Crash.
"R-Ron?" Hermione gasped, the bottle of wine she had bought to surprise him smashing to the floor. Her mouth fell open, and her eyes widened. There, spread out on the couch, was her boyfriend, and under him was…
"Who…who the hell is that?" Hermione whispered, tears springing to her eyes.
"Hermione!" Ron jumped up, his shirt conveniently falling to the floor. "It's- it's not…she's not- we're not-"
"Really? You're pants are unzipped," she replied, her eyes narrowed.
"Um…I should probably go…" the young woman said. She stood up, and Hermione finally had a good look at her. She looked to be about Hermione's age, maybe a year younger, with styled, short dark hair. She was also rather busty, Hermione noted with distain.
"No. No, you stay here. You two have fun. I hope she's wonderful, Ronald. I hope she was worth it. Out of curiosity, how long as this little…thing been going on?"
"It- it hasn't! We haven't…I mean… Just….We've met after work a few times…. We met in October…."
"October?" It was currently December. "October? This has been going on since October?" Hermione nearly shrieked. "You know what, Ronald? Have fun with her, because I never want to see you again."
"Hermione, wait!"
Hermione marched toward the door.
"Hermione, let's just talk about this-"
"Talk about what? How you've been cheating on me since October? No, I don't think there is anything to talk about."
With that, she slammed the door, ignoring Ron's call after her. She apparated into a dark ally, and it took her a moment to get her bearings. She had hoped to land in her flat, but she liked where she was now better. In front of her was a Muggle bar. Hermione walked in, realizing her eyes were probably bloodshot from the tears that had started to fall.
"I'll have…um…a- a whiskey." Hermione was not one to drink heavily, but at this moment it seemed to be appropriate.
"You got it," the bartender said, turning away. As soon as he put the glass in front of her, she downed it and ordered another.
"Rough night?" the bartender asked.
"You could say that." He put the glass in front of her, and again, she downed it. Hermione was starting to feel buzzed, but not enough.
"You might want to slow down a bit, Granger," came a drawl from next to her. Hermione looked over, and was a little more than surprised to see a familiar shock of white-blond hair.
"Malfoy, what are you doing her?"
"What, I'm not allowed to go out drinking once in a while?"
"In a Muggle bar?"
"It's not like there's a law against it. So, any reason why you're trying to drown yourself?"
"Sod off, Malfoy."
"Still feisty, aren't you?"
"I'm not in the mood."
"Why?"
"None of your business."
"Tell me, Granger."
"It's…no! No! You don't need to know! Just…just leave me alone. I just want to be alone."
"Aye! Can we get the lady another drink?" Malfoy called to the bartender. He nodded once before bringing over another whiskey. "I may be a prat, Granger, but I know enough to know that sometimes it helps to talk about things."
Hermione nodded in thanks to the bartender before downing her drink. Now she was really starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. Perhaps she shouldn't have drowned herself so quickly.
"You know what I hate? Men."
"We're just the worst, aren't we?"
"You think you're in a committed relationship of four years, yes, four, and then all of a sudden you go to surprise him and there he is snogging another woman!"
"Weasley cheated on you? I didn't know he could get another girl. In fact, I don't even know how he got you."
"What?"
"Nothing. So…he cheated on you."
"Yes, since October. Can you believe that? I thought he was close to proposing, too! Everyone did!" She waved over the bartender again, and soon another whiskey appeared in front of her, which she again quickly downed.
"And you know what the worst part is? That he's probably been doing it all along!" Her words were starting to slur now. "Getting with other girls, looking at them, touching them." Hermione put her hands in her hands.
"Look, Granger, Weasley's a jerk."
"You think?"
"And he doesn't deserve you."
"I don't doubt that."
Silence.
"Well…thank you for listening Malfoy. I…I better get going." Hermione layed some money down on the bar, and stood up. Suddenly, the floor was racing toward her face, and a strong arm gripped her from behind.
"Granger, you're drunk."
"Just a little!"
"Just a lot. I'm not letting you go out there drunk, you'll get killed."
"I'm fine!"
"You can barely stand up right. I may be a prick sometimes, but I'm not about to let you go get killed."
"I'm fine!" Despite her protests, Draco took her by the arm and got her out of the bar and into the cold winter air. It had started snowing. "I don't need your help!"
"What's your address?"
"I'm not telling you my address!"
"Fine, then we're going back to my place."
"Wha-no! No, I will-" But with a swift pop, they were gone.