February: Venice
When the Portkey landed Hermione on the roof of the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, she knew immediately that she had never stayed in a hotel this lavish. On one side there was an amazing view of the lagoon. On the other side was St. Mark's Square and the Doges Palace. She used her wand to open the door that accessed the stairwell and made her way to the room number Viktor had given her. She was surprised to find it on the top floor. She knocked. Viktor opened the door looking very pleased with himself. Hermione stepped into the most luxurious hotel room she'd ever been in, which was something, because they'd stayed in some really nice places.
"Well?" Viktor stood in the center of the parlor waving an arm to take in an amazing view of St. Mark's Square. "What do you think?"
"I think it looks like a Canaletto painting."
"Right?" Viktor was clearly delighted at her reaction. "That is what I thought."
"You just…booked this?" She knew it must cost a fortune.
"Actually, no. The sponsor of the Italian National team is a fan, and the next two nights are on him."
"Wow." Hermione walked around. A massive king-sized bed graced the bedroom that had a vast marble ensuite bathroom with a tub that seemed more like a small pool. She ran her hand over silk sheets. Coming back into the parlor, she set her bag down on the coffee table and took a seat on the plush, velvet sofa that afforded her that beautiful view. Viktor sat next to her and put his arm around her. "You are pleased?"
"Yes. Who wouldn't be pleased? This is amazing." She had visions of a long, hot bath followed by a long, hot night in silk sheets with Viktor. She'd had a tough few weeks of sixteen-hour days and sleeping in the narrow bed in her rooms at the Department of Mysteries while Viktor had been playing away games in Europe. The sofa was so comfortable though, part of her didn't want to get up from where she'd already settled.
Viktor winked at her. "I have another surprise."
"Oh?"
He popped up from the sofa and went into the bedroom. He came out carrying a large garment bag which he proceeded to unzip. Inside was a floor-length scarlet ball gown. "We are going to a masquerade ball tonight?"
"Tonight?" Her dreams of a long bath and an even longer shag evaporated.
"Yes, it is the best party of the year, the opening of Carneval. The whole team is going. What do you think?"
She smiled. "It's beautiful."
He smiled back at her and returned the dress to the bedroom before coming back and holding out a hand to her. "Come, we will take a bath and then have some dinner before the party starts."
xXx
Two hours into the party, all Hermione wanted to do was go back to the suite. The party was Rococo themed with everyone wearing historically accurate costumes. The dress she was wearing, although beautiful, was heavy. Her feet were tired of being in heels. Dancing the minuet and canary to song after song had left her exhausted, but the worst was the mask. The round black mask was featureless as women's masks during the Rococo period had been. Back then, the women were meant to hold the mask in place by biting on a button, thus keeping them silent and not allowing them to eat or drink. Hermione had to do no such nonsense, since she used a sticking charm, but the mask irritated her nonetheless. Viktor was dashing in his period dress robes, but the beaked white mask he was wearing was almost as irritating to her as her own mask. She detested masks and everyone in the overcrowded room was wearing one of the wretched things. It wouldn't have been so bad if she was any good at Legilimency, but she'd never been even remotely proficient at it, so it was hard to keep everyone straight. At least Viktor and all his teammates were wearing gold crossed bulrush pins. She sighed and nudged her mask up to take another drink of her Aperol spritz. She was on her fourth and they were starting to taste pretty good. At least they were refreshing after all the dancing. Viktor had gone off to the loo, so she stood leaning against the bar trying to think of a reasonable excuse for leaving early. A man leaned over the bar next to her trying to get the bartender's attention. Something about the color of his hair drew her eye. It was the white blonde that Draco's had been, but Draco was on the run, he certainly wouldn't be at a masquerade ball in Venice. Then the man spoke in Draco's sneering drawl. Something caused him to glance at her. As his grey eyes met hers, she knew it was him, and he knew it was her.
