"I watched your dance with Mr. Dolohov, I was quite impressed with how you handled the situation." Kingsley told the young witch he was dancing with.
Hermione smiled, "Thank you."
Kingsley eyed her carefully as they danced, "Have you ever considered working in politics?"
"Well," Hermione blushed, "If I'm being honest Voldemort didn't really let me think you much about a career in anything."
"Yes, I'm sure you had more important things to think about those last few years, but I want you to think about working at the ministry with me. Not in some small job but something where you feel you could make the biggest difference. I see big things in your future Hermione."
The curly haired witch smiled, "Thank you Kingsley, that really means alot to me."
"Of course! I know you have a lot on your plate with the Order and I want you to know I will help you in any way I can, regardless of if you come work with me or not." he winked as the song came to an end.
"Thank you for both the dance and the encouragement Minister." Hermione said before parting ways with her fellow Order member.
If it wasn't for her photographic memory, Hermione would never be able to remember all the names of everyone who danced with her. As two am rolled around, she was itching for people to leave so she could relax and goto bed.
"Drink this." Pansy said as she handed Hermione a Champaign glass.
"Why does it look weird?" the young witch asked as she looked into the glass at its contents.
Pansy smiled, "It's a pepper-up potion, I see you yawning and we've still got a ways to go yet. Purebloods like to party and until they all leave you can't goto bed like I know you want to."
"Pans I dont think I would have survived today without you." Hermione said as she hugged her friend, "Thank you."
"Of course, now drink that and find your boyfriend." Pansy said with a chuckle.
Hermione chugged back the glass quick and looked at her friend with wide eyes, "Why what happened?" she aked.
"He's threatening to hex anyone who dances with you before him." Pansy laughed, "I think it was hard for him watch all those other men hold you."
Hermione giggled, "Well it's not like they were feeling me up." she said as the two girls went in search of Draco.
"No," Pansy hummed, "but they still wern't him, you know?"
"I do." Hermione smiled before frowning, "Have you seen Ginny or Harry since Gin's little freak out?"
Pansy frowned and shook her head, "No, I'm sorry. Why do you think she freaked out so bad?"
"Well," Hermione took a breath, "Dolohov was one of the people who were involved with her uncle's deaths. No one knows who actually cast the killing curses but he was there so naturally she's going to blame him personally."
"But you don't?"
Hermione shrugged, "It was a war and they were on opposite sides. Everyone lost someone but the pain wont go away if we hold on to it."
"That's a good way to look at it actually." Pansy said with a quick head nod.
Hermione smiled at her as they approached the balcony where the group of Slytherins Draco and Blaise were talking to stood.
Draco smiled when he caught sight of Hermione. "Boys, you all know my Hermione right?"
Everyone looked to her as Draco spoke, "Well we all know of her, I mean who doesn't?" Marcus Flint said with a chuckle that all the others joined in on.
"Well I hope your thoughts on me aren't to bad." she said blushing.
"Of course not!" Montague practically shouted, "He just means that between being the Princess of Gryffindor, the brains of the golden trio,"
"Of all of Gryffindor, lets be honest." Nott interrupted with a chuckle.
"The brains of Gryffindor," Montague continued, "and the lost but recently found Zabini, everyone in the magical community knows you princess." he stumbled a little at the end of his rant.
Draco smiled, "Your a bit of a legend my girl."
Hermione blushed when he said 'my girl'. "Well that's quite the list of reasons to know me."
"Plus Draco hasn't shut up about you." Harper drawled dramatically.
"Oh come on," Blaise said with a smirk, "You know Draco likes to brag when he has something better than everyone else." He threw his head back and laughed with the rest of the Slytherin men in the group.
"Did you seriously just refer to me as a thing, dear brother?" Hermione asked with an eyebrow raised, drawing 'oooo's' from the men around her.
Blaise made an expression of mock insult, "Heavens no little sister, I was merely pointing out that your better than anyone any of these chumps could get!" he stated making everyone laugh again.
"You lot seem well into the liquor." Pansy said with a smirk.
"Well it is a party Pansy." Goyle drawled out.
Hermione copied Pansy's smirk and went to turn away, "Well here I was thinking Draco may want to dance with me but it appears he's having to much fun."
Pansy caught on to what her best friend was doing and continued it, "Yes I do believe your right, perhaps we should just leave them to it!"
"Hmm, indeed." Hermione said.
The two girls turned to walk away just as Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist to keep her with him, "No love, of course I want to dance with you!" he loosened his grip and turned back to the boys, "In fact!" he shouted, "If I ever choose the boys over you hit me square in the chest with the Avada curse because surely I would have lost my damn mind!" He declared in his drunken state.
Everyone, even the girls, laughed this time and when they left for the dance floor, Pansy and the crew of Slytherin men smiled after them.
"He really does love her, doesn't he?" Flint asked.
Montague let out a loud 'HA!' "He's loved her for years, he's just finally realized it and succeeded in getting her heart."
"That's not what I heard." Nott sang out as he took another sip of his drink.
"Theodor Nott I already know what your going to say and it's not true!" Blaise said as he pointed a finger from the hand holding his glass at his old classmate, "Hermione said that little fib to get you to fuck off!" he finished with a laugh.
Pansy smiled and looked at her friend, "Wait what little fib? I didn't hear about this!"
"Well," Blaise drug out before taking another sip, "Theo was being Theo and Hermione told him her and Draco used to hook up back at Hogwarts."
"Like he had the balls to say anything decent to her back then!" Flint shouted before breaking out into a fit of laughter that everyone else quickly joined in on.
Goyle took a sip of his drink before turning to Blaise, "But seriously man, hows it with Hermione living here?"
"Wonderful!" Blaise said with a wide smile, "We've actually done a lot of bonding and talking and I gotta say, it's nice having my sister back."
"Well obviously you've been bonding!" Theo said, "That performance tonight was seriously impressive!"
Flint nodded in agreement, "Is there anything she cant do? Like if you would have told me that 'Hermione Granger, know-it-all smoke show who fought on the front lines of the war' could flawlessly play piano like that I would have laughed right in your face!"
"Yeah, no one person can master everything." Montague agreed.
"Well she has a photographic memory so it's not like its hard for her to learn things." Blaise said with a chuckle.
Goyle smiled and looked to the dance floor where Draco was holding Hermione close to his body as they swayed to a slow song. "Well either way, perfect memory and talents aside, Draco's one lucky son of a bitch."
All the men around him, minus Blaise, followed his line of sight and nodded in agreement.