Okay, well I never got a good response about ideas for this story, but, lucky you all of you, I thought of something reallllllly good! Here is the next chapter- hope you like it! My beta did an awesome job helping edit this too!
I would really be happy if I was getting more reviews per chapter... I'm getting several THOUSAND hits per chapter, but never more than twenty-or-so reviews per chapter. Come on! I promise I won't be one of those authors who won't update until they get a certain number of reviews, but it does motivate me to write more the more reviews I get...
Hermione awoke with a start. She sat up and looked around, confused by her surroundings. Sitting on the couch, she saw various pieces of her, Ron's, Harry's, and Ginny's costumes scattered around the room. Oh right, we came here after the Ball ended… Hermione shook her head and stretched, wincing at a pain in her wrist. Bringing it closer to examine it, she saw a faint bruise forming. Her memory came back to her and she groaned. Ronald…
Flashback***
The Ball had ended nearly an hour before and the four were relaxing in front of the fire in the Heads' Tower. Hermione's head was slightly fuzzy from the amount of Butterbeer she had consumed, but she delighted that she was back on good terms with Draco – or, at least, not on bad ones. Since leaving him, she had pushed his almost confession to the furthest recesses of her mind. She liked Draco, but after their month-long separation, she hadn't had time to truly explore her feelings for him.
Ginny swayed her slightly drunken form back to Harry's side after turning on the radio. She squealed and giggled as she toppled into his waiting lap. Hermione began laughing hysterically; both girls were total lushes when they drank. She also toppled and leaned back, bashing into Ron's shoulder.
It grew quiet for a few minutes before Ginny started laughing again. "Malfoy luvvves 'Eeerr-my-own-eeeee!" Harry and Hermione laughed, Harry because of the actual statement and Hermione because of the Ginny had said her name.
Ron stiffened in annoyance. "Who cares? Malfoy's an ass!"
"Hey…" Hermione slurred and poked Ron in the chest. "You don't know him. And he saved me from the mean owl people, so be nice!" Her last poke missed and she swayed, giggling. "I think I'm drrrrrrrunk!"
Ginny giggled too. "I'm not!"
Harry laughed at all three of the others. He was used to Ginny's behavior, but Hermione hadn't let loose like this in a very long time. And Ron was just funny because he was so upset by the mention of Malfoy. "What 'mean owl people' are you talking about?"
"The people that want to hurt me because I'm famous!" At the word 'famous,' she had made dramatic arm motions and rolled her eyes, causing Harry to burst into laughter again. Drunk Hermione was fun.
"He should have been protecting her from himself instead of other people!" Ron crossed his arms and scowled.
Ginny bolted upright. "You're just- just-" She tried to remember the word, raising her hand triumphantly when she did "-mad, Ronald, because Hermione doesn't luuvve you!"
"Ha! She likes me more than Ferret boy!" Hermione just sat there, too distracted by the flames of the fire to notice what Ron said. "Hermione, tell her I'm right!"
"Huh?" She looked at the two of them and then at Harry, who shrugged. "Yeah… sure, what he said." She waved her hand to dismiss whatever it was.
Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her into him. He crashed his lips against hers, being everything but gentle. One hand tangled in her hair as the other groped. "Oh Hermione!" He forced his tongue into her mouth just as she realized what was going on. She tried to push against his chest, but it only encouraged him. He groaned and grabbed her harder. Her eyes were open and she could see Harry out of the corner of her eye, trying not to watch the disturbing level of PDA his best friends were operating at. She pushed and hit harder at Ron. Harry, finally realizing she was struggling, jumped up and pulled Ron from her.
"Harry, what the fuck!?" Ron shoved Harry.
"You basically just attacked her, you dumbass!"
"No I didn't! She wanted me!"
"I what!?" Both men turned to look at Hermione, who had picked herself off the floor. "I didn't and don't want you Ron!"
"Hermione, you said you like me more than Malfoy! I know you love me! It's okay, you're just confused!"
"That's what you were trying to get me to say!? Ron, one, I do not like you more than Draco! Two, I'm drunk, but I'm at least sober enough to know that I'm drunk, which is better than being so drunk you think you're sober, but since I know I'm drunk I can tell you truthfully that you can't believe anything a drunk person says! Three, I- shit what was I going to say…? Three... oh, yes! You! You- you just don't go around kissing people like that!"
"I didn't kiss people, I kissed you!"
"Yeah, and we've had this talk before! I don't like you like that Ron! We're not good together!"
"Yes we are! We're perfect and we're going to be perfect and rich together with all your new money!" Perhaps Ron was drunk as well.
"You and I are not a 'we!' We're two 'you's, plural- Well, no, that's not quite right..." Ron's face brightened hopefully. "There are a plural number of singular 'you's, and I am one, and you are another, but we are not a 'you' together!" The Heir of Gryffindor smiled triumphantly, clearly thinking her argument was one that that could've stumped any Ravenclaw, if one happened to be handy.
He came closer and picked up her left hand. "Yes we are, and we're going to be rich and have rich, 'Pureblood' babies.'
