Chapter 27
Hermione kicked at a pebble as she dragged herself up the steep hill toward the Order's flat. It wasn't even 10 am and it was already sweltering. Late August in Italy heat was like nothing she'd ever experienced, but today was particularly bad.
Or perhaps, she thought as she kept the same rock skittering up the uneven street, she was moving slowly because she wanted time to slow down. Turn back.
Yesterday had been so lovely, but now it was over. She had only today. Tonight.
Tomorrow she was leaving.
Leaving. The two syllables seemed to merge with her breath as it went in and out.
Tomorrow night she'd be at The Burrow, sleeping in Ginny's narrow second bed. And then the wedding the next day, and then who knew? She'd spent some time thinking about Harry's plan and intended to use the next few hours to have a long talk with him about it, but she still had no idea how the coming weeks and months would unfurl.
Would they be ok?
Would their side win?
Would she see people she… loved, again?
No answers came to her and she made a wordless sound of frustration, and possibly despair. But she trudged onward, until a bright puff of white jasmine caught her eye from where it draped over an ochre wall lining the pavement. She leaned toward the vine's heady aroma, which floated into her senses, its sweetness evoking memories from yesterday.
Their last day.
Hermione sighed and checked her stride, touching the soft blossoms absently.
They'd woken early, but not gotten up right away, lingering until quite late in the morning. And then there had been coffee and cornettos at the cafe, followed by a long ride along the smaller roads leading out of town. They'd ended up at the Pools, which had been lovely for a while, but eventually felt a little crowded. So there'd been a mad, laughing race back to Draco's flat in the afternoon where they'd stayed in for quite a long time. Almost missed dinner, in fact. But they'd managed to make it to the square late in the evening and have a thoroughly romantic meal under the stars. Then it had been back to the flat and very little sleep.
Hermione smiled, breaking off a stem of the jasmine and running it across her cheek.
A perfect day.
But now it was over.
Her smile dropped and her shoulders slumped. She placed a hand against the rough wall, taking a few deep breaths before she straightened and started walking again.
Nothing to do about it now but move on, move forward. She forced her focus to shift from the past to the future, from Draco to Harry, who may already be waiting for her upstairs. She checked her watch. Not quite eleven—she had a few minutes still.
Reaching the now-familiar building with its tall, narrow door, she glanced around to make sure no one was looking while she sketched out a symbol on the dark surface and muttered an incantation. She pushed the door slowly inward and stepped into the dark entryway, pausing while her eyes adjusted to the dim. Her fingers tightened on her canvas shoulder bag and the white paper sack she held in her other hand crinkled. Late breakfast? Early lunch?—either way, she was sure Harry wouldn't have eaten before the multi-floo journey.
She started forward and climbed the stairs to the top floor where another incantation opened the door to the flat, which was utterly still and silent, watchful somehow. Hermione's eyes swept the room, but nothing out of the ordinary appeared—other than the memories from when she'd last been here, wrapped in a misery that seemed almost quaint now.
Maybe in some ways Draco had been right… But then she shook her head and spoke aloud to the empty room. "No."
No. She wouldn't trade the last few weeks for anything.
Hermione placed the paper bag on the long table under the windows and looked at her watch again. Eleven on the dot. Harry should be here any moment. As if on cue, the floo roared in the huge fireplace across the room and Hermione crossed to it quickly, just in time to catch Harry as he stumbled out, hacking and somewhat sooty.
"Goodness!" She braced him with strong hands on his upper arms as he covered his mouth and heaved a last cough. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah," he croaked. "Just that last bit from Rome was rough." He straightened and shook his head. "Third one in an hour."
"Come and sit. I'll bring you a glass of water and open a window. It's stuffy in here."
"Thanks," Harry said, sinking onto the couch and tilting his head back. Hermione went to one of the windows and pulled at the latch, cranking it open to let in a soft gust of warm air. Quickly filling two glasses from the tap, she handed one to Harry and then grabbed the white bag off the table.
"Assorted pastries and biscuits," she said. "I figured you'd be hungry."
"Starving," Harry said, finishing his water in a long gulp and accepting the bag. He pulled out a piece of torta di mele and shoved it almost whole into his mouth. "You're a lifesaver." His words were muffled by the food and Hermione laughed a little as she watched him. He looked thinner than the last time she'd seen him and his hair had been cut. He'd obviously gotten some sun somewhere because he didn't look quite so pale either.
"What?" he asked, now biting into a fluffy valdostano, Giancarlo's specialty. He held it out squinted at it. "That's bloody delicious."
"I know. The sweet and savoury together?" If Hermione hadn't eaten one with Draco before she'd walked over, she'd be stealing half. "And I'm just looking at you. Taking you in." She reached out and ran her hand over the messy top of his hair as she dropped down next to him on the sofa. "You've had a haircut and you're not so pasty."
"Thanks." He gave her a sarcastic smile.
"You know what I mean." She made a face at him. "How have you been?"
Harry brushed crumbs off his fingers, seeming much more alert and less green now. "Good, yeah. Better than last time I saw you, actually. They relocated me to a different safehouse in the south. Cornwall. It's near a beach, so I've been outside a lot."
"That's good. Fresh air and all that."
Harry nodded. "And you? You look well. Happy." A half-smile lifted his mouth as he gazed at her.
"Yeah." Hermione looked away out the window and then back at him, matching his smile. "I'm very well."
