"Okay, so how do I look?"

Lyra and Scorpius exchanged looks before turning back to their mother with wide smiles.

"Beautiful!" Lyra exclaimed.

"You look really pretty, mum." Scorpius piled on.

Hermione beamed. She knew that her children would tell her that she looked good no matter what because they loved her, but this time she really felt it. She had only put on the royal sapphire blue dress that day when she was with Ginny. However, now that she had it on with silver bracelets, diamond studs, and the necklace Draco gave her –blue heels, a blue, silver-lined clutch, her hair piled gracefully on the top of her head, and modest makeup, her ensemble looked even better.

"Thanks you guys," Hermione said. "Now, make sure you be good for your grandparents, okay? And no weaseling your way out of your normal bedtime. I don't want to hear that you were up until some ungodly hour."

"You can count on us!" Her children answered in unison. Hermione didn't buy it for a minute, but left it up to her parents with the hopes that they didn't fall for their adorable faces.

"Hermione!" Her mother's voice sounded. "Your guest is here!"

"Coming!"

Hermione kissed her children goodbye and carefully made her way downstairs so as to avoid a horrible tripping, falling, and making a fool of herself moment. She sighed happily when she hit the bottom floor without an incident.

"Oh, sweetheart, you look lovely."

"Thanks mum. So, um, where is he?"

"Your father is talking to him."

Hermione's eyes widened within seconds. "Are you mad? You left him alone with dad?"

"Come now, you know your father." Mrs. Granger said dismissively. "He has to make sure that he's right for his baby girl."

Hermione huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm far from a baby."

Mrs. Granger smiled and uncrossed her daughter's arms. "Not to your father you're not. But, very well, let's go save him from a lecture on gentlemanly conduct."

Hermione was only too happy to oblige and headed to the living room where Winston was standing and listening politely to her father. She rushed over as elegantly as she could and placed her hands on her father's shoulders.

"Okay, daddy," Hermione said sweetly. "Let's not torture him, shall we?"

"What torture?" Mr. Granger asked innocently. "I was just giving him some pointers about you."

"Pointers?"

Winston chuckled. "Nothing too devastating." He raised three fingers and started counting off. "Just how you enjoy hors d'oeuvres more than actual meals at parties, you hate to dance although I should try to get you out onto the dance floor anyway, and to make sure that you don't have more than two champagnes or else you get, and I quote, 'wily.'"

Hermione rounded on her father. "Dad!"

"They were good suggestions!"

Mrs. Granger tried her best to hold in her laugh and went over to pat her husband on the back. "Yes, love, they were wonderful suggestions. Now let's go and round up those grandchildren of ours and allow Hermione and –Winston, was it? Yes, let's allow them to get going."

Mr. and Mrs. Granger bid their farewells while Hermione was thanking Merlin that she used a decent amount of artificial blush to obscure the real action.

"I'm really sorry about that, Winston."

"Oh no, don't worry about it." He smiled. "He was just being a good dad. I'm sure when your daughters are older your husband will do the same. –Wait, sorry, your ex-husband."

Hermione smirked. "On the contrary, he'll be ten times worse. I am not looking forward to it."

Winston laughed. "I'm sure neither are they. So, are we ready to go?"

"Yes, we can definitely go."

Hermione would be damned to get soot all over her dress or ruin her hair if she arrived at Malfoy Manor by Floo, and so she hooked her arm with Winston and apparated them there. As they landed in the receiving area and walked through the halls to make it to the ballroom, the brunette took a few side-glances at her date for the night (and for the night only). She had been adamant about going to the party alone and was perfectly fine with it until her and Draco's recent naked affair. There was a chance (a very good chance) that Draco would've shown up to the ball alone. Why wouldn't he when he had just told her that he was willing to give up his current relationship? Bearing that thought in mind, she really shouldn't have brought Winston along. It would've infuriated her ex-husband to no end. But what if he didn't come alone? She did refuse him after all. He would be right to continue with his relationship, wouldn't he? At the expense of not fighting for her?

