Author's Note: I do not own any characters or the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, that belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling.

I tried to give y'all (yes, I'm from Texas) a longer chapter since work is getting busy and I will be going on a few trips soon! Hopefully I will upload in a timely manner, but if not, please understand!

I am so excited by the lovely reviews, follows, and favorites I have received since my recent posting. I hope that I continue to exceed your expectations! As I've told a few readers, I am constantly fixing my past mistakes and some descriptions of things (like how Draco dresses). I am trying to improve my writing as well as others experience of this story. No big details will be changed.

Anyway, sorry for the long note. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I love you always!

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Chapter 2: Rude Awakening

Hermione woke with a start. Someone was bagging on her door and yelling very loudly. Gods her head hurt.

"HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER. OPEN THE DAMN DOOR. NOW!" Hermione knew Harry would behave like this. Especially after making a spectacle of Ron last night and then drinking herself into a stupor. She thought back on the previous night.

Hermione stalked off towards the bar determined to enjoy her night. "I'll take a FireWhiskey," she grumbled to the bartender. As she was waiting to be served, she heard whispers and small chuckles. She turned to see that Ron had finally emerged from the curtain with Lavender, still looking like who he truly was, a pig. The Patil twins rushed over trying to help, since neither Ron nor Lavender apparently knew how to undo the hex that Hagrid had once showed her.

Finally, the bartender set down her drink. She flashed him a smile and turned back around to watch the scene unfold downing her drink within seconds. Harry ran over and asked him what happened, to which Ron could only answer by snorting and glaring at Hermione. She thought she was going to lose it when he snorted, but she held herself together for the sake of the crowd now starting to form. Harry looked mad, but also a flicker of understanding flashed through his eyes and Hermione knew she wouldn't lose him to the horrible shell of a 'friend'.

After about 5 minutes of fussing, 3 more FireWhiskeys, and chuckling from onlookers, the Patil twins were able to undo the hex. It was at this moment, Hermione caught the eyes of Draco Malfoy. He stared at her incredulously for a brief second and when she winked and grinned at him, he knew. She was the one responsible for this display. Draco's lips into a wide grin and a proud look overtook his face and eyes.

Hermione heard someone clear their throat next to her and she turned to look at her dear friend, Blaise. He had a mischievous look in his eyes, "I see we were all wrong about the true nature of the Weasel, eh?" At that, Hermione grabbed another drink off the bar, downed it, and threw her head back, laughing so hard her eyes began to water. When she looked back at Blaise he had his arm out, silently asking her to dance.

Hermione was brought back to the present as another loud bang rang out. To be quite honest, she couldn't remember much more of the night. She knew she had danced with more men and that Ron had left once his hex had been lifted. Giving up on going back to sleep, Hermione stood up and opened her bedroom door. She was met with the green spectacled eyes of her best friend. He looked angry, but still understanding. 'What a weird combination,' Hermione thought to herself.

"Well, are you going to explain or am I gonna have to shove some Veritaserum down your throat?" Harry asked impatiently.

Hermione grinned at him, "If you won't shout, I will tell you. I have the worst hangover. If you yell, you will immediately be shoved out of this room and I will lock my door and put an Impervius charm on this room for the next few hours." Harry readily agreed, wanting to know the full story.

Hermione began to recount the previous night's events to him, how Ron had treated her just before they left, leaving him with the crowd of reporters, seeing him ruffled and Lavenders rather untimely arrival, then seeing her disappear behind a curtain, how she found Ron with his trousers down and dick out and Lavender on her knees, and the charm she cast. From there, Harry essentially knew the rest.

Harry's mouth was agape the entire time and continued to stay open for a few moments after she had finished speaking. Hermione began to fear that she would lose Harry along with Ron and every one else she had lost during the war. Her heart began to break at the thought of losing the only family she had left.

Just before she was about to burst into tears, Harry spoke. "'Mione, what you did, it was so brave. Granted not as brave as half the shit we have faced, but brave nonetheless. I honestly wasn't too sure what had happened last night, considering that Ron tends to spin the truth, but I should've known from the hex you gave him and the fact that Lavender wouldn't leave his side, that he had wronged you. You could've let what happened embarrass you, but instead you stood your ground and I am so proud that you showed your Gryffindor bravey. After Ron ditched us in the woods, you and I formed a bond stronger than we have with Ron. I know he hasn't been treating you well, but I wanted to stand by your side and be happy for you since you were the only family I had left. I'm glad that you dumped him though. And don't tell, but I think Ginny is too." At that, Hermione hugged Harry and she began to cry.

Harry pulled away and wiped away her tears, "But 'Mione, you've got a shit storm coming your way." Hermione finally noticed he was holding the Daily Prophet and the newest addition of Witch Weekly in his hands. Hermione began to groan, "Please, tell me he didn't. He didn't spin this to make him a better person, did he?" Harry could only nod his head as she snatched the papers from him.

The Daily Prophet showed her dancing with Blaise, then a flash, and she was dancing with a handsome young man ('Who the bloody hell was that?'), then a flash, and now she was dancing with Seamus Finnigan. The title of the story read, "Hermione Granger: War Heroine or War Whore?" Really, whore? Oh look who wrote it. Rita bloody Skeeter. Surprise, surprise on the creativity.

