Probable Reaction

Chapter Two

***

In which Hermione is shocked, Snape is dipped, veela dance, names are called, Draco explains why he's there, someone goes searching and finds her prey, a familiar, though unwelcome, face comes to the Cavalletto e Doge Orseolo and Lucius finishes his trip only to find his son gone and a visitor in his Drawing Room.

***

Hermione could not help but wildly mutter curses, all of which she had heard come out of Ron's mouth at least three times, under her breath as she ran through the streets of Venice in the direction of the club. How the hell did I let him make me late? Damn Draco and his soft hands and beautiful gray eyes...

She snorted softly as she thought of how in the world he had managed to make her late. Beautiful eyes indeed. She had seen better eyes on some of the horned toads they used in Potions. He must have poisoned her mind, making her think such horribly unnatural thoughts.

Or it could be that she was incredibly shaken by his appearance in Venice. Of all the places she had ever expected him, her bed was not one of them. Neither was doing her hair, but that was a different matter all together.

Yes, that's it. I was shaken, and that's why I'm late.

She hoped that Severus wasn't there yet. If he was, she would never hear the end of it. 'Perfect Miss Granger, late for a meeting. Ten points from Gryffindor...'

But even as she thought about how what her Potions teacher would say to her if she were late, she couldn't help think about Draco. He was a total twit, like always, and yet he was somehow... different. That was the last thing she needed at this time.

As she rounded the corner, her stomach dropped. There he was, leaning against the wall of the 'Pollor', the club she had discovered one night when walking by herself. He appeared to be quite comfortable there, with a cigarette in his mouth and a black leather jacket on his shoulders.

"Those are bad for you, you know." She smiled as he dropped the cigarette in surprise at her voice. It smoldered for a few minutes before he put it out with his shoe.

"You, Miss Granger, are what is bad for me." He was clutching his heart in false pain, but she couldn't help but notice his eyes were looking her over and for the first time, she looked at the dress she had chosen. It was a simple black dress that had been her mothers. Nothing too fancy or too low cut.

She smiled and motioned a hand toward the door. He stared her down. "Now, I would like to know why you are late."

She gaped at him. Of course, the whole way here she had been formulating a good excuse for being tardy. But now, everything was a blank. She mouthed wordlessly for a minute, then muttered the first thing that came to mind. "Traffic."

Hermione was so embarrassed that she could have kicked herself. That was the worst thing she could have said. There was no traffic in Venice, and Severus damn well knew it. He gave her a suspicious look, but muttered and started for the door.

Just great. He probably thinks I was off being chased by bloodthirsty Death Eaters or being ravaged by Lucius Malfoy. She contemplated telling him exactly what had held her up, but stopped. Would it be a good thing to announce to the world that Draco had left Egypt and was now on her bed, most likely defacing it as she stood there? Severus was Luicius' friend, no matter what his reaction to her questions about him had been. Draco might get in trouble. Why do I care?!?

"Are you going to stand there all night, Miss Granger, or are you going to come inside?"

Hermione nodded and entered the club. Her first reaction was to smirk at Severus, whose jaw had dropped a considerable bit. The second was to hail a waiter to bring them to a table. She had to pull on Severus' arm for a moment to get him to move. It was completely what he was gawking at, but he was still making quite a scene.

Standing on a makeshift platform against one wall of the bar was a group of girls. All of the men in the bar had their attention directly focused on them, though only Hermione and Severus knew why. She wondered why there were veela in Venice. Especially in a muggle bar!

Sitting in a booth, she had to shake Severus quite hard to get his attention back on her and away from the scantily clad, silver haired singers. He smiled absently and played with his menu. She snorted and shook her head. Who would have thought that the hard, cold Severus Snape was still very aware of things like veela?

"After they're done, I suspect that the stage will be cleared and the dance floor will open again." She was perfectly aware that he wasn't paying attention to a word she said, but it didn't matter. "Would you care for a drink while we wait? My treat, since you paid the last time."

