Slipping on her kitten heels as she stumbled across the room, Hermione grabbed her briefcase and knocked on the door between their suites.

"Come on, Malfoy!" she called with growing impatience "We're going to be late!" she glanced at her silver wristwatch, a present from Harry and Ginny for her 21st, and knocked repeatedly on the door, almost falling through it as Malfoy wrenched it open.

"Relax Granger, it's not even 8am and according to that infernal contraption it takes 10 minutes to walk to Fondaco dei Tedeschi from here and our briefing is at 9" he gruffed. He stepped back into the room and grabbed his tie from the back of one of the chairs dotted around the large circular table that was the room's main feature. She huffed and put her hands to her hips, her face contorted in a mix of frustration and fury. Malfoy casually undid his initial attempt at the Windsor knot and proceeded with his second attempt. Hermione lost her patience and stepped forward.

"Give it here!" she huffed, taking the two ends of the tie in her delicate hands. Her proximity afforded him a tantalising glimpse of her decolletage under her cream silk blouse. He fought to maintain his composure as she set to work tying the perfect knot.

"There" she murmured, smoothing down the tie against his chest, her palm grazing over his muscular pecs. He swallowed hard.

She looked up into his eyes, her warm honey gaze meeting his and neither said a word. Her palm still pressed to his chest she could feel his heartbeat, pounding like a drum under her touch. She licked her lips and he saw indecisiveness flicker across her eyes. He bent his head to capture her lip but as he felt her lip between his she pulled away. Rushing back to where their rooms divided, she grabbed her briefcase and headed towards his door.

"Come on" she whispered, "We can't be late." She looked over at him from the open doorway, confusion and a tinge of an emotion she couldn't quite place, mingling together across his features. Throwing him a small sweet smile, she stepped out into the hallway as he grabbed his own briefcase from the desk by the balcony doors.

"I don't know why you are so stressed about this briefing anyway" he huffed, locking the door with his key card. "It's not like we haven't done these before."

"This isn't just a briefing" she started, walking down the hallway to the elevator "This is a mid case review. Harry is getting an international portkey. The Interpol liaison, the Head Auror for Italy and 3 other MLE division heads will all be there." She listed them off on her fingers as they waited to make their descent to the lobby.

"But you've done these before as well, Granger" he said, pressing the button again with growing impatience.

"Not for a long time, not as a field agent. I've mostly been working in research. I'm out of practice and I lack confidence." She answered, gently curling her fingers round his wrist, moving his hand away in an attempt to get him to stop prodding the buttons.

"Have a little patience" she sighed.

"Pot, kettle and black" he smirked.

.

Across the square in Cafe Florian, the blonde waitress was speaking in rapid hushed voices with her elderly boss.

"Mio nonno non sta bene" she said, her cerulean eyes pleading as she looked up at him through her long dark lashes.

The elderly man rolled his eyes and waved her away, consenting to her request for the day off. She smiled, kissed him on the cheek and rushed out the door. Spying her beau casually leaning against one of the pillars, sunglasses shielding his eyes from the morning sun as it poured into the square, she skipped over to him and grabbed his hand, twirling as he gazed at her, an amused grin on his face.

"I told Sergio my Nonno is sick" she smiled, "Now we can spend the day together" she tugged him into the plaza, her eyes twinkling.

"Sly little minx" he smirked, as he pulled her in for a deep possessive kiss.

"What ever shall we do?" she asked him mockingly, lust in her eyes.

"I know a little place we can go mia bella" he huskily replied, his lips against that sweet decadent spot under her ear lobe.

Moments later, Blaise stood before the door to Draco's suite. Casually he checked up and down the hall, before touching his hand to the wand he had tucked safely out of sight in his pocket and non verbally casting an Alohomora. He chuckled to himself at Draco's tardiness. Working so long on this case, limited in his use of magic by Harry's insistence that they keep a low profile meant Draco had forgotten the basics and had left his room locked with the muggle key card but unwarded, making Blaise's break in light work.

He tugged his companion into the room, peppering kisses along her jaw line and neck as they discarded their clothes haphazardly on the way to the bedroom. Crashing lips and gasping their moans, they were a mess of limbs as they collapsed onto the luxurious bed. He had to hand it to Draco, he always was a man who enjoyed an opulent lifestyle and this suite was nothing short of divine.

.

Afternoon sunlight poured through the balcony, warming his skin and rousing him from his post coital slumber. Rising from the bed, he glanced at the alabaster skin of his bed fellow, his gaze working from her delicate ankle up to her exposed breast, settling on the blonde hair amassed on the pillow. Padding to the kichenette in the corner of the seating area, he set about pouring himself an espresso before rummaging around in the cupboards for a little something to accompany his coffee. He took the cup and two biscotti and made his way out onto the balcony where he stood in all his glory, admiring the view from Draco's room.

Casually sipping his espresso, he wondered if he should wake his companion for another round. As he crossed the threshold of the room, he heard the door to the suite open and was just about to grab his wand when he heard the husky moans and gasps of a couple in a passionate embrace. Perplexed, knowing the occupant of the room, he made his way to the doorway between the bedroom and the lounge and was shocked to see Draco and none other than Hermione Granger, in the throws of passion on the couch. He coughed to announce his presence and watched the couple amusedly as they ceased their ministrations instantly, staring confused at each other before turning in a slow synchronised movement to face him. He smirked.

"Biscotti anyone?"

A/N: For those who have read Welcome to Venice (which was written before I even had the idea for this story) this is the point at which they blend together. If you haven't read this story you do not have to, but it adds to it if you do and you will get to see this scene from H&D POV. This story picks up from the other side of the 3rd part of Welcome to Venice in Chapter 24. Please be kind in your reviews, this is my first attempt at writing a risqué scene! I have tried to keep the pace of the story going and the drama mixed with humour in the same way as previous chapters, so I hope these next chapters come over well. I am quite nervous!

I would like to take a moment to thank Torigingerfox for her help with the Italian! You are brilliant and these chapters have a dimension to them that is only possible with your help so thank you! I should probably also mention my poor sister who I have continually thrust my laptop at so she can check how the build up is coming but she flat out refuses to beta any smut so if that bad its all on me! I would also like to thank xxDustNight88 along with Torigingerfox who I have been fantastic when it comes to running through my ideas for the plot and the climax (pardon the pun) of the story. They are the main reason this I am able to update so frequently and this story probably wouldnt be as good as people are telling me it is without them :) xx