Drinking Game

Disclaimer: We all know it's not mine. Not mine at all.

A/N: Just about a year ago I posted a story called Dramione Do's and Don't's…I was full of pride, full of joy, full of steam to get back to writing. That is until I logged on a few days later to catch up on some reading and saw that someone had posted a list, quite similar to my own. I was downhearted, discouraged, disgusted, and so I never posted this story. I didn't want to, not after witnessing that other person's story named Dramione pointers.

I was cleaning out my computer the other day, going through some pictures of my family including my grandmother when I came across a password protected file named 'Untitled.' I opened it up and came across this story. I must have written it in the drunken haze spanning the six months my grandmother had cancer, the six months that I can barely remember.

And so, I present it to you, in honor of R. M. Davis. Grandmother to 12. Mother to 7. Friend to all. Angel to me forever and always. I love you Grammy, and I continue to make you proud.

I haven't traveled the world.

I haven't gotten married, and had a baby.

I haven't done anything spectacular at all since leaving Hogwarts.

And I couldn't be happier.

You see I work at Flourish and Blotts, it doesn't bring in a lot of money, but I love books and my job makes me happy. I rent a modest, but tidy flat above the book store and on my days off I sit in my little alcove and people watch. I've seen my best friends walk these streets with their significant others; all moving too fast to enjoy the life that was given to them. Too busy to stop and pay attention to the small tug on their cloaks from the children who are only beginning to feel neglected.

I live my life for sheer happiness. Yes, it seemed way back then that I was destined for huge things, destined to become the most influential witch in the community, and I was heading in that direction. Full steam ahead.

Until my parent's died, that is. Granted, it had nothing to do with the war. Just a car accident. I always told them to be careful. It was when I seriously debated taking a phone call from my firm at their funeral that I decided my life was leading down the wrong road and I needed to do something about it. I stayed until the lot had cleared, before the dirt was shoveled onto their double plotted grave, I chucked my phone, still vibrating to the heavens in with my parents. And with a silent promise, I vowed to change my life.

I still own my law firm, it's just trusted to my employees. The stress would have killed me and I need to live for my parents. For their memory, for their blood, sweat, and tears that it took to make me. To raise me. To love me. My flat is decorated in yellows and blues, hues of happiness. My favorite colors. He hates them, but again, I live my life for my happiness.

Oh, this he, is none other than Draco Malfoy, partner of my law firm. He does everything for me at the firm, while I sit and sell books to the little school children. He tells me all the time that I am wasting my talent, I tell him that he's wasting his life. We continue on with our days.

You may ask how Draco Malfoy has come to work at my law firm and be on civil terms with me, and the answer is simple: The War. No, he did not switch sides. No, we did not fall in love at Hogwarts. Nothing cliche like that at all. His father, didn't turn a new leaf because he wanted to, he did so because he had to to save himself from Azkaban, and I got landed with the brat as some sort of cosmic consequence. I had a fit the day the Minister of Magic dropped him in my office with the explanation that it was in good spirits to the Community to see us working together. But that is neither here nor there, yes we hated each other at first, but now we cooperate. We are civil, we are even friends if you have the gall to say that. Also, I might mention that I am head over heels, absolutely, completely in love with him.

I have no problem admitting it to you; but to him…that's an entirely different story now isn't it? It's not that he has a different girl on his arm all the time, quite the opposite. When Astoria and he hit rock bottom two months after they married, he quietly divorced her, split the assets they had gathered together, and they both demurely went their separate ways. He's been single ever since and I have loved his work dedication. And so, his ex-wife is what is bringing me to the next part of my story: Astoria Alaina Greengrass is suing one Draco Lucius A. Malfoy for the sum of one million galleons for pain and suffering concurred due to a miscarriage from the stress of their divorce. Remember that I said it was a quiet affair, and remember why "purebloods" marry each other in the first place…exactly.

And the icing on the cake is…she wants me to represent her. So, alas, I am at a standstill in my quiet life.

I haven't worn a dress suit since the day of my parent's funeral.

I haven't touched a law book in about three years.

I haven't been in close proximity to Draco for three months.

I haven't had sex…ever.

I had half a mind to turn around right now; but my skirt was perfectly aligned and my briefcase was held firmly in my right hand. His office was 30 paces ahead and to the left. My old office; I wonder what he had done with it. I nodded at the employees I had not seen in years.

"Miss Granger!" exclaimed Lucy, my secretary since I began my firm from the ground up, who was now Draco's secretary, "Are you coming back to work for good?" I shook my head, still alarmed at the nasally tone in her voice. It still blew right through me, how did I deal with this woman for so long?

