Many thanks to Xeeen for her help with the Italian!
Chapter Thirty-Five
Florence
Hermione gasped as her feet touched the ground again.
She looked up, startled to see several blood-red memos flying in the highest area of the ceiling.
They were in the foyer of one of the three magical hotels that existed in the city of Florence. The walls were earth-toned and scarlet, suitcases and backpacks floated behind the wizards and witches who moved in all directions while quiet music played in the background, and a small line of light formed a circle around where they had appeared.
One man bowed his head as they said their names, crossing them off a long list.
In the centre of the room, a glowing ball kept spinning. Hermione walked over to it with Draco at her side and her eyes widened as she recognised a city map.
He arched an eyebrow at her reaction.
"Is this the first time you've been to a hotel in the magical world?"
Hermione nodded, twirling the ball in her hands and enlarging it until she could see the centre of the city. Each historic building was marked with glowing letters that floated in the air.
"I've only ever been to Muggle hotels when I travelled with my parents."
"They all have a map like this for you to choose what you want to see in the city you're visiting," Draco explained as she kept moving the map around and reading each piece of information.
It even showed the schedule for visiting each monument.
She blinked and stepped back with a blush on her cheeks. She had never seen anything like that before.
"Are we staying here?" she asked, looking up.
"Just tonight," Draco pocketed a pencil, their portkey that wouldn't be activated again for another three days. "Tomorrow we'll go to Lucca, where my family's house is."
Hermione followed him to the hotel reception. He had insisted on paying for the room, emphasising that the trip idea had been his and that she was his guest.
Hermione had agreed in exchange for her paying for the meals. And Draco had reluctantly accepted that.
"Is the house where Alessia Malfoy lived?" she whispered, brushing the back of his hand to get his attention.
He glanced sideways at her, nodding.
"And nearby is the forest where she first saw Giorgio," Draco added softly, moving closer to her until his lips brushed against her ear. "It's a protected magical reserve and probably hundreds of Veelas still live in those trees."
Hermione swallowed nervously as they waited to be attended to. She knew that the primary purpose of the trip was to find them so that Draco could talk to them and find answers to his questions.
"Magical creatures don't usually tolerate a human entering their territory."
His right arm curled around her waist, pulling her tight against his body.
"They won't hurt you, Granger," he assured her in a firm voice, muttering the last words between his teeth. "They wouldn't dare."
Her heart skipped a beat at the protective tone of his voice.
Hermione chewed on her lower lip, looking up at him through her lashes. His grey eyes were fixed on her and she felt trapped as if she couldn't look away unless he looked away first.
The same thing that happened to Draco when she stared at him.
One of the receptionists stepped in front of them, interrupting the moment.
"Buongiorno," she smiled, glancing between them and switching languages. "What can I do for you?"
Draco cleared his throat, averting his gaze as soon as Hermione blinked.
"I have a reservation under the name of Draco Malfoy."
The woman tapped a book with the tip of her wand. It opened and the pages turned until they stopped where his name was.
"A room, isn't it? On the top floor."
Hermione blushed as he nodded and signed the paper the receptionist had left on the counter. She waved her wand and both their hands lit up.
Draco put the pen aside with a furrowed brow.
"I asked for breakfast to be included."
The woman ran her finger down the page, checking all the reservations as she shook her head.
"I'm sorry, sir. That's not written down."
He pursed his lips and pulled out a small leather pouch that clinked as he set it on the counter.
"Go up to the room, Granger," he said, turning his head to her. "I'll sort this out."
Hermione glanced at the receptionist, who was looking between them curiously.
"What about the key?"
Draco gave her a smirk, pointing to his right hand.
"Just touch the door and it will open," he murmured, grinning when she wrinkled her nose. He placed a kiss on her forehead and sighed. "I don't want you to know how much it costs to stay here."
Hermione looked at him one last time.
"Don't be rude to her."
He nodded and watched her as she walked away in the direction of the four lifts at the back of the room. As soon as she was out of sight, he turned to the woman.
"Ha solo un letto matrimoniale come concordato, giusto?"
"Sì. È la suite Imperiale," she replied.
His smile curled to the side. Draco pulled out a handful of galleons and set them on the counter.
"Grazie."
"Prego, signore," the woman waved her wand and the galleons flew to the safe on the wall. "Restiamo a disposizione per qualsiasi altra cosa."
Draco nodded.
After turning around, he walked towards the lifts and pressed the red button, shoving his hands in his pockets as he waited.
The bloody Gryffindor colours were everywhere.
Once he was inside the lift his lips curled up again.
That night would be the first time he was going to share a bed with Granger without having Potter or his mother a few rooms away.
And he would have reduced the hotel to ashes if they'd been given a twin bed.
The lift stopped at the top floor and its golden doors opened.
Draco advanced to the only door in the corridor and placed his hand on it. After a small click, it opened and he stepped through, searching for Granger with his gaze.
