A/N: This chapter is mostly fun... well, mostly.

Also, I forget to say (write?) that every single comment, fav and follow on this fic absolutely makes my day. I'm so grateful with the reception this story has received so far, so thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

I have no beta, so all mistakes are my own.

Please enjoy.

HBSJ

Chapter 19

Draco had been watching when the helicopter took off from the grounds with Harry standing behind him.

"So,-" Harry had begun. "-have you fixed everything yet?"

Draco had needed a deep breath. "Not yet, but I am going to."

Harry had smiled his happy smile and thumped his back. "Good on you."

And that was that. Harry went back into the stables and Draco took out Bolt for a ride across the countryside.

That evening he was lounging with Blaise and Theo, watching telly for once.

They were watching some odd quiz and gameshow when Pansy called. They were to relocate to the Dowager House, get Harry too and start a party. And then she hung up.

He snorted a laugh and stared at his phone. Then the texts began coming in: You don't need to wear shirts. Draco chuckled, how drunk were they?

Get limes. That made sense, limes worked in almost all drinks.

We don't have any whiskey, if you want some bring it. He got up. They were probably going to get orders right up until the ladies arrived.

Get Harry to bring the blender. Draco actually laughed at that, how the hell would they ever stop him from bringing it?

Draco ignored the several many following texts from Pansy and Daphne in order to call Harry. He picked up on the second ring.

"What?"

Harry sounded like he'd just emerged from the pool, which was highly likely. "Get dressed, the girls want to party in the Dowager House."

"Brilliant, I'm bringing the blender." See, Draco thought with satisfaction.

"Don't forget the ice."

Draco could practically hear his eye roll. "As if I'd ever forget the ice. How the fuck and supposed to make margaritas without ice?"

"Also tequila. The girls have mainly champagne and vodka." Draco was walking down to the kitchens to grab what they needed. If it was a party the ladies required, they would get a fucking party.

Harry chuckled. "I can work with that. See you there."

A while later, and a rather laden and perilous drive in the golf cart, the gang was all gathered in the Dowager House, the male part of it anyway. They all looked at each other and Blaise commented, "What now?"

Harry walked right past them into the kitchen, still talking all the way. "It's obvious isn't it? Now we set up, get the drinks flowing, turn up the music and start this party."

Blaise shrugged. "Alright then. Where's the stereo?"

Theo had different things in mind though, he scoffed loudly. "Never mind that, where's the fucking alcohol?"

They all laughed and began setting up. Of course, Harry had chosen some cheesy nineties pop and no matter how much they all ridiculed him for it, they all swayed and bobbed to the music anyway as they began mixing drinks and cutting up limes.

Walking into the Dowager House with all lights blazing and the music blaring from the speakers was a surreal experience. The music was something questionable right out of 1996, sure to be Harry's choice and sure enough, he was enthusiastically dancing back and forth across the kitchen, filling up pitchers and jugs with something that looked suspiciously like his lethal margaritas.

Also, Hermione was so used to it being quiet here and now it just… wasn't.

Everyone pretty much began talking all at once and the sound was deafening.

One thing caught her eye though, as she was pointedly looking away from Draco. No, Malfoy. She watched Luna walk calmly through the kitchen and opening her secret door to her room, but on the way she bumped into Blaise and apologized off-handedly.

Blaise however, froze and watched Luna transfixed as if struck by magic. As usual, she was humming and smiling absently, though perhaps a bit wobbly due to all of the champagne.

Luna left her room and walked right past Blaise again, ignoring him completely and disappeared into the sitting room. Blaise literally shook his head and followed her.

Hermione grinned. Perhaps two very opposite people could find something they needed in the other.

She followed them into the main party room where the stereo was thumping away and Daphne and Ginny were dancing with Harry. Draco was speaking privately with Pansy and both were giving her furtive looks, which she ignored, and Astoria was choosing music with Theo over by the computer that was set up by the stereo.

And then Luna came to talk to her. "Do you feel better now that we're back?"

Hermione smiled, at ease. "I do, I just have to get everything sorted in my mind about it."

"Well,-" Luna said dreamily. "-I think you'll be just fine."

Before Hermione could reply, Blaise had materialized in front of them. "Granger, why haven't you introduced me to your beautiful friend?"