"I am not Lucy. I am merely here on a quick business venture, I won't be long. Is Draco in his office?" Lucy nodded and led the way. I followed closely behind her round bottom, I wondered how her husband was doing. However, that wasn't my business and Draco's name loomed closer to me, on the door that used to hold my own name. Lucy stopped, shifted, and knocked swiftly three times. It didn't take him long to grant us permission into his quarters; and when he saw that I was with Lucy, he stood abruptly and adjusted his tie.

"Hermione." he breathed. I nodded. "Why are you here, if you don't mind me being so blunt?"

"Miss Astoria Greengrass." I could see the storm brewing behind his eyes. I felt the tension in the room shift when I had fished my sentence. I turned and placed my briefcase on the couch and unbuttoned my jacket. "She wants me to represent her, Draco." His silent 'oh' was enough to break my heart and I didn't realize until I stepped foot into the office to have this conversation that he had also considered taking me out of my early retirement to help his case. In his case, I would help him over her, but alas, that would be a conflict of interest. And then it hit me. If she was going for damages; she was going after my law firm; considering the papers that were being expedited to this very office as we spoke.

"I was merely coming here to make you co-owner of the firm, but I think I will save that until after this mess has blown over, yes?" He looked me in the face and offered me a cup silently. I nodded; and he poured about an inch of scotch into the bottom of his and filled mine with water. I took the glass from his hands, my fingers grazing his. It made me shiver, he noticed. I shuddered.

"Co-owner huh?" I smiled up at him from my seat on the couch.

"Yes, Draco, co-owner. I remember when you drove me so insane that I wanted to kill you each and everyday, but alas, you've grown on me." He smirked that smirk of his and tilted the scotch to the rim of his glass again. This was after all; a sort of celebration. I smiled back at him.

I haven't taken a sip of alcohol since that day.

I haven't seen Ronald Billius Weasley since the day before my graduation from law school.

I never want to see him again.

I left Granger and Malfoy Firm; as it would soon be called. And that was when I ran into him; he reeked of alcohol at 3:00 pm and it disgusted me to no end, but that was just his way of life now. He reached out to finger a curl that made it's way out of my french twist. I shied out of his grasp, my heart thumping a mile a minute. I looked at him, ice forming in my normally warm eyes.

"Don't touch me." I hissed at him. He recoiled like I had hit him.

"Mione, I'm sorry." I blanched at him. Sorry?

"Sorry? You're sorry?" He nodded his head. "You are right Ronald Weasley, you are a sorry excuse for a man. So you are correct in the regard that you are sorry. Pathetic is more like it." He looked wounded by my words and I knew that I had cut him deep, but the wounds between us never healed on my end. They probably never would.

"I was drunk Hermione." he begged.

"Yes, and I was firm when I told you that I never wanted to speak to you again. So now if you will excuse me I have an engagement that I must tend too and you, you are distracting me from things that actually matter to me in this world."

I turned my body and went back in the direction that I had come from.

I have never been one to jump into physical altercations.

I have never started a fight; only been victims of them. (except for that time that I slapped Draco.)

I have never wanted to cause harm to another human being.

But I have been a victim of domestic violence.

The first time he hit me I let it go. It was an accident but that was a mistake. I should have nipped it in the bud but I didn't and I regret it every time I think of it. I laid down next to him that night and apologized to him for whatever I did to make him so angry, how foolish I was. I didn't realize at the time that I was opening up the door for punishment far worse that I ever wanted to feel. I didn't know that I was opening the front door and allowing a red headed monster into my home, into my bed, into me.. I didn't know that I was opening the door for my live-in boyfriend to hit me whenever I angered him. By the time I realized my mistake he was already elbow deep in my stomach and I was looking quite jaundice from the bruises.

It wasn't long before I kept quiet. Before I stopped correcting him for his silly mistakes, or making suggestions as to why he should do something a completely different way. I should have never kept quiet. However, I do not dwell on that part of my life any longer. I've decided that he doesn't exist. And it will stay that way.

Alcohol changes people.

War changes people first.

I have never wanted another man the way I wanted Draco.

I have always felt compassion for him deep down inside somewhere.

I have never wanted to kill another human begin more than Astoria Alaina Greengrass.

