Ginny muttered the password to the Fat Lady, "Peppermint Twists", and trudged up the stairs, thinking about the conversation she had just had with the young Mr. Malfoy. He seemed wholly different from when he had endlessly tormented her brother in school. He was polite, charming, almost suave? But not disrespectful. No, in fact, he seemed to think very highly of her.

She thought about what she had just seen in this conversation. His body positions had been very calm and regal. He stood tall next to her. He wasn't ashamed to be seen with her, and though he kept a respectful distance away, he did sometimes drift a little closer than she was used to. It made her heart race.

As she reached her bedroom, Ginny saw a small brown scroll sitting on her bed. A note from a roommate sat beside it. "Brown owl brought this at 4. From WWW?" Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes? Ginny tore into the letter.

It was just a short note, written in George's characteristic scrawl.
"Hey Gin, sending Malfoy for the evening. Don't take it personal, he's there as a favor to me. Couldn't stand it if anything happened to you. - George"

Ginny groaned and threw herself on the bed. Everyone in her family had a habit of getting mixed up in her business, trying to mother her. Her own mother was enough for that. They were all worried she was lonely after Harry had left her.

Truth be told, she was lonely. But it wasn't because Harry had dropped her like garbage. That hurt, but she had felt that waning long before. It had helped that they had been apart with no contact for an entire year before Harry really broke things off with her. She would have done it if he hadn't, but she felt like it was important for him to feel like he had some control, after a whole life of other people making decisions for him. That was Ginny's problem: she cared about other people's damned feelings too much. That was part of why she had wanted to have a night to herself to just be selfish. And then George had to go and stick his meddling Draco in everything.

But maybe this was actually a blessing in disguise? If Draco was here 'protecting' her from making bad decisions, George clearly trusted him. Perhaps Draco was the selfish distraction she had been looking for. She weighed the decision in her mind, as she pulled off her school uniform and began to fish her party clothes out of her drawers.

First, Draco was gorgeous. Tall and blond, built and handsome. The pinched face of his childhood gone, Draco had grown into his big nose, and came away looking statuesque, with defined features and alabaster skin. His eyes were a piercing grey, and made Ginny feel extremely paid-attention-to, somehow. It seemed like Draco was a bundle of opposites. He acted aloof, but seemed keenly interested in what she had to say, his gaze peeling apart even the most mundane things she said. He said true things as though they were lies. He actively antagonized Ron for 8 years, and then was friends with George. He was bitingly witty, abrasive, even crass, and yet respectful, deferential, and polite. Black suit, white skin and hair.

So second, Draco was interesting. He wasn't just a pretty face. Third, his sexual history was one of the most titillating conversation topics at Hogwarts. Basically the only people who didn't know about his storied past were Harry and Ron, too wrapped up in everything else oh-so-important they were always doing. Hermione knew, intimately it seemed. Ginny sometimes wondered if something had gone down between them, but it never seemed a good time to ask. Especially now when she knew that Ron was on the verge of proposing to her… But the possibility for Ginny to be with an experienced partner was very appealing. So many of her partners had been 'first-timers', all of them actually. And she was keen to spend some of her time actually enjoying herself instead of teaching her partner how to please her.

So there was no downside? Except the shame and mortification if any of her family found out. And with Draco going to drink with her brother semi-regularly, it seemed like something might slip out eventually. Worse yet, what if it went off without a hitch, and she just had to live with that feeling forever, never telling anyone. Could she hold herself to that standard, and keep a secret for the rest of her life?

'Slow down, nothing's even happened yet,' she thought to herself. She finished pulling her tights over her hips, and then the tight pencil skirt on top of that. Then she looked at the two options for her top: either the silver, silky blouse that Fleur had given her, or a red Weasley sweater. Well, the sweater was so much more like her. But this was the only chance she would have to wear the blouse for a little while, and it was so gorgeous. She put the blouse on, the silver fabric slithering over her skin made her feel slippery and sexy. She looked in the mirror, happy with what she saw, but then hesitated, remembering that she still had to go down to dinner. She decided to save the shirt as a surprise for the party proper, and slipped the sweater on top.

