From Venice with Love

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I didn't want to leave you too long on a cliffie- hopefully you haven't let yet, Shananigans!


Hermione landed with a thud on a hard cold floor. “Get up, you lazy bitch!” Pansy snapped, pulling her hard by the arm. Hermione felt a wand poking her hard in her back as she struggled to right herself. It was dark, but as her eyes adjusted to the light she could see she was in a marble foyer. It looked vaguely familiar, and she tried to remember where she’d seen it before. Pansy pulled her forwards as she struggled to figure out where she was.

“I’ve got her!” Pansy screeched, her voice reverberating off the high ceiling.

“Quiet, you stupid girl!” a voice came out of the room to Hermione’s right. “I don’t want my wife to hear you.” She knew immediately whose voice it was. She turned towards the voice and saw Lucius Malfoy come forward out of the shadows. His eyes surveyed her and he smiled. “So gad to see you again, Ms. Granger.”

“It’s Malfoy,” she replied, smiling in return. She felt Pansy’s grip on her arm tighten.

Lucius Malfoy’s face flushed, but his voice was calm when he spoke. “So it is. And how is my grandson, Mrs. Malfoy?”

“My son is doing well, thank you,” Hermione answered. “I’m sure you didn’t bring me here for pleasantries though.”

“Of course not. You know what I want, I want the child. Have Draco bring him here, and I will allow you to go free. You’ll have to divorce Draco, of course, but then you may go live your life any way that you see fit.” Lucius was standing in front of her now, still smiling slightly, as if they were discussing the weather.

Hermione worked hard to keep her voice equally light. “I’m sorry, sir, that’s not possible. First of all, I would never allow you to have my son. Second of all, I can’t divorce Draco.”


“What do you mean, you can’t divorce him?” Pansy broke in, her voice laced with anger.

“It really isn’t any of your concern, is it Pansy?” Hermione said.

“Of course it is. I’ll be Draco’s wife, as soon as he’s rid of you.”

“Really? Good luck with that.” Hermione turned back towards Lucius, who was eyeing her with interest. He held out his wand and Hermione jumped dispite her efforts to remain outwardly unconcerned. He muttered something she couldn’t hear and then began to chuckle bitterly.

“Blood. He used blood, didn’t he?” Lucius said as Pansy gasped. “Clever boy. A very stupid move, however. He’s forced my hand. In order to rid him of you, you’ll have to die. I may not be able to do it-“

“I will,” Pansy said eagerly, putting her wand up to Hermione’s ribcage.

Lucius put a hand up. “Pansy, patience. We don’t have the child yet.” He stepped away slightly. “I need to think about this turn of events. Pansy, take my daughter-in-law to her room.” He turned and left without another word.

“Let’s go,” Pansy hissed, pulling Hermione towards a flight of stairs. A house elf ran by and jumped seeing Hermione. It squealed and ran away, but looking around again, Hermione now knew where she was. She was at the Malfoy’s house in Venice. She recognised it now, and as they went upstairs Hermione could tell that she was being led to one of the guest bedrooms Draco had pointed out last summer.

“How did you get Draco’s necklace?” Hermione asked Pansy. “And how did you know how it worked?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Pansy taunted her, grinning. “All that matters was that I knew that you would be stupid enough to respond.” She pushed Hermione forward into the room and Hermione heard it lock on the other side.


Immediately, Hermione began to look around for a way to escape. The room was bare except for a bed and dresser with nothing inside. She walked into the adjoining bathroom but there was nothing in there either. Defeated, Hermione sunk onto the floor in the bedroom, her head in her hands. This was all her fault! If she hadn’t been so stupid… She began to cry as she thought about Dante. His little face, the way he smelled of baby powder, his smile. She cried until she had no tears left before standing up and moving to lay down on the bed. She lay there in silence until she heard a very faint knocking.

“Hello?” she called.

“Shhh,” a voice answered back. Hermione got up quickly and walked to the door.


“Who’s there?” she asked.

“Hermione? Is that you?” She didn’t recognise the voice, but knew that it was female.


“Yes.” She heard the other person sigh.

“I was afraid it was you.”

“Mrs. Malfoy?” she asked, finally recognising the voice.

There was silence, and then, “Yes, it’s me.”

Hermione pressed her head against the door. “Will you help me?” she asked softly.


Again, there was a pause. “I’ll send Draco an owl,” she said finally.

“Draco was at Malfoy Manor when I left,” Hermione said. “Could you please send an owl to Professor Dumbledore instead?”

“Malfoy Manor!” Narcissa said, gasping. “Why is he there?”

“Retrieving his things,” Hermione lied. “Please, Mrs. Malfoy. I’m sure you care about Dante.”

Hermione could hear a sob come through the door. “I’ll send the owl,” she said again, and Hermione could hear rustling as she moved away.

Sighing, Hermione went back and laid on the bed. There seemed to be nothing else she could do but wait. She tried to remember the last time she was sure that she saw Draco with his necklace on, but as he kept it under his shirt, she couldn’t remember the last time she had seen it. She fingered her own necklace lightly as she laid there, thinking of how she could escape. Draco would never give up Dante and Lucius could not let her live, those facts she was certain of. Even if Narcissa contacted Professor Dumbledore, Draco would need to come in order for the house to be found. Unless Harry had kept the note that Draco had given him with the address, she thought. Either way, she knew they would all be better off if she could escape on her own. The house had been near San Marco Square, if she escaped she would be sure to see people immediately. She remembered the garden terrace they had dined on, was it too far up to jump? She raced through tons of possibilities in her mind until she was startled by another knock on her door.


“Missus, you have a visitor,” Pokey said, bowing as she let Alessandro through the door.


“You,” Hermione said dully. “I should have known you’d have something to do with this.”

Alessandro shrugged. “Someone had to get the necklace.”


“How?” Hermione asked.

“He wasn’t wearing it if that’s what you’re asking. He had taken it off at St. Mungo’s. I just popped in and took it while you were sleeping. He probably never even realised it was gone. Your figure’s come back quite nicely, by the way,” he said, leering at her.

"How did you know what it did?" Hermione asked, ignoring his last statement.

Alessandro looked at her disdainfully. "You gave it away at the Quidditch match we attended. Was it your idea? I thought a Protean charm beyond Draco's abilities."

Hermione shivered. “Why would you do this?”


“Next time, ask someone’s permission before you use their name in your little twisted fantasy,” Alessandro snapped. “Me? Married to a Mudblood? Making little half-blood babies? I’ll never get my reputation back.” He fought to control his anger and smiled once more. “Oh, well. Truth’s out now. Maybe once you’re rid of young Draco we’ll meet again.”


“Draco and I married using blood magic,” Hermione said, and saw the smile disappear from his face. “Do you really hate me enough to kill me?”

Alessandro seemed to hesitate, before smiling sadly. “That is your misfortune,” he said, quietly slipping back out the door.

Hermione began to cry angrily, until she fell into a dreamless sleep.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------