A/N Okay um, just a little warning: This chapter contains heavy drinking, minimal amounts of drug usage and an implied "adult situation." If you don't like it, you have been warned. If you must give me flak, do it in review form. Um, yeah, I think that's it anyway.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that's from the Books, otherwise I would be rich, British and having some serious gender issues, as I am male, and JK Rowling is not. Er, yeah, *now* I think I'm done.

Chapter 7: Boy's Night Out. … Sort Of

It was Friday and the Redhawks were all happy over the fact that their first week in residence was now over and done with and they could resume their normal lives. Jack was currently trying to convince anyone who would listen to him to go out and celebrate.

"Come on mates, it'll be fun." He was saying to John, Harry and Ron, as the three of them lounged around.

"Well, I could use a drink." John mused, scratching his chin reflectively. "Alright count me in."

"Harry? Ron? You guys going to come along?"

Ron nodded. "Sure, why not?"

Harry thought about it for a moment. "Yeah okay."

"What's up?" Ramirez asked as he walked into the room, his arm casually thrown around Tonks's shoulder.

"We were thinking of hitting a pub, to celebrate the end of our first residential." Jack explained, a smirk on his face. "How about it, my little metamorphs, are you in?"

They glanced at each other and nodded.

It took little convincing (some more than others) but soon they had the entire squadron heading to the pub. Well, almost everyone.

"Aw come on Black, come hang out with us for awhile." Tonks whined playfully. "Quit being such a lone wolf."

"Leave me alone." Black snarled. "I just want to go home."

"'Fraid not, Black." Collins barked. "You're goin' with us."

"You can't tell me t-"

"Yes I can, Procyon." Collins eyes had a hard edge to them, though his face wore an amused smirk. "Yer goin' an that's the last of it."

"But I, you can't, I just…" Black stammered, then went silent with a growl.

"So," Kara clapped her hands. "Where are we going?"

John smirked at her. "I know just the place." They each shot him a questioning look, but he refused to give any details, merely leading them towards the nearest out-portal. He keyed in the sequence and the door-that-led-nowhere filled with a hazy green light. He waved the rest through, then taking Kara's arm led her through with a jaunty wink.

There was a brief flash of light and they appeared in a darkened alley of a city street, dressed in muggle clothes. They took a moment to look around. The alley led out into a street crowded with muggles.

With another grin John led the group down the street and across another into a dingy little club called the Viper's Den. John turned to the Redhawks as they stood outside the building. "Alright guys, this is a muggle pub, so no magic, or… at least no magic a drunk or stoned person would realize." With a amused grin he led them into the club.

They entered a smoky room filled with loud and largely inappropriate music, bright neon lights decorated the walls and ceiling. The room was filled with close to a hundred college-age muggles in various states of intoxication and/or hallucination. The group filed in a took over a large table in the corner, while John made his way over to the bar.

"What'll it be?" The woman behind the bar asked without looking at him.

"How about a blind prophet, Robyn?" John asked with a grin. The girl immediately turned around with a surprised look on her face.

"John? What the hell are you doing here?" She asked, as she set about mixing the obscure drink that John had asked for. "I haven't seen you here since you graduated from…" She dropped off and looked at him expectantly.

" From whatever school it was that I went to." He finished with a wink. "I'm just showing a couple co-workers my old watering hole."

She snorted derisively, handing John his drink. "Well, you got the 'hole' part of that right, anyway. You gonna want a pitcher of beer for your friends too?"

John glanced back at the rest of the Aurors, "Oh… better make it about five, to start. We've had an interesting week, and if I know Asher, that Canuck will probably put down two by himself,"

"Right. I'll bring 'em over in a sec." John knocked on the bar and retreated with a wink.

"So what was that all about?" Kara asked with a sly look as John returned to the table. "Should I be feeling jealous?"

"Of who, Robyn?" John snorted. "Cute girl, but she's far to sarcastic for my tastes."

"And I'm not?"

John grinned. "No, you're just sarcastic enough."

"Harry, you were raised by muggles, right?" Ron asked, while poking Harry in the arm.

"Well, technically yes." Harry began, a slightly suspicious look on his face, "…Why?"

"Well, maybe you can tell me how that blinking light on the dance floor slows down time?"

Harry sighed exasperatedly. "That's a strobe light Ron, it doesn't slow down time, it just blinks so fast that your brain thinks things are moving slower than they are. It's an optical illusion."

"Oh." The red headed young man looked thoughtful as he processed that. "Either way I think it's giving me a headache." Harry rolled his eyes. Ron really should have taken Muggle Studies.

"What's up with those guys?" Ginny asked, leaning over to whisper in Kara's ear. The other witch turned to look at what Ginny was pointing at, and laughed.

"Them? Those are just a couple of stoners."

"Stoners?" Procyon looked up, a disturbingly gleeful look on his face. "…Fun!"

The others shot him questioning looks. The young Auror turned to Collins who was smoking his usual cigar, and took the plume of smoke that was rising from it in hand. "Just going to borrow this for a second." ignoring the surprised and suspicious looks from his team mates he proceeded to weave the smoke into a complex sigil, which, when finished, he blew towards the group of giggling youngsters.

