Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and plotlines belong to JK Rowling.

Chapter 14

Hermione swayed in Draco's arms as the band played a jazzy version of Frank Sinatra's song "Witchcraft." Her heels had long since been abandoned and she was a glass of champagne away from either falling asleep or jumping Draco's bones right here on the dance floor, although she had yet to decide which.

Ginny and Blaise's wedding had been absolutely stunning, of course. Hosted in one of the many Italian villas that Blaise's mother had inherited from one of her late husbands, the couple had set up their wedding reception to be an indoor-outdoor affair. Tables covered in expensive linens filled the ballroom, while a full jazz band played outside on the terrace, with candles suspended above it all so wedding guests could mill about and dance to their heart's content.

Ginny had shared a sweet father-daughter dance with Arthur to "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole, while Blaise twirled his mother around the dance floor. Ginny and Blaise were glued to each other at the hips for their first dance, a spicy tango that made Molly avert her gaze. Ginny's brothers, with the exclusion of Ron, had made a garish toast involving a lewd dance number that had Hermione doubled over in tears, unable to contain her laughter. Draco had made a lovely speech about fresh beginnings and growing families that filled her with a feeling that she couldn't quite place a finger on, and for Hermione's maid of honor speech, she had jokingly created a Muggle slideshow with pictures from their Hogwarts days and Ginny's hen do, with her own narration over the top, earning a playful glare from the beautiful bride and a mirthful clap on the back from the groom.

And now here they were. Less than a month ago, they were acquaintances at best. She would even go so far as to say that she and Draco had been rivals once upon a time. But here she was now, reveling in the afterglow of her pre-wedding orgasm at her fiance's tongue while they soaked in the ambiance of their friends' beautiful wedding and danced to Frank Sinatra. The term surreal came to mind.

A loud crash brought Hermione quickly out of her reverie, her hand immediately going to her wand at her thigh. A glance over to Draco told her that he had felt the same trepidation, his arm had moved quickly to push her behind him as he drew his own wand. Hermione rolled her eyes as she saw it was only Ronald, who had showed up to the party very late and already drunk, demanding the most expensive food from the chef Ginny and Blaise had hired to cater the event. Evidently he had violently bumped into a server, causing a tray full of empty champagne flutes to go crashing to the ground and was now cursing the ear off of anyone who would listen.

Hermione was sad to say that she wasn't surprised. Even toward the end of their relationship, Ron had been partial to his liquor and violent outbursts. Not that Hermione could say anything against him, of course. The past two times she had gotten even remotely tipsy, she had ended up falling into bed with her now-fiance, not that she regretted that even the slightest bit. She remembered a particularly embarrassing family dinner about a year ago where Ron had simultaneously hit on Bill's wife Fleur and disparaged her family in the same breath, causing Ron and Bill to come to blows in the back garden.

"Oi! I've every right to bloody be here, ya know!" she heard him shouting at one of the Aurors that Ginny and Blaise had brought with them to serve as security. "I'm family, I am!"

"For Merlin's sake, Ronald!" Ronald's own fiance Astoria Greengrass seemed to materialize from within the house. "Behave yourself!"

"Eh, don't tell me what to do, woman," he slurred, swinging around to look at her. "I'm a man, and if I want to fuckin', eh, fuckin' get some bloody food, I'll get some sodding food!"

Hermione couldn't help but let out a snort. It always came back to food with him, didn't it? One track mind and all that. The redhead fixed his eye on her. "Oi, 'Mione, what's with the dress? You look like a fuckin' whore with your tits all out like 'at."

Hermione's face heated with anger. Draco tensed beside her and spoke in an icy tone. "You will not speak to my fiance that way, Weasley. She deserves better than to be leered out by a sloppy drunk who can hardly stand upright."

"Your fiance?" Ron laughed, staggering toward them. Hermione gripped her wand. "She's only with you because of that bloody law, innit? Otherwise, she'd still be mopin' over me."

"Actually, Ronald," Hermione said quietly, wrapping an arm around Draco's waist. "We got together before we found out we had been matched."

The look on Ron's face changed so quickly Hermione flinched. "What? You did what?" He pointed angrily at her. "You bloody slag! You fucked him, didn't you?"

"It's none of your bloody business, Weasley. What Hermione does is no concern of yours. You and Astoria made sure of that," Draco hissed, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his wand.

"Ronald, let's just go inside," Astoria whined, attempting to pull her fiance back into the house.

Ron pulled his arm free of her and took another step toward Draco and Hermione, now so close that Hermione could smell the stink of Ogden's finest on his breath. Her nose wrinkled in distaste as she burrowed closer to Draco.

"Well, enjoy my sloppy seconds, Malfoy," he leered, reaching out a clammy hand to stroke Hermione's arm. "She was a lousy lay anyway."

Draco sighed and stepped away from Hermione, pocketing his wand. "You shouldn't have said that."

Without another word, Draco lunged at Ron, punching him first in the nose, instantly breaking it, and then raining a barrage of punches onto him. Hermione and Astoria attempted to pull them off of each other, each of the women attempting to dodge the errant fists flying through the air. Ron swung wildly, knocking Hermione square in the chest and sending her flying until she hit something very hard and very solid. Sounds blurred together, and her vision darkened until there was quiet.