She brushed on some simple makeup and put her hair into a ponytail. Then, very carefully, she conjured some fine glitter particles and sprinkled them through the crown of her hair. When the light hit it just right, it looked like her hair had diamond dust in it. When she was first attempting this spell, the glitter had sunk right to her scalp, and looked like dandruff. This time, the glitter stayed floating at the top of her hair, creating a diadem of sparkles. When she took her red sweater off, the glitter in her hair would excellently complement the silvery shirt.

Glancing over her reflection, and feeling satisfied, Ginny put on her heels, a reasonable pair of black lace up heels that she knew she could wear comfortably all night. She was ready.

After a rushed dinner, Ginny went to the Room of Requirement to prepare. The party didn't start until 9, but she had to set up. She walked back and forth across the door. 'I need a room where I can host a party, about a hundred people. It must feel cozy, but not crowded. I need tables for food and drinks, self-cleaning bathrooms, comfortable chairs and couches, arranged for conversation. A space for dancing, and a station to play music.' She paused, wondering if there was anything else. 'Anyone who knows the password can come in, but no one else. And, maybe put in a few nooks for wallflowers.'

Ginny tried to be as prepared as she could. Every time she tried to prepare the room, it was different, so she could never practice setting up the party. It was like the castle wanted to mess with her. So she just had to gamble every year that the space was going to work for the theme. And it mostly did! Every year the space had been good, but the decor did need work from time to time. She enjoyed hand decorating the space as well, carefully crafting the appearance of the room.

Gently opening the door, Ginny walked in to find a spacious room dimly lit by firelight and a candles. There were chaises and couches spread throughout, creating little conversation areas, a wide area in the middle for mingling or dancing, and small nooks around the edge of the room, for private conversation. It looked like the largest common room ever, or someone's gigantic living room. Perfect for the 'homey' feeling she wanted for this year. A small knock on the door, and Luna walked in with several empty golden platters.

"Good evening, Ginny," she said serenely, placing the trays on one of several tables spaced around the edges of the room. "I just talked to the kitchens. They're sending up the food at 9 exactly. Mostly nibbles, and some sweets." Just like they'd talked about. Luna had helped plan these parties a lot too, and Ginny really liked having someone to help her out. They adjusted some of the colors in the room, adding more reds and greens and golds to the decor, conjuring up tinsel garlands to drape from the ceiling, and hanging Christmas baubles from them. Then they heard three knocks on the door, the signal that the drinks had arrived.

Ginny went and opened the door, and found Neville levitating several crates of booze behind him, and carrying one in his arms. Standing next to him, with another crate in his arms, was none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Will wonders never cease?" said Ginny, standing aside to let the two young men in. Neville glanced at Draco's back a little uneasily, and then at Ginny, mouthing, 'I don't know what's happening.'

Neville always helped out with setting up, but never stayed too long at parties, preferring to go back to his room. He was working as the assistant Herbology professor at Hogwarts, under the private tutelage of Professor Sprout. Professors and students were discouraged from socializing, but that was hardly an issue for Neville. He had never been particularly comfortable at loud social gatherings, and would stay for a little while before some pressing question would draw him back to his books. Now he looked utterly bewildered, and the answer for the questions he had could not be found in books.

The two booze bearers walked back to the table where drinks would be set up and then turned to each other. "Uh, thanks for helping," said Neville, wiping his brow with the back of his wrist.

"Of course. It's quite an amount," Draco said, looking at Ginny and smirking.

"Well, it's not all for us," said Ginny pointedly. She was reminded that Draco was here to mind her, keep her from getting too drunk, and it made her a little sour. She was responsible enough not to go too far. Just a little far.

"No, half the school is going to suck this down," said Draco, sounding a little dejected. "So much good quality booze gulped down with no appreciation. All for a buzz." He sighed, the picture of regret.

