Chapter 6: How We Met

Hermione awoke the next morning, which was really quite unfortunate. She was hoping maybe she would have some memory sparked or something but instead she got absolutely nothing. She thought of the discussion she had with Harry and Ginny. Start from square one with Draco? Well she didn't want to. What she really wanted was just to get her memory back. She had an idea though… it would help if she started from square one of her supposed previous relationship with Draco though. They had to start from the beginning. She was going to make him tell her everything. And the first was how they even re-met in the first place. That was bound to be an interesting story.

After getting herself cleaned up a little she went downstairs and found Draco reading the Daily Prophet. Draco looked up and smiled as he saw her.

"Good morning," he said.

"Good morning. So I thought of how you could help me," said Hermione.

"Yeah?" asked Draco setting aside the paper.

"I want you to tell me a lot of stories and that way I'll learn and maybe something will get sparked within me and the first story has to be how we even re-met in the first place," said Hermione.

Draco smirked at the memory.

"Are you sure you want to know that one?" asked Draco.

"Well yeah… wait is it really that bad?" asked Hermione now really worried.

"It might be," said Draco slightly evading the question.

"I knew it would be an interesting story because we couldn't have just got together on our own," said Hermione.

"You are right there. I would have never dated you if it weren't for this night," said Draco now chuckling.

"Although I'll probably regret this just tell it anyways…" said Hermione sitting down and getting comfortable.

Draco smiled and then began the story.

Hermione was sitting at the bar. This was becoming a more frequent occurrence and she was not appreciating it. She had been dumped by yet another guy – another one who just wanted to date her because of her fame and being a "Golden Trio" member. She didn't even want to be remembered for that and for that matter just wished it would disappear altogether. Stupid war.

"Hand me another please," said Hermione.

The bar tender slipped her another drink. She would probably regret this, but at least it would make her feel better for a second. And at least no one knew her here. Or so she thought.

Off in the corner Draco sat with a few of 'acquaintances.' Draco Malfoy didn't have friends. He didn't want them or need them. These were just social acquaintances to boost his status. He peered around the bar looking at all the hopeless people and gloated to himself about how much better his life was than theirs. Then he spotted her. He could have sworn it was her, but he wasn't sure. I mean what would she be doing there anyways? Hermione Granger didn't drink.

He stepped up to the bar and sat next to her. He casually peered over and then smirked to himself. It was her. This could be fun. He hadn't seen her except in the paper since the war. He never returned to school. It wasn't for him. He assumed she had though… overachiever.

"Well, well, well," said Draco, "If it isn't little Miss Perfect herself."

Hermione frowned and looked over at the person talking to her. She immediately recognized him and then wished she could just disappear altogether now.

She groaned and said, "Shove it, Malfoy. No one invited you over here."

"Well with a attitude like that how could I leave and miss a perfectly good opportunity to taunt you," said Draco.

Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to her drink. After another drink she wouldn't even notice he was there.

"Why are you drinking anyways? Weasel or Potty got you down?" asked Draco.

"It's none of your business!" shouted Hermione, the alcohol affecting the volume in her voice making her practically yell at him, "And just leave them alone anyways. They haven't done anything wrong nor have they ever."

"Just existed is all," said Draco.

"You know what? You're a horrible prat and no one even likes you anyways! I'd rather be me with all my problems than you any day. Now leave me alone," said Hermione as she attempted to stand up. She stumbled forward and unfortunately had to use Malfoy to steady herself.

Hermione couldn't hold it in any longer. She totally lost it laughing.

"What's so funny?" asked Draco.

"The things I said to you," said Hermione still laughing.

"I didn't exactly appreciate that you know," said Draco, "You can be mean when you want to."

Hermione's laugher slowed and she looked at him.

"Sorry, continue please," said Hermione.

Draco was super irritated now. He had accomplished his goal at irritating her and had fun doing it, but she took things too far. No one talked to him like that. Now it was time to get her back while he could, he had an idea. He watched her for a few minutes and laughed at her drunken behavior. She couldn't handle a drink at all.

"Alright, you're drunk and you're coming with me," said Draco as he grabbed her arm.

"NO! Don't touch me!" said Hermione as she struggled to get away.

"Granger. Don't fight me. You'll lose," said Draco looking her in the eye with a dark look.

"Fine. But I need one more drink," said Hermione as she grabbed someone else's drink and drank it.

"This is definitely a side I've never seen before. Kind of entertaining," said Draco.

He successfully dragged Hermione outside and apparated to the Malfoy Manor.

"You took me where?" said Hermione as she jumped up.

"To the Manor. That's where I lived at the time," said Draco.

"How could you do that? You know what happened there!" said Hermione upset now.

Draco's eyes got wide.

"You remember?" asked Draco.

"Of course I remember! How could I for…" Hermione paused mid-sentence. Wait. He was right. She remembered something. It worked, but this was not something she wanted to remember at all.

"Yeah. I remember," said Hermione quietly.

Draco moved over closer to her and touched her lightly on the arm.

"I'm sorry that's what you remember," said Draco.

"You know I don't want to remember. And I don't want to talk about it right now," said Hermione, "Is there more to the story?"

"Yeah. Sorry," said Draco.

Draco took Hermione to his bedroom and put her into his bed. She was so drunk she had fallen asleep right after they had apparated. He thought she probably didn't even know where she was which was perfect for his plan. Then Draco went off to another room until the morning.

The next morning Draco walked into his bedroom to check on Hermione. She was still asleep.

It was only a few minutes later when she started to stir and slowly woke up. Hermione had the headache of the century. She knew she would regret drinking all that last night. She groaned in tried to hide under her covers from the light.

"Good morning, Granger," said a slightly familiar voice.

Hermione peered out of the covers and quickly sat up. She realized she had absolutely no idea where she was… well she figured she was in Malfoy's house.

"What happened last night?" asked Hermione, "Why am I here? With you of all people?"

Draco smirked, "You mean you can't remember anything about last night? That's quite a shame. You told me it was the best night of your life."

Hermione's stomach dropped. Oh Merlin's beard did she have sex with Draco Malfoy? She must have REALLY been drunk.

"You… I… what?" she asked.

"It is really a shame you don't remember although I've had better," said Draco.

Hermione threw him a glare. Then living with the pain she jumped up and went over to hit him.

"I hate you! I can't believe you did that to me! You took advantage of me when I was drunk! How could you do that? What kind of person are you?" she asked.

Draco couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst out laughing. This was better than what he had pictured.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Hermione.

Draco gestured for her to look at herself. Very confused, she did. She realized she was completely dressed and Malfoy probably just made her think all of that.

"I just walked right into that one," said Hermione, "Very clever. Gotta give you points on that one."

Draco's face fell.

"Wait so you aren't mad?" he asked.

"No. Like I said I walked right into it," she said.

"Well that takes the fun right out of it. You just killed a perfectly good prank," he said.

It was Hermione's turn to smirk at him.

"No, on the contrary you just made it better," said Hermione.

"What?" he asked but then got it. She had cleverly turned it around on him.

"Are you sure you weren't a Slytherin in another life?" asked Draco.

"Oh very positive but thanks. I didn't hang around Fred and George Weasley for nothing," said Hermione.

"And that is basically what happened," said Draco.

Hermione was smiling at herself.

"Clever. Very clever on both our parts," said Hermione.

"I thought so," said Draco," Anyways you must be hungry."

"Yeah. You're right," said Hermione as she got up and followed him to the kitchen.

Sorry I'm posting late and too quickly to edit again. I'm on vacation so hopefully I can update again but possibly not until Tuesday. Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate it!