I Borrow a line from Gotye's song: "Somebody that I used to know"
—
Flashback to the night of the engagement party:
Finally it seemed they located Harry, next to Ron and Daphne.
"Harry!" Hermione warmly hugged him. Then moved on to hug Ron and Daphne.
"This party is gorgeous Daphne! Your parents have really outdone themselves" Hermione chatted.
"Yes, although the guests leave something to be desired." Draco frowned.
"What's his deal?" Ron asked amused.
"Oh nothing, don't pay attention to him. He just didn't realize I wasn't quite the prude he envisioned. He's coming to terms with it." She smiled at him.
"Illusion shattered!" Harry replied while the others laughed.
"Ron, did you know your brother, the big one, was with her?"
Hermione elbowed Draco in the ribs.
"Oi! Draco mate, we don't talk about that. We never talk about that! Get on board."
Harry laughed at Draco's discomfort while he continued to grumble to himself.
Daphne spoke next, "the house elves are able to bring you any drink you'd like. Yes Hermione we are paying them," she winked at her.
"Oh thank Merlin," Draco said and located a house elf. "Two fire whiskeys please, Anyone else want anything?"
They made their orders, Hermione surprised the others and ordered, "tequila."
"Tequila? What the hell is tequila?" Draco asked her as the house elf popped away to get their drinks.
"It is the best muggle drink! I got turned onto it when I was in Mexico."
When the house elf returned, each person in the group tasted Hermione's tequila.
"Alright Granger, this isn't terrible."
"He reverts to calling me Granger when he's irritated with me," Hermione told the boys, as Daphne went to go check on things.
Harry and Ron laughed again as Draco finished both his fire whiskeys and Hermione sipped her tequila.
"Well I better go look for Pansy," Ron said.
"How's that going by the way?" Hermione asked him.
"She's almost too much for me to handle," Ron said in a fond way. "Mostly I just adore her though."
Hermione squealed and squeezed his arm tightly.
"I'm just so pleased you both were matched with each other!"
"Yeah, Pansy is delightful." Draco replied sarcastically.
"Oh hush you! She's one of my best friends." Hermione answered.
"Yeah! Someday you're really going to have to tell me how that happened. She was horrible to you in school."
"Pot, kettle, black." Hermione said.
"What does that gibberish even mean?"
Harry laughed again. "It means you were way worse to her and she forgave you!"
"Yeah well I graveled at her feet at that Christmas party you had after the war. Then again at that luncheon."
"You were very remorseful, darling." Hermione smiled at his irritation. "I forgave you and her a long time ago. I'm sure you'll learn to tolerate each other again in time."
Harry and Ron excused themselves. Hermione linked her arm in his and they walked the room again to greet people smiling happily as they worked the room together. Hermione even managed an awkward smile at Lucius when they briefly stopped to say hi.
It was only upon seeing Luna that her heart sank. She knew she was being absolute rubbish to her friend. She sighed and nudged Draco towards the blonde that seemed to be twirling by herself in the corner of the room.
"Luna!" Hermione called rushing to hug her.
"Hermione?" Luna asked surprised. "Have the nargles left you alone finally?"
"What Luna? Look I'm so sorry I've been such a terrible friend. I know you didn't have any control over who you were matched with."
Luna smiled warmly. "People often place blame on loved ones for things they can't control. Human nature really."
"Can you forgive me? Maybe we can get together this week for lunch?"
"Of course. I should alert you that Theo is on his way over."
Draco tightened his grip around Hermione.
Theo approached. His facial expression gave nothing away. He put his arm around Luna.
He stared at the couple in front of him. They stared back. Oh dear thought Hermione. What on Earth am I to say to him. Someone should say something. She shifted nervously. This is the longest that no one has talked in the history of the world.
"Theo, the nargles have finally left Hermione's brain."
Draco stared at the blonde with skepticism.
Theo nodded toward his fiancé in indifference.