"Malfoy managing not to fuck up any more, then? All good there?"
Hermione's smile tugged upward and she nudged Harry's shoulder. "No. Yes, very good."
"Excellent."
"And what about Dean?" she asked tentatively. "Did he go with you to the new place?"
"Ahh, no." Harry grimaced a little. "And we decided to…" He made a slicing gesture with his hand. "I mean, not that it was acrimonious or anything," he continued quickly. "Just, everything's uncertain."
"Right." Hermione nodded in understanding. "So have you been all alone, then?"
"Living alone, yes. Which, I have to say has been bloody fantastic."
"Not lonely?"
"Er no, I actually met someone in the town nearby. A muggle girl." Harry rubbed his neck.
"Oh did you?" Hermione's brows went up. "Been quite a summer for you." She poked him. "And I have it on good authority that Matteo will be there tonight too."
Pink crept up Harry's neck. "Oh yeah?" he said, smiling again. "What are we doing?"
"Dinner and the disco. Last night celebration." Hermione straightened up. "But first I think you and I should have a bit of a planning session. I don't have anywhere to be until the afternoon. Draco's off from the bookshop then and he's going to meet us at my flat. Lav, Blaise and Theo are meeting us there too at some point in the early evening. Then we'll all walk down to Theo's restaurant in the piazza."
Harry nodded along a little dazedly as Hermione stretched up off the couch and paced to the fireplace, her mind on logistics.
"And you'll kip on my couch tonight unless maybe you'll be—er, with Matteo?" she asked.
"Ahhh," Harry cut in with a quick smile. "I think I'll actually plan to stay here?" He stood and looked around the flat. "I fancy the idea of a bed. And Lupin wants us back in Rome for a Portkey by noon tomorrow. So you can just meet me here before then. Not like we won't be spending a lot of time together for the next few months." He laughed, but then sobered. "And I know you'll want to have that last bit... with, er, Draco."
Hermione felt her face fall. "Yeah," she said softly, looking down, sadness sweeping over her.
Harry crossed over to her and touched her arm. "Want some more?" He gestured to her water glass.
She looked up and blinked. "Ahhh, I think some tea, actually," she said, going to the kitchen and starting to blindly open cupboards. Harry followed her and found the kettle under the sink, which he filled and plugged in.
"Been living like a muggle since you went to Cornwall?" Hermione gestured at the bubbling machine, trying valiantly to discipline her emotions and focus again.
"Ah, yes. Attempting to. Especially since I started seeing Alice."
"Right, Alice. Theo's had a muggle girlfriend this summer too." Hermione leaned against the counter as they waited for the water to boil.
"Oh interesting. So everything's cleared up there too? Between you and him?" Harry asked, leaning next to her, his face crinkled in concern. She felt the support of his friendship reach out and wrap around her—almost like a physical thing—and realised how much she'd missed him this summer.
"Yeah," she said after a moment. "Very good. He's become a close friend."
"I'm glad," Harry said. He touched his shoulder to hers and Hermione leaned against him.
Then the kettle popped, starting her up. She filled two mugs and handed one to Harry. "All right," she said, moving toward the table and sitting down. "Let's talk. What news do you have? What plans have you made?"
Harry sat too. "A good bit of news, less planning," he said sheepishly.
Hermione shook her head affectionately. "That's all right, we have all afternoon. And I have a notebook and a quill." She rose and grabbed her bag from the sofa, pulling said items out and setting them on the table.
Harry smiled. "Of course you do." He watched her while she arranged her things, his smile fading. "Well, the biggest news is probably Dumbledore. He's almost gone. Remus thinks it's a matter of days."
Hermione made a sound of dismay and Harry shook his head.
"I saw him one more time last week. He didn't, couldn't say much, but they've told me to be available for the reading of his will." Harry's voice choked a little and Hermione reached out to cover her hand with his.
"Oh, Harry."
"So yeah." Harry cleared his throat. "There's that. Not as much instruction or explanation as I'd hoped for, but maybe whatever he's left behind for us will help."
"Right." Hermione tried to hide the disappointment Harry's words had brought. She'd expected so much more guidance from the headmaster.
"But things are bad, Hermione." Harry looked into her eyes and she focused back on him. "Professor Burbage went missing last month and the Order thinks Voldemort abducted her. It's unlikely she's still alive."
Hermione gasped and put her hand over her mouth, picturing the lively and intelligent Muggle Studies professor.
"There are also signs that the Ministry has been infiltrated. Small ones, but enough for the Order to take protective measures for all members who work there." Harry's face was bleak and it came over Hermione in a rush that this was happening... that it was coming for them.
"My god," she whispered, putting her fingers to her temples. Harry was silent and the stillness of the flat seemed to press around them. Hermione looked down, despair creeping into the edges of her vision.
How were they supposed to do anything? How were they supposed to fix this?
She heard Harry breathe out heavily and the plunk of his mug on the smooth wood. She snapped her head up. "Then we have to plan. We have to be as precise and prepared as we can. One step ahead if possible."
Harry nodded once and Hermione felt her brain click into gear. "I'll need a few days," she said distractedly, cataloging items and beginning to jot a to-do list. "Shelter, supplies." She focused on Harry again. "I'll need to visit my parents before we go truly underground."
"What are you going to tell them?"