Ginny raised her eyebrow at Neville, who was already sidling over to Luna. A little crack of the arrogance of his upbringing was weaseling its way through Draco's carefully crafted veneer of charm and understanding. It humanized him a little. Ginny looked at his tall, brooding form contemplating the excess of spirits on the table, and then at Neville, who was talking quietly to Luna.

He was shorter than Draco, and stockier, but getting older had leaned him out a lot from the roundness of his childhood. And the mile hikes from the greenhouse in for each meal was definitely making its mark on his form. He was one of Hogwarts more eligible bachelors after leading an underground resistance for a year, destroying Nagini, the final wretched Horcrux, and helping Harry defeat Voldemort. But he didn't notice any of the cloying girls, simpering over him. Neville was carrying a candle for Luna, and whether she was blind to it or actively avoiding an encounter, Ginny didn't know, but it was one of the things she wanted to sort out during this party.

"Have a fondness for fine spirits?" Ginny asked Draco conversationally, beginning to unload the crates. He hummed in the affirmative, looking over her shoulder with his lips pressed together, surveying the take. The quality of the booze this year ranged, most of it on the lower end, nearing Polyjuice Potion, to some nicer fare, and one very nice bottle of scotch. "This one should be for you," she said handing him the bottle and catching his gaze head on, unflinching.

Draco exhaled a quick laugh, the corner of his mouth quirking up into a smile. "It is one of my favorites. If you have the time, later I'd like to introduce you to some of the finer things in life." He twirled his wand in a circle, conjuring a crystal whiskey glass in midair, just above his wand, and letting it smoothly drop into that hand. His smug smirk deepened as he inclined his head to her and sauntered back to a nook in the back of the room, settling into one of two chairs around a small table.

Ginny had to close her slightly agape mouth, and pursed her lips to keep from smiling. He really was as feisty as a Horntail. She would have to watch herself, or she would end up more than just interested.

"Alright guys, what's left to do?" asked Ginny, clapping her hands and rubbing them together, making a show of preparing.

"Basically, wait and worry," joked Neville. He looked around. "May I make a contribution?"

"Of course!" Ginny watched him go wandering off, looking at the ceiling with his hand behind his back, twiddling his wand. "Luna," she said in an undertone, as she poured them both champagne, "what did he tell you?"

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy apologized for his behavior at school, and asked Neville to come over to Malfoy Manor. Apparently they are having some trouble with some rare plants that no one can identify, and Mrs. Malfoy wants to know if they can be sold to collectors or museums, or if they are toxic and should be burned. Which made Neville worried. He's considering going just after Christmas. I told him he should look out for the creatures that live in the plants. If they're rare, the plants likely hold some wonderful, unknown animals…" Luna trailed off with a placid look on her face, daydreaming of finding some new floating dust mite that no one would believe in.

Just then, people started to let themselves in the door, always a muttered "Wenceslas" preceding them. Ginny greeted each. Dennis Creevey came and began to play music on an old record player, wizard and muggle songs intermingled in a bizarre hodgepodge that made the room feel like a combination of everyone's home.

As the room warmed up, Ginny went to the side and pulled off her sweater. She quickly adjusted her hair in the handy mirror right by the door, and went back to hosting the party, dutifully greeting people as they filtered into the party. Gryffindors came barreling in small groups, bringing sparklers, poppers, and some of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Indoor Fireworks. Hufflepuffs came in large groups, each bringing some food to share. Ravenclaw girls came with flavored vodka, and boys with butterbeer. Slytherins came oozing in with candy and more and more music. Soon Dennis was flipping through several dozen records, a mildly ecstatic look on his face, "This is the newest Weird Sisters album! It's not even out yet, how did you get this?!" Ginny's silver shirt got lots of compliments, and the firelight did indeed light the fine glitter in her hair, and more than one envious witch commented on her spellwork. It felt like the coziest house party. Everyone had a place.