Hermione was thinking too much. Winston was here now to balance the third-wheel feeling if Draco had brought Astoria with him and there was nothing to change that. And nothing would change the sudden emotional rollercoaster she felt when she spotted her ex-husband and his soon-to-be-officially-his-girlfriend together. Winston, the friendly man that he was, waved, forcing Hermione to do the same. She wasn't quite sure what to make of the look on Draco's face.

Regardless (for her sanity mostly), she ignored it and instead moved on to her friends who were at the hors d'oeuvres table waiting for her. It was Ron and his date, Eliza, who Hermione had had the pleasure of meeting once before while in Weasleys Wizard Wheezes with her children. Theo and Daphne were there too, and the looks on their faces were of absolute (well-controlled) horror.

"Hey, guys," Hermione said brightly. "Where's Harry and Ginny? Blaise and Pansy?"

"You know my sister." Ron said with a casual shrug, although he was more interested in the man on his friend's arm. "She takes a million years to get ready."

"Blaise is around here somewhere along with Pans." Theo said. He cleared his throat and politely gestured to Winston. "So, who's your...date?"

"Oh! Sorry. Merlin, I'm terrible." Hermione apologized. "Everyone this is Winston. He works with me in my Department at the Ministry. Winston, this is Ron, Eliza, Theo, and Daphne."

Rounds of "It's a pleasure," "Nice to meet you," and "Glad that you could make it," rang out among the group. Winston, ever charming, returned the pleasantries and began diving into a conversation with Ron and Eliza. The latter was extremely interested in America and wanted to know what it was like. This, of course, left plenty of room for the awkward to settle in among the remaining three.

"Draco never mentioned that you were dating someone." Theo murmured.

"He wouldn't have." Hermione said flippantly. "He doesn't know."

Daphne's eyes bulged. "You didn't tell him that you're dating this guy? Draco's going to hex an owl when he finds out!"

Hermione nearly scoffed. Instead she asked calmly. "Why? Because I didn't tell him or because I'm dating at all?"

Both Theo and Daphne began to awkwardly shuffle their feet. Hermione sighed. She didn't want to be angry with them. But why should she face scrutiny if, indeed, she was dating again? Draco was, wasn't he? Sure, she had pushed him away when he was ready to give Astoria up for her, but the fact remained that he had been dating her for nearly two months before their "slip-up." She was perfectly entitled to do what she wanted.

However, as much as the devil both shoulders wanted to let the Notts sit in their misery, Hermione didn't have it in her to outright lie.

"Winston's just a friend, you guys. I enjoy his company so I brought him along. It's no big deal."

"Tell that to Draco." Theo pointed out. "He looks like he's ready to commit murder."

"I told Astoria this was a bad idea." Daphne mumbled silently under her breath. Hermione hadn't heard her, but she did hear Theo. She finally let that scoff go and irately crossed her arms.

"It shouldn't matter, Theo." She grumbled. "You didn't see me skulking around like I wanted to hex him into oblivion."

Neither Theo nor Daphne wanted to point out that no, although the former Mrs. Malfoy didn't seem like she wanted to kill her ex-husband, she had by no means looked happy. Theo, knowing that Blaise would do the job better, had left it up to him to talk to Draco when the opportunity had risen. Daphne, obviously having failed, had tried her best to stop her sister from getting involved in the first place (not to mention praying feverishly that Draco wouldn't fall for her sister's innocently attractive ways).

And so the pair watched on as Hermione grew lost in her own little world. She was glancing over in Draco's direction as subtly as possible. And yes, he did look angry. And how in Merlin's name Astoria didn't notice his anger was beyond her. But then again, very few people knew Draco the way Hermione did.

His mother's ball was the last place that he wanted to be right now, and being here with Astoria was the last thing that Draco wanted to do. Now he would never take back what had happened between him and Hermione. Not for a million years. But it did gnaw at his subconscious that he did, in fact, cheat on the woman on his arm. No, they hadn't made things exclusive, but it was cheating all the same.

Under normal circumstances, Draco would've told her about his and Hermione's exquisite "slip" by now, but Merlin was staring down and laughing at him. Astoria had gone back to Russia for two days to handle some business with her estate, and this was not something that you told someone in a letter. She had only come back this evening, all perfectly dressed and in time for the winter ball.

