Draco laughed a bit " okay you've had too much to drink you're cut off " he teased her " I'll admit. I got around .. that came out wrong. It wasn't that bad. But there was a few. " he chuckled a bit. " oh who cares. Let them talk. This was the most excitement they have seen all month. After everything that happened .. " he looked over at her know there was a lot to talk about , a lot he needed to explain just not here and in front of everyone. Even this the family drama was Public news at this point. He just didn't need everyone knowing his business. He just wanted to tell Hermione.

Hermione chuckled at Draco's teasing, her cheeks still tinged with a rosy blush. She rolled her eyes and laughed a bit when he admited that he got around. Of course he did. "Hey , i only had.. " She paused and tried to count with her fingers as she tried to remember how many drinks she actually had " Well whatever, but i am not drunk" His lightheartedness was contagious, and she found herself feeling more at ease in his company, even as the weight of their history and the unspoken questions between them lingered. "Excitement, indeed," she replied, her gaze meeting his as she couldn't help but smile. "Well, I'm not sure I'm ready to be the center of attention just yet, but I guess it's too late for that now." Hermione shrugged and slowly brought the glass closer to her lips again, watching him while she took the last sip. She then tilted her head a little " Now be honest Draco, what is on your mind?"

" yea apparently one too many drinks tonight if you can't remember " he teased her counting out at least 3. He knew all to well she wasn't used to a night like this. Draco smiled looking her in the eyes " oh darling you became center of attention the second you walked in the door with me " he said quite proud of himself. " oh if we are going to do this IM going to need another drink. " he didn't know where to start but he wanted to be honest with her about it. " first of all .. everyone is gone. The house .. it's just me now. Yea my mother is well and Alive she pops in once in a while. But I think my Father is dying.. slowly.. but it's happening. " he said not sure yet how he felt about that " at least that's how mother describes it. How she knows for sure I'm not sure. " dementors .. slowly but surely. He's dying " he said staring off into space and just kinda shrugged it off like it didn't matter anymore. As soon as Lucius was dead he would be free.

she chuckled when he teased her. Hermione was tipsy for sure but still had a clear mind. The smile on her face slowly fainted when he mentioned that he would need another drink for this. Hermione raised a brow and listened attentively as Draco began to share his truths, the weight of his words sinking in. She could sense the mix of emotions in his voice, the complexities of his feelings about his family and his father's situation. "No matter what he's done, I can imagine it's a difficult situation for you." She could see the turmoil in his eyes, the struggle he had likely faced for years and it really did hurt to see him like this, to see him act like it did not matter. But she knew it there was more going on inside him. Her fingers reached out to gently brush against his, a silent show of support. " I am just really happy for you that your mother is doing fine and you are not all alone. You got your friends too" her gaze searching his when he starred off space.

Draco used to adore his father , looked up to him until he was about 6 years old. The first time he witnessed a physical fight between his parents. He saw his father hold his mother by the throat and held her against the wall a few few in the air choking her. He was only six. His mother saw him and told him to leave. He was just out of sight but heard everything. That's when the fear and confusion started. " it's bloody confusing is what it is. " he said with a laugh " I saw too much. Yea mums fine now. Found some one new. Someone better. "He looked down at their hands and brushed his fingers against hers intertwining their fingers together a little. "I have you right?" He asked looking her in the eyes.

Hermione could see the pain and confusion in Draco's eyes even tho he didn't really tell her everything about his past, Draco did not tell about witnessing his parents' tumultuous relationship but Hermione could see there was more than he told her. She couldn't imagine how difficult those memories of his past must have been for him, how much they had shaped his perspective on love and family. She felt a pang of sadness for the young boy he once was, thrust into a world of darkness and uncertainty. "I'm glad your mother found happiness," she said gently, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "And yes, you have me. We may have had our differences and disagreements in the past, but I'm here now, Draco." She looked into his eyes, her gaze unwavering and sincere. "We both made mistakes, but we also grew up and changed," she continued, her voice steady. "I want to believe that people can change, that we can move forward from our pasts." Her gaze slowly wandered down to her arm

" we had our disagreements because I never gave you a chance. I just assumed. " he said softly and sighed taking in a deep breath " Hermione .. listen .. everything I ever said to you. That was coming from him. That wasn't me. I need you to know that. It was all from my father's influence over the years. I .. I didn't know anything else. " he said trying to find a way to apologize to her for all those years of torment for purely no reason. He glanced down at her arm seeing MudBlood carved into her still. He reached over tracing his fingers over it. " that's not what I see when I look at you " he said softly ticking his gaze back up at her.

