Disclaimer: If you really think I own Harry Potter, then you must be more crazy than I am. ;-)

Thanks as ever to my lovely, lovely Beta Clarissa.

Notes: I've put up the rating on this one for pre-smut ness (no actual smut guys. Sorry).

As ever, thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to comment. I do try to answer you all. Comments are love, so is constructive criticism, just please keep it polite.

I'm going to reiterate what I said about the ships I this chapter, because they come into it on a more serious level. THIS IS MY STORY. If you want to criticise my writing style, my plot points, my grammar, etcetera, be my guest. Again, provided you are polite I will probably thank for the effort and try to take it into account in the future. HOWEVER, I don't want to be involved in a shipping war. This fandom has far too many, and frankly I don't care. The relationships in this story are the ones that I felt would work best in terms of plot, not necessarily the ones that are my favourites. I don't mind in the slightest if you disagree with me on this, just don't try to start an argument because I won't argue back. Sorry to do this guys. All the comments I've got so far have been lovely and much appreciated. But all the fighting in this fandom wears me out and I don't want to take the risk.

Hope you enjoy it…

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Chapter 3

Things Best Left Unremembered

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked Hermione for the fourth time.

Hermione crossed her arms. "Yes Ginny. She's already asleep; there's no use waking her up now. Go have a night out, you can collect her later. Look, if you're still nervous take this." She pressed a small compact mirror into Ginny's hand.

"It's connected to the mirror in my room. If I say your name it will contact you."

"Harry used to have a pair of mirrors like that."

"I know. That's why I thought of making them."

Taking one last look at her sleeping daughter, Ginny said, "Okay you keep her. You're right. I need a night off"

ó

Ginny looked critically at herself in the mirror. Her hair was getting far too long she thought. It now almost came down to her waist and was becoming impractical. She pulled on a dress that was falling apart and threw a cardigan over the top.

"Ugh. I look like my mother!" she said to the mirror, surveying the dress that had once been red before wearing down to a greyish pink.

"That's the trick, dear," said the mirror wistfully. Ginny shook her head and sighed. It was the heavy, brown, leather boots that really killed the outfit, she thought, looking down at her feet. She was going to have to borrow something from Fleur's younger sister Gabrielle again.

Gabrielle was training as a Healer. This put her room close to the medical wing, for easy access in the event of an emergency. In the enclosed space of the castle corridors Ginny could smell the disinfectant long before she reached Gabrielle's room. She didn't know how the younger girl put up with it. Ginny sighed as she knocked on the door to Gabrielle's room. Gabrielle was not patronising like Fleur. Instead she had gone almost the opposite way, treating Ginny like a past-it aunt. She wasn't deliberately malicious but it always made Ginny feel frumpy and, well, old.

The door opened and out stepped Gabrielle. Her blond hair was ragged up, scruffy little scraps of material tied in bows all over it like broken butterflies.

She wrinkled her nose at Ginny. "Ginny, tona chemise, il y a…"

Ginny dismissed her words with a wave of her hand. "Don't talk to me in French, Gabrielle. You know I don't understand a word. I'm going out, all right? Can you lend me some shoes?"

Gabrielle looked at Ginny's clothes and pursing her lips, shook her head as if she found Ginny's idea of a proper outfit offensive.

"You have come to the right place," she said, grabbing Ginny and pulling her into the room.

Ginny left twenty minutes later, wobbling on unfamiliar stilettos.

After some argument, Gabrielle had eventually convinced her to change all of her clothes. Ginny looked down at the skirt, which was far shorter than any of the ones that she owned. Though longer than the original one that Gabrielle had, had in mind. Ginny was sure it was actually a belt that had merely disguised itself as a skirt.

At least the jumper she was wearing looked like a proper piece of clothing, but it wasn't exactly practical, and the moment she stepped out of the castle she wished that she hadn't let Gabrielle take her cardigan.

"Oh Merlin! I am my mother."

This never used to be so difficult. She sometimes felt as though she had aged four decades in the last six years. Ignoring the cold and the rapidly growing pain in her calf muscles Ginny trudged towards the nightclub at the edge of town.

It was not very late, but the sky was already black and peppered with stars. The ground was somehow both icy and muddy, and before she was even half way across town Ginny had been forced to remove the shoes and walk on in bare feet trying to ignore the leaves that stuck to her legs and the mud that squelched between her toes.

The nightclub wasn't too difficult to spot; the incandescent lights standing out incongruously against the other dark houses.

