"Rise and shine Hermione."
The brunette's bushy head came up fast from the hard surface, cold drool pooling down her chin and creating a small lake on the table.
"Charming".
Harry grinned, his green eyes sparkling as he took in his friend's dishevelled hungover form. Her ministry robes were wrinkled and one sleeve seemed to have been ripped off from her right shoulder, her brown curls battling for space sticking up in all directions.
The kettle whistling its finish. He purposely banged the china cups down from the cupboard, snickering at the audible moan escaping from behind him.
Hermione squinted her eyes as the bright lights penetrated her vision. "Wha..What?" A drum was beating frantically inside her skull.
Cups of steaming coffee was placed in the middle of the large table along with a hearty breakfast of fried eggs, crispy bacon and buttery toast.
The brunette swayed slightly in her seat as the greasy smells assaulted her over sensitive nostrils.
The kitchen door swung open to a very hormonal Mrs Potter who dropped heavily on to a chair, the legs screeching in protest. Her swollen stomach stopping the redheads determined reach of her morning coffee. "Damn bloody Potters!".
Hermione reluctantly leant across the table and pushed the cup towards her irritated pregnant best friend. "Here Ginny. The boys want to go out tonight." She turned to Harry who was busy piling up his plate.
"Are you sure you can handle another hangover tomorrow?" Harry eyed his friend, a tight smile hiding his concern. "You could lose your job Hermione and alcohol isn't the answer, you need help."
Hermione rolled her eyes at his same repetitive speech of the past four years. "I know. You keep saying and alcohol my dear chosen one is the answer to all of lives problems." Grabbing the closest mug, Hermione gulped down the burning liquid. "Thanks for the lecture Harry but I can look after myself." Scraping back the chair and storming from the room.
Ginny slowly clapped at her tactless husband. "Well done Harry. I couldn't of put it better myself".
Swallowing down his mouthful, he thoughtfully looked at his wife of three years. "What? You told me to speak to her and I did." Confusion written on his face.
She replaced her cup back on the table, using the wooden surface as leverage she pulled herself up before waddling over to her dense wizard, slapping him hard across the back of his head. "I told you to speak to Hermione in private and discuss her dependence on alcohol, not to blurt it out like a cave man over food." Another slap sounded through the room, followed by a painful groan.
Unbeknownst to the bickering couple, Hermione left the gloom of Grimmauld Place and arriving at a equally gloomy pub 'The Hogshead' greeted by a disapproving Aberforth Dumbledore but allowed her entry nonetheless.
After Hermione's fifth shot of foul liquor tucked away at her table in the far back corner, her mouth started running. "Harry saint Potty bloody tell me that I drunk much." Slamming down her glass. "Oi Dumbles more" shouting at the gruff barkeep who was trying his best to ignore the golden girl as he wiped down the bar.
"Keep it down kid." A sharp angelic voice rang out. "Some of us are trying to drink in peace".
Hermione staggered from her seat knocking over the table, her glass smashing on the ground, she fell against the high bar, knocking the wind out of her lungs.
"Miss Granger don't you have a job to go to?" Aberforth sighed at the mess, his bushy brow raised at her drunken antics. "This is getting to be costly cleaning up after you." Waving his ebony wand over the mess, the broken glass and upended table righted itself.
"No job the bastardeds fires me" nonsense falling from her lips. "I demands a drink." Slapping her palm on the bar. In her drunken state she hazily spotted a blonde head hiding in the shadows, mistaking their identity. "Oi Malfoy." She grinned, stumbling over her feet.
Crystal blue met cloudy brown. "It seems you have forgone your manners Miss Granger" Narcissa quietly spoke over her glass, swirling the red substance around its confinement.
"Yous a angel a beautiful angel." Dropping unceremoniously in the seat opposite the tired older witch.
A hand suddenly grabbed Hermiones arm.
"Come on Hermione." Her bespectacled friend timidly turned to the regal woman before him. "I must apologise for my friend Madam Malfoy I hope she hasn't caused you too much hassle" Harry gently said upon noticing his friend's rather reluctant companion. Unwilling companion by the looks of it, oh what a mess you are Hermione.
"No bother Mr Potter, though Miss Granger's manners are needing a fine looking over" she replied. "A pleasure seeing you both again." The regal witch took her leave.
Harry hoisted his drunk friend out the pub and back to Grimmauld.
"Harry love is that you?" Came Mrs Weasleys motherly voice from the kitchen.
Great just what we need. "Yes Mrs Weasley." Dragging the unconscious witch through the door and into the lounge, dumping his burden on to the couch.
"How many times do I need to tell you dear, call me Molly" Mrs Weasley smiled, walking into the room "Oh dear drunk again?" Noticing Hermione laying in her own sick.
Harry sighed, removing his glasses to rub between his aching eyes. "Unfortunately yes. She was annoying Madam Malfoy." Looking down upon his sleeping friend, he felt she was wasting her life away. "I don't know what to do anymore. With Ginny nearly due we can't keep having Hermione here." Turning to his mother in law.
"Well dear she isn't your responsibility. It's time she stood on her own two feet." Harry could hear the contempt in the redhead's voice.