From Venice with Love

Hermione convinced Draco that she needed to study that night and could not have a late night guest. He reluctantly promised not to bother her, but refused to promise to never use her password without her permission. Hermione was afraid one day she would bring Ginny, Ron or Harry to her room and he would be there. She tried to tell him as much, but he had just rolled his eyes. She did get to see him every night during patrol where they seemed to do very little patrolling and spend much more time in dark corridors groping at each other. The weekend was quickly approaching. Hermione, as Head Girl, could go into Hogsmeade, but Draco could not until the next designated weekend. She had told her friends ‘Alessandro’ would be visiting, however, so she did not have to worry about them missing her over the weekend.

“Why can’t we meet him?” Ginny asked at lunch on Friday.

“Next time,” Hermione said. “You don’t have a Hogsmeade weekend and I’m not sure he can visit here. I’ll be back every night for dinner.”

“Head Girl doesn’t have overnight privileges?” Ginny teased.

“Ginny!” Hermione said.

“You know, Hermione,” Ginny continued, lowering her voice. “Don’t be afraid to try again. It just takes practice.”

Hermione laughed. “That’s what he said. I’m just a little afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Well, he wasn’t a virgin. What if I’m just really bad at it? He’ll get tired of me.”

“Hermione, you’re never bad at anything you do.” Ginny said. “I doubt this will be an exception.”

“What’s that?” Ron interrupted, making them both jump.”Hermione’s bad at something? I’d love to see that.”

Ginny dissolved into a fit of giggles as Hermione gasped. Ron just shook his head at them and went back to eating. “Girls,” he muttered.

Hermione finished eating and went back up to her room to get her afternoon schoolbooks. Once inside her room she paused. On her bed was a gift wrapped box. She looked around her room cautiously, then went to the box and opened it. Inside were a portable DVD player and a few DVD’s. as well as batteries for it. Smiling to herself, she hid the box in her wardrobe and went down to potions. On the way, she pulled out her necklace. “Thank you,” she wrote. He didn’t answer, but she guessed he was surrounded by Slytherins in the dungeons.

She met Harry as usual by the Great Hall and they made their way to potions.

“Ginny says you’re meeting Alessandro this weekend?” Harry asked as they walked.

“Yes, he’s visiting Hogsmeade. I can go down each day for awhile.”

“It’s nice of him to come so far,” Harry said. “He must be a nice bloke.”

“He is. I just wish I could see him more,” she sighed.

Harry grinned at her. “I’ve never heard you like this. You’re so spacey in class and at meals. Are you in love, Hermione?”

Were you in love with Cho, Harry?” she asked, changing the subject a bit.

Harry thought about that for a moment and shook his head. “No, I was in love with the idea of her, I guess. We really didn’t have that much to talk about - we weren’t really friends. You’re avoiding the question though.”

“Yes, Granger, answer the question.” Hermione froze as Draco’s drawling voice came from behind her. “Are you in love?”

Hermione turned around. His voice was dripping in sarcasm, but she saw nervousness in his eyes.

“If I were, Malfoy, you’d be the last to know,” she said coolly. She turned back around and she and Harry walked into the classroom.

After dinner Hermione met Ernie for a meeting in the common room regarding the next Hogsmeade weekend in three weeks. She then went back into her room to changed and ready for a long night of studying if she planned on spending time with Draco over the weekend. She went into her bathroom to change and put her hair up in a ponytail. She brushed her teeth and walked back into her room to get her books.


She was leaning over getting books from her bag when a voice made her jump. “Nice view.”

Hermione whipped around and saw Draco lying on his stomach on her bed, grinning at her.

“Merlin, you scared me!” Hermione went over and smacked his arm lightly. “I thought I said not to come in without my permission.”

“And I thought I ignored you,” he said, sitting up. He held out a piece of paper to her. “I got this today.”

Hermione took it and read. It was a note from her mother thanking him for the gift he sent her. She said she hoped to see him over Christmas holidays.

“So, you did send her something?” Hermione tried to give him back the letter, but he shook his head.

