A slightly revised copy of the original. Nothing really changed except for some grammar and spelling errors which have been brought to my attention. The title of the chapter comes courtesy of the Fixx.
It was a cold and blistering day. The wind was howling, rain was pouring, and people were bustling about. It was three in the afternoon and children could be seen rushing onto their school buses, trying to avoid the rain. Cars were heard thundering through the streets, splashing water in each and every direction. She saw a man growling into his cell phone just as he dropped some papers he was holding. No one stopped to help him.
She ran passed an old man, who was in obvious need of some assistance as he attempted to cross the street. No one helped him either. Everyone was too busy running errands or just having fun. No one cared about the stranger standing next to them. No one ever considered helping out their fellow man. Unless, of course, there was a reward involved. But that's why she liked it here. No one ever asked her any questions. And no one cared about who she was. Here, she didn't have to worry about Death Eaters attacking her or her family. Here, she felt safe. It was New York City, and with approximately twelve million other people rushing about just as she was, she was in no greater danger than the bum she had sat next to that morning on the A train.
She pulled out her compact mirror for the fifth time in twenty minutes. Her make-up looked good and her hair wasn't that bad. She sighed. She could never pull off beautiful. Even with thirty pounds of make up, she was just okay. Nothing special. She was use to it. It was something she had learned her final years at Hogwarts. And something she was determined never to forget.
Even with the new make-over Lavender and Hermione had given her, Ginny Weasley still looked the same way she had when she had graduated from Hogwarts nearly seven years ago: small and adorable. She had tried everything: the Goth look, the Classic look, the Vintage look...She just didn't have it. She wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed like every other girl in the world had been born with it except for her. Face it Ginny, she thought. You're so unsexy, even that bum on the corner doesn't want you. She looked over at the bum. Sure enough, he gave her a sneer and turned towards the other direction. Ginny rolled her eyes and kept walking.
Finally, she had reached her destination: the Law Offices of W & K. Ginny wasn't a lawyer, but she was in need of a job. She got fired from her last job at the cookie factory because her boss had accused her of stealing cookies from the boxes she was suppose to be packaging. It wasn't her fault. She had been hungry, and maybe if she had gotten paid more than six dollars an hour, she would have had enough money to buy her own food and not be forced to take cookies from the factory to eat. Unfortunately, Ginny had made the mistake of telling that to her boss. Now, she was in danger of being evicted and she had no way to pay the rent, which was due next week. Hopefully, she'd land this job as secretary and she'd be able to give her landlord, Raul, a couple of hundred dollars. That ought to keep him happy for a week or two, Ginny thought.
She entered the building and the first thing she noticed was the tall blonde at the reception desk. She was wearing the most expensive suit Ginny had ever seen. And she could practically smell the leather on her pumps. It was obvious that W & K (whoever they were) paid their employees well. Which was a good thing for Ginny because she owed Raul about $3,000 rent for this month, last month, and the month before that. But that was no surprise. No one in her building paid their rent on time. In fact, one of Ginny's neighbors, Julia, owed over $6,000 rent. The only reason she isn't getting evicted is because she sleeps with Raul, Ginny thought bitterly. More than once, it had crossed her mind to do just that. But just one look at Raul's disgustingly greasy mustache was enough to turn even the horniest person off. Not to mention that-
"Can I help you?" the blonde receptionist asked. Ginny snapped out of it. She instantly forgot all about gross Raul and his unruly mustache. Ginny needed a job. She couldn't screw up again..
"I can't believe it!" Ginny exclaimed later on that night as she signaled another drink. "I walked in there for my interview and you'll never guess who my interviewer was."
"Who?" Hermione asked as she took a sip of her Cosmopolitan. They were at the Five and Dime in New York City. It wasn't exactly the kind of place Hermione would usually hang out. But Ginny had picked the place. Ever since Ginny had moved to New York City, she'd changed. She was no longer the happy-go-lucky girl she had been at Hogwarts. She became more serious and, as far as Hermione could tell, she hadn't date anyone who she could get too close to. She dated guys who she knew were wrong for her, just so that she could break up with them. It was starting to worry Hermione. Aside from the dating situation, Ginny had almost neglected where she came from. She had stopped visiting her friends and family in the Wizarding World. If any witch or wizard wanted to see Ginny, they'd have to first call her to make sure she was home and then apparate to her apartment in the East Village. Hermione hadn't seen Ginny perform magic since...well, seventh year. It was as if Ginny blamed magic in general for what had happened between her and Harry.
