know that you’re not,” Ernie said. “I’m just sick of standing here with them. You have your wand?” He whispered the last part.

Hermione nodded. “Let’s get this over with,” she snapped and she and Draco began to walk away from Pansy and Ernie.

The second they were around a turn, Draco’s face changed dramatically. The nasty expression was gone and in its place was a broad smile.

“Brilliant idea, the patrol schedule,” he said.

“It was Ernie’s idea, actually,” she said. “I just switched you with Pansy for my partner. “

“Now we have at least an hour every night, alone,” he said, grinning wickedly at her.

“We still need to patrol, Draco,” Hermione laughed, stepping into his embrace.

“Of course we do.” He pulled her even closer to kiss her. They stood there in the quiet and dark hallway for a long time, kissing, while Draco’s hands roamed underneath her clothes.

“Draco,” Hermione pulled away, breathless. “We have to patrol!”

Draco sighed and looked down at the floor, composing himself. He shook his head. “You are killing me!”

“You’ll live,” Hermione grinned and pulled him down the corridor. “Lumos,” she said to give them the light from her wand. They walked in silence for a moment before she said, “Fidelitas.”

He looked at her, confused. “What?”

“Fidelitas. It’s my password.”

A huge grin spread across his face and she immediately began to panic.

“That does not mean you can pop in anytime you want, Draco.” He didn’t answer, just sped up his pace. “Draco, I mean it. Only when I say so. Malfoy, answer me!”

“Hurry up, Granger!” He called from up ahead. “Let’s get this patrol over with. I’m suddenly very tired!”