A/N: So I had so much fun writing the first part of this chapter. Bear in mind this quote as you read it: "From a drunken mind speaks a sober heart." And sorry for the long wait! I've been so busy.
Chapter 9: And Don't Forget Son
Clink. Clink.
Glasses were clinking as another bottle of firewhiskey was being refilled. Harry, Ron, George, Percy, and even Charlie and Bill had taken to drinking away their pain. And they must have been really hurt, for they had just magically refilled the firewhiskey bottle for a fourth time. Ginny and Hermione had had atleast 3 glasses, but were remotely sober enough to know how drunk everyone else was. Ginny's mum and dad had gone inside after two drinks and Fleur after one; Harry had cast Muffliato on their windows so they wouldn't wake up if we got too loud. Ginny and Hermione were sitting in the front yard on chairs they had conjured after they were both finished their share of firewhiskey. They were watching the guys drink bottle after bottle, make ridiculous toasts, and noticing how pointless their conversations were getting.
"To... Wilkie Twycross!" exclaimed Ron, gulping down more firewhiskey.
"Who?" chuckled Bill.
"The apparition insructor! Remember 'Arry?" asked Ron with a heavy slur.
"Ha I 'member him! Niiice bloke." Harry finished off his glass and George made to refill it immediately.
"Alright. Judging by how much they've had to drink, they should stop before the hangover tomorrow is worse than imaginable. Come on guys," said Ginny. "Alright let's get you to bed," said Ginny as she walked over to Harry and grabbed his arm. Hermione did the same for Ron. George and Bill tried to help each other up.
"I've been waiting so long for you to say that to me," said Harry thickly.
Ginny supressed a laugh.
"Hey... watch it! That's my- woops-" Ron tripped over his feet as he and Hermione walked awkwardly towards the door to the Burrow. "-sister you're talking about."
"Liiiike you weren't thinking the same think 'bout 'Ermione!"
When Ron's ears turned scarlet Ginny saw Hermione turn a deep pink. Ginny grinned and grabbed her wand while helping Harry from falling flat on his face as they made their way through the door. She vanished the chairs and bottle of firewhiskey with a flick of her wand and stowed it back in her pocket. She groaned when she saw Bill and George weren't following them, but turning stupidly on the spot repeatedly. What were they doing? Suddenly she realized what they were attempting.
"STOP!" she shrieked.
"They'll splinch themselves!" cried Hermione. "Petrificus Totalus!"
Bill froze and fell to the ground.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione yelled again. George fell the same as Bill.
"Oooh what do we do now?" mumbled Ginny, looking quickly between Harry, who was doing his best to stay vertical, and Bill and George, immobilized on the ground.
"I got it..." yelled Percy, who was emerging from a nearby bush, obviously just finishing puking. Once Ginny was sure Percy had things under control, she brought her attention back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Let's get them upstairs," sighed Hermione. She pulled Ron's arm over her shoulder for him to balance and helped him up the stairs. Ginny did the same with Harry and they headed for the stairs. All the way up Harry and Ron were laughing and yelling to each other. Ginny hoped Muffliato was still working. She managed to get Harry up to her door when she was finally starting to tire out. Hermione, who was of age fortunately for her, had levitated Ron when she had gotten tired. Harry stumbled and Ginny found his face just inches from hers. He grinned.
"Hey," he said stupidly.
"I'm gunna get you inside my room for a bit so I can figure out a way to get you up to your room without killing myself," said Ginny, trying to open the door. None of this seemed to register with Harry, for he got even closer to her.
"I love you Ginny. Well one of you," he said looking from Ginny to a spot right next to her. "Or I would if you'd stop moving so fast."
Ginny grinned and when she finally got the door open Harry kissed her and they stumbled into her room. Ginny broke away reluctantly and layed Harry down on the floor. She slumped into a beanbag behind her. She thought hard for a way to get Harry to Ron's room.
"It'sallmy...fault..." Harry mumbled. "Lupin...Tonks...Fred...dead...all my...fault..."
Ginny gaped at Harry. He mumbled incoherently for another moment and then his breathing deepened. He was asleep. Did he really think all of it was his fault still? She could feel herself falling asleep. No she thought. Don't fall asleep yet. Ginny's eyelids closed and she drifted off into an strangled sleep.
XxxxX
Harry woke up with his face pressed against something rough and uncomfortable. He opened his eyes a crack and found he wasn't in Ron's room, but a very bright one. A few minutes of peering around revealed he was in Ginny's room. A small glass bottle ley next to him with a shocking blue liquid inside it. He looked up and saw Ginny standing in the doorway.