She looked between them and for the first time, Luna actually looked at Blaise and her eyes widened but Hermione made the introduction anyway. "Blaise, this is Luna Lovegood, she is a wonderful friend and she works here in this house. Luna, this is Marchese Blaise Zabini, an Italian curtesy title."

Blaise moved is arms as if wafting her words away. "Call me Blaise, please. I much prefer informality around this lot."

Luna blinked her overlarge eyes once and then resumed her staring at him. "Would you tell about your title? Why is it a curtesy? Or are you allowed to keep it only if you're being nice?"

Blaise barked a laugh and Hermione clamped her mouth to stop a smile at the complicated explanation Blaise now had to give her, and went back into the kitchen to get a drink.

And of course Draco was there, serving himself some of Harry's death-drink. Hermione had learned her lesson, she had no wish to repeat that raging hangover again.

Because reasons.

"Ouch, that damn well hurt!"

She held up her hand to smack him in the neck again. "And yet I don't hesitate to smack you again." She said with icy calm but her eyes were breathing fire.

"Pans, you're the one who told me to fix it!"

She rolled her eyes, actually rolled her eyes at him. He'd never seen her do that before. "You were supposed to placate her, fuck her, introduce her to someone. A small concession for burying what every vile concoction Skeeter was brewing. Not handing her the fucking keys to an ancient duchy with royal family lineage, you daft prick." Her tone was dripping with barely contained fury.

He ran his hands through his hair again. It was as if it was becoming a nervous tick or something.

Her jaw set and she spoke through clenched teeth. "Is the agreement in writing?"

He huffed out a breath. "No, of course not."

"Then your unsavoury arrangement is null and void." He frowned but she continued with a small shrug. "Let her spew her lies, let them both wrap the noose around their necks and when the time is right, we choke them on their own lies."

There was a reason Pansy was one of his best friends, one of those people that a lot of outsiders liked to loathe, but she was fiercely loyal and could be terrifyingly vicious if need be.

He looked over to Hermione and Pansy followed suit. She smiled, a little genuine half smile that she always tried to hide. "Perhaps you can still have your happy ending Drake. You'll have to grovel before her of course. And convince your parents too. But the two of you could be." She sounded almost a little sad.

His lips quirked of their own volition. "So could you Pans." He nudged her to look behind the sofa. "Harry is dancing, you should join him. Have some fun."

She made a face and sniffed. "I'm not in a position to have fun, I'm getting older."

He kissed her cheek. "That may be so, but you're not old yet. And tonight we're partying. So go, have fun, dance and figure all of that boring stuff out another day."

She rolled her eyes. "I need a fucking drink."

He grinned. "Here." He handed her a shot glass and took one for himself. After three rounds he got up and pushed her towards Harry with a laugh and a yelled, "Go!"

He looked up to see Blaise staring with rapt attention at Lovegood, taking in her every word, connotation and body language with a goofy expression on his face. Lord, save him from fools.

But he also noticed that Hermione was just about to extradite herself from the conversation she wasn't a part of any longer and he took three long steps to find himself in the kitchen just seconds before she arrived.

He was casually pouring Harry's margarita into his glass, not caring about his level of drunkenness tonight. He needed to let go and so did she.

She smiled stiffly at him. Well, she just needed a bit of goading, that was all. He just needed to be careful about it.

"So Granger,-" He began. "I have an idea. We could play a game. Looser takes a shot of whatever this is." He gestured to Harry's creation and began lining up shots.

She scrunched up her nose adorably. "What kind of game?"

He smirked at her and held up both hands, palm up. "Put your hands on top of mine, palm down."

She did and he looked at her for a moment before slapping the top of one of her hands softly. She gasped and scowled at him. "That hurt."

He scoffed. "No it didn't, stop pretending." She was much tougher than that and they both knew it. She pursed her lips and he wanted to kiss her right then and there. He had to restrain himself. It was difficult. "Take a shot." She did. "Now it's your turn to try and hit me."

She tried and missed.

"You missed, you take a shot." It was hard to contain his smirk.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps, but I'm also trying to get you to relax and laugh around me again."

She grinned and they lined up their hands again. This time she looked at his face and not his hands. She didn't miss. "Now you drink."

He bowed slightly. "As my lady commands." He grinned and downed another shot. She grinned right back at him, obviously much more relaxed than before.

