A/N: In case you didn't read my profile, I'm putting a hold on my story 'Family Life' while I work on this new story. The idea for this has been floating around in my mind for a while just begging to be written and I finally gave in. I took a lot of time to plan this out and I'm really excited for you all to read it. The title is from the song "Someone to Love" by Minipop. Check them out!

Oh and for those who are reading 'Family Life', I will be updating with a new chapter when I get a chance. I haven't forgotten about it and I do plan to finish the story.

Anything related to Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling

Chapter 1.

"Keep 'em coming, please." Hermione said as she took another gulp.

"This is your third one, ma'am. Maybe you need to stop. At least take a break?" The young bartender replied, although he poured her another one. He looked to be around his late twenties. His hair was slightly shaved and had blacked rimmed glasses. Hermione stared at him for a while, noticing his handsome face for the first time, and then down to his vest. There was a tag on the front and the name Joe written on it with neat cursive handwriting.

Hermione felt something hit the side of her hand, which had been lying on top of the bar table. She blinked a couple of times and shook her head before looking down at the shot glass Joe had passed her. Quickly downing the whole thing in one gulp, she passed it right back to him and made a hand motion indicating him to keep pouring.

"I don't care. I'm miserable and drinking makes me feel better."

"How about you tell me why you are feeling so miserable?"

"Why? Do you even care?"

"Of course I do! I care about every person that walks through that door." Joe said, pointing to the door opposite of them. Hermione stared at him with raised eyebrows, silently calling him a liar. He chuckled before saying, "Okay, maybe not every person, but a pretty lady like you shouldn't be drinking so much. So, I can't help but wonder why you are so down. Is it about some guy? Cause I'll beat him up for you."

Hermione managed to squeak out a small laugh. "No, it's not." She said and sighed, "Fine, I might as well tell you since I'll probably be here for another few hours. It's not like I have anywhere else to go…"

So for the next hour and a half, Hermione told Joe everything that bothered her. She told him about how she was fired from her job about three weeks ago and for some odd reason she hadn't been able to find a new one. She was Hermione Granger for Merlin's sake, why didn't anyone want her to work for them? She told him about how her two best friends were always away because they were professional Quidditch players and traveled most of the year, so she had no one to talk to when she needed to rant. Lately, she had been so stressed out and frustrated with everything in her life. And to top it all off, she had just been evicted from her flat that afternoon because she was unable to pay the rent and the landlady didn't want to wait a few more weeks. She didn't want to bother the Weasleys's for a place to stay. They have enough people living there already. Up until that point in her life she had been happy, but now…

"I don't even have a place to go home to," Hermione sighed and ran a hand through her wavy, brown hair. "I need another drink."

Joe, who didn't know how to make the poor girl sitting in front of him feel better, allowed himself to pour her one last drink before he told her the bill was on him and walked away to help another customer with their order. Hermione dropped her head on the table with a thud and closed her eyes, thinking about what she was going to do now that she had nowhere to go. There was no way she'd be allowed to sleep here at the bar, not that she'd want to anyway.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Hermione Granger drowns herself in alcohol and misery. I must say, the sight is not as pleasant as I once thought it would be."

Hermione, with her eyes still closed, frowned. Why did the voice seem so familiar, yet so unfamiliar at the same time? She knew that voice, but couldn't remember who it belonged to. Slowly raising her head and turning to the left, she looked up and was shocked to see a smirking Pansy Parkinson with a glass of red wine in her hand.

Pansy looked like the same Pansy Hermione remembered from Hogwarts, although slightly older, more mature. Her hair was still dark brown, straight, went down almost to her shoulders, and bangs cut just right above her eyes. She wore black slacks with a white blouse and sat with her legs crossed and great posture. Compared to Hermione, right then, she could've been somewhat of an angel.

"Pansy Parkinson? How long have you been sitting there?" Hermione asked.

"Long enough to hear your entire depressing story."

"Oh, great" Hermione groaned and dropped her head back on the table, "Are you going to make fun of me now? Kick me while I'm down?"