"Um. Hi Theo." Hermione finally said, trying not to panic. What a stupid thing to say thought Hermione. Why couldn't she come up with something better.
He tilted his head towards her. Hermione's heart pounded.
"What do you want me to say Hermione?"
"I don't know, I thought maybe we could move past all this." Tears started to well in her eyes.
"You don't have to be such a prick Theo. To MY fiancé"
Theo laughed, "your fiancé, yes well. I hope you're accustomed to heartbreak when she stomps all over your soul."
Hermione started crying into Draco's shoulder.
"Don't make me punch you again Theo. She is obviously sorry about what happened. This is Daphne's engagement party. Can't you follow a bit of decorum."
"After the memories she left me. No. I will never forgive her. We will never be friendly. She meant too much to me for me to ever be just her friend. I will never hide behind a façade of polite indifference with her. LOOK AT ME HERMIONE." He slammed his drink down at a nearby table. Her eyes shot over to him filled to the brim with her sadness.
"Gods Theo." She spoke. They locked eyes for a few moments. The tension palpable. Finally Theo spoke again.
"I don't even know you anymore. You're just somebody that I used to know. I can't do this. Luna, I'm sorry to cut the night short." He turned to leave but Luna held his hand firmly.
"Hermione, I will owl you about lunch. Bye Draco." She waved as she followed Theo out of the ballroom where they apparated away.
Hermione didn't notice the group of people that came over.
"Want me to kick him in the bollocks?" Pansy asked, pulling Hermione into a hug.
"No it's fine. I don't know what I expected. Daphne will be so upset to learn he's left her party."
"Daphne will be fine," Draco assured her rubbing her shoulders nodding his hello to Ginny, Neville, Ron, Blaise, and Percy.
Hermione dried her tears, pulling herself together. "Okay. Yes." She waved over to a house elf.
"A bottle of tequila and a bottle of fire whiskey and 8 shot glasses please" Hermione told the small creature.
The group looked at each other with wide eyes.
"We're doing shots?" Ginny asked.
"We're doing shots." She told the group.
"I'm not sure that would be prudent." Percy replied.
"oh Percy, you know how I love that delicious tongue of yours, take shots with me." Blaise squeezed his fiancé's shoulder encouragingly.
Percy reddened but swiftly agreed. It was a party after all.
"Well I'm game," Neville replied, "ever since I was matched with Ginny, I feel uncomfortable, guilty, and anxious around Harry. Even if it was a fantastic turn of luck. This should do the trick!" He said as the house elf produced the liquor.
Hermione poured out the tequila first. She held hers up to Draco to cheers, "get wasted?" She asked.
Draco contemplated the shot before him.
"Get wasted." He agreed. And they all took the shot.
"Again!" Blaise said while Hermione poured fire whiskey for everyone.
"To awkward situations!" Ginny said. Clink. They drank.
They refilled the glasses. "To avoiding emotional problems!" Blaise said. Clink. Drink.
"To your friend having sex with your ex!" Pansy grinned. Drink. The group chuckled at that one, and Hermione avoided her eye.
"To falling in love." Percy spoke boldly, as Blaise swatted him on the arse.
"Damn right!" He replied as everyone drank.
"Ooh! I have the best idea," Hermione giggled as the liquor started to take effect. "Let's mix the fire whiskey and the tequila in the same shot. A little half blood shot. Get it? Because fire whiskey comes from wizards, and tequila comes from muggles."
"Great idea!" They cheered as Mr. Greengrass approached.
"You lot look jolly! What have you concocted there?" He asked with great curiosity.
"Fancy for you to ask good sir Master of the estate." Hermione said with a curtsy, "this shot, is a meeting, of our kinds. You MUST take one with us!" The group agreed wholeheartedly. Hermione poured the mixture into the shot glasses, flagging down a house elf for another shot glass.
"To the happy couple," Draco grinned. Clink. They all drank.