"I'll think of something." Hermione looked out the window behind Harry, the bright sunlight shining through the glass seeming almost a mockery now.
No matter, they'd be shivering in a British autumn soon enough.
"I have some news and instructions for Malfoy too." Harry was saying.
"Oh?"
"Ah, yeah. Lupin told me it was confidential?" Harry said with a grimace. "I'll need to get a minute alone with him at some point."
"Of course." Hermione's grim mindset lifted a little at the thought of a tête-à-tête between the two of them. "I know the bare bones of what he's doing. But we've agreed to share as little as possible."
Harry looked at her sharply. "Does he know about our plans?"
"Just that we won't be at school."
"Hermione…"
"Look, there's a chance we'll see him out there. I thought it best to minimise any surprises." Hermione held Harry's gaze. "And he and I needed to get a few things in place. Like the fact that all of this?" She waved her hand in the air. "Never happened. I don't care what's going on, we can't blow the cover for him and he can't for us."
"Agreed," Harry said after a long pause. He sighed heavily and rubbed his brow. "Agreed."
"Good." Hermione slurped the dregs of her tea. "Another?" She gestured to Harry's cup.
"Yeah, thanks."
Hermione got up and busied herself in the small kitchen again.
"Arthur stopped by the house last week," Harry called, getting up and doing some stretches against the back of his chair. "God, I'm bloody knackered," he muttered.
"Oh yeah, why?"
"Er, Alice was over late," Harry said, his cheeks reddening.
Hermione smirked. "Thanks, but I was referring to Arthur."
"Oh," Harry snorted. "Ahhh, he mostly came to tell me the wedding's still on. And they're still expecting us. Ron's been somewhere in the north, apparently. Scandinavia. I'm sure he'll tell us all about it. Ginny's been in Ireland."
"Huh, interesting." Hermione brought the tea over and retrieved the pastry bag from the sofa, opened it and plucked out a crumble of biscotti. "How do you think it will be with her tomorrow?" She popped the biscuit in her mouth and chewed.
"OK, I hope?" But Harry looked a little unsure. "I mean, we left it on what I thought were good terms. And who knows what's happened with her this summer?"
"Right." Hermione hoped for Harry's sake (and Ginny's) that Ginny had gotten up to something interesting. "And nobody knows about our plans, correct? We're only telling Ron?"
"Yeah, other than Remus... and Draco."
Hermione nodded. "Of course, that will be a moot point once we disappear. And on the first when we don't show up for school."
"Mmm-hmm." Harry bit into another biscotti. He chewed thoughtfully. "Although, Remus said there's going to be some kind of briefing for everyone in this program, before they board the Express. And we will very obviously not be there, so maybe they'll say something then." He shrugged.
"I'm presuming Arthur and Molly, McGonagall, and others will be informed even earlier."
"Yeah, I guess it depends on how we decide to play it."
"Exactly." Hermione looked at her watch. "Are you OK to spend a few hours on it? Get lunch a little later?"
"Yeah." Harry, who had wandered to the window and looked out, returned to the table and sat down, his eyes alert on Hermione. "Sounds good."
"OK," Hermione picked up her quill and opened to a fresh page in her notebook. "Let's start with our departure. Here's my rough idea of what we'll need to take with us."
"I don't think my brain can go anymore." Harry leaned back with a huge yawn a few hours later. "And I'm starved."
"It's definitely time for a break." Hermione stretched her hands high over her head. "Panini and a coffee at the cafe?"
"Absolutely." Harry stood. "One of those strong, quadruple coffees they make here. Maybe two."
Hermione smiled. "Yup, let's go." She led the way out the door and down the stairs into the sunshine of the tiny piazza.
Harry turned his face up when the bright light hit them. "Yeah, that's the stuff."
Hermione laughed and linked her arm through his. Harry yawned again, hugely.
"I know you said we're meeting Draco and the others at your flat before dinner, but I may need to come back here and take a nap before we go out," he said.
"That's fine. But you do need to talk to Draco first?"
"Yeah." They came to the end of the street and Hermione guided them toward the center of town. Harry looked down at her. "So things really are good there? Sometimes I still can't believe...you and him…"
Hermione kept his gaze. "Things have been wonderful. Perfect." She smiled fleetingly as images of the last few weeks rippled through her mind.
Harry's brow creased. "Are you in love with him?" he asked abruptly.
Hermione's brows went up. "How unlike you to ask." She laughed and looked away. "But yes," she said. "I think I am."
"Have you told him?"
"No." Hermione's hand tightened on Harry's arm involuntarily. "It doesn't seem fair somehow. When there's so much to come. How did you put it earlier?" She glanced up at him. "So much uncertainty."
"Yeah." Harry's voice was heavy.
"I think… it's like, we were granted this perfect summer, this beautiful moment in time, and for now we have to leave it at that. Anything else feels like tempting fate somehow." Hermione felt tears threaten and she swallowed on them painfully. Harry pulled her a little closer and she leaned against him. They walked in silence for a while.
Hermione took a deep breath as the cafe came into view. "Here we are," she said, making her tone bright. "Why don't you sit and I'll go order for us."
"Yeah, just get me what you're having." Harry sank into a seat at one of the outside tables. "And a strong coffee."
Hermione nodded and slipped through the door, calling a greeting to Giancarlo as she went.