"Draco," Astoria smiled as she gently elbowed him in the side. "You didn't tell me that Hermione was dating someone!"

Draco swallowed, robotically waving because that…prick waved first. "I didn't because she's not."

Astoria chuckled. "Sure about that? Regardless, he looks like a lovely man. Of course, I'm only going on appearances alone but…"

The rest of Astoria's words were drowned out by Draco's own rapid thinking. Was Hermione deliberately going out of her way to upset him? First she denies him –denies them –a chance, then she comes to his mother's ball with the very person who she told him she wasn't interested in dating? Why the sudden change? What was her motive behind it? Just…what in Merlin's name was she thinking? And what possessed her to buy that stunning dress?

Too many questions. Too many answers. Draco spent the majority of the party going over those questions and those answers all the while spying his ex-wife from his periphery. She was wearing the necklace that he had given her. The pendant hung neatly just above the rise of her breasts and it made him highly uncomfortable in the trousers. Whenever she turned around her bare back was exposed to him. And when she walked? When she walked a shapely leg could be seen. All in all, she was absolute perfection.

"Alright, what is your problem?"

Draco cocked his head to a side in confusion. Astoria was off talking to her sister and Pansy, and so he had been left alone to stew in his own juices. "Sorry?"

Blaise gestured with his head to Hermione. Draco followed his gaze and when she realized that he was looking at her, she flustered, and immediately busied herself with Winston and her friends.

"Something's up with you two. We've been at this ball for the better part of two hours and the both of you look rigid as hell. So, what is it?"

"Nothing," Draco said quickly, and that set off Blaise's instincts like fireworks. Draco tried to ignore him. He looked at everything and everyone but him, and sipped on his champagne. Well, chugged it was more like it. Even then Blaise hadn't taken his sights off of him.

"Come, come, Draco." Blaise taunted playfully. "Let's get it out."

Draco grit his teeth and took a long, deep breath. "Hermione and I…might have…had sex."

Blaise's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, come again?"

"We. Had. Sex. Alright?"

"The hell no 'alright!'" Blaise half-shouted. Draco instinctively looked around to make sure that no one had heard him –especially Astoria. Luckily the party was still going on and blissfully unaware of the taboo conversation. "I had to drag that information out of you?"

"Well, obviously, I didn't want to talk about it." Draco scowled. Blaise laughed. It wasn't often that blond scowled like that as an adult.

"You've got to tell me. How was it?"

Draco turned to face him so fast that his neck hurt. "What?"

"Oh come on, don't 'what' me." Blaise admonished with bright, shining eyes. "You and Hermione haven't slept together since when? A year?"

"Nine months,"

Blaise paused, then gave a crooked grin. "You kept track?"

Draco realized his mistake and blushed terribly. "I didn't... No, I... Just shut up and get on with it."

"Right, well, you still love her. It's obvious that she still loves you. I'm betting the sex was explosive. So...?"

Draco chewed his tongue mercilessly before he grit out in an almost inaudible whisper, "It was the best sex we've ever had."

"Well, well! Now that's saying something since, according to you, you've never had bad sex."

"Well, I'm glad you're finding this so amusing. Meanwhile, I'm focusing on the problem at hand."

"Problem?" Blaise questioned. Draco nodded as he grabbed another glass of champagne.

"Did you just so conveniently forget that I'm seeing Astoria?"

"Oh," Blaise frowned. "With you and Hermione back in the sack, yeah I did."

Draco groaned. Champagne was not going to cut it.

"Listen, mate, in all seriousness maybe you should just tell Astoria things aren't working out. That you and your ex are-"

"We're not getting back together, Blaise." Draco said grimly. "What happened that night was...a mistake."

"A mistake, huh?" Blaise repeated. His eyes had caught Hermione again, and he noticed that Draco's had caught her too. "Your words or hers?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not. Because no matter what, there's no such thing as mistakes."

Hermione had only met Astoria a few times, and each time had always been coincidental like out in Diagon Alley or something. Despite saying that it was okay, Draco had known better than to deliberately bring his new lady friend around her. And so, when the two women had officially met for the first time, it had been shortly after Hermione gave Draco permission and she had gone to see Daphne whose daughter had kidnapped her own for a sleepover.