He held up his hands again, and she placed her own in his. He liked that feeling, he could drown in that feeling, no matter what had happened between them. He paid close attention to her though, and managed to slap her hand again.

It was fun, it was dumb and he had rarely enjoyed himself as much as that half an hour they had to themselves in the kitchen.

They were interrupted by Blaise. He seemed off, trying to communicate something to him. "You have a moment mate?"

Draco, still grinning, just said, "Sure, what's up?"

Blaise turned to Hermione, all smiles and curtesy. "I do apologize for interrupting Hermione, but can I steal him away from you for a moment?"

She swayed with a smirk. "'Course you can, after all, he's not mine." She winked and walked slightly unsteadily into the sitting room.

Draco choked at her response and glared at Blaise. "Really? You had to interrupt now? For fucks sake mate."

Blaise waved it away dismissively. "Tom Riddle just called me."

Draco blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"He did. Wanted me on his team. Avery left before the season's tournament is over. And he offered me a ridiculous sum of money. He thinks I'm on your new team."

Draco growled. "I don't have a fucking team. He made sure of that. Offering all of them absolutely ridiculous sums of money and they all left. They ignored everything we… I'd worked for. I thought we were friends. But no, money was obviously more important than that." He glared at Blaise. "Are you going?"

Blaise rolled his eyes. "No of course not. I don't want to, I'm not in good enough shape for competitive sport, and I don't like him. He rubs me the wrong way somehow."

Draco smiled. "You and me both mate."

Blaise looked towards the sitting room. "Should we warn Hermione?"

"Yes." He answered almost before he was done speaking. "You should, she needs to know he'll probably contact her."

Blaise nodded and stalked towards Hermione, who was dancing with Harry and Ginny. Draco was standing in the doorway, trying to seem casual as he watched their exchange.

Hermione turned and hugged Blaise, trying to get him to dance. He said something in her ear and she frowned. He nodded and so did she, slowly understanding. Then she said something to him, they smiled at each other and Blaise returned to Draco. "She'll be on guard, don't worry."

"I worry Blaise. I can't help it with her."

Blaise grinned. "Stop it then. She's a big girl, she can take care of herself." They clinked glasses and Blaise emptied his. "Now if you'd excuse me, I have to find my girl."

Draco's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Your girl?"

A barking laugh was all that followed Blaise as he searched for his strange woman. And Draco stayed where he was, watching Hermione and working to find his courage to be more than himself for her. So far he'd sucked at it.

Luna was making herself a drink at the makeshift kitchen bar and Blaise was slung on a bar chair near her. Or as close to her as she would reasonably allow.

He was completely enraptured by her. How and why that was, was somewhat unclear to him. But he'd fallen fast and fallen hard.

Her slight humming and her ethereal dancing that had absolutely no bearing of the music that was thumping away in the main part of the sitting room.

She was off in her own world and by the Lord of all that was holy, Blaise wanted to join her there.

She was exquisite in every way. Willowy almost to the extreme with a perpetually dazed expression on her face but Blaise wasn't fooled. She concealed a mind sharper than most under there.

And her unconventionality appealed to him more than he could ever have imagined.

But she rebuffed his advances and his fascination with her only seemed to grow more fervent, more intense.

She was a study in contrasts. She seemed frail as a baby bird but was strong enough to give him a blistering set-down when he'd misbehaved. She seemed to be off in her own world, oblivious to everything around her but somehow, he knew that she took note of all of it. She seemed so innocent and unworldly but Blaise had a gut-torching feeling that she would demand her pleasure from him in all sorts of ways.

And she had already made two of her round-about threats at him, which only made him want her more.

Christ, he wanted her badly.

The party had been going on for hours and it was getting downright debauched.

After a row the likes of which none of them had ever seen, Harry and Pansy spent the rest of the night entwined in a divan-like armchair snogging and whispering together. Hermione had been wondering but it was so odd seeing her suspicions confirmed like that.

Draco was nursing a whiskey across from her, seeming contemplative. She was quite sure that He had been told something about Tom Riddle but her befuddled brain had a hard time connecting all of the dots about that. And why on earth Tom would ring her was a mystery to her, she wasn't great at polo yet. But perhaps Draco thought she could be and that was the reason.

Their mutual animosity was strange to witness in this posh world. They were courteous to each other but they loathed one another. She wondered briefly if they shouldn't just avoid the other completely. That would make it easier.