Hermione's gaze softened as she listened to Draco's words. It was a revelation she had long suspected but never fully understood until now. The realization that his words and actions had been influenced by his father's beliefs hit her with a mix of emotions. It was a revelation she had long suspected but never fully understood until now. The realization that his words and actions had been influenced by his father's beliefs hit her with a mix of emotions. "I believe you, Draco," she said gently, her voice sincere. "I've always thought that there was more to you than what met the eye, more than the words you used to taunt me. It's... " She paused and couldn't continue her sentence as she tried not to tear up. She took a deep breath and watched as he traced his fingers over the word carved into her arm, and her heart skipped a beat at the tenderness in his touch. His next words resonated deeply with her, and she felt a lump forming in her throat. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice slightly shaky, her eyes now slightly tearing up "It means a lot to hear you say that." She quickly reached up with one hand to wipe off a tear with the back of her hand. Her gaze remained on her arm, she didn't want to look at him , not with tears in her eyes.

He reached forward and wiped her eyes with his thumb. Back then he could care less that he had hurt her feelings by the things he had said. Now he just hated that part of himself. He took her hand and put it up to his lips to kiss the back of her hand. He could never say those things to her again. " this.. this should never have happened to you. I should have stopped her. But that would have been worse for me. I should have faked a kidnapping and gotten you out of there. " he sighed a little knowing he was throwing a lot of information at her at once. Too much for even her brain to handle. " alright I think that's enough horror stories for the day. " he said and kissed her cheek.

Hermione felt her heart swell with a mixture of emotions as Draco wiped away her tears and kissed the back of her hand. She looked into his eyes again and tried to look strong infront of him, just as she always used to do. The only difference now was that he caught her crying this time. Back then in school she always had the chance to log herself somewhere and let out her emotions when she had to. She took a deep breath before she spoke in a soft tone "We can't change the past, but we can work toward a better future." His kiss on her cheek elicited a warm feeling within her, a sense of comfort and camaraderie that she hadn't expected to find tonight. Hermione reached up and ran her finger along his jawline, tracing along his facial features " You are right , enough horror but you should know that it wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done ..."

" actually there was something I could have done. But I lied to everyone that I didn't know you guys. If I had told the truth .. this wouldn't be happening right now. " he said looking her in the eyes. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her a little closer into his lap and rested his chin on her shoulder. " no more horror stories. There's plenty of time to talk about it. Maybe more in private. " he smirked a little holding her a little closer not wanting to let her go right now.

She nodded slightly, her expression softening as he pulled her closer into his lap, resting his chin on her shoulder."You're right," she said softly, her fingers gently tracing circles on the back of his hand where it rested on her waist. "We have all the time in the world to talk about it, if you're willing. Her heart raced as she felt his proximity, his warmth enveloping her. For the first time in a long while, Hermione felt a sense of ease in Draco's presence. She closed her eyes for a moment and smiled softly, leaning more against him as she bathed in his warmth. After a moment of silence she opened her eyes again and looked at the dancefloor. Some guys were fighting about something super unimportant but Hermione chuckled a little " See i am not drunk. Its not me over there fighting about something stupid right?" she grinned a bit as she watched the guys

He smirked and chuckled " if you're willing to hear it " he said looking her in the eyes. He just didn't want to scare her off and figured he already said enough for the evening. He laughed a bit seeing a little fight break out. For once it wasn't him. " nah you're not drunk just tipsy. It's more fun that way. " he smirked " let me know when you are ready to go " he said holding her a little closer and rubbed her sides.

