A Thousand Words

Chapter 1

It burned.

Oh, how it burned.

You would think doing something that causes you actual physical pain would make you not want to do it – and then repeat it again and again and again.

But I am stupid, and reckless and getting over a break-up from the latest git in my never-ending line of git ex-boyfriends. So therefore, I took another shot.

The liquid scorched my throat and my face scrunched involuntarily as my friends around me squealed.

"And that makes how many now?" My friend Louise yelled over the loud music.

"Too many," I groaned.

"Nonsense! 'Too many' doesn't exist!" My other friend Eleanor replied, biting her straw between her teeth and sending me a wink.

"What is tequila anyway and why do Muggles put themselves through that torture?" I asked, looking around at the other patrons at the bar who were downing the tiny glasses like their lives depended on it. The club surrounding us was filled with sweaty bodies in tight clothing that were dancing provocatively to the loud, rhythmic music that was emanating from the DJ's speakers.

A club wasn't a place I would typically find myself in – especially a Muggle one, at that. But when my best mates had found out that I had dumped by dirt-bag of a boyfriend they had insisted that a drunken girls night out was what was needed. They had shoved me into a tight, fitted black dress, curled my long, red hair and slathered my face in make-up. I felt out of place and out of my element.

I also felt a little unstoppable.

"It's a gateway to the best night of your life, that's what it is," Louise said, the only Muggle-born out of us three who had extensive knowledge of Muggle liquor.

"And probably a gateway to hell the morning after," Eleanor shot back.

Louise looked unperturbed. "It's a sacrifice you have to be willing to make."

"I just want to forget everything," I interjected. "Forget stupid Oliver and my stupid surname."

"Oliver was an arse, Lily. He wanted you for your name as much as he wanted you for your body." Eleanor said reassuringly.

"I sure know how to pick 'em," I mumbled.

"Well since you want to forget everything for one night and Obliviating you isn't an option, I think we should get you another drink." Louise grinned.

"Please! I cannot handle another shot," I complained. Despite feeling unstoppable only a moment before, my stomach was already feeling rather queasy and my head was beginning to spin.

"Sweetie, I know just the thing to get you," Louise said, although I couldn't help but notice the evil glint in her eye.

"Something not too alcoholic, please." I begged.

"Oh, trust me, it isn't. It's practically one measly shot and the rest is that Coke stuff you like, remember?"

I had tried the Muggle drink Coke when I had visited Louise's house one summer in Hogwarts. It was strange and terribly fizzy, yet oddly addicting.

"That sounds alright…" I conceded, trailing off.

"Oi, get me one too, Lou." Eleanor added.

"Excellent, I'll get us all one!"

She turned to the bar and leant on it with her elbows, angling her body in a way that exposed her cleavage in her already-revealing red dress. She caught the bartender's attention almost immediately and held up three fingers.

"Three Long Island Iced teas, please," she ordered, and the barman sent her a lascivious wink before leaving to prepare the drinks.

"You're smart, funny and have a pert bum, Lily Luna Potter," Louise exclaimed suddenly, turning back to face us. "Tonight we're going to find you a strapping Muggle lad who doesn't have the faintest idea who you are and you're going to charm the boots off him until he doesn't even know his own name."

"Hear, hear!" Eleanor shouted.

I rolled my eyes. "If you say so."

The barman returned with the drinks and I took a small sip. It was strong for containing just one shot, but the Coke made it bearably pleasant.

"To moving on from stupid gits not worth our time!" Eleanor toasted. We all raised our glasses and the loud clink filled the air.

I took a larger sip than before and let the alcohol move through my body, thoughts of fame-hungry Oliver Windham gradually slipping away.

Everything hurt.

That was my initial thought when I tried to pry my eyes open the next morning. The sunlight streaming through the window made me squint them in pain, and I tried to ignore my throbbing head as I took in my surroundings.

I was in an unfamiliar room that I couldn't recognise for the life of me. It was extremely messy, with various articles of clothing – some mine- strewn on the floor.

Splendid. I was naked.

The white walls were covered in Muggle bands. There was what I knew to be a computer sitting on a desk in the corner, fat textbooks stacked in a haphazard pile next to it.

The room clearly belonged to a male, and it was this fact that made me terrified to roll over in the unfamiliar bed I was laying in. I cursed myself for not bringing my wand out with me and tried to think back to what happened last night. Where the hell were Louise and Eleanor?

I remembered our toast and the first Long Island, then some dancing, then another Long Island, then some more dancing – this time on a table. Oh, Merlin.

Everything became fuzzier and fuzzier after that, until I found myself with no memory at all of how the rest of the night went - obviously.

I slowly sat up, bringing the sheet with me to cover my bare chest, conjuring a plan to quickly gather my clothes and Disapparate out of there without even needing to see who I had spent the night with. I just wanted to get home and forget this had ever happened.

My stomach suddenly felt dreadful and the pounding of my head was not helping.

So it came as no surprise to me, really, when I heard a sleepy, low male voice say, "Good morning", that I spun around quickly to find myself looking into the eyes of a barely-awake man, and then promptly vomited.

A/N: Welcome to my story! I hope you enjoy and please don't hesitate to leave a comment saying anything you'd like, good or bad :) The title refers to how long each of my chapters are going to be (roughly 1000 words) and I should be updating quite frequently. I don't know where this story is going or have chapters planned or even written but I'm going to give it a go and see where it takes us!

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