A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who favorited/followed/reviewed after last chapter! You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour), where I post sneak peaks and story updates every now and again. I hope that you enjoy this chapter as well, because things are starting to heat up! Please let me know what you thought of chapter six and be on the lookout for chapter seven soon!

July 31, 1999

The Ministry's Atrium had been transformed from the normal drab gray to a gold and red monstrosity for the first annual Harry Potter Day. Hermione hadn't wanted to go to the party, knowing that it would be the first time she'd see Harry, Ron and Ginny (oh, and fucking Romilda) together since her graduation party.

She hadn't wanted to go, and yet, she'd shown up so as not to rock the boat. The thought of what the press would write about her if she'd ignored her own best friend's birthday party was too exhausting to consider skipping. Not for the first time, Hermione wondered if she was just a pushover.

Hermione had been surprised by how well she was getting along without the three of her friends. She had lunch with Daphne at least once a week and she was slowly getting to know the rest of the people in her department. Mrs. Higgs was a delightful woman, actually grandmother to her former classmate Terence Higgs, who got a job so she wouldn't feel so useless at home. David Merryweather was another analyst in his sixties that Hermione loved to debate with.

Hell, her working relationship with Malfoy had even transformed into something pleasant after they'd cleared the air. The odd pair hadn't gone to lunch again, but he did take time out of his day to talk to her for at least a few minutes. The only problem with that was that Hermione was realizing just how physically attracted she was to the blond man.

It seemed a crime to upset the delicate balance that her life was currently in, but it was just one more expected sacrifice that she made for her friends. She'd resisted wearing a red dress like she was expected to as a good Gryffindor girl, one third of the so called Golden Trio, instead choosing a jade green ballroom gown.

She had hoped that she would be able to free herself from her friends and mingle with some of her other friends, wanting to reconnect with Neville and Hannah, after her obligatory dance with Harry that was likely more for the cameras than for Harry's desire to dance with her.

Unfortunately, finally faced with her friends for the first time, it seemed they were unwilling to let her get far from them, to Hermione's chagrin. "Are you sure you don't want to move back into Grimmauld Place, Hermione? I worry about you living all alone in your flat." Ginny said, for the one hundredth time. Merlin, she was becoming more and more of a nag everyday, just like Mrs. Weasley.

"I'm fine living alone." Hermione said tersely. "I am not some wilting flower who can't take care of herself. I fought in a war for Nimue's sake." She flinched at hearing how short her tone was, but she wished that they would just leave it alone. Being on her own was nice, having been surrounded by her peers the last eight years. Forcing herself to smile so that she didn't seem like a total bitch, she tried to joke. "You will just have to start getting your potions from the apothecary now."

Ron snorted at that. "Yeah, I've been there for hangover potion so much they know who I am now." He said it without a hint of embarrassment, his arm still slung over Romilda's shoulder.

Before she could stop herself, Hermione couldn't resist getting in one jab. "Well, we all know Romilda can't make your potions." She said with a sickeningly sweet smile. "The last time you had one of her potions you almost died Ron."

Romilda at least had the decency to blush, but Ron just looked annoyed, remembering that Romilda had tried to give Harry amortentia. "Merlin, haven't you gotten over that yet, Hermione? Romilda is my girlfriend and I am sorry you misread the situation."

"Yeah, that was rude." Harry agreed, to Hermione's surprise. Sure, it was probably rude to bring up, but that didn't mean it wasn't true. She felt silly, letting Harry's opinion get to her. "I really think you've been overreacting about all of this. I just can't understand how you are still mad about this." He said, his green eyes boring into hers.

Hermione felt her eyes flicker closed and she took a deep breath to calm the rage that was building up inside of her. Opening her eyes, she plastered a smile on her face. "If you'll excuse me, I need another drink." Seeing that Ginny was about to say something about her full glass of champagne, Hermione downed the rest of the liquid, and twirled on her heel to walk away. Their protests had fallen on deaf ears.

She wandered around the hall, just trying to avoid being cornered by her terrible friends again. Briefly, she wished that Daphne was here so that they could snark about the cut of other witches' dresses, but she wasn't there.

Deciding that the only way to get through the night was to get incredibly drunk, Hermione grabbed a champagne flute off of one of the floating trays that served the patrons. Deciding that she was going to need more than a couple of glasses, though, she followed one of the empty trays back to a little storage room where house elves were filling glass after glass.

They didn't pay her any mind when she waltzed in and took one of the open bottles from the side table, walking out without saying a word. This she could work with.

There were dozens of charmed balconies that were enchanted to look like the outdoors even though the Ministry was firmly underground. It didn't take long for Hermione to find an empty one. Sighing, Hermione took to the little bench, taking a long drink from the bottle, cursing softly when the liquid fizzed up the neck of the bottle, covering her hand and feet in sticky sweet.

"Miss Granger?" She heard a quiet voice from the entrance to the balcony. She took a deep breath, not really in the mood for company. Still she turned around, slightly surprised to be met with the blue eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

"Malfoy." She greeted with the barest amount of politeness she could muster. He was her boss after all.

"What are you doing sitting out here all on your own?" He asked, closing the door behind him, walking over towards the bench and sitting beside her.

"I'm trying to get drunk." Hermione snapped at him, a bit horrified by the acrid tone that she had. She didn't want to be bitter about Ron or her friends, but she couldn't help it. She was bitter.

"And just why would you want that?" Malfoy said, before taking the bottle from her hands and taking a drag from it himself.

Hermione found herself momentarily entranced by the sight of his full lower lip on the bottle's edge, and realized she was staring. Swallowing thickly, she looked down in her lap. "I am avoiding my friends." She said, already feeling the buzz of the alcohol in her veins. "I lied when I told you that I just took the job because I wanted to do more with my life than be an auror."

