Hermione Granger took a final glance at her reflection in the full length mirror she had in the small hallway of her flat and smiled at what she saw. Hermione was dressed in a pair of tight black skinny jeans that clung to her perfectly like a second skin. A cream silk camisole hung delicately from her shoulders by two narrow straps. Small black strips of lace peaked out from below her camisole showing a hint of the bra that encased her perky round breasts. Over her camisole she wore a waterfall style black leather jacket which fell to just below her sculptured bottom. Upon Her feat, Hermione wore a pair of black pointed-toe thin stiletto heels that were five inches high and made her appear much taller than her petite five-foot stature. In her right hand she held a small cream and black clutched bag and in her left she heled her Vinewood wand; both hands had perfect French manicures. Around her neck she had worn a goblin forged silver necklace with an opal lily dangling from it; a gift Harry had given her after her parents had died during the war, the necklace had belonged to his mother and he had told her that that she was his sister and she would never be alone, she'd worn it every day for six years. Hermione's chocolate curls had been tamed into gentle waves that fell to the centre of her back; she'd twisted the front portion of her hair on the right side and pulled it back clipping it into place with a hidden bobby pin. A perfect outfit for a first date; Hermione thought to herself before Apparateing to the Smoking Dragon a popular bar owned by Draco Malfoy.
The Smoking Dragon was in the heart of Diagon Alley; since the end of the war Diagon Alley had become a popular night-time spot with nightclubs, bars and restaurants replacing many of the establishments that had closed during the final year of the war. Though Diagon Alley was still a popular shopping district by day once the sun set and shops shutters were drawn the young adults of the wizarding world arrived in droves; dressed up and ready for nights outs with friends or partners; this was especially true on nights like this; Friday nights were always busy in Diagon Alley as everyone wanted to let their hair down and relax after a busy workweek. Hermione stood near the Entrance to the Smoking Dragon observing those around her as she waited for her date to arrive. There was a group of girls slightly older than her on a hen do; one of the girls in the centre of the group wore a sash proclaiming her to be a bride, the girls laughed and chatted merrily clearly already intoxicated even though it had just turned eight o'clock. A short distance away from her outside the Blaise Zabini's nightclub; Moonstone a group of scruffy looking wizards were arguing with the club's bouncer who was refusing them entrance to the club. When she had been at Hogwarts with them Hermione never predicted that Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini would own two of the most popular nightlife establishments in the Wizarding World, she assumed that Draco would have taken over Malfoy Enterprises and that Blaise would have continued to be the Italian lothario that he had been at school. She had been pleasantly surprised when the pair had switched sides in their sixth year at Hogwarts and had distanced themselves from their pureblood families; both had withdrawn the contents of their trust funds prior to switching sides and in the post war climate they had monopolised on the climate by buying property in the Alley at a low price. Six years post war both had volts full of gold they had earned themselves; Draco from the Smoking Dragon which he had named after himself and Blaise with The Moonstone named after Luna who he had fallen in love with after been paired together for Order Missions; after the war, the pair had married, and Luna was now expecting their first child.
"Hermione," a deep voice called, Hermione shook her head clearing her mind of thoughts of her pregnant friend and smiled at the wizard in front of her.
"Hello, Michael," she replied pleasantly, Michael Conner had been a Ravenclaw in her year in Hogwarts, after he had graduated, he had become a lawyer at the Ministry. Hermione had seen him around the ministry a few times over the years as she worked as an Unspeakable; when Michael had asked her on a date the previous week she'd quickly agreed; it had been three months since her and Oliver Wood had broken up and she was ready to dip her toes back into the dating pool. Michael was dressed in a smart Grey suit and looked to have come straight from work; in his hand was a black briefcase.
"You look lovely," he told her leaning in to give her a hug, Hermione hugged him back with a smile and Michael led her over to join the queue outside of the Smoking Dragon.
"Sorry I was late, I had problematic meeting that ran over," Michael told her.
"That's okay, I wasn't waiting long, and it is a lovely warm evening tonight," she replied as they moved closer to the entrance.
"Such a precarious case you know, of course any case that deals with interspecies relations is going to be precarious; one wrong move in this case and we might have another goblin war on our hands. Twelve hours I sat in that meeting negotiating on behalf of my client with Theodore Nott who is representing the goblins; why a wizard of his status would represent such a creature is beyond me. Then again since his father's incarceration Nott has been squandering his families fortune on all manner of creatures; werewolves, veela, vampires acting like they have the same rights as witches and wizards like ourselves Hermione," Michael spoke vehemently, and Hermione felt her complexion pale the more he talked; she was already regretting agreeing to this date, she couldn't start any form of relationship with someone who had such drastically different beliefs when it came to the equality of Magical creatures especially sentient ones like the ones Michael had listed.