She sat across from me with her nails perfectly manicured, tapping them lightly on the glass covered table. I wanted to rip them off one by one until they littered the table she was tapping on. Like I said, I have only been a victim of violence, doesn't mean I've never thought about causing any. But I kept my mind focused and shuffled through the stacks of papers that didn't need to be shuffled through. I inhaled.

"Why, after a year from the date of the divorce, did you wait to file this decree?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "I need the money, you see I blew through what I got in the divorce on my second husband and keeping his little endeavors quiet. Mr. Zabini's family gave him nothing after he fled the war and unfortunately I didn't realize that until after the wedding…or else I would have high tailed it out of there faster than you used to run crying from confrontation. However, I hear that you are an amazing lawyer, and you dedicated yourself to your clients one hundred and ten precent and that is why I took you out of early retirement. Because I need someone better than Draco, to actually beat him."

I glared at her but sadly I knew she was right. I could beat Draco Malfoy, and I probably would beat Draco Malfoy, but at what cost?

I never thought I would want to hurt someone the way I had been hurt.

I never thought after thousands spent on therapy I would revert back to square one from one small altercation.

I never thought I would have to see Ronald Billius Weasley sitting on my front porch.

You would think after a huge blowout at my graduation party a few years back, and another one a few days ago where I again made myself perfectly clear, that this imbecile would still take it upon himself to grace -ugh- me with his presence. I stopped short and looked him dead in the face, my own portraying a look of utmost contempt.

"What can I do for you Mr. Weasley?" I asked, my tone clipped, my voice chilled.

"Mione, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since I saw you the other night-Lav kicked me out, told me to come crawling back to you…"He let his sentence drop off. I threw my head back and barked out an insane tempo of laughter. After a few minutes of extremely loud and obnoxious insanity did I return to my rightful self. Straightened my skirt and collar, checked my wrist watch and patted my french braid. I looked him in the eye and spoke for the theirs time in a clear bravado, that I never. Ever. Wanted. To. See. Him. Again.

I stepped two paces to the left and tried to sneak past him quickly on my porch, but silly me thinking I was protecting myself, and assuming that he wouldn't be asinine enough to show up here, blocked my flat from any and all apparition. His hand shot out and grabbed my ankle and I had to count to ten before I could speak. By the time I managed to get into my flat I was a mess. I'm talking the shakes, the tears, the hair being pulled out of my nicely pleated braid. And all the while, he was still sitting out there on my front porch, by this time he conjured up a bottle of Firewhiskey. He sat there sipping it nonchalantly, like there wasn't a restraining order out against him, like I hadn't just told him to leave my property, like I wasn't in here reliving every punch he ever laid to my frame. It wasn't until he started throwing hexes, jinxes, and curses at my front door that I knew he was determined to get into my flat one way or another.

I did the only thing I could think of.

I ran.

To Draco.

I was never one to assume things, ever.

I wasn't the type of girl to go throwing herself at a man out of desperation.

I was never the type of girl to lay down and take a beating; not when I could get back up with a new tactic in mind.

I had never seen Draco Malfoy with his shirt off….

I landed in his foyer just as he happened to be coming around the corner. He had kicked his shoes off near the fireplace. His coat and shirt hung on the coat rack, his tie was tossed to the floor and there he was, standing and staring at me with his belt in his hands. All I could do was stare back at him, gasping for air before turning around and closing the Floo Network to his home. When that was done I turned my head and sank to the floor, pulling my knees up to my body and cried. I don't know how long I sat there rocking myself back and forth, nor did I know how long he stood there unsure of what to do.

"Hermione." he said my name, barely a whisper, but it resounded in my ears like he had bellowed it right above me. I lifted my head, and in my mind I knew what I must look like to him. He was kneeling down in front of me, his belt lay on the floor where he used to stand. He pulled my arms away from my knees and touched the side of my face gently. "What happened." It wasn't until I looked into his eyes, did I make up my mind to lie.

"Nothing." I muttered. He laughed, much like I did not only twenty minutes ago.

"Don't lie to me, Hermione. You don't show up here…ever. In tears nonetheless, and try to tell me that nothing happened." I sighed, wiped the tears from my face, fixed my braid and my clothing before finally saying.

"Ronald Weasley knows where I live." His hand ran through his hair.

"Bloody hell." I nodded. There was nothing else to be said.

I've never had an anger problem; that was always him.

I've never had a problem accepting change; again that was always him.

I've never had trust issues; until him.

I never thought I would have to build myself from the ground up…again.