"What did you…?" Tonks began but Black gestured for her to keep quiet.

"Dude." One of the glassy-eyed teenagers nudged another. "Is it just me, or is that a group of pink monkeys performing impure acts on a jungle gym?"

"Nah, that's just a bunch of three-eyed elephants in top hats. Nothin' to worry about." The other replied with a dismissive wave.

"Dude…" The third muttered. "That's not right! Josh seriously, what did you put in this shit?"

"I didn't do nothin' to it, it's pure man. I got it from a guy down on forty-second."

"The lights are moving!" The first one muttered, staring serenely at the ceiling above him.

"Okay Procyon," Collins grunted. "That's enough."

"Alright, alright, I'm done." Black waved his hand and the cloud of smoke around the three lessened a bit.

John shook his head, amused despite himself. At this point Robyn appeared lugging a large tray weighed down with several pitchers of beer and a number of glass mugs.

"There you go, Johnny, don't get too rowdy now." With a wave and a grin, Robyn walked back to her spot behind the bar.

They each poured a glass of the brew, with the notable exception of Fleur, ("I weel not drink zis swill!") and proposed a toast to the completion of their first week in-residence. As soon as she drained the beer and set her glass on the table, Ginny turned to level an appraising stare on Harry.

It didn't take long for Harry to become unnerved by the scrutiny. "What? What is it Ginny?"

"I bet I could drink you under the table Potter." She said with a half smile.

Harry snorted derisively, "Is that so, Weasley? Your brothers offered me a similar proposal at mine and Ron's graduation party, and if I recall, Fred and George were passed out after about eight drinks apiece."

Ginny continued to smile and attempt to stare the Boy-Who-Lived down. "Fred and George can't hold their liquor."

"And you can?" Harry asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"That's right."

"Five Galleons says that Harry here out drinks the lady," Jack put in, laying his money on the table. "Any takers?"

"I'm in for Ginny." Kara said with a smile.

"Gotta disagree love." John smirked as he fished out his gold. "Put me down for five on Harry." Jack nodded as he marked down the bets on a spare piece of parchment.

"Go get 'im Gin." Tonks said with a wide grin as she laid down her gold.

"Ah, what the hell? I'll bet on the Firebrand there." Ramirez said with a nod to Ginny, before someone made a whip-crack sound behind him.

"I always like a risk." Ami put in with a smile. "I'll go in for Ginny."

"Anybody else?" Jack asked, looking around the table. "Fleur?"

"Zis is so boorish, gambling on alcoholism." She sniffed, "…'Owever, I weel put five galleons on 'Arry."

"I vill also bet on Mister Potter." Viktor grunted, throwing his galleons on the table.

"Is that all?" Jack looked around the table, but nobody else seemed to want to place a bet.

"Aren't you going to throw in Ron?" Ginny asked with a mischievous smile.

"Yeah, right, a bet between my best mate and my little sister. No, I'm pretty sure I'd end up losing no matter what."

"Alright then." Jack said in a very officious tone. "The rules of engagement are thus: Rule number one, both mugs will be filled to the top line, to ensure that both participants are consuming the same amount."

"Agreed." Harry said, and Ginny nodded.

"Rule number two: The contest is over only when one participant passes out, throws up, or calls it quits. Rule number three: there is no rule number three. Rule number four: If this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight. Rule number five: Never wear white after labor day. Rule Number six: in the event of a water landing-"

"ALRIGHT ALREADY!"

"Ahem. Sorry about that." Jack coughed. "Boozers are you ready? Set?" He paused for effect. "POUR!"

Two mugs were filled and the game was on.

"So, who do you think is gonna win?" Asher muttered to Ryu out of the corner of his mouth, before taking a swallow of his own beer. The Japanese wizard shrugged and continued to watch the epic battle of fermented proportions.

"How long have they been at it?" John asked, gaping at the two contenders

"They've been drinking for about two hours now, and they don't look like they're ready to stop." Ron responded, gaping at his sister and best friend. "I mean, look at them! It's like they're drinking water. I'm wondering where Ginny learned to drink like that!" He took a gulp of his own beer and barely avoided knocking over the Tower o' Pitchers that Tonks and Ramirez were making out of their dead soldiers, the number of which had far exceeded fifteen. By this point everybody was feeling a little tipsy except Fleur, who wasn't drinking, and, oddly enough, Harry and Ginny.

"I mean Shirioushly man." Jack slurred. "I'm jush sayin' that if a man walked into… into a bar, it would really, really, really… really hurt."

"No man!" Ramirez gestured wildly, almost knocking over the tower. "It's not a bar, like a metal bar or a crow bar or somethin'. It's a bar like, like a tavern or you know, a bar like we're sittin' in."

Jack looked confused for a second. Then comprehension dawned on his booze addled face. "Ohhhh…"

"Man are you drunk." Tonks muttered looking at her fellow Metamorph with an amused expression.

