Written for:

The 100 Words Exact Drabble Challenge

It's a cold night the first time they meet after the war.

Their families are inside, sitting at the table and trying to salvage what's left of their lives. Astoria and Draco slip outside and sit on the grass, sipping Firewhiskey.

Except that Draco's more like gulping, a dying man desperate for air and alcohol has become his oxygen.

"Maybe you should slow down a little," Astoria suggests.

He lowers the bottle, turning to look at her. She's gorgeous, hair blowing in the breeze. Even then he senses something in her, as though she holds the key to his redemption.