"Now, why would I do something like that?" Pansy asked, taking a sip of her wine.

"Um, maybe because that's what you always do. I remember very clearly back in Hogwarts when you and your crew of Slytherins would always find something mean to say to anyone. You were experts at it, so why wouldn't I believe that you're here to do the same thing again? "

"Hermione, dear, don't assume you know who I am when you really don't. Maybe I was somewhat of a bully back then, but…" Pansy trailed, but stopped when she recieved a raised stare from Hermione. She rolled her eyes and began again, "Okay, fine, I was a pretty nasty girl back then, but I've grown up. My life changed after Hogwarts. I'm not that girl anymore. I'm a much happier person now, not like how I use to be. I think back to how I was then and I really hate it. I hate how I acted towards other students." Pansy paused again, taking another sip of wine. "I guess what I'm really trying to say is…I apologize for every horrible thing I've said to you when we were in school."

"Why should I believe you?"

"You don't have to believe a word that I say, but I am honestly telling the truth."

Hermione sighed. She couldn't think straight. Why in the world is Pansy Parkinson sitting here, apologizing for things she did years ago?

"You said your life changed after Hogwarts and that you're a lot happier now? Well, I think it would be fair if you share with me what happened to you after the war and how you've changed. I mean, you did eavesdrop on my misery. You owe me that much." Hermione said.

"Yes, I guess I do owe you some sort of explanation. I didn't think you would believe me right away." Pansy replied and took one last sip of wine before placing it down on the table. "After the second war ended I decided to leave, move to another place. I couldn't take it anymore. My parents had died that night and I couldn't have possibly stayed. So, I left. Simple as that.

"I relocated to Romania and started a whole new life there. I didn't use magic quite as much anymore. It was hard at first and I felt a whole new respect for muggles, not being able to use magic at all must be terrible. I got a new job and I worked constantly. I had no free time to myself. My life was pretty boring and plain."

Pansy stopped suddenly which made Hermione, who had been staring at her hands, look up. Hermione could tell that Pansy was struggling to say the next part of her story because of the tears building up in her eyes, but the girl would not let them fall. Pansy recomposed herself and began again.

"I cried every night, Hermione. I didn't care at first, crying is good for a person, but then I couldn't stop. I cried for my dead parents, who I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to. I cried for what my life could've been if I made better decisions. But mostly, I cried for myself. I cried because I was so lonely, I cried because I felt like my life was pointless. And to answer your previous question before about why wouldn't I kick you while you're down is because I know exactly how you feel. You may have felt miserable for the past couple of weeks, Hermione, but I was miserable for about 2 years."

Right then, Pansy aloud one single tear to fall down her porcelain face. Hermione stared at the woman sitting in front of her with disbelief. She couldn't believe this was the same girl that made fun of her frizzy hair and bucktooth, the same girl that called her 'mudblood' numerous times. She was so much more different than that girl. She wasn't the Pansy Parkinson from Hogwarts. She was a whole different person and Hermione could see that it was true.

"I see how you're life has changed, but you said you were happier now. I don't see how you're happy if you cry every night." Hermione said. Pansy gave a short laugh.

"I wasn't happy then. I was far from it. I worked long hours and come home to an empty house. I didn't make any friends. My life was very repetitive. It wasn't until one eventful afternoon that I had even a slight hint of happiness in me. I was eating lunch at a small café when someone sat down at my table. At first, I was going to hex the bastard for trying to hit on me, but then I looked up and saw Blaise. You remember Blaise Zabini, right?"

Hermione nodded.

"There were no words to describe what I was feeling at the moment. I was so many emotions mixed into one, but mostly I was overjoyed. I hadn't seen a familiar face in so long that I didn't know what to do. We ate lunch together and talked about our lives. I told him about my pitiful one while he told me about his wonderful one. He works at the ministry now. He's co-head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, along with Draco, which explains the reason as to why he was in Romania."

Draco Malfoy. Hermione hadn't heard that name is so long, she almost even forgot who he was. Almost. There was no way Hermione could ever forget that face, the ridiculously bleached blond hair, and the awful smirk of his. She snapped back into reality when Pansy started again.

