Happy New Year's

Happy New Years

Ginny sat down on the couch in the Gryffindor common room right next to Seamus Finnigan.

"Hey," he smiled at her.

"Hey," Ginny said exhausted. She rested her head on the back of the couch and relaxed into the cushioning. She groaned pleasurably at the comfort of it.

"You okay?" Seamus asked.

"I'm fine now," Ginny sighed. "But I'm seriously regretting being Mrs. Sprout's Assistant. She's had me running around all over the place out in that cold snow trying to keep watch on all those ruddy plants." Seamus laughed.

"So how've you been, Seamus?" Ginny groaned, stretching.

"Good, good. I just got back from Christmas holidays in time to attend the 7th year New Year's party."

"Oh, that's right. Ron was talking about that. Sounds like it'll be a blast."

"Did you get an invitation?" Seamus asked her. He twisted his hands together nervously, a light shade of pink began to develop on his sandy-white freckled face.

"No," Ginny replied, "I didn't, actually." She looked up at Seamus with a grin. She watched as he sweated it out.

"Did you want to...go with me?" Seamus asked.

"Would I!" Ginny agreed.

"Okay then," Seamus smiled, his blush fading, "I guess I'll be your escort then."

"That would be brilliant, Seamus. I can't wait," Ginny said. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and then weakly began heading up to the 6th year girls' dorm.

It was six o' clock on December 31st. Only six hours before New Years. Ginny decided to get ready for the party. She was supposed to meet Seamus at eight o' clock outside the Gryffindor common room. Ginny went through her trunk trying to find something nice to wear.

"No. Ew. Ugh! I can't believe I even brought this. Nope. Nope. Damn it! I have nothing to wear!" She grumbled and slammed her trunk closed and collapsed on her bed. Why did I even agree to go to this stupid party, Ginny thought.

"Gin, is something wrong?" Ginny looked up. It was Hermione. She had just walked by and heard her complaints.

"Hermione, I hate being poor," Ginny groaned.

"Nothing to wear, eh?" Hermione smiled.

"Yes," Ginny whined.

"Here, come with me. I think I may have something you can borrow." Hermione led her into the 7th year girls' dorms and she opened her trunk and began pulling out some beautiful dresses.

"Hermione! When did you get these?" Ginny asked.

"Well, it's my last year here. I thought I might want to make an effort to look good at these parties, you know?" She smiled at Ginny and blushed a bit. Yeah, to look good for your boyfriend Harry, Ginny thought disapprovingly. Oh well! Oh well! Don't hate the girl who's about to help you out!

"Here's the one!" Hermione exclaimed. She pulled out a black dress and handed it to Ginny before she could get a good look at it.

"Just try it on. It'll look good, I swear." Ginny took the dress and walked into the nearby bathroom to change into it. She slipped it on and then examined herself in it. It was gorgeous. Probably the most beautiful thing she had ever worn before.

It was a strapless dress, but it clung tight to the curves on her body, all the way down to her hips where it flowed outward and waved whenever she moved. She spun around and it twirled out underneath her. Ginny smiled and bit her lip excitedly. She looked at herself in the mirror again and suddenly she was extremely excited for tonight's party.

"How's it going in there, Gin?" Hermione called.

"It's gorgeous, Hermione!" she answered flinging open the door and hugging Hermione. "I love it! Thank you!" Hermione grinned at her.

"Now that we've mastered the dress, it's time to accessorize," Hermione stated.

Sooner than she knew it, Ginny was ready to go. Hermione had helped her and Ginny looked the best that she had ever had. Her hair was up in tiny butterfly buns with little tendrils hanging down. She wore a small silver and diamond tiara with a silver jewellery and black platform heels that laced up and made her look much taller.

"Whoa," Ginny said as she surveyed herself in the mirror. Hermione smiled at her. "I am totally in your debt, Hermione."

"Well you can repay me by helping me get dressed then." Ginny nodded and they helped Hermione get ready for the evening.

It finally reached 8:00 and Ginny headed down into the Gryffindor common room and then out through the entrance. Once she got out there she saw Seamus standing there, looking at his feet as he shuffled from side to side nervously. He carried a single red rose. He was wearing a midnight blue dress robes. He looked up and saw Ginny. His eyes widened and his mouth opened a bit and he just froze up and stared. Ginny blushed.

