I do not own Harry Potter.

Ch. 1 The Party

I arrive at Theodore Nott's party a bit late, court having run long, and there are tons of people here. Both some I recognize and some I don't. I didn't even think about how many people would be here; of course I should have it being Theo's birthday.

"Hermione!" Theo calls and rushes towards me arms outstretched with a huge smile on his face. "I thought you weren't coming." He says as he scoops me up and spins me hugging me to him.

I laugh at his exuberance and hug him back, clinging to him as he spins us. Theo and I have been friends for almost three years now and we are just about as close as Harry, Ron and I ever were.

"Goodness Theo, darling, put the poor girl down," a woman says from behind me and Theo grins at her over my head as he sets me on my feet, though keeping an arm around my waist tucking me against him.

I turn still in Theo's embrace and see Astoria smiling at us both. "Hey, Tori," I say and she moves to us and hugs us both.

"Now my favourite witches are here, the party can really begin," Theo says as he leans down to kiss Astoria lingering a bit then grins at me and takes off probably to get us drinks.

I look over at Astoria and roll my eyes as her fingers make their way to her lips and she smiles watching Theo as he walks away. "I'm so lucky," she says quietly and I throw my arm around her waist, she is about the same height as me.

"Yes, you are." I smile at her and then glance around the room.

I was supposed to meet my boyfriend, Andrew, here but I don't see him yet. Astoria turns a bit and we start chatting catching up since last weekend when we double dated to the theatre. Five years ago just after the war, I was in a muggle coffee shop, and Theodore Nott walked in. When he first saw me I was a bit apprehensive and both of us went about our business with only a nod to the other, but after a while, he finally approached me and asked to sit with me.

I was surprised as the only words we had really ever spoken to the other were an occasional 'Hi' and 'Bye', but after that we met up and talked often. I found out that he and Astoria were married shortly after the war, and he was not actually a follower of Voldemort. His father had been, but he could never justify the thoughts in his head, and knew that Old Voldie was full of lies. After a while he re-introduced me to Astoria, and we became fast friends.

Since then I have became sort of friends with Blaise, Pansy, and even Greg Goyle, who isn't as thick as he had been in school. He just followed Malfoy around blindly and used that to keep under the radar. Harry and Ron had come to an occasional gathering with my Slytherin friends, but usually the groups stayed separate. It is a bit hard to get us all together at the same time with each of our jobs.

I became a lawyer and work in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with Harry who is head of the Auror Department. Ron became Seeker for the Chudley Cannons' and Ginny followed her older brother Charlie's lead and is a Dragon Tamer, currently in Australia. Blaise and Theo went to work together opening a potions supply store in Hogsmeade, Astoria and Pansy stay at home both choosing not to work.

"There you are," a male voice breaks into our conversation sounding a bit hard and I unconsciously cringe as I turn to see Andrew.

"Hey," I say as Andrew grabs me round the waist and kisses me once hard, I smell firewhiskey and I mentally sigh, his drinking has been getting worse and I know we won't be together much longer.

Without another word he stumbles toward a table holding drinks just as Theo walks back up to us holding three cups. "Here you go ladies," Theo says handing us our drinks, I watch Andrew for a moment as some guy walks up to him and starts talking.

"Thanks, Theo." I sip my butterbeer. I look around the room again as Theo starts telling Astoria about something someone said when he went off for drinks.

I notice a tall man standing just inside the doorway that leads to the kitchen and I do a double take. He is very attractive with dark brown hair and startling blue eyes, he is tall and thin though muscular. He holds himself with confidence as he scans the room and sips from a glass.

"Hey Tori," I say then turn to look at her. "Who is that man standing over by the kitchen, with the dark hair?" I ask and watch as both Theo and Tori turn to look.

"Who?" Tori asks looking slightly confused, so I turn to point him out.

"The cute one over-" I stop as I see he isn't there anymore.

"Oh, the cute one, what did he look like?" Tori asks looking amused.

"Tall, dark hair, blue eyes, ah I think he may have been wearing dark jeans and a red polo shirt," I say absently as I scan the room but not seeing the mystery man anywhere. "He's gone," I murmur then re focus on Tori and Theo, who are both grinning at me.

"See someone you like?" Theo asks winking at me and I blush and shrug taking a sip of my drink instead of answering.

"Of course she sees someone she likes, I'm here," Andrew says coming up behind me, wrapping a hand around my waist a bit roughly, forcing me to bump into Theo.

"Oh sorry Theo," I mumble as I half turn to Andrew ready to verbally lash out at him for being drunk, again, as Theo steadies me with his hands on my hips.