"After he left, I was more depressed than ever. I felt more alone than ever, but the next day I got a surprise. Blaise was waiting for me at work. He stayed. He stayed for me and I cried again, but not because I was sad, but because I was the happiest I've ever been in a very long time. He stayed with me for the rest of that day and for the rest of my life. He was there when I came home from work everyday, waiting with a smile on his face. He taught me how to be happy again, he taught me how to love again, and most importantly he taught me how to live again.

"Eventually, he had to come back here, but he convinced me to come back with him. I couldn't say no. So, I came back, found a nice little house where I live now, and opened a new book shop where I work now. After everything that happened, I promised Blaise, but I mostly promised myself, that I would be a better person now. I don't want to be miserable anymore and the only one who can make sure I'm never like that again is myself. Blaise and I have been together ever since that day he found me in Romania and now we're engaged." Pansy concluded while she lifted up her left hand to show Hermione her diamond ring.

After listening to Pansy's life story, Hermione found a whole new respect for the witch. She had certainly grown up and was way stronger than Hermione thought was possible of her. Although Harry and Ron were away most of the time for Quidditch, they still had breaks and spent time with her. If she was suffering because they were gone some days of the year, then Pansy must've been dead for two years without friendship.

"Congratulations on your engagement. I'm sorry I assumed you to be a horrible person, earlier. I had no right to.." Hermione said.

"No worries. I don't blame you."

Hermione nodded and went back to staring at her hands. There was a long awkward silence as both witches sat at the bar. Pansy was the first one to break the silence.

"There was another point to me telling you all this information besides the fact that I wanted to show you how I have changed."

"And what is that?"

"I want to help you. When I was listening to you tell Joe about how you lost your job and lost your home it reminded me of myself. I know where you're headed if you don't get help fast."

"You want to help me? Why? How?"

"Blaise taught me how to live again, be happy again. I owe him everything for that because happiness is one of the best feelings in the world. When I was suffering from depression, it was the worst thing I've ever felt. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone. So after hearing how you're so close to that state, I want to help you. And seeing you like this, drinking like a mad woman, made me want to help you even more because I know Hermione Granger is a lot better than this."

"Pansy…I…I don't know what to say. Am I dreaming? Are you really Pansy Parkinson or is this some kind of a joke?"

Pansy let a laugh that Hermione had never heard come out of her before. It was quite contagious and she found herself laughing along.

"Let me assure you that this is quite real and that I am as a matter of fact Pansy Parkinson."

"Well, how are you going to help me? I can't find a job. I don't have a place to live…"

"I know of one person who will hire you."

"Really? Who?"

"Me."

"What?" Hermione stared at Pansy with questioning eyes.

"You heard me. I'm hiring you to work at my book shop in Diagon Alley. I know how much you love books, so I know you'll love to work there."

"I…I don't know what to say beside thank you so much!"

"No problem. My old employee quit this afternoon anyway, so you're doing me a favor by accepting the job offer. Oh, and you said you don't have a place to stay? Well, you can come live with me until you have enough to pay for your own place. Stay as long as you'd like."

"Oh, I can't do that; first you offer me a job and now this? That's just too much. I'd feel so bad. Besides, I don't think Blaise would like it that I'm just barging in without notice first."

"Blaise doesn't live with me. I told him we weren't going to live together until we're married. It's fine, Hermione! I'm offering, so you don't have to feel bad."

"I don't know…"

"Would you rather sleep on the streets?"

"Oh, alright, but only because you offered."

"Fine. How about we get out of here and I'll show you around your new home?"

"Sounds good to me."

Once the two stepped out of the bar Pansy grabbed a hold of Hermione's arm and apparated them back to her house. Normally, Pansy would apparate them inside, but she wanted Hermione to see the outside of the house since it was her first time there. Once they landed, Hermione had to close her eyes for a few seconds to keep from getting dizzy. When she opened them again, she saw the house for the first time. It was a small little cottage-like house. There were many trees surrounding the tiny house and they looked to be in the middle of nowhere, but they weren't really that far from civilization.