She watched the small scuffle from a distance, amusement twinkling in her eyes. Draco's presence beside her felt reassuring. "I'll definitely let you know when I'm ready to go," she replied, but secretly she didn't even wanna think about leaving, for some reason she wished this night would never end. Her fingers lightly brushing against his arm as she shifted slightly in his lap. The touch was casual, yet held a subtle intimacy that was impossible to ignore. "tonight has really been... unexpectedly enjoyable." she smiled and looked over when she felt him rubbing her sides, his chin still resting on her Shoulder "but you will also let me know when you want to leave understood?" She continued caressing his arm with the tip of her fingers.

" I know what you mean. I wasn't expecting this night to end up like this either. " he said pulling back a little to look at her properly. " I'm really glad you're here. Of course I'll tell you when I'm ready to go. " he was surprised she was so comfortable here let alone letting him hold her like this for as long as he wanted. He played with her hands a little. It was all just so much better when it happened naturally. He reached around her to finish off the drink and just sit back and relax with her keeping her as close as possible. He had given her one day to change her mind and get to know him a bit more. He was convinced it was a success and he would most likely see her again. A part of him was hoping she would spend the night, he would give anything to see her first thing in the morning.

"Good, i don't want you to feel forced to stay here just for me to enjoy the party" She leaned into him as he played with her hands, their fingers intertwined in a way that felt surprisingly natural. It was as if their past differences had faded away, leaving room for something new. Hermione looked down at their hands and noticed the ring he was wearing. It was the ring he used to wear back then, she remembered very well. She ran her index finger over the snake pattern depicted on the silver ring and slightly bit her lip, wondering how this night would continue. She really didn't want to leave his side. For some reason she felt bad about the thought of being parted from him. she felt a mix of emotions, a desire to stay a little longer, the realization that they should probably leave soon. But the wish of staying with him overweighted " I don't want this night to end..." She spoke quietly to herself but loud enough for him to hear. Her gaze still on their hands

Draco leaned against the couch keeping his eyes on her watching as she noticed the ring in his hand tracing the serpent with her finger tips. There was so much he wanted in his life and he hoped she would be there at his side. He wanted to change and do better for her. Make things right with her. It made him smile hearing her say she didn't want the night to end just yet. " it doesn't have to. Come home with me .." he said keeping his eyes locked on her. He didn't mean it in a sex way, he didn't want her to go either. " private party of our own. Just us. I can finally have you all to myself. The house .. everything is different. Slowly.. but I'm working on It. It's not all dark and evil there. There is some beautiful moments I want to show you. You might grow to like it "

Hermione's heart raced a little as she listened to Draco's words. The idea of spending more time with him, away from the prying eyes of the party, was certainly tempting. She looked at him. The mention of his efforts to change and create a better environment intrigued her. She had witnessed firsthand the darkness that had surrounded him in the past. After a moment of consideration, Hermione nodded slowly, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Alright, i gues... I'll come with you." She felt a mix of nervousness and excitement at the prospect of spending more time alone with him, away from the crowd.

He thought for sure she would say no and he of course understood why not. He was relieved when she said yes and agreed to go home with him for the evening. " I promise it's just me there. You're safe " he told her honestly. He has the room sealed off where she was tortured , it would appear like the room was missing and closed off she probably wouldn't even notice. It was the first room he was trying to renovate. He sat up and cupped her face in his hands as he went for one more kiss on the lips soft and gentle yet passionate.

When he promised that she would be safe and it was just him there, she nodded slightly but felt the little fear deep inside of her. How will she react when she sees his home again after all the time? She closed her eyes, allowing herself to be swept away by the moment. It was a mixture of emotions and desires, a connection that had been building between them over the course of the evening. As the kiss deepened, Hermione's hands found their way to Draco's shoulders, her fingers gently curling around the fabric of his shirt. When they eventually pulled away,she bit her lip, her cheeks were flushed and her breath slightly uneven. She looked into his eyes, a mix of curiosity and anticipation in her gaze. "Shall we go now?," The young witch asked and slowly got up in a elegant way.