A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Coming home from the bar, I checked my answering machine.

"You have two messages." it answered in it's dull tone. I pressed play.

"Hi Hermione! I hope I'm using this right!" I smiled at Ron's voice. That boy couldn't use a muggle thing for his life. I could hear Harry in the back, sighing and trying to coach Ron. I grinned. "But Lily's birthday is next week and we're throwing her a surprise party. Will you be able to make it? If you can please owl me, I really don't want to use this telephone anymore. I'll give you the details then. Bye!" I laughed a bit and grabbed my calendar as the next message came on.

"Hermione dear! This is you mother!" I rolled my eyes. My mum. "Just calling to see how you were doing! Did that book deal go through? Goodness knows that publisher has taken long enough! Honestly Hermione, I don't know why you don't march down and ask them why it's taken them a year! But may I remind you that if you if you got married that nice Harry or Ron boy you wouldn't be in this? You could have kids and those boys have enough money for more than two! Anyway, call me and we'll have lunch next week! I found the cutest little lunch place! Hugs and kisses!" The machine cut off. My God.

My mum, I love her to death but she's annoying. Whether it's that I don't brush my teeth enough or always pointing out that my book hasn't gotten published, she can just make my blood boil. She'll say to people.

"My daughter is a writer. She sent off a book to get published but it's taking them a year! A year! Can you believe it?" She makes me sound like a fool!

She also wants me to get married. I can't tell you how many times she's tried to set me up with someone. But every time we pass a store or something that has a B in it. She goes off about that nice man I didn't meet...or how I should put myself out there... I swear I want to strangle her when she does that. But after all that talk, she's my mum again. She doesn't know I work at a bar. She's very against alcohol, all forms of it. Doesn't drink either. (It damages your teeth, according to her.) So that wouldn't be the best dinner conversation. But without her I wouldn't have my house. And I happen to own a lovely house, if I do say so myself. It's a bit small but I love it. It's like a little country type house, complete with balcony, porch, and a nice sized yard. The thing about wizard houses is that you pay for the house all at once. Not like in the muggle world where you can die before the house is yours. Mum payed half and I payed half. Since my house is mine, I get to keep more money for food, clothes, and other things. It's nice having some spare money I can blow on anything. I sighed, remembering my mum's message. It wasn't that I didn't want to get married. I just wanted my career to be established first! But that seemed to take a back seat at the present moment. But if the right man came along...of course I would marry him...I prayed that my book would go through before then.

After owling Ron and a stressful conversation with mum. (We agreed to lunch tomorrow) I crawled into bed, tired from my long night. Then I though about Malfoy. He hadn't insulted me once during the whole time he was there. A record. He acted nice and he asked if I was single... Who knows? I would probably never see him again...

Driving up the his house, I realize Malfoy hadn't sold the mansion. I was a bit surprised. His dad was dead and his mother had remarried and moved out. It seemed a bit stupid to own a house and only have one person live in it. I hope he thought that everyone at the party would be too wasted to go home. Because that was the only logical reason I could find for so many rooms. I knocked on the door. No answer. I tried the door, unlocked. I quickly slipped inside. Now I saw why he didn't sell this place. Above me was a huge crystal chandelier, which was lit and sent little rainbow patterns on the ceiling. The entrance hall was huge, spanning what looked to be a good fifty feet. I put my hands in the back pockets of my jeans and started down the hall. I passed a winding staircase and then I entered a living type room. All the furniture had been pushed back and there was a bar set up...I assumed this must be the party place. Looking around, I saw glass shelves of assorted bottles of drinks. Taking some off the shelves, I was impressed. Some of these were exclusive not to mention expensive. One even had a diamond cap to it. I traced the cap with my finger. The spell of my thoughts were broken when Malfoy stepped into the room.

"Uh, hello." he said, a bit surprised. He looked at me curiously.

"I knocked." I said defensively. I was not getting arrested. "But no answer, door unlocked..." I trailed off, hoping he would get it. He smiled.

"So you're the person the club sent over."

"That I am." I answered. "That wouldn't have to do anything with you now would it?"

"Maybe...maybe not." he answered, using his wand to set up the rest of the room. Were we flirting a bit?

"So how many people are coming?" I asked, sitting on top of the counter. I had to know how many people would be screaming to get my attention.

"Fifty? You knows anymore." he laughed a bit.

"Why don't you know?"

"People bring dates, and dates bring friends..." he rolled his eyes a bit.

"That's what makes a party interesting!" I said brightly.

"For you sure, you work at a club. Me, I own this place and I'm not paying for damages." he said.

"I could see why...this place is so nice..." I said looking around in awe. I found Malfoy staring at me, I blushed. "You think I'm some star struck person don't you?"

"Nope. Not at all." I looked at him. "You have grown up." He laughed.

"Yes I have." I looked at him. He still had his blonde hair, but he didn't slick it back anymore. It was more loose, it almost reminded me of how Harry wore his hair. His blue eyes had become clearer and were like looking into pure blue water. He was a bit taller. He kind of towered over me, but then when hadn't he? But he still worked out or whatever because it definitely showed. He was "hot" probably in Ginny's terms and the fact that he kissed me didn't help. I did have a little, main word little, of a crush on him in school I'll admit and I did feel those feelings coming back now. I quickly looked away before he could catch me.

"So what do you do? Upkeep on this place must be murder."

"I play for the Cannons." he said simply. It explained how he kept in shape.

"So the rumors were true..."

"What rumors?" he asked.

"During the end of the 7th year, there was a rumor that they asked you. I doubted it, I thought Harry would be asked. But then I found out he was asked to play for the Tornados."

"That's me, the one guy rumor machine." he joked. I smiled.

"That you were. I remember every girl saying you name at least once a day." I said, he blushed a bit.

"And Ms. Granger, did you?"

"Nope, I personally hated you. You can't blame me, you know you tortured me." He looked a bit proud.

"Cocky as ever, still." I muttered and he smirked.

"Oh you know it, it's what made the girls go crazy." I rolled my eyes at him. "Did it make you go crazy?" he asked, coming closer to me.

"No." I whispered, now susprised at how soft my voice had become. Malfoy slowly bent his head toward mine and pressed his lips against mine...

TBC...