AN: Thank you to I was BOTWP for reviewing, I love knowing my readers opinions.
Read and Review Please!
Chapter Forty Three: Drunken Ramblings.
The sun had begun to rise outside of the Order's bunker, yet many of the younger members had not retired to bed and the remnants of their bottles of Firewhiskey had dwindled. One by one, people were standing and stumbling away, often colliding into walls and doors. But all would claim a good night's sleep tonight, perhaps the first in a long while.
Draco sat, feeling the buzz of the alcohol tugging at his exhaustion, but was unwilling to leave until Pansy finished her last shot and decided to stagger to bed. But Pansy merely sat there giggling with Luna Lovegood, a sight that would have shocked anyone's eyes had they not been blurred by alcohol. Luna was explaining about a creature Draco had never encountered, and doubted its existence, while Pansy listened intently before the pair would burst into fits of laughter at something the Ravenclaw whispered. Just as Draco's tired patience was near its end, Pansy stood and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Are you going to escort me to bed, Drakie?" She shared a sloppy grin with Luna, "Isn't he good? My Drakie, my gentleman." He tried not to roll his eyes at her irritating nickname that only emerged when she was very inebriated or in a particularly irritated mood with him.
"Goodnight." Luna stood too and skipped out of the room. Draco debated the possibility that Luna was constantly in a drunken state, though quickly dismissed it. Over the past few weeks, Draco had seen a more calm and collected version of the younger Witch. She had been one of the few to allow him a chance in this Order and he would not judge her too harshly as a result.
"Bedtime Drakie." Pansy slipped her hand under his elbow, prompting him to move away from the group. As they reached the dining room door, Pansy pulled him to an abrupt stop and looked in panic over at Blaise.
Draco followed her gaze, observing his fellow Slytherin looking very cosy with Ginny Weasley. The pair had gravitated towards one another after every shot of Firewhiskey, slowly creating their own bubble of conversation. Blaise was currently listening while Ginny whispered something in his ear, his hand resting under the table, presumably on her thigh. Their bodies were curled into one another, despite Blaise's usual cold distancing of strangers.
As Draco and Pansy watched, Blaise raised a brow at whatever Ginny was saying, before he smirked and murmured something back. Ginny's pale, freckled face bloomed with pink and she shook her head with a flirtatious smile. Over Ginny's shoulder, Draco and Blaise made eye contact. Draco raised his eyebrows in subtle questioning and Blaise tilted his head in response. Understanding his dark friend would not reveal his motives, Draco nudged Pansy into motion once more.
"Don't worry about Blaise." He assured her, opening the door, "He'll take care of himself."
"But…" Pansy began but trailed off. All three of them were trained as highly as their Order counterparts, if not more so, and would easily defend themselves when in danger. Since each began displaying spurts of Magic, they had been training to weld it with ease and competency. While Blaise and Draco stereotypically tried to protect her from harm, she was more than capable of looking out for herself. However, as she tripped over the door frame and nearly fell awkwardly on her ankle, she was quite grateful for Draco assistance.
"Careful." Draco cautioned automatically and gripped her hand tighter on his elbow.
"What? Don't you want another patient, MediHealer Malfoy?" She teased and pressed herself against him for stability.
"No." He looked down at her in fond amusement, "No more annoying patients."
"I'm not annoying." Pansy replied with a pout.
"You're not annoying." Steering her around the corner to the dormitory area, he chuckled, "You're just mildly irritating drunk."
"Thank you." She grinned stupidly before her mind caught on what he had actually said, "Hey!"
"Love you too, Pans." Draco eased open the door to the girls' dormitory lead her in, before looking around in puzzlement, realising he didn't actually know which was Pansy's bed. Three of the four beds looked hastily made, while the top right bunk looked neatly made with a book laid carefully beside the fluffed pillow.
"This is mine." Tugging him over to the next bunkbed, Draco noticed a pair of purple pyjamas folded and tucked under the pillow, and deduced those must have been loaned to Pansy. In their hurry to leave their old life, they had to leave many of their possessions behind, including home comforts and clothes. Pansy had managed to borrow spare clothes from Luna, transfiguring them to fit her body, though the array of colour and patterns did contrast with Pansy's usually reserved and polished style.
Without hesitation, Pansy stripped out of her floral green print shirt and dark plum skirt. She tossed them on her bed in an uncharacteristically careless manner and replaced them with the fluffy pyjamas. Yawning loudly, she clambered into the bedsheets and tucked herself in, while Draco leaned against the end bedpost.
"Are you all done?" He asked. Now he had safely escorted Pansy to her bed, he craved his own, but he would wait until Pansy settled and slept, before leaving her in defenceless sleep.
"No." She leaned forwards and grabbed his hand, pulling him until he sat on the edge of her bed. He couldn't conceal his eye roll at her childish behaviour, but at least she was an easily managed drunk, "I want to talk to you."
"You need to sleep, Pans, or you'll be exhausted and hungover later." Draco tried to persuade her but she stubbornly looked at him with determination in her eyes.
"I won't be hungover. I didn't drink that much."
"Of course you didn't." He attempted to appease her, "What is it you wanted to say?" After all these years, Draco knew if Pansy wanted to say something, she would do regardless. It was a gift and a curse; an honest friendship and information over loader.
"Thank you." She whispered, looking down at where she still held his hand, "I'm glad we're out." Sudden tiredness crowded her sincere expression, as if the weight of such an admission had taken her remaining energy.
"Its okay, Pans, you're safe now." He told her as she drifted to sleep, though he knew he was lying. She wasn't safe, no one was. This was war, but he would keep her as safe as he could. He would not fail what little family he had claimed left.