“You’d better keep it. I can’t leave it in my room, someone might find it.” Hermione nodded and put it in her drawer. “I told you I would. She doesn’t seem angry at me anymore.”

“I guess not. We’ll see what she says when I hear from her,” Hermione said, sitting down next to him. “Could you do that?” she asked, looking down at her bedspread.

“Do what?”

“Visit at Christmas. I’d love for you to see our house,” she said, still looking down, afraid to look at his face.

“I don’t see why not,” he said. “I can always lie to my parents. Assuming I’m not tired of you by then.”

Her head shot up at that, but she could see he was teasing. She swatted at him half-heartedly.

“Sorry for teasing you before potions,” he said. “I’ve already heard from everyone that you’re shagging some chap named Alessandro that you met in Venice.” He frowned as she gasped.

“I knew Lavender would do that- I’m going to kill Ginny. I never said shagging, I said seeing-“

“You had to say Alessandro?” He was still frowning at her.

“I had to use a name that would be easy to remember.”

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep a straight face when I listen to people say you’re shagging Alessandro?” he asked. “Pansy just thought the look on my face was about the idea of you shagging anyone but still,”

“I can’t change the name now,” Hermione snapped. “And I never said shagging. I don’t want the whole school thinking I’m like that.”

“You’re not shagging anyone right now, I would know,” he said sulkily.

Hermione stared at him, open mouthed. “What did you just say?”

He looked back at her angrily. “You’ve been avoiding it since we got back. You always put me off-I’m not used to that, Hermione. It’s not a problem for me to get sex, you know.”

“Are you threatening me?” she said coldly, moving away from him.

He stared back at her for a minute before answering. “No,” he said finally. “I’m just-frustrated.”

Hermione took a deep breath so she wouldn’t blow up at him. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s just that-“

“You don’t trust me,” he finished for her, standing up like he was going to leave.

Hermione was afraid of him leaving so angry at her. “No, that’s not it at all,” she protested, grabbing his arm.

“Then what is it? And don’t tell me it’s nothing.” His eyes were cold and his face hard as he looked at her.

“I’m just not used to being bad- at anything,” she admitted.

His face softened at her words. “What do you mean?”

“Just what I said,” she said, getting embarrassed.

“I told you-“ he began.

“I know what you said,” she cut him off. “I just, like to be the best at everything.”

“How do you get to be the best at everything, Granger?” he said, amused.

“Well, reading,” she stammered.

“That won’t help you here,” he laughed.

Hermione blushed. “I know. I just think you’ll be, disappointed.” She had to push the words out.

”That’s not possible,” he said softly. He pulled back some strands of her hair that had come loose from her ponytail. She looked up at him, and then kissed him. As the kiss deepened, she began to lead him back over to the bed. He pulled away from her slightly. “I was just mad earlier. Really, we don’t have to.”

“I want to,” she whispered, kissing him again before he could protest. This time he let her lead him over to the bed. They had barely laid down when there was a knock at her door.

“Hermione?” They both froze.

“It’s Harry,” Hermione whispered.

“Maybe he’ll go away if you don’t answer,” Draco whispered back. They were silent for a moment.

“Hermione, I know you’re in there. Ernie said you just went in a few minutes ago. It’s Harry and Ron. Let us in.”

Draco groaned. “A new reason to hate Potter- he’s out to ruin my sex life as well,”

“Shhh,” Hermione giggled, the yelled out. “What do you need, Harry? I’m studying!”

“Oh no, you don’t!” she heard Ron yell out. “You’ll be gone all weekend with that Durmstrang dolt- you will visit with us tonight! Open the door, Hermione!”

Hermione looked at Draco, who sighed. “Go on,” he said.

“I’m sorry, I had no idea they’d come here,” she said, getting up and straightening her clothes. “Will you be here when I get back?”

“Do you want to be?” he asked, surprised.

She nodded, and he smiled at her. “I’ll come back around midnight then,” he said.

“I’ll see you then,” she kissed him quickly and slid out the door.

“Hey!” Ron said. “When do we get to see your room?”

“Some other night,” she said, leading them away.