Chapter Forty Seven
Draco took Hermione to the breathtaking Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana (National Library of Saint Mark). He watched her eyes light up as she looked up at the dramatic building and he enjoyed seeing her happiness at the sight of row upon row of priceless manuscripts. Draco led her to one of the librarians, "Occulta Veneficas", Draco said to the austere looking witch, and she nodded and led the couple to a back room containing a statue of the patron saint of Venice, St. Mark himself. The librarian witch touched the statue's left hand and the statue was raised to reveal a spiral staircase leading down into Veneficas Venetias. Draco led the way down the stairs and after slipping through another hidden doorway, Hermione found herself in a vast catacomb, every empty space was filled with row upon row of packed bookshelves, each containing hundreds of priceless wizard books.
"Wow!" Hermione said, "this is unbelievable!" She pulled a book from the shelf and opened it, the pages were made of ancient parchment and upon each page there was a spell, none of which Hermione had ever come across before. "I could just stay here all day, and read." Hermione said thankfully, "the smell of these ancient manuscripts is intoxicating."
"Well, you can but my family helped build this place back in the 1600's, therefore, we are members of this exclusive library and I am offering you shared membership with me, that means that you can borrow any book from here, any time you like, no questions asked. All you have to do is say is,"Malfoy in familia asserit aequum bibliotheca uti hoc quod uoluerit."
"That's a bit of a mouthful," Hermione laughed, "would you mind writing it down for me?"
"Yeah, we'll sort that out." Draco smiled.
"Seriously though," Hermione smiled, "that is the most thoughtful gift, I am so grateful, and I still haven't got you a present."
"Yes you have," Draco said, "your presence is my present." Draco kissed Hermione and she cherished his closeness.
The pair spent a while in the catacombs, before ascending up to Saint Mark's square once again. They stopped to watch a carnival and shared some chips, they saw the procession of children being led by a nun as they left the square, banging their pots and pans loudly, but sadly they weren't in time to give them any coins for luck.
Venice was the busiest Hermione had ever seen it and the streets were vibrant with what seemed like the whole of the city entering into the festivities. They struggled back to their hotel through the thronging crowds and it was after six when they finally managed to get back.
Aurelia and Blaise were waiting in the dining room, and Blaise greeted Draco heartily.
"It is great to see you old friend," he said, shaking Draco's hand thoroughly.
"And you," Draco said, "fancy seeing you here."
"My family always come to Venicia for St. Mark's Day," Blaise explained, many wizards across Italy do, it is like one huge wizard reunion, but I am moving back to London." Blaise said, "my father wants me to take over my grandfather's restaurante, he is getting too old, and my father cannot leave as my mother is unwell. So, I guess I will be seeing more of you." Then Blaise turned to Hermione, "You have grown up nicely, I didn't recognise you last night."
"Oi," Aurelia said, "No flirting."
"Yeah," Draco added, "No flirting!"
The group laughed as they sat down at their table.
They had a happy reunion dinner and enjoyed each other's company but during dessert Draco was called away by a waiter.
"Signor," The waiter said, "there is a call for you, it sounds urgent."
"Please excuse me," Draco said getting up from the table, and looking concerned, Hermione watched him exit the room.