Sober

Drunken Stupor Trilogy Part III

Sequel to Drunken Stupor and Half Drunk Stupor

2904 words

Rating: M

Hello! I'm sure many of you remember the author's note I posted in August sometime regarding Fandom for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If not, read below for a short summary of what the event is and how fanfiction authors contributed. Thank you to everyone who donated to the cause and I hope you enjoyed reading the below oneshot. Now that the exclusivity period is over, I can share Sober (Drunken Stupor Trilogy Part III) which everyone else.

Fandom for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is an event which has raised over $7000 in the last two years for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer.

The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

Fandom for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has a very simple premise. Over the last two years, authors in the Twilight and Hunger Games fandoms have donated a compilation of one shots, outtakes and new writing pieces which are offered to those who donate a minimum of $10 to the worthy cause. This year the Harry Potter fandom was welcomed into the fold.

Congratulations to everyone who donated and contributed. We helped raise over $7700!

I hope those of you who have requested a conclusion to the Drunken Stupor Trilogy over the years enjoyed/enjoy reading the piece. Merry Christmas!

Curiositykils.

Day 1- Hermione

Hermione watched stoically as Blaise Zabini apparated out of her home with an angry pop. The tears she'd been holding in her throat until her glands pained with effort finally slipped free as she slumped in her seat.

She had to be strong, she told herself. She couldn't go back.

The mantra repeated over and over again in her head.

Be Strong. This was for Draco's own good. He needed to get better. And it was perfectly clear that there was nothing she could do to help him.

And yet she still couldn't believe what Blaise had told her. She had foolishly, no… naively hoped that Draco seeing her leave him because of his drinking would push him into getting the help he needed.

Blaise's recent visit had dashed any hopes she'd had of that occurring.

The former Slytherin has berated her for leaving Draco when he apparently needed her so much. Hermione had tried to tell the wizard that there was nothing she could do to help Draco anymore.

The words spoken by the blond yesterday still echoed in her ears.

"If you want to leave then leave. I don't give a Hippogriff shit."

Hermione hadn't been able to explain to Blaise just how little she meant to his friend anymore.

Draco didn't care about her anymore.

All he was concerned about was his precious alcohol, she thought bitterly.

"Why should I care?"

The words drifted into Hermione's head once more and she wiped away her tears angrily.

…But still, despite everything, she continued to war with herself internally. Blaise's words on Draco's condition burned inside her head and the love she had for the wizard desperately made her want to apparate over to Malfoy Manor and make sure he was okay.

Of course he wasn't. Blaise had seen fit to tell her that. Along with the fact that it was partly her fault for leaving him.

Hermione couldn't help the anger she felt rising inside of her.

How dare he? How dare Draco make it clear that she meant nothing to him and then the next day use her leaving him as an excuse for falling into yet another drunken stupor?

Enough. It was all enough. Hermione had made her decision yesterday- apparently the right one- and she needed to stick to it.

She couldn't watch Draco kill himself slowly. She wouldn't. She'd done it for the last five months and it hurt too much.

She refused to do it anymore.

But even as she made the firm decision, she couldn't help but make a wish…

Please Draco, get better soon…

ooo

Day 9- Draco

His eyes burned with gritty tiredness…and yet despite this- despite the fogginess obscuring his mind- there was still one memory that refused to let him drift off to sleep.

…The staggering hurt in her beautiful brown eyes as he'd destroyed whatever love she'd had for him.

He couldn't believe it. Still couldn't believe she'd actually gone and left him. Draco knew she'd threatened him with it but he never actually thought she'd follow through with it.

How could she? Didn't she see how much he needed her? What was he supposed to do now? Alone- without her?

His lips sneered in disgust. So much for her so called love for him. He was nothing to her, not if she could leave him so easily.

Well fuck her then.

Draco lifted his heavy arm until the neck of the bottle he was barely holding upright met with his lips; his teeth inadvertently banging into the glass and tingling at the force of the impact.

He washed away the burn and it was replaced with a new one that settled deep in his stomach.

The fire from the hearth danced in front of his eyes, causing them to burn once more.

Fuck, he couldn't even sleep because of her.

He tried once again to close his eyes but the usual image drifted back through his mind and the anger he felt towards her fell away.

Her beautiful hurt eyes seared his heart.

Draco quickly re-opened his eyes and purposely stared into the fire until his retina's scorched with pain.

Unconscious tears sprang from his eyes in a bid to protect themselves from the light. They leaked down the side of his face until they were soaked up by his hair and then the pillowcase.

And then a few moments later, they were joined by new tears…ones of heartache and pain.

ooo

Day 22- Draco

"Get the fuck out Zabini." Draco snarled as he turned his back on his friend and business partner.

His hands shook involuntary and Draco fisted his palms in an effort to control the tremors.

Fuck he needed a drink.

Where the bloody hell had the house elves put the rest of the whiskey?

"Draco, you need to sort yourself out. I mean for Merlin's sake it's been over three weeks since Hermione left you. You need to dry yourself out and get back to work!"

