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Chapter 2-

He nearly laughed his arse off when Granger threw that handful of rice right in Weasel's face. Draco was sure it was intentional, for she ducked behind another guest so no one would know it was she, but Draco saw the whole thing. Well, bully for her, he thought.

He sat behind her during the wedding. She kept her head down during most of the ceremony. She even said, "Ha!" right out loud when Weasley proclaimed to 'love, honour, and cherish' Pansy. He watched her go back in the chapel after the wedding party and the other guests left. Maybe she forgot something. He would just sit outside and wait for her. He didn't know why he wanted to wait, he just did. She looked like she could use a friend. Since there wasn't one of her friends present, he would have to do.

He was now on speaking terms with Potter and Weasley, not friends, but friendly. However, he had not seen Granger in three years. He knew they were all still friends; at least Potter and she were, because Potter had a picture of her on his desk. Draco stopped and looked at it occasionally. She really had grown into her looks. She was almost pretty now. Actually, she was even prettier in person. Why the Weasel picked Pansy over Hermione, Draco would never know, but then again, he always did question the ginger haired man's sanity.

He knew she was a healer now. He might have to get hurt so he could go see her. That thought made him smile.

She certainly had been in the chapel for a long time now. Perhaps she disapparated from inside. He was probably out here waiting for her for no apparent reason. He was wasting his time. He decided to open the door and see if she was still there.

She was.

She was crying.

Damn.

Surely, she was not mourning the loss of Weaslebee. She was smarter than that. Maybe some of that rice hit her in the eye. That must have been why she was crying.

She was crying for goodness sakes. What to do? What to do? Should he wait for her now? She saw him open the door. She turned and looked right at him. If he left now, she would think he was an insensitive git. He would have to wait for her.

After exchanging pleasantries with her, she said she was going to go home and get drunk. Not on his watch, she wasn't. He suggested they go somewhere together and to his astonishment, she agreed.

He apparated them both directly to the Burrow.

"Why are we here?" she asked, "I thought you weren't coming to the reception. Sea of red hair, remember?"

"I thought it would be fun to come here and make fun of people. I know making fun of people always makes me feel better. Reminds me that I am superior," Draco remarked, adding, "And I'm sure they have plenty of vodka here."

"But, I wasn't planning on coming here," she said softly.

"It will be fun," Draco urged. "We can have some alcohol, something good to eat, and as stated before, sit around and make fun of people."

She laughed and said, "But, that's not nice."

"And your point is?" he asked.

"My point is that, that's not nice," she said again.

"And your point is?" he said again, adding, "Whoever said I was nice? You aren't that nice either, if I recall."

"I'm very nice," she said.

"Blah, blah, blah," he mocked, "That's all I hear when you say things like that." Draco steered her toward an empty table, and they sat down.

Harry Potter took that moment to walk up to the pair. He thought it was odd they were sitting by each other. For all he knew, they were not even friends. Harry leaned down, kissed Hermione's cheek, and said, "I was worried. I thought maybe you wouldn't show up to the reception."

Draco excused himself to go get them some drinks.

"I'm surprised you even noticed I wasn't here, Harry," she said.

"Of course I noticed. I've been worried about you all day. You seemed sad at the chapel," he said.

"No, I'm fine," she lied.

Draco came back and heard what she said. He knew she was lying to Harry. Draco said, "Potter."

"Malfoy," Harry said back.

Harry squeezed Hermione's hand and said, "Come sit with us."

"At the wedding party table?" she asked, shocked. "I hardly think so. Go on, Harry, have fun."

He leaned down and said, "I want to make sure you're alright."

Draco said, "She's fine."

"I really wasn't speaking to you," Harry said. Just then, Ginny called to Harry that it was time to take some pictures. He gave Hermione's hand one last squeeze, and left her there, unsmiling, and somewhat sad again. Draco would have to change her mood.

"Here's your drink," he said, handing her a tumbler.

She took a big swig and then coughed and sputtered. "This is straight up," she complained.

"You wanted vodka," he said, "so I gave you vodka, as requested."

"Not straight, Malfoy." She smiled.

"I didn't realize you were a lightweight, give it here," he said. He returned a moment later and said, "A vodka Collins for the lady."

"Thank you," she said, taking the glass. He sat back down beside her.

She still made a funny face while drinking the drink. He said, "For heaven's sakes, Granger, have you even ever had alcohol?"

"Don't waste your time making fun of me, find someone else," Hermione said, putting her glass down on the table. "I'll start. You pick someone, and I will make fun of them."

"Fine, let the games begin," Draco smiled. "How about that lady?" He pointed toward a woman.

Hermione said, "First, her hair looks like it was caught in a hurricane, and her robes look like a troll vomited on them. She even has more of a pug face then Pansy does."

Draco laughed and said, "That's the bride's mother."

"NO!" she said, hitting his hand.

"YES!" he mocked, hitting her hand back.

She laughed for thirty seconds and then said, "The apple certainly doesn't fall far from the tree. Your turn, that man there, go for it."

Draco said, "He must have let a blind monkey pick out his robes, for everyone knows black and yellow look horrendous together. He looks like a giant bumblebee."

Hermione said, "Buzz, Buzz. That's Luna Lovegood's father, and it probably was a blind humdinger pixie, not a monkey."

"A what?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Nothing, pick for me now," she urged.

He thought, 'that's the spirit', and said, "The woman with the funny hat."

Hermione said, "She must have transfigured a peacock and put it on her head, not realizing that the spell didn't work."

"Pansy's aunt," he laughed.

"You liar!" she squealed.

"Never," he said.

"Never?" she begged to differ.

"Okay, all the time, but that really is her aunt," he amended.

Hermione said, "Tell me about that lady over there," and she pointed at Ron's aunt Muriel.

"That old lady looks like she had her face cursed to resemble the back side of an orangutan," Draco said.

Hermione laughed so hard some of her drink came out of her mouth. She said, "That's Ron's great aunt!" She wiped her chin.

"It's kind of funny," he said, "how all the really ugly people here are related to the bride and groom."

Hermione stated, "Goodness, can you imagine what their children will look like?"

Draco said, "Apparently they will look like orangutan arses with peacocks on their heads."

That made Hermione smile and laugh. She said, "I'm having fun, Malfoy, Thanks."

He asked her, "Do you want anything to eat?"

"Sure," she said, "but I can get it."

"We could go up and get something, together," he suggested.

"That's a plan," she decided. The alcohol was making her feel all warm inside. She stood up just as he did. He pulled her chair out for her. She turned to walk to the buffet table, and he had his hand on the small of her back. He felt like it was such an intimate gesture, but surely, she would not feel the same.

There was a long line at the table and he leaned toward her and said, "All these Weasley relatives, I swear. We will be in line forever."

She just turned around and smiled at him. She said, "Do you want to go back and sit down and wait for the line to die down. I'm sure there's plenty of food, knowing Mrs. Weasley."

"Yes, let's come back in a moment. Would you join me on a walk around the garden?" he asked.

"Certainly," she said. He held out his arm, she placed her hand on it, and he thought he felt a warm feeling spread throughout his entire body. Of course, it was a rather warm day, and the sun was very bright out, as it was only shortly after noontime. That was the reason for the warmth that spread through his whole body, and the reason his neck felt prickly and hot. That had to be the reason.

"Are you okay, Malfoy?" she inquired.

"Never better," he said, as he led her away from the crowd.

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