"Table for two," Michael spoke, Hermione hadn't realised they had reached the front of the queue and had no choice but to follow the blonde waitress Amber as she led the pair through the stylish black, grey, and silver bar to a secluded table illuminated by a jar of blue flames.
"Can I get you anything to drink," the Amber asked smiling.
"We'll take a bottle of your house red," Michael responded dismissively. Hermione didn't like red wine and certainly didn't like people who spoke so dismissively to hard working people.
"Actually, I'll have a glass of Firewhiskey please Amber, ask Draco to pour me a double," she told the girl with a tight smile.
"Of course, Hermione, I'll leave you both to look at the menu and be back shortly," Amber spoke ignoring Michael entirely.
"You must come here and drink often to know the help by name," Michael muttered disapprovingly.
"That help is a woman who lost her entire family in the war, she was twelve when Death Eaters tortured and murdered her parents and six siblings. While she was watching acts no child should witness the Order of the Phoenix received a tip on the attack. When Draco and his team arrived only Amber was alive. She spent six months in hospital and has since graduated from Hogwarts with perfect OWL's and NEWT's. Amber is waitressing to pay her way through Muggle Medical School while also doing a healing apprenticeship at St Mungo's. She has been through so much and is one of the strongest and most hardworking people I know, not just one of the help," Hermione told him heatedly.
"That she is Hermione, and I would happily pay for her training myself but Amber won't let me," Draco's smooth voice cut in before Michael could reply.
"Draco, lovely to see you," Hermione greeted happily standing from her seat to give him a much warmer hug than the one she had given Michael earlier.
"You look exquisite this evening Mya; if you and Harry didn't have a sibling bond, I'd have you become a third; you'd look beautiful naked and on our bed between us," Draco ever the flirt whispered the words in her ear before kissing her cheek, from the angry look on Michael's face Draco had spoken loud enough for the Ravenclaw to hear.
"Alas you chose my brother over me, I might consider your offer if you ever break up with Harry but we both know that will never happen, you are sickeningly in love with my brother," she replied jovially.
"That I am, remember we need you round tomorrow to help us sample cakes for our wedding; if I leave the choice to Harry, we will probably end up with a monstrosity that looks and tastes disgusting," he told her passing her a glass of Firewhiskey which looked to be a triple rather than the double she had asked for.
"I will be in Godric's Hollow at nine tomorrow as planned; thank you for brining my drink," she told him with a smile. Draco nodded at her and soon she and Michael were once more alone at their table; Amber had dropped off Michael's red wine while she had been talking to Draco and from the looks of the botte Michael was already onto his second glass.
"Do you often let your best friend's fiancé flirt with you, I'm sure Potter wouldn't be happy if he knew," Michael spoke snidely, and Hermione took a gulp of her drink before responding.
"Harry knows that Draco is a flirt and he also knows that no matter how much he flirts the only person Draco wants is Harry. As much as he flirts with me, I could stand completely naked in front of him and beg him to take me and Draco wouldn't. He loves Harry," She told him steadfastly.
"It isn't right," he muttered downing the contents of his wine glass.
"Well neither is the persecution and marginalisation of members of our society but you'd have werewolves, veela, vampires and other beings treated differently to the rest of us. I fought for an equal society. Remus Lupin a werewolf died so that we all could live in a free world; his son Teddy gets to live in a world that is free knowing that his father was a good wizard who died a hero" Hermione spoke passionately and finished her drink in three gulps, the comments Michael had made earlier were still at the front of her mind and she needed him to know that she didn't agree with his beliefs.
"They are dangerous creatures Hermione even if some of them are good they are dangerous," he told her in a belittling tone.
"They are no more dangerous than I am; during the war I killed people, I have human blood on my hands, I've probably killed more people than the creatures you want to ostracize from society. The only difference is I killed with a wand while magical beings can kill with claws and fangs. Michael they are beings not creatures and most of them haven't ever hurt anyone," Hermione spoke angrily and stood up from her seat at the small table.
"Where do you think your going," he asked her irritably.
"I think it is clear we have nothing in common so I don't see why we should continue with this farce of a date," she told him decisively before walking away from him. Hermione walked through the restaurant part of Draco's bar and through a stone archway that led to a more traditional bar.
"Ditched the Ravenclaw," Draco asked passing her another triple of Firewhiskey with a smile as she climbed onto one of the tall barstools.
"He was a prick," she replied, Hermione took a large swig from the drink and raise her wand; "Expecto Patronum," Hermione smiled at her playful otter and whispered her message to send to Ginny, "Trainwreck". Hermione's Patronus nodded at her and sped off, a trail of bright bluey-white light to find her redheaded friend.