AN: As a thank you to all my wonderful reviewers (wouldn't be here without you guys) and an apology for how long it took me to put up chapter six, here's a new chapter! It's party time with a hint of "oh shit" and a bit of "wait what?" As always, let me know what ya think!

Draco heard a knock on his bedroom door as he tried to situate his tie. "Pansy, it's so unlike you to knock." Draco heard his door open and glanced over in his mirror expecting to see Pansy but was surprised when Blaise walked in. "Zabini, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

His friend strolled in, his signature smirk resting on his face. "Pansy sent me to make sure you wear exactly what she set out for you."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Of course she did." He glanced at the cloth in Blaise's hand and immediately removed his tie. He sighed dramatically and took the gold fabric from him. "I thought she wanted me to wear the blue tie?"

"There was a last minute change," Blaise responded quickly. He stepped up next to Draco and preened in the mirror. "Any idea why she picked such a gaudy tie for you?"

"Considering it's Pansy who wants me to wear it, there's really no telling." Draco began to put on the new tie and arched his eyebrow at Blaise in the mirror. Blaise hummed in agreement. Pansy had been a stand-in mother to them during their years of Hogwarts, so they had learned fairly quickly not to question her. "I'm assuming it matches her dress."

"Once again the Wizarding World's most eligible Italian bachelor will be going to a party looking like the third wheel," Blaise lamented. "Tragic."

Draco adjusted his shirt cuffs and gave Blaise a bored look. "Would you rather wear a gold tie?"

"Merlin, no."

"That's what I thought."

Draco and Blaise strolled into the recently redone Three Brooomsticks. Madame Rosmerta had completely renovated the restaurant after the War and was hosting a party to celebrate the finished product. Draco admired the new building before his attention was drawn to the third member of their Silver Trio. Draco's face filled with confusion when Pansy walked up in a beautiful navy dress.

"Pansy," Draco drawled while hugging her. "Please tell me the gold tie wasn't your form of a joke."

Pansy held him at arms length and eyed his gold tie before quirking an eyebrow at Blaise who shrugged in return. "Last minute change." Pansy rolled her eyes then smiled at Draco.

"Party attire is hardly a joke, Draco. It's like Blaise said, a last minute change." Flicking her raven hair over her shoulder she linked her arms with both men. "Enough wardrobe talk, I need a drink." The three made their way to the bar greeting friends and classmates along the way. Draco was chatting with a Slytherin that had been a year younger than him when a flash of gold caught his eye. Glancing up at the doorway, Draco's mouth ran dry.

Hermione Granger walked in arm-in-arm with Ginny Weasley. Her dress was simple, but the way she wore it made it anything but. The shimmering gold fabric hugged her curves and left her shoulders bare. The hem fell a few inches short of her knees and made her legs look a mile long. Loose brown curls and tall black heels completed her outfit and left him speechless. When she turned to greet someone he caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her left shoulder and his breath stopped. Without a thought, he downed the remainder of his drink and left whatever conversation was still going with his classmate. Draco quickly made his way through the crowd and stopped before the two women.

Ginny saw him making his way over and smiled at him in greeting. "Draco, don't you look dashing."

Hearing his name, Hermione turned and greeted him as well. "Hello, Draco." She tilted her head to the side and quirked a smile, "I like your tie."

Draco touched his tie willed his cheeks not to redden. "Hermione, Ginny, you both look radiant this evening."

Ginny caught his tactful evasion and smirked. "Thank you, Draco, you're too kind. I need a drink, but I'm sure Hermione would love a dance." She winked at Hermione and made her way to the bar.

Hermione smiled wryly at her friend's antics. "Leave it to Ginny to make a smooth and subtle exit."

"I don't think subtle is in her vocabulary," Draco drawled.

Hermione chuckled in agreement, "Unfortunately, no. She's got a wicked sense of humor and a temper that can't be matched, but subtlety is not her specialty."

Clearing his throat Draco held out his hand. "In that case, I believe I'll follow her instructions so as to avoid that Weasley temper you mentioned. Care to dance?"

Hermione eyed his hand before giving him a dry look. "Wow, Draco, that was so suave. How could a girl turn down such charms?"

His eyes widened at her rejection. Seeing the challenge in her eyes, Draco bowed dramatically and offered her his hand again. "May I have this dance, milady?"

Giggling at his antics, Hermione curtsied and daintily took his hand. "I would be delighted, kind sir."

The two of them made their way to the dance floor under the watchful gaze of their friends.

"I love when a plan comes together," Ginny said smuggly.

Pansy glanced at the woman leaned against the bar then looked back to the dancing pair. "Don't get too excited, darling. Dancing is merely a stepping stone in the grand scheme of things."

"Yes," Ginny agreed, "but it's a step."

Pansy smiled and eyed one of their classmates across the room. "Now for step two."

On the dance floor, Draco spun Hermione in his arms. She giggled as her hair flew madly around her face. He pulled her close to his chest and swayed to the rhythm of the music. His breath caught in his throat as she rested her head on his chest. He looked around the room before his eyes rested on Blaise chatting up a vaguely familiar blonde. His friend gave him a subtle thumbs up and wink before returning to his conversation. He smiled softly and shook his head at the oddity of the situation he was in. He never would have thought he'd be at a party holding The Gryffindor Princess in his arms.