The brunette remembered the first thing Astoria had ever said to her: "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Hermione had echoed the same sentiments although at that moment she had rather choke on her own vomit. It had been in those few words that she had analyzed the former Greengrass and had determined how wrong she was for Draco.

Astoria was sweet. Too sweet. She had a smile that lit up the room and a laugh that attracted ears from every corner. She had a grace that no doubt came from her upbringing and made her seem...perfect. But Draco didn't think that "perfect" was perfect. He thought imperfect was, and that was what he had loved about Hermione. It was the fact that she didn't have the best posture and that her laugh, to quote her favorite blond, was a cross between a melody and a cackle. And now it was Astoria, this little ray of sunshine, that she had pushed Draco to?

"Hermione, you look amazing in that dress!" Astoria exclaimed. "No one would ever think you were a mother of three."

What? I'm supposed to look like a whale?

"Thanks. And so do you." Hermione replied. And damn it, no, she couldn't say otherwise because the woman was dressed in a form-fitting Slytherin green gown that gave her the perkiest set of breasts imaginable.

"Your date seems like a really nice guy." Astoria continued. "Must be for Draco to be talking to him so amicably."

Hermione's eyes widened and she turned in the direction that Astoria had gestured to. And yes, she was right. Well, half-right. Draco was talking to Winston sure enough, but it was far from amicable. He was smiling yes, but if he held his glass any tighter it would shatter. Honestly, how oblivious was this woman to her husband's tells?

"I still find it amazing, you know."

Hermione brought her attention to her. "Find what amazing?"

"How good you two are –you and Draco." Astoria clarified. "Not many people can divorce and still maintain a healthy connection."

Hermione nearly bit her tongue off at the word "connection." Instead she calmly took a deep breath, smiled, and said, "I have to commend you as well. Not many women would be okay with their...love interest on such friendly terms with their ex."

Astoria shrugged. "I suppose. But I trust him."

Trust him. Hermione repeated in her mind. Right now she didn't trust Draco one bit as her eyes went back to him and Winston together. Just what the hell were they talking about?

Being married to a Gryffindor (not to mention the Gryffindor Princess of the Harry Potter Trio of all people) had tamed Draco quite a bit. Having children had tamed him further. That, however, didn't mean that the Slytherin inside of him was dead. Far from it. He could still play dirty when he needed to and the urge to do just that had grown ever more urgent the longer the party went on and the more he had to see Winston with Hermione.

And so, once the man had been (foolishly) left alone, Draco walked over with a smile on his face and a half-empty champagne glass in his hand. It was only natural to greet him at his mother's event.

"Wayne," Draco said joyously with his hand out. "Good to see you again."

Winston only smiled and shook the hand presented to him. "It's Winston, actually. But good to see you too."

"Oh, sorry. I can be terrible with names sometimes. Forgive me."

"No worries, no worries. This is an excellent party. Your mother sure knows how to throw one."

Draco looked around modestly and briefly caught Hermione's eye. "That she does. It's a bit of a specialty of hers. Glad that you could make it, albeit surprised. My darling wife doesn't usually bring plus ones."

"If she was still your wife I'm sure it would be horribly awkward." Winston laughed.

Draco worked wonders to keep his sneer in check at such a backhanded comment as that. Do not cause a scene, Draco. Don't do it.

"Yes, that's true." Draco said casually as he sipped his champagne. "She's a single woman now. She can do what and whomever she wants. Even tapping into foreign waters if she likes."

No one could be dense enough to miss a shot like that, and Winston stared at Draco oddly as the jovial air between them shifted. The American chuckled, taking his own glass of champagne from a floating tray.

"Well, as you say," Winston said. "She's a single a woman now. And between you and me, I think Hermione likes foreign waters just fine."

Draco's eyes narrowed to slits. He had opened his mouth to say something downright snarky and duel-worthy when both Hermione and Astoria came up to them.

"Having a good chat?" Hermione asked. Draco was immediately aware of her tone –crisp and an octave higher than usual. Anyone who knew her well enough could see that she was pissed beyond measure.