Pansy dragged Hermione inside. The inside of the house was quite simple. The living room had two couches facing each other with a coffee table in the middle. There was as fireplace on the opposite of the entrance. Various pictures hung from the walls. Next to the living room was the kitchen that connected with the dining room. Pansy led them up the stairs and into the first door to their right. It was a nice cozy room with a twin size bed, a vanity desk, and a closet. There was also another door that Hermione assumed to be the bathroom.

"This was my guest room, but it's yours now. My room is the one right across from this one."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to keep thanking me. Remember, I offered." Pansy said with a wink. Hermione laughed in return. "Now let's go down to the kitchen and I'll make us some tea."

Hermione nodded and followed Pansy downstairs and into the kitchen. She sat on the stool behind the counter as Pansy handed her a teacup and sat down next to her.

"You have a lovely home." Hermione said.

"Thank you. Blaise says it's too small, coming from a person who lives in a manor ten times as big as this, but I like it. It's comfy."

"I agree. I would rather live in a small house, too."

"Well, then it's a good thing you're staying here."

"I like it here already." Hermione said with a smile, receiving another from Pansy.

"You start work tomorrow, by the way."

"Am I working by myself?"

"No, I'll be there. The rule is that there should always be two working at the shop. It's usually me and Olivia, but she quit this afternoon because she's moving with her husband. So, it's a good thing you decided to accept the job offer or I would've had to work by myself since Draco is busy at the ministry tomorrow."

"Malfoy? What does he have to do with this?"

"Didn't I tell you? Draco is co-owner of the book shop. When I came back with Blaise, Draco was here to greet me and he helped me get my life situated. He came with me when I went back to my parents' manor. I decided to sell it. I didn't want to live there. So I kept everything that was important to me from there and sold everything else. One of the biggest rooms in the manor was the library. There were literally over a million books. Most of them hadn't even been opened before. Draco suggested I open a book shop and he even donated all the books from the Malfoy Manor. He helped me get into the business so I told him that he could be co-owner."

"Oh, great. If I'd known before I wouldn't have taken the offer."

"Why not? Because of Draco?"

"Maybe"

"Why?"

"I don't think he would want me to work at his shop."

"Hey! It's half mine, remember? I can hire anyone I want. Don't worry about him, Hermione. He's not as bad as you think."

"I beg to differ…"

"He's changed, like me. Trust me, he's not the same Draco Malfoy from Hogwarts."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Fair enough." Pansy said as she got up and stretched. "It's late, I'm going to bed. You should too. You have to wake up at seven tomorrow."

Hermione nodded before watching Pansy walk up the stairs. She stood up herself and washed her teacup. Before walking into her own room, she knocked on Pansy's door.

"Come in." came a muffled voice from behind the door. Hermione turned the knob and walked into Pansy's room to see that the room was slightly larger than hers, but not by much. Pansy was sitting on her bed combing her hair, but stopped when Hermione stepped in. "Something wrong?"

And then Hermione did something that made Pansy's eyes wide, something that she would've never done before that day. Hermione hugged Pansy tightly. After a moment of shock, Pansy returned the hug with a smile on her face.

"Pansy, thank you so much, for everything. I know you told me I don't need to thank you anymore, but I do. I really do need to thank you because if you hadn't been there at the bar I don't know where I would be right now. I don't know where my life would've been headed. I never thought I'd be saying this to you, but Pansy, you are a wonderful person who deserves the best."

"Hermione, I could say the same thing to you which is why I'm helping you. Now, go on to sleep before I change my mind." Pansy said in a joking way. Hermione laughed and gave her one last hug before leaving her room. After unpacking all her belongings and taking a nice relaxing bath. Hermione finally crawled into her bed for some sleep.

A/N: Sorry there wasn't much with Draco in this chapter, but I promise that he will be in the second chapter.
Notice how in this story and in my other story that Pansy is nice?
I have this thing where I like to make her a good person.
I much prefer her like this than the annoying Pansy.

Please review and let me know what you are thinking!

-CHIBZ