"A party?" Hermione breathed out in shock. "You'd like to go to a party…like this?" She gestured towards Ron's cast.

"Why of course!" He responded. He then made a notion of rolling his eyes as if she made the most obvious statement of all time. Hermione had to sigh and pinch the bridge of her nose. This child was acting as though he hadn't dislocated his ankle three weeks ago. She sat back down on the edge of his bed.

It had been two weeks since Ron had ended up in the hospital. It has also been a week since she finally mustered up the courage and dignity to finally acknowledge him again. Although Hermione was thoroughly upset with him and she cried quite a bit, she had come to the realization that at the end of the day, she was a friend and Lavender was his girlfriend. Ron loved her, just not the way she wanted. That last part made her wince slightly. Hermione promised herself that it was simply time to move on. She couldn't wait forever for someone who had no intention of ever waiting for her.

She told herself that she was over him, but she knew that a part of her still wanted him more than just a friend…

A huge part.

"You called me over here, so I could drive you to a party?"

"Well of course! No one else here can!" Hermione had to take a deep breath. He wasn't wrong. She was the only one of the friend group who had her licence. Harry and Ron had been putting it off, despite Hermione's constant nagging. Ginny was "in the process" of getting it, and Lavender, Hermione bit back a growl at the thought of her, had failed her driver's test three times.

Hermione gave another deep sigh as she realized that she was surrounded by complete idiots.

"Why don't you stay in for the night? Finish your homework for –"

"Awe, Hermioneeeeeeeeeee,"

"Absolutely not!" She snapped sternly. "I have no intention of sending you off to a party when you still have to recover! You are still using crutches-"

"I'm fine! Honest!" He was grabbing her arm now. "Everyone is going to be there."

"No,"

"Please!"

"Take a cab,"

Somehow Hermione found herself pulling up to Seamus Finnigan's house. Ron was already bounding up and down like a child ready to open his gifts on Christmas. She could only shake her head. The things she'd do for him!

Hermione looked outside as she could see that the party was already in full swing. A group of boys running across the street drunk, a pair of giggling girls watching some second year take off his shirt, and music blaring obnoxiously loud. Hermione made an internal bet on how long it would take for the cops to arrive and shut the party down.

No later than midnight, she thought smugly to herself.

"Be there in a bit, boys!" Hermione heard Ron shout from the passenger seat. She shifted the car into park and she got out of the vehicle to attain Ron's crutches.

This was ridiculous. Did he really plan on limping around the whole evening? What was so fun about parties anyways? They were loud, the drinks tasted awful and the people would drink until they were reduced into a primitive state.

"Oi, Ron!" Hermione heard Harry's familiar voice through the crowd. She watched as his bright green eyes landed onto her and widen into a pleasant surprise. "Is that…-"

"Hermione! You came!"

Suddenly all Hermione saw was bright red, and she found herself tackled to the ground by an unstoppable force.

"Hermione came to the party guys!" Ginny yelped with joy with Hermione crouched down uncomfortably underneath her. Hermione had to hold her breath to keep from smelling the horrid stench of alcohol coming from Ginny's mouth.

"I'm just here to drop Ron off-"

"No you must stay!" Hermione immediately began to protest. She had no intention of staying. She had to go home! There were so many assignments due!

"You must!"

"She's never been to a party!"

"She's staying!"

"She's drinking!"

"Get her up boys!"

Hermione found herself hauled up by two boys. One of whom was Harry and the other…well she couldn't quite tell from her angle, but it looked a lot like Dean. Her feet dragged across the lawn and suddenly she found herself inside.

It was even louder in here than before!

From there it was quite blurry. She remembered greeting some people along the way. She sheepishly waved to Padma Patil as she was hauled away. She remembered trying to get drunk Harry and Dean to let her go. They eventually did. They dropped her off at the drinks table where Hermione made a face of disgust.

They didn't think that she was going to drink, did they?

"Drink, drink, drink!"

Wonderful, she thought in annoyance. They were chanting now.

She stared at the red cup in her hands. How did that get there?

She looked back up at her friends and some unfamiliar faces. All looking up at her and encouraging her. What were they partying for anyways? With a small shrug she took the cup and brought it to her lips.

It was a Friday night anyways.

"You've got to be kidding me," Draco sneered in disgust as he looked upon the house that Theodore Nott pulled up to.

"It'll be fun, mate"

"You said it was a party not a homeless shelter!" This was awful. Everywhere he saw drunken fools. Loud distasteful music blared from inside the 'home'. Draco had to fight of the urge to run away. Girls were rolling on the ground, boys were dangling off the roof. Draco was ready to walk out of Nott's Mercedes when he saw a bunch of…Gryffindor's? They were chanting something. Draco couldn't quite make it out. He looked a little closer and realized that they were carrying a girl.