She looked to Witch Weekly and it had Lavender and Ron holding onto each other for dear life, "Eligible Bachelor Finds Love After Dark Past." Hermione scoffed at that one, What dark past? He barely lost anyone in the war let alone participated or got tortured.

Hermione looked at Harry and seethed, "It's been one fucking day. Not even 24 hours. How the hell did he get off free as a bird and I'm painted as the trollop?"

Harry shook his head, "I'm not sure 'Mione, but Ginny is livid. So is Molly. They can't believe Ron would do this."

Hermione looked down, set the papers on fire, and whispered, "I can't be free for one damn day."

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Malfoy was strutting around the manor. It had gotten very lonely since his father had been sent to Azkaban and his mother had been busy with being a socialite and event coordinator. He was walking past the library when he heard the floo start up. Blaise stepped through the green flames easily and saw his old friend waiting for him in a lounge chair.

"Now there's no way you have been sitting inside this library all morning, just awaiting my arrival." Blaise spoke as he took a seat next to him.

Draco scoffed, "Blaise, why of course I wait around for you to visit me. What else could I be doing with my time?"

Blaise grabbed his chest in mock hurt, "Draco you wound me! I thought I was the love of your life?"

Draco laughed, "I thought Theo was the love of your life, eh?"

Blaise looked at him sheepishly, "Oh he is, don't you fret." His blush faded and he began seriously, "I brought you some light reading you might like to see."

Draco looked at his best friend and he couldn't read his face. Was he surprised, proud, angry, or a combination? He couldn't tell. Before he could ask what Blaise was talking about, he had the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly shoved into his hands. Draco looked at Blaise and then back at the papers, "Are you fucking kidding me? The Weasel spun HIS infidelity into Granger being the cheater? Really? How the bloody hell did he get away with that?" Blaise just shook his head, while Draco buried his face into his hands. Draco began to think about the night before in the silence that surrounded them.

Draco arrived early so as not to catch the reporters. Despite being a Death Eater he was always hounded by the reporters, especially the slags from Witch Weekly, "Oh Draco, how does it feel to be the hottest bad boy around?" Really? Bad boy? He followed the most evil wizard of all time. Didn't that in turn make him evil? Being bad meant not following the rules or punching people during times of passion or heightened anger. Not participating in a war that killed people based on how they were raised. What a bunch of bollocks, but anything to please his father right?

The ballroom was decorated elegantly, he could tell that his mother had a few touches here and there. Being a socialite and event coordinator really worked in her favor now that she was trying salvage her family name. He grabbed a champagne flute as people began to file in. He saw Potter and Weaselette, Longbottom, Theo Nott, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Headmsitress McGonagall, and a few others express their awe over the ballroom.

Draco walked to the bar, feeling the eyes of single women follow him wherever he went. He ordered a FireWhiskey and began to nurse it when he saw the waves of mahogany and caramel brown that led into an elegant burgundy dress. The petite woman was holding on to Blaise's arm and he could tell she was right at home on his arm. Draco couldn't help but stare. Who was this woman? How had she captured the attention of Blaise who was so madly in love with Theo? And then she turned to take in the ballroom and her dark chocolate eyes met his. Those eyes made his legs turn to jelly, but he remained firm and never let his emotions get the best of him. He knew he schooled his features well before she could notice the effect she was having on him. How had he never noticed Granger before? I mean, he noticed her, but not correctly, not in the way she deserved. He knew that much.

Almost as soon as they had started staring at one another, did she look away, blushing at something Blaise had said. He felt envious that his friend could evoke such emotion in the Gryffindor Princess, but he knew that they were old friends and left it at that.

The night continued on and after dinner, Draco saw the Weasel leave Granger by herself. She looked shattered. He took it upon himself to take the opportunity to ask her to dance.

His dance with her was everything he could've hoped for. Granger was still the same spitfire he remembered, she wasted no time asking the tough questions, and her laugh was infectious. When he left her dumbfounded, he couldn't help but smile to himself. For once, he had got Granger to shut the hell up.

At some point, Draco lost track of her, but paid no mind. She probably had snuck off somewhere with Weasel. It wasn't until he saw Weasel's current state that he knew she had better things in mind. It appeared that Weasel, now Piggy in his mind, had cheated on Granger. What a mistake he made. He couldn't be more proud of the petite witch in that moment and when he looked at her and saw her wink, his heart began to flutter.

Draco left her alone for the remainder of the night, but did see her dance a few more times around the room and take probably one too many drinks considering she had stumbled out of the ballroom.

Draco was pulled from his memories when Blaise spoke, "I don't even know how 'Mione is going to be able to get out from under the Weasel's thumb. I don't know that he's ever wanted her to be happy."

Draco laughed, "The Gryffindor Princess can certainly handle herself. She showed that last night when she changed the Weasel into a pig."

Blaise glared at him, "Mate you've got another thing coming if you think 'Mione is the Gryffindor Princess and all that rubbish the papers have made her out to be. I've got to get going, tell your mother I said hello"

Draco gave his friend a brief hug goodbye and sat back down, thinking on the words Blaise had to say while the flames flickered in the fireplace. What did he mean Granger wasn't the Gryffindor Princess? Hell, she looked the part last night, didn't she? Or was that a show for the papers too?