"And we'll have Firewhiskey, and Butter Beer, and-"

Draco cut Pansy off with a hand in the air.

"Yes, Pansy, that's great. But what's in it for me?" Draco kicked his feet up onto the table in front of him, sinking back into the couch.

Pansy gave a smile and said, "You can mingle. And it's a great excuse to drink Firewhiskey without a special occasion."

Draco smirked and sat up. "Then I guess I have no choice but to go."

Pansy stepped back and took one final look around the Slytherin common room. The drinks were set with a cooling spell and placed to one side – ordered from strongest to most sobering. There were snacks and the games she had set up were all ready.

Draco sauntered down the stairs into the common room and took a look around. "I like what you've done to the place," he said, taking a look over everything.

The party was to take place after curfew and anyone that wanted to come was invited.

Malfoy and Pansy headed down to dinner, talking excitedly about the games Pansy had set up for later.

Meanwhile, in Gryffindor, Harry Potter sat, sulking, on the couch in front of the fire. Ron sat next to him.

"Harry, you have to eat at some point. C'mon, let's go get dinner."

Harry simply shook his head.

Ron groaned, exasperated. "That's it," he said, getting up, "I'm going to dinner. You handle him, Mione."

Hermione crossed her arms and watched Ron crawl through the portrait hole.

Once he was gone, she turned on Harry. "Ron's right. You have to get up. You can't keep lying around just because of what happened. It was small, insignificant. It can't possibly be enough to ruin The Chosen One's mood, can it?"

Harry finally looked up from the fire, into Hermione's eyes. She had never liked calling him The Chosen One, but it got his attention.

Harry sighed. "You don't understand, Mione. I thought… it was meant to be." His face turned back down to the flames licking at the logs of wood.

Hermione followed his gaze. A few moments passed and then she said, "Well, if you aren't coming down to dinner, at least go to the Slytherin party tonight. I know it doesn't sound like a good idea, but it's a way to meet someone that might be more… correct for you. Sorry." Hermione left through the portrait hole.

Harry sighed and rubbed a hand through his unruly hair. Hermione was right. However, Harry could clearly remember her telling him just two days prior that the Slytherins were no-good pansies.

Last week…

"Ginny, I'm sorry," Harry said, wringing his hands, "But… I don't know if we can keep, um, seeing each other."

Ginny looked up from the one-and-a-half foot essay she had been working on. "W-What do you mean?"

Harry took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves. He had been meaning to tell her this for a while.

"Well, I don't know if I'm… right for you… Or more so if you're right for me…"

Ginny just looked at him for a minute. When she spoke, her voice cracked. "Why are you telling me now?"

Harry looked confused, so Ginny explained. "Why lead me on for this long just to tell me you don't love me?" Harry snapped his head up in her direction.

"No, Ginny, it's not that. You're beautiful and smart and talented but… it's me. I can't do this."

Ginny gave a small smile, a tear threatening to escape her. "It's okay, Harry. We're over." She grabbed all of her belongings and swiftly left the library.

Harry sat for just a while longer before he too got up and left.

Present day…

Harry held his hand to his face, breathing in deeply. How could he have been so stupid?

But, then again, he never felt like Ginny was right for him. They just never worked out like other couples did. Their relationship never progressed, just sitting on one fraction of it and keeping it there. Maybe part of it was because she was his best friend's sister. Maybe part of it was just because he didn't find her as beautiful as he always told her.

Maybe part of it was because he liked someone else.

Harry tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He glanced at the time. 9:30. The Slytherin party was scheduled for 10:00.

Slowly, Harry got to his feet and headed to the bathroom. He showered, dressed, and brushed his teeth. He even tried – and failed – to tame his hair. His outfit consisted of a simple t-shirt and jeans; he didn't feel like dressing up and didn't think it was a very formal party anyway.

By the time he was walking back down into the common room, it was just turning ten. He didn't have any time to rethink the party, he decided, so he just left.

Harry knocked thrice on the doorway to the Slytherin House and Pansy let it swing open, calling for Harry to enter. To Harry's surprise, the common room was filled with people, so much so that Harry had to squeeze through them to get to the couch.

Ron looked up at him from his seat. He had an arm casually thrown around Hermione. In his other hand he held a Butter beer.

"Hey, Harry," he smiled, "Thought you'd never show up. I was getting worried. Well, Hermione was worried. I knew you'd show."

Harry couldn't help a grin but solemnly sat next to his friend.

Hermione was in a heated conversation with Parvati. Ron rolled his eyes at them.

As the party progressed, Harry made it through two-and-a-half Butter beers and was on his first bottle of Firewhiskey. He hadn't thought he would be breaking into the stronger stuff, but his intuition had been off all week – ever since he broke up with Ginny.

Ron had started making passes on Hermione, so they excused themselves and left for the Gryffindor common room to celebrate on their own.

Parvati had moved on to someone else to talk to. So that left Harry on the couch. Alone.

Until a streak of white hair flung itself onto the cushion next to him.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked incredulously.

Malfoy swung his head over to Harry.

"Ha, ha, hey Harry!" Malfoy's voice slurred and Harry could tell that wasn't his first bottle of Firewhiskey he held in his hand.

Malfoy let loose a giggle that was very un-Malfoy-like.