He randomly pointed to something on the menu before him as his head turned back to the stage. If it were any man but her Potions teacher, she would have smacked him upside the head a long lecture about being shallow would follow. She just ordered him the worst sounding drink that the bar had, just because she could. He wouldn't notice anyway.

She spent the next ten minutes bending the prongs of her fork back and forth and anxiously tapping her fingers on the table. The veela still hadn't finished. Now they had, if it had been at all possible, become even more attractive. They seemed to be sending out waves of something to the streets, because there were men of all ages lined up at the windows, their mouths open in the exact same way Severus's was. Hermione scowled. What a perfect way to spend her 'date'.

When they were finally finished singing, much to the disappointment of all of the men in the bar, two burly men stepped forward and started removing the sections of stage they had been on. Severus's head turned back around to her and he feebly took a drink of his cocktail. "Were they so tempting that you had to order a..."

She never got to finish as he put up a hand and swallowed. He did look quite sick. After inspecting his glass for a minute for a sign as to what the drink was, as Hermione only smirked at him when he asked, he hailed a waiter over to take it away. Then he gave her a very menacing look. "Miss Granger, if one word of my... behavior... is told to anyone and your Potion's grade will be so low it will never see sun again."

His threat was empty, because she knew as well as he did that she would never tell. She could be devious, even cruel at times, but never THAT cruel. "So then, since you appear to be done with your drink," He scowled at her. "Let's dance."

***

Severus found himself being pulled out of his seat and up toward the now empty dance floor. He surprised even himself by submitting to her and letting her lead him. Merlin help me, she looks just like Cecilie.

Some music blared from a speaker; a fast paced beat that he suspected was played often at this place because everyone seemed very relaxed when it started. The giddy smile on Hermione's face reminded him of the girl of a few weeks ago and he realized that she still hadn't told him why she had been so... odd.

"Miss Granger, tell me why."

Her eyebrow raised, and he sighed. Of course, she would avoid the question unless asked directly, but he didn't know the proper way to ask someone how they had been possessed by the devil for a day. "Tell you why what?"

"We agreed you would tell me something when I got here." Her face fell as the words left his mouth, and he knew what she had to be thinking. That the only reason he had come was for that information. To prove her wrong, some part of him that even Severus didn't know existed put a hand around her waist and pulled her close. "You wanted to dance, Miss Granger. Be advised that I am the one who sets the rules while dancing."

"Always the one to have rules, Severus?" Her voice was filled with laughter, but he could feel that she was trying to wiggle her way out of his tight grasp around her waist. He wouldn't let her escape this time. He held tighter.

"Of course. I am the Potions Master, after all..." In time with the music, he flounced her. She giggled, and when he pulled looked at her, there was a very girlish smile on her face. He didn't know that Hermione Granger could have such a smile. "You should know that I adore rules by now."

"Does this go against your rules, oh wise and trusted Potions teacher?" She let him spin her. "Dancing with a student, I mean. I would have thought that you had no actual life. Besides potions, of course."

He stopped, but thankfully so did the music so it didn't look awkward. Was that how she saw him? Just a man who lived for his profession and never had a thought what to do for fun? That, once again, tied her to Cecilie. She had said the same thing a week before her death. Severus sniffed irritably and stared down at Hermione.

"Miss Granger, I thought you said you wanted to dance. All you have been doing is letting me lead."

She smirked and moved her hands so that they copied his, in exactly the same places. His mouth quivered as she pulled closer and a set look of determination came across her face. "All right, I'll lead. I just thought I would follow the rules."

The music started up again, the beat equally as fast as the last song. The last thing that he saw upright was her devilish look, right before she dipped him. His laughter surprised him. He hadn't laughed like that in a long time, not since Cecilie. God damnit, Hermione. You are much too like.... His thoughts were cut off as she twirled around then dipped him again.

***

"I'm surprised you could even dip me, Miss Granger. I never took you for the strong type."

