May

A gentle warm breeze blew across his little face causing him to giggle. His mother smiled as she strolled along the gravel path, the babe in her arms rested on her hip as she strolled through the gardens in the evening sun. She turned to her companion and gave her look filled with contentment.

"That giggle melts my heart every time, Hermione."

"I know, he is so adorable" Hermione cooed as she reached out to take her Godson from his mother.

Pansy sighed before letting out a little chuckle.

"You know, I never thought I would say this" she mused as they made their way down the cedar grove towards the balustrade that lined the edge of the gardens "but I miss Molly."

Hermione smiled. She knew all too well what I was like to miss the loving homely feeling that one got when spending long tracts of time with the Weasley's.

"Maybe you should go visit" she suggested.

Pansy stopped and leaned against the stonework, watching Hermione as she made faces at Cosimo. "Ron has been suggesting the same thing" she sighed "I don't know…." Pansy turned and faced the lagoon that sparkled as the sunlight danced across the surface.

"I love Molly. I truly do. She has been a wonderful Mother to me these last six months. But.." she trailed off. Hermione frowned at her.

"You are worried about going back to England" she surmised, coming to stand by her friend.

Pansy shrugged "I can't help it. I have so many bad memories."

Hermione put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "We all do" she told her quietly. "But its how you deal with it. Go. Go to England. Molly will only be too pleased to see you and they will all shower you with so much love and warmth that you won't remember the darkness." she smiled "and if it gets too much at the Burrow, my house is open to you" she told her. Pansy wrapped Hermione in a hug, kissing her cheek. "You are wonderful Hermione, truly."

.

Hermione slide her hand across Draco's shoulders as she came behind him, resting her hand on his shoulder. He turned his attention away from his report and dropped a kiss on her delicate fingertips before looking up at her.
"Enjoy your stroll?" he asked her smiling.

"Yes. Pansy and Ron are going to visit Molly and Arthur" she told him.

Draco frowned as she settled herself into the seat next to him on the sun terrace. "Is that wise?" he asked.

"I think it is. She is lonely here" she told him reaching across the table for the Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene and pouring herself a glass.

"How can she be lonely here? He scoffed "She has Ron and Blaise and us?" he stated, turning his attention back to his report.

"She misses Molly" she told him, taking a sip of her wine.

He looked at her and raised his eyebrow.

Hermione shrugged. "She helped her when she needed her and that is the sort of thing women bond over. You know she and I are friends now because I was all she had but Molly was so much more. She was a Mother to her when she could have just hit the roof at Ron for waiting until she was crying out in labour. She has continued to show the girl motherly love ever since. It's only natural for her to miss her. Besides, yes she has Ron and Blaise, but we are here and London and when we are London she is the only woman here" she emphasised.

Draco snorted. "You seemed to be ok when it was just you, Potter and Weasley" he stated, only just masking the hint of jealousy. "And she was fine when it was just her, me, Blaise and Theo."

"She is a Mother now and that makes all the difference. Besides, it's Ron and Blaise we are talking about."

Draco smirked, seeing her point.

"So when is she going and how long before she returns my Godson" he asked, not at all happy about being away from little Cosimo more than necessary. Merlin he adored that kid!

"After the weekend and she plans on staying 4 months" she stated, finishing her glass.

"Four months at the Burrow? Don't think I could do that" he muttered.

Hermione glared at him. "Don't be such a snob" she hissed "they are going to use my house and visit the Burrow at the weekends" she told him.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

.

The last slither of sun dipped below the horizon as the evening wore on. Hermione lit the candles and lamps adorning the terrace before lacing her hand with Draco's. They both sat reading reports from their case, quietly absorbed and in companionable silence. Neither of them noticed as Blaise strolled out onto the terrace, tumbling his glass of Firewhiskey, until he coughed. Hermione looked up and smiled at her friend who had opened his home and made it as much theirs as it was his. Working on the case meant they spent the majority of their time in Venice and Blaise had insisted that they stay at the Villa and for Hermione it had become more home to her than her townhouse overlooking Richmond Park where they stayed when work took them back to London. It was odd, Hermione mused, how she and Draco had gone from fighting to dating to living together with seamless ease, each transition blending into the next.

Forgoing his usual seat at the head of the table, he sat next to Hermione, enquiring about her day, genuinely taking an interest in her. Theirs was a growing friendship and she enjoyed his company, often taking a stroll about the gardens with him when she needed to unwind or sitting in the study going over case notes as he sat working on his own business endeavours. Quite often he would sit and talk with her while she poured over the ancient family texts in his vast library. The sun now set, it was noticeably chillier now than it had been when she first sat down. Hermione involuntarily shivered, starting to feel the cold.

"Mia Bella" he whispered, taking her hand. "You must be cold. Let me warm you up"

Draco looked up and threw him a look of utter contempt.

Blaise grinned. "With my wand" he said, looking Draco dead in the eye.

Hermione rolled her eyes "Stop it Blaise, you are so incorrigible sometimes!" she cried, letting out a little laugh.

Blaise smiled as he took out his wand a cast a warming charm, the little hairs on her arm tingling with the touch of his magic.

Draco continued to glare at Blaise who ignored the open hostility from him.

Pocketing his wand, he stroked her forearm.

"Warmer mio amore?" he whispered, leaning into her ear. Hermione blushed.

Draco dragged his chair back with a violent force, the legs scrapping the flagstones, before he stormed into the house.

"Why do you piss him off like that?" she whispered, her tone even.

"Shameless flirting is my natural state" he shrugged, downing the last of his Firewhiskey.

"The question you should really ask however, Hermione, is why is he jealous? He knows I would not have genuine designs on you and your love for each other is unconditional and boundless. He trusts you like no other, and the man is practically my brother. So what is it he fears?"