She had only been there once before, some years ago and barely remembered it, since on that occasion she had drunk far too much and had been found by Bill at three o'clock in the morning and carried home.

Slipping her shoes back on over her now muddy feet, she approached the magically glowing sign that read 'Blue Magic -currently hosting Dixie and the Fairy Girls' .

The building was magically soundproofed so that when she entered the heavy pound of the music caught her completely off guard.

Looking around, her first thought was that she should have gone with Gabrielle's first suggestion of skirt. A woman wearing a colour changing top and not much else, knocked into her. Grinning, and leering at her with eyes ringed with smudged mascara. "Haven't seen you around here before," she slurred.

Ginny suddenly found herself backed against the wall with the woman's face closing in on her. She managed to slip under the woman's arm and disappear into the crowd of people surging towards the bar.

She reached it relatively unscathed and sat down feeling out of place.

Ginny leant on her hands, sure that she must look like a complete idiot. In all honesty she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing here, or why she had come, although on some level she was aware that drinking herself into a stupor had featured somewhere in her plans.

She was just beginning to consider going home when the bartender placed a drink down in front of her. Ginny looked up curiously. "I'm sorry I didn't pay for this."

The bartender shook his head. "No. The man over there did."

Ginny looked round. He was pointing at a table near the back of the room where she could see the unmistakable, white blond hair of Draco Malfoy.

"He said you looked like you could do with it," said the bartender, grinning. Ginny looked down at the shots glass in front of her. As much as she hated to admit it, Malfoy was probably right. Taking a deep breath she took hold of the small blue drink and threw it back. It tasted sweet but burned her throat as it went down, making her cough. However, it had the desired effect. She suddenly felt at least slightly less self conscious, if a little light headed. It was soon after this drink that the idea of walking over to Malfoy's table to thank him for it occurred to her.

She had already got most of the way there when she suddenly began to wonder what the hell she was doing.

She was about to back away quickly when Draco turned and fixed her with a look.

"Weasley. Having a good evening?"

Ginny glared at him, but she had to admit that it was nice to see a familiar face even if it wasn't one that she was particularly fond of, so she sat down opposite him and ordered another drink.

More alcohol really seemed the way to go in this situation. The last drink had started to wear off and she was beginning to realise what a complete idiot she was making out of herself, a fact that she didn't want to own up to until at least the next morning.

Draco was flirting half heartedly with an attractive brunette woman in fishnet stockings and sipping a bright purple cocktail. When Ginny sat down she moved off to find a less distracted man, throwing Ginny a dark look behind Draco's back.

Draco looked at Ginny sceptically. "Not brought the midget along with you this evening?"

"No" said Ginny, leaning her elbows on the table in front of her. "She's with Hermione."

Draco sipped his drink disinterestedly.

Ginny's drink came. Draco held up his glass in mock toast. "To my never having to be as boring as you."

Ignoring him, she downed it in one.

"That depressed, Weasley?"

Ginny glared at him and then ordered two more drinks. "Mr Malfoy let me make this clear. I intend to get very drunk tonight, probably do something incredibly stupid and not remember any of it in the morning. I do not want your commentary on the matter." She downed a third drink and shook her head as the alcohol started to take effect.

"Ah, yes," said Draco, and giving her an oddly lucid look, "because life's so much easier, when you don't have to remember what you've done."

Ginny opened her mouth to answer but then another drink arrived and drinking it seemed like a much better idea.

Three little blue drinks later she was beginning to feel that she'd over done it. "I didn't know you had it in you," Draco drawled as she downed her fifth.

Ginny shook her head and got up, staggering over to the bar to order another drink. "Maybe you've had enough." said a voice behind her,

She turned, half expecting to find one of her brothers and instead met Draco's piercing grey eyes.

"I'm fine," she said, taking her drink and moving away from him and onto the dance floor.

Bloody interfering prick. She didn't need him to tell her when she'd had enough. She felt someone's hand on her shoulder. "Draco! I-"

But it wasn't Draco; this man was tall, with dark curly hair.

"Well, hello," he said, flashing her a wide grin. Ginny giggled and swayed along to the music. The man took her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Ginny began dancing in a way that she knew was ridiculously provocative, hands sliding over her own body, through her hair. The dark haired man moved in and she relished the almost forgotten feeling of a warm body pressed against hers, leaning on him gratefully when she found he balance slipping completely. The music changed and they stopped.

"Lets get out of here," said the man smiling seductively. Ginny very nearly let him pull her away through the press of bodies but something stopped her.