"We were." Draco replied cordially. "I was just thanking Wayne for coming to my mother's ball."

"Winston," he said hotly. Draco smiled.

"Apologies. Winston. You see? I'm awful with names."

Hermione was ready to spit fire, but she didn't. Instead she put on the best "everything is fine" face she could muster and politely ushered herself and Winston away so that they could mingle with the rest of the guests.

"Your ex is a piece of work." Winston said once they were out of earshot.

Hermione frowned angrily. "I know."

"I could throttle him!" Hermione was raving in a corner. Pansy was having the time of her life watching the brunette fuss where the majority of the ball-goers couldn't see her. Ginny and Harry were here as well trying to calm the woman down.

"Come on, Hermione." Harry said. "You don't know if Draco was saying something that bad to him."

Pansy scoffed and all eyes turned to her. "This is Draco we're talking about. A man cavorting about with his ex? I'm surprised he didn't chain him down in the dungeons."

"Pansy," Hermione grumbled. "You know Narcissa got rid of those years ago."

"All of them? I thought she kept a couple."

"She did, but she turned them into living quarters for the house elves at my request."

"Oh. How...benevolent of her."

"Ahem," Harry cleared his throat. "Can we focus back on the matter at hand?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. "Draco is such the bloody hypocrite. He brought Astoria for goodness sake!"

Ginny fidgeted where she stood. Yes, that would've hit a sore spot with her too if it was she in Hermione's position. They had slept together just three nights ago and despite seeming to want to get back together Draco showed up at the ball with Astoria? Granted, Hermione did say no to him. Maybe he just gave up?

Humph. Gave up my arse. Draco Malfoy doesn't give up on anything. Not unless it was a lost cause.

And then Ginny frowned. Was it?

"They're dating, Hermione." Harry insisted. "Of course he would bring her."

Hermione groaned. "No, you don't understand."

"What am I supposed to understand that I don't already?"

Ginny watched as Hermione's face grew pale and Pansy inched a little closer to listen further. To save her, Ginny let out an exaggerated groan and moved to stand beside her.

"Don't you both get it? Draco has a date, so why shouldn't Hermione? He has no reason to be going all Slytherin on Winston."

Ginny smiled at Hermione who smiled back, simultaneously giving her all the silent thank yous in the world.

Pansy laughed. "I didn't know 'going all Slytherin' was a thing."

"What else would you call it?"

Pansy shrugged. "Draco being Draco. He's as possessive as it comes, whether or not he has a right to be."

Despite not quite being the case, Pansy had a point. With a sigh Hermione declared her drama fit over and urged herself as well as everyone else to enjoy themselves. The party went on then. Minutes turned to hours and it was almost eleven p.m. at this point. And all throughout the festivities Hermione didn't talk to Draco once. Perhaps people noticed. She tried not to think of what everyone's thoughts were on the matter or else it would drive her mad. And she tried desperately to ignore the feeling that she was being watched.

Because in fact she was. Draco, clever and stealthy as he was, kept his eyes trained on his wife throughout the event. It was a wonder Astoria hadn't yet questioned him. Either he was as good as he thought or she was as oblivious as he hoped. It didn't matter now, though. She had been pulled into conversation by a few of the party guests and so he was free to brood appropriately.

"Is everything alright with you and Hermione?" Narcissa asked her son.

Draco sipped his champagne. He was pacing it very slowly, because in his conversation with Blaise he had downed two within seconds, had finished one while talking to that git and chugged another right after, and this current one was making it his fifth. Although his tolerance was pretty high and the ball had been going on long enough for a substantial amount of people to be "a little less than graceful," the last thing he needed was to be off-balanced at his mother's function. Well, further off-balanced.

"Fine," he replied tersely. Narcissa raised a shapely brow and tutted.

"It does no good to lie, Draco. Especially to someone who can easily see that you'll break that glass if you hold onto it any tighter. Loosen your grip, won't you?"

Draco did, only now realizing how much tension in his hand he was holding. Narcissa followed her son's eyes and found that he was staring at the very witch she was questioning him about. She was with that Winston fellow. An American, it seemed, and quite the friendly gentleman. He was nice enough, although it appeared that Draco was none too fond of him.