Hermione laughed and kicked a pebble out of her way. The night, as they walked along the streets of Venice, was fairly cold, and she wished that she had taken the time to grab a jacket from the room before she had fled. But she wouldn't complain. It was only a few blocks to the hotel, anyway.

"Anyone could dip you, no matter their strength. You are a feather and need to eat more." She was so used to telling people to eat, namely Harry, and it just came out.

"Is that so?" He poked her side, and she squealed. How had he known she was ticklish? In an attempt to get him back, she kicked his leg lightly. Well, it was supposed to have been lightly. It ended up a little harder than she had originally wanted. But the look on his face as a hand went to his shin only made it better. "Better run, Miss Granger!"

She took off running, her dress rippling in the wind behind her as she ran. The sound of his heavy breathing as he followed in close pursuit only gave her the strength to move faster. But she found running in high heels to be too much and had to slow down or chance taking a fall to the ground. He caught her shortly after.

"My name," she corrected, looking up at his face. His hair, black and shimmery, was now messy from the wind. The shine didn't come from grease. He apparently just saved that look for intimidating students, if his voice didn't scare them enough. In the moonlight, it was almost like black silk. "Is Hermione."

"We have been through this, Miss Granger." She felt her face fall as he only spoke her last name. She had this strange urge to hear him utter her first name. It was odd, but it felt like she would simply burst into a thousand pieces if he didn't. "But, there are other things we haven't been through. Like your attitude when I first found you here."

"Firstly, I found you, Severus. If I hadn't called, you wouldn't have known I was anywhere but curled up with a book in my parent's living room." She crossed her arms over her chest, much like McGonagall did when she was angry, but Severus only laughed.

"So why were you acting like you were? And my name, to you, is Professor Snape. Nothing more."

"This is my first time on my own in a new and exciting situation. I wanted to take on a new personality while I was here, since this was probably the last time something like this would happen for awhile. And, when I met you there on the street, my new personality wanted to rebel against everything related to school. My manners, my fear of you. I wanted just to be someone new." Everything came rushing out of her so fast that she couldn't stop to think about what she was saying. His face fell slightly, but he quickly recovered.

"That's it? That was all just rebellion? You, Miss Granger, are not the type of girl who should become someone other than the little bookworm I have come to despise in class." His black eyes glittered slightly, but he laughed. "Isn't this your hotel?"

"Yes."

"Well then, I bid you goodnight. It was better than I had expected it would be." He smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "The perfect way to spend my last night in Venice. Of course, you realize that once you are back in school that..."

She cut him off. He was still leaving? But, who will I have to talk to except... Her eyes traveled up to where her window was. Draco was probably trying on all of her clothes, or doing something else completely horrible. Why did I leave him up there alone? "You can't go! Meet me again tomorrow! This was fun, you just said so. Why do you need to go back?"

Severus just looked down at her for a minute, then sighed deeply. "Miss Granger, I have lessons to prepare and potion ingredients to bottle. I should have had all this done last week. But, instead, I was here with you. I wouldn't be surprised if Albus hasn't already sent out a 'Missing Wizards' report or something."

"Fine. I will see you at school, Professor Snape." Her voice was bitter, but she didn't care. He was fun to be around, when not yelling or raving about potions. Hermione turned. He made no motion to go after her. It was quiet for a moment, until she reached the door. Then he spoke, quite softly, "Goodnight, Hermione."

***

Draco was sitting on the bed, exactly where he had been when Hermione had left, as he stared absently at his nails. Since being in Egypt, a thin layer of grime had started to collect right under the surface and here he was, nothing to pick it out with. He was quite worried about how they looked. And Granger. I'm worried about her too, I guess...

He was quite startled when she threw open the door, a broad smile on her face. Her hair was a mess and her cheeks were flushed, most likely from the chilly air outside, but she didn't care about any of that. Nor did she seem to care about him at the moment. All she did was absently wander to the bed and sat on the edge, staring down at her feet.