A large sitting room greeted him with two cream sofas and an unlit fireplace. To the left were open oak doors and behind them a huge white-sheeted bed where she had left the two suitcases.
Granger stood on the terrace, gazing out at the breathtaking view. Draco stopped beside her and rested his arms on the stone railing, letting the cool air ruffle his hair.
The river Arno flowed at their feet, reflecting the sun's rays on its crystal clear waters. They could hear the voices of tourists crossing Ponte Vecchio on the right, with Giotto's imposing bell tower rising in the background.
"This... this is too much," Granger murmured, overwhelmed.
"We Malfoys always want the best."
She snorted, rolling her eyes.
"I mean it, Draco," she turned to him with a frown. "How much did this room cost?"
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the railing with his gaze fixed on the people strolling by the river as he twirled the ring on his left hand.
"Don't worry about the money, Granger."
"How can I not!"
Draco snorted through his nose, straightening his back.
"I think I know a way to make you forget."
He took a step towards her, lifting her chin with his finger and lowering his until their lips met.
The fire he felt when he kissed her coursed through his body, searing every cell of his skin.
Draco snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to his body as she wrapped her arms around his neck and responded to his kisses.
He sank his other hand into her curls and kissed her deeper, smiling when she shivered in his arms.
Granger pulled away a few inches, blinking her eyes away.
He loved to leave her like that with his kisses.
"Tricky."
He chuckled softly and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder, his chest pressed to her back.
"It had been years since I was in Florence."
Granger placed a hand over his, tracing the Malfoy family ring with her finger absently.
"Tomorrow we'll stay at your family home, won't we?" she asked, sighing when his chin moved as he nodded. "At least then I know you won't spend another fortune on a hotel."
"You'll sleep with me there, too," he whispered in her ear, tightening his grip around her. "And every night from now on."
Draco felt the surge of nervousness that swept through Granger and he let out a heavy sigh, turning her around until he could look her in the eye.
"Do you want to go for a walk around the city?"
She relaxed her shoulders and reciprocated his smile.
"You promised to show it to me."
They spent hours walking the streets of Florence and ate lunch in Piazza della Repubblica.
Her mouth dropped open at the sight of the marble and red-tiled cathedral. Hermione had been to Rome once before with her parents, several years ago, and when they returned to London she was sure she would never see a city she liked better.
After walking with Draco through Florence and up to Michelangelo's square, where there were panoramic views of the city, she wasn't so sure anymore.
He grabbed her hand and tugged her out of the main street.
"Where are we going now?"
Draco waggled his eyebrows, giving her a mischievous grin as they continued walking. Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile.
She had never seen him as happy as he was that day.
They crossed two more streets, away from the centre, and into a dark alley.
Draco stopped by a stone wall with several carved figures on it.
"Touch the star with your wand."
Hermione looked around, making sure they were alone before pulling her wand out of her handbag.
There was probably a Muggle-repelling spell in that alley.
The large stone slab clicked as she touched the star with her wand, moving aside. Draco ducked through the gap in the wall and Hermione followed him, her heart pounding in her chest.
It was her first time visiting the magical part of another city.
Just as Draco had told her, Stradina Nascosta was nothing like Diagon Alley.
White marble statues decorated the small cobblestone street lined with shops of all kinds that led to a large circular square. Giant oak trees shaded the terraces of the restaurants and a stone fountain over five metres high adorned the centre.
Hermione sighed.
"Wow."
"I know," Draco glanced sideways at her, releasing her hand. "Wait here."
Hermione watched him walk away to one of the ice cream parlours in the square and, a couple of minutes later, he returned to her side and offered her one of the chocolate ice creams he was holding.
She accepted it and they both sat on the edge of the fountain, watching the people passing by as they ate it.
Hermione licked her lips.
"It's delicious."
"Italy's ice cream is the best in the world, Granger," Draco commented in a mocking voice.
She elbowed him in the ribs and finished her ice cream, laughing as she heard him mutter a curse.
Once they were both finished, they walked around the square and he pointed to a completely golden building. Two statues flanked the doors and four Aurors were frisking anyone who wanted to enter.
"Banca d'oro," Draco muttered, his gaze fixed on the circular emblem on the façade. "The Gringotts of Italy."
Hermione snorted.
"I suppose the Malfoys have a chamber full of Galleons here as well."
Draco bit the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning.
"Three," he curled an arm around Hermione as she rolled her eyes, making her blush. "No one here knows who we are, Granger."
She swept her gaze over the people around them. None of them was paying any attention to them.
"It's true. No one's looking at us."
Smiling, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips, shuddering while she felt that electric spark between them. Hermione pulled away as she ran out of air and looked into his eyes.
"Let's go inside. We need more liras for tomorrow."
She held his hand again, interlacing their fingers, and they both walked up the stairs of the golden building.
