Real Love

Chapter 7: Almost Lover

Disclaimer: Don't own them ect. ect. ect.

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reviewing so far, glad to know there are some people following this. This story has been my own personal project for so long now that its odd to know that people are finally actually reading it. Well, happy reading, and as always, REVIEW! -Bella

Your fingertips across my skin
The palm trees swaying in the wind
Images
You sang me Spanish lullabies
The sweetest sadness in your eyes
Clever trick

Well, I never want to see you unhappy
I thought you'd want the same for me

Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
Can't you just let me be?
So long, my luckless romance
My back is turned on you
Should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do

-Almost Lover, A Fine Frenzy

After the funeral it had been announced by the teachers that classes would be cancelled for the week in order to let students sort through their feeling and cope with the changes occurring throughout the wizarding world. Already the Prophet was plastered with headlines of Death Eaters being captured and prosecuted. And even before the war was officially over the community was looking to overhaul the Ministry to prevent anything from happening again.

Ginny watched Hermione storm away from yet another fight. Hermione was dying inside without knowing more than she did about Harry and Ron's last moments and Ginny felt a pain in her chest every time Hermione brought it up and images of Harry that night in Hogsmead danced through her head. It made for a meltdown each time the two met. The common room was all but empty. A few first years sat in the corner, beside the crackling fireplace playing a card game. They were a large portion of who was left of the underclassmen, as many had been taken home for the week off school. Ginny's family had encouraged her to come home with them, but she, like most of her fellow sixth and seventh years had been much more inclined to stay at school.

It was almost time for dinner, but she wasn't hungry. She watched as the card players checked their watches and quickly scurried out of the common room. She remembered when she was never a minute late for dinner, anticipating the social time. Hopeful for the chance to sit with Ron, Harry, and Hermione, she usually ended up with Colin Creevy or Neville, or on a bad day her roommates.

Eyeing the scattered cards on the table Ginny finally found the distraction she had been yearning for. Taking as large strides as her fitted jeans would allow her, Ginny glided to the table and swooped up the deck. She jogged up to her room and grabbed the cool glass bottle from her trunk. Taking the steps back down two at a time, she made her way back down to the common room and then up to the boy's dormitories.

She gave the closed door a tap and was happy to hear a welcoming "Come in!" in return. She knew it was Seamus. Dean had gone home, and Neville was undoubtedly at dinner. She burst through the door and held the bottle and the cards up in the air. Seamus let out a surprised laugh, but Ginny knew that she had him.

Ginny threw the King down on top of Seamus' queen, yelling "Drink!" He barely got the nearly empty bottle to his lips before he was pulling it away again.

"I'm out Gin. Can't do it anymore…"

Ginny laughed. "Thank God!" There was no way she could take another sip of the sweet wine at the moment. The cards were in a messy pile on Seamus' tartan bedspread, and gave no indication of what game was in progress.

Ginny laid back on the crisp white pillow behind her. It smelled like shampoo and cologne, just like Seamus. Looking to her left Ginny took notice of the empty set of bunks that were across the room. The light blue color of the sheet-less mattresses stood out against the deep mahogany furniture and crimson walls. They'd been there all night. They'd been there all year, but for some reason Ginny had never imagined that they would remain in their vacant state. They'd simply been waiting for a few latecomers.

"Let's go for a walk!" Seamus hopped out of the bed and directly into her line of site. Ginny smiled at her friend, knowing full well that he was trying to distract her.

"Where to?" she asked holding out her hand so he could help her up.

"The astronomy tower?" he offered, clearly scrambling to concoct a plan.

Ginny laughed. "What kind of girl do you think I am Mr. Finnegan?"

Seamus shrugged. "Well we could…"

Ginny shook her head. "No. Let's go to the astronomy tower." She grabbed his hand and headed for the door. She was pulling at the iron handle when he let go of her head and held up his index finger at her.

"One second." He padded back to his bed and his upper body disappeared into his trunk. Tossing a few things across the floor he finally came up with a half full pint of fire whiskey.

"Can't forget refreshments." He tucked the bottle into the waistband of his pants and followed Ginny out the door.

The cold hard stone floor wasn't so uncomfortable when you were comfortably numb. The fire whiskey bottle was now only a quarter full and the two Gryffindors were lying side by side staring up at the ceiling.

"So Seamus, here we are in the astronomy tower, what happens next in this fantasy?"

Seamus laughed in a way that made Ginny think while he found her joke funny, that there also had maybe been some truth to it. His cheerful face colored and his forehead wrinkled as he stumbled to speak.