"Raul's father! What are the odds of that happening?" Ginny said with a grin. Hermione looked at her watch. Ginny was one of her closest friends and all, but she'd had better get to the point of this little outing. Hermione had a party to get to. "But I didn't find that out until the end of the interview. So he asked me why I needed the job. And I was completely honest with him. I told him that I was going to get evicted from my apartment, and that my only other option was to sleep with greasy-mustached Raul. And then he asked Raul who? And I said Raul Lupin. And then he said that Raul was his son. And then he told me to leave his office!" Ginny stopped to order another drink. She had already had two Cosmopolitans and three shots. She could feel the buzzing in her head. Usually Ginny hated to get drunk, but tonight was an exception. "But before that, he asked me if I had any job experience and I said no. What's wrong with me, Hermione? Why can't I hold a job?" By now, Ginny was hiccuping. Hermione sensed tears coming on. She instantly felt guilty.
"I'm so sorry Ginny. What are you going to do?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know. Raul was waiting for me at my apartment door. I was so embarrassed. And when he asked me if I had the money...I have one week to move out or pay the rent. What I'm a going to do? Even if I get a job in a week, my paycheck wouldn't be ready for next Friday. I-I'm going to be homeless!" Ginny said as she reached for another shot. Hermione shook her head. What could she do? She would offer Ginny her couch, but Hermione had three flatmates to worry about. One of which was extremely bitchy and suffered from OCD. She would never let Ginny sleep on the couch. Couches are for sitting, Hermione could imagine her saying. That's when she got an idea.
"Ginny, I'm going to a party," Hermione said.
"Oh, well, then I'm sorry to have kept you so long-" Ginny started.
"Ginny, listen for a minute. I'm going to a party at Fred and George's flat. You should go. It'll give you a chance to catch up with everyone. And who knows? Maybe you'll bump into someone who could offer you a job or a place to live or a loan or something," Hermione said. She knew it was a long shot. Ever since Voldemort had reappeared in the Wizarding World, Ginny had been hesitant to return. Still, it was worth a try.
"I don't know Hermione," Ginny said as she sipped some of Hermione's drink. Hermione didn't even bother to mention that it was hers.
"Ginny, come on. You need a place to stay, right? And you obviously can't stay with me, your brothers are slobs, and you're not that close to anyone here. I mean, do you actually want to stay with your parents?" Hermione crossed her fingers and hoped she was pressing the right buttons.
"Well, no," Ginny replied at length. She seemed to be contemplating Hermione's proposition. But she had trouble concentrating. All that alcohol had made her brain hazy. She had the feeling that if she stood up, the room would probably spin and she's have to puke. Ginny tried to concentrate, but she couldn't think at all. In fact, Hermione's suggestion seemed almost reasonable. Of course! Ginny thought. A party equals free alcohol! And she needed all the alcohol she could get in order to survive the day. And free alcohol would save her money. Money she could use for her rent. "Okay, I'll go to the party with you." Ginny tried to stand up. Sure enough, the room began to spin. Luckily, she didn't puke.
"Okay, lead the way," Ginny hiccupped. She was wasted, but Hermione either didn't notice or chose to ignore that. Hermione went into the women's bathroom. She made sure no one was in there. Then she held onto Ginny and apparated them both to Fred and George's front door. Before they entered, Hermione turned around an took one last look at Ginny.
"You're definitely not dressed for a party," Hermione sighed. She pointed at Ginny's suit. "You look like you just got out of work. Except you smell like alcohol. Can I alter your outfit a bit?" Hermione ventured carefully. Ginny was very self-conscience about her appearance. It usually took months of begging from both Hermione and Lavender to convince her to change even the kind of lip gloss she used.
"Knock yourself out," Ginny said with a shrug. She was too wasted to even comprehend what Hermione had said. God, I need a beer, Ginny thought. Meanwhile, Hermione had pulled out her wand. Ginny rarely let Hermione choose her outfit. And she was going to take full advantage of the rare opportunity. She changed Ginny's suit into the Swarovski diamond halter that had been on sale at Express and black jeans. She replaced her shoes with black satin, lace-up pumps. She added eye-shadow and blush. Needless to say, by the time Hermione was done, Ginny was unrecognizable. She looked much older and far more sophisticated.
