The music rolled through me making the small crowd at the Three Broomsticks seem to disappear. I let the powerful notes tear through me leaving my own body hollow with the memory of the words.
"And I banished every memory you and I had ever made!"
I promised Hermione that I'd sing this song for Harry. She always knew what made me feel best and when she caught me singing it the other night she insisted I perform it on our night out. So I did.
"I can barely recall, but it's all coming back to me nooooOOOOOoooow!
It's all coming back.
...
And whenever you tried to hurt me
I just hurt you worse and deeper."
Memories of our relationship threatened to tear at me, but I wouldn't have it. I swayed along with the piano piece loving how sturdy my voice sounded even when I wanted to fall about.
"Baby, baby, baby,
When you touch me like this
And I hold you like that,
...
The fresh and the fantasy
And it's all coming back to me
I can barely recall and it's all coming back to me now!"
I was breathless, but continued.
"when I see you like this
And you see me like that
...
The flesh and the fantasy
Is all coming back to me
...
I can barely recall
...
It's all coming back to me now." My body seemed to deflate as the song ended, all of the anguish the song implied went with the ending keys.
"Never took you as a performer, Weaslette." I hopped off of the small stage and landed in front of one Blaise Zabini. Did allowing him to see me at my most vulnerable make me bristle? Definitely, but would I let him know that? Now that was the question.
"Never took you as a lurker, Zabini." He shrugged. His broad shoulders strained against a muggle t-shirt. The shirt was a maroon v-neck that seemed to be made of cotton. It rested gently against what I assumed was a decent six pack.
"You don't exactly know me." He reminded me. I watched as his emerald eyes roamed over me, drinking me in just as I did him. I imagined hooking my thumbs through the belt loop of his jeans and exposing the defined V that I knew was there.
"And you don't know me." I countered. He smiled his crooked smile at me, blinding me.
"Then allow me to buy you a drink and better introduce myself." He insisted. He captured his lip between his top teeth and nibbled it in a way no one else could.
"I'm not here alone," I told him with a shrug, "maybe another time." I went to move around him, always playing hard to get, but he caught my arm seemingly undeterred.
"Neither am I. We're on a 'Daddy's night out' if you will. Why don't you and Granger come hang out with Draco and I? The first round of shots is on me." So he also had a child. Did that mean he was a single father or was he cheating on his wife? I ignored the possibilities. What did I care? If everything wasn't on the up and up then I'd simply apparate home.
Hermione wouldn't be happy about spending our night out with Malfoy, but she did tell me she wanted to have a good time and even if she didn't like Malfoy, Zabini was giving me those eyes and honestly, what were friends for anyways?
"I'll go get her." I flipped my scarlet hair over my shoulder and flashed him my best man eater smile before leaving him to find Hermione. She was sipping responsibly on her apple martini. Content to watch the going ons of passer byers and enjoy her light buzz. It took some convincing to get her to come anywhere near them, her first argument was sound, they were death eaters, but when I pulled out the supporting peice of her argument, they don't have dark marks, her argument crumbled around her. I assured her than Malfoy was probably too buzzed to really give her much trouble and promised her than Blaise was nothing less than kind and finally she relented.
We made our way to the two ex Slytherins. Malfoy smirked at the two of us.
"Come to hang with the snakes?" He teased.
"Don't start with me, Malfoy. I think the only reason I even came over here is because I was already halfway through my martini."
Her honesty caused the blonde to snicker before returning to his drink. She sat beside the blonde helping herself to a shot of tequila.
"Granger, must be stressed," Blaise teased as I took back a shot of vodka.
"Nah, we're having our own mums night out. Rose and James are both at home with my mother so Hermione and I decided to go out." My divorce and Hermione's had been front page, there was no doubt in my mind that he knew I wasn't sharing a bed with anyone and I think that turned him on more.
"Well doesn't that make me lucky?" He chuckled, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, "Izzy is with my Scorpius and Mrs. Malfoy for the night. That means I've got the manor to myself tonight." His hand was sliding steadily up my skirt causing my good girl sensibilities to bristle and my knickers to dampen.
"Buy me a few more shots and then we'll talk. How am I supposed to have passionate, sloppy sex with a man I've only just met on one shot?" I said it teasingly, but I still pushed his hand back into his own lap.
"That can be remedied." He smirked. He flagged down a waitress and ordered a bottle of vodka and a large bottle of cranberry juice. After he'd served the two of us Malfoy set about making Hermione and himself a drink. She accepted it gratefully and knocked it back like a college student. For a bit we didn't talk, we took shot after shot until all of our filters and blood status/allegiance related reservations melted away.