I sat on the green leather couch, the one with the seams that are still frayed from the last time I sat here. I glanced over my shoulder nervously as Hannah Abbot tapped her quill against her pad of parchment. Her brown eyes stared over her glasses at my brown head. My eyes were downcast, my shoulders shaking from the suppressed tears. I looked up at her; smiling sadly.

"I never thought I'd see you here again, Hermione." she said. I shrugged. She continued. "Why are you here? I was shocked to see that you had requested an appointment, so I cleared a block for today. Let's talk." I sighed.

"He's back." It was all I could think to say. It was all that I wanted to say, and then when I felt like there was nothing else for me to do, I cried. Hannah sat in her chair, stock still, perfectly straight, and stared at me. "I was coming out of my firm the other day and he was there. He reeked of alcohol, it was only 3 in the afternoon! Who has drowned themselves in the bottle by that time of the day? He had the gall to touch me! To actually reach out like he used to and touched me. Before he found the Firewhiskey, before he became belligerent and rude and abrasive, before he hit me that first time, before he tried to rape me the day before graduation…I thought I had made myself clear, Hannah." I sighed…

"I didn't want to see him, I thought I made myself perfectly clear. I thought me hexing the hell out of his naked form was enough of a reason for him to leave me alone, but of course not. He's a bloody Weasley…can't leave well enough alone that lot. He managed to find out where I lived and he was sitting there on my porch, waiting for me to come home." I had started picking at the frayed stitching furiously now. Like I had all those years ago. "He had the balls to reach out and touch me again, grabbed my ankle and I was immediately back in the living room of our old flat. I was on my stomach, my face in the plush purple carpet clawing anything and everything to keep me away from him. To keep him from taking the only thing I still had left after the war… I shot him with a stinging hex in the face. He must still think I'm weak for he didn't even put up a shield charm. I managed to get into my flat, but that didn't stop him from trying to blast into the door so I Flooed to Draco Malfoy's house…." I stopped picking at the couch, I wonder why she never fixed it…it was a simple spell really….

"And how does that make you feel?"

I growled.

"It makes me feel worthless, useless, and weak."

I've done everything and anything to make sure that my best friends were comfortable.

I've bent over backwards to make sure they were safe at all times.

I never thought that it would be him that would make me, and then break me.

I was standing in the back of the room, my family and friends all mingled with each other. They couldn't believe that I had done it, that I have graduated top in law school, and in just two short years. But really, who would expect anything less from me. I planned on taking the money from my trust fund my parent's left me and open my own firm…from the ground up.

Ambitious. That's the adjective people kept using for me. I guess I was. I was also dumb as shit. I knew to make this a dry party because I could see Ronald over by the bar with Harry and Ginny, smiling, red in the face, and sloshing the alcohol down the front of his shirt.

I sipped on my own drink slowly, thinking about the final day of Muggle University I had to attend tomorrow in order to qualify for the Bar exam. I smiled at Dean Thomas as he stopped by me to offer me his congratulations. It was at the same exact moment that I wrapped Dean in a thank you hug that Ron's head snapped up to glare at us and he slammed his drink down on the bar. I pushed away from Dean, quickly muttering an apology and tried to get as far away from him as possible.

Tonight clearly wasn't my night because I found myself being hoisted into the air by Neville and being twirled.

"Congrats, Mione!" he yelled over the din of the music. I smiled down at him and my eyes begged him to put me down before…

I could hear the angry scuffle going on behind me. "Please put me down Neville." and he did swiftly. I turned to see my boyfriend kneeling over Dean and pummeling him with his fist.

"Enough!" I said. "I've had it. You will not hit him anymore!" Ron glanced up at me, it took him two seconds to reach me. It took the rest of the crowd one to turn their attention to us. He stopped in front of me.

"Shut up, Whore. I'm in charge here." I didn't even have time to steel myself for the backhand he landed on my face. The crowd gasped collectively. It was then that I snapped.

"You. Will. Never. Hit. Me. Again." and then I punched him. I turned to the crowd. "Due to tonight's events I'm going to retire from the festivities Please stay and enjoy the par-" I felt my head being snapped back, his fist in my hair, his arm around my throat.

I never wanted to be alone.

I never wanted to fall out of love with Ronald Billius Weasley.

I never wanted to fall in love with Draco Lucius A. Malfoy.

We can't choose who we fall in love with.

It was day of the hearing, I was sitting at my podium, and Astoria was no where to be found. I glared at the doors on the side of the court room. For a gold digger, you would think that she would at least have the decency to be on time. Percy Weasley was glaring at me on my left. Arthur Weasley was glaring at me on my right, no matter where I went it was like I could not escape a Weasley man. I straightened out my jacket and looked over to Draco, who was incidentally, representing himself. I left my post and walked over to him and smiled warmly. His tie was crooked, I absentmindedly reached out and fixed it, fingering it for far longer than I should have.