In between chatting with newcomers, Ginny contemplated the new leaf that Draco was turning. She looked back at him in the corner, to find him actually turning leaves. He was spinning his wand languidly, transfiguring a decorative hatstand into a Christmas tree. She continued talking with Luna, and cheerfully chatting with people as they came through the party as she watched the spell unfold over Luna's shoulder. The wood of the hatstand was remembering what it was to be a tree, growing branches and spiky leaves. Draco then started conjuring silver tinsel out the end of his wand and guiding it to decorate the tree. Green and silver baubles then followed. Still a Slytherin at heart, his house colors poked their way out whenever they could. Ginny surreptitiously pointed her wand at the tree, and muttered a spell. Some of the baubles slowly changed from silver to gold, and green to red. Draco watched bemusedly as his all Slytherin tree became a Slytherin-Gryffindor hybrid, and he looked at Ginny knowingly. She raised her glass to him and smirked impishly.

Some hours later, it was almost one in the morning. Ginny was pleasantly buzzed. She'd had several glasses of champagne, but switched to water about an hour before. Draco hadn't needed to babysit her, and she wanted to prove it to him. The party had gone well. Neville's "contribution" had been a sly sprig of mistletoe that got more than a few couples into compromising situations. He'd charmed it to vary its position, moving throughout the night, and Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan had gotten caught under it twice already, and Ginny had just spotted it above where they sat now. If no one pointed it out to them, she'd eat her sweater.

She herself had used Neville's little prank to help his own situation, maneuvering him and Luna into a corner where the mistletoe just happened to spring to life above them. And all concerns about nargles aside, Neville and Luna had shared a lovely kiss that Ginny had spied on with proud, shining eyes. Luna and Neville were 'taking a walk' on the grounds now.

Ginny made her way back to the corner where Draco had been sequestered for the entire party. Most of the guests had left him alone, only a few Slytherins exchanging polite, curt nods with the blond. He didn't look altogether unhappy though. His whiskey bottle was still mostly full, maybe only a glass or two short.

"So you've been enduring this virtually unaided!" Ginny said, sitting down in the chair opposite him. Draco looked at her a little absently. She'd startled him out of some reverie, and so she pointed to the bottle.

"Mmh, yes. It's been dreadful," said Draco smirking a little. "Watching so many people being happy." He looked at her from under his eyelashes. "But I'm here on business, not pleasure. I needed to make sure nothing bad happened to you."

"And here I am," Ginny said a little defiantly. "So go ahead. You deserve to have some fun too."

"Join me for a glass." It wasn't really an invitation. More of a request.

Ginny raised her eyebrows and acquiesced. Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at the table, a drop of clear liquid dropped out of the tip and pooled into another crystal whiskey glass. A second drop, and a perfect ice sphere formed in the middle. Then Draco reached out a poured enough whiskey to cover the ice halfway. "Two fingers," he said, showing her the measurement on the side of the glass. "That's all you need."

Ginny nodded and took her glass. She looked at Draco and mimicked his actions: she swirled the liquid around, letting the ice chill it. Then she stuck her nose in a smelled the whiskey. It was smokey, and smelled like moss and stones after a rain, and made her nose burn. Then, she took a small sip.

And immediately coughed. It was burning, sweet and smokey and harsh. "Ugh, why?" she moaned through the coughing, her eyes watering. Draco just laughed and rolled his eyes, handing her a glass of water he had handy. As she drank the water gratefully, she put the whiskey carefully back on the table.

"It will take time to get used to it. Try to take in as little air as possible when you sip. What does it make you think of?" She tried another little sip.

"Fire and rain. It's like a long lick on a gravel driveway in the Hebrides after a rainstorm with a campfire in the background." Draco looked at her piercingly, his forearms resting on his knees.

"You have a good palate. That's basically all the undertones too. An interesting description, I'll grant you. But-" he smirked, leaned back, and winked, "-I liked it." Ginny shifted in her chair, turning to face him.