Draco took the stairs to Hermione's flat two at a time. He'd managed to duck out of his last ever shift at the bookshop twenty minutes early and he'd rushed off the moment Agata had kissed his cheek and given him the last of his pay.
Even twenty extra minutes were valuable at this point.
He sighed heavily as he approached the door and put his fist up to knock. But before he could do so, the panel swung open and Hermione appeared, pulling him into the entryway with a quick kiss and caress of his cheek.
"I saw you come up the street," she said. "You're early!" She sounded pleased as she turned to lead him through the doorway to the sitting room. But Draco stopped and spun her back, wrapping her in his arms and placing a lingering kiss on her lips. He knew Potter was here, but didn't rightly care. She was leaving in a matter of hours and he meant to kiss her as many times as he could.
She pressed against his lips and he felt the wicked whisper of her tongue too. He pulled away and gave her a raised brow smile. She winked at him before stepping back and leading him toward the doorway, calling, "Draco's here, Harry!"
Draco was still smiling as Potter stood from where he'd been sitting on the sofa, his gaze running over them, taking in their clasped hands and intimate posture. He started and blinked, but Draco saw him force himself to relax.
Draco gently disentangled his hand from Hermione's and held it out. "Potter."
Potter held out his hand and stepped forward. "Malfoy."
They shook and Hermione beamed at both of them. "So." She bounced slightly on her toes. An awkward silence descended until she looked at Harry expectantly.
"Ah." Potter shook his head and Draco noticed that he looked fagged. "Lupin. Gave me some information to pass along to you." His eyes flicked to Draco's. "And only you. So we need to, uh, find somewhere private to talk." He half-shrugged.
"Harry's knackered, so he's going to go back to the ministry flat after you chat to have a rest before dinner," Hermione added. Draco perked up at this. A few hours alone that he hadn't counted on, excellent. "So I guess I could go out and leave the flat to the two of you? Or hole myself up in my bedroom with some music on?" Hermione was squinting up at Draco and he looked down at her then over to Potter.
"Nah," Draco said. "Let's take a walk, Potter. You look like you could use some air."
"Yeah," Potter nodded. "That'd be good."
"Shall we?" Draco wanted to get this over with so he could get back to Hermione before the others showed up.
"Off you go!" Hermione made little shooing motions and Draco raised his brows at her over Potter's head. She looked so pleased to see them together, it made him a little nervous. Bloody hell, if they came through all this the way he wanted, he was going to have to be friends with Harry bloody Potter, wasn't he? He exhaled heavily as he led the way out the door and back down the steps to the outside.
"Let's go this way," Draco said after they exited the building, heading toward the small square at the top of the curving street where he'd parked his bike. It was usually deserted and would be a good place as any for a private chat. Potter nodded and they walked briskly up the steep hill and into the piazza. Draco was right; there wasn't a soul in sight. The only sound was the bubbling of the fountain in the center of the square.
Potter looked around and shook his head.
"What?" Draco asked, glancing down at him.
"Everywhere you go in this town looks like a bloody film set."
"Yeah. It's ridiculously idyllic." Draco snorted as he took off his jacket, warm from the climb up the street. They passed his bike just then and he tossed it over the seat.
Potter stopped. He looked at the bike and then at Draco.
"What?" Draco said again.
"Just you and...such a muggle machine," Potter said. "Beautiful bike, though." He reached out and ran a hand over the fender.
"It's as close to flying as I can get in this world," Draco said softly.
"I bet." Potter's intense green gaze flicked up. "And I bet it's bloody fun."
Draco felt a reluctant smile steal over his face. "Yeah, it is that." Potter smiled a little too and Draco regarded him. "Maybe I'll let you ride it someday. You can handle yourself on a broom, so I imagine I could trust you with it."
Potter's brows went into his hairline. "Wouldn't pass that up. You're keeping it?"
"Yeah, Zabini said I could park it at his place. Maybe I'll get back to it someday." Draco frowned.
"Yeah," Potter said, his face slipping into seriousness too.
Draco looked past him to the small tabaccheria on the edge of the square, a faded tin Peroni sign its only adornment. He could hear faint sounds of a football match coming from a radio inside. He glanced at Potter. "You want a beer?"
"Yeah," Potter squinted at him. "OK."
Draco nodded and turned toward the shop. "Take a seat on the fountain," he said over his shoulder, "I'll be right there."
Potter nodded and walked off and Draco ducked into the shop, coming out a few minutes later with two cold bottles. He passed one to Potter as he sat down next to him.
"Thanks. Cheers." Potter held up the beer, then drank deeply. Draco did the same, the crisp liquid running down his throat and chasing off a little of the heat of the afternoon.
"So," Potter wiped his mouth and turned to Draco. "I'm sure you'd like to cut this as short as possible and get back to Hermione." Draco nodded and Potter continued. "Alright then, this is everything I have. Mind you, I don't understand any of it, but Remus assured me you would."
Potter then relayed some logistics to do with when Draco needed to leave (day after tomorrow) and where he'd be going for his first floo (Rome) and then how to find the Portkey after that, ending with some coded information about where Draco would be 'escaping' from and who his contact would be once he was out.
Draco nodded along, everything more or less tracking with what he'd assumed.
Potter finished talking and took another swig of his beer. "Make sense?"
"Yeah." Draco picked at the label on his bottle.
"I'm guessing you're not just going into hiding." Potter held up his hand. "Not that I want to know anything more."
