Characters and the world of Harry Potter belong to J.. I own nothing but the plot, the bar, and Peggy.
It was the start of a new year. Draco Malfoy sat in his den with a glass of whiskey, bringing in the new year all alone. He looked at the contents of the glass, swirling it around, and drank it all. He looked at the clock on the wall as it stuck midnight. "Well, Happy New Year to me!" He then looked at the empty glass in his hand and then threw it against the wall.
In a flat in Downtown London a party raged on. Hermione Granger sat in a chair watching all of her friends dance around. Everyone was far from sober, including Hermione. She watched on as her once boyfriend danced with his new love. The couple looked as if no one else was in the room. Hermione thought back bitterly to when he looked at her like that. She got up from the chair and made her way to the bar. She grabbed the first bottle she could get her hands on and walked out the door. As she strode down the street, bitter memories came flooding back.
Hermione was at Hogwarts walking through the corridor. Her lover and herself were supposed to have met half a hour ago and he still hadn't shown up. As she was walking down the hallway she her muffled sounds coming from a near by corridor. As she got closer she heard a name that made her heart shatter. "Oh Seamus!" It was then that she ran down the corridor and out the front doors of the castle. She just kept running until anguish over came her and she collapsed on the ground.
She shook her head wanting the memories to disappear. She took a long drink from the bottle in her hand. Nothing like liquor to cure the broken hearted.
Draco Malfoy awoke the next day with no trace of a headache. When you drink enough all the time, it doesn't affect you anymore. He had just graduated Hogwarts about six months ago and still had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. His parents were dead, both killed in the final battle. He had changed his alliance at the last moment and fought on the side of good. He always knew that he didn't want to live a life like his parents had set out for him. He was determined to become his own person and prove it to wizarding world. He had enough money that he didn't have to work but he wanted some kind of purpose in his life. He got up, showered, and dressed in search of something, anything, to take his mind off of how little meaning his life had now.
Hermione Granger rolled out of bed and looked at the clock on the wall. "Shit! I'm going to be late for work!" She worked at a local pub until she could get into the healer program. She missed the application process because of the depression she slipped into after discovering Seamus' little affair. She hurridly got up, bathed, and dressed. She applied her makeup, adding a little drama to her eyes. Her hair was curled and fell in waves around her shoulders. She grabbed her keys and was out the door.
The pub she worked at was just down the street from her flat. It wasn't what you would call classy by no means. It was mostly filled with young people who were just looking to have a good time no matter how much alcohol it took to do so. She walked around behind the bar and got started on making drinks. People were shouting at her, requesting all different kinds of shots. She had a certain talent when it came to being a bartender and was the best one at the bar. "Hermione! You're late again! I told you to be on time or I was going to have to fire you!" The owner of the bar was now screaming at her. "Okay Peggy, it won't happen again." Satisfied with the answer, she left her alone to do her work.
Draco had walked for what seemed like hours trying to find a job. He was tired and just wanted a drink. He saw a bar and decided to check it out. He noticed there was also a help wanted sign on the door. He had never tended bar before but he thought he would give it a shot. When he walked through the doors, he could barely move due to all the bodies swaying in a drunken stupor. He finally made it to the bar. He walked up the bar and noticed the bartender's back was too him. "Excuse me, I notcied the sign out on the door that you guys might be hiring. I was wondering if I could speak with the owner or manager." Hermione knew the sound of that drawl. She turned around her suspicions were confirmed. "Well, look here. Draco Malfoy looking for a job among the normal folk. Never thought I'd see the day." "Granger, please don't give me grief. I know I was an asshole in school and I know that I will never make up for that but I'm just trying to get my life straight." Hermione knew that he had changed sides in the final battle and figured she could as least be civil. She was at work after all. "Well, the owner is right over there, the one with the dirty blonde hair and blue shirt. Her name is Peggy." Draco thanked Hermione and walked over to where Peggy was sitting.
"Excuse me, my name is Draco Malfoy and I was just inquiring about the sign you have posted outside looking for help." Peggy looked the young man up and down. He certain had the look to work her. The girls would eat him alive. She figured it wouldn't hurt to let him try it out for tonight. "Well Draco, why don't you go hop behind the bar with Hermione and see how you do. We will talk later."
Draco hadn't the first clue how to make anything past a rum and coke. People were calling names of drinks like 'Sex with an Alligator' and "Blow Job'. He was beginning to notice that most of the shots had something to do with sex. He laughed a little. Hermione saw him standing there, chuckling. "Hey Malfoy! What's so funny? Would youl ike to start to work or just stand there and look pretty?" This made him laugh even more. He walked ver to where Hermione was standing and asked if he could help. She rattled off a list of drinks and he set off to make them. He figured out the vodka and cranberry, whiskey and ginger ale, and Stoli on the rocks pretty easily. He then noticed a drink called 'Vampire Juice' on the list. He didn't have the first clue. "Granger, I need a little help down here. What in the hell is this drink?" "That drink is the signature drink of this bar created by yours truely. It's got equal parts of Malibu, Barcardi Limon, and blue curaco then topped with orange juice." Hermione was making the drink as she was telling him. "It should look like this when it's done." Hermione held a glass up that was swirls of blue and green.
After a few more hours the bar was closing. Hermione was exhausted having to pick up Malfoy's slack all night but he did pretty good having never done it before. Peggy walked up to Hermione and asked to talk to her. She wanted to know how Draco had done. "He did pretty good, just got to learn his drinks." Peggy smiled, "Well, he's got the job then."
Hermione walked back in the bar to see it spotless. Draco had cleaned the entire bar and restocked everything. "Thanks Malfoy. I could have done it. By the way, you got the job for now." Draco smiled and thanked her. Hermione realized that they should have a drink to wind down. She brought a bottle of Crown Royal and two shot glasses over to where he was sitting. She poured two shots and slid one over to Malfoy. They both picked up the glasses and clicnked them together stating "Cheers!" at the same time then slamming the shot. About an hour later and bottle of Crown, Hermione and Malfoy stumbled out of the bar. Hermione handed him a sack filled with money. "I almost forgot to give you your split of the tips tonight." Draco looked in the bag and realized that there must be like 60 galleons in the sack (about 300 £) . He was amazed that in only 3 hours he had made that much money. "And just think Malfoy, tonight wasn't a busy night."
With that she walked off in the direction of her flat, leaving a tipsy Malfoy standing in the street.