They chatted about nothing and everything, waiting until the last of the stragglers went home. Their conversation ranged back and forth, from the mundane to the honest and intimate: the Daily Prophet, the Ministry, how obvious it was that the politicians had no idea what was going on or how to fix it, the new Hogwarts professors, a long and heated talk about the Quidditch teams and the season thus far. They talked about their favorite subjects in school, what kind of jobs Ginny wanted to work, complained about the price hike for Butterbeer ("Scarcity after the war?! Bullshit, now is when we need it most of all."), trying to get back to normal after the war. What a great dancer Ernie McMillan thought he was, and what a surprisingly good dancer Seamus Finnegan was.

At her feet, a trail of paper cutouts of reindeer pranced their way along the carpet. The crew was pulling a tiny sleigh and a miniature Father Christmas. The little paper man chortled and cracked his whip above the reindeer. Someone at this party had some exceptional drunk-charmwork. Ginny would put money on Hannah Abbott. Ginny watched the little crew go dashing around the carpet, winding between chairs' and dancers' legs. Father Christmas would throw little bunches of confetti and cheer when they passed a couple snogging. One of the times they passed by, Draco stuck his foot out at the last second, causing all the reindeer to crash into his shoe, bunching up and scrambling over each other. Draco smirked with a cruel glee as Father Christmas fell out of his sleigh with a tiny cry.

Ginny smacked Draco's arm without thinking, reprimanding him as she leaned over to straighten out the paper animals. When she was finished, the crepe paper party looked a little worse for wear, but was able to continue on their merry way. Ginny looked up to see him looking at her with a thoughtful look in his eye. "Why did you do that?" she asked him.

"I thought it would be funny. And it was," he said daring her to disagree.

"It may have been. But I liked watching them run around." Ginny furrowed her brow a little. Draco had been so personable all night, but this moment was a little unsettling. It reminded her of his years of bullying.

"And look, they still are," Draco gestured to the sleigh, bumbling around a couple of amorous fifth-years. "C'mon, I didn't light them on fire. They recovered quite well."

"A little mean spirited," said Ginny, trying another small sip of her drink.

Draco gestured to himself, raising an eyebrow as he lounged back in his chair. "Why do you people keep forgetting I am a Slytherin?"

The conversation moved on, talking about George and Draco's friendship. Draco said George was a worrier, a jokester, and an idiot. It was obvious he liked him a lot. Ginny smiled, thinking about how much they had disagreed during school. She wondered if Ron would ever attempt a friendship with Draco, when it came to light that he was a Weasley business partner. They talked about new Wheeze's products, their favorite sweets growing up, which flavored vodka made them want to vomit when they smelled it.

Ginny slowly finished her glass of whiskey while they chatted, and Draco had two more. It was just after half past three in the morning when they vanished all their rubbish and Ginny picked up her long neglected sweater. A few people were passed out here and there, but it had been a relatively calm year. It was smaller than before…

Ginny closed the door to the Room of Requirement, and walked with Draco. She stumbled a little down the hall, and grabbed onto his arm to steady herself. Steadying didn't come so readily, and she found it easier to just keep holding on. Draco looked down at her a little surprised. "Ms. Weasley, you should have stated your intentions! I'm just a naive little boy!"

"Ooooh, there's nothing naive about you," Ginny emphasized up at him with faux narrowed eyes. "I know what you've done," she ribbed him a little, leaning into him. They drifted towards Draco's side of the hall, most of Ginny's weight on Draco. She angled them towards a small nook, containing a decorative suit of armor. Sensing their approach, the suit shimmied slightly to the right, clearing a space for them.

"Whoa, woman, hold yourself up!" he said, feigning weakness. "Ginny!" he exclaimed as they careened straight into the nook. The suit of armor very subtly shifted behind Ginny, covering the couple from outside eyes. Or maybe she had imagined that it had moved at all…

"Merlin, that whiskey hits you really hard," said Ginny, holding her head and looking up at Draco, who had cushioned her collision with the wall.

