Draco slunk out of bed, and stumbled into the bathroom, casting a disgusted look at his reflection in the mirror before he shed his clothes and turned on the shower.

His thoughts wandered to Ginny, washing off his cuts with such care... He gave himself another mental slap and pushed away all thoughts of her. She was a friend, nothing more.

Draco stepped out of the shower, rubbing his head vigorously with his towel, and wrapping it around his middle before he went back to the bedroom.

He dug clothes out of his trunk, and got dressed quickly, but taking care not to look rumpled, and did his hair quickly in the bathroom.

With his hair all neat, Draco looked like a paper cut-out. He ruffled it up just a bit, perfect. Maybe now Ginny would-NO!

Draco mentally slapped himself, yet again. Hadn't he already told himself that Ginny was just a friend?

Draco went out of his room, locking the door behind him, and slipped the key intohis pocket as he Apparated into the downstairs lobby.

The elderly witch at the lobby counter frowned at him. She probably didn't approve of magic in the hotel, but what could she do about it?

Draco suddenly had the urge to get a butterbeer.

******************************

Ginny threw breakfast down on the table, ignoring the worried glances from Ron and Hermione. She was going to be leaving anyway, she desperately needed a drink...maybe a big jug of ale...

Ginny left, but only after she ate the piecee of bread Hermione pestered her with.

"Eat! You need to!" Hermione cried, thrusting the bread with jam into Ginny's hand.

Ginny had eaten it, but only because Hermione watched her until she was done.

As Ginny put ehr hand to the knob, she heard Hermione call out from the kitchen.

"And no getting drunk!"

Ginny cursed under her breath and left the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

******************************

Draco sat lazily on the bar-stool, sipping his butterbeer with whiskey. It gave his thoughts a pleasant, numb feeling.

"I need...whiskey. As much as you've got."

Draco looked up curiously at the demand for whiskey and saw Ginny sitting a few stools down the bar.

"Are you sure you can handle the big stuff, girly?" The bartender asked.

Ginny slammed her hand down on the counter in a fist, her eyes blazing.

"I'm tougher than I look. Just...give me something strong." She demanded.

The bartender shrugged, mumbling about her funeral, and handed her a shot-glass full of boiling blue liquid.

"You better be careful, girly."

Ginny mumbled something back, handing him a few knuts, and downed the glass in one gulp.

"Pretty good." Ginny praised, wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve. "Give me another."

The bartender, almost in a state of shock, stirred up another one of the drinks and gave it to her. Ginny practically threw the knuts at him and downed the drink in another gulp. A lazy smile crossed her face as she set the glass down again.

"Ooh, I needed that." She murmured.

Draco gulped down his drink quickly, and crossed over to her.

"Comfort drinking?" He teased.

Ginny turned to him lazily, and smiled, patting the stool next to her.

"Sit down." She said, raising her glass. "Have a drink! Hey bartender! Gimme another one!"

The bartender looked nervous as he gave Ginny a third glass of the boiling blue stuff.

Draco watched as she sipped cautiously at her third glass, and then drank it all down.

"What are you doing here, Draco?" Ginny asked, her voice slurring.

The bartender hadn't been kidding when he said the stuff was strong.

"I just needed a drink. Are you going to the reunion?"

Ginny nodded dumbly, and turned her glass upside-down.

"Bloody hell that stuff is strong!" Ginny slurred, standing up and stumbling to the door.

Draco gave the bartender the money for Ginny, and hurried after her.

Ginny stumbled drunkenly down the street until she passed out in the gutter.

Draco ran over to her, his senses only slightly twinged, and lifted her into his arms.

"Ginny, why do you always get into trouble?" He grumbled as he carried her off.

Ginny let out a small groan, and turned about, putting her arms around his neck almost instinctively.

Draco bit his lip. How would he resist her? Even the smallest movement of her in his arms made his blood boil.