Draco made a disgusted noise. Were Gryffindor's seriously this primitive? Dragging off poor girls to do Merlin knows what? Is this what they call fun? No wonder all these people lived in poverty!

Wait…

He'd recognize those legs anywhere!

Granger!

What were they doing? She looked like she was struggling! He found his heart pick up its pace. He hardly knew the girl but the thought of those Gryffindors defiling her made him want to contact his father and sue every single one of them!

He whipped open the door and ran out. He heard the door make a horrid clang against something, but he didn't care! He would send Nott a cheque for the damage. He had to get to her now! What were they doing to her?

"Eh! That's the spirit, Malfoy!" Blaise shouted from the Mercedes.

Draco found himself pushing and shoving past the poor and inebriated. He had to remind himself to have a deep cleanse after this encounter.

Where was she?

He found himself looking around frantically like a mad man. Of course, he was mad! He was searching through the crowds for a girl he barley knew.

"Drink, drink, drink!"

He whipped his head around to follow the sound. A couple girls swooned as his golden locks swayed from the movement. He saw a head of bushy curls in the distance.

There!

He pushed and shoved his way. He threw off a girl that tried to clutch onto his muscled arm. What were they doing to her? Getting her intoxicated so Granger couldn't fight back?

As he got closer he saw Hermione surrounded by a bunch of peasants who were encouraging her to drink. He watched as she brought the red cup to her pouty lips. Instantly her face curled into disgust. She coughed loudly and quickly put the drink down.

"Disgusting!" Draco heard her shout. The room instantly erupted in a series of boos and groans of disappointment.

"You're no fun!"

"Boring Granger!"

"Why did she even come if she's not gonna drink?"

The crowd eventually dispersed leaving only Hermione and Draco in the vicinity.

He watched as Hermione shuffled in her spot. She shook her head and sighed. Draco found it mesmerizing on how simple actions could be so pretty.

Finally, her eyes met his. Draco was suddenly embarrassed as he was caught staring.

"Calculus boy!" She said with a smile. Draco had to stop for a moment before he realized that that smile was for him. His heart leapt, and he cursed his heart for it.

She called him Calculus Boy! A pet name! Did he like those anyway? He decided that he did. He could now hear his own pulse in his ears. Malfoy scowled suddenly. His heart does not beat for anyone! He would have to ask his father if he could have his heart surgically removed.

Look at those pretty doe ey-

Snap out of it! This was preposterous. He had just made a show of running into a Gryffindor party to save Stupid Granger, who evidently didn't need saving. He probably looked like such a fool running around amongst the poor! What would his father say? And since when did Draco care about the well being of Granger?

Draco hadn't realized that while he was having his own internal dialogue that Hermione was still waiting for a response.

Had he forgotten who she was? Her smile quickly faded. This was embarrassing. Was he alright? He looked like he was in severe pain. Wasn't this the same boy she had met a while ago? He was quite helpful if she recalled. Helped her get that A+ she needed.

She tilted her head to the side, perhaps she had mistaken him for someone else.

Why was he staring at her like that?

Hermione shuffled uncomfortably. Perhaps if she slowly backed away he wouldn't notice?

"You going to finish that drink?" He blurted out. Hermione blinked and stared back at the red cup. Without a second though, she grasped it and handed it to him. Her face furrowed in confusion.

"Sure," She said instinctively.

"Thanks, Granger." He mumbled as he drank quickly.

"Oh you do remember!" She said with a smile.

"Of course! How could I forget the imbecile who doesn't know how to set an equation to zero?"

Hermione was immediately taken aback and scowled.

"Now you listen here-"

Her words were cut off by the sound of sirens and bright red and blue lights outside.

Suddenly people were scattering. Running in every direction.

"The cops…" She heard her blond companion mutter.

"What time is it?"

"Does it matter? Run." And he grabbed her wrist and she found herself running behind Malfoy through the back doors. He pulled her along and Hermione didn't seem to fight it. Hermione didn't know where she was going with the handsome boy. Perhaps it would make an exciting story for boring Granger.

"Ronnie, what time is it?" Lavender mumbled in her drunken state.

From the rooftop Ron stood with Lavender hanging from his shoulder. As the police arrived to shut down their party he could've sworn that he saw Hermione run off into the distance with Draco Malfoy.

He shook his head and laughed.

He really was drunk.

"Ronnie!" Lavender whined.

Ron rolled his eyes and sighed. He pulled out his phone.

"Midnight,"

A/N: I'm back

Cheezy enough for you?