"Tomorrow is the full moon."
Hermione swallowed the last of her dessert at his words and set the spoon down on the plate, sighing. That tiramisu was so good it should be a sin.
They had spent the whole afternoon browsing the shops of Stradina Nascosta and she had gifts for everyone in her handbag. Even for her parents, who would be landing in London a few days after she got back.
Draco raised an eyebrow at her sigh.
"Nervous?"
She looked down at her plate.
"A little."
He reached out to grasp her hand, squeezing it.
"I'm terrified, Granger," he admitted quietly. "But I'm glad it's you."
Hermione smiled, hiding her blush behind her curls.
"Me too."
Draco let go of her hand and watched her finish her glass of wine with a strange expression. His hand was in his pocket and he seemed to be fiddling with something.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, confused.
His face relaxed and he shook his head.
"It's nothing," he assured her, grimacing as she set a handful of Galleons on the table. "Shall we go back to the hotel?"
Hermione nodded and they both left the restaurant. Paper lanterns floated above their heads, illuminating the walls and casting shadows in geometric shapes. They walked up the small street, through the secret entrance and back out into the Muggle part of Florence.
He didn't let go of her hand until they were inside one of the hotel lifts.
"I can't use magic and you don't know Lucca," Draco commented, rolling his eyes. "Tomorrow we'll have to go by train."
She shrugged.
"It doesn't matter. It'll be like going on the Hogwarts Express all over again."
He snorted through his nose as the lift stopped at the top floor.
"I don't think Italian trains are much alike."
He placed his hand on the door to the room, which opened with a clang of metal. Hermione left her jacket on the back of the sofa and opened the window onto the terrace.
The moon was shining high in the sky and reflected in the river. The city was still bustling with life even though it was ten o'clock at night.
She blinked several times, unable to believe it was all real.
"It's beautiful."
Draco was standing at her side, his eyes on her.
"Indeed."
He took two more steps, standing behind her and pushing her curls to the side. Hermione held her breath when she felt his lips on her shoulder.
The kisses moved, trailing up her neck until they reached her cheek. Draco turned her in his arms, pressing his lips to hers and tasting her with his tongue as he kissed her.
His hands slipped under her jumper, stroking her skin and up her back.
"Draco," she let out a shaky breath, breaking the kiss. "They're going to see us from down there."
He lifted his brow.
"No one can see us, Granger," he whispered, kissing the curve of her jaw and leaning closer to her ear. "Or hear us."
It was too hard to resist. Hermione closed her eyes as his kisses trailed down the curve of her neck.
Draco sighed against her skin, making her hair stand on end.
"Tomorrow night I'll have to bite you."
She snapped her eyes open.
"What?"
He lifted his head, looking into her eyes.
"Here you can cover the scar with your curls, though with time you will barely see it," he murmured, tracing the lower part of her throat with his forefinger. "I need to mark you. I have to," he added in a deep voice, clenching his jaw.
Hermione twisted her lips. She'd read a book about werewolves and the marks they left on their paramours, though she hadn't known that Veelas did the same to their mates.
"Will it hurt?" she asked in a whisper.
His face hardened.
"I'll try to be quick."
He was occluding. Hermione sighed, wrapping her arms around him and pressing their foreheads together.
"I trust you, Draco."
A small smile spread across his face. She claimed his lips again and Draco was quick to deepen the kiss, pushing her until her hips bumped against the railing and holding her face in his hands as he slowly devoured her.
"Fuck," he hissed over her lips, placing a hand on her lower back and pressing her against his chest. "I don't want to wait another day."
Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.
"What if we complete the bond tonight?" she looked up at the sky for a few seconds. "The moon is almost full."
"It wouldn't work, Granger."
A snort of annoyance left her lips. Draco smirked, running his thumb across her lower lip, and she saw a silver glint in his eyes.
"In twenty-four hours you will be mine."
He moved back down to her neck, sending shivers down her spine with each kiss. Hermione bit her lip to keep from moaning.
"Twenty-three," she corrected breathlessly.
She felt him smirk against her skin.
"Swot."
"Shut up, Malfoy."
Draco kissed her throat once more before lifting his head.
"You'll be mine forever, too," she said, brushing back the locks that fell over his forehead. "Doesn't that scare you?"
He shook his head.
"I'm looking forward to it."
Draco lifted her in his arms, sitting her on the stone railing and kissing her too eagerly.
Hermione curled her legs around his body, gasping when she felt something hard press against her inner thighs.
She didn't want to wait any longer either.
Italian translation
Buongiorno: good morning.
Ha solo un letto matrimoniale come concordato, giusto?: It has only one bed like we talked about, right?
Sì. È la suite Imperiale: yes, it's the master suite.
Grazie: thank you.
Prego, signore. Restiamo a disposizione per qualsiasi altra cosa: you're welcome, sir. We remain at your disposal for anything else you may need.