"Good, because I wouldn't tell you."
"But I know Hermione's told you a little of our plans."
Potter twitched and Draco could tell he wasn't exactly happy about this.
"Just that you won't be at school. But I can extrapolate from there."
"Yeah, me too." Potter gave him a long look. "And you should be really fucking careful."
"So should you," Draco replied quickly.
They sat silently for a moment.
"Do you have any plans for safety?" Draco asked suddenly. "How are you going to keep her safe?" He took a quick swallow of his beer.
Potter turned his head. "I hope you know by now that Hermione can take care of herself. She's probably the most dangerous of the three of us. Definitely the most capable."
"Yeah, of course," Draco sighed. "I do know that." He hung his head, but then whipped back up to glare at Potter. "But whatever you're doing feels really unsurprisingly half-cocked."
Potter's eyes flashed. "And what you're doing is finely tuned?"
"Fair point. But at least it's just me."
"Fair point." Potter's shoulders sagged. "If I could do it alone, I would."
"She wouldn't let you." Draco finished his beer.
"Nope."
Potter drained his bottle too then stared into the distance. "You know the one thing that's clear to me in all of this?"
"What?" Draco narrowed his eyes.
"It's all just utter shite." Potter's voice was low, furious and Draco felt a pulse of magic emanate from him.
Draco nodded slowly in agreement, a bleak sense of unreality overtaking him.
They sat for a while, the fountain gurgling behind them.
"I'm grateful to you for making her happy this summer, though." Potter finally said, his voice soft.
Draco blinked in surprise. "Yeah, well," he said, "I made her really unhappy for a while too."
"I know, and I know why. I talked to her about it when I was here before. How hard it is."
Draco nodded once. "Thanks for that."
Potter nodded too.
Draco clinked his bottle against the lip of the fountain. "So was that everything?"
"Yeah." Potter straightened up and stretched. "Think I'll head back to the ministry flat from here. It's just down to the big square and up Via Nero, right?"
"That's right. I'll tell Hermione you're coming back later?"
"Yeah, she said we'd go out around eight. I'll be there by then."
They stood and walked across the piazza and down the street to the door of the flat, where Draco stopped. He held out his hand and Potter looked down at it before grasping it again.
"Be careful out there, Malfoy." Potter said tightly.
"And you," Draco replied.
"And if we see each other, we don't know each other." Potter's eyes bored into Draco's from behind the lenses of his glasses.
"That's right. We don't know each other at all."
Potter nodded once and then turned to go.
"Harry's here!" Lavender's bright tones floated through the flat to Hermione's bedroom.
"Hi, Harry!" Hermione called. "Have a beer or something, I'll be right out!"
She turned back to her vanity, pulling her hair up off her neck, twisting to see if she liked it better that way. The last few hours had slipped by quickly, especially since she'd unexpectedly gotten to spend them alone with Draco, and now she was late in getting ready for their evening out.
"I like it up," Draco said from where he was lounging across her bed, flicking through an Italian muggle magazine.
"Oh?" Hermione's eyes flicked to his in the mirror. "You chose my dress and now you're choosing my hairstyle?" She let her hair fall and turned to him.
A slow smile spread across his face and he rose from the bed to walk over to her. "If you wear it up," —he bent down and pushed her hair to the side— "it's easier for me to kiss your neck." His lips brushed the sensitive skin at her nape and Hermione shivered.
"Up it is!"
Draco chuckled as she swept her curls into a quick bun and anchored it with some pins.
"OK, now I just need some shoes. I'm not wearing the boots again," Hermione said, forestalling Draco's reply as she stood and smoothed the silky blue fabric of the dress he had requested she wear—the one from the first night they'd…
"But I like the boots. They remind me of taking them off for you." He moved behind her and his arms went around her as he bent to kiss her neck again. Hermione watched them in the mirror, his fair hair glinting in the lamplight, his beautiful hands running down her upper arms.
"Mmm," she gave a little half sigh, half moan. "You're very persuasive, but I want to be able to dance tonight."
"Alright, alright," he said, stepping back and twirling her around so she was facing him. She looped her arms around his neck and he swayed her to and fro for a moment. "I am looking forward to dancing with you."
Hermione's mouth quirked up and she ran a palm up his chest... before gently pushing him away. "Lavender!" she yelled over her shoulder. "What shoes should I wear with the blue silk dress if I'm not wearing the combat boots!?"
Draco stepped back. "Think I'll go have a drink with the boys while you work this out."
Lavender appeared in the doorway as Draco slipped through it. "Nice dress, Brown," he said as he walked out.
"Thanks, Draco!" Lavender preened a bit, raising her brows at Hermione.
"You do look gorgeous," Hermione said, taking in Lav's short, strappy babydoll, powder blue and trimmed with tiny black bows. "Oh and it's a good thing I don't want the boots," she laughed, noticing them on Lavender's feet.
"Well, my chunky red sandals will look great with that too," Lavender said, eyeing Hermione's feet.
"Really? Red with blue?"
"It's a dusty red and it will pick up the color of the flower pattern perfectly," Lavender said, plucking at the hem of Hermione's dress and examining the fabric. "Don't you trust me by now?" Her lips lifted as she looked up.
"Implicitly." Hermione leaned forward and placed a smacking kiss on Lavender's forehead. "Are they in your closet?"