In typical Draco fashion, he immediately began to run, but the crowds worked against him. He was desperate to get to the terrace where he could Disapparate. There were wards set up around the ballroom, but once people realized there was some kind of altercation going on, everyone started heading outdoors. Unfortunately, that worked against Hermione too. She couldn't draw her wand and cast Incarcerous without the risk of hitting someone else. With all the spritzes she'd had to drink, she didn't trust her aim, so she did the only thing she could think of. She grabbed him.
Draco threw an elbow, and caught her in the face, but her mask absorbed most of the impact, falling off in the process. She grabbed at his face in an attempt to gouge an eye, but caught his mask instead, yanking it from his face, which is when Oliver caught sight of them from across the room.
"Bloody hell!" he shouted and turned to one of his teammates. "Go get the Aurors! That's Draco Malfoy!"
Not knowing where to find the Venetian Aurors, his teammate ran toward the hotel lobby to find the concierge. Oliver began to fight his way through the crowd toward Hermione, shouting for his other teammates as he went.
Hermione cast a wandless, non-verbal tripping jinx, and she and Draco both hit the ground. He elbowed her in the face again, this time connecting with her nose. She grabbed for his waistcoat, pulling herself up his body as he tried to squirm away from her.
"Get off me, you Mudblood bitch!" He rolled toward her trying to throw off her grip, bringing his head tantalizingly close to her mouth. She bit down. Draco screamed and brought his knee up into her ribs, knocking the wind out of her, which caused her to loosen her grip. He scrambled to his feet and brought his heel down on the side of her face before squeezing through the crowd and for the door. Oliver knelt to help Hermione but shouted for his teammates to get Draco.
xXx
Viktor left the lavatory in time to see people running from the ballroom in all directions. He pushed against the tide of the crowd to get back into the room. Some people had removed their masks, others were still wearing them, but he didn't see anyone who looked like Hermione or any of his teammates leaving with the throng. As he pushed through the crowds he caught glimpses of Hermione wrestling with someone. He heard Oliver shouting. When he finally made it to the bar, Hermione was unmasked and sitting on the floor with Oliver beside her. His other teammates were coming back inside looking dejected. Hermione plucked Oliver's handkerchief from his dress coat and wiped her mouth.
"What happened?" Viktor asked Oliver and Hermione.
"That's what I'd like to know," a large man in red, yellow, and navy striped robes said. "I understand you caused this stampede."
Hermione spit out blood and looked at him through her one open eye, the other was swollen shut. "I was attempting to apprehend a wanted criminal."
"And you are?" the large man asked.
"Hermione Granger."
"And your authority to apprehend anyone would be?"
She closed her eye for a moment. "I'm going to need to draw my wand."
The large man held his wand on her. "Go ahead."
She carefully withdrew her wand from a hidden pocket inside he ballgown and closed her eye again. It was difficult to block out the room, the pain in her face and side, but she pushed all that back until her mind was filled with a memory, a perfect moment on a warm fall day laughing by the lake at Hogwarts with Ron. She called forth her Patronus and thought about what she needed. The silver otter slipped off at the speed of light. She looked up at the large man in the striped robes standing over her. "My authority will be here in a few minutes," she said thickly.
"She needs a healer," Viktor said sternly.
"No one is coming or going," the large man said, "until we sort this out."
Viktor looked around to see several other witches and wizards in striped robes moving throughout the room and interviewing everyone who hadn't managed to get outside and Apparate away.
xXx
Harry and Ginny were getting ready for bed when the silver otter slipped in through the wall and stood before Harry. "Harry, please," the otter said. "I need you. I'm in Venice in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Cipriani." Hermione's voice sounded thick as though she had a bad cold. "I've just had a fight with Draco. We can get him. Bring Aurors. Ask the Minister to speak to the Italian Minister on my behalf. Come quickly. Please, Harry."
Harry looked at Ginny as he pulled his wand and cast his own Patronus. He sent the Stag off into the night to find the Minister of Magic. "I'm going to the Auror office for an emergency Portkey. I'm not sure when I'll be back. Can you send your Patronus to Hermione? Tell her I'm coming."
