Stevie: So cheapxperfume wrote the song in today's chapter. A/N: When I make a CD and become superfamous, you can all get free albums. Stevie: Like that'll ever happen. A/N: OK, so maybe it won't. But maybe it's more likely to get some nice lovely reviews on this chapter. :)

The thing that makes firewhisky so great (aside from the fiery buzz) is that it heightens your senses immeasurably. After three bottles, I can feel everything. I can feel the stares I get when I saunter casually into the Great Hall. I can feel the lust from the males and the worry from the girls. I'm not used to being noticed, but I like how it feels.

I'm an hour late, and they've been done with the classical music for a while now. Turns out Dumbledore booked the Weird Sisters, and they're playing one of their more fast-paced songs at the moment. I flash a wink at wide-eyed Ernie MacMillan and walk over to the punch bowl, searching for someone to dance with.

And that's when I first see him. Cedric. He's out there, partying hard with Cho. I catch his eye and his jaw drops. I don't think he's ever seen me in a dress.

I spin around once, just to show off, then break our gaze and continue my search. My eyes have just landed on a particularly fine-looking Gryffindor when someone taps me on the shoulder. "Would you like to dance?"

I spin around. It's Marcus Flint. I glance over at Cedric again. Maybe this could work in my favor…

Before I know it, we're out on the dance floor. Neon lights are flashing all around us. Hard blue lights up Flint's eyes as a loud red plays across my black dress. He's sweating and so am I. This is pretty intense for my first dance, no?

I lost Cedric some time ago. Probably went off with Chang to snog, but I'm trying not to care. I focus on the lyrics to the Weird Sisters song and that unbreakable blue that works its way across Flint's features.

You're my addiction

My religion

The reason that I'm livin'

I needed you like a cigarette

Ever since the day we met

And I still don't have enough yet

The song pulses through my veins until I can't feel myself anymore. Like I've become part of the song. Like I'm just a single chord in an endless guitar riff…

I curse. I really am drunk. I need to clear my head.

I start to walk toward one of the exits, but Flint runs up behind me.

"I need some air."

"I'll come too."

Outside, the music is but a memory and I can breathe properly again. Inhale, exhale. The oxygen has a faintly clean taste as I swallow it in gasps. Flint wipes his hand over his forehead.

"Some party."

"No kidding." I take another deep breath and examine my surroundings. Just as I suspected, there are a lot of couples out here. I recognize Fleur Delacour with some Ravenclaw Quidditch bloke – they're snogging. It's slightly uncomfortable, standing here with Flint, listening to some couple making loud kissing noises. I start to walk further along the path. He follows me.

"Listen, Skylar… I'm sorry I'm always being such an arse in Potions all the time. I think you're actually pretty cool away from classes. Why don't you hang out with us Slytherins some time?"

I'm about to answer, but that's when I see them. From behind, it's just another couple: a boy with golden-brown hair and a girl in some sort of traditional Chinese dress. Then the girl shifts her head, and I realize that it's Cho. And Cedric. Snogging.

I'm definitely not drunk anymore. I can feel the pain again, throbbing through every atom of my being. I whirl away from the sight, but it's burned into my eyelids. Now I'll see them every time I close my eyes.

I take another moment to breathe. Flint looks concerned. "Did you hear me? Skylar?"

"What? Oh… yeah, sure. I'll try and hang out with you guys more, I guess," I say breathlessly. "Let's get out of here."

We walk back into the Great Hall, and I down one or two more bottles of firewhisky. It's enough. The buzz is back and the hurt is gone. It's just the neon and Flint and me and the music.

The Yule Ball ends at midnight. The hard partiers have to be kicked out – yes, that includes Flint and me. We end up staggering down the halls of the school, each carrying a half-drunk bottle of firewhisky. I don't say it out loud, but I'm kind of afraid to go back to the common room.

It's great, this feeling of not caring. We sing random bits of the Hogwarts anthem and scare first years that are wandering around in the dark. After a while, though, the alcohol takes its toll and I start to feel sick. Flint and I walk to the entrance to the common room.

"See ya, babe." He takes a swig of firewhisky and salutes me.

I'm just as drunk as he is. I tip my head in his direction and almost fall over. "Later," I croak.

I stumble into the common room and stare dizzily around. Five seconds later, I'm emptying my guts in a corner of the room. Five bottles of firewhisky is five times more than what I usually drink. My head aches and I feel like death.

Suddenly I feel a cool hand hold my straggly hair up out of my way. Another hand rubs my back until I'm done. I sink to my knees, completely exhausted.

It's Cedric. Who else? He kneels down beside me, looking seriously worried. "Skylar," he says. "You stink of alcohol. How much did you drink? Are you okay?"

I shove weakly at him. Even if I wasn't completely drunk, I wouldn't be able to move him. So of course he doesn't budge now. "Go away," I groan. "Weren't you busy enough snogging the daylights out of Chang?"

He pulls away, stung by my harsh tone. "Skylar," he says again, more firmly this time. "You're beyond drunk. I don't think you can even get up the stairs."

"Yes I can." I stumble to my feet, resisting his attempts to help me, and move toward the stairs. I manage to make it all the way to the bottom one, but then, being the drunken fool that I am, I trip over air and hit my head on something. Hard.

For a moment I see the neon again, then Cedric's face in photo negative, leaning over me. Then the neon takes over and everything else fades away.

x x x

I wake up hours later on the common room couch with hopelessly tangled hair and a massive hangover. The bump on my head probably doesn't help either. I massage my temples, moaning overdramatically. A few third years doing homework turn around and stare at me. I stick out my tongue in a very mature manner and glance around.

Cedric's nowhere to be seen. However, he appears to have left something for me. A note.

I pick it up off the table.

Skylar, it reads. You had me really worried last night. I'm serious. Don't do that to me again. I saw you hanging around with Flint at the dance, by the way, and I don't know if that's such a good idea either –

"Don't tell me what to do, you obsessive Cho-snogging prat!" I scream at the paper. The third years give me another look. "Bite me," I growl. Hangovers don't make me a particularly cheerful person. And I'm not that cheerful to begin with.

But anyway. I had to go meet up with Cho, but I left you a hangover potion. My mum used to use them. Oh, and your Christmas present. I know, I'm late, sorry! Thanks for the chocolate frogs, by the way. I really appreciate the empty wrapper you forgot to take out of the box, too.

I bite my lip. I'd only had one!

So, feel better soon. I'll talk to you later. – Cedric.

That's when I notice the little box and the bottle on the table. I down the contents of the bottle in a single swallow, and instantly a soothing rush calms the pain in my head. Now in a significantly better mood, I proceed on to the neatly wrapped box.

Seconds later, the wrapping paper's in a heap on the floor and I'm wondering if Cedric thinks of everything. At least now I can check one thing off my To Do List.

He gave me the Weird Sisters record.

Title: Over You.

A little too ironic. Because I've just fallen even more in love with that terrible, amazing, wonderful, heartbreaking enigma of an angel.