"Malfoy, how many drinks have you had?" Harry scooted to the edge of the couch.

Malfoy scooted closer.

"Only one," he said, like it was obvious.

Harry shook his head slowly, because he definitely hadn't only had one. But Malfoy nodded.

Malfoy leaned heavily against Harry. "This party is so-o-o great, right?" Harry would've been laughing if it hadn't been for the drink in his own hand slowing his own mind.

The clock struck 12:00 and Harry noticed that most of the guests had passed out already. Including Malfoy, who still fell against his arm. Potter frowned. This party was supposed to get his mind off of Ginny, but it didn't help that much.

Harry finished off his Firewhiskey and closed his eyes, letting the heat swallow his stomach as he drifted into unconsciousness.

When Harry awoke, his arm was wrapped around a body. Peaking his eyes open, he snuck a look at the sleeping form on his chest. In disgust, he threw Draco off of him.

"Goddammit, Malfoy!" Harry cried as Malfoy hit the floor. Draco's head flew up and he scanned the room.

"Potter?" he asked, "what the…" Harry swiped at his chest, as though removing the Draco-germs.

"Dammit, Draco, keep to yourself!" He spat.

Draco just stared up at him, shocked.

"What?" Harry asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Draco let a smirk graze his features. "You called me Draco."

Harry's face distorted in hate. "What? So what? That's your name isn't it?"

Draco just shrugged and stood. Wiping off imaginary dust from his lap, he headed up to his dormitory, leaving Harry to stare around at the bodies still sleeping around the room.

Harry was halfway towards the Gryffindor House when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face Pansy.

"What do you want?" he asked her. He hadn't meant to sound so mean but his head was throbbing and his hands were shaking.

"You left this," she said, handing him his glasses. How could he have forgotten?

Placing them on his ears, his headache slowly drained a little. Most of it was caused from his hangover, which could be cured with a tonic.

Finally, he made it back to the common room, his hands in his pockets. Ron was waiting on the couch. He had a goofy grin spread over his face and the tips of his ears were pink.

After a moment, he simply said, "Hey." Harry slumped onto the couch next to him and rested his head onto the arm of the couch.

Ron looked over at him, still adorning his smile, "So, how was your night?"

Harry looked over at him, a questioning look covering his face.

After a moment or two of silence, Hermione skipped down the stairs of the girl's dormitory and blushed red when she saw Ron. She sat down in the remaining seat, on the other side of Ron.

Harry could only guess what went on in the common room when he was at the party.

Harry was too late for breakfast, but it was Saturday, so there were no classes.

Instead, Harry decided to finish an essay he had for Potions. Professor Slughorn had given them an assignment to write a two foot essay about the qualities of Polyjuice Potion. Having first-hand knowledge of what it does, the essay wasn't that hard. It was the writing that Harry had a problem with.

He had a foot left when the portrait opened up. Harry didn't look up, expecting it to be Ron or Hermione.

He felt a weight push down the opposite side of the couch. Then a warm, familiar hand laid itself on his shoulder. He didn't have to look up to know who it was.

"Ginny, I don't want to talk right now." Harry tried again to concentrate on his essay.

Ginny gave a sad sigh. "Harry, we have to talk at some point. I'll still be friends with you. I keep telling you, it's no big deal-"

Harry cut her off, "Of course it's a big deal! I don't know why I broke up with you, I just know that I… that I had to." Running a hand through his hair, Harry groaned. "Don't hate me, Ginny."

To his surprise, Ginny let out a giggle. "I already told you I would, Harry. I promise."

They shared a hug, and Harry tried once again to concentrate on his paper. Ginny watched on for a moment or so and then headed out to the grounds to enjoy some sunshine.

Soon, that didn't sound like such a bad idea to Harry, so he packed up his papers and quills.

Stepping out of Hogwarts Castle and letting the sweet air fill his lungs was just what Harry needed to get his mind off of things. Now he wasn't as upset about hurting Ginny, but it still didn't sit right in his stomach.

He caught a glimpse of Ron and Hermione sitting under a tree by the lake. Ron had his arm protectively around Hermione's waist and Hermione had her head on his shoulder. Harry couldn't stomach to watch anymore, so he looked away.

Out by the Forbidden Forest, he spotted Luna Lovegood. He almost headed out towards her when he noticed that Neville was with her. She was skipping around and reaching out to grab invisible little insects that only she saw. Neville was following behind, a grin on his face as the wind blew their hair around.

Harry decided on just sitting where he was and watched the breeze blow by and disrupt leaves.

Harry closed his eyes, just starting to get comfortable, when I rude voice sounded from behind him. "Potter," it spat.

Harry turned around and watched Draco walk out of the castle.

Leaning back on his hands, Harry let his head fall back, looking up at the sky.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

"What, it's back to Malfoy? What about Draco?" Harry could hear the smirk in his voice and became frustrated.

"Shove off, Malfoy. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."

Malfoy shrugged and passed by Harry, heading out towards the lake. Now Harry saw that he carried a broom. A Nimbus 2001.

Harry watched as he mounted the broom and flew off over the lake. He scoffed.

"You're not better than me, Malfoy," he said to himself, "You never will be. Learn to keep to yourself."