"You have no right to be jealous, dear."

Draco snapped his attention to his mother and nearly sputtered. "I'm not jealous."

Narcissa held in a snort. It wasn't ladylike. "Oh no? Then please, enlighten your mother on why your facial expression holds that utterly atrocious snarl unbecoming of a Malfoy gentleman."

Draco closed his eyes briefly and sighed. He wasn't jealous. He was upset. After what they did. After the feelings they had expressed. To bring Winston with her was just…

"You're here with someone else too, Draco." His mother said sternly. "Don't forget that."

The young blond stared at her with a puzzled face. "I'm sorry, but are you…? Are you mad at me?"

"No, not mad. I am...exasperated by you. The both of you. However, it isn't my place and I won't make it be."

Draco released a deep breath. Yes, that was his mother. The pinnacle of being judgmental without actually putting herself in the situation. It was interesting how low she could make you feel without having to say much.

"Excuse me, Mother." He said as he drained off the remnants of his glass and made it disappear.

Narcissa was about to ask him where he was going when she stopped. It appeared that Hermione had left her date's side and was heading out of the ballroom. And her son was going after her… The blonde woman would have rolled her eyes had her pureblood, aristocratic upbringing hadn't whipped that habit out of her years ago.

Winston had proved to be a really nice date. Not that Hermione had doubted it, but it was just different seeing him in a setting that wasn't work-related. He got on well with her friends. He had even managed to make Narcissa blush once and that was, by far, no insignificant feat. In the end she was glad that she had invited him. It was such a shame about her no dating coworkers policy.

"Hey, Winston, I'm going to head to the restroom for a moment. I'll be right back."

"Of course," he said courteously. "And when you get back, we're going to tackle that dance."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you no before you stop asking?"

"Well, according to your friends I have about four more times before I hit my limit, and the redhead said to slip you a third champagne and that should work wonders."

"I'm going to kill Ginny."

"Not her, Ron." Winston smiled. She groaned and he winked before she left the ballroom and headed out towards the restroom. She had made it halfway to the bathroom before her ex-husband's voice reached her ears.

"I thought you weren't going to date him?"

Hermione turned to Draco with her hands on her hips. "I'm not."

"Does he know that?" Draco asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. Hermione huffed before grabbing him by the collar and ushering him into the nearest room.

"What is wrong with you? And are you drunk?"

Was he? Quite possibly. Five champagnes would do that to you…

"I'm absolutely fine. I just figured that if you wanted to cut back on your word about dating coworkers instead of working things out with me, that all you had to do was tell me."

"Are you kidding me?!" Hermione shouted. She took a moment to reach down to the slit in her dress, went up her thigh and pulled out her wand. She missed Draco's wide eyes as she did so and proceeded to cast a Silencing Charm.

"Winston is not the reason why I didn't want to move forward with us! And you have some nerve! You're here, berating me on my actions when you brought Astoria after we slept together!"

"I didn't want to bring her!"

Hermione snorted. "So, what? She brought herself?"

"She's been in Russia since Thursday morning, Hermione." Draco explained in a groan. "You don't send a letter to someone saying, 'Oh, I slept with my ex-wife while you away. Can't take you to the ball or be with you ever again because now she and I have a thing!"

"We don't have a thing! I mean, Merlin! We had sex once in months, and you're ready to just jump right back into us again." She said exasperatedly. "Do you realize how impractical that is?"

"Why does it have to be practical?" Draco argued. "Why can't it just…be?"

"Because nothing just is, Draco. Nothing."

Draco scoffed. "Of course not. Everything has to have a reason with you. Everything has to make sense."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you never just live, Hermione. Everything has to have a purpose, a meaning, or something. We're not over each other and we need to see where this goes."

"No, what we need to do is act like a proper divorced couple."

Draco blinked. "Is that what you really want?"

Was it?

Hermione took a deep breath. "…It's what I need. You might be ready to base the next steps of our lives on one instance, but I'm not. We should wait a while."