He handed the bottle back to her, watching her intently when she took her own pull from the bottle, eyes raking back and forth over her face. "Did you now? And I assume that the real reason has something to do with your friends?"

She nibbled her lower lip, thinking about telling him everything. She supposed that it wouldn't hurt. "Yes. Ronald and I were dating all last year, and he knew it. At my graduation party, he introduced me to his girlfriend, Romilda Vane. He'd been cheating on me for who knows how long, and what's worse is that Harry and Ginny knew about it, and tried to tell me that I was overreacting."

Lucius shook his head, perhaps annoyed on her behalf. "You always learn who your real friends are when times get tough." Hermione thought about how Ron had left them when they were looking for horcruxes. "What does that have to do with the job?"

"When I found out, I moved out of Grimmauld Place immediately, and then I decided to apply for a job so that I would have something to focus on besides Ron Weasley's smug face. Plus, it's been a convenient way to get out of social obligations with them." She told him truthfully. "They keep asking me to move back, and to stop holding a grudge. I am pretty sure that they just want me there to take care of household tasks for them. Like brewing hangover potions."

She felt the tear slip down her cheek too late, but Malfoy was quicker, his head outstretched, wiping the tear from her soft cheek. She gasped at the tender gesture from a man who she had always considered so cruel and stoic. "I am sorry, Miss Granger. That is something that no one should have to experience."

"Hermione." She said quietly. His calling her Miss Granger just made her feel like a student again.

He gave her a smile. "Lucius." He pulled his hand away from her face. "However, I must insist that you do not base your self worth on a Weasley. You are a beautiful, intelligent young woman and you will have other, better suitors."

Hermione snorted at his prejudice for the redheaded family, which had been obvious since her first year. She briefly wondered what sleight had occurred to cause such a legendary feud. His words did make her feel better. She needed to stop being so hung up on Ron. They weren't likely to have worked well together anyway.

They continued to pass the champagne bottle back and forth between the two of them, Lucius keeping her mind distracted by discussing something funny one of the other Department Heads had done in their recent meeting with the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Before she knew it, the bottle was empty.

Lucius suddenly smiled fondly, hearing a bit of music bleeding out onto the balcony. "This is a favorite song of mine." He said quietly, seeming uncharacteristically nervous. "Would you care to dance with me?"

Hermione was a bit flattered, amused even, that he was nervous that she would somehow reject him. He'd been such a lovely partner to her all night, and she'd had much more fun than she would have expected, than she'd planned on having. "What, just out here on the balcony?" She asked, a smirk on her face.

"Well, if you'd rather dance in the other room in front of your friends, I could arrange that as well." He teased, good-naturedly, seeming to relax that she hadn't dismissed his request outright. He stood and offered her his hand.

She grasped his hand, impressed by how much larger it was than her own. "I would be delighted, Lucius." She said, surprised by the truthfulness of her statement. "Though, I'd prefer it if we stayed out here."

He helped her stand, and suddenly Hermione's head was spinning from the sudden rush of alcohol to her brain. Merlin, she'd managed to get drunker than she'd imagined. Unsteady on uncharacteristically tall heels, she swayed, unable to balance until she was pressed against his firm chest.

She blushed, but he didn't say anything, instead, wrapping on hand around her waist and holding her still grasped hand out to the side. Once she was feeling stable, he began to move them in purposeful strides, and Hermione was unsurprised to learn that he was a really remarkable dancer.

Being in his arms made her feel safe and sure, like he knew exactly what to do and wouldn't lead her astray. It was easy to relax and let him lead her through intricate moves. With her head pressed to his chest, she could feel him humming along to the music, a pleasant rumble against her ear.

Briefly she wondered what kind of madness it was that she was out on a balcony, drunk and dancing with Lucius Malfoy, but after the past weeks, it didn't feel odd to her at all. Though, she would pay galleons to see Draco Malfoy's reaction to the situation. She couldn't imagine he'd be thrilled about his father being chummy with a mudblood.

The song ended, but Lucius held on tight, changing steps with the different kind of song that was played. He sometimes twirled or dipped her, to Hermione's great amusement. She was giggling with every spin, the world reduced to blurry lights and Lucius Malfoy. She wasn't sure how long they continued in this little dance, but she didn't care. She was having fun.

When a slow song came on, he looked at her seriously, before pulling her against him again. They swayed against one another, Hermione's eyes drooping shut to the steady sound of his heart beat. It seemed that they worked well together, always staying in unison and never stepping on the other's toes.

Wordlessly, Lucius used his hand to grasp her chin, encouraging her to look up to him. She gasped at the depth of emotion in his normally steely gaze, and she noticed that he was staring hard at her lips. Her heart stuttered, wondering if he'd...

He dipped his head, his lips meeting hers in a featherlight touch. Hermione felt her eyes drift shut, and then she was sighing, pressing herself firmly against him. He was hot, scalding even, as he trapped her lower lip between his, lips moving against hers in varying pressure making her feel like she was falling, but she liked it. She knew that Lucius would be there to catch her.

Feeling his tongue questing for her to open herself to him, though, was a shock to her system. Hermione's eyes flew open and she pulled herself away from him. How could she be kissing Lucius Malfoy? He was her boss and...it was just wrong.

She removed herself from his grasp, almost falling over from the sudden movement, but keeping her steady stance. Biting her lip, she turned and fled the private little balcony, worry and confusion in her heart. She heard him call after her once, but he didn't try to follow her to the public floos.

Hermione didn't care if anyone saw her running. She just needed to get back to her house so she could be alone with her thoughts. How was it that she'd been so reckless?