"Whoop! That will put hair right on your arse!" Mr. Greengrass laughed causing the group to erupt into laughter.
"To the halfbood shot!" Ron bellowed pouring out another mixture for everyone. Everyone drank again.
"To Harry the halfblood!" Mr. Greengrass said, excited to be included in the frivolity. They all drank again.
At this time, the large group was causing a bit of a crowd at their behavior. Mrs. Greengrass tutted over to them.
"Darling! You are not 25 anymore. Let's get the music going, come dance with me and stop this foolishness." She said.
"Hold on dear, one more for good luck! To dancing!" He held out his glass.
"Groove thang! Dancing!" Hermione was thrilled kissing on Draco's neck after she finished her shot.
For a short time the liquor was abandoned to the dance floor. It started off innocently enough, "Mr. Greengrass, the robot can play any music? Muggle allowed?"
"What? The robot? Oh you mean the magical DJ. Yes of course, any song that exists, it can play, including muggle music. Is that what you asked?"
Draco was amused at drunk Hermione. Where normal sober Hermione tried to be proper, and respectful, and accommodating, drunk Hermione was a hoot. She gave zero fucks about her behavior. She started requesting songs in earnest and detailing to Draco why these songs were the best songs ever. After that it all became a blur for the sloppy couple.
—
Present day:
After riding, Hermione and Draco headed back to the Manor.
"Would you like to see our wing of the house?" He asked.
"Yes, sure. I still can't believe this is already happening."
"Don't act too excited or anything." Draco rolled his eyes at her, a bit miffed by her reaction.
"I'm just nervous about the whole thing Draco. Frankly it's a lot of your father."
"I understand. I hope it won't be too terrible for you though." He responded with a slight catch in his voice, his disappointment showing through.
He led her around and Hermione was in awe of the cozy feel of their library and the many guest rooms they had. What on earth would she do with that many guest rooms?
"They're also able to be converted into nurseries," Draco told her.
What on earth would she do with that many nurseries? Seemed like they needed to have a conversation about expectations of their future family. She wanted for sure one child, maybe two if the first one was really great, but more than that terrified her. With the marriage law, you were able to petition for the use of birth control after you had successfully produced at least one child. That whole thing was barbaric but she knew that the magical population was in jeopardy. She sighed as he brought her to another room.
"This will be your room." He said with a grin. The room was extremely large, comfortable, and homey. Hermione loved it. Then she frowned.
"Draco why did you say my room? Not that I don't love it because it's just my taste but I'm not staying with you? Is this some pureblood custom? I'm just expected to breed with you and have sex all the time without having the closeness of a real spouse in the same room." Hermione was furious.
"Hermione! No, that's not what I meant." He nervously swallowed, "I just didn't want to presume that you would want to stay with me. I know this is all forced on you, so I thought you might be grateful for some space of your very own. I thought this would be what you wanted."
Hermione softened. "Draco, show me OUR room." He genuinely smiled at her.
"Very well." And he led her further back into his childhood room.
The house elves had updated it from Hogwart's house colors to a beautiful shade of grey. There was a comfortable sitting area next to yet another fireplace, and a cozy chair that Hermione already saw herself claiming. The bed was enormous and the bathroom quite grand.
"I like this much better," She squeezed his arm and moved around the room to get a closer look.
"I'll have the house elves bring your things in here then." He tried to keep his voice even to keep from betraying his excitement.
"So I have my classes now," she said. "Did you still want to have a date afterwards?" She asked nervously, the realness of the past few moments were overwhelming her.
"Of course! Did you have anything in mind? Or shall I plan something?"
"You know what I would really love?"
"What?"
"A movie night at my flat. I'm exhausted from last night and I'd really just love to snuggle on the couch with you, and go to bed early."
"That sounds amazing actually."
She grinned at him again, kissing him briefly on the cheek before leaving for her beautification class.