2 AM

Anna Nalick

2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake,
"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake,
I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season"
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason

My flat was dark, with the exception of the desk lamp over my old, worn diary. The golden light made a small warm bubble around me as my quill scratched restlessly over the partchment, recording the day's activities. The window was almost black, and I could just catch a glimpse of a few stars if I leaned back in my chair. Snow gathered at the window sill and the moon shone light on the winter streets, a pearled orb hanging in a mass of black velvet. The walls of my flat creaked around me, making the small, familiar noises of night time, when my muggle phone rang. It started me a little, but I reached over, past the framed picture of Catty, who is my best friend from Hogwarts, her boyfriend; Draco Malfoy, and me. I picked up the phone, wondering vaguely who would be calling at this hour, and my question was immediately answered the moment I said hello. Catty sniffed into the phone. I could almost see her struggling to remain detached and keep herself from crying. But even Catty Dayline needed to cry sometimes.

"Catty? What's wrong?" I asked softly. The phone made her voice crackle with static.

"Ginny…I'm so sorry. I don't love him. I tried. I tried with everything I have, but I just cant." I was floored. What had happened? I thought Catty was crazy about him. Merlin…

"…Oh…" I could barely speak. I wanted to comfort her, but all my words got caught up in my throat. "Why?" I asked finally. "Is there someone else?" As soon as I said it, I clapped a hand over my mouth. I can always manage to say just the wrong thing at the wrong time. My heart almost stopped again from shock, however, when she answered.

"Yes." She said, almost so quietly that I didn't hear her. I gaped into the phone.

"Who?" I whispered, almost afraid to hear the answer. Catty sniffed again,

"His name is Blaise." I had to clap my hand over my mouth again to keep from gasping. Blaise was Malfoy's best friend. Oh Merlin. I didn't know what to say.

"It was horrible, when he found out." She hissed into the phone. I seemed to have lost the capacity to blink. My mouth was still hanging open. "Everyone in the restauraunt was staring. I thought I would die from embarrassment, but, he just looked so hurt. I didn't think a Malfoy could ever look like that…do you think I broke his heart?" She asked, her voice small and almost a little frightened. I stared into nothingness. Did she break his heart? Probably. How could she do that? It's one thing to break up with someone, it's an entirely different thing to go after their best friend. Oh, Catty, Catty…what have you done?

Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl.
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe

The days went by, and no one seemed to know where Malfoy was. I'd gone to his house, checked all his favourite bars, and even gone to Malfoy Manor, but he was no where to be found. My heart ached for him, as I knew exactly what he was going through. A couple years ago, when Harry had left me for Hermione, I hadn't exactly felt like a bucket of laughs either. It was during that time that I taught myself how to breathe again. It was nothing I had done, Harry just didn't love me. There was nothing I could do about it, except let go. And trust me, forgetting about someone you love, is like…it's like trying to remember someone you have never met. But in the end, I grew a little from it; things that hurt us just make us stronger in the long run. I was worried about Malfoy though. We weren't exactly best friends in school, but I ran into him one day after the war and we got to talking. Before I knew it, Malfoy became a good friend of mine, and started dating my best friend; Catty. I couldn't have been happier. But now…now everything was different. This was a hard thing to go through by yourself, he needed me, or at least someone. Other wise, knowing him, he would drink himself into a comma. But days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months…and still no sign of Malfoy.

May he turn 21 on the base at Fort Bliss
"Just today" he said down to the flask in his fist,
"Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year."
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,
But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,
Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it.

Having long given up the search for the elusive Malfoy, I made my way, alone to Hogsmead two days after New Years. In fact, I seemed to be going everywhere alone nowadays. Catty and Blaise were off doing their own thing, and I hadn't seen Malfoy since early winter last year. I was crossing the bridge into town, my scarf pulled high against my face to act as a barrier against the biting cold, when something caught my eye. A flick of a black cloak, and blond hair disappeared under the bridge. I frowned, and hurried to the end of the bridge. The river beneath was frozen and covered in now, small tuffs of reeds had survived the bitter cold and were poking through. I made my way cautiously down the steep slop, and under the shelter of the huge stone bridge. To my amazement, I saw him, leaning back against the stone support, a silver flask of firewhiskey in his hands. His nose was a little red, and his platinum blond hair was a mess, but it was him. It was my Draco. He took a swig from the flask, and leaned his head back against the stone, staring at the underbelly of the bridge. I moved towards him quietly. His grey eyes were dry of tears, but I could almost hear the pieces of his broken heart screaming to be sewn back together.