"I might have had a few ideas before…" he said casually. "But well… I know…well I think...at least on my end… I've. Well…we've had a bit of something going, but I don't think we can do it anymore. Makes me a pretty piss poor friend huh? I'd have shagged you without a thought when Ron and Potter were alive, but now that they're dead I can't have a dirty thought about you without feeling guilty."

"That does make you pretty shitty," Ginny chuckled and Seamus joined her. She understood how he felt, and knew he knew that.

"I'm not too sure we would have worked out anyway. We'd have had fun…"

"But not a lot of substance" He finished for her.

The two cracked up again. A few moments of silence passed before Seamus spoke again.

"I'm pretty sure Draco Malfoy is single."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "That relationship would definitely be substantial," she admitted, "but not too fun."

"But he has such a lovely sense of humor," Seamus retorted dryly. Ginny could hear a trace of jealously in his voice after she didn't deny a connection between her and Malfoy. However, she was unwilling to get into the current state of her relationship with the Slytherin.

"Let's go for a walk," she hopped up, deciding they both needed to move on from the topic at hand. As she stood the room swayed a little as the alcohol hit her a little harder than it had just a moment before.

Seamus laughed at her. "You alright there?"

"I'm great!" Ginny announced. She wanted to have a fun night, and she was going to have one.

Wandering aimlessly through the halls Ginny and Seamus munched on the enormous blueberry muffins the house elves had given them during their visit to the kitchen. Since leaving the astronomy tower they had failed to break into the Restricted Section, chickened out of breaking into Snape's storeroom, and settled for "stealing" food from the kitchens.

"What do you want to do now?" Seamus asked her.

"Let's break into Filches' office. We can find something he took from Fred and George. They'd love it if I sent it to them!" Ginny had always wondered what kind of treasures Filch had taken from the twins over the years. She herself had never been sent into the keeper's office.

"What if I have a better idea?" a new, but familiar voice spoke behind her. Ginny spun to find Blaise Zabini standing there.

"Blaise!" Ginny exclaimed and threw her arms around him. He gave her a friendly squeeze in return. He was grinning when she pulled away.

"You two been having a little fun?" Ginny looked to Seamus who was frowning at the Slytherin that had just touched Ginny. "I was actually just out looking for you, but was told you weren't in your tower."

"You were looking for me?" Ginny questioned suspiciously. Fears that he wanted to talk about the week before or Draco rippled through her.

"Why is it you never want to let me invite you to parties Weasley?"

"You came to invite me to a party? Where?" Ginny asked and looked to find that Seamus suddenly seemed less hostile towards the other boy.

"Slytherin," Blaise replied as though it were the most natural thing in the world to be inviting two Gryffindors to a Slytherin party.

Ginny looked up at Seamus who had a doubtful look on his face. She agreed that they would probably not be welcomed.

"We'd love to but…"

"We've already let in Hufflepuffs," Blaise seemed disturbed by this. "What's a few Gryffindors after that?"

"Wait! What?" Seamus was beyond confused at this point as indicated by his furrowed brow.

"We Slytherin's thought we'd lift some spirits and throw a 'We're all off school for a week because the war's ending so we might as well start getting along' party." Blaise told them proudly.

"You're having a 'Let's suck up to the kids that won the war' party? How thoughtful of you Blaise!" Ginny grinned. He simply shrugged and accepted her accusation.

"Well shall we?" He offered Ginny his arm and she noted how his dark eyes were suddenly searing into her.

Ginny smiled and loops her arm around his. "Lead the way."

Just by approaching the portrait that hung outside of the Slytherin common room, Ginny could tell that the party was one to rival the back to school bash. Music could be heard through the charms placed on the room and a faint smell of alcohol was leaking out of the portrait hole. Blaise gave the password to the portrait and the three of them slipped inside. The room was full of students and Ginny could only imagine the exchanges that had occurred as the Slytherin students invited those from other houses.

"Come on Weasley," Blaise took her hand and drug her onto the dance floor. Blaise was a great dancer as she remembered from the last time, and she was happy that this time their dance would not be interrupted. She soon saw Seamus through the dimly lit room keeping the company of another girl. Ginny was relived that he was having fun without her.