"'Morning," she said, louder than she normally would. It sounded like it was amplified a hundred times louder to Harry. He groaned and said,
"Is your voice normally that loud?" asked Harry. His whole head seemed cloudy. His head hurt and his throat felt as though it was coated with cotton.
"No," she replied, and her voice sounded quieter, though still loud to Harry. She grinned and walked over and sat down next to him. She uncorked the bottle of blue liquid.
"Drink about a quarter of it. To this black line is about that much." She pointed to a bold black line on the side and handed the bottle to him. He drank the amout he told her. It was freezing cold and tasted like lemons, limes, and wax (if Harry had ever tasted any he would be sure it would taste like this). He swallowed and grimaced.
"What was that stuff?"
"Potion to help with your hangover," she said simply.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why am I on your bedroom floor?"
She laughed. Although it was horribly loud to Harry, he still loved her laugh.
"I couldn't get you any farther. Getting you this far was tough. Hermione used magic to get Ron the rest of the way, but I couldn't do that to you 'cause I'm not of age yet." She rolled her eyes and continued. "I sat down to think of some ways to get you upstairs, but I fell asleep."
Harry grinned.
"Well thanks for getting me this far and not just leaving me outside."
She shrugged.
"It's the least I could do."
"Everyone else okay?"
"Ron's... well, Ron. Except worse. Bill went home about and hour ago, but he's fine. George is still asleep and Percy's fine."
"Good."
"So... erm..." Ginny looked as though she were struggling with something. "Before you fell asleep... you... er- said some things... You said it was all your fault that Lupin, Tonks, and Fred were dead."
Harry swallowed.
"I only remember stuff before that."
"Like kissing me?" Ginny smirked.
"Yeah I remember that," he laughed. He remembered other things he had said, too. Before he could say anything else, Ginny said,
"But don't change the subject. Do you really think all of that was your fault?"
Harry tried to focus but couldn't. Ginny seemed to notice this and said,
"You don't have to say anything. But think about it Harry. It's not your fault. No one blames you for anything. I wish you wouldn't either."
She kissed him on the cheek and got up.
"Mum's making breakfast if you want some. Come down in a minute?"
Harry nodded and said,
"I'm just gunna take a shower and change. I smell awful."
"Trust me. I know," joked Ginny. She winked and left the room.
XxxxX
"I feel as if i've got cotton shoved down my throat," complained Ron.
"Oh shut it!" said Ginny. "It's your own fault for drinking all that firewhiskey!"
Ron glowered at her and began stabbing moodily at his breakfast. He grumbled something like 'you're not yelling at Harry'.
"Well that's because he's not being a prat and complaining!" said Ginny, who had heard Ron.
"Will you two stop?" asked Hermione, obviously annoyed.
The foursome were sitting at the table in the kitchen eating breakfast. Mr.Weasley and a very reluctant Percy had already left for work and George grudgingly was dragged to the joke shop by Charlie. Harry noticed Ginny kept glancing over at her mother. Mrs.Weasley left a few minutes later to do some chores outside. As soon as the door had closed behind her, Ginny pulled out parchment and a quill and began to write what looked to be a letter.
"What are you doing?" inquired Harry.
"Writing a letter."
"Well I figured that much out."
Ginny rolled her eyes and kept writing. When she was finished she sealed the letter in an envelope and wrote a name across the front. Harry saw something that looked like 'Professor M' on it. Her hand was blocking the rest of the name. Ginny got up and tied the letter to Errol. He immediately took off.
"Who was that letter to?" asked Hermione.
"Just someone," said Ginny vaguely. She changed the subject quickly before Harry could pursue it. "So you have your Ministry meeting tomorrow right?" she asked Ron and Harry.
"Yeah, it's at noon."
"So are you two going to Australia soon?" Ginny asked Ron and Hermione.
"Just full of questions today aren't you?" mumbled Ron.
"We were thinking about leaving on Monday," said Hermione, ignoring Ron.
"So what exactly is the plan?"
Hermione then proceeded to tell Ginny all about her and Ron's plans. Harry could feel himself falling asleep. His head was throbbing worse than ever and his throat was beginning to feel rough and tight.
"Harry?"
"Harry!"
"Huh?" Harry snapped his eyes open. Hermione and Ginny were both shaking him.
"You okay?" asked Hermione.
"Er...not really. Got anymore of that potion?"
She handed him more of the electric blue potion. He gulped it down; it felt like ice cold water and his throat immediately began to feel better.
"Thank you," he said greatfully.
"Let's just not look too hungover in front of Kingsley," said Ron, pouring himself some potion.
"Yeah I don't think that'd make to good of an impression."
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That didn't exactly end how I wanted it to... Next chapter up ASAP. Review Review Review. Come on! The purple button LOVES to be clicked.