Ginny nodded. "Be careful. I love you."
Harry smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss. "I will. I love you too." He Disapparated.
xXx
A couple of minutes later, a silver horse stood before Hermione. In Ginny's clear voice it said. "He's coming."
Fifteen minutes later, Harry, four English Aurors, and the Italian Minister of Magic all marched into the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Cipriani. Hermione was still sitting on the floor. She held Viktor's, as well as several of his teammates', handkerchiefs to her still bleeding nose. Oliver's remained crumpled in her other hand.
Harry turned to Viktor. "Why hasn't anyone gotten her a healer?"
"Ask this knob job," Oliver said, pointing to the large Venetian Auror in the striped robes whose eyes had gone huge at the sight of Harry's lightening shaped scar.
"What is the meaning of this?" the Italian Minister of Magic shouted at the Venetian Aurors. A loud discussion in rapid-fire Italian ensued. Harry ignored all of that and knelt next to Hermione. "Are you all right?" he asked, slipping a bloody curl behind her ear.
"I'll be fine," she said.
"What happened?"
She told him.
"Did you hit him with anything we can trace?"
"You can track him using this." She unfolded Oliver's handkerchief to reveal part of Draco's bloody ear. "I bit it off."
A slow smile spread across Harry's face. "You're brilliant, really, really brilliant. We've got him. We can track him anywhere now. Oh, Hermione, I'd kiss you, but I think that would probably hurt."
"Please don't. Just go get him."
Harry nodded and got to his feet and whistled loudly. Conversation stopped. "We can track Malfoy." He pulled his wand. He looked down at Hermione. "I'll be back. Let's go," he said to the British Aurors.
The senior Venetian Auror frowned at Viktor and Oliver. "You're all free to go."
Viktor scowled at him as he and Oliver helped Hermione to her feet.
"Do you want me to Apparate us to our room?" Viktor asked.
"No. I think I might have broken some things. Best to take the elevator," she said.
As they moved slowly toward the ballroom doors, it became obvious that there was press waiting outside. Oliver shouted a formation command and the rest of Puddlemere United drew around them as though they were all flying into the stadium in a tight grouping. The effect was that Viktor and Hermione were barely visible as the entire group made their way slowly to the lobby elevators. Flash bulbs went off anyway and questions were shouted, but to no effect. When they reached the top floor, Viktor asked Khan to go get Healer Krastevich. He thanked everyone else and he and Oliver continued down the hall on either side of Hermione while the rest of the team peeled off to go to their own rooms.
Once inside, Viktor cast an Impervious charm on the sofa, so Hermione wouldn't get blood all over it. They got her settled.
"There's no need for a healer," Hermione said. "Just get me a mirror. I can manage this."
"Do not be ridiculous," Viktor said sternly. "You have been drinking. One slip and you can mess up your face. Healer Krastevich is very good. Let her do it."
Hermione sighed but didn't argue.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Oliver went to let the healer in. Healer Krastevich was only a few years older than Viktor, but she already had gray streaked through her dark hair, which she'd pulled into a sloppy bun. She was wearing long, lime green healer's robes and carried a large, official looking black leather bag, but pajama pants with little orange cats on a light blue background were clearly visible under her robes. Hermione smiled. "I love ginger cats."
Krastevich looked at Viktor. "Has she been drinking?"
"Yes," Viktor said.
The healer sighed. "We need to get her out of this outfit so I can see where all she's injured."
"That's my cue to leave," Oliver said.
"Do not go," Viktor said. "We will just take her into the bedroom."
"Okay." Oliver sat down in one of the wing chairs.
Viktor and the healer got Hermione into the bedroom and in bed. Her ballgown appeared to be a total loss. One sleeve was almost torn off, the entire front was covered in blood and the hem of the skirt was ripped along the bottom of one side. Viktor sighed and cast Deliquesco to remove all her clothes, leaving Hermione naked.