"How was Potter? Still the same hopelessly enchanting hero that he always is?" She shook her head, completely oblivious to the sarcastic tones in his voice. Something had happened to her out there. "What's wrong Granger? Garden Gnome got your tongue?"

"I... I think I might like him. He said my name!" Draco's eyebrows raised in confusion. Was she plastered? High? Did she have some sort of mental illness? What the hell was she talking about?!? "He said my name, Malfoy!"

"I can say your name. Just listen." He sucked in a breath of air, stuck his chest out and closed his eyes. "Her... Her... Hermione. There! I did it! Now then, will you tell me what you are on, or at least what you are muttering about?"

She sniffed, got up off of the bed and walked over to her trunk. At first he thought that she was just going to grab some clothing and shuffle off to the bathroom. He rolled his eyes and went back to the book in his lap. He could now say three simple phrases, and curse someone in Italian. But when he heard a zipper being pulled down, he knew something was wrong. Merlin's beard, what is she doing?

Hermione Granger was changing in front of him.

He grabbed a pillow and put it over his eyes. As much as he would love to play a little Quidditch in bed, or at least get a peep show, it was just not the Malfoy way to do it when she was under the influence of... something. Unless, of course, that something had been administered personally by the Malfoy. Then all systems were go. "Granger, go in the bathroom. My poor virgin eyes can't take it."

She seemed to be getting some of herself back. She had snorted sarcastically. He had to admit that going so far as 'virgin eyes' was a stretch, since he had probably seen more than he should have over the past sixteen years. But this was far too much. Watching Mudbloods change was not his favorite activity.

"He said my name! Oh, I hope he doesn't go back quite yet!" She was still in the room. Damn, damn, damn. I have a headache and I can't breath with this pillow here. Bugger. Scared for life or suffocate to death? He chose life.

Carefully, he lifted his head up. Thankfully, she was done. However her nightgown was a knee length blue shirt that looked like it belonged to her father or someone equally as tall. Her legs, which were visible beneath the hem of the shirt, where tanner than he thought they might have been. Since when am I thinking about her legs?

"Malfoy! What are you doing here?" He would have given her a reply, but something struck him hard right in the forehead and he fell flat on the bed. After a moment, he opened his eyes and saw one of her shoes lying innocently in front of him. She had thrown it at him. Bloody hell. "I was changing!"

"I have been in this spot since you walked in, Granger. You were talking nonsense, and then just started to strip. And what kind of a person would I be to tell you to stop?" He grinned. She apparently didn't remember what had just happened. He could tell her that they had just gotten up to some shagging on her bed and she wouldn't be able to argue. "What are you on? Merlin's Beard, you were almost a zombie!"

I am most certainly not on anything, Draco Malfoy."

"Right. And Potter is better at Quidditch than me. Honestly Granger, one is obviously led to the conclusion that you are on some Muggle drug, going on and on about him saying your name and how you like him and everything..." Her head snapped quite abruptly in his direction at his words. "Who is 'he' anyway? Do I know him?"

"No. No you don't." It was very obvious that she was lying, but he didn't peruse it any farther. Instead, she hopped onto the bed, pulled the blankets over her lower body and stared at him. "Now, let's make a deal. You never tell anyone about 'him' or my brief absence of mind and I won't file charges with the Ministry for sexual harassment."

She had absolutely no claim to sexual harassment, but he didn't care. He nodded half heartedly and rolled off the bed. His head hurt now and he was going to go run it under some cold water in the bathroom. Hermione let out a sigh, but he ignored her.

When he got to the bathroom, Draco let out a low grumble and stuck his lip out in a pout. There was a very large red mark blossoming where he had been stuck, and it seemed to be getting darker by the second. He would surely have a very odd bruise there in the morning. Even water wouldn't help at this point. He decided to put a cold, wet washcloth on it, just in case.

He leaned against the wall opposite the mirror, watching himself closely. His face was much tanner than it had ever been. It brought out tiny little freckles that he wished weren't there, and turned his hair almost purely white instead of a silky silver blond. He hated it.