"Now you're ready," Hermione grinned as she opened the apartment door without even knocking. It was two in the morning and the party was still going strong. Ginny didn't even stop to talk to anyone. She headed straight for the minibar. Hermione was going to follow her to make sure she didn't get too drunk, but Ron had called her over. Hermione shrugged. Ginny's an adult now, she thought. She can take care of herself.
Meanwhile, Ginny was attempting to make a Pearl Necklace, but she had forgotten what to put in it. Was it vodka and gin or vodka and whisky? She looked over all of the labels and shrugged. Who cares? "A drinks a drink, right?"
"I beg to differ," a male voice said. Ginny turned around to find a gorgeous stranger standing in front of her. At least, she thought he was gorgeous. She couldn't really tell with the room spinning and her head throbbing. Actually, she couldn't make out any of his futures except that he was at least a foot taller than her. But Ginny did need help. She couldn't read the labels on the bottles. And as drunk as she was, she knew she couldn't make a good and safe drink without reading the labels.
"Oh, hi. I didn't realize I had said that out loud," she said a she kept searching for some vodka. Why the hell would her brothers hide the vodka? What's a drink without some vodka?
"Do you need some help?" the stranger asked as Ginny continued to rummage through the bottles of alcohol.
"Possibly," she said as she threw a bottle of whiskey over her shoulder. The stranger managed to catch it.
"What are you trying to make? And be careful with those bottles. It might irritate Fred and George if you break something." Ginny snorted.
"Who cares? If they didn't want a mess, they shouldn't have thrown a party," she said as she threw yet another bottle of whisky over her head.
"I take it you don't like whisky," the stranger chuckled.
"Not as much as the twins obviously do."
"So what are you looking for?"
"Vodka. I wanted to make a Pearl Necklace. Or maybe it was a Long Island Ice Tea. Or maybe it was both." Ginny shrugged. The stranger reached into the minibar and pulled out a bottle of vodka. "How did you do that?"
"It's easy. You're drunk, I'm not," he smiled. Ginny smiled back. She could have sworn he had dimples. Unless it was a crack on the spinning wall. "Now, which will it be? Pearl Necklace or Long Island Ice Tea?"
"Which do you think is better?" He seemed to think for a second.
"Neither. You seem drunk enough as it is," he said as he poured himself some of the vodka. "But there's no use in letting the only vodka in this whole flat go to waste." Ginny watched in awe as he downed a full glass of pure vodka.
"How can you do that? Doesn't it burn?" The stranger grinned.
"It does at first. But you get used to it. So," he said as he led Ginny to a table, "where did you get that accent?" Ginny had to think for a second.
"Oh, you mean my American accent! New York. Except there, you're the one with the accent." Ginny reached for his cup of vodka, took a small swig and scrunched up her face. "And I thought New York was wild. Even New Yorkers wouldn't down this stuff without something to dilute it."
"Well, I'm not a New Yorker, am I?" He helped himself to another glass, causing Ginny to burst into a fit of giggles.
"You're just showing off," she whined.
"You bet." He grinned at her as he downed another full glass. By the third one, the alcohol was starting to take affect. He was just as drunk as Ginny.
"Hey, want to go spike the punch?" Ginny asked. Normally, she would never even think of doing something so daring, but tonight she was a different person. She didn't care what people thought of her. She was flat broke, had nowhere to live, no job, and had about three friends. Meeting this stranger had to be the best day she'd had in four or five years. As the Romans use to say, carpe diem. Or was it veni, vidi, vici? It didn't matter. Regardless, she was going to take full advantage of the day.
"Sure, why not?" So they took the rest of their vodka bottle and poured it's contents into the punch bowl.
"We should taste it to make sure it's safe," Ginny suggested.
"Good idea." That last drink did it. They could barely walk anymore. They kept swaying from side to side and leaning against each other for support. They kept laughing at the oddest things which caused people to stare at them. Even Hermione, who had been busy flirting with Justin Filch Fletchey, had noticed. She was just about to pull Ginny aside and talk to her about her new friend, but at that very moment Ginny decided it was time to leave.
"Well, it's been fun," the stranger said.
"Yes, it has. Maybe we'll see each other again sometime?" Even in her drunken state, Ginny was surprised she had just said that. She was usually quite shy around members of the opposite sex.
"You're drunk. I should probably walk you home," he mused without giving a definite answer.
"Okay." Ginny was happy to spend some more time with him.