"It's not polite to leave your mouth open, Seamus," she pointed out.

"Oh...uh..." Seamus said and then closed his mouth. Ginny giggled. "You look...n-nice. Here." He handed her the rose.

"Thank you," Ginny smiled, smelling the rose. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Seamus nodded. He held his arm out and Ginny took it and they made their way to the party. Once they got up there, there was a line waiting outside the entrance. They were checking for invitations. Ginny felt excited as she tried to sneak a peak over the heads of the people in front of her. She felt so much taller, it was weird.

They finally got to the front, Seamus showed the invitation and they walked in. People were already dancing and they had thrown a curtain over the entrances to the balcony to keep the room pretty dark. There was a lot of people talking and laughing and hanging around by the buffet table along the far wall.

"Ginny?!?!" someone called from behind her. She turned around, it was Ron who was standing by with Harry. Both their mouths were hanging open.

"Hey guys," Ginny flashed them a grin and then moved on. Seamus had started a conversation with a group of Ravenclaws that Ginny didn't know. She lingered for a bit, but got bored and decided she needed something to eat and drink.

"Hey, I'm going to go get something to drink," Ginny said to Seamus and then she went off. She smiled at a few Hufflepuff guys looking at her from a corner of the room.

She finally made it through the crowded room over to the buffet table. She surveyed the goodies on the table and then began making a small plate. She also poured herself a cup of punch and then sat at an empty table and began eating. She had gotten mid way through her very small meal when Malfoy walked by. He stopped and did a double take to look her over.

"Weasley?" he asked, a tone of shock in his voice.

"Yeah?" Ginny asked, looking up at him. He blinked.

"How'd you sneak in here?" he asked, regaining that heir of spitefulness.

"I didn't, Malfoy. I came with a date."

"Who would take you?" Malfoy smirked at her.

"Just sod off, Malfoy," Ginny said annoyed. She decided she wasn't hungry anymore so she dumped her plate in the trash. She grabbed another cupful of the punch and walked over to join Seamus with some difficulty. She suddenly felt really giggly and dizzy.

"Hullo Seamus," she giggled.

"Hey," Seamus grinned.

"Have you tried the punch?" Ginny asked, "It has some extra pizzazz, it does."

"Umm...Gin, that's not punch," Seamus pointed out.

"You're joking," Ginny said in utter amazement, "What is it?"

"It's alcohol...Gin," Seamus said.

"You lie! You guys drink alcohol at these parties?" she asked, her voice getting really high.

"Yeah, and I think you're border-lining on too much," Seamus said, taking her drink away.

"Am not!" Ginny exclaimed, trying to take the cup back. Seamus tossed it in the a nearby trash can.

"How about we just dance?" Seamus asked. Ginny sighed and then started dancing with him. "Erm...I meant on the dance floor." He guided her out to the dance floor where everyone else was dancing. Ginny just kind of rocked back and forth and from side to side. It took a while before Seamus stopped bothering to get her to actually dance.

"Are you having fun, Seamus?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah. Sure," Seamus said. He boredly rocked back and forth with Ginny but it wasn't really working and he kept looking off at the other girls in the room who looked a lot more fun.

"Ginny, come here," Seamus said, and he pulled her over to a couch. Ginny sat down.

"Just sit here and I'll be right back, okay?" Seamus asked.

"Okay, Seamus," Ginny smiled and then Seamus left; and never came back. Ginny sat on the couch looking around the room.

A couple came out of nowhere and collapsed on the couch Ginny was sitting on and began snogging.

"Oh get a room!" Ginny spat at them. They gave her contemptuous glares before picking a different couch. Ginny frowned and looked around for Seamus. Where'd he go, she thought.

"Hello littlest Weasley," Malfoy's voice rang in her head again. She looked up at him.

"Looks like your date left you," he snickered, "You did come with Finnigan didn't you?"

"What!?!" Ginny exclaimed standing up. She looked over and saw Seamus 'getting his freak on' with Lavender Brown.

"Why that little..." Ginny hissed, her blood boiling. "I can't believe him!" Draco chortled behind her. Ginny rounded on him.

"And what are you laughing at!" she yelled. Draco smirked at her. Ginny looked down furiously at her shoes.