A dark haired boy, staring down at her with a glint of red in his eyes. "Hello, Ginny. I am Tom Riddle."

"No. I have to go," said Ginny shaking her head and tripping away from him.

"Well, let me walk you home." His fingers tightened around her arm, and Ginny became suddenly aware of how very much stronger he was than her.

"Let go," she said. She tried to pull away but his grip became firmer and all her strength seemed to be gone. It was at this point that Ginny thought that she had maybe had a little too much too drink.

"Don't spoil the fun," he whispered quietly in her ear.

"No. Get off of me!" Ginny yelled, trying once again to pull her arm free.

"Come on gorgeous."

"I think the lady said no."

Ginny felt his grip loosen as he turned towards the source of the comment. Draco Malfoy was standing in front of them, fixing the man with a cold gaze.

"And what exactly does it have to do with you?" the man stepped forward so that he and Draco were nose to nose. Draco was much shorter than the man, and was forced to look up to meet his eyes, but he stood firmly, fixing him with a stare that held it's own kind of malice.

She saw Draco half smile. "Go now," he hissed.

The man turned back to Ginny and she felt him take hold of her shoulders.

"Get your filthy Muggle hands off of her!" Draco shouted. And suddenly he was facing them with his wand. Ginny saw movement all around them, and several burly men surrounded them, a few holding their own wands. Draco raised his hands, then slowly put the wand back in his belt. He turned away from them for a moment, and then, before anyone could react, he spun round and sucker punched the dark haired man across the face. He let go of Ginny and fell towards the ground as Draco clutched his fist in his other hand and swore at the top of his voice.

Ginny stepped over and took the injured hand in her palm. "'It isn't broken," she told him.

Draco sucked in a breath through his teeth and then straightened. "Well, thanks for that observation Weasley," he said coolly. He offered her his arm. "Come on, lets get you home before you cause me any more pain."

Ginny looked at the offered arm as though it was an animal likely to bite.

"Come on," said Draco a little more pressingly. He threw her a charming smile. "Or the midget might get worried."

Ginny pushed the arm away. As much as she had no wish to walk back alone she would rather throw herself in a vat of Grindylows than be escorted home by Malfoy.

Draco glared. "Or would you prefer your tall, dark friend to walk you back instead?" he whispered with venom.

"I'll be fine on my own, Mr Malfoy," said Ginny stalking towards the door with what she considered to be a surprising amount of dignity given the situation. She was really doing quite well, only staggering twice, but then fell spectacularly over the doorstep, landing on her face.

"Fine, my admittedly beautiful arse," said Draco picking her up. "Here, you forgot this."

He handed Ginny her cloak. Maybe she'd let him walk her just part of the way home.

"Since when have you been Mr. Sensible?" Ginny slurred angrily in his general direction.

"Since you decided to go out and get completely wasted, apparently," he told her, smirking.

"I would remind you," said Ginny, "that it was you who brought me the first drink."

"Yes, but you drank it all by yourself, along with the other six."

Draco, despite probably having drunk the same amount of alcohol as her, barely seemed tipsy. He was wandering along the grass with his usual grace and dignity. Ginny found it quite infuriating.

They had reached a ditch.

Draco straddled it, reaching to lift Ginny to the other side.

"Why are you being so chivalrous all of a sudden?" asked Ginny suspiciously.

"Because," said Draco, taking her arm again and steering her around a patch of mud, "you happen to have five brothers, all of whom, I hesitate to point out, are larger than me, and would hang me off the east tower if they found out I was responsible for you ending up face down in a ditch. And because I want to be. And since the chances of you remembering a jot of all this come morning are slim to none, there's a very small likelihood that this will become something that is expected of me on a more regular basis."

They had reached the castle now and Draco opened the door, stepping in behind her.

The warm darkness of torchlight embraced her. In the silence she became distinctly aware of Draco's presence. He was very close to her, she could hear the sound of his breath behind her, and she shivered, realising that they were alone.

"Coming Weasley?" he asked starting up a flight of stairs that she knew led back to her room.

She followed after him stumbling with alcohol induced imbalance. "Draco, what's this about?"

He turned sharply. "Damn Weasley. Trust you to be pissed as a pixie and still manage to be suspicious."

She straightened out, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to look more serious. Failing miserably, when she nearly fell over, and Draco grabbed her arm to support her.

"You're drunk too," she said pushing his arm away impatiently. And walking to the door of her room.

"Am not," said Draco indignantly.