"Yes, just in the back."
"OK!" Hermione darted out to Lavender's room and grabbed the shoes in question, carrying them out to the sitting room. Blaise and Harry were on the sofa and Theo was leaning in the doorway to the patio, holding a lit cigarette out the door.
"Heyyy, everyone!" Hermione waved as she sat down next to Harry. The boys' hellos chorused around her as she slipped a sandal on her foot.
Lavender breezed by and plunked a drink in front of Hermione. "I made you a gin. Anyone else need anything?" She looked around.
"No," Harry held up his half-full beer as Blaise shook his head and Draco walked in from the kitchen.
Theo took a deep drag on his cigarette. "I, for one, probably need to eat rather than drink more," he said. "We going to dinner soon?"
Harry made a sound of assent and Hermione looked up. "I'm mostly ready," she said, picking up her gin and taking a long drink. "What about you, Lav?"
"Yup, yup!" Lavender rushed through the room. "Just need to do something with my hair. Won't be a mo!"
"Your hair looks gorgeous, babe. Just leave it." Blaise caught her hand as she went by and pulled her back for a brief kiss.
"OK," she said, giving him a slow smile.
Hermione took another big drink of her gin and stood, putting out a hand to Harry. He grasped it and she pulled him up. "Did you manage to get a nap?"
"Yeah," he scrubbed a hand over his face. "Slept like the dead for two hours. I feel so much better now."
"Excellent!" Hermione beamed at him as Harry glanced over her shoulder and Hermione felt Draco come up behind her. She turned to him with a smile. "We're on the bike, right?" He nodded. "And the rest of you in the car?" She looked back at the room.
"Yep." Theo jangled his keys. "I'm parked near the piazza, so we can just go straight from there after dinner."
Hermione clapped her hands once. "Then let's go!"
"Wait, wait!" Lavender said. "Before we head out for our last night, I would just like to make a little toast." She held up her drink and looked around the room, taking in each face as everyone stilled.
Hermione felt the beginnings of tears prick the backs of her eyes, though she willed them back.
Lavender took a deep breath. "To the San Cipriano five!" she said. "And Harry!" she added quickly, smiling at him. He smiled back and tilted his beer bottle in her direction. "And... to friendship," she continued, her voice a bit choked.
Despite her efforts, Hermione's tears threatened to spill over. "To friendship," she repeated along with everyone else, looking around the room at Theo's wry smile, Lavender's bright face, Blaise's warm eyes, Harry's bemused expression. She craned her head to look at Draco too, finding his hand and clasping it, then raising her glass to drink. "To friendship," she said one more time, but softly.
Everyone seemed to take a collective breath and then Lavender sniffed loudly. "OK, enough of all that!" She wiped at the undersides of her eyes. "Let's go have one last amazing night!"
"Here, here," Theo said, and they headed for the door as one.
Hermione laughed as Theo twirled her in an elaborate spin. "'Don't dream it's ooover,'" she sang along with the music. Theo mouthed the words too and she smiled at him. "You know the lyrics again!"
"Told you I'm full of surprises," he said, pulling her in and swaying her in an exaggerated way.
She put her hands against his chest and shook her head. "Certainly are."
He looked down at her and his eyes crinkled. Hermoine glanced over his shoulder and caught Draco's eye. He was watching them, sitting back in his chair with a faint smile on his lips. Blaise said something to him and Hermione watched his face light up before he nodded and laughed.
"He's much happier than the last time we danced," Theo said with a wink, noticing her attention as they swayed around.
Hermione laughed a little. "Yeah. That was his own fault though."
Theo laughed. "Absolutely." After a beat his expression grew serious. "I'm really glad everything worked out, though," he said. "Happy you're my friend."
"Me too, Theo." Hermione squeezed his shoulders. "Me too."
He looked down at her and something passed over his face, something that made Hermione tense and look away. Lavender, who was dancing with Mauritzio nearby, caught her eye and bounded over just as another more upbeat song started.
"I love this one!" she shouted, pulling Hermione's hands off Theo and turning her in a fast spin.
"Me too!" Hermione called as she twirled. She saw Harry on the edge of the dance floor and beckoned him over. He came and the circle expanded to include him. Soon Matteo and Mauritzio joined and they all bounced in time to the beat. Hermione saw Draco watching them again and pointed at her feet, mouthing, "This is 80s dancing!"
He laughed and nodded, then mimed getting a drink and got up to walk to the bar. Hermione danced some more, first with Mauritzio, who insisted on twirling and dipping her dramatically, then with Harry to an anthem that had been popular the last few years. They shouted the chorus raucously before heading for the table arm in arm.
Draco was delivering a fresh round of drinks as they walked up. Harry sat and accepted a beer with thanks while Theo and Lavender dropped into the remaining seats, laughing and gasping for breath. Hermione was about to sit too, when Draco slid into her seat and pulled her onto his lap.
"Heyyy," she said, nuzzling into his neck. "That was my seat."
"Our seat," he corrected, pulling her tighter against him and kissing her soundly. Hermione saw Harry out of the corner of her eye, shaking his head and looking down with a smile.
"Strange, isn't it, mate?" Blaise caught his expression and laughed. "You do get used to it, though."
"Sorry!" Harry waved a hand. "I'm sure I will... someday."
