The Ministry Owl flew in the open window and perched on the bedside cabinet waiting for Hermione and Draco to wake from their slumber. When this didn't occur within what the owl had deemed to be an appropriate length of time, it hooted loudly. Draco's eyes snapped open and he turned his head, glaring at the bird.

Shifting his sleeping lover across, he sat on the edge of the bed and snatched up the missive. The owl, taking umbrage at the slight, bit his finger before making its exit, smacking Draco's head with his wing for good measure.

"Fucker" he muttered, glaring at the note in his hand as he read.

"Well if you will piss it off of course it's gonna bite you" a muffled voice came from the bed.

He turned and pushed her curls away from her face, planting a kiss on her temple. "Hello beautiful, enjoy your sleep?" he murmured into her hair.

"Mmmhumm" she replied, her eyes still shut, a smile on her lips.

"Good" he whispered, kissing below her ear. "However, as much as I would love for us to stay in this bed, we need to get up. They've found another body" he stated, planting a final kiss on her cheek before rising and padding over to the closet, pulling out a fresh suit.

"What time is it?" she said, her eyes opening, her brainwaves kicking into work mode.

He glanced at his wristwatch. "A little after 8 am" he said, buttoning his shirt. He grabbed a tie and snapped up his collar.

"Here, let me do it" Hermione said, kneeling up on the bed, wrapping the sheet around her so it was tucked into itself under her arm.

He walked over to the bed and she reached out to knot his tie. He lifted a hand to her curls and ran his fingers through, playing with a fist full. She smiled up at him.

"There" she said, smugly satisfied, as she smoothed it down against his shirt. He leaned down and hesitated just before he touched his lips to hers.

"Will you run away this time?" he said, raising one eyebrow and smirking.

She smiled and shook her head in reply.

"Good" he murmured, his lips brushing against hers. She shivered.

He slowly captured her bottom lip, sucking on it gently before letting go and planting a firm kiss on her lips. He stepped away before she could react to his switch in pace.

"I don't think you're outfit is suitable for a crime scene though Granger, so you might want to change" he grinned, grabbing his jacket.

His hand to the door knob, he was just about to step into the seating area when the well aimed pillow collided with his head.

.

Bulbs flashed as Hermione approached the victim, the MLE medical examiner still working the body. She asked the examiner in flawless Italian whether she could take a look inside the victim's robes. The M.E nodded her ascent and using her wand, Hermione pulled the robe open. Taking an examination glove from the middle aged examiner, she snapped it on, her eyes narrowing at the sight of parchment in one of the inner pockets. Carefully removing it, she unfolded the letter. The penmanship was precise and the killer had clearly calculated every word written.

Draco stood off to one side talking in hushed voices with the Trace specialist watching Hermione as she crouched on the ground reading the killers words. His heart clenched at the sight, reminded of the night she broke down, her normally logical mind seeming to identify with the actions of a psychopath. His concern for her growing, he took the report from the specialist with a nod of thanks and approached his partner and touched her shoulder to signal his presence beside her.

"This letter is different" she muttered, looking up at his steely gaze. "We should get back and examine it properly. Do you have the reports?" she asked, standing up and taking the rust coloured files from him opening the Trace report and scanning the contents. She shut the file and they made their way past technicians in silence. He held the POLIZIA tape up and she ducked under before turning to him.

"There's something about the tone of that letter that is different. It's more sinister but…. I don't know how to explain it" she muttered, her forehead creasing with confusion.

"We can take a look when we get back" he told her, taking her hand in his as they approached the MLE apparition point. She was momentarily shocked by the gesture of public intimacy and looked up at him. His gaze fixed on the crime scene, he squeezed her hand in reassurance. The silent gesture was confirmation that while they would continue their working relationship professionally without their intimacy hindering the case, they were for all intents and purposes a couple now and he would display his concern for her appropriately. She smiled to herself.

Back at the hotel she opened her briefcase on the table in the seating area of her room and opened the files he had given her earlier. She retrieved the other letters from the files inside her briefcase and began placing the letters side by side in chronological order.

Draco poured two cups of espresso and placed on beside Hermione who was now hunched over the letters scrutinising them carefully. For a long time she said nothing as her mind worked overdrive, twisting and turning the different keys in the locks of her mind. Touching a hand out to the Rotterdam letter, she screwed up her eyes and bit her bottom lip. Draco's cock stirred at the imagery and he repressed his arousal that reminded him she was sexy when she was concentrating hard. She pulled out the Rotterdam crime scene photos and placed them next to the photos she had of the Venice murder. Finally she turned to Draco, her mind clicking the last lock open.

"This is more than about killing. This is about blood and look. Look how the bodies have been left. Outside in the open, battered and broken, their life force and magic drained" she said pointing to the photos. "Now with that in mind" she continued, touching her hand to the Rotterdam letters "read these again."

Draco scanned the letters trying to follow the path her logic took her down.

"There's something about the tone, the choice of words…" she quietly told him. "I don't think the letters are addressed to the victim" she finished, sitting back while he scanned the final letter.

"Well if they aren't addressed to the victim, who are they addressed to?" he asked, his eyes leaving the parchment to meet her gaze, waiting for her conclusion.

"That I haven't figured out" she sighed in frustration.

Draco glanced at his wristwatch and looked over at Hermione who was chewing thoughtfully on her quill. "You look shattered" he commented.

"Charming" she said, a small smirk playing on her lips as she wrote down her thoughts.

"No!" he chuckled, running his hand through his hair as he placed the file he had been reading on the coffee table in front of him "You know what I mean...that it's time to call it a day. It's nearly 6 and we are meeting Blaise for dinner and drinks in an hour" he continued, coming up behind her and running his hands over her shoulders, feeling the silk of her blouse underneath his fingertips causing an involuntary shudder.

"Ok, let me just finish getting this down, and then I shall go and quickly change" she replied, feeling him kiss the nape of her neck.

"Ok" he mumbled, his teeth grazing her skin seductively. She playfully pulled away causing him to emit a low growl of frustration and she pushed her chair back, hurrying to the bedroom to change.

A few moments later she came out of her room wearing a short black dress with a lace bodice that was cut at the shoulders leaving her honey kissed arms uncovered. His cock twitched and his eyes glazed over with arousal.

"I don't think so Hermione" he told her and she glared at him.

"What?!" she cried "Just because you're my boyfriend does not mean you can tell me what to wear! I got this dress in Paris and this is the first opportunity I have had to wear it. Who are you to tell me I cannot?!" she ranted, cheeks flushing with fury.

He sighed.

"We are going out for drinks with BLAISE" he told her firmly.

"There is no way I am letting him see you dressed like that!"