Venice

Disclaimer: Except for OCs, the characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling.

Just thinking about it in the elevator of the hotel made her mad again. Katherine's handbag flew across their guest room as soon as the door was opened. It was followed by a verbal expression Severus wasn't sure he wanted to know in English.

"Do you need a moment?"

She pulled out her wand and reassembled her bag while tilting her head back and forth. Her husband could hear her whispering under her breath. "So happy to have run into you on the train, she says... I really hope we see you around Venice, she says..." She whipped around and fixed him with a sea-green stare. "Why does she annoy me so much?"

A lifetime of practicing Occlumency was called to the fore now. "I couldn't say."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Couldn't?" She looked him up and down as though he was a reluctant witness. "Won't, I think."

He allowed his smirk to show. "Are you going to break me down now, to get the answers you're looking for?"

That brought a smile to her lips and her posture relaxed. She tilted her head to the side and looked at him again, tapping her wand on her hip as though pondering options for a difficult round of questioning. "Oh, no, Mr. Snape. You are going to give me everything... but I expect it will take some time. I have other matters to attend for now."

"Are we going to the Healer this afternoon or the Ministry office?"

"Ministry, definitely. I want to take care of Lucius's case and then get out of this stupid town as soon as possible. I want as much distance between myself and that...that person as I can get."

"And then you plan to... question me?"

She stepped close and traced the mid-line of his robes with her fingernail. "Oh, Professor, there are things I plan to get from you, and you won't be holding anything back."

He swallowed hard. "Do you always get this way when someone makes you mad?"

"Every time some bitch tries to steal my husband."

"Every time?"

"Choose your future conquests carefully."

"You've been my only conquest for a very long while, and there won't be any in the future." He pulled her close and kissed her in a way that reminded her he was a man and she was very glad to be a woman.

They spent over an hour in the Magical Bureau archive, looking through records for Barry Prince. After a while they discovered the entry indicating that he had moved to Venice and his address. They continued looking until they found another, more recent entry.

"It says he died in a dragon-pox epidemic six years ago," said Katherine. She was reading through a ledger of tax records.

"Do you have the month?" asked Severus.

Katherine looked again. "June."

He was standing in front of a shelf of coroner's reports. He slid out the volume indicated by the date she gave him and paged through it. "Yes, it's here. A nephew, Omar Malfoy of Monte Carlo, claimed his body. It says he's buried on San Michelle..."

"There's a graveyard there." Katherine looked at her watch. "It would be better to wait until the crowds thinned before we went, though."

They left the Ministry Bureau with thanks to the attendants and walked out of the alley that contained it. Severus thought two of the wizards they passed looked familiar. Katherine started to speak and then was quiet. She started again. "That Healer I know is just around the corner."

"You are anxious to have it confirmed? You wouldn't rather take a leisurely stroll around the city?"

Her uncertain look was quickly replaced by a confident one. "I'm merely making the best use of our time. As I said, I want to get this all taken care of so that we can get..."

He nodded his head. "Yes, yes, so we can get out of this town and put some distance between yourself and that woman. Let's move along, then."

The Healer thought the pair was incredibly romantic and sweet. The signora was so elegant, so professional, but she was so eager to learn about her bambino. The signore was as sophisticated as she was, but so full of concern for her. It was a pleasure to examine her and reassure them about all of their worries. He sent them on their way with a light heart. Over his dinner that evening, he looked at his own bella donna and smiled as he described them.

Severus and Katherine walked slowly from the Healer's office to a place where they could catch a launch to the island of San Michelle.

"It's real," she said. "I'm really pregnant and I'm really going to have a baby." Her hand that wasn't within Severus's kept coming back to pat her tummy.

"Our baby," he responded.

"It's not too soon, is it? You didn't get much chance to say whether or not you really wanted this."

He stopped her to face him. "I'd never thought of children except as a nuisance until those days you first came to my island. Since then I've become rather fond of the idea of a gangly-legged, sandy-haired girl running around our beach."

"It's a daughter then?"

"There's no other possibility."

She looked at him, teasingly. "You do know that there is another possibility."

"Not for us."

Something caught her eye, and she pulled him into a doorway and kissed him hard. "Why don't we have something to eat?"

While they were eating, she signaled the waiter. He went away and a few minutes later brought plates to two men sitting on the patio. The waiter pointed to Katherine, and she waved to the men.

"Did you just buy them dinner?" asked Severus.

"They were standing outside the Ministry office when we came out, and I've seen them several times since we went to the Healer. Surely you noticed?"

