"Trying to drink yourself into a drunken stupor are you, Granger?"
Of fucking course, Draco Malfoy.
His presence and snide remarks were the last thing she needed today. While they weren't 12 anymore, she still didn't care for the blonde haired man in the slightest. She glared at him out of the corner of her eye while she gulped down the last of her champagne. Could she not catch a break? She wanted to be alone, with her own scathing thoughts, hating herself for being such a daft idiot. She didn't need his help.
"It is very impolite to ignore me, Granger."
Hermione set her glass down, harder than she intended, making a loud clank that garnered the attention of other guests. She turned towards him, lips set in a thin, tight smile. "Pardon me, Malfoy, if I don't feel like your presence, or anything you have to say for that matter, merit a response. I was simply sitting here, trying to enjoy myself, and I find it rather impolite of you that you chose to interrupt me."
She expected some shameless, distasteful response, this is Draco Malfoy after all, but instead, she was surprised to see him smile, maybe almost laugh. He picked up a champagne glass and motioned a silent cheers to her and took a sip.
Hermione studied him. He looked exactly the same, but at the same time, completely different. He was older, no longer a boy with a constant sneer on his face, but a man that seemed to have grown into himself. His hair was short and neat, but still that ghastly shade of ice blonde. He still had sharp facial features, that angled-strong jawline, but it was now covered with a blonde 5'oclock shadow. She thought maybe his eyes were the most different. They were still green, yes, but they were no longer hard and piercing. His eyes seemed softer somehow.
"You were alone, chugging champagne like it was water and you were stranded in a desert." He chuckled at his own comment and looked around the room. "Although, if I were at my ex's wedding, I guess I would want to be as knockered as possible, as well."
Hermione huffed. "I am not knockered, nor am I trying to be! I am not upset in slightest. I am very happy for Ronald and Lavender and I wish them the absolute best!"
Draco smiled, seemingly amused. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"
She rolled her eyes. No, Draco Malfoy had not changed at all. He was still that guy. She was kicking herself for even engaging in conversation with him in the first place. That's all he has ever wanted, dating back to their days at Hogwarts, he simply just wanted to get a rise out of her and she was letting him. Again.
"I don't need to convince anyone, including myself. I am very happy for them and I am very happy with my own life, not that that is any of your business, Malfoy."
"Is that so?" He asked, eyes twinkling. He was enjoying their banter more than he cared to admit. "How many cats do you have these days, Granger? Five? Six?"
"I have one!" She shouted, incredulously. She was getting irritated with herself for even entertaining him with a response. Normally she wouldn't, but it might have been the alcohol or the entire day, but she wasn't feeling completely herself. She stood up abruptly from the table, knocking the corner with her hip. The table shifted, knocking over the empty glasses and Draco's half full glass.
"Oh! Oh!" She quickly tried to sit the glasses upright, noticing most of the guests, including the newlyweds, were looking in her direction. She could feel the blood rush to her face, embarrassing herself even more.
"Granger."
Why had she slept with Ron? Why did she even come to the wedding after what she did? Why did she drink so much? Why did she let Draco get a rise out of her? She was silently berating herself and couldn't stop. This wasn't her. She didn't do things like this.
Hermione tried to step around her chair to pick up the glasses on the other side of the table and heard a very distinct ripping sound. The cold air immediately hit her bare left thigh as she looked down to see torn fabric from her dress underneath the chair leg.
"Granger."
She took a deep breath and continued to clean up her mess as if nothing had happened. Her dress was just a bit shorter now, nothing to cause a scene about. Sure, she ripped her dress and knocked over a dozen glasses and slept with the groom, but she was fine. This was fine. She just needed to exit quietly with whatever little shame she had left.
Hermione picked up the last glass and noticed her hand was trembling as she tried to set it up right. She could feel the water stinging her eyes, but she blinked it back. She was not going to cry, dammit.
Suddenly, she felt a long, heavy coat drape over her shoulders. She turned and was startled to see Draco Malfoy standing there. In the midst of all of her clumsy humiliation, she had forgotten he was at the table at all.
They stood facing each other and he reached forward and started buttoning the jacket closed. She wasn't sure why she let him, it felt almost intimate somehow.
"Granger, why don't you go ahead and get out of here, yeah?"
She solemnly nodded and turned towards the exit without a second glance at Draco or the newly married couple.