University!AU.

For August Bingo on the Ministry of Magic Discord.


"Come on! It'll be fun."

"We won't even get in," Alex protests. "No one's going to believe you're twenty-one."

Haley ignores him, slipping on some sky high heels and spritzing her neck with perfume. It's as if he hadn't spoken at all.

"Let's stay in," Alex continues. "I've got practice tomorrow morning anyway. And don't you have a Philosophy test tomorrow?"

But his arguments fall on deaf ears. Haley continues to ready herself for a night out, and by the time she's given her reflection the seal of approval, Alex is too tired to argue. At Haley's insistence, he pulls out a new bottle of Smirnoff and takes several brave gulps before handing it to her. They stay like that, sitting on her bed and passing the bottle back and forth, for longer than he'd care to admit.

But eventually it's time to brave the chilly outdoors. Alex gives his fake identification a doubtful frown before popping it into his wallet and following Haley out the door. Hand in hand, the two stumble into town together and head towards.

"Haley!" The bouncer looks her up and down, grinning. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Come on, Gus," Haley pleads. She gives him an innocent smile—hardly convincing as she trips over her own feet. "I'm just here to see Em. We'll be in and out. Promise."

Alex can hardly believe it when he actually lets them slip past him. Immediately, he feels as though he should have taken an extra swig before they left. The crowd thrums around them. Haley is in her element, immediately taking his hand and pulling him towards the bar.

And that's when time stops. Maybe it's the alcohol, the pumping music or his shoes sticking to the floor beneath him. All Alex knows is that he is frozen. And it's all because of the girl behind the bar.

"Alex!" Haley, as always, is blissfully unaware. She leans towards him, nodding towards the girl. "This is Emily! My sister!"

"One drink!" Emily shouts back at them. "That's all you get! Then you're out! Got it?" When Haley begins to whine, Emily rolls her eyes in Alex's direction. "You better take care of her!"

"Y-yeah! Of course!"

And even though Haley definitely ends up getting a little vomit on his shirt, and even though his coach makes him run three extra laps in the morning, Alex has no doubt that meeting Emily was worth it.