A roar of laughter brought her back to the present. She was drinking with Luna, Astoria, Ginny and Theo. Daphne was dancing, off in her own world. Well, the music was still too loud and everyone was still having to shout at each other to be heard. Just like she was now with her drinking buddies.

They were playing a game of sorts and Hermione was sure Luna was cheating, no one could be that good at Paranoia. She guessed the answer right every single time and it just seemed impossible. Theo kept yelling loudly that she must be a seer or a witch or something, to which Luna with just calmly smirk and say, "Perhaps I am, and so what?"

And they'd all burst out laughing, only to do a variation of the exact same thing moments later.

It was strange how much alcohol had changed the dynamics of their motley group. Hermione was floating happily along, chattering and joining in to the fun. So unlike her, but she didn't seem to care much about that.

Her rotten mood from earlier had vanished like mist before the sun and she floated along.

Oh, now Luna won again. She really was remarkable at guessing the question. How did she do that?

Hermione listened carefully to the next answer. "Five." Theo had set the question to Ginny and Ginny blushed something fiercely. But what was the question? Astoria started barraging Ginny with questions. "How many have you slept with?" Ginny shook her head. "How many shots can you take in a row?" Again Ginny shook her head. "How many boyfriends have you had?" Another no.

But as always, Luna got it before the rest of them. "How many men have professed their love for you?"

Ginny nodded and Astoria gaped, astonished. "Really?!" Another nod and Astoria's eyes were round as saucers. "How? Tell me how!"

And they were off, leaving Hermione utterly baffled at the rapid turn the conversation had taken. She looked to Theo, who just shrugged and got up to get something more to drink, leaving Hermione to turn to Luna. "What the hell just happened?"

Luna just peered at Hermione with that odd stillness of hers and cocked her head slightly. "It could be Nargles, there's an infestation you know. I have a herbal remedy that could cure it but I wonder if we could get deadly nightshade at this hour."

Hermione blinked, much too drunk to follow Luna's logic down the rabbit hole.

"Oh, I think I see Blaise." And then she just got up and left.

Hermione stared at her retreating form, wondering if she wasn't possibly very drunk. Too drunk perhaps? But could she be too drunk, that was the question.

No, she couldn't. Could she?

Nah.

She got up and swayed to the music alongside Daphne. It was nice. It felt nice.

She swayed on. Now it all made sense.

She needed just needed to dance, dance, dance.

It was so late that it was early and he was being a right creep as he watched Hermione sleeping on one of the sofas in the sitting room. She looked beautiful, even in sleep. He needed to make a decision and soon.

Everyone else were asleep except him. He could just see the first rays of sunlight through the treeline and he decided that he would be a gentleman and carry Hermione to bed.

He lifted her easily in his arms and stepped over Blaise and Luna sleeping in the middle of the floor, stepping around Harry who was nuzzling Pansy on some sort of divan and then up the stairs to the blue room.

Her room was still in semi-darkness as the sun rose on the opposite side of the Dowager House and he flipped back the covers and tucked her in fully dressed.

When he reluctantly let go, she turned to him and put both her arms around his neck. "Draco…" She breathed his name so softly that he shivered.

And then she pulled him in for a kiss.

It felt as natural as breathing.

It was a kiss that shook his very being to the core. He couldn't resist her even if he wanted to.

She pulled him all the way down so that he was on top of her and he couldn't believe how perfect it felt. How perfect she felt. She claimed him completely and forced him to submit to her and he was loving every fucking second of it.

She might have been asleep but she was demanding his attention. Aaaaand that was when it clicked.

Fuck! She was asleep.

As quickly as he could, he untangled himself from her. As he walked out the door he heard a soft "Don't leave me alone again, please." A pause and then a barely there, "Draco…"

He clenched his jaw and forced himself to close the door between them, which left him standing out in the hallway, glaring at her door.

Fuckity fuck fucking fuck!

Why couldn't she just have been a shrew? Why couldn't she just not have appealed to him at all? It would have been so much easier.

Right, he needed to sort out his fucking priorities.

First on the list, tell Cho to go fuck herself. He would deal with the fallout when it came.

Next, talk to his parents, tell them in general terms what had happened and speak to them about Hermione.

Finally, talk to Hermione. He probably should have done that before now. But better now than never, right?

Right?