Here she was. At a party full of older people. With a little alcohol in her system. And her date had left her for someone else and now she was stuck standing next to Malfoy having to endure his deriding comments. This was the worst party she had ever been too. Whelp, since I'm here, might as well get drunk and be marry, she thought. She looked up and smiled at Malfoy and then headed off to the buffet table.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked.

"None of your business," Ginny said, nearly getting run over by a couple swinging around dancing. She grabbed a cup and dipped it into the 'punch' bowl and took a drink. She turned around to see Malfoy was still tailing her.

"So where's you date, Malfoy?" Ginny asked.

"I didn't come with one tonight," Draco shrugged, "I've dated just about every girl in Slytherin I think. I guess I just ran out of options." Ginny nodded as Draco smirked at her. Apparently he was trying to be crude, but Ginny turned around and fixed Draco a drink and handed it to him.

"Well here's to finding a date tonight," Ginny said.

"Yeah. Cheers," Draco agreed and clicked plastic cups and took a swig. Ginny drained her cup.

"Did you know this stuff is alcohol?" she whispered to him.

"Yeah," Draco said sarcastically, "I knew." Ginny giggled.

"It's crazy! I've never had a drink before in my life!"

"Really?" Draco asked with sardonic interest, "Wouldn't have guessed."

"And I even told myself that I would never drink in aaaaalll my life," Ginny declared. "But this isn't that bad." She filled her cup again.

"Cheers to liquor!" Ginny cheered and she clicked cups with Draco again and drank. Draco surveyed her and laughed a bit before taking a drink.

"Do the professors know about this stuff?" Ginny asked thoughtfully, looking at her drained cup with mild interest.

"No, I don't think so," Draco replied, "It's tradition though. The professors never really care anyway." Why am I hanging around with the littlest Weasley? Draco asked himself. Because you're single, she's hot and she's also drunk. Draco smiled to himself and took another drink.

"You know what?" Ginny asked drunkenly, "Seamus...is a lousy dancer." Draco nodded. "Don't dance with him," Ginny directed. "Believe you me. He stepped on my toe...and gave me a big boo-boo." At the word boo-boo she began laughing hysterically and she nearly fell over, but Draco caught her by the arm.

"I think you've had enough drinks," Draco stated, pulling Ginny up and steadying her.

"That's exactly what Seamus said!" she exclaimed, "But I think you're all crazy! I'm not drunk..." She laughed. "I'm not drunk at all. Nooo. Noo. Not drunk. Not me. You must be thinking of someone else." Draco shook his head.

"How about we dance or something..." Draco asked. Ginny looked him up and down.

"Are you sure you're not Seamus? Do you know Seamus? You two are a lot alike." She nodded.

"Come on, let's dance," Draco said pulling her out on the dance floor.

"Fine," Ginny said stumbling after Draco as he pulled her to a spot, "Just don't leave me on the couch." Draco stopped and turned around and started dancing with the youngest Weasley. She danced really uncoordinatedly, but she looked like she was having fun. Draco tried not to laugh at her the most of all. Draco looked up and saw a group of Slytherin girls looking at him. They gave him seductive smiles and batted their eyes. Why don't you go join them? he asked himself. He looked at little Weaslette who was shaking her head to the music. She looked back at him and smiled.

"This music is awesome isn't it?" she asked, moving her shoulders to the beat.

"Yeah," Draco answered. Ginny shook her head some more. He hair was falling down piece by piece, which only made it look a bit better. The song ended and it switched to a slow song. Ginny still kept dancing like a crazy woman.

"Gi--Ginny." Draco grabbed her hands to stop her.

"What?" she asked. Draco slipped her hands on to his shoulders and then wrapped his arms around her lower back.

"Are you hitting on me, Malfoy?" she said really loud.

"Sshh," Draco whispered beginning to guide Ginny in circles. She put her head on his shoulders. After a few minutes into the song, Ginny spoke softly into his ear.

"Draco...I feel dizzy."

"Come on, let's set you down," Draco groaned, helping her over to the couch.

"You're not going to leave me are you?" Ginny asked when she sat down on the couch.

"No, I'll be right back. I'm going to go get myself a drink." He whispered the last sentence. He headed over to the buffet table and grabbed a drink, drained it and took another. Then he headed back, and on the way over the group of girls that he was looking at earlier ago. The smiled at him and then surrounded him.