"Oh Malfoy…" I said quietly when I had reached him. He jumped a little, and frowned at me. It seemed to take him an enormous amount of effort to just stay standing. How much alcohol had be consumed in the last few months? I didn't think I wanted to know.

"W-Weasely?" He asked, as if he wasn't sure. I smiled at him, tears welling up in my eyes. Catty, look at what you've done to him…I thought to myself. He smiled too, but his was crooked and drunken.

"She left me you know…" He slurred, stepping forwards, whisky sloshing out of the flash and down his bare hand. "Left me for that bloody wanker…I don't…I don't…I don't care though…I don't need anyone…I'm a Malfoy you see…" He swayed slightly as he tried to step towards me, so I came to him instead. He collapsed thankfully against the wall again. I was so close I could feel the heat of his body. I wanted nothing more than to take his pain away, but how could he ever trust someone again? Oh Merlin, what has she done? The tears spilled down my cheeks, and I cried quietly for him. I cried all the tears he would not.

"Of course, you don't need her to be happy." I said, my voice cracking. He looked away from me, and nodded slowly, taking another swig of whiskey.

"I think…I think I loved her though." He said slowly, pronouncing each syllable carefully so he didn't make a mistake. "If I didn't this wouldn't hurt so much..." He glanced at me, as if to see my reaction and frowned. "Hey…" he said, reaching out a very unsteady hand to wipe away a tear on my cheek. "Why are you crying…little bint?" He asked. I just sniffed loudly, and went to him. He draped his arms around me and I held him close. He dropped the flask and its contents emptied out into the snow, turning it brandy brown. I buried my face in his shoulder, and he stroked my hair gently.

Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind button, boys,
So cradle your head in your hands,
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe

"You deserve someone better…" I whispered into his cloak. "Someone who loves you as much as you love them." I resisted the urge to add 'Someone like me.' He nodded, his fingers combing themselves through my hair.

"Ginny…what would I do without you?" He asked quietly, I shrugged.

"She really hurt you didn't she?" I asked, after a moment of holding each other. We let go, but still stood close enough to feel the other's breath on their cheek. He sighed and nodded.

"Yeah…she did…" He said, dropping his gaze to the snow covered ground. Then, he brought his gaze to meet mine, a bit of the old Malfoy glinting in his eyes. "I don't care though…because I'm a Malfoy." He said, his speech slightly less slurred. "And I have you."

There's a light at each end of this tunnel,
You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you only try turning around.

He took me back to the room he was renting above the Hog's head, where I stayed the night as he slept off the booze. With a shower the next morning and some good food, he was beginning to look like himself again. He smirked and sneered and gave me a hard time, but after he made a snarky comment, or laughed mirthlessly to himself at my expense, he would reach out and run his fingers through my hair. Then, he would pull me close.

"My little bint." He would whisper, his breath sending shivers of pleasure down my spine. The hurt, the loneliness, and the despair…all of it led to something so beautiful and precious. A love neither of us would have seen without suffering. Keep searching for the light, keep dreaming and wishing for a better tomorrow. Who knows? Maybe your wish might come true.

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to

So here I am, late at night sitting at my desk with the warm glow of the lamp to light the way for my quill, as it scratches at my parchment, recording the events of the day. Behind me, my husband is sitting on the sofa, reading quietly under the warm glow of his own lamp. Soon, I will turn off my lamp, and he will turn off his, and together, we will climb the stars and settle down for bed, resting for whatever the next day will bring. And no matter what fate has instore for us, we know we will not be facing the chaos alone, for we have each other. And, even if that's all we have, it will be enough. Because once, years ago, all he had was me, and all I had was him. And we managed to build a life together, and now we have happiness.

But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button now
Sing it if you understand.
and breathe, just breathe
woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.

(AU) Well, I'm so in love with this song I just couldn't resist! I had to write a quick little song fic about it! Also, all my 'To Break the Unbreakable' readers, have no fear, the next chapter is on it's way. It's just lately, I have been so caught up in exams and all that crap that I haven't had time! But, guess what? I MADE THE HONOUR ROLE! YAY! Leave me a pretty review!

Ashen