Chapter 2: Drunken Confession
Ron was drunk. It was not unique to him. Seamus, Dean, and all of Ron's brothers were also drunk. Even Neville who Harry had only seen drink on two other occasions was pissed. Neville who was apprenticing with professor Sprout to take over the Herbology post at Hogwarts, was currently entangled with a half naked woman almost young enough to be one of his students. Neville was probably the most responsible person Harry knew, and he assumed he would be spending his evening talking to Neville while the boys partied it up. But alas, Harry was sitting at their table alone.
"Need some company?"
Harry glanced up as a barely dressed woman strolled by and ran her finger nails across the back of his neck and down his arm.
"Erm, no, I'm fine," Harry's voice sounded unnaturally high, as it had each time this event had occurred during the evening.
"Well you look lonely." The girl dropped into his lap without so much as asking his permission. He realized that he could feel almost every part of her as she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him. "What's your name, pretty eyes?"
"I'm Harry," Harry said haltingly.
"Hi Harry, I'm Jasmine. Why don't we share a drink, Harry? What are you having?"
"Erm, water."
"Water? What's the fun in water? Let me order you a real drink."
"That's okay, I'm not really in the mood for drinking."
"What's wrong? Bright boy over there steal your girl?" Jasmine asked him.
It took him a moment to realize that she was nodding at Neville. Harry laughed. "No, I don't have a girl."
"Oh, well, no wonder you're upset. I can be your girl for tonight, luv," She traced her finger down the side of Harry face. He suddenly very much felt the urge to stand up.
"Um, I need to go talk to my friend," Harry stated uncomfortably as he attempted to remove the dancer from his lap.
"Oh, all right, well, let me know if you decide you want to have a good time."
Harry quickly darted over to where Ron was burning through vouchers like he was getting married tomorrow. Harry sat down next to him, far too close to the stage for Harry's liking. He attempted not look, but it was like trying not to look at a transfiguration mishap, too fascinating not to look, to much information when he did look. The current entertainment had a tattoo that wound up her body like a snake. He shivered as he remembered that Bellatrix Lestrange reportedly had a very similar tattoo. If those reports were to be believe Bellatrix's had apparently responded to Parseltongue.
"Ron, um, don't you think we should be going?" Harry yelled to his friend over the techno music.
"What? Why?"
"Oh, I don't know, because you're getting married tomorrow. Because you're drunk, and because if Hermione hears about this, she will kill you," Harry answered.
"I'm not drunk!" Ron replied defensively, his features contorting into an attempted frown, before returning to the normal hapless expression he always had when drunk.
"Right," Harry grunted. "Look, you've got a big day tomorrow. I don't want it to be ruined because you spent all night out acting…well…lecherous."
"Lessurous?" Ron slurred. "Lighten up Harry. You need a couple drinks. I'm getting…I'm get…you're not…" Ron trailed off, then shook his head. "I'm getting married tomorrow, not yous, why are youstill soberer?"
"I promised Ginny I'd keep an eye you. She's distracting Hermione so you can have this little soiree. She'll hex me good if you're hung over and smell anything like you do now, tomorrow."
"Ginny's my sisssster!" Ron declared.
Harry sighed, this was like talking to a particularly thick Irish setter. "Yes, I know."
"Shhhe wouldn't hex you. She still liiikess yous even though yer a git."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, well be that as it may. I promised her I'd get you home in decent condition. I don't break promises, so can we please get out of here?"
"I don't wanna go home yet," Ron whined. He looked as cleverly as possible at Harry given his current condition. "I'll tell you what. We can go home in an hour, if you'll loosssen and have a coup…coup…" Ron held up hand, "two drinksss," he slurred, even though he was holding up three fingers.
Harry groaned as his rolled his head back in frustration. This turned out to be a mistake as there was an attractive but rapidly disrobing woman dancing directly in front of him. He was definitely going to need to wash his eyes later, he'd never seen a nude woman in person before tonight, and for some reason he didn't think this was how you were supposed to see one for the first time. Harry whipped his head back around to Ron. "Fine, one hour."