"She's late." I muttered.

"She always is." he countered. I smirked.

"Do you still have the evidence I gave you?" He nodded.

"Thank you for finding the records." It was the least I could do. I could see the small bags starting under his eyes. This case had him staying up until all hours of the night, in my house, pouring over my books, in my library… It was then that Astoria decided to grace us with her presence, she was sporting sunglasses that covered her face, and she reeked of alcohol.

"Where have you been?" I hissed at her…

"Doing all the things you wish you could." I glared at her and then smiled warmly at Kingsley.

I've never cooked a meal for a man.

I've never "slipped into something more comfortable."

I've never slept in the same bed as a member of the opposite sex.

I sincerely hope that tonight will lead to exactly that.

He was smiling, an actual smile that graced his eyes when he stepped out of the fireplace and into his foyer. How I managed to beat him here, again, I'll never know. He soon let me know though.

"Hermione, sorry I'm a little late, had to stop to pick up some sparkling cider for us." I smiled at him and held up the papers for him, the ones that would make him co-owner of my firm. "Where did you find that evidence?" he asked me conversationally.

"Daphne." he turned his head to look at me.

"Are you serious?" I nodded.

"You see, Daphne never really got over Blaise. She would have married him no matter what his money situation was, she didn't care. However, Astoria came along and snatched Blaise right from under her nose. Daphne wasn't happy, so when she found out she was pulling this little stunt she came to me." I smiled at him.

"Abortion, who would have thought she would choose a muggle end all to deal with it." I nodded his eyes glazed over for a moment.

"I had them test the left over umbilical cord, Draco. The baby wasn't yours." He smiled at me and wrapped me in a hug. I clung to him tightly.

"One more thing before I go Draco…I'm in love with you."

I've never professed my love for another person.

I've never felt the complete joy from letting those words off of my chest.

I've also never felt the sheer pain that comes when the sentiment isn't returned.

I've been sitting in my alcove for three days, 72 hours, just sitting. The tears were wasted that first 24 hours. I couldn't believe how foolish I had been, blurting it out like that, hoping that he would return the sentiments. The Daily Prophet lay open at my side, detailing how Draco Lucius A. Malfoy now owned half of my law firm. I sighed and turned my body back to the window.

That's not the only thing he owned half of.

My heart pounded in my chest like it did every other day of my life. I didn't know what to do, how to react. I heard the bell from my floo tinkle in the other room and I heaved myself up off of my alcove. When I turned the corner I did not expect to see Draco Malfoy standing in my living room, looking completely uncomfortable and nervous.

"What are you doing here Draco?"

"Three days ago you professed your love for me and left my flat in tears before I could even comprehend what was going on. I came to talk." I shook my head.

"There's nothing to talk about. It was stupid of me to even think of telling you how I felt." He laughed at me, covered the room in three strides and took my face in his hands. I didn't understand what was happening until I felt his lips on mine in such a commanding yet gentle way. I didn't know how to react. So I just kissed him back.

I always thought that I would save myself for marriage.

I thought I would be a virgin forever after things with Ronald blew up.

I didn't know how mind numbing sex could actually be.

And with Draco Malfoy above me, fucking and loving me until the wee hours of the morning, I'm glad Ronald hit me. I'm glad he nearly killed me the night of my graduation party. I'm glad for every bad thing that ever happened to me, because it brought me here. His lips kissed my forehead as he finished and spilled himself into my body. "I love you too, Mrs. Malfoy." he whispered to me, pulling me closer to him, his hand ghosting over my stomach, wishing silently for there to be a child growing inside me already, it was after all the first night of forever and we wasted a long time.

I sent this note the day before my wedding to one Draco Lucius A. Malfoy.

Dear Ronald,

I'm getting married tomorrow to Draco Malfoy. I'm stronger than I've ever been. I won't let you hurt me anymore.

I forgive you.

Thank Merlin, I found the good in goodbye.

Hermione Malfoy.

I haven't traveled the world.

I've gotten married, and am trying to have a baby.

I've done countless spectacular things since leaving Hogwarts.

And I couldn't be happier.

A/N: Thank you all for reading. I'm not saying that I'm back because when I say things like that…I end up going away for another year. Writing is helping me in ways you couldn't imagine.