From Venice with Love

As soon as school ended the house was a flurry of activity. Ron and Ginny moved in immediately, to Draco’s dismay, and Order members came and went with increased frequency. After spending a week with the Dursley’s Harry returned as well, and planning for the end of the war began in earnest.

A few weeks after school ended, Snape came over looking for Draco. “Your father has lodged a complaint with the ministry,” he told him flatly. “He asserting that you’ve been kidnapped.”

“What can I do?” Draco asked, handing Dante to Hermione.

“I need you to send your father a letter,” Snape told him. “I’ll also need you to send me one to Hogwarts, both letters indicating that you’re safe and left on your own.”

Draco sat down at the desk in the living room and wrote both the letters he was asked to and handed them to Snape, who put them in his pocket without a word. “Your mother came to see me,” Snape went on.

“And?”

“She wants to see the baby. I told her I had no idea where you were, of course. She was very distraught. I suggest you write her again as well.”

Draco nodded and began to write again. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a photograph of Dante and handed both to Snape, who again took them without comment. He nodded and left the room.

“I trust she’ll hide the photograph?” Hermione asked and Draco nodded.

“Malfoy?” Harry’s head peeked out of a door where the Order was having a meeting. “Your parents have taken a vacation to Venice. Is that normal?”

Draco frowned. “Yes. We usually go there in July.”

“It means no one is at the Manor,” Harry said.

“The elves are,” Draco said, stalling.

“You know what I mean, Malfoy,” Harry said quietly.

Hermione could see emotions crossing Draco’s face as he stared at Harry for a moment, then his eyes flicked over to Dante. He sighed. “Fine. But I’m going with you. The elves will obey me and I can get you past the wards.”

“No! Draco, you can’t!” Hermione jumped up immediately as Draco started walking towards the door.

“I have to, for Dante,” Draco said, and before she could respond, he slipped in the room after Harry and it locked behind him.

It was almost an hour before he came back out, Hermione didn’t look at him as he sat down beside her. “You can’t be mad about this,” he told her.

She looked up at him. “I certainly can be mad! What if it’s a trap, what if-“

“Do you want to live here forever, never being able go outside?” Draco asked. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going crazy. The sooner this war ends, the faster we can get out of here. I don’t want Dante to spend years here, never going swimming, or playing in a park.”

“I don’t want that either,” Hermione said. “I just want you safe.”

“I’ll be with Potter,” Draco laughed. “Everyone will be falling all over themselves to make sure nothing bad happens, I’m sure.” He kissed her quickly. “I’ve got to get a few things ready. We’re going tonight.”

A few minutes later Harry came out of the room, eyeing her warily. “You’re mad at me, aren’t you?” he asked.

“All I’ll say is that you better not come back without him or you’ll be sorry,” Hermione warned.

“It’ll be fine,” Harry said.

“You must trust him now,” Hermione said quietly. “To let him go with you.”

Harry shrugged. “Moody voiced some concerns after he left, that he might warn his father and ambush us. We really have no choice; he won’t let us go without him. If this goes well, he’ll have earned my trust. That doesn’t mean I like him,” Harry warned as Hermione smiled.

“Sure,” Hermione said, continuing to smile.

“I mean it, Hermione,” Harry said, but he smiled as well. ”We should only be gone a few hours; it’s just a quick run. If all goes well, we may need to go back later.”

“Later?”

“A few months, don’t worry,” Harry said.

“Who’s going?”

“Me, Malfoy, of course, Moody, Snape, Tonks and Remus,” Harry said. “Your precious Draco will be fine. I may not like him, but I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or Dante.”

“I know,” Hermione said, hugging him. “So Ron and Ginny will be staying here?”

“Yes, like I said, we won’t be long. We’re just checking a secret room Malfoy told us about, and the dungeons.” Harry began to walk out the door. “I need to get ready. I’ll see you at dinner.”

Hermione walked upstairs after him and into her room to put Dante down for his nap. Draco was putting a piece of parchment into his pocket when she opened the door. “I drew Potter a map,” he said as Hermione put Dante in the bassinet. “In case he needs to go without me later.”

Hermione nodded and sat down on the bed. Draco joined her. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We won’t be gone long.”

“That’s what Harry said,” Hermione told him. She leaned towards him. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too,” he said, kissing her. Hermione deepened the kiss, pushing Draco down on the bed as she did so. “Wait,” he said, propping himself up on his elbows. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” Hermione said, trying to kiss him again.

“But what about- you know?”

“Everything’s healed now,” she said. “Just be careful.”

“Are you sure?”

“Draco! Shut up!” Draco looked shocked and she laughed at his expression. “I’m fine. Stop talking now and kiss me, before Dante wakes up. I hope we have enough time before his nap’s over.”

“Hermione, it’s been over 2 months. We’ll have enough time, I promise,” Draco said, grinning at her.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

That night Hermione stood in the foyer, nervously watching the Order get ready to leave. “Calm down, Hermione,” Ginny whispered to her. “They’ll be fine.”

“Let’s go,” Moody snapped impatiently. “If Malfoy here didn’t sell us out, we’ll be back in 2 hours.”

Draco rolled his eyes. “If you’re so sure I’m lying-“ he snapped, but Harry cut him off.

“Ignore him, Malfoy,” he said quietly.

Surprisingly, Draco didn’t continue, instead he turned to Hermione. “Don’t worry, love,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “Give Dante a kiss goodnight for me, alright?”

Hermione nodded, afraid to speak. She noticed Ginny seemed particularly upset about this excursion as well, though she didn’t say anything.

The group exited quickly, leaving only Ginny, Ron, Mrs. Weasley and Hermione behind in the foyer. Hermione sighed and headed for the living room, followed closely by Ginny and Ron. Dante was asleep in the bassinet in there, and Hermione checked on him briefly before sitting down on the couch.

“They won’t be long,” Ginny said nervously.

“It’ll be fine,” Ron said immediately.

“I’m fine guys. It’s okay,” Hermione smiled. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“The Quidditch World Cup is being held in Ireland this year,” Ron said excitedly. Hermione laughed and began to listen.