"Yes it does! That's why I only let you have one!" said Draco, leaning off the wall to rub his tailbone, the impact zone. This unanticipated action pushed his thigh in between Ginny's legs and she felt the closeness with sudden acuity. She looked up at him, and felt his breath, hot on her cheek. He smelled like the whiskey, smokey and peaty. His lips were slightly parted, and his signature smirk gone. She flicked her gaze up, and saw his eyes, half lidded, looking right at hers. The grey in them was turbulent, dark and stormy. He wanted her, but something was holding him back.

Very slowly, Ginny tilted her head up, raising herself on her toes as she did. Moving infinitesimally, she went to touch her lips to his. Draco held perfectly still, almost vibrating with the effort. Ginny could feel his rapid breathing under her hand, his chest rising and falling faster as she closed the small gap between them. The moment she felt her lips touch his, it was as though a floodgate had been released.

Draco's hands came up to hold her face pulling her into the kiss. His lips came down on hers again and again. She wove her hands under his suit jacket, feeling him through the fabric of his dress shirt, and then she pulled that out of his waistband, trailing her hands over his bare skin. There was a manic desperation to their actions, as though they were afraid the other was going to disappear at any second. Ginny massaged Draco's lower back as they kissed, feeling the taught muscles ripple under her hands, before pulling his hips to hers. She felt him groan into her mouth, his hands reaching over her body, and she grinned inside their kisses.

The bulky sweater from before the party was forgotten, dropped on the floor in their stumble. Draco slid his hands over Ginny's silk blouse, and then slipped his hand through her collar, undoing a button for full access. Caressing her collarbone, he massaged her neck muscles gently as he dipped his head to kiss her just under the jawline. Ginny ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him into her, and moaning, muttering affirmations and pleas to continue.

"Say my name," he said into her ear. It was almost a growl. Ginny remembered that animalistic quality she had seen on the stairs: Draco was dangerous, and she loved it.

"Draco," she said, grinding her hips against his. She was dimly aware of how breathy and needy her own voice was, and unable and unwanting to do anything to change it. She felt him shudder a little, his sharp exhale on her neck. He grabbed her hip bones with both hands, and kissed her full on the mouth. His hands slid back over her ass and grabbed two handfuls, pulling her hips upwards with his hands, and pinning her backward against the wall with his kiss. He released her, his hands settling on her waist, his forehead resting against hers.

"How far are you willing to take this?" he said a little hoarse, his voice low and husky. He didn't make eye contact, looking only at her lips.

"Pretty damn far," Ginny smirked again. "What did you have in mind?"

"Tonight," said Draco, and he leaned down, to sneak another kiss, "I am going to walk you back to Gryffindor tower, make sure you drink a big glass of water, and send you off to bed, like I promised you brother." He looked at her with taught, desiring eyes. "Any other night, I cannot promise that you will make it home in one piece."

Ginny shuddered and giggled, rolling her eyes. "You think you're so dangerous."

Draco laughed a real, full-bodied laugh, and snaked his arms around her, his lips brushing against hers with every word, "Oh, but I am dangerous. And when you get a proper taste, you're never going to forget it."

True to his word, Draco escorted her to the Gryffindor Common Room. Ginny blurted out the password without even attempting secrecy and walked in, dragging him by the hand. It was so late, no one was there. Sitting on a couch by the fire, he conjured a new glass with the same crystal drop trick from the party, and made her drink a whole pint of water. Despite her protests that she was fine, he encouraged her to eat a piece of toast, brought up by a very suspicious, though not outright disrespectful, house elf. Then he sent her up to bed by herself, with another fierce kiss goodnight.

"Don't forget about tonight. I intend to see you again," said Draco, half illuminated by the fire. His eyes were in shadow, but they burned with the reflection of the dancing flames. A boy dressed as dark as coals, with eyes of dancing fire, and skin like palest ash. Ginny was becoming a poet.

"As soon as I can," she promised. "Send me an owl." And with that, she turned and went to bed.

A/N: There's lots more coming! For SS, maybe only a chapter or two, but much more is in my brain...