"I had, but did you want them to know we saw them?"

"I think it's better if whoever it is knows we're aware of them."

"If you say so." He concentrated on her plate, which he reflected would be a new habit from now on. Several items needed to be removed from it.

"Why do you insist on vanishing my food?" she asked. "I wanted to eat that."

"You know there are some things you just shouldn't eat, now."

"But I wanted that."

"Katherine, how would you feel if that cheese or seafood made you sick and hurt the baby?"

She looked at him, opening and closing her mouth. Her lips got thinner and thinner as she tried to find a reason for him to give the food back. She couldn't think of one, which was worse. It meant admitting he was a better parent than she was just then.

She sat back in her chair as she slurped her pasta in defiance. "All right, you win. I won't risk poisoning our child."

"Daughter."

"Fine. I won't poison our daughter."

"Very good." He sounded exactly like a teacher congratulating a slow student who had finally figured out an important point.

"Watch it." She looked at him from far under her eyebrows. "You'll get yours, Professor."

"That's what I expect." This was said caressingly. "I believe it's time for us to move on, if you wish to go to the graveyard tonight."

She sulked a bit as they made their way to the launches, but found that she needed to hold on to his arm as they traveled by water to the island. For some reason, the movement through the water made her slightly dizzy. She went back through her mind to see if she should be worried about the meal she had just eaten and was able recall that her husband had eliminated all suspect items from her plate.

She was grateful to reach land again, and they started looking slowly and methodically through the rows of graves. They worked their way through many of the city's well known residents and finally reached the portion containing magical folk. There were a surprising number of names that were familiar. Based on the information at hand, it appeared that Venice was a spot frequently chosen to retire. Katherine drew up in surprise at one gravestone marked Andolini.

"I wonder if these people are related to Uncle Sonny."

"I'm sure you'll get a chance to ask him," said her husband.

"Ugh, don't remind me."

They continued on and found a Malfoy-Prince headstone. Looking carefully, they saw it was Lucius's kinsman, giving the same dates of birth and death Katherine had found in the Ministry in London and here in Venice.

"I guess that's that, then," she mused. "I suppose we could go to Monte Carlo just to confirm with the Malfoy cousin."

"Hotel de Paris?"

"Never!" She shuddered. "We'll stay at the Ambassador. They called me a horrible thing at the Paris last time I was there."

"Let's go and correct their error, then."

She looked at him and opened her mouth to reply, but saw something move across the way and tackled her husband, knocking him to the ground. He saw the streak of blue light pass over them and rolled so that she was underneath him. A nearby monument cracked and burst into flame. Some sort of argument broke out at the spot from which the spell came, but they were unable to hear what was said.

"I'm trained as an Auror, you know," she said, "and I'm getting a little annoyed by your over-protectiveness."

He didn't move. She became angry. "Severus... get... off." She pushed hard and won her freedom, but he moved his wand, and she was rendered motionless.

"Listen well, my dear," he hissed into her ear. He ignored her glaring eyes. "After this baby is born, you may again live as recklessly as you please. Go ahead and do things that will kill you if you must. I don't know what it will do to me, but I will recover. However, while she is inside you, you will protect our daughter, even if that means protecting yourself. I can't stand the thought of you losing another child. Can you?"

He looked into her eyes then and saw that his point had been made. More noises came from the other section of the cemetery. He looked around the stone they had hidden behind and saw that whoever had cast a spell in their direction was involved in an altercation with someone else.

"Finite Incantatem."

"I didn't think..." A single tear ran down her face. "Of course...you're right. I'm just so used to going it alone... doing everything for myself... by myself..."

"There's no harm done right now," he said. He held her close again but gently now. "What was that spell?"

"Honestly? I could have sworn I heard an Itching Jinx."

"That monument did more than break out in hives. It must be that wand, again."

"I think so... at least, I hope there's only the one."

"Why would Ollivander ever make a core out of that material?"

She shook her head, "He said something about testing his art at its limits. I have to say that I think he's a little mad."

There was a sound of triumph and a cracking noise. Severus looked around the headstone in time to see the second figure Disapparate. "I think we're safe now, but I think we need to leave Venice immediately. Do you mind?"

She smiled brightly. "I believe I would be delighted to leave this town. Have you arranged accommodations on another train?"

Severus smiled. "It was going to be a surprise."

"I can be just as surprised now as whenever you were going to spring it on me."

"Just a moment, then." He held his wand protectively as he raised to a crouching position and then stood. His eyes never stopped watching the mists as he leaned his body down and helped her up. Once she was standing, he pulled her close and Disapparated.