"I'm staying the night at Blaise's," I heard Malfoy tell Hermione, "I think you should come with. Weaslette is going and there's safety in numbers." She snorted in laughter.
"Safety in numbers?" She teased, "that's your big pitch?" He poured her another shot.
"Take another shot, Granger. Maybe it'll push you to stop questioning my logic."
"Smart." She took it gratefully.
"I agree with Draco," Blaise teased. His hand trailed along my leg, slipping under my skirt, "there's safety in numbers, love." His breath smelt of cranberry juice and alcohol and tickled my ear as he spoke. I giggled drunkenly.
"You may be on to something, Zabini."
Hermione jumped as Draco did something to make her blush. Judging by his lazy smile it had been perverted. She'd hate me in morning, hell...I'd hate me, but she did ask me to get her laid. I say this counts.
We filed out of the booth, leaving a generous tip for our waitress before stumbling out into the nice summer evening. None of us were fit to apparate, but that didn't stop Zabini from pulling me close and disappearing with a very loud crack. We landed in a heap on his bedroom floor. I didn't pay much mind to my surroundings as I kissed him hard. He moaned beneath me, he tasted like vodka and I loved it. His hands grasped my bum tightly as he ground against me. His manhood was already hard against his jeans, but I ignored it, continuing to kiss him from his full lips to his long neck. Tired of my teasing he flipped me onto my back and took control. He ripped my top down the front, taking in the image of my lavender bra and larger than average globes.
"You're not walking straight tomorrow, Ginerva. Sorry." The way his said my name made me shudder.
"I don't want Hermione to hear," I told him -what I assumed was- seriously. He chuckled.
"Draco's on the other end of the manor. They won't hear."
That's what he thought.
An unnecessarily loud creaking noise woke me from my sleep. A rather small, rather hideous creature came tip toeing in. His wide blue eyes looked anywhere but at me or his master as he approached.
"Hangover potion," he whispered. He held up two cups filled with three fingers of thick grey liquid.
"Thank you," I took my cup gratefully and swallowed the contents without a second thought. Anything to get rid of tunnel vision and nausea. I nudged the dark skinned man beside me. He slept quite peacefully and I wish I'd had more time to look at him. His skin was the color of medium roast coffee and smooth like it as well. I watched as his green eyes fluttered open. According to most of the darker skinned people I met when I was in the States, green was very uncommon.
"Bloody hell," he sat up and looked around him. As he chugged the potion the memories from last night seemed to come back to him. Despite my hangover I certainly remembered every detail. I'd been a slut last night, there was no other word for it, but I didn't care. He smirked at me as his headache subsided, "I usually expect my shags to disappear before sunrise." He told me playfully, "but you were so good last night I'm going to personally make your breakfast." He stood from bed, giving me a very one of a kind view of his toned muscles before pulling a pair of sleep pants over his bum. I for one waited until he was gone before I went to pull my clothes on. The shirt was beyond repair even for magic, so I pulled on his discarded shirt and my knickers before heading out into the hall. Before I could even close his door a horrified scream sounded off from the west end of the manor. I took my wand and went running in the direction of the scream. Last night we were turned a blind eye to old house prejudice, but if that dirty death eater did anything to my Hermione I'd kill him myself. I blew the door off of the hinges to find Hermione pulling on her wrap dress with as much fervor as I'd ever seen one pull on a dress. Malfoy for one looked like he was in pain. He lay in bed, face scrunched, hands over his ears.
"Damn Granger!" He hissed, "what part of hangover do you not understand?"
"You!" She rounded on me, ignoring the pathetic whimper he issued. I handed him the potion the elf had left, "you said you wouldn't let me do anything stupid!"
"I said I wouldn't let you do anything stupid alone. Besides. You wanted me to get you laid, Malfoy is good looking and was willing. What's the problem?"
"He's Malfoy," she hissed. With an exasperated huff she began searching the floor for something.
"Looking for these?" Malfoy asked. He held up a scarlet thong. With the hangover potion working through him he felt more confident than ever to test Hermione's rage.
"You said you didn't buy them!" I accused, "I feel betrayed." She glared at me before snatching the knickers from Malfoy.
"We're leaving, Ginny." She said angrily. Blaise leaned in the doorway.
