Draco impatiently waited for Hermione at the bottom of the stairs.

What's taking her so bloody long?

He heard the door open and looked up. He was stunned.

Hermione's hair was pulled into a low side-ponytail, the ends curled. She wore a spaghetti strap top that flattered her perfectly, some jeans, and her favorite pair of wedges. She looked simply stunning. "Are you ready?" She asked.

Draco nodded as they walked out together. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. "Hermione, you look-"

"Draco, I'm scared." Hermione admitted, talking over Draco.

"Don't be. We're gonna have a good time, alright?"

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"Happy Birthday."

...

As soon as they sat down at the bar, Hermione asked the bartender for a beer, which surprised Draco.

"Anythin' for you?" The bartender expressionlessly asked Draco.

"Yeah, I'll take a beer too."

"Thank you." Hermione said to the man as he passed them their drinks. He gave her a funny look as he continued to serve the others at the bar.

"So..." Draco started.

"What do you usually do at places like this?"

Draco knew what his answer was, but he didn't want to tell her. "I, uh, get drunk. And usually wake up in a bed somewhere with five women."

Hermione scrunched up her face. "That's disgusting, Malfoy."

Draco was beginning to recognize that she called him by his last name when she was mad, upset, or disgusted with him. "Sorry. One too many drinks turns me into a pig."

"That's a lie."

"What?"

"You're always a pig." Hermione said with a sly smile on her face.

"Like you would know. You hardly know me." Draco said back to her.

"I've known you for, what? 9 years? That's' long enough to tell that you're a pig."

"It's also long enough to tell that you're an insufferable know-it-all."

Both Draco and Hermione sighed. This wasn't the kind of conversation either of them hoped to have tonight.

"Would you like to dance?" Draco suddenly asked her.

"What? There's no dancefloor."

"I know."

Hermione smiled. "Yes. Yes, I would like to."

As they stood up, Hermione noticed that there weren't many people in the bar, and there were barely any lights on. Depressing music played in the background. This was quite different than the bar where...where it happened.

Hermione was stiff as Draco put his hand on her waist.

"I know you've danced with guys before. Don't just stand there all awkwardly...pretend I'm Viktor Krum or something." Draco said as he slowly lifted her arm and placed it on his shoulder and then grabbed her other hand.

Hermione's face was red. She wasn't sure how Draco knew about her and Viktor, but just the mention of his name made her embarrassed.

"Aha!" Draco remarked. "I can tell by the look on your face, just then. Viktor Krum was the boyfriend your Mum was talking about." Draco said this as if he had just discovered treasure on a deserted island.

Hermione ignored him as best she could.

They slowly started to move around the room to the music.

Hermione couldn't help but notice the stares and laughs of the others at the bar. "Draco- "

"Just ignore them." He said as he started to twirl her around and around.

Hermione giggled, partly because she was enjoying herself and partly because she was nervous. She started to get dizzy as Draco spun her around. She suddenly leaned over and fell.

Draco caught her.

Neither of them said anything. Neither of them moved. They stared into each other's eyes as they stayed in the same position: Hermione leaning into Draco, his arms around her from behind.

"I think we should sit back down now." Hermione said suddenly.

...

Hermione had another beer. Her words were starting to slur. Draco watched her uncomfortably as she got drunker and drunker.

"Ello, Captain!" Hermione practically screamed to the bartender, mockingly saluting him with her right hand on her forehead. "I'll take another beer."

"No, no, no. You've had enough for tonight." Draco interrupted. He gave the bartender a pathetic smile.

The bartender eyed Hermione from head to toe. "If I were you, I'd get her as drunk as possible." He said as he walked off.

Draco gulped. If Hermione was just some girl in Slytherin, like Pansy, that's probably what Draco would do. But that was the old Draco, right? He was new and improved, he was Hermione's friend, and he wasn't about to use her.

"Draco..." Hermione mumbled, leaning closer to him. "Your eyes...are...so...pretty."

And then she did the unthinkable. She leaned even closer and planted a long, passionate kiss on Draco's lips. And then she pulled away.

"Draco," she giggled, "you're not a very good kisser."