Right then, the only thing he liked about his face was his eyes. They were still sharp and silver, almost like arrows. His mother had always told him how handsome his eyes were. They were just like hers. Veela eyes.

"Granger, do you happen to have any Burhinldia's Bruise-Be-Gone Cream?" He stuck his head out the door and scowled as she started laughing. It probably did look odd to see the great Draco Malfoy with a washcloth held on his forehead, but that was no reason for her to laugh. Stupid Mudblood. "I suppose not. You wouldn't have the smarts to think to bring something like that."

"Oh, stop whining. It's in the basket under the sink." The corners of her mouth twitched as he turned around and went back into the bathroom.

Once he found the small, green tube of cream, he applied some of it to his face in circular motions. It was sore and it hurt when he touched it. Screwing the cap back on, he set it on the counter and strode back into the bedroom.

"Now that I am back on my way to being my perfect, godly self, I would like to talk to you."

Hermione rolled her eyes and propped herself up with a pillow. "Malfoy, your ego's showing." He ignored her, and sat down in a wicker chair by the window, which looked down upon one of the canals. Draco frowned. The water looked very dirty.

"I am here in Venice because I have decided to disown my father, join the good guys and have sex with every sixth year Gryffindor." He smiled smugly, visibly preening.

"Really?" she asked sarcastically, not even bothering to look up at him.

"Shut up, Granger. Of course I'm lying. Who would ever want to have sex with you lot? Filthy bunch of..." he paused as Hermione gave him an odd glance. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Pansy Parkinson is better, I'm sure," Hermione announced disdainfully.

"I have never," he said solemnly, placing his hand over his heart, "touched that girl. Nor do I ever plan to." Hermione sniffed and Draco was reminded very much of his mother when she was angry with him. Pansy came from a well-known Pureblood family, and his mother said she would do well as his wife. Ha.

"All right Malfoy, I really don't need to know about the mating habits of a Slytherin. All I want to know is why you're here, in Venice, in my hotel room talking to me when I'm half naked."

He looked at the water below, his head full of thoughts why he was here. It had just come to him while he was in Egypt that he should go to her. Never a reason why... "I was bored."

"Bored? You decided to come and pester me because you were bored?" She didn't sound happy.

"Hey, I'm not the one throwing shoes! You're making my life a complexion crisis! My perfect face is scared forever!"

She didn't reply, only picked up the shoe that was still lying on the bed and threw it to the floor in front of him. There was no emotion on her face, no sign as to what was going through her mind right then. "Malfoy, answer me this. Would you, as a Slytherin, ever have sex with a Gryffindor?"

Draco laughed. It was such an odd question, but surprisingly funny. Granger could be, it seemed, without meaning to. "Well, any Gryffindor but you. Potter does look pretty good in Quidditch robes, you know..."

A knock at the door was all that saved him from another outburst from her. Hermione only scowled at him, gave him a very unladylike gesture with her middle finger and yelled for the person to come in.

Pansy didn't look very happy to see Draco there.

***

If there was one thing that Hermione liked more than hearing Draco get yelled at, it was Draco getting yelled at by Pansy Parkinson in an ugly green dress that made her look like an unripe tomato. It just brought a smile to her face to hear the phrases 'Ungrateful twit' and 'Horrible boyfriend' being shouted at Malfoy. She didn't even think that Pansy had noticed Hermione was there yet.

"I trusted you! I told you that it was fine for you to leave me for the summer as long as you wrote every day, but no! Not one letter! And here you are, not where you said you would be!" Pansy began to cry, soft whimpers at first, but quickly turning into full-fledged howls.

"As much as I love any conversation that makes Malfoy look bad, I would love to know why you are here, Pansy" Hermione smiled as Pansy spun her head to stare at her. She had stopped crying and it took her a few minutes to get her mile-a-minute mouth to work again.