"Yes you are!"

Draco staggered a bit. Ginny grinned.

He scowled. "Well I'm far less drunk than you," he exclaimed turning to go.

That did it. Ginny had pulled out her wand and…"Madidus abduco!"

The spell hit him on the back of the head, and he turned, looking furious.

"Bloody hell, Weasley!"

Ginny smirked. "Now you're less drunk than me."

"Not for long. Madidus abduco."

All her actions from the evening came back to her in sharp focus along with a splitting headache. Ginny groaned and laid her head against the cool stone of the wall. Maybe if she stayed there for long enough, she might turn to stone as well. At least then she wouldn't have to deal with troublesome things like consequences. Shutting her eyes, she pushed the world away and thought of darkness.

It was dark. So very dark. She couldn't see anything and there was no sound other than her own breath, frighteningly loud in her ears. She wondered if she had perhaps gone blind and then wondered if it really mattered seeing as soon she would most likely be dead as well.

She remembered the house, the Death Eaters, and Charlie. Poor, dear, dead, Charlie. Body limp. Eyes wide and unseeing. Dead. And then nothing. Then here.

And then she thought that perhaps she was dead too. Perhaps this was hell.

"Weasley? Hey, Weasley. Ginny!"

She started at the sound of Draco's voice. She hadn't realised that he was still there. Turning to look at him, she saw concern in his normally impassive face.

"You alright Weasley?"

Ginny sighed. "Just go, Draco."

The pounding in her head increased slightly and she grimaced leaning back against the wall.

"I can fix that if you like," said Draco ignoring her previous comment. Without waiting for an answer he stepped over and waved his wand neatly in front of her face. The aching and nausea disappeared immediately. It occurred to Ginny that Draco must have done this spell many times to have become so good at it.

He smiled very slightly. "Better?"

Ginny looked up at him.

She hadn't realised how close he was before now. Just inches from her face, his breath tickled her cheek as he spoke, and she could see each fine wisp of pale hair that strayed across his eyes.

He can't be eating enough, Ginny thought looking at him. She was aware that she herself had gotten far too thin recently, but close up, Draco looked like someone who had been regularly skipping meals for several years. Pale skin had become translucent, clear grey eyes bigger than was normal, jagged edges where curved lines should have been. She remembered the same emaciation on Harry in those last few weeks when worry and lack of food had eaten away at him until there was nothing to him but muscle and bone.

And suddenly, without really thinking about it she leaned across the small space between them and kissed him. His body tensed in surprise but his lips parted beneath hers, and she pushed her tongue past them and took in the still lingering taste of alcohol.

She didn't give him the chance to recover, pulling him around and slamming his body into the stone wall before her mind could start protesting.

His own hands were skimming over her body, more gently than she would have expected and she was again reminded forcibly of Harry. Not quite ready for that, Ginny grabbed both of his hands and pressed them against the wall. She felt him hiss into her mouth and remembered that he had injured one of them.

'This is the last chance you'll get to stop this,' she told herself, pulling back a little as she felt Draco's breath, hot against her cheek. She wasn't really sure she wanted to stop, though She wasn't really sure of anything anymore.

The buttons on his robes were frustrating. She reached up to rip the cloth and found his hands moving to stop her.

"Hey! These are my best robes. I only have one good pair."

She quietened him with a rough kiss and let him undo the robes himself, pushing them off his shoulders as soon as he was done, leaving him naked to the waist.

His hands where trailing underneath her top and then in one swift movement he pulled it up over her head and threw it aside with his robes. Ginny pressed in closer, enjoying the sensation of his skin against hers. Fingers and nails gripped his shoulder blades, knowing that there would be little half moon cuts there come morning.

There was noise along the hall. Footsteps heading their way. Ginny had her hand in his hair now and she used it to pull him, rather roughly towards her room, somehow managing to open the door with her free hand and dragging them both inside.

She didn't bother to light her lamp; in the darkness she didn't have to see what she was doing. Further more she could pretend it was Harry's waist that she had her hands around. Harry kissing the base of her throat. They had the same build. 'Seeker build,' she reminded herself.

But this wasn't the same. Harry had made love to her. This was just sex.

She bit the soft skin of his neck and Draco groaned. She should have felt guilty for using him like this. But then, she thought as she reached down to unbuckle his belt, he's using me as well. In any case, just at that moment, she didn't really care.

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And because I'm cruel you'll just have to imagine the spectacularly hot sex that follows. :p

Next chapter: Find out what happens the morning after the night before.