"Let's have a drink." Blaise had to speak directly into Ginny's ear in order for her to hear his low voice. Ginny allowed the boy to lead her off of the dance floor and towards a tabletop full of colorful bottles. He picked up a green one and poured thick black liquor from it. Ginny took the small glass as he offered it to her. The dark liquor that Blaise poured of her tasted of licorice and went down with a sharp burn. Her throat was still recovering from the first when he poured out a second, which Ginny was nearly certain was twice as large as it's predecessor. She swallowed it trying not to hold the liquid in her mouth, but failed when the sight of a tall lean blond ducking through the portrait distracted her. Ginny choked on the liquor.

"You okay?" Blaise set down the bottle and reached for the cap. Ginny shot out her hand to stop him, and held out her glass. He grinned at her with mild surprise.

"I always told you you were my kind of girl Weasley."

Ginny continued chugging the sweet bubbly liquid, slowly hearing her competitors give up one by one.

"Fuck," she heard Blaise curse.

"Making friends Blaise?" a familiar whine piped in. Ginny peered over her bottle to find Pansy and Draco standing in front of them. With a slight tilt of the head she managed to finish of the bottle and put it down. A strong arm gripped around her side as Blaise pulled her and Seamus close to him.

"Wars over so we might as well make friends right?" Blaise's grin was wide.

Pansy smiled sweetly before making a gagging sound in response. Draco seemed to be ignoring both of them.

"Having trouble getting them to keep up with you Weasley?" Draco's eyes seared in to hers.

"Think you're up to it?" Ginny knew she was drunk when she didn't falter in the tall blonds presence.

"Is that a challenge?"

Ginny reached into the back pocket of her jeans pulled out the metal container and threw it at him. He gracefully caught it with one hand.

"Haven't touched it all night." She told him.

Draco reached his own hand around his back and pulled out his flask, which he tossed to her. Ginny unscrewed the elegant cap and sniffed the contents. She wasn't surprised to find that its contents were identical to that of hers.

"Cheers," she toasted him and tipped the flask against her lips.

Her usually strong stomach had already taken a big beating that night, and the liquor was not going down easily. Unable to take anymore Ginny ripped the flask from her lips, spitting what was in her mouth on the floor and erupted in a coughing fit. She'd only finished half of it.

Blaise placed a comforting hand on her back as she struggle to regain composure, the tickling sensation still present in the back of her throat. Draco finished his without a flinch, and tossed the empty container into her lap.

"You lose Weasley." He spoke with the condescending tone of the Draco Malfoy she had known for years.

She looked up at him. "I always do when it comes to you Malfoy."

She expected a sneer and another remark, but instead the blond turned and walked away, Pansy on his heels.

"What happened with you two?" Blaise lamented beside her.

"There was never anything going on," Ginny insisted.

"Wait! You and Malfoy really had something going on Gin?" Seamus seemed surprised, but less appalled than Ginny would have imagined.

"Go Ginny!" the Ravenclaw girl Seamus had befriended toasted her.

"No."

"Yes," Blaise replied at the same time she did.

"No we didn't. He conned me. And he conned you too!" Ginny told him. She'd been there when Draco had asked Blaise to help him, and she'd seen the sincere worry in his face when Draco had said that Harry was in mortal danger.

Blaise's face turned somewhat serious. "Conned you?"

"Don't worry about it." She was sorry that she had brought it up.

"No. I'm more than willing to be the shoulder you lean on if things didn't work out, but if he fucked with you then I need to know so I can take care of it."

Blaise was possibly drunker than she was.

Ginny found herself wishing Blaise's arm was around her a little tighter.

"You already are." She smiled and scooted closer to him. To her pleasure this caused his face to soften into a grin.

"Well can't argue with that I suppose."

Pansy's breasts were almost entirely exposed in the backless kerchief top she was wearing and all Draco could think about was the way that Ginny was pressed up against Blaise. She'd been the first person he laid eyes on when he entered the room and she hadn't left his mind all night.

He took another swig of the bottle in his hands and tossed it aside, empty.

"It's disgusting isn't it?" Pansy's voice carried a tone of amusement and disapproval.

"His choice," Draco shrugged and placed his mouth on Pansy's neck, sucking it gently.

"You must still be awfully disappointed though…"

"Why's that?" He moved to the other side, hoping to shut her up.

"All that work and Potter never came home to find out you popped his girlfriend's cherry." He pulled away.

"What are you talking about Pansy?" Draco kept his voice cool despite the rising anger he felt within.

"And now everyone will think Blaise got to do the honors."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her.

"You think I drank that green shit at the bash? I'm not stupid Draco. I remember you two, and I saw her face when you told her at the ball the next night. It was beautiful."

"Better watch your mouth Pansy."

