-Chapter 9: Room Number Eight -

"Alright, how about some dinner? I'm starving," Ginny said.

"Yes, that sounds good. Where are we going?"

"The Leaky Cauldron, of course. Neville should be there. He's hired a great cook and they have the best food in Diagon Alley. Also, I get my own booth and a free shot of fire whiskey."

They made their way down the street, people stopped Ginny and asked for autographs. When they finally got to the Leaky Cauldron the entire place erupted in cheers when Ginny walked in. Hannah greeted the pair, not recognizing Hermione, and took them to Ginny's reserved booth.

"The usual tonight, Ginny?"

"Yep, turkey sandwich and chips. Also, a bottle of your best fire whiskey."

Hannah turned to Hermione.

"And for you…oh my…Hermione! Hermione Granger! What are you doing here? You…you left…" Hannah looked at Ginny, extremely confused.

"It's all right, Hannah. She's moved back to London and we're having a girls' night out. Everything is fine," Ginny said.

"Good to see you, Hannah. I love what you have done with the place. I'll have a turkey sandwich and chips also."

"Alright, I'll send Neville over in a few minutes. I am sure he'll want to say hello!" Hannah said as she went to place the order.

"Ginny, does everyone in Wizarding London absolutely hate me? Was there a story published in The Daily Prophet about me leaving or something?" Hermione asked, a little upset.

"They don't hate you. It's just…uh…Rita Skeeter did write some things…it was a long time ago though, just enjoy yourself tonight."

"That vile woman! Ugh. I swear if I see her in the street she is going to be sorry she ever picked up a quill."

"Please, Hermione, just try to enjoy yourself tonight. It was all a long time ago and if I say things are fine then people will bugger off. I can have it printed if you want."

"I might take you up on that depending on how many more reactions like that I get. And enjoying ourselves shouldn't be too difficult with an entire bottle of fire whiskey."

"Hermione!" Neville ran up to the table. Hermione stood up and hugged him.

"Neville! How have you been? Harry told me you're teaching at Hogwarts now!"

"Well right now I am just assisting Professor Sprout until she retires. Of course while school is out I help Hannah run things here. How are you? How long have you been back?"

"I'm doing quite well. I've been back for almost three years now but not around Diagon Alley. I've been working in a Muggle law office."

"That's good to hear and great to see you but I've got to get going. We're pretty busy tonight, as you can see. Great seeing you, Hermione."

"You too, Neville. Have a good evening."

Hannah returned with their food, a bottle of fire whiskey, and two shot glasses. Ginny poured each of them a shot. Hermione nearly choked when she downed hers.

"Oh my…it's been a long time since I've had anything this strong," Hermione said as she coughed.

They ate their dinner and took shot after shot. It wasn't long before the bottle was empty and the two girls were incredibly intoxicated.

Over at the bar Hannah and Neville watched them.

"Room number eight?" Hannah asked Neville.

"Yep. I'll go talk to them," he replied.

"I'll make sure there are buckets in the room and a little of your hangover remedy."

Neville walked over to the table where Hermione and Ginny were laughing hysterically.

"Hate to do this to you girls but it's close to closing time," Neville lied. The Leaky Cauldron was open 24 hours a day. "Hannah and I have a room upstairs for you, drunken disapparating never turns out good."

"Noooo Neville! We'll be fiiiine," Ginny slurred.

"Yeah, we'll –hic- we'll take a cab." Hermione slurped the little bit of fire whiskey that was left in the shot glass.

"No, come on now. Upstairs with the both of you." Neville motioned for a couple of bouncers to come help him get the pair upstairs. After a little resistance they gave in and with much help stumbled up the stairs to their room.

"This is the only one we have open," Neville said as the bouncers helped the girls to the one bed, "it's only got one bed but there is a bucket on either side and some of my home made hangover remedy in the bathroom. I'll leave the key here on the table. See you in the morning."

Neville left and Hermione and Ginny lying on the bed on their backs, side by side.

"You know my brother, Ron," Ginny slurred, "he –hic- he was so pissed when you left. One day he came down here and got drunk and told everyone how evil girls were and how he was never gonna get married. That's –hic- that's how he broke it off with Lavender. She was so mad. Mum never liked her anyway."

"I haven't been this drunk in like –hic- three years almost. Not since that one guy. I don't…I don't even remember what the hell he looked like. Fuck. That means I haven't had sex in almost three years."

"No wonder you're so uptight," Ginny said as she rolled over. She nuzzled her face in Hermione's neck and put her arm across Hermione's stomach.

"I am so not! I'm a –hic- I'm a mother!"

"Even mothers need to get some though!" Ginny started laughing.

Hermione turned her head.

"That letter I wrote Harry. The last one. That stuff about us being too young."

"Uh huh, I remember it."

"It was rubbish," Hermione said, "all of it."

Hermione lunged forward and planted her lips on Ginny's. Ginny pulled her in close and opened her mouth, inviting Hermione's tongue. Ginny stripped Hermione's shirt off and then her own. She fumbled with the clasp of Hermione's bra but gave up quickly and moved her hands down Hermione's back and to her arse. Ginny slid her hand around to the front of Hermione's jeans and undid the belt buckle, the button and the zipper in moments. Hermione helped her strip off the jeans and tossed them to the floor. She helped Ginny get her jeans off and then Ginny slid a hand down the front of Hermione's underwear.

Hermione's eyes popped open. The light coming in from the window nearly blinded her and her head was screaming. Ginny's nose was nuzzled into her neck and a pale, freckled arm was draped across her stomach. When her eyes adjusted Hermione looked around, she and Ginny were still both fully clothed. She wondered at what point they had fallen asleep and she had started dreaming. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom. There were two glasses of some orange liquid she didn't recognize on the bathroom counter with a note that said "For the hangover". Hermione drank one and the throbbing in her head started to ease up and she didn't feel like vomiting anymore. She heard Ginny groaning from the bedroom and Hermione took her the other glass of hangover remedy.

"Ugh, what time is it?" Ginny asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Ten thirty. Drink this."

"Oh good. Neville has the best hangover remedy." Ginny drank down the contents of the glass. She looked around a bit. "How did we get up here?"

"No idea. I do remember you telling me something about Ron getting drunk and breaking up with Lavender."

"I remember saying something about you needing to get some…oh shit, did we?"

"I don't think so. We were both fully clothed when I got up."

"Oh, okay. That's good. I mean…that is good, right?" Ginny couldn't tell if Hermione was disappointed or relieved.

"Yeah. We're just friends so it is good," Hermione tried to sound confident in her response but was actually rather unsure. "Care to go downstairs and have some breakfast?"

The girls went downstairs and sat in the same booth from the night before. Neville took their breakfast order and made sure they had found the hangover potion. Ginny gave him the key to the room and thanked him.

"Do you remember anything else I said last night?" Hermione asked Ginny as she took a bite of her scrambled eggs.

"Not really. I tend to not remember much after that much alcohol. Why, was there something else?"

"No…Ron being an idiot and me needing to get some was about it," Hermione lied. She remembered what she had said about the letter but she wasn't ready for Ginny to know it.

After breakfast Hermione caught a cab and Ginny Flooed to her room at Grimmauld Place.