So here it is: what I have been waiting to post for so long now. I hope you have all figured out what is going to happen... Maybe... But please don't throw anything at me!I just had to do it! And thank you to all my reviewers! I love you all to death for reading this. If you read this and don't review, I might not post the sequel...


Sunday January 1, 2006

Hermione felt the soft and smooth texture of the lips that were pressed gently against her own. Her eyes had been shut when they made contact because she had been blinking at the sudden burst of a red firecracker exploding in the sky overhead. But now her eyes were fluttering open to stare into the wonderful blue orbs that belonged to her boyfriend.

"Happy New Year's, baby," he whispered into her ear with his left hand still in his pocket. "I love you."

Sure, she had had plenty to drink, but she was more than capable to comprehend everything and still remember it in the morning when she would wake up later on. Her heart started beating faster, just like it did every time he said those three words to her. She was never able to make that fluttery feeling in her stomach go away each time, but in a way it was a comforting awkwardness. It made her realise that Draco was still capable of making her feel like a young girl who had just received her first kiss. He was still able to make her really see fireworks go off in her mind, even if they weren't setting off in the sky.

"I love you, too, Draco," she replied while reaching up to kiss him one more time.

He held onto her waist protectively and then both turned to finish watching the display of fire in the sky. Out in the distance they could spot a normal sized boat with a few figures aboard. Hermione figured that these men were the ones setting off the crackers for everyone else to enjoy. Draco kept his arm around her, and soon she melted into it, resting her head on his shoulder as they sat on the ground with the sand seeping through their toes.

Soon enough, the display was over and the party continued with the music blazing as loud as before and the small group made their way to join everyone else.

"Hermione, will you be okay on your own here for the meantime?" Draco asked close to her ear so she would be able to hear over the booming sounds. He already asked if he would be able to leave after midnight had passed, because another worker from the lab that he had gotten to know had invited him for a few drinks at the ball-dropping ceremony. Hermione gave her consent earlier on, but Draco was scared to leave her.

"Of course, Draco," she smiled sweetly. "Have fun." The brunette gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek to finalise her approval. He reached down to grab her chin, and returned her kiss with one on the lips, and then embraced her in a tight hug. After he said good-bye, he started stalking towards a taxi with his shoes in hand.

"So who's ready for a real party!" she shouted to anyone who was around her. Now that she was free of Draco, she could let loose a little more without having a watching-eye judging her movements. Not that she was going to do anything against his wishes, but she wanted to dance and drink more. She decided that she didn't have enough alcohol in her system yet, and walked towards the bar with Riley in toe.

The bartender handed her another Corona and simultaneously handed Riley a Budweiser. Hermione turned to Riley and raised her bottle and said, "Cheers" and their drinks clinked once again, bringing on the New Year. She lifted the opening of the bottle to her lips and took a huge gulp of it liking the feeling the rush of cold beer gave her throat.

"You drink heavy like this all the time?" Riley asked with wide eyes.

"Um…" The alcohol was starting to get to her, and she giggled. This is new, Hermione giggling? "Not really…"

"I can sort of tell," he laughed.

He walked alongside her with a hand behind her back to ensure her safety, and went back to Blaise and Ginny. For about thirty more minutes they enjoyed each others company while dancing widely –at least Hermione did. When Ginny excused herself to go to the bathroom for the fifth time that night, Blaise decided it might be time from them to head back to the hotel. Hermione insisted on staying, and after pleading with the Italian man until Ginny came back, he agreed to let her stay. He made Riley promise to return her to her room in one piece. The two lover birds decided to get their own room for the night so they could be alone and give Hermione and Draco their own space.

After their retreating figures disappeared, she dragged Riley back to the bar. When the bartender refused to give her another beer –she already had five bottles- she batted her eyelashes and starting flirting with him. Finally he gave up an extra Bud Light because they had run out of Coronas. She downed the whole bottle with only one contact to her lips.

"Hermione, I think it's about time you've stopped," Riley said without much firmness in his voice. If he was being serious, he sure as hell didn't seem like it.

"Pish posh. You're just trying to take care of me for Draco's sake. That's cute Riley, but cut the act!"

About thirty minutes later she passed out into his arms while dancing next to the fading fire. While trying to be a gentleman, he scooped her up bridal-style and held onto her flip-flops in one of his hands. She wasn't heavy at all for him, so he proceeded to carry her all the way to the hotel. He walked in through the front doors into the lobby that was still brightly lit with candles and lighting charms, and stalked to the front desk.

"Hello there, Riley," greeted a Japanese woman with a flirtatious smile. She then noticed the girl that was obviously unconscious lying in his arms. "Merlin, what happened to her?"

"She partied too hard for the first time in her life. Miss Inori… I mean Tsuki… I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything for you sweet thing," she replied flirtatiously again.

"I need the key to Hermione Granger's room seeing as how I don't have it."

"She doesn't have it on her?" she questioned as if it were obvious to check first.

"No, and I'm not about to feel her for it, either." Tsuki Inori gave him a shy smile, but then nodded. "It's room 3210."