The healer did a quick assessment and pulled her wand. "You have an orbital fracture, two broken ribs and a broken nose. This will hurt a bit." Krastevich cast four spells and the bones could be heard snapping back into place. Hermione flinched with each spell. The healer leaned over and looked at the angry red scar on Hermione's side. "When was the last time you had this checked?"
"It's fine," Hermione said, and reached for the covers.
The healer shook her head. "It's not fine. You need it seen to regularly. It was clearly a significant injury. Not some broken bones that can be fixed and forgotten."
Hermione glared at her. "I assure you, I haven't forgotten it."
Krastevich frowned at her. "If you don't have the scar tissue broken up, it will never fade to white."
"The one on my chest did," Hermione argued.
Krastevich looked at the scar between her breasts. "Different curse."
"There's one on her back as well," Viktor said, which got him a furious glare from Hermione.
"Let me see," Krastevich said.
Hermione frowned but sat up so the healer could see her back.
"This one is better. Weaker curse I should think. I'm surprised it even scarred."
"She didn't get immediate care," Viktor said.
"Oh?" Krastevich said.
"It was hours, almost half a day before she was seen to," Viktor said.
"That'll do it," Krastevich said. She looked at Hermione. "Given your history, I understand the hospital is not a place you want to go, so I'll make a deal with you. Come see me at the training grounds once a week, and I'll work on that scar for you."
"You would do that?" Viktor said.
"Yes," Krastevich said. "It would be an honor."
Hermione blushed. "I'll think about it."
Krastevich nodded. "In the meantime, get some rest and don't lift anything heavier than a pound or two for a couple of days. You shouldn't leave the room until tomorrow evening either. Those bones need to completely heal."
Hermione nodded. "I'll take it easy. Thank you."
Healer Krastevich nodded. "Come see me next week."
"She will," Viktor said. "I will walk you out."
"Before you go," Hermione said. "Do you think I could get some dreamless sleep draught?"
The healer looked at her and nodded. She removed a small brown bottle from her bag and handed it to Hermione. "Eight drops before bed."
Hermione nodded. "I know the dose."
Viktor walked Healer Krastevich to the door and Hermione went into the bathroom to take a shower.
xXx
Viktor came back into the suite and sat on the sofa across from Oliver. He noticed Oliver had cleaned up all the blood and removed the charm from the sofa. "Thank you…for everything."
Oliver nodded. "Happy to do it. I can't believe she got that bastard."
"You know the man she bit?" Viktor said darkly.
"Yeah," Oliver said. "Draco Malfoy, a right bastard that one."
"The name sounds vaguely familiar," Viktor said.
"Blonde ponce, he was in Slytherin house same year as Harry and Hermione. Pranced around like he owned the place, even as a first year."
"I remember him now. He played Quidditch. Talked to me like he was as good as I am."
Oliver snorted. "I'm not surprised. Apparently, he only got worse with age. I wasn't there, but from what I heard, he was a Death Eater starting in his sixth year. He was the one that let them into the castle. He's also accused of giving a dark object to a student, and poisoning another. Both from Gryffindor house and the one that got poisoned was—"
"Her ex?"
"Ron Weasley, yeah," Oliver said.
"Harry saved him with a bezoar," Viktor said. "She told me that story."
"Right. Thing is, Viktor, something all Gryffindors learned pretty quick, once those three were friends, was don't mess with Ron or Harry, or that girl will get you."
"Even if she has to wrestle you to the ground and bite off your ear?"
Oliver nodded. "Even if."
Viktor scratched at the late day stubble on his cheek. "I do not know how to feel about that."
"If I were you, I'd feel proud. You're bedding one badass witch. I told you that the first time we had dinner, she's a bloody national treasure."
Bloody is right, Viktor thought. "And it would not bother you if the woman you were dating bit off another man's ear?"
Oliver laughed. "The last woman I dated was so crazy, I'd be shocked if she hadn't bitten off someone's ear."