Her fist acted on its own accord and flew out to meet his face. Being a girl, she had never hit anyone (besides Draco Malfoy during Third Year) and her form had been off. "OW!" She cried as her fist connected with Ron's face, feeling a snap in her wrist.
Ginny rushed forward to help Hermione while Harry help back Ron. "Are you okay Hermione?"
Hermione was trembling, unable to look away from Ron. "It'll be fine. I think you two should get him out of here. And his last chance is finished; I don't ever want to see him again!"
Harry grunted, struggling with Ron, whom he had in a headlock. "Ginny, get the door. Hermione, I'm sorry." She nodded. "We'll come check on you tomorrow."
She stared after them for awhile until she collapsed onto the couch. Tears overcame her as she reviewed her memories of the night. It had mostly gone well until Ron's attack. She cried until she didn't know if she was awake or asleep.
The night was fuzzy through her eyes. At one point, a heavy blanket was placed over her. A soft hand brushed stray hairs from her face. Hermione yawned, grasping a hand as she stretched herself. Awake, or in a dream, she opened her eyes to find her angel gazing upon her. Her angel leaned in brushing his lips across her forehead, before disappearing.
End of flashback***
Hermione shook her head. She couldn't believe what Ron had done. How could he think I liked him!? We've talked about that so many times since we broke up and I've always said the same thing! And I was drunk! I can't believe he tried to take advantage of me when I was drunk! She let out an exasperated yell.
"Wh-?" Draco shot up from the armchair he had been sleeping in.
"Oh! I didn't see you… sorry."
He shook his head. "No, it's okay." He tried to shake the sleep from his head. "Are you alright? I came in last night and you were crying…"
"I… It was Ron… again!"
Draco was by her side in an instant. "What did he do?"
She held out her wrist. "He used up his three-hundred twenty-seventh chance!" Her head pounded as she realized how hung-over she sounded. "He deluded himself into thinking I wanted him, then he tried to kiss me. I punched him and I think I broke my wrist… He won't be getting a three-hundred twenty- twenty- well, he won't be getting another chance, that's all I can say..."
Draco's eyes went as wide as Quaffles. "I- Let me get you some ice!"
"No, I'll just go see Madam Pomfrey…"
"Well, there's no need for that. I can heal it." He delicately lifted her arm and pointed his wand at her injury. "Episkey."
Her wrist immediately felt better. "Where did you learn that?"
He chuckled. "I AM second in our year."
Hermione blushed. "Well, yes…" Just then, several owls arrived at the window. "Oh, why so early? Don't people have other things to do besides bother me?" She hung her head in annoyance.
Draco laughed after opening the window to allow the owls entrance. To their surprise, he was receiving an almost equal number of owls as she. None of the owls departed after delivering their letter, all waiting for a reply. Draco opened one of his letters. "Ugh, is it that time of year again already?"
"What?" Hermione looked over his shoulder. "Holiday invitations? You can't be serious! Are all of these party invitations? There's got to be dozens of them!"
"Welcome to the 'Pureblood' World, my dear. We all must pay for our fathers' sins – and, for us, it is by attending boring parties and drinking eggnog."
"Well, I'm not expected to attend all of these, am I?"
"Merlin no! You only choose the few most influential parties and attend only those." Draco was all too familiar with these annual holiday parties. Ever since he was a young boy, they had bored him to no end. His father may be dead, but he was still expected to uphold the Malfoy Family Honor. He quickly began sorting his invitations into piles, one to accept and one to decline.
Hermione, however, was flustered. How do I pick which ones to go to and which ones not to? This is ridiculous! "I- umm… Draco?"
He looked up. "Yes?"
"I- I don't know anything about all of this… Do you think that you could help me? I mean… Well, would you go with me to these and everything?"
"Of course! Here, give me those and I'll answer for you." He smirked and help up an invitation. "Well, I guess you'll be spending Christmas night with me."
Her forehead furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"It seems that Mother has decided to hold our annual party on Christmas night – Pansy's stepmother, Melinda, is probably throwing a fit; she likes to throw theirs then too. Melinda must have done something to get on Mother's nerves..." He looked up distractedly. "You will come, won't you?"
"I- well, I don't know what I'll be doing for Christmas… I mean, I normally go to the Burrow, but… I guess I won't be going there this year since Ron is being Ron. I don't know where I'll be spending my Holiday this year…"
"Don't worry about Weasley. He doesn't deserve to be friends with someone as wonderful as you… Will you…" Never before had he struggled with his words in front of a woman.
"Draco…?"
He did the only thing he could do at that point; he blurted it out. "Will-you-spend-Christmas-Holiday-with-me?"
Dun dun dun... What's gonna happen? What do you WANT to happen? LET ME KNOW!!! AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!
I hope that all the Ron-haters are satisified with his (I'm pretty sure) permanant removal! (I'll take reviews about your thoughts as payment)
Remember, if you have something you would like to see, LET ME KNOW and I'll try my best to put it in somehow!