"Yes, of course sorry to Theo, wouldn't want Theo to be upset," Andrew says sarcastically then jerks me back from Theo. "Hands off man," he growls to Theo who scowls at Andrew and folds his arms across his chest looking more than ready to knock out my boyfriend. "You always have your hands all of my woman."

"What has gotten into you?" I hiss at Andrew, turning fully to face him knowing my face is set in a glare. He is always making trouble with Theo apparently waiting for Theo to take the first swing.

He looks down at me grumpily. "Nothing, Theo is always all over you, I don't like it," he says petulantly.

"Theo is my friend, and he is not all over me, he is married for Merlin's sake," I say back to Andrew, then lower my voice. "How much have you had to drink?"

Andrew frowns at me. "Only a couple, didn't you say Harry was going to be here?" he asks changing the subject abruptly.

"Harry got called away to work, so he can't make it," I answer as I turn towards Theo. "He told me to tell you happy Birthday, Theo, and he sent his gift for you with me." I smile then hand Andrew my cup as I rummage in my bag for the Wizards Chess set Harry bought for Theo.

Theo loves wizard's chess and usually when Harry is able to get away they always play a game together.

"Wicked!" Theo exclaims grinning completely forgetting about Andrew and hurries off to set up his chessboard in the sitting room.

Tori and I laugh at him and Andrew snorts, Tori then looks at me and says, "Hey, 'Mione I am going to say hi to some friends, I'll catch you later okay?" I nod and she disappears into the throng of people.

"Is that what you wore to work in court today?" Andrew asks sounding disgusted and I look up at him to find a frown on his face as he looks at me.

I glance down at my outfit in surprise and then back up at Andrew. "No, I wore my suit in court I stopped by my flat and changed to come here, why?" I ask confused by the sudden question.

"You look like a whore," he says harshly tipping my butterbeer to his mouth and downing it in a couple swallows.

I blink at him and survey my outfit; I am wearing a black pencil skirt that stops about three inches above my knees and a dark green v-neck vest over a short sleeve white button down blouse. I have on three-inch stiletto heels to give me some height and my hair is in a French twist.

I blink again and then say, "I think you and I need to talk. Let's go outside." I take his hand and lead him through the crowd and out the kitchen door to the gardens, which are thankfully empty.

"When you say talk you mean snog right?" Andrew says and cages me in his arms pulling me against him forcing his mouth down to mine.

I push him back and say firmly, "no! By talk I mean break up." I watch as he blinks a couple times and his face turns red.

"You can't break up with me," he says dismissively. "You still haven't introduced me to Harry."

I shake my head in confusion. "What does Harry have to do with our relationship?"

"Why else did you think I would stay with you?" he sneers smirking at me and looking like a complete stranger. "You won't even put out," he says his voice full of disgust even as he pulls me against him again.

Everything clicks into place, he wants to meet Harry because well he's Harry Potter, he always asks about Harry and has even cancelled a date or two because Harry couldn't make it due to work.

"You are such a git," I say in shock and disgust trying to push away from him. "I can't believe I was so thick about us, we are over." Then the next thing I know I am on the ground looking up at a furious Andrew.

My eye and cheek throbs and my left knee stings I glance down at my torn skirt and realize that indeed Andrew hit me.

A look of shock passes over Andrew's face then rage settles over his features and I wonder what is happening as I feel the right side of my face burn as I'm sure it's swelling.

"Tell the lady you are sorry," I hear another male voice say from somewhere behind me and I turn my head to see the mystery man standing looking furious his voice sounds a bit familiar, but I can't place him.

Andrew makes a scoffing noise and growls back at the man, "what lady? She isn't a lady, she is a whore."

If my face didn't hurt so bad I may have laughed at the statement considering he just complained about me not having sex with him just to turn around and call me a whore. I shake my head then wince as it causes my vision to blur a bit.

"I said apologize," the man says again his voice ice cold and I look up at Andrew wondering why he hasn't moved then realize that the man has used magic to make him not able to. Probably so that he won't hit me again since he looks like he wants to.

"I'm sorry," Andrews spits the words sounding anything but, and then he seems to sag a bit.

"Leave, and never come near her again," the man demands and Andrew gives me a withering glare then stalks around the house presumably leaving.

I look back at the mystery man as he saunters towards me then leans down and holds out a hand to help me up. "Are you okay?" he asks the coldness to his voice long gone and his voice has softness to it now Again I feel like I have heard him speak before.

I clasp his hand and he lifts me easily to my feet, my right eye completely swollen shut now and I try for a smile and then hiss when is tugs on my lip, which must have split open.