Viktor nodded. "She was mental that one." He shook his head. "But Hermione is…I do not know…"
"Surely, you're not going to break up with her for bringing down a known fugitive."
"No. Of course not. Look, I know you adore her, but she can be very…difficult."
Oliver snorted again. "Here's some news for you, laddie, you're no walk in the park yourself."
Viktor didn't understand what Oliver was saying. "Why would I walk in—"
"You're difficult too," Oliver said. "Cut her some slack, and if you decide not to, don't worry, they'll line up soon enough to take your place."
Viktor frowned.
"You know I'm right," Oliver said. "She's powerful, famous, a member of the Golden Bloody Trio, not to mention she's got a good job, a house in London, and she's not bad looking. What more do you want?"
I want her past not to be so present, Viktor thought, but he said, "Nothing. You are right. I am just upset about tonight's events."
"Of course, you are," Oliver said, leaning over and whacking Viktor on the knee. "Get some sleep. Things will be better in the morning."
The door to the bedroom opened, and Hermione came out in a gown and one of the hotel's plush bathrobes. Her hair was in a long braid down her back. "Oh, Oliver, you're still here."
"Yeah." Oliver stood. "But I'm on my way out."
"Listen," Hermione said, catching his arm. "Thank you…for everything tonight. You were wonderful. Really." She hugged him.
"Happy to help," Oliver said, hugging her back. "Us Gryffindors have to stick together."
"Too right," Hermione said with a smile, stepping back.
"Goodnight then," Oliver said. Viktor and Hermione wished him the same and he left.
Hermione sat in the wing chair Oliver had vacated.
"I thought you were going to take a sleeping draught," Viktor said.
"I was, but Harry's Patronus just came into the bathroom. They've already caught Draco and are on their way back to England with him. Harry's on his way here."
Viktor raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you not going to get dressed?"
"For Harry?" Hermione scoffed. "No. I'm dead on my feet. He's not going to care how I'm dressed."
I care, Viktor thought, but held his tongue.
Hermione leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes. Her face was yellow and shiny in places where she'd applied bruise removal paste. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Viktor went to let Harry in. "She's exhausted," Viktor said before ushering Harry inside.
"I'm sure. I won't be long. Hermione?" he said, as he came into the suite.
She opened her eyes. "Did you get him?"
Harry smiled and sat on the sofa across from her. "Absolutely. I shouted for him to halt, but he seemed to have a little trouble hearing." That got him a half smile from Hermione. "So, I cast Incarcerous, and now he's on his way to a holding cell at the Ministry."
"Good," Hermione said. "It's about bloody time."
"Indeed," Harry said. "We couldn't have done it without you. Brilliant of you thinking to bite him."
Hermione blushed. "Well…" she said, glancing at Viktor. "Heat of the moment."
"I can't wait to tell Ron when he gets back," Harry said.
"Back?"
"Yeah, he's in Kenya at a big trade conference. Coming back in a few days though. He's going to hate that he missed this."
Hermione smiled tightly.
"Right," Harry said, standing. "I need to get back. So much paperwork."
"I'm sure," Hermione said.
Harry leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight."
She squeezed his fingers. "Goodnight."
Viktor walked him to the door. They exchanged goodnights.
Harry turned to say something about looking after Hermione, but Viktor had already closed the door. Harry sighed and stood in the hall for a long moment. It seemed wrong to leave her there. He should be bringing her home to the Burrow, to the family, where she could be seen to. He shook his head and couldn't help feeling like it was somehow Ron's fault.
xXx
When Viktor went back into the suite's parlor, Hermione was still sitting in the wing chair with her head tilted back and her eyes closed. "Are you not going to bed?"
"I'm trying to work up the energy to stand."
He sat on the sofa. He was still trying to process the night's events and her role in them.
She opened her eyes and looked at him. "What?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. You should get some sleep."
She narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just did not expect our evening to go like this." He knew it sounded lame even as he said it.
She frowned at him. "Well, it's not exactly how I expected our evening to go either, but it's not as if I had much choice."