"What am I supposed to do then?" Draco asked as he bit the inside of his jaw and let his eyes fall to the floor. "Just...wait around and not have you? Stay with Astoria so I don't feel empty and alone?"

I don't want you to be alone, but I don't want you to be with her either.

Hermione had meant to say that out loud. She really had. Her own gaze had left his as he had spoken, but before she could properly look at him again he was gone. She couldn't have been angrier at herself than she felt right at that moment and she didn't understand why. Was it so wrong not to want to jump headfirst into anything solely based on one sexual encounter? It didn't make a lick of sense and had a huge potential for disaster.

At least that's what her head was telling her. Ginny's words (and now Draco's) were swimming around in her thoughts and Hermione frowned. She hated when her friends and Draco agreed. It usually meant that she was wrong.

And she hated being wrong. Regardless, she took a deep inhale, returned her wand to the strap on the inside of her thigh and headed back out to the party. As though Merlin as playing a massive joke on her, her eyes spotted Draco first. He was with Astoria out on the dance floor and the way that she was looking at him –like she was positively in love with him –made Hermione want to vomit. Instead she looked for Winston, passing her friends along the way and told him that she was ready for that dance now.

Her friends, who were at the sidelines drinking and talking, were mostly oblivious to the tension with the exception of two.

"Idiots,"

Ginny and Blaise both paused and looked at one another. The redhead leaned over a bit and asked in a whisper, "Do you know…?"

"Horizontal dance…?"

"Them being prats about it…?"

"Complete prats," Blaise agreed.

Ginny sighed and took a sip of her champagne. "What are we going to do? Hermione's in denial-"

"-And Draco's settling. Honestly? I don't think there's anything we can do unless they both want it."

"Oh, they want it. They're just too scared to push for it."

Blaise silently agreed, and both he and Ginny continued to watch their respective friends and their growing tensions out on the dance floor.

Author's note: Well, that was a lot to take in! I think my favorite part out of all of this is Narcissa. She doesn't say much with words, but her part gets me every time. And of course, Draco and Hermione's conversation. Missed opportunities, yes?

-WP

Replies to Guests

J: I don't know what I'm going to do when it's over either. I'm really enjoying writing this! :)

abigail: Hahaha, McDonald's :). I'm thinking 30-35 chapters. That's my guess for right now.

Guest: "You replied to…" Haha yes, that is true! But at least this chapter came a day early! I'm sure that made you happy!

Dhriti Ghoshal: Hahaha, I think you got your wish with this chapter! Draco was definitely a little possessive/mean here lol. Jealousy, anger, and champagne would do that to you!

naz: One of Hermione's best attributes leads to her biggest downfall. Such a shame really. As you read from this chapter, Draco did turn up with Astoria, but didn't want to. And a whole bunch anger, jealousy, and prattish behavior (I love Draco lol) later, here we are! More drama to come, but not for very long in the slightest.

Guest: "Owoouww it's good…" I had put out a disclaimer in the first chapter that the story would dip into M in some bits. As I'm writing the rest of this though (I'm on chapter 25 right now), and with certain topics I think I might actually change it. Glad that you like the story so far!

Guest: "Totally expected that from Hermione…" Of course! She would definitely be the one to muck this up. As you read form this chapter, Draco definitely hit his own dose of suffering. And he dealt with it in the only way a prat could lol. As for Hermione, you kind of have to remember that she encouraged him to move on. And sometimes you don't realize just how much you love/need someone until they're not your main focus anymore. Love is weird *shrug*.

Also, I'm happy to hear that you liked A Loveless Cycle! That had been such a joy to write despite how short it is. A sequel would be…interesting. I'll think about it ;)

Vedica: Oh, thanks! I'm glad that you like it so far! I hope that this chapter lived up to your expectations :)

AB: Draco and Hermione NEED to get back together. For them not to would just be awful. Thanks for the compliment on my writing :)

Aftermath11: You're welcome! :)

Cascol3: I'm SO curious on your thoughts on the situation now after this chapter. This one held a lot. Many different points of view, little interactions, big interactions, etc. Personally (despite having written it lol), I'm frustrated by Hermione although it's fright that drives her.