Hermione laughed with her colleagues as a drunk Lavender Brown downed another shot. Those around the table cheered as Lavender cringed at the taste of the Tequila.

"Hermione!" Lavender cried, smacking her lightly as Hermione giggled.

"You wanted to come to a Muggle bar and have Muggle drinks! You specifically asked for a selection of the strongest drinks available, and so I give you tequila!" Hermione replied gleefully, passing Harry his own shot glass.

"Your turn, birthday boy! Twenty one at last! You've finally joined the rest of us!" Hermione smirked, winking at Harry as he gulped down the shot. Ginny laughed and thumped Harry on the back as he coughed.

"There, there Harry," she soothed, smiling at him as he kissed her forehead.

Hermione had been working at the Ministry for just over three years now in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and was well on her way to reforming the dusty traditions of the Wizarding World. Whilst her career required her to be extremely serious and professional, she was young and had no commitments, and she enjoyed life.

Harry and Ginny sat together, as did Ron and Lavender and Neville and Luna. George and Hannah also seemed to have ended up together, and Hermione appeared to be the only one who had noticed. One by one, the table began to empty, with one couple and then another making their excuses and retiring to their homes. Hermione smiled at her friends as they left, giving Ron a wistful look that lasted a little too long. Lavender was too drunk to notice and Ron was too busy trying to keep Lavender vertical, so only Ginny saw how Hermione seemed to shrink inside herself, just for a moment.

On the outside, she was a powerful, formidable businesswoman. Taking no prisoners and always getting what she wanted. But when it came to her stupid, good for nothing brother, she was incredibly dim-witted. Ginny had often contemplated what could possibly have attracted the beautiful Hermione to her plain, red-haired brother. Ginny squeezed Hermione's hand under the table as Ron and Lavender left, and Harry looked at her sympathetically.

Harry and Ginny were the last of the group to go, giving Hermione a grateful hug and wishing her a good night's sleep. Hermione nodded at them with a smile and a faux yawn.

As it was, she wasn't tired. She was bored. She wanted excitement and danger. She craved it. It was a bizarre form of lust. Hermione longed to feel the thrill of adrenalin thrumming through her veins. The war had been terrible, but Hermione missed the buzz of anticipating something. Anything.

She stood herself and took a seat at the bar, ordering herself a gin martini. She sighed and drummed her fingers on the bar top, gazing around to examine her surroundings. There was nobody of interest. Hermione sipped from her glass, and a drunken grunt from the corner of the bar caught her attention.

"Granger," the man hiccupped, smiling widely as he swayed on his stool. "It's Hermioninnnnny Granger," he slurred again, and Hermione stared warily back at him.

"Hello, Malfoy," Hermione replied, her brown eyes appraising the blonde haired drunken man who was grinning at her warmly.

Draco attempted to stand, but swayed dangerously again and Hermione leapt forward to steady him.

"Ugh, Malfoy! You smell foul! Have you taken a bath in whiskey recently?" she coughed, directing her head and nose away from him. He was now leaning heavily on her, smirking stupidly as he patted her head lovingly.

"Bloody hell Granger, you are gorgeous," he exclaimed suddenly, accidentally stepping on one of Hermione's toes.

"Malfoy, these are £400 shoes. Keep still!" Hermione replied, glaring at him for a second whilst she indicated for the bartender to pass her her bag. "Where are you staying tonight?"

Malfoy shrugged in a childlike way and grinned again, poking Hermione on her nose. "Don't know," he replied happily, in such a carefree way that Hermione had to smile.

She sighed and grasped his waist tightly, guiding him out of the bar and to a dark alley way around the corner. "Alright, hold on to me."

...

Hermione apparated back to her flat and sat Malfoy on the couch. "Stay here," she warned, "I'm going to bring you a drink."

Draco yawned in reply, smiling as he fell back against the soft leather. He looked around, nodding approvingly at the large television and the bookcase that covered an entire wall of the room. "Nice digs, Granger," he murmured, drunkenly awed at Hermione's beautiful taste. Hermione returned with a blanket and two pillows, which she put on the coffee table.

"For you," she indicated, "You can sleep on the couch."

"What if I need to throw up?" Malfoy asked, having the decency in his inebriated state to look sheepish.

Hermione produced a purple bucket in response that had a bit of water in the bottom of it. "If you vomit on my new carpet, I'll make you clean it up without using your wand," the brunette muttered flatly, and Malfoy shrank back against the couch. "I'll be right back. The bathroom is over there." She indicated towards a door.

Malfoy stood and followed her into her pristine kitchen. She had scraped her hair into a messy bun, showing off the sun kissed skin of the top of her back. "Granger," he started. "Granger, why are you doing this?"

Hermione sighed. "Honestly? I don't know. Because I used to know you. Because I'd like to believe that you'd do the same for me," Draco scoffed at this point and she ignored him, "And because I know it's been a hard week for you."

Malfoy looked uncomfortable. "Yes. Well." He frowned. "Never had you down for a good Samaritan, Granger."

Hermione smiled at him genuinely. "I'm just being human, Malfoy."

Draco stood silently for a moment, admiring the beauty that he had suddenly recognized. "You're beautiful, you know."

The brunette laughed and flushed a little. "As much as I appreciate that, you're drunk Malfoy. You should go to bed."

"Yes, I'm drunk and you're beautiful." Malfoy considered this. "Tomorrow morning, I'll be sober but you'll still be beautiful. Beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside."

Hermione patted him on the shoulder and handed him a cup filled with a brown liquid. "Drink this. It should sober you up a little." She handed him a big bottle of water and some painkillers. "Take two of those every four hours. If you take any more, you'll die, so don't. I don't want a dead Malfoy on my couch thank you very much. Your family hates me enough as it is."

Malfoy smirked, the coffee making him a little more sober. He tucked a stray hair behind Hermione's ear. "Can I kiss you, Granger?"

"No. Goodnight."