After a couple of minutes of walking and surprised stares, Draco reached his hotel. He Apparated to the hallway outside his room, and opened the door as best as he could.

Ginny nuzzled his chest with her chin, and Draco put her down on his bed.

It took almost all of his strength not to go for her as she lay there, but Draco took out his wand and pointed it at her.

"Soberus!"

Ginny didn't seem affected. She just continued sleeping peacefully.

Draco dragged his hand through his hair, still a bit damp, and sat down at the window to wait.

******************************

Ginny had a dream about warmth and comfort...she felt wonderful when she woke up.

But where was she?

Ginny looked around in a panic until she saw Draco sitting next to a window, his chin tucked into his chest as he slept.

Careful not to wake him, Ginny crept over to the door to let herself out.

"I see you woke up."

Ginny jumped, and spun around to face him.

"Draco...I thought you were asleep." Ginny said, going back over to him.

Draco looked up with a sleepy smile.

"I have sensitive hearing. I just have to do something quick."

Draco took out his wand and pointed it at himself.

"Soberus!"

Ginny giggled, and took out her own wand.

"Do I have to use it?"

Draco shook his head and put his wand away.

"No. I used it on you as soon as I brought you here. I doubt Hermione would like it if you had gone home in a drunken stupor. And if you hurry home now, you'll be able to come with me to the reunion, unless, of course, Harry asked you already..."

Ginny let out one of the famous Weasley smiles and put her wand away.

"Harry did ask me, yes, and I did accept, but he lost the oppurtunity. I'll go with you, instead."

Draco let out a sigh of relief, and smiled at her.

"I'll meet you at the edge of town in two hours?"

Ginny thought for a moment. Shower...hair...clothes...extras...that was about two hours on her clock.

"Two hours it is. I'll see you later, Draco."

Ginny leapt forward, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and hurried out of the room.

Draco rubbed his cheek with a silly smile on his face and watched the door shut behind Ginny as she left.

******************************

Ginny stood in front of her mirror, giving herself a skeptical look. She would probably floor most of the other girls already, with the ankle length, emerald green silk dress she had on. Ginny fixed the thin strap on her shoulder, and then bent down to adjust the strappy heels of her matching green shoes.

"My hair...what should I do?" Ginny murmured, taking her wand out of her green silk evening bag. "Updoius!"

Ginny's hair snaked up from behind her back and wound into a coil on top of her head. Ginny grimaced at the sight.

"I look like Professor McGonagall." She mumbled. "Frenchius!"

Her hair snaked around into another hairstyle, this one a simple bun on top of her head, with little curls around her face.

Ginny pointed her wand at a few select places around her face *curlius, curlius, curlius* and smiled at her reflection.

"I forgot makeup!" Ginny cried, brandishing her wand. "Rubius! Emeraldius! Oh that's too dark! Palius, palius, palius!"

Ginny took a deep breath, and reached out for her locket. She opened up the clasp, and closed it again behind her neck, adjusting the golden shain so that the little golden heart was center.

"There, now." Ginny smiled, slipping her slender yew wand into her evening bag and posing in front of her mirror. "Let's go meet Draco."

Ginny Apparated to the edge of town, looking around curiously for Draco. She saw him standing not far away, smoking a cigarette. Ginny took out her wand, and whisked it to the side. Draco's cigarette went flying out of his hands, grounding intself into the dirt.

Draco looked aroound in shock until he saw Ginny standing coyly with her wand.

"Don't you know that's bad for you?" She chided as she came closer. "You should have them with a fliter."

Ginny took out a pack of cigarettes from her bag and took one out for herself.

"I don't really smoke that often." She said to Draco when he looked surprised. "Just at special occasions."

Ginny lit it with her wand, and inhaled deeply.

"We should get going soon." Ginny said, after letting out her smoke.

Draco agreed, and Ginny put her things away, still holding her cigarette. With a small sound like a pop, they Apparated to Hogwarts.

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