They arrived at a quay. Severus shouted, "Ahoy the ship!"

Katherine turned and gaped. "Is that what I think it is?"

"What do you think it is?"

The name on the prow gave no question. "It's the Star Flower."

"You know it, then?"

She gasped. "Only as much as any Magical person knows this very famous yacht."

"You're about to know it a little better."

Lucius's head became visible. "Ah, Severus! We weren't expecting you until tomorrow."

"Bit of trouble on San Michelle."

"So you don't have your luggage? Shall I send a house-elf for it?"

"Better not. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible."

"They can take care of it while I speak with the captain and the Harbor Master."

Severus handed over their room key. "There are only two bags."

"Narcissa had them prepare your usual stateroom."

"Then that's where we'll be."

"Very good. Oh, where are we headed?"

"Monte Carlo. I'll explain later."

"I hope it's for business. Monte Carlo is always a very expensive place for me to take Narcissa."

Katherine found herself steered onto the boat and into a passageway as the two wizards talked with no chance for her to comment. Severus stopped in front of a door, said a password, and opened it.

She coughed and gasped. "Why did we take the train when this was an option?"

"It wasn't. Lucius had other business to attend. He arranged to meet us here and take us wherever we wanted to go after you found the answer to his question."

"We're no closer to solving the riddle, but we know it's not here, at least."

Severus guided her into the shower. "I'll chat with our host and come back. I keep a few things here. You should be able to find a dressing gown in the wardrobe."

"You have your own room and keep 'a few things' here?"

"I'm a close friend of the family, my love." He kissed her and went back to the door. "I'll be right back."

Lucius was discussing their departure with the Harbor Master. Severus decided to slip into the galley and request a late meal for his room. The house-elves smiled and nodded. When he arrived back on deck, the Harbor Master was walking back down the dock and Lucius was rolling a sheaf of papers.

"Any problem?" asked Severus.

"None, certainly nothing like you must have experienced. Is it my imagination, or was your wife's back covered with dirt and grass as though she had taken up rolling around on the ground?"

"If you ask her, do so with a wand in your hand. She's pretty upset."

"What happened?"

"We were conducting the research you requested in the cemetery when someone cast a deadly spell at us."

"I didn't think my case would be so dangerous."

"I believe it's something else. By my count, this is the fourth time someone has tried to kill her since our marriage. When combined with the adjustments to her lifestyle, she's feeling a bit irritable."

"Lifestyle changes?" Lucius quirked an eyebrow. "What have you done to the witch?"

Severus accepted a shallow firewhisky from an elf. "Nothing you haven't done with yours."

"Marriage to you is so much of a lifestyle change?"

Severus shook his head. "It will come to you." He swallowed the rest of his drink and set the glass on a tray. "I need to get back down to Katherine. It's been a long day."

He found her in the bed, wrapped in the sheets. "I hope you don't mind. The house-elves took my clothes to clean them, and although our baggage is here, I thought I would just skip that step."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. "They will be bringing you a tray in a few minutes. I'll slip into the shower in the meantime."

Katherine watched him and then felt the boat start moving. She sighed with relief. For the first time in a while, she felt safe. What Severus had said about the baby resonated with her. She would do what had to be done and then move to the island and wrap up in soft blankets if that's what it took to have a healthy baby. She refused to lose another one.

"Mistress is hungry?" A house-elf had popped into the cabin and set a tray on the table nearest the bed.

"Starving, thank you," she responded. She looked at the tray, suddenly uncertain in the face of her new resolution. "Are these foods all right if... I mean, is anything here a danger for..." She wasn't sure what words would be best to explain to the elf and didn't know why the elf would know the answer.

"Mistress is asking about the tiny master or mistress inside her?"

"Yes," said Katherine a little shyly.

"House-elves know Mistress is breeding. We make only foods good for tiny witches and wizards on tray."

"Thank you," said Katherine, who wasted no time filling a plate. "This is just what I wanted."

Severus came out of the shower, then, wearing the dressing gown and looking cleaner. "What are you eating?"

"They told me everything was all right for the baby," said Katherine defensively.

"I trust them and you."

"There's an omelet here, and tea. Hurry if you want any."

"I'm sure they'll bring more."

"Not if we're otherwise occupied." Her eyes twinkled up at him. "I still intend to collect everything you have to offer."

A/N: I realize it's been a while since I updated. Real life and rabid plot bunnies for other projects got in my way. Hopefully the next few chapters will be more regular.

Thanks as always to Trickie Woo for beta reading!