"And her! Why is she here with you? You would rather be with Bucky Beaver than with me?" Pansy looked like she was going to burst into tears again, but Hermione couldn't help but add more fuel to the fire.

"Look at me, I don't have pants on!"

Draco had looked incredibly pale from the moment Pansy had walked in and now looked ready to faint. "I... I... she showed up here. I was here first."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, this room is registered under her name! I can't believe that you would do this to me!" Pansy shrieked as Hermione snickered. His middle name was Lucius?

"Listen to me Pansy, I didn't mean to hurt you. I really didn't." Draco was looking out the window as if he wanted to jump. It would hurt to splatter against the pavement bellow, but perhaps it would be better than what Pansy would do to him. "Don't tell my mother."

"All right, enough. Pansy, sit over there. Draco, stop whimpering and put some more cream on your face. I want a straight answer from both of you. Why are you bothering me?" Hermione, being the Gryffindor, and therefore the leader that she was, took charge of the situation. Pansy was so shocked that she sat where she was told. Draco didn't move, even to improve his complexion. "Explain."

"I owled the hotel where Narcissa said that Draco would be staying, but they said he checked out yesterday and had said something about Venice. And it wasn't very hard to find you. Not many stark blond, enchantingly handsome pale people our age come by Venice. I was pointed here, and the desk clerk told me you were up here after I gave him enough money."

Hermione shook her head. She would have to have a talk with Victor. He was taking way too many bribes for information about her.

"All right. You're sticking with the stalker girlfriend excuse. Draco, your turn." Both girls turned to face him.

"Granger, I already told you. I was-"

"Yes, bored. I know. I want to know why else."

Draco sniffed irritably and played with his hands for a minute. "Because.... Because I missed you, all right? Pansy, stay back."

Hermione was too shocked to yell at Pansy to stop pummeling Draco with her purse. He missed me? Draco Malfoy, the definition of a Slytherin twit, missed me? Virgin Mary, I need to take a walk. Or at least a very strong drink.

And with that she walked over to her trunk, pulled on a pair of jeans and went out the door, leaving the two of them to fight. Well, Pansy to fight and Draco try as hard as he could to defend himself. Harry and Ron would have loved to be here.

***

"Narcissa, don't worry. I'm sure that Draco is sitting up in his room right now, wishing we were home."

As Lucius pushed the door to the Malfoy Manor open, he couldn't help but smile. This was home. So much better than the hot, dry sun of the Bahamas. Narcissa, on the other hand, had liked it and was now beautifully tan, not to mention angry.

"Draco would not just leave Egypt without telling us. I'm sure he was abducted in some evil plot. They want our fortune, Lucius!"

"If it's money they want, they can keep the boy." He wasn't exactly sure who 'they' were, but he went along with her anyway. It was best to agree. But the look on her face made him stop and smile weakly. "I was only joking, dear. Of course I want the boy. He's my heir, after all."

A house elf, Lucius thought her name was Lory, came trotting up to him, wringing her hands together.

"Mister Malfoy sir, I is trying to stop him from coming in sir, I really is, but he just went to the Drawing Room. I is sorry, sir." She was on the ground, polishing his shoes with her anguished tears. Eww. Having a houself cry was one of the worst sights in the world. And he had a headache and just wanted this day to end.

"Go iron your fingers." She stood there, nodding her head wildly. "Go!"

Lory squeaked and ran off, tripping over the hem of her potato sack as she rounded the corner. Lucius smiled grimly. A visitor just barging in and heading straight to the Drawing Room? Probably that damned Arthur Weasley...

As he walked down the hall, all of the family portraits smiled down at him in what could only be described as the 'patented Malfoy smirk'. Generation after generation of Malfoy had used it and they were all quite proud of it. Especially Redrick Malfoy the Fifth, who had won a contest with it. Granted all of the judges had been bribed and the other competitors had all been goats, but it didn't matter.

When he rounded the corner and stepped into the Drawing Room, he couldn't help but smile.

"Hello, Severus."

***