Draco scoffed. He didn't need to do anything other than figure out where the bloody hell his elves were hiding his alcohol.

"Draco!"

"What?!" Draco snarled out as he turned around in a jagged whirl.

He watched in silence as Blaise looked him over once, evidently not thinking much of what he saw since he proceeded to shake his head in what Draco presumed was disgust.

Fuck him.

Draco turned away from his friend's judgement and resumed his previous searching.

His whole body nearly swam with relief when he finally caught sight of the bottle and he was forced to clench onto the wooden shelves in front of him in a bid to remain upright.

Once he was sure he wasn't about to fall on his arse, his arm reached out and settled firmly around the bottle.

"Fucking hell, Draco. Look at you! When was the last time you went outside for some fresh air? When was the last time you slept- fuck- took a shower?"

"Fuck you Zabini!" Draco gritted out.

He heard Blaise scoff in disgust, "Merlin, no wonder Hermione left you. You're acting pathetic."

The words rang out in the still kitchen and there was silence for two short seconds before Draco spun around, pulled his arm back and hurled the bottle of whiskey at Zabini's head.

The wizard ducked it easily and Draco watched it sail over the man's body before it hit the stone wall behind him and splinter into a thousand pieces.

The precious liquid trailed down the wall and landed in an ever growing puddle on the floor.

There was a shocked silence. And then…

"Fucking sort yourself out, Malfoy. I'm done covering for you at work." Blaise spat out before he apparated away.

Draco watched the empty space where his friend had been standing blankly and then his eyes turned to look at broken bottle on the floor.

Fuck.

He turned around and instantly began rummaging around the cabinet, growing more and more frustrated as he came up empty handed.

Gritting his teeth, he called out for his house-elf.

"Where's the whiskey?" he demanded.

The creature cowered in front of him, taking in the scene and the broken bottle with wide eyes.

"That was the last bottle, Master Malfoy."

Draco merely stared at the elf in silence…and then anger. "Get my money pouch," he barked out.

The elf popped away and once he was alone in the kitchen, Draco let go and fell to the floor. He dragged his fingers through his hair, scraping his nails over his scalp in a familiar motion.

The action didn't soothe him as it had done when Hermione had done it to him.

Hermione…

Three weeks and he fucking missed her.

The elf popped back into the room and Draco took the money bag from his out-stretched hands.

He needed to apparate to Diagon Alley.

ooo

Day 22- Hermione

Hermione sipped her wine and savoured the fruity taste as it danced over her tongue. It was the first time in a long time she'd dared to drink, having avoided anything alcoholic when she was with Draco in fear it would set him off, but it had been three weeks and she had something to celebrate.

The business dinner that was currently nearing its end had been extremely fortuitous and now that the investment had been secured, thanks to the man sitting opposite her, her dream of opening up another bookstore/café in Diagon Alley was that much closer.

Hermione couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips as she balanced her wine glass on the table once more.

Things were finally looking up.

"More wine?" Oliver asked from opposite her.

Hermione shook her head no and the Scottish wizard emptied the bottle into his own glass.

"Dinner was wonderful," he commented.

Hermione nodded her head in agreement, "It's a shame Katie missed it. You'll have to bring her here so she can try the food out for herself."

Oliver laughed, "Just as soon as she gets past her first trimester and stops throwing up day and night."

Hermione smiled as she glanced out of the window. She jolted in her seat, the smile sliding completely off her face as she met Draco's eyes.

He was standing on the pavement outside the restaurant, a brown papered bag in his left hand whilst his right was clenched into a tight fist.

He looked…awful.

Hermione ran her eyes from top to bottom, taking in his greasy, messy hair, his wrinkled clothes and his scuffed boots.

"Draco." She breathed out in a whisper.

Her silent murmur of his name seemed to snap him out of his daze and Hermione watched the pain slip from his face only to be replaced by anger.

She felt Oliver cover her hand with his and snapped her head back to face the wizard. He was looking at her worriedly, "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Hermione snatched her hand back, her head bobbing up and down in silence, "I'm sorry, I just see someone I know- if you'll just give me a minute-" she said quickly, her eyes glancing back out of the window.

She froze in a half standing position as she realised Draco was nowhere to be seen anymore. Realising just what she'd been about to do, Hermione immediately slumped back down into her seat but she couldn't stop her eyes from rapidly darting around the street outside to see if she could spot Draco's retreating figure anywhere.

It was useless.

He was gone.

In a bid to wet her suddenly dry mouth, Hermione gulped down another sip of wine before grimacing.

The fruity taste had disappeared leaving behind a strong bitter taste that she found difficult to swallow. But swallow she did as she gazed back out of the window.

Her mind spun as she contemplated the last few seconds.

Merlin…he looked awful.

ooo

Day 23- Draco

Draco opened his eyes and for the first time in what seemed like an age, his head wasn't dizzy and his eyes weren't blurry.

