Draco Malfoy sat at the end of the bar, downing yet another shot of straight vodka as he watched his fellow soldiers dissolve into the never ending crowd. They all had reasons to be happy with the latest news of heading home because they had people to go home to. What did Malfoy have? He had an empty four bedroom house, save for his dog. It was hardly a welcome.
"Drake! Why the long face? You made it out a live." One of his fellow soldiers and best friends, Blaise Zabini, came sauntering up to him and clapped him on the back lightly.
"Yeah, but for what? I don't have any family or loved ones like you do. Not much of a reward for a war hero to come back to, you know?"
Blaise nodded knowingly and gave a half smile before walking off to a pretty black dress that was waiting for him by the pool table. Leave it to the man to score their first night back.
Hermione bit back a protest as her best friend Luna pushed her through the doors and into a bar that smelled of mistakes and stale nachos. She didn't want to go, she'd even told Luna that. It was far too soon after her breakup with Ronald. But, the blonde was a very persuasive person when she wanted to be and she had thought that Hermione needed a break from work either way. So, here they were surrounded by sweaty bodies and poor choices.
"I'm going to go search for something tall, dark, and semi-sober. You loosen up, okay 'Mione?" The brunette couldn't help but laugh at her friend's reckless attitude as she walked over to the bar, ordering a glass of water.
"Not looking to do anything, or anyone, you'll regret?"
Hermione froze the instant she heard the deep voice from her left side. When she turned to find the owner she expected some half drunk old man who just wanted to get off. What she found instead was a man about her age who was tall and built with the most captivating grey eyes she had ever seen. He was easily 6'2" or 6'3" and his face looked worn yet calming and absolutely gorgeous. She felt her breathe catch in her throat but forced out a light laugh.
Draco had noticed the girl from the moment she walked in. She didn't belong in this scene and they both knew it. She was more of a glass of wine and bubble bath type of woman. The kind he'd always had a soft spot for. It also helped that she was absolutely gorgeous. Way more so than Astoria had been. It wasn't in an obvious way like her blonde friend that had gone off to flirt with one of his buddies. No. It was a subtle beauty that drew a man to her regardless of if they wanted to be there or not. It was in the way she held herself. The subtle curve of her waves as they fell loosely around her shoulders. He thanked God that at times like this he was an observant man.
"One red wine for the lady and a glass of water for me. I should probably sober up before meeting with the head of HR." He chuckled and looked towards the woman. "So what brings such a classy woman like you to a dump like this? I can hardly see this as a place you frequent."
"It's really not, but my dear friend decided it would benefit me to get my mind off of a recent break up and a-"
"I heard you lost the case this morning miss Granger. How doses it feel?" Hermione sighed and turned to hear none other than her rival Pansy Parkinson, highest paid District Attorney in New York.
"I don't know, why don't you tell me miss Parkinson. You lose more so than I do, don't you?"
Pansy rolled her eyes then locked her gaze onto Draco, causing the blonde to feel uncomfortable. He shifted his weight and looked between the two females.
"Well, hello there. And you are..?"
"Master Sergeant Draco Lucius Malfoy. I was actually in the middle of talking to this beautiful woman here before you so rudely interrupted Ms. Parkinson. And yes, I know who you are. I keep up with my home state's news. And you've been all over it, might I add. Quite a scandal between you and your assistant."
Pansy scoffed and turned on her heel, leaving behind a very amused Hermione and Draco. Hermione took a sip of her wine and laughed as she looked towards the man.
"Master Sergeant, huh? Must be nice to be a hero to your country. I read about you a time or two in the daily news."
"Not much to enjoy when your girlfriend of four years left you shortly after being deployed and your mother's slowly going insane. But what about you? Best and highest paid civil rights lawyer in New York? Must be way nicer than my boring old life."
"Working constantly, fiancé calling off the wedding three days before to go be with some slut from his office, and a cat that hates majority of guys? Yep. Definitely way nicer than yours." She laughed softly and finished her wine.
"Why would someone leave a woman as perfectly lovely as you?"
"The slut was just out of high school. All legs and shy. Or, as he put it, how I used to be." The brunette shrugged and ordered a shot of vodka, feeling her resolve break down. Hell, she didn't have work tomorrow.
The words that came from the woman's mouth made Draco ache for her. "What do you say we get out of here? From the looks of it both of our friends are pretty, uh, occupied with each other." He nudged his head in the direction of Luna and Blaise grinding up against each other in a corner.
"You know what? That has to be the best suggestion I've heard all night."