He frowned back at her. "Really?"
"Really."
"You had no other choice but to wrestle a man to the ground and bite off his ear?" Viktor said, appalled to even say it.
Her face went hard. "I only bit off part of his ear. And no, I didn't have a choice. The room was too crowded to use magic."
"You couldn't have just called for the Aurors and let them deal with it?"
"That would have taken too long and he would've gotten away again. Draco managed to avoid capture for three years. If I'd let him get away, he likely would've continued avoiding it."
"And capturing him was so important you would roll around on the floor and bite him like an animal?"
"Yes." She leaned toward him. "He let a rampaging werewolf into Hogwarts. He almost killed Katie Bell. He would've killed Ron if Harry hadn't found that bezoar. I'm fairly certain he was involved in the murder of my parents, if not directly, then certainly indirectly. Pretty soon he'll go to trial, and they'll give him Veritaserum, and then I'll know. So, yes, it was worth rolling around on the floor and biting him."
Viktor nodded, but he'd gone pale. They sat in silence for a long moment. When it was clear Viktor wasn't going to respond, Hermione stood and started walking toward the bedroom. Irritation with him gave her the strength she needed to get up.
"I have never seen it, Hermione. It was a shock."
She turned to look at him. "What?"
"The warrior." He looked away. "You always downplay that."
She frowned, but then sighed. "Well, it's not as if I'm any good at it. Fisticuffs aren't my strong suit, as is evidenced by the fact that I ended up on the floor with broken bones, and Draco got away."
"Only he didn't," Viktor said grimly, "because you bit off part of his ear."
"That's right."
They stared at each other for a long moment before Viktor got to his feet. "Come. We should get you to bed."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and let him lead her to bed. She was afraid he wouldn't be able to stand the thought of what she'd done. With a sigh, she settled under the covers as he went to brush his teeth and change out of his clothes. He was clearly appalled by her behavior tonight even if he hadn't voiced that specifically. She thought again of biting down on Draco's ear, of the iron taste of blood and slippery feel of that piece of flesh in her mouth. A shiver ran through her and she gagged for a moment, but shook it off. It was done. He was caught, and in a few weeks, she'd finally have some answers. She shifted in bed trying to get comfortable but there was still a dull ache in her side where the healer had mended her broken ribs. Her face was even more tender, but she knew by tomorrow the pain would be mostly gone. She closed her eyes. Viktor was right though, she did downplay the role she'd had in the fighting. She didn't like to think of the injuries and even deaths that were down to her.
Viktor came out of the bathroom and over to her side of the bed. "You should take the draught." He picked up the little bottle Healer Krastevich had left for her. Hermione dutifully opened her mouth and he put eight drops under her tongue. She was asleep before he reached his side of the bed.
xXx
Hermione woke the next morning, to find Viktor sitting up in bed reading the paper. He looked down at her. "You are awake."
"Yes." She pushed back her hair. "What time is it?"
"Half nine."
Hermione yawned.
"How are your ribs?" He set aside the paper.
"They feel fine?" She sat up.
"And your face?"
Hermione touched her cheek. "Still a little tender, but that should go away by the end of the day."
His eyes searched her face. "The bruising is almost gone." He tucked a curl behind her ear. "I am sorry about last night. I was taken off guard. I did not handle it well."
Hermione leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. "You handled it fine. Believe me, I don't like it any more than you do when the war comes rushing back into my life. Hopefully, Draco will go to trial soon and then that will be the end of it."
He nodded, but the concern remained on his face. She cupped his cheek and kissed him again. "When the trial is over, I want to go somewhere warm for a few weeks to let things calm down."
"Yes," he said. "That would be good. I can make that happen."
She kissed him again. "Thank you."
"You are welcome," he said and kissed her, easing her back against the sheets as he did.
"Careful there. Mind the ribs."
"Do not worry. I will be very, very gentle."
She smiled, letting thoughts of last night's havoc and the upcoming trial slip away for a little while.