"I'll get the drinksss!" Ron volunteered cheerfully, before tumbling out of his seat.
Harry watched him wander towards the bar and shook his head. Maybe a couple of drinks might make this night bearable. The woman on stage seemed determined to get his attention as he ignored her. Finally he threw her a handful of vouchers to see if she would go away. It turned out to be a mistake as she performed a particularly graphic act in front of him, before she danced over to another customer. Harry shuddered and closed his eyes, wondering how he was ever going to get that image burned from his brain. Maybe Hermione would Obliviate him if he asked her nicely.
"Harrykins!" George and Charlie plopped into chairs on either side of him.
He looked suspiciously at them. "What?"
"Well poor, all hope is lost, Ron informed us that you have agreed to relax a bit," George explained.
"And he told us, that you agreed to have three drinks." Charlie added.
"It was two drinks!" Harry protested.
George looked at Charlie and held up his hand. "How many is this again?" George asked.
"That's three," Charlie nodded.
"Right, three drinks." George agreed. Harry groaned, but George ignored him. "So, Charlie and I volunteered, out of the goodness of our hearts, to fetch them for you. We would be remiss if we let a thirsty man stay parched."
Charlie dropped one rather large amber colored drink on the table and George put one on the other side that was a florescent blue-green color. "Drink up, Harrykins."
Harry decided that Charlie's must be the safer of the two offered drinks and took a tentative sip. Harry's tongue burned harshly and his eyes began to water. He choked and the liquid slid down his throat causing it to feel as if it was on fire, and his eyes to water profusely. Charlie and George just grinned at him widely. "What is that?" Harry gasped when he was capable of speaking again.
"It's called Dragon's Breath we used to drink it at the Dragon preserve," Charlie explained.
"And people drink this recreationally?" Harry gasped.
"Well, mostly people just drink it when they have a really bad burn. You won't feel anything much for a while."
Sure enough after the second sip Harry could no longer feel most of his mouth and his throat didn't hurt anymore. "What's that?" Harry asked pointing to the drink George had brought.
"Oh, that?" George replied. "It's called Last Call, it was invented by my dearly departed twin. It's great when you meet a girl late in the evening, and want to make sure she warms up to you." George grinned, as Harry shook his head.
He'd taken a few more sips as Charlie and George attracted the attention of the latest performer by dropping large numbers of vouchers in front of the trio. Harry found he didn't mind so much now. He looked around. "Where's Ron?" Harry asked.
"Oh don't worry about him," George replied. "He took a little trip to the VIP lounge."
"Oh, good, as, long as he's not doing anything inappropriate." Harry nodded wisely. "I promised Ginny I'd watch out for him.
"Yeah speaking of Ginny, what's up with you and Ginny?" Charlie asked rather harshly.
"Me?" Harry asked after a rather large gulp from the amber drink. "Nothing'ssss up with me and Gimy."
"Why is that again?" George asked casually. "I thought you two had a thing for each other. Well that's what Ron says anyway. What are you waiting for?"
"It'sss complicated."
"Why?" George asked.
"Becaussse, she'sss hot!" Harry explained. Charlie and George both winced.
"I'd think that would simplify things?" Charlie questioned.
Harry shook his head. "It'sss hard to get over her…Ssshe'ss got freckles!" Harry was afraid he wasn't being clear. "n'red hair," he clarified.
"Right," George nodded. "So, why not just ask her out, I'm almost positive she'd say yes."
"Can't" Harry shook his head.
"Why not?" George asked in exasperation. Harry wasn't sure he'd seen George exasperated, before. He wondered what was bothering him.
"Promisssed Ron," Harry mumbled.
"Oh, really?" George looked rather mutinous. "Ron made you promise not to go out with Ginny?"
"Yep!" Harry nodded, proud that he'd made them understand.
George grunted angrily. "If you'll excuse me, I need to extricate my brother from the VIP room."
