I originally posted this on January 6, 2018. This is for naarna, and the prompt is 'A kiss where we forget we're in public'. This is, of course, cross posted to ao3.

Enjoy!

Hermione fanned herself with her napkin, trying to think of a way to escape what had amounted to one of the most awkward weddings of both the current year and the next. Whoever thought it wise to advise Lavender Weasley nee Brown that a New Year's Eve wedding followed by an midnight reception was a good idea, was certainly having a laugh now.

Everyone was drunk or drinking. Well, except Hermione. Not for lack of trying, mind you. She just hadn't been able to get to the bar yet. Except maybe not for one of the bottomless champagne flutes. Champagne did things to her head.

She sighed heavily and looked around for Harry and Ginny, spotting them back at the head table. The latter was asleep in her cake, and the former was trying to stay awake.

It was only just nearing midnight and they'd all been in the reception hall for nearly an hour with no end in sight.

The bride and groom were attempting to find the bottom of those bottomless champagne flutes, as were a number of their guests.

Hermione wondered if it would be considered rude to leave before midnight. She had a number of things she'd rather be doing.

Such as sleeping.

But with another long sigh, she stayed put. Ron was her friend. This was his wedding. And even though she hadn't been invited to the ceremony, only the reception, she knew he wanted her here.

Champagne might not be such a horrible idea, now that she was thinking about it. It wouldn't be so terrible to ring in the new year as a sad singleton at her ex-boyfriend's wedding if she had a hearty champagne buzz to take the edge off.

But there was a rather large group of people around the bar. She'd have to elbow her way through and likely talk to someone about this thing or another. And the only people she really wanted to talk to were Ginny and Harry.

She was just about to rise from her chair and walk up to the head table to do just that when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Drink, Granger? You look like you could use one."

She looked to the owner of the very familiar voice and smiled. "You have no idea, Malfoy."

She accepted his offering of one of the self-refilling champagne flutes and settled in for a bit, gesturing to the chair on her left.

He picked up the place setting, frowning at the name on it before discreetly changing it to his own.

"Wow. The bride really didn't want you here, did she?" He asked, chuckling. "I don't even know whose name I just erased."

"They haven't shown up, you needn't have bothered."

"Eh…" he shrugged, taking a sip from his glass. "I'm already settled. I don't want to be forced to leave."

"I doubt anyone could really force you to do anything."

"I wouldn't want to make a scene at a Weasley wedding. I might not be invited to any of the others." He smirked. "I couldn't stand it if I were cut out of half of next year's social engagements."

Hermione sniffed, trying to hide a laugh. There were an awful lot of Weasley weddings to attend in the year forthcoming. Ginny and Harry's was fast approaching. As were George's wedding and Percy's.

"Where is your date?" she asked. "I thought I saw you come in with Pansy Parkinson?"

"I arrived with her. She's not my date."

"You understand my confusion, surely."

He smiled thoughtfully. "I thought I'd simply go stag."

"Ah yes. A noble thing for a man, a sad thing for a woman."

"Lamenting the one the got away, Granger?" Draco looked over at the happy couple and Hermione shook her head.

"Hardly. Just wondering just how tipsy I can get before midnight."

"Well, there are only about a couple or so minutes until midnight. Even with a refillable champagne flute, that's a mighty goal indeed."

"All is lost, then…" she said, laughing a bit. "I'm doomed to be a sad singleton for yet another year."

"I'm not sure how drinking would have helped you in that endeavor, but yes. It appears that way."

"If I were drunk, I wouldn't care about my single status, you see," she explained loftily.

"Ah…Well. There is always the obvious option that both of us are skirting around…"

"You could kiss me at midnight?" Hermione asked.

He made a face. "What? No. I thought we could simply leave and shag each other rotten in every room of your flat."

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe later."

"Fine. I suppose if shagging is off the table, I could kiss you."

"Never said shagging was off the table. In fact, if it was on the table, I'd be up for it."

"This table? I think that goes against my desire to not make a scene at a Weasley wedding, but if you're up for it…"

Rolling her eyes, she made to stand. The countdown till midnight was beginning.

Draco slid his arm around her waist, swiftly pulling her into his arms. "Not so fast, Granger. I believe there was talk of a kiss?"

"I believe there's been enough talk of a kiss…" she murmured. "Too much talk."

He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. It was firm yet soft, just how she preferred to be kissed. It would only figure that Draco Malfoy was the one to get it right.

She made a small sound in her throat that she'd deny making later, but for now, she didn't mind, because he was holding her so tightly and kissing her just so.

Winding her arms around his neck she relaxed into his embrace, not stopping even when everyone around them started yelling 'Happy New Year!'

She didn't even mind when Draco's hand slid down to squeeze her arse, but it certainly seemed to snap him out of it. He ended the kiss abruptly.

"Bloody hell, Granger…" he murmured brusquely, straightening up and righting her as well. "You'd drive a man insane, kissing like that in public."

She snickered just a little, reaching for his hand and leading him out of the ballroom. "Just imagine how I kiss in private."

Thanks for reading!

*hearts*

-Dres