"It's not good to apparate after a hangover. You should eat before you go otherwise you could hurt yourself." He chuckled, he had a way about him that captivated me. He was an aristocrat. One look at the manor could tell you he was loaded and another look at the friends he kept told you his influence went beyond galleons. He wasn't condescending or rude, but he made you feel small. I could see it even if Hermione puffed out her chest and looked at him straight on like a true Gryffindor. "besides. I cooked breakfast." Even Malfoy looked intrigued. I gave her a pleading look before she sighed heavily. Clearly she was just as hungry as the rest of us were.
"This better be the quickest meal of your life." I grinned wide, leading her to the stairs. I knew she was fed up with me, so I might as well thread softly, even if I didn't plan to hurry myself.
"What it good?" I whispered to her when Malfoy was out of earshot.
"I was so drunk I hardly remember," but her cheeks were red and she wasn't looking me in the eye.
"Damn. He must have really done some magic on you last night. I can't say Blaise did any less. My legs are still weak and I'm sure I'll be sore for a week."
"Ditto," she muttered.
"So he did rock your world!" I yelled excited, "I knew it!" Malfoy chuckled from somewhere behind us, his rumbling laugh was met with the baritone of Blaise's own. She rolled her eyes but followed Blaise quietly down to his dining room. The room was far too elegant for our rag tag group, aside from Hogwart's Great Hall there was very little that could rival the room we sat in now. His table could hold nearly 13 guests and was made of polished mahogany. The chairs were each carved into identical abstract styles out of the same wood as the table, but the cushions were a warm honey color. The four of us sat at the head of the table talking about nothing of any real consequence until the last of breakfast was gone.
"That was amazing," I said, licking the leftover icing from the cinnamon rolls off of my finger. His eyes darkened as he watched, but he managed a smirk.
"Of course it was. I am italian." He boasted. Malfoy rolled his eyes at his friend.
"No, you're a lady boy."
"Don't be jealous you can't cook like that." Hermione teased, taking a sip of her mimosa. According to Blaise, drinking so early in the morning was another perk of dining with an Italian.
"I'm sorry?" The blonde scoffed, "He got that recipe from me! He can cook sure, makes the best pasta I've ever had, but baking is my thing I just don't flaunt it."
"Well it's an amazing recipe, no matter whose it is." I said diplomatically.
"Sure is." Blaise agreed, a mischievous smile on his face, "Although he only agreed to teach me if I didn't tell anyone about his frilly pink apron." He covered his mouth in mock horror while Malfoy colored from his ears to his cheeks, "oops."
Hermione stood politely before Malfoy could attack Blaise.
"It's time to go Ginny," she summoned my skirt. I sighed, but she was right. It was time to go.
"I'm keeping this," I told Blaise. He shrugged and together Hermione and I disappeared. We landed in her flat seconds later, the wards accepted us without a hitch.
"I'm showering first," Hermione announced making her way down the hall of her home.
I plopped down on her couch, trying to stretch the weird after shag feeling out of my legs. It was a shame that I wouldn't have him again, but my sons would in no way benefit being around such a careless man. I may have enjoyed Blaise's company, but I didn't want my son to grow up like him or know that I'd cheapened myself for him. I sighed in frustration trying to forget the chocolate skin that I'd become addicted to overnight, but to no avail. He was engrained in my memory.
"You're up," Hermione called from the hall, she was probably dressing in her room. I made my way into her bathroom to officially wash his smell from my body. I knew I should throw the shirt away, but I couldn't find it within me to do so, instead I stuffed it into my overnight bag. Maybe this was a sign that I needed to get back out there. Harry and I split up right after our Twins' birth. It was a mutual separation that ended with joint custody over Albus and James. I took care of James during the summer and fall months and Albus during the winter and spring. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best I could hope for given the circumstances.
"Ready to go?" I asked, poking my newly dried head into her room. She was busy brushing her mane.
"Nearly." A few more ineffective strokes later she huffed and turned to me, "alright. I'm ready." She was wearing a teal satin robe from Madam Malkin's, but beneath it she wore a pair of skinny jeans and a black tshirt.
"Don't say a word," she snapped, "I'll never hear the end of it if Fred or George catch wind." She and Ron simply hadn't worked out. Their relationship ended in nothing short of a family war. Mum had been viciously angry for weeks at Hermione, but when she realized she wouldn't be allowed to witness the birth of her grandchild if she kept up the attitude she soon backed down. Unlike me, Hermione had filed for full custody of Rose and she got it. I grabbed my wand.
"Mum's the word," I giggled before disappearing with a snap.
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