"Here." The man conjures a handkerchief, and presses it gently to my bleeding lip. "How is your leg?" he questions and I bend my leg it feeling sore and stiff.

"It's a bit sore," I answer softly my lips moving against his fingers and his eyes shift to my lips.

He looks back up at me and lifts his left hand to my swollen cheek and lightly caresses my face before dropping his hand to mine and lifting it to take the cloth from him. "You should go back in to Theo," he says softly then caresses my cheek once more before taking the same path that Andrew had.

Before I can even think to ask his name Theo comes bounding out of the house. "'Mione!" he exclaims and I hear him suck in a breath as he really sees my face. "What happened?" he sounds horrified, as he finally comes even with me. He grips my shoulders and searches my face before looking wildly around as if to see who had done this.

"It was Andrew. We have officially broken up," I say feeling frustrated, hurt, annoyed, and quite tired.

"Andrew?" Theo asks puzzled and then his face goes hard. "I am going to find that bloody wanker and show him my fist," he says darkly and I smile just a little so as not to hurt my lip anymore.

"I really appreciate the sentiment, but I believe that may have been taken care of," I say and Theo looks at me in confusion.

"Did you punch him back?" he questions looking impressed.

"Theo, love where, oh you found her, oh Merlin what happened?" Astoria says rushing toward us. "Hermione!" she exclaims as she reaches us.

Quickly Theo fills her in and then looks back at me apparently waiting for an answer to his earlier question.

"Uh, no, I did not punch him back, it all happened so fast, but well you see that man I had asked you about earlier, you remember?" I ask and both Theo and Tori nod so I continue. "Well he sort of just appeared and forced Andrew to apologize, then he, well, I think went after him," I say and feel my face heat up, which makes my face throb even more.

Tori pulls out her wand and waves it a couple times and then hands me a bag of ice which I wrap in the soft cloth the man had gave me and I gratefully apply it to my cheek and sigh when it cools the burn.

"I really wish I knew who you were talking about," Tori says looking at Theo, "Who could it have been?"

Theo shrugs, then focuses on me again and pulls me into a hug and rubs my back. "I am sorry that this happened," he says soothingly. "Do you want to floo home?"

I shake my head slowly. "I don't want to ruin your party," I say sadly, and then wince as I try to take a step back toward the house.

Tori waves her wand again at my knee, and the pain lessens greatly. "That will work for now, but your body will need sometime to heal itself. The eye wound needs to run its course, unless you want to go to St. Mungos? I don't feel comfortable healing that close to your eye," Tori says and I shake my head again, forgetting the pain and then mentally tell myself firmly not to do that again.

"I don't have court again until Tuesday, so by then I can use a concealing charm and makeup on the faded bruising, I don't want to go to a healer," I say tiredly.

"Well, why don't you stay with us tonight, just in case 'Mystery Man' doesn't catch up to Andrew, you will need to change the wards on your flat anyway," Tori says wrapping an arm around my waist. I nod once as Tori points to the cloth.

"Where did you get that?" she questions and I pull it away from my face to look down at it.

"The man conjured it," I answer turning it a bit in my hand and notice it has an initial on it, 'M'.

I shrug it off as Tori and I slowly make our way towards the house.

"Wait, maybe you should fix your skirt?" Theo says turning a bit pink in the cheeks and I look down. As Tori and I started toward the house, my skirt had ripped up quite far when I fell, so you could see my lace knickers. I roll my eye at Theo and I flick my wand to repair my skirt.

"Better?" I ask and Theo grins at me then waves his wand at my face to conceal a bit of the bruising and to clean the blood away.

"Yes, and now since most people here are already pissed, they won't even think twice about your shiner!" he says happily and I grin back at him feeling my lip split again, and then mentally shrug.

"Maybe, I need a shot of firewhiskey, purely for medicinal purposes," I say and Tori laughs as Theo says he'll fetch me one and takes off.

"So you have a 'mystery-man-knight-in-shinning-armour', eh?" Tori asks as we both reach the kitchen door and walk in.

"I wish I knew his name, who he is," I say wistfully. "You know so that I can send him a thank you," I say cheekily.

"Yeah, you just want to send him a thank you note," Tori says rolling her eyes. "Come on, maybe he came back inside too," she suggests and even though I can't get my 'mystery man' out of my head, I have a relatively good time at the party though we don't see him again.


Okay so this is pretty different than the last two fics I have wrote. I included many more Slytherin's...yay! Let me know what you think, and of course this is another Dramione, so don't you worry! I hope you have enjoyed, and please please review! :)