The only evidence of the drunken binge he'd gone on all last night was the furry coating on his tongue. He swallowed heavily as he turned his head to the side. The answer as to why he felt so much better than he had in a while was explained when he saw the time.

The watched showed it to be five in the evening. He'd slept for just over fifteen hours and he hadn't been plagued with images of her all night.

His chest twinged as his mind remembered what he'd seen last night.

She'd been on a date.

It was actually over...

Whilst he'd spent the last three or so weeks in a drunken coma, she'd spent it moving on from him.

And she'd looked so pretty.

Her hair had been different- maybe she'd got it cut?

Remembering what he'd looked like, Draco's face began burning in embarrassment.

Merlin- Blaise had been right.

He was pathetic.

What the fuck did he have to offer Hermione? Certainly a lot bloody less than the wizard who'd been sat opposite her last night.

And yet she'd chosen Draco. She'd seen something in him that had made her go out with him.

But he'd destroyed that…No- his fucking drinking had destroyed that.

What the hell had he been thinking? What in Merlin's name was wrong with him?

Is this what he wanted his life to be like? Waking up each morning, alone in a cold Manor with his hand still clenched around the neck of a bottle?

Said hand fisted at the same time as his teeth ground together. Shoving the covers off his enraged body, Draco got out of bed and stalked to the bathroom before he uncorked the bottle in his hand and tipped it over.

He watched in satisfaction as the liquid sunk down the plughole but the bottle was quickly emptied and before he lost his momentum, he hurried to do the same to the remaining two bottles he'd purchased last night.

When the deed was done, he looked at his bloodshot eyes in the mirror, critically studying his reflection.

Fucking hell, he needed a shower. But first there was something else he needed to do.

With panic already building up in his stomach, Draco moved out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. He pulled open the drawer to his desk and retrieved the small piece of card Hermione had given him weeks before.

Before he could change his mind, he penned a note to the psychologist and watched as the Owl disappeared into the sunset.

ooo

Day 202- Hermione

When Hermione awoke that morning, she never expected it to be the day that she bumped into Draco again.

Since the last time they'd seen each other from opposite ends of the window of Juniper restaurant, Hermione hadn't heard a peep on anything regarding Draco Malfoy.

But here he was. Stood right in front of her…and he looked well.

He looked as he had done before Lucius's death. His hair glossy and shiny, his skin still pale but no longer gaunt, his body lean but healthy.

She'd gasped when she'd bumped into him as she was coming out of the Leaky Cauldron. She'd managed to choke out a hushed whisper of his name when her mind had kicked back into gear and reminded her that she was staring at him silently…rudely.

At his name being spoken, Draco had snapped out of his own perusal of Hermione's body and he returned her greeting.

"H-How are you?" Hermione asked stiltedly.

She watched a wry smile twist Draco's lips as he realised just what she was asking. "I'm well…and you?"

Hermione nodded her head. "Good." She breathed out.

Silence descended between them, filled with awkward tension.

Despite her not wanting to leave, social pressure forced Hermione to do something other than continue to stand silently in the doorway of the Leaky Cauldron and so she cleared her throat. "…Well- it was…nice seeing you again."

Draco nodded and just as Hermione was about to leave, he spoke, "Thirty days!" he blurted out.

Hermione turned to face him with a frown. "I'm sorry?"

She watched in fascination as red colour washed over Draco's face before he ducked his head and sighed. "I got my thirty day certificate a few days ago."

Realisation dawned and Hermione spoke the first thing that came into her head without thinking, "Thirty days?"

As soon as she said the words she wanted to snatch them back but she couldn't do anything other than wince.

Before she could apologise, Draco replied, "There were a few lapses in the beginning." He admitted with an embarrassed tone.

Hermione rushed to reassure him. "No- I'm sorry that was rude of me. Thirty days is a great achievement Draco. You should be proud."

Draco nodded simply before silence descended between them once again.

Not knowing what to say or whether the conversation was over, Hermione turned to leave when Draco's palm brushed over her arm.

"There's a ceremony. It's stupid I know…but they said we could invite our family and since Lucius and my Mother are both…Maybe- Blaise is coming… but maybe you'd think about…"

Hermione bit her lip, deep down wanting to accept Draco's invitation but her head continued telling her it was a bad idea.

"I- I don't know Draco…" she whispered.

He shook his head. "Forget it. It's nothing anyway. I have to get going…I'm glad you're well Hermione." And then he turned to leave.

Hermione watched him walk away, guilt bubbling away in her stomach and it only churned the worse as he walked further away from her.

Her heart beat out over her head and she spoke before she could tell herself that this was a bad idea. "Draco!" she called out softly, waiting for him to turn around before she continued, "If you Owl me…I'll be there."

Draco looked as shocked as she felt before a tiny smile formed at his lips. He nodded his head once before turning around.

Hermione stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron and into the sunshine- her heart feeling a lot lighter than it had in a long time.

One thought ran through her head. That it may be more than a few months late but at least her wish of Draco getting better was finally coming true.

Thank Merlin.