As Hermione saw them leaving together, she called out for Ginny. "Wait! Ginny, are you sure you want to leave with him? I mean-" she started.
"Oh, don't worry about me, Hermione. Just tell my brothers I'll talk to them some other time. We must catch up. I haven't seen them in years! Oh, what fun I've had tonight! Thanks for bringing me," Ginny slurred. She stumbled out with the help of the stranger, who had needed the wall to support his body weight.
"But Ginny, do you even know who he-" Hermione started after her. But it was too late. Ginny was nowhere in sight.
"Are we going to-" Ginny started. Then they suddenly apparated. She laughed.
"What?" he asked.
"I was just about to ask you if we were going to apparate," she explained.
"I must have read your mind," he said with a smile.
"Then read it again."
"Pardon?" he said as he lead the way into his living room.
"Read it again," she repeated. "What would I like you to do right now?" The stranger seemed to think this over for a second. Then he leaned in to kiss her. Ginny eyes grew wide. She hadn't expected him to kiss her. She would have settled for some coffee to clear her head (which is what she had actually been thinking), but this was much, much better. They weren't those meek kisses Michael Corner, who had been her first boyfriend, had given her. Nor were they those wet and sloppy kisses her second boyfriend Dean Thomas had given her. Even Harry's kisses seemed like child's play compared to this. It was full of passion and, even though she was drunk, she could feel the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. Her pulse quickened, her body heated, and her breath hitched ever so slightly. Then he suddenly stopped. He looked deep into Ginny's eyes and waited for her to make the next move.
Ginny smiled and pulled him back by his lapels. He tasted like vodka and chocolate. It sounded like an odd combination, but it was actually pretty good. His smell was intoxicating. It was a mixture of unrecognizable cologne and cigarette smoke. Another odd, yet good, combination. Suddenly Ginny couldn't take it any more. The kiss wasn't enough. She needed to touch him. She needed to feel his skin. She slowly removed his suit jacket. He didn't resist. Then she began unbuttoning his shirt. As she stumbled with the buttons, he maneuvered her down the hall, into his room. By the time they made it to the bed, his was down to his boxers and unbuttoned shirt. Ginny gave a pleased sigh as she felt his well-toned chest. He began to undress her. First, he removed her shirt. When she began to shiver from anticipation, he rubbed her arms and began to kiss her again. Then, he gently lowered her to the bed. He began to peel off her jeans.
"Can you wear jeans any tighter?" he asked as he finally managed to get them off. Ginny sighed.
"Maybe," she said sheepishly. Craving for contact, she pulled off his shirt. He felt her hands skim up and down his back. God, what muscles, she thought.
"No need to be coy. We both know what's going to happen," he said as he removed her bra. Ginny suddenly felt self-conscious. What if he thought her breasts were too small? He must have sensed her unease because he began to whispering in her ear how beautiful she was. He eased her out of her underwear while kissing her up and down her throat. Ginny moaned. She wound her arms around his neck and pressed her face into his throat. She inhaled his scent. This was the greatest pleasure she had ever felt in her whole entire life. He raced kisses along her collarbone. This made her frantic. She wanted more. She wanted it all.
"Hurry," she said. He stopped his kisses and caresses to look into her eyes. His eyes seemed to be asking her if they should continue. To answer him, she removed his green boxers and pulled his face towards her. Excitement careened through her as he groaned and shuddered. His face was close and shadowed, cloaked by the night and blurred by the alcohol. He entered her gently and she felt luxurious. She let out a cry of mixed shock and pleasure. She'd never experienced anything that had come anywhere near what had happened in that one night. She felt invigorated and empowered as she heard him moan. They slowly began to quicken their pace until finally they were both too exhausted to go on. The last thing she remembered before closing her eyes was seeing his pale face looming over hers. The funniest part was, he seemed familiar. But she couldn't quite place a name to his face...
The next morning, she woke up to a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. She nearly purred. She couldn't remember everything that happened last night. But one thing was for sure, she had definitely gotten drunk. She slowly lifted her head and groaned when the sunlight entering the room burned her eyes. She felt a strong headache coming on. Her senses were slowly returning. Suddenly she bolted on the bed.
"What-what-where am I?" she demanded.
"Can you please keep it quiet? I'm trying to sleep here. And I've got a huge migraine-wait a minute who are you?" a blonde, grey eyed, pale skinned man said as he lifted his head. Ginny's vision cleared and she finally realized who this guy was. She began to scream.