This is my first story on this account, I hope you enjoy it and I hope I go through with it :)

Oh and this will serve as my disclaimer for the entire story, seeing as I'll probably forget later on.

Chapter 1

It was finally over. After almost a year of on-and-off dating, Hermione finally refused to get back together with Cormac McLaggen. The breakup had been tough, not to mention the rift her relationship had created in her friendship with Harry and the Weasleys while she was dating the former Gryffindor.

"One firewhiskey please, Tom."

The young witch downed the shot quickly and welcomed the burning it sent down her throat, wishing her old friends were with her.

After the war Ron and Hermione had tried to date for a few months, but finally realized they were better off as friends – and they were great friends; it seemed almost like everything had gone back to the way it was before. Harry and Ron were working as Aurors, Ginny got signed to the Holyhead Harpies, and Hermione got a job in the Magical Law Enforcement department of the Ministry. The rebuilding of their lives continued uneventfully for a few years, until one cloudy day Cormac McLaggen had asked a twenty one year-old Hermione out to dinner.

"Now, what would Hermione Granger be doing in a bar on a night like this?"

Hermione head snapped towards the voice of Draco Malfoy, who sat down on the stool beside her.

"Same thing as you, Malfoy," she replied vaguely, ordering another shot of poison.

"Never figured you for much of a drinker," the blonde said, opting for a vodka soda. Hermione snorted.

"I never figured I'd be in this situation." Draco raised an eyebrow.

"And what situation might that be?"

Hermione sighed. This really wasn't a conversation she wanted to have, with Draco Malfoy especially. Though she didn't have any more animosity towards him, she had never told anyone about what really happened all those months ago, or why she kept going back to McLaggen; she didn't have anyone to tell.

"Well I just got out of a relationship that went on way too long, with a man who never truly cared but whom I thought had changed," Hermione blurted out before downing yet another Firewhiskey. "I lost my closest friends in the process, and to top it off I have a mountain of work waiting for me tomorrow." Draco whistled sympathetically and signalled the bartender.

"The next couple drinks are on me."

Under other circumstances Hermione would have declined, but presently she just couldn't bring herself to care. She didn't plan to get drunk enough not to be able to apparate home, but a little more alcohol wouldn't hurt…

An hour later Hermione was so inebriated Draco was afraid she would fall off her barstool. After seven shots of Firewhiskey he had told her she was drunk and should stop so she could go home, but it wasn't until she had downed her tenth that the youngest Malfoy finally told Tom it was enough. Now he was faced with a bigger problem: how to get Hermione Granger home.

"Hey Granger… Granger look at me," Hermione turned her head slightly, her faced split into a woozy grin. "Where do you live? Can you remember how to get to your flat?"

She started muttering incomprehensibly as Draco helped her off her stool, guiding her towards the exit. She could barely hold herself up though, and once outside Draco finally gave up and slid an arm under her knees to pick her up.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to take you to my place for tonight. There's no way you'll make it home by yourself."

Draco apparated them to his flat and slowly set Hermione on her feet as she gagged, throwing her hand over her mouth. He swore and quickly led her to the washroom, where she immediately threw up into the toilet.

He helped her wash up afterwards, holding her hair and splashing some cold water on her face. Hermione was half asleep as Draco helped her remove her shoes and laid her in his bed, but she managed to mumble a few words before closing her eyes.

"Thank you… Draco."

He tucked her in and took an extra blanket and pillow from the linen closet, quietly shutting the bedroom door behind him as he set up to sleep on the sofa.