"I don't think he'll like that!" Harry volunteered.
"I'll be sure he doesn't," George answered rolling up his sleeves, and stomping away from the table.
Almost two hours latter, Harry tumbled out of the fireplace and crashed into the floor with an "Oomphf." It felt rather uncomfortable. Ron stumbled out of the fireplace, and landed on top of him, and Harry though perhaps it hadn't been so uncomfortable before.
"Geroff" Harry groaned.
Ron and Harry untangled themselves as Ginny came running down the stairs. "What is wrong with you two?" she hissed. "Everyone's asleep!" Ginny ran down the last few steps and Harry stared mesmerized by the bare legs being exposed by her rather short night dress. Mmmm freckles.
"Harry?" Ginny asked questioningly. When Harry didn't respond quickly enough she kicked him in the leg causing him to break eye contact with her legs.
"Hi!" Harry said. "I'm drunk!"
Ginny giggled. "You don't say?"
"Yep."
Ginny gasped loudly. "Ron what happened to your face?" she whispered fiercely.
"A fist hit it." Ron squinted. "I think."
"You were fighting?" Ginny asked angrily.
"I don't thinksso," Ron answered shaking his head. "Were we?" he asked Harry.
Harry shook his head. "I wasssn't fighting."
"Merlin, Hermione is going to kill the lot of us," Ginny muttered.
"Widgybudgy's here?" Ron asked his face brightening.
"Widgybudgy?" Ginny and Harry mouthed at each other.
"No, Hermione is at her parent's house. But when she sees that shiner, we better make sure she doesn't have her wand."
Ron attempted to stand up, but ended up falling back over and crashing noisily into the floor.
"Come on, let's get you to bed," Ginny sighed. Ron grinned but as he tried to get up again Ginny pointed her wand at him. "Siestus," she said as she flicked her wand at Ron. Ron slumped to the floor with a grunt, and let out a loud snore. Ginny levitated him off the floor and then turned as she started walking up the stairs. "Stay here, I'll be back in a minute."
"Kay," Harry answered. He put his head down on the floor, but it caused the room spin so he rolled over on his stomach, and it thankfully stopped. He rested his head on the floor and waited. Ginny seemed to be gone a long time. Harry was almost asleep when she came back. He noticed as he rolled over to face her that she had put on a long robe.
"I thought you promised me you'd keep him out of trouble?" Ginny asked. She didn't sound angry, mostly disappointed. Harry would have preferred angry.
"Sorry," Harry said helplessly and sincerely. "I think your brothersss tricksed me."
"Which ones?"
"All of them, Ron wouldn't leave unlesss I had a drink. Charlie gave me sssomethink called Dragon's Breasts. George's tasted better, but I think it broke my head. I'm really sorry." Harry scrunched up his face trying to make her understand how very sorry he really was.
Ginny leaned over him and brushed her finger tips across his face. "I'll forgive you," she whispered so quietly Harry wasn't sure she'd really said it. "Come on, let's get you up to your room," she said more firmly.
She helped Harry off the floor and he leaned on her heavily as she guided him up the stairs. He marveled at how strong she was, while feeling so soft under her robe at the same time. He found his face pressed against the top of her head as they slowly climbed the steps. Harry took a deep breath, catching the flowery scent that meant Ginny. "You smell good," Harry told her. She didn't respond, but she did tighten her grip on him as they finally reached the landing. Ginny guided him in his room and forced him to stand still for a moment while she wrestled him out of his robes. Then she pushed him backwards onto his bed.
"Goodnight Harry, I hope you feel okay in the morning." Ginny kissed the tips of her fingers and then ran them over his cheek.
"You're so bea…bea…b…you're pretty. You have freckles on your legs."
"Thank you Harry, please don't forget to tell me that tomorrow, when you're sober," Ginny replied with a sigh.
"Okay," Harry agreed.
Harry's body tingled as Ginny ran her fingers through his hair. "Goodnight," she whispered as she turned and quickly exited his room.