"Hello ladies," Draco flirted.

"Hey," they all replied in some way or another. There were four of them.

"Did you wanna dance?" the one with dark raven black hair asked him.

"As much as I'd love to, babe, I gotta go join someone else."

"Oh come on," one of the two brown-haired girls asked him.

"I'm sure she'll understand. Just one dance?" The dark haired girl asked.

"Well...maybe just..." he turned to look towards the couch, but the blonde girl put a hand to his face and pulled his head back.

"Come on," she cooed.

"No, I'm sorry ladies. Save one for another dance," Draco said and then headed towards the couch, but Ginny wasn't there. He looked around the room and he saw her over by the punch bowl laughing it up with a few other people, who were obviously drunk. Draco headed over to her.

"And then, while I was in the chamber, I kept thinking, daaaa-yum. Tom is hot."

"You thought the dark lord was hot?" one of the girls laughed amazedly.

"Heck yeah, his former self. Now, when you see those picture sightings in the magazine it look like someone caught a picture of an alien." The group all laughed.

"Draco!" Ginny shouted, jumping through the crowd, waving her piece of bread with butter on it around. She hugged him. "I'm so glad to see you again. It seems like it's been forever." Draco looked up at the group Ginny was talking to. They gave him judgmental looks.

"Ginny, you need to stop drinking," Draco said, taking her by the shoulders. Ginny just blinked and took a bite of her bread.

"Why?" she asked, mouth full.

"You're gonna make yourself sick," Draco answered sternly

"Let's dance, Draco," Ginny replied. She clung tightly around his chest and pushed him towards the dance floor. Draco drank his cup and set it on a nearby table. Ginny stumbled around in circles. Draco looked at his watch, half an hour to midnight, this night was really flying by.

Draco sighed and pried Ginny off his stomach and wrapped her arms around his neck. She lazily rested her head on his shoulder again. She began hiccupping. Draco smiled.

They danced for a while longer. Most were just slow dances. Draco stole glances at Ginny every once in a while as she seemed like she was sleep-dancing. She looked really pretty tonight, and he couldn't imagine how he never noticed this before. Draco was just getting comfortable being around Ginny, not caring about the glares and stares he was getting, when someone broke him out of his moment.

"Malfoy?" someone called. Draco turned around. It was Ron. "What are you doing touching my sister!?" Ron spat, pulling on Draco's shoulder and tugging him away from Ginny. Ginny stumbled and nearly fell, but straightened herself up in front of Ron.

"Hullo big brother," Ginny grinned.

"Ginny, where's Seamus?"

"He left me," she spat dramatically, "For that...sssslut, Lavender Brown!" Ron looked at Ginny as she tried to hard to balance herself on her own two feet.

"Ginny?" Ron asked, surveying her, "Are you...drunk?"

"What! Noooo," Ginny shook her head. "I'm not drunk!" She laughed it off and then hiccupped.

"Oh my god, Gin. You're drunk!" Ron exclaimed.

"You're *hic* crazy," she giggled.

"You got my sister drunk!" Ron rounded on Draco.

"Hey, she did it of her own free will..." Draco defended himself, "I even tried to stop her."

"Come on, Ginny, we're leaving. You've done enough partying for one night." Ron grabbed his sister and began guiding her towards the door.

"What! It's not even midnight yet! I'm not leaving! Let me go!" she pushed out of Ron's arms and then walked back over to Draco.

"Ginny..."

"Fifteen seconds until midnight!" someone shouted and then they began counting down.

"Ack! I have to find Parvati," Ron stated, "I'm supposed to kiss her at midnight. I'll be back for you Ginny." Then Ron disappeared. Ginny smiled at Draco and they began counting down.

"10!...9!...8!...7!...6!...5!...4!...3!...2!...1! Happy New Years!!!!"

"Happy New Years, Draco," Ginny smiled happily.

"Happy New Years, Ginny." Draco smiled back at her. Ginny puckered her lips and stuck them out. Draco grinned and then leaned down and kissed them. Mid-kiss Draco felt her slip off his lips and began falling. He caught her and saw that she had passed out. He shook his head with a smile. This is one night she won't be remembering.

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