Hermione balled up a napkin and threw it at him. Harry batted it away as Matteo approached, grabbing a chair from another table and pulling up next to him. They embarked on an animated conversation that consisted mostly of hand gestures and grins.
Lavender leaned into Hermione as Draco moved behind her to say something to Blaise. "Looks like a love reconnection," she said, raising her brows in Harry's direction.
"I'm not sure I'd call it love…" Hermione giggled. "He told me he was seeing a muggle girl up until yesterday."
"Player!" Lavender exclaimed, smiling hugely. "Ron's going to have a lot to process this year." Her eyes flicked from Blaise to Draco to Harry and Matteo
"Oh my god, yes." Hermione cracked up. Ron could certainly use some horizon expansion—she watched Harry's eyes follow Matteo as he walked to the bar—but she wondered especially how he was going to take Harry's news.
Just then the strains of a new song came on and Lavender squealed and started bouncing her seat. "This is such a good one!"
"Yes!" Hermione bopped her head to the song, which had been all over the radio that summer. Lavender mouthed the words and Theo took up lip-syncing too, holding his beer bottle like a microphone. Draco and Blaise laughed at him and Harry nodded along. When the chorus came on they all shouted it.
"Let's all meet up in the year 2000. Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown!"
"The year 2000, shit. Let's all hope we live to see it," Draco said.
"I'll drink to that," Harry said, reaching out and clinking his bottle to Draco's.
"Year 2000. Gods, we'll be twenty." Theo shook his head.
"Some of us will be almost 21," Draco said, squeezing Hermione around the waist. "I like an older woman," he said conversationally to Blaise, a mock-serious look on his face. Hermione swatted at him and Harry's shoulders shook with silent laughter.
"That's right. It's nearly your birthday!" Lavender looked at Hermione with wide eyes. "We'll have to do something. At school." Her eyes cut guiltily to Draco and she grimaced a little.
Hermione caught Harry's eye and buried her expression in her drink. Something told her her birthday would be a sad affair this year.
"Anyone up for a smoke?" Theo asked the suddenly silent table, holding up his pack. Blaise and Draco agreed and Harry took the chance to go find Matteo, winking at Hermione as he went. She imagined it was the last time she'd see him tonight. It was getting a bit late.
Scooting over to Lav, Hermione asked her about her schedule for the next few days and they worked out some final details about how they'd leave the flat.
"I'm staying at the villa tonight," Lavender said. "I figured I'd leave the flat to you and Draco since Harry is staying at the ministry one. And if I don't see you tomorrow, I'll see you in a few days."
Hermione winced a little as she nodded.
"Gods, I can't believe this time next week we'll be sitting in the Great Hall. Or more likely in bed already," Lav said gloomily, looking around as if trying to memorize the scene. "It will probably be freezing and drizzly too." She scowled and Hermione made a sound of sympathy.
"I'm going to miss it so much," Hermione murmured. She turned and grabbed Lavender's hand impulsively. "Let's make a pact to come back some day. When all of this is over. We'll come here, but we'll also go to Greece or or something. Make a holiday of it!"
Lavender's eyes shone. "Yes!" She squeezed one of Hermione's hands and took the other, her eyes a bit shiny. "We will absolutely do that. Just the two of us. It will be amazing."
Hermione smiled at her and nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak. Lavender turned as Blaise and Draco walked up, and the strains of a slower song came on.
"Would you two lovely ladies care for a dance?" Blaise asked, holding out his hand to Lav. She took it and let him pull her up and they drifted toward the floor.
Hermione stood and smiled at Draco. "Care to?" she asked, leaning into him. "I don't believe we've ever slow danced before."
"Massive oversight," he said, taking her hand as she led him to the floor. The music swelled around them and Hermione looped her hands around his neck. He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.
"I love this one," she sighed, closing her eyes and trying to capture the moment; the light scent rising from him, the soft air caressing her skin, the warm chords washing over them. She mouthed some of the words until she felt his lips lightly brush against hers.
"I like this one too," he said against them. "What's it called?"
"Sweet Jane," she murmured, returning his kiss and sliding her fingers into the silky hair at his nape. He hummed low in his throat and his hand drifted down towards her arse.
She smiled. "Naughty, naughty."
He nipped at her lip and pulled back, his eyes glowing warm grey. "The last thing I'd ever want to do is cut this night short, but might it be time for us to go? I saw Potter leave with his waiter friend a few minutes ago and Theo took off after we smoked." His brow creased. "He said to tell you goodbye."
Hermione felt her heart seize a little at this first departure. "Will Lav and Blaise get back to the villa all right?" she asked, trying to push her feelings away and stay in the moment.
"The taxis are all lined up outside and Blaise has become quite proficient this summer." Draco smiled gently and lowered his face to her neck. "Let's go and I'll let you take me to bed."
"Oh, you're that easy?"
"Yes." He kissed her again, his tongue slipping between her lips this time. Hermione melted into him and kissed him back until they were both breathless.
"Right," he said, breaking away and looking around a little dazedly. "Where did I park?"
"I think if we go out the side door—" Hermione didn't even get to finish before he was tugging her across the room. She caught Lavender's gaze on them and sent her a wave through the crowd. Lav's face lit up and she blew a kiss back and Hermione realized in an instant that this was it for them too. She felt her face change and saw the strangest expression cross Lavender's.