She handed him a card key, and then Riley made his way to the elevator still carrying her in his arms, not bothering to use a levitation charm. He fumbled a little while trying to reach the button for the 32nd floor, but eventually pushed it. After a long ride in the blasted elevator, the doors finally opened and he walked out and took a right until he reached the designated room. With much caution as to not wake up the sleeping beauty, he inserted the card into the slot until the light flashed green, and twisted the knob.

Releasing a sigh of relief, he made his way to the bedroom and gently laid her down on a bed he assumed to be hers. While trying to release his arms from underneath her, he bumped into her arm and she started to stir. He waited until she stopped to continue releasing himself from her grasp. His arms were finally free, but when he tried to stand straight, her necklace tugged on his shirt where it had hooked itself. He found himself in an awkward position while hovering over her with his face directly above hers.

While trying to unhook himself to hurry out of the room, she started to move around once again, but more so than before.

"Draco…" she said in low voice.

Riley just stood frozen in the spot he was in hoping that she was just dreaming. He proved himself wrong when she grabbed a hold of him by wrapping her arms around his neck. She pushed him down hard and kissed him while moaning a little.

"I missed you…" she said in between kisses.

Riley was so into it, that the fact she had a boyfriend completely slipped his mind. She deepened the kiss and he made no motion to back out of it. Hermione pulled him down father and he complied by lying on top of her with no intention to move. He started kissing her with more fierceness and she moaned once again into it.

He broke away from their kiss, and latched himself on her neck sucking hard on the skin while leaving purple and red marks. One thing led to another and soon there was a pile of clothes on the floor, leaving the two bodies completely naked. He went all out and managed to take her right then and there. But instead of calling out his name, he heard her moan, "Draco!"

That's when he realised she thought it was her boyfriend. She collapsed and within ten seconds, fell asleep. Riley was planning on leaving, but her arms were wrapped around him and her heavy breathing was making his drowsiness more noticeable. Soon enough he feel asleep right next to her.

- - - - - -

"What the fuck is going on here!" A loud voice was booming and echoing in her ears, making her head pound heavily as she woke up. She felt as though an elephant was sitting on her head, but she started to get up in bed while rubbing the sleep away from her eyes. She forcefully opened them even though she felt like keeping them closed and falling back to sleep. She looked to the doorway and noticed Draco standing there.

"Love, why are you still dressed? I'm so tired and you must be, too." She was less than enthusiastic to be talking at that moment. Suddenly she felt a stirring next to her and she opened her eyes as wide as she could make them go while paying no mind to the bright light shinning into them. "Oh shit!" she breathed, noticing that someone was lying next to her and it wasn't Draco. She turned her head to see who it was that was getting up.

She turned back to look at Draco, whose face was getting redder by each passing second. "Draco, wait, I can explain…" she urged, begging him not to leave.

"No, Hermione, your actions are speaking louder than words." He turned away and stalked angrily out of the room.

"Shit, Riley, get the fuck out!" she yelled.

"Well, sorry!" he replied sarcastically. "You were enjoying yourself not too long ago, so I wouldn't be complaining." He started to put his shirt back on after slipping his pants on first.

"You arrogant son of a bitch! I thought you were Draco! You shouldn't have taken advantage of a drunken woman!"

"If I'm not mistaken, you were the one who kissed me…"

"Well, excuse if I can't remember what happened. Now get out!"

Without another word, he left, but not quick enough to avoid an alarm clock hitting him in the back. He looked at her as if he were to kill her, but walked out before things could get worse.

"I've totally fucked this one up," she said to herself while tears slid down unwilling from her eyes. Her head was aching more than before, and she figured she would deal with Draco later on when the sun was actually up and she would be able to properly dress herself.

- - - - - -

"Draco, can you please just listen to me?" Hermione pleaded while walking away from his turned back to face him again, trying to stop him from leaving.

"You've already explained yourself enough, Hermione."

"Merlin! You're acting as if I wanted that to happen!"

"Well, didn't you?"

"NO! I thought he was you!"

"Oh, well that makes everything better!" he replied sarcastically.

"Draco, I love you, no one else!" she shouted at him.

"It doesn't take love to shag someone. Trust me." He glared at her with hate, feeling no remorse for his hurtful words.

"So, what you're trying to say is that you didn't love me?" Her eyes were starting to water at the thought of him lying to her. All the times he'd said those words to her, he had never meant them.

"I don't know, Hermione, maybe I am." Truly, she didn't now how much it hurt him to say that to her.

"Draco Malfoy, you have just officially broken the heart of the only person who loved you more than anything in the world!"

"Well, I'm surprised you didn't hear my heart shattering on the floor."

"That's a lie, 'cause you never loved me anyway!"

"Just be glad the fucking potion worked, so you only have until after tomorrow to be stuck here with me. After we leave the airport on Wednesday, don't bother seeing me around anymore."

"So that's it? We're not even going to talk about this?"

"Granger, there's no justifying what you have done." With his last words, he left her crying on the bed they had once shared, with her own thoughts.

She had convinced herself to have fun last night, and look where it had eventually brought her. Hermione never meant for anything like that to happen, but now it did and she had to suffer the consequences. And this time, all alone.


I feel entirely evil now... Muahahaha. Okay enough, now REVIEW. Please?