"Blaise told me you didn't put a hex on the night, just a memory potion at the door. Brilliant really. No one can talk about what they don't remember. I might have had some if I knew I'd have to remember Weasley rubbing against you all night." Pansy scrunched her nose.

"So who have you told?"

Pansy laughed. "Like any one would believe that! Don't worry Draco, you're secret's safe with me."

"Right." Secrets and Pansy Parkinson were antonyms as far as Draco was concerned. If she thought she could tell the world he had slept with Ginny and not be called a liar, the whole school would know by breakfast the next morning.

At this rate though he wouldn't be the Slytherin linked with Ginny Weasley's name come morning. Ginny was now completely on top of Blaise, straddling him on the couch and the pair was beginning to draw some attention. She was completely trashed, but Draco resisted the urge to throw her over his shoulder and carry her away.

"Hopefully I can help you forget such a terrible experience," Pansy purred in his ear.

"Yes. Make me forget."

'Make me forget.'

"Are you telling me Blaise Zabini that there's nothing I can do to convince you to leave with me tonight?" Ginny said in a low voice, her lips brushing against Blaise's ear as she whispered to him.

"I am definitely not saying that." Blaise shook his head.

"Well what's the problem Blaise? Is it my hair?" She pulled back and played with her ponytail. "You liked it blonde?"

He shook his head at her ferociously.

"Maybe just down then…" she said as she pulled out the hair band, letting her hair drape down over her shoulders.

"Better…" Blaise smirked.

"Is it my outfit?" Ginny glanced down at herself. She bit her lip, as if in thought, before grinning and pulling her off her black sweater, leaving just her small black camisole in its place. Blaise's eyes were no longer looking at hers, but were transfixed a little lower.

Ginny tugged at his shirt collar with both and hand and touched her forehead to his.

"Well Weasley?" his voice was husky.

She snaked an arm around his neck and lowered her mouth to the other side, placing a biting kiss on the nape of his neck. She could feel his hot breath against her breasts.

"Well Zabini?" she purred into his ear.

She felt a rough hand grasp her cheek and smash her lips to his. His kiss was hard and filled with desire, but lacked the finesse and control of Malfoy's.

She could feel his other hand finding its way under the ham of her shirt, and he pinned her down on the couch. His aggression had her reeling, but she soon felt a rush of cold when Blaise's hands and mouth left her as he was ripped away.

She heard a smack and suddenly a tall blond stood above her instead, and Blaise was on the floor holding his eye.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ginny questioned indignantly.

"Weasley get up." Draco commanded her in response. His face was stone cold but his eyes were filled with distress.

"Like I'd ever let you tell me what to do again."

"You're drunk Weasley."

"Yes. Yes I am. And you know what? For the first time in a week I wasn't thinking about you or what we did. Thanks for ruining that for me."

"Ginny what's going on?" Seamus asked from the group that had formed around them, offering his hand to her. The party had seemed to stop and all eyes were on them.

"I know," Pansy volunteered. Ginny ignored Seamus' hand and continued to address the boy in front of her.

"Oh she does?" Ginny sat up. "Well since we're sharing lets tell everyone then! You want to do the honors Malfoy?"

"Weasley let's go talk," he leaned down to whisper to her. Ginny turned her head from him.

"I see you've been doing a bit of drinking yourself. Must have to, to touch that," Ginny tossed a glance at Pansy. "Did you tell her everything yourself? Have a good laugh?"

"You're one to talk Weasley. He was probably trying to forget the horror of fucking you." Gasps and whispered echoed through the room.

" Well since you've been sharing so much already would you like to tell everyone Malfoy?" He didn't reply. She stood. "Fine I'll do the honors then. Everyone, Malfoy and I have an announcement to make, so pay attention now. Malfoy here and I…killed my brother and Harry!"

The room fell dead silent

"No we didn't. Lord Voldemort kill Harry and Ron. We didn't kill anyone. You didn't kill anyone." Draco spoke quietly, but his voice carried through the hushed room.

"But if we hadn't…. Harry would have never…" Everything she had worked so hard to forget was flooding back.

"Weasley there was nothing…"

" I should have never…" Ginny wanted to scream when she realized tears were falling from her eyes. "But I trusted you so damn much! And why? What did you do to make me listen to anything you tell me? And now I know everything you are…and I'm still standing here." It was if something broke inside of her and Ginny suddenly felt too weak to fight any longer. "Just leave me be Malfoy." Draco obliged her silently, and Ginny accepted the friendly, comforting arms Blaise offered her.