Being a teenager
The next night, Zabini had a small table and Fire-whiskey in the dorms, and a row of shot glasses.
"What are you celebrating?" asked Harry.
"I managed to get fire-whiskey, finally" said Zabini cheerily, drinking a shot.
Crabbe and Goyle were sitting on Theo's trunk, shot glasses in their hands.
"S'good" said Crabbe. "Better than dad's old stuff" and he sniffled.
Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"Mr Potter, would you care for a libation?" asked Zabini.
Harry cast a 'detect poison' spell on the fire-whiskey, which wasn't poisoned, then drank some. It burned all the way down, and all the way back.
Harry coughed. It was like a baby fumes of death curse.
He leaned against his bed's footpost, and coughed.
"Checking if I'd poisoned it" said Zabini drily.
"Isn't your mother…" said Harry.
Zabini raised both hands in what must be an Italian shrug.
Nott crept over and drank some, coughing a little, and asking "Is this ten-year-old?" he asked.
Zabini blinked "You drink?"
"Father left some" said Nott "Mother and I drank it for his wake."
"How is your mum?" asked Goyle.
"Mother is fine" said Nott.
"She's nice" said Goyle.
"Nice?" asked Harry.
"There's always snacks" said Goyle.
Harry rolled his eyes, and wondered about having another shot. It was like calming draught, but he hardly had to take fire-whiskey.
"Who d'ya fancy?" Crabbe asked Zabini.
Zabini put a finger theatrically to his chin "Any good looking witch" he said "Barring certain special cases."
"Well not them" agreed Crabbe remarkably garrulously.
Zabini served another round of shots.
Two rounds of fire-whiskey later Harry's belly felt warm, and he'd sat down on his trunk. He felt, he mused, pleasantly relaxed.
"Potter, you still seeing Ginny Weasley?" asked Zabini.
Harry shook his head "Never was. She was fan of the 'boy-who-lived' and that isn't me."
"Technically" said Nott.
"And now thinks I'm a good seeker, but not her cup of tea" said Harry "Why?"
"Well, she's poor but fairly good-looking" said Zabini "She might grow up to be quite a pleasant handful. Or two."
"She's a bit obsessive about Quidditch" noted Harry.
"Lovely girl compared to Greengrass" said Zabini.
"Who's a psycho" said Harry.
"Oh I don't know Potter," said Zabaini grandly "Little Greengrass will be a grown woman one day, and she owes you."
Harry looked over at the door cautiously. "Her sister will quite literally castrate anyone who asks her little sister out."
"Did that already?" asked a red-faced Crabbe.
Harry blinked and thought about that.
"I'm not that stupid. Besides, I'm medically averse to witches, Got tested at – at St Mungos. My Steward's all worried about the entail."
Zabini blinked "Averse to witches?"
"They'll hex my balls off. I'm thinking muggle" said Harry.
"The Blacks entail is huge" said Zabini "Mother mentioned it once. Your godfather turned down mother. Twice."
Harry blinked, the room was a bit blurry.
"Greengrass flirted with Potter last week" squeaked Nott. "It was horrific. And Potter didn't notice. She did the whole, look over her shoulder while walking away thing."
Harry's traitorous bits tingled at the thought of Greengrass walking away.
"Potter, it's pretty much Greengrass that's messed you up about witches, right?" asked Zabini, swaying.
"Course" said Harry. "Healer said the family lawyers are going to have a field day."
"Oh" said Zabini "She broke it, she's buying it. She'll be betrothed to you. I guarantee it."
"Not on your life" said Harry "Not her!" Harry felt his skin cooling, his stomach knotting.
"You do realise someone has to take her" said Zabini sarcastically.
"Not me." said Harry "She's hexed my bollocks many times. Not ever. There's no reason I'd ever date a psycho like Greengrass.
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. Harry glared at them, and they stopped and they looked suitably cowed. Harry discarded any plan to ever have them as minions. Honestly they were such idiots.
"She's growing up to look like her mother" said Zabini "Almost a decent arse."
Harry smiled at Zabini, who paled, looking a ghastly grey colour.
"You can't tell her that, she'll kill me" said Zabini.
"That is my point." said Harry firmly. Nott sighed. Harry ignored that.
"I dunno" said Harry "Some harmless Hufflepuff."
"The Hufflepuffs are all convinced you're the next dark lord" said Zabini. "Which of course, you aren't. No dark cloaks for you."
"Some Ravenclaw that isn't convinced I'm a dark lord then" said Harry.
Harry rolled into bed and dreamed of naked and part-naked women from the magazine at St Mungos. Which meant an embarrassing mess at dawn.