"Wait," she said to Draco, loosening her grip on his hand and turning to dart through the crowd. Lav was pushing her way through too and they met in the middle of the dance floor and stopped. Hermione could see the tears standing in Lavender's eyes just before she stepped forward and grabbed her in a fierce hug.
"Be so fucking careful," Lavender whispered into her ear.
"I will. I promise."
Lav nodded once, squeezing Hermione's hand before she released it with a sad smile.
Hermione took a breath and then turned and ran back to Draco, who ushered her through the door and out into the soft night.
"The red dress, tonight's blue dress, the pink dress, the crop top, the shorts you wore to the book shop," Draco enumerated his favorite outfits of Hermione's on his fingers. "But there's one I prefer to all of those."
She tilted her head and wrinkled her brow adorably. "Which?"
"This one." Draco whipped the light coverlet off of them to reveal her totally nude self: all long legs, golden skin, perfect tits. He sighed deeply in appreciation as she half-laughed, half-shrieked and grabbed at the blanket.
"Draco!"
"You'd deny me my last chance to enjoy you?" he asked, pushing the fabric back down and running his lips over her clavicle and down to her breasts, which he kissed reverently, one then the other.
She sighed and slid her fingers into his hair. "No."
He progressed to licking and sucking gently—and then less gently. Her sighs turned to moans and he moved over her deliberately, feeling a quickening in himself despite the fact that they'd done this less than an hour before, barely made it in the door, in fact.
She pulled his head up and kissed him deeply. After a few moments, he made to work his way back down her body, but she held him in place.
"I want you inside of me, please," she whispered in the darkness.
He was happy to oblige and they moved languidly, unhurriedly, as he savored every second of feeling, of being this close to her, his face buried in her hair and his fingers twined with hers.
"Draco, Draco, Draco," she murmured. "You make me so happy."
He pulled back and looked at her then, deep into her dark eyes as they were joined. "Me too," he said softly, marveling at the feelings coursing through him. He buried his face again, this time in the soft skin of her neck, lips moving on a silent chant; me too, me too, me too—until he didn't know quite what he was agreeing with, until pleasure overtook them both, until they lay side-by-side, spent and quiet in the aftermath.
"What would it be like," she asked after a while, taking his fingers and bringing them lightly to her lips, "if we were going to Hogwarts this year?"
He could hear the beginnings of a smile in her voice and he rolled over to face her.
"Together?" he asked.
She rolled over too. "Yes," she said, the smile blooming full as she reached out to trace a finger over his forehead.
"Well," he said. "I believe we'd start by getting on the train."
"Mmm-hmm."
"I'd take your hand," he said, grabbing her palm and pressing it to his.
"But someone might see!" Her eyes sparkled in the dim light filtering through her bedroom window.
"That would kind of be the point." His grin emerged as she laughed softly. "And besides, we'd definitely sit together."
"In our own compartment because no one would sit with us," she giggled. "Although, maybe Blaise and Lav…"
"Maybe. Zabini can be very self-preserving, though."
She laughed. "People would be shocked."
"People would be," he agreed. "Especially when I leant over and kissed you." He moved forward and captured her lips. She responded sweetly, breaking away after a moment.
"And when I kissed you back?"
"That would really shock them."
"Can you imagine?" She bit down on her lip and shook her head. "We might get an audience."
"Well, that would be unfortunate," Draco moved over her again, capturing her lips in a much deeper kiss. "Because I've always wanted to do something naughty on that train."
"Oh?" She wiggled underneath him in a suggestive way.
"Mmm," he growled into her ear. "But perhaps a disillusionment charm? Or a blackout spell on the windows?"
"Peruvian Darkness Powder," she murmured, her tongue tracing the rim of his ear.
"Or I could just… Drop. Under. The. Table," he said, punctuating his words with kisses down her torso to the sweet join of her leg to her hip.
He licked her there and she sucked in her breath. "That would be very nice. Or there's always the loos."
"Restrictively small," he said dismissively, now placing soft kisses across her lower belly.
"Perhaps if you bent me over the sink?"
He groaned, images blooming before his eyes.
"What?"
"That's just... really got me going again." He adjusted himself as she gave a low laugh.
"Again!?"
"I'm a healthy young man and you... are a minx." He started tickling her and her laugh intensified. He moved back up to run his hands around her lovely face, which was lit up in a wicked smile.
He was smiling too, but as he watched her, he stilled and felt himself grow serious. Her face relaxed into tenderness too.
He leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. "Promise me again," he whispered.
"What?" She tilted her head and brushed his lips.
He pulled back and looked at her. "When we're out there. Keep a part of you for me. For us. No matter what happens."
"I will. And you too. No matter what."
"No matter what." He clutched at her then, lifting her from the mattress and pulling her so tightly to him that she gasped. He felt her arms go around him and her palms splay wide against his back, gathering him to her too.
They stayed locked that way for a long moment before she slowly pushed him down, climbing over him and kissing him slowly.
Draco reached up and kissed her back, resolved to lose himself one last time before morning.
"Draco?"
"Mmm?" He was on the edge of sleep, although part of him resented losing even a moment to it.
"I hate goodbyes."
His hand went to hers. "I know. Same."
"Let's not say it." She sounded on the edge of sleep too. "Let's say something like, arrivederci."
"'Until we see each other again?'"
"Exactly."
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back tight against his front, inhaling the warm fragrance of her soft hair.
"Yes," he murmured. "Until then."