Hermione
Harry and Ginny had just been wed and Ron and I had just split. At the reception and celebratory feast afterwards, my spirits were down. Ron and his mistress-turned-girlfriend had been invited. A last minute plus one was the pretext under which she was invited. Although Ginny had tried, I didn't let her apologize. It was her big day. I couldn't spoil that with my own twisted emotions.
I stood to the side, swaying to the music that began to play as Harry danced with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny danced with her father. I still held my muggle champagne glass from the evening's toasts. It was less for celebration and more for drowning my sorrows in alcohol, but the other guests didn't have to know that.
The dance ended on a beautiful chord and the crowd applauded. I tapped two fingers to my wrist since I had no where to set my nearly empty glass. The music started again, this time at a faster, more upbeat tempo. Dancing music. Ron took to the floor with his busty whore. I felt fresh tears sting at the corners of my eyes. I took the rest of my champagne in a single gulp, setting the empty glass on a floating tray aggressively.
I turned to leave, but was stopped when I ran into a suit decorated with a black bow tie. "Pardon me," I mumbled.
"Hermione?" the suit's hand grabbed my upper arm. I looked up to find the face of Draco Malfoy gazing down at me.
"Oh. Malfoy. Hello." Despite our differences, I really didn't mind Mr. Malfoy all that much anymore. Sure, he had been an arse in school, but after we had both graduated, he invited me to tea to explain. I'd accepted the apology, then left without another word. At the time I had been in a committed relationship. At least, it was committed on my side. I hadn't thought to reschedule another meeting or even acknowledge his charming manner until now.
Malfoy chuckled. "Bit gruff, eh? Sorry about running into you, I was just coming over to say hello."
I gave a quick and emotionless smile before stepping around him. "It's fine, I was just leaving."
He turned to walk after me. "Why?"
"No reason. Just tired, bored, upset, betrayed, and every other even remotely negative adjective one would find in a copy Merriam- Webster Dictionary!"
"A what?"
"Oh, never mind!" I marched towards the door and grabbed the handle, ready to yank the door open. A cold hand that encircled my other wrist stopped me.
"I'm sorry if I upset you, Granger." I turned to find Malfoy's face sympathetic. It was an expression I had yet to see on his features. "Is it Weasley's plus one?" I took a deep breath, then nodded, releasing the door handle. "Would you like to talk about it?"
I thought for a moment before looking over at Ron, who was currently spinning his date. "Yes," I said finally. "I would, actually."
Malfoy seemed taken aback. He took a moment before he nodded. "Oh... o-okay. Would you like a drink first?"
I took a deep breath and rounded my shoulders. "Yes, I believe I would like that too."
"Yeah, sure." Still dumbfounded, Draco lead me to the bar and bought me a large glass of red wine. I glanced up at him after my first sip. "You'll want to sit down for this." He chuckled before following me to an empty table.
By the end of the two hour talk, I was wasted on emotion, my pain the only thing keeping me from becoming slobbering drunk. Tears spilled from my eyes, and yet I kept my back straight. Ron would never be given the privilege to see what he had done to me. Draco was grasping my hand, nodding empathetically at every word that I managed to mutter between exasperated breaths that were left over from contained sobs. I glanced over at my glass- I had yet to touch it since I set it down.