"No I'm not!" Ramirez looked completely scandalized. Tonks only shook her head.

"Can I ask you a question?" Procyon asked leaning over towards Fleur with a smirk on his face.

"I suppoze." She responded with a guarded look

"This whole Veela thing. Is it just a cover up for your insecurities?"

Fleur looked startled. "What do you mean?"

"Well, have you ever tried getting a man without throwing around the pheromones?"

"'Ow dare you!" Fleur snapped. "Zhat is none of your business!"

He shrugged. "Act the part of the bruised honor all you want, but I can tell you're trying to charm someone here, and it's not working, whether because they don't notice, aren't affected or they're too drunk to care isn't the point. They're not paying attention to you and it's driving you crazy."

Fleur gaped and sputtered for a moment. "You are a peeg!" Procyon smirked, just a little cruelly, "Besides." Fleur continued with a haughty flip of the hair and an upturned nose. "'Ow do you know zhey are not paying attention to me?"

Procyon blinked, then his eye widened and Fleur smirked at him. "Maybe you are not as unaffected as you would like to think, non?"

He turned away with a scowl.

Harry stared over at Ginny, his vision was kind of blurry, but he couldn't tell if it was because of the alcohol or because his glasses were slipping down his nose. He supposed it didn't matter much. He could see her just fine.

Ginny Weasley. The Enemy. …No, that wasn't right. She wasn't the enemy, not really, this was just a friendly little game. Ginny was his friend, a good friend too, she had been there at the end, when he fought old Voldy. Her… and Hermione, and Ron, and Neville. Where was Neville these days? Harry wondered. He didn't see him around much anymore. Oh yeah, he was in the Black Knight squadron… or something like that. Anyway, he had been there too, Neville, him and Ginny, and that other girl, the smart one, and Ron, …and Ginny. She was a pretty good drinker, which reminded him…

"Hey Ron!" Harry turned a bleary eye towards his best mate. "How… how many have we had so far?"

Ron shrugged. "Like, ten, I think? I dunno."

"Ron!" Ginny cried, a little too loudly, "You were supposed to be keeping track for us."

"I was?" Ron blinked at his sister.

"Yes!" Ginny snapped. "You great prat."

"Oh." Harry smiled. Ginny had a temper, but fortunately she wasn't an angry drunk. She was looking a little blurry though, he wasn't exactly sure why. Maybe it was his glasses?

She was looking at him, well, almost. Her gaze kept focusing and unfocusing. So he looked right back at her.

"You wanna call it a draw?" They both said in unison.

"Yes." They both responded.

"That's good." John muttered. "I think it's time we were headin' out anyways." And he got up and stumbled off towards the bar to pay the enormous tab.

"I think it'd probably be best if you all slept this off at the compound and go home in the morning." Collins said, taking a puff of his cigar.

Harry and Ginny dragged themselves out of their seats. Ginny stumbled a bit but Harry held her up.

"Okay, this is what we're going to do Harry." Ginny muttered, throwing her arm around his shoulder. "We'll hold each other up. That way, if you fall to the left, I'll stop you, and if I fall to the right, you'll stop me."

"But what if I fall to the right?" Harry asked.

"I just told you, I'd hold you up. This way it'll be impossible for either of us to fall over because we've got every angle covered."

"Right." Harry nodded. Then they fell forwards.

"Did we just fall down?" Harry asked from the floor."

Ginny shook her head, as she lay sprawled right next to him. "No."

"I didn't think so."

The other Redhawks helped their teammates to their feet and the group stumbled and pushed their way out of the door. When they'd gotten out of sight of the muggles, they activated their portkeys and in a flash they were back in the Redhawk common room.

Ginny took Harry's arm. "Come on Harry, I'll help you get to your room, then you can help me get to mine."

"That doesn't make any sense." Harry told her with a perplexed look on his face.

"Oh how would you know? You're drunk."

Harry waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not so think as you drunk I am." Arm in arm the two of them stumbled towards their quarters, much to the amusement of their slightly less intoxicated companions.

The next morning, light hit Harry over the head like a sledgehammer. He was pretty sure he could actually hear it coming in through the window. He took the pillow and hide underneath it, hoping that death was coming soon. This was probably the worst hangover he'd ever had. Not that he'd had a lot of hangovers in his lifetime, but of those that he'd experienced, this was the worst. He groaned in frustration and pain. Then, out of the silence, an answering groan came from somewhere in his room.

That wasn't right at all.

Suddenly, when he stopped to think about it, he became aware of something else in the room. Or rather someone else in his bed. He rolled over and cracked open his eye just enough to see hair the color of a dried maple leaf. He could tell it was at least shoulder length, so it couldn't be Ron. That left him very few options as to who it could be though.

She yawned and rolled over and Harry was left with no doubts, a quick peek under the covers told him something else too.

Ginny Weasley was asleep, and naked, in his bed. And he had no idea how it happened.

"Oh Ron's gonna love this." Harry muttered, hiding under his pillow again.