Hearing him scoff, Hermione lifted her head and quirked an eyebrow in question. "What's going through your head?"

"It's nothing. I just never would have thought we'd go from sworn enemies to dance partners."

Hermione chuckled softly and nodded in agreement. "You know, muggles have a saying. If a boy pulls your hair or chases you during school it apparently means he likes you. Maybe our rivalry in school was us trying to be friends."

Draco squinted skeptically at her before tugging on one of her curls.

Her mouth dropped open in dramatic shock. "Draco! I was talking about young children!"

Draco led her into a quick spin and dip, leaning in close until he was nearly nose to nose with her. "Well you know what they say..."

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

"Some boys never learn to grow up."

He pulled her back into an upright position and found himself having to hold her up as she shook with laughter. He continued to dance with her as she laughed, smiling so hard his cheeks ached.

Hermione's smile fell slightly as she looked past him. He frowned at her questioningly when he heard her scoff. "I'm sorry to cut our dance short, but I think there's an issue I need to attend to."

Draco glanced over his shoulder and saw Cormac McLaggen talking animatedly with Pansy, Ginny, and Blaise. Blaise made eye contact with him and rolled his eyes. Draco quit dancing, took Hermione's hand, and began to make his way over to their group of friends.

Pansy saw them walk up and smirked. "I'm sorry, Cormac, but could you repeat that? I'm not quite sure I heard you correctly."

"A little while back Hermione and I dated, and we totally did it. She doesn't like to tell people cause of her Golden Girl image, but DAMN is she hot in the sack!" Cormac was so caught up in his bragging that he didn't notice the brunette in question had walked up behind him.

"Cormac that's the biggest load of malarkey I've ever heard." Ginny quickly dismissed his claim with a roll of her eyes. "You 'did it'? What are we fifteen again?"

"Oh no, it's definitely true." Hearing Hermione speak up behind him, Cormac spun around to face her. "I just thought we both agreed not to tell anyone, Cormac. You know, since you had that little...issue." Draco's eyes darted all over Hermione's face trying to tell if she was serious or not. When he caught a quick twitch in the corner of her mouth he decided to let her handle McLaggen and see how it played out.

"What issue?" Ginny's grin sent a chill down Draco's spine.

"I don't have an issue!" Cormac shouted defensively drawing the eyes of several people standing near their group.

"Well, maybe not an issue, but you know the little thing you do? Where you bleet like a sheep when you finish?" Hermione's gave him a pitying smile.

"WHAT? I DO NOT BLEET -" Cormac's rage was quickly cut off by Hermione.

"Or did you mean the fact that you couldn't even get it up until I let you wear one of my dresses."

Cormac spluttered indignantly, "THAT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO -"

"Don't get me wrong, you looked great! But when you asked me to call you Daisy? I've got to draw the line."

"QUIT LYING YOU -" Cormac was cut off by Ginny and Pansy laughing uproariously. Hermione's comments and Cormac's shouting had gathered a decent crowd full of amused former classmates.

"So which is it, Cormac? Is all of that true or were you lying about us sleeping together?" Hermione had her hands on her hips and a smile on her face that showed she knew she had him cornered.

"No, we didn't sleep together! Merlin, it was just a joke!"

"Then you should probably think twice about the rumors you spread." Hermione smirked in triumph as Cormac threw her one last filthy glare before storming out of the party.

Draco gazed at Hermione in awe, high-fiving her friends and grinning madly. He had a quick flashback to the right hook she'd given him during third year and let a grin spread over his face. She made her away over to him and a blush washed over her face. "That was -" he let the sentence hang with a loss for words.

She looked down at the ground, "A bit much?"

Draco shook his head quickly and took a hold of her hand. "I was going to say bloody brilliant." She looked up at him quickly and blushed harder at his admiring gaze.

Draco and Hermione danced and drank with their friends for the next few hours of the party. When the room began to empty of people and Hermione tiredly leaned against him, Draco offered to apparate her home. They made the rounds saying goodbye to their friends before walking out the back of the restaurant and apparating to Hermione's street. She took them to an empty alley between shops at the end of their street, and they quietly made their way arm and arm to her doorstep.

"Thank you for tonight, Draco. I had a wonderful time." The small brunette smiled up at him, arm still linked in his.

"I did as well. Thank you for allowing me to walk you home." He felt a twinge of sadness when she released his arm and stepped up to her doorway.

She smiled coyly at him, "Such a gentleman. Who would've thought?"

"You have my mother to thank for that. If there's one thing she taught me it's how to treat a lady."

Hermione stepped close to him and placed a hand on his chest. "Well it's a good thing I'm not a lady or I wouldn't be allowed to do this." She stood on her tiptoes and lightly pecked him on the lips.

Draco was so shocked by her boldness he didn't register the kiss until she'd already stepped back and reached for the doorknob.

She grinned at his dumbfounded expression. "Good night, Draco," she whispered then ducked inside her apartment.

He stood on her stoop for several more minutes before a huge smile broke out on his face. He spun in a circle with his hands on his head and laughed to himself. She kissed him.