Memento Vivere

Chapter two - Drinking and Confessions

Harry lay awake in his bed thinking about Hermione. Earlier today he had been extremely close to kissing her and it had seemed like she had wanted to kiss him, too. But Ginny had said that Hermione liked Ron... well, she'd said that she wasn't sure. Maybe it wasn't true. After all Ron and Hermione had broken up only weeks after they had started going out and Ron, at least, had seemed kind of relieved when they decided to be just friends, maybe she felt the same way.

Harry had never discussed Hermione and Ron's short relationship with either of them and neither had ever mentioned it. When Harry came to think of it he actually didn't know very much about what had really happened. All he knew was that they had been on a couple of dates after which Hermione had said that she wanted to be just friends. Harry hoped that Ginny had been wrong about Hermione still liking Ron. If she hadn't been, then why had Hermione dumped Ron?

Harry looked at his watch. It was 4 a.m. He was probably not going to get any sleep tonight. He could do something useful instead, like his Transfiguration homework. He collected his books and papers and went down the stairs to the Gryffindor Common room.

***************************

Draco lay in bed staring at the ceiling. He had always rather liked the ceiling in his room at Hogwarts. It was really high and made of dark Mahogany wood, decorated with snake and Dragon ornaments. He liked looking at the dragons before he went to sleep. There was one in particular who always caught his eye. There wasn't anything special about the dragon apart from its facial expression. Instead of looking terrifying it looked kind of bored, as if it didn't care about scaring people because they weren't important enough. Draco liked to think that he and the little dragon had a lot in common.

Now he had problems, though. How the hell would he get Potter to trust him? Why hadn't his father just stepped aside and let someone else's son do it? Any Slytherin would have an easier job than Draco to convince Potter they could be trusted. Blaise, for example, could easily have made him do exactly what she wanted him to.

He knew, of course, why his father had wanted him to do it. If he succeeded his father would become the highest Death Eater, Voldemort's right hand, which was exactly what Lucius intended to become. He had made it very clear in his letter that Draco was not to fail. Malfoys' didn't fail and failure in such an important matter would cost him a great deal.

Draco sighed. At least Blaise had offered to help him. He really hoped that she would come up with something. Otherwise the plan would be just trying to act friendly and try not to get into any fights with Potter. Which didn't sound very likely since Potter and he got into fights practically every time they saw each other.

*******************************

Hermione couldn't sleep. She was thinking about Harry. There had been a moment after his fight with Draco that she had been almost sure he was going to kiss her, but then he had just started walking towards the classroom as if nothing had happened. Could she just have been imagining the whole thing? No, she was pretty sure she hadn't. She could of course ask Ron or Ginny, but it would be too weird. Besides, she wasn't completely sure about how Ginny felt about Harry or about how Harry felt about Ginny, for that matter. They had been sitting together and talking a lot lately and the other night Harry had taken her aside to talk to her alone. Something he didn't want her or Ron to hear. Had he asked her out?

And then there was the incident with Malfoy. Maybe he hadn't said something about her. Maybe he'd said something about Ginny and Harry was just saying something to explain the fight that wouldn't make her think he had feelings for Ginny. That was probably it, but why would he have to lie to her about liking Ginny? Had he done it because he didn't want her to get hurt... had she been that obvious that she liked him? She thought she had hidden her feelings pretty well, but maybe everyone knew how she felt about Harry... now she definitely couldn't sleep. She decided to go down to the Common room and read until breakfast. It was already 5 a.m. and she wouldn't get any sleep anyway.

The first thing she saw when she entered the Common room was Harry. He was sleeping in a couch with his Transfiguration notes on his lap. She curled herself up in a chair and just watched him. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He didn't have the thoughtful and worried expression he'd been wearing for such a long time now. He was just 'Harry' and he looked rested and calm, almost happy.

"Hey there," Harry yawned and sat up in the couch. "didn't hear you coming."

"I'm sorry I woke you up. I couldn't get any sleep."

"Neither could I."

"So I see." She smiled at him.

He rubbed his eyes. "At least not before I started doing my homework. Apparently that's a great way to get sleepy."

Hermione bent down and collected Harry's stuff that had fallen on the floor when he had sat up. "Well, you did write three lines before you fell asleep. You have less than four pages left to write."

"Isn't sixth year supposed to be an easier year? I mean fifth year you study for the O.W.L's and seventh year it's the N.E.W.T's. Sixth year shouldn't have to be this hard, should it?"

"The tests aren't really all that matters, you do know that right?"

Harry looked shocked. "Hermione! You aren't supposed to say things like that!"

"Let me finish. The point is to learn for your future life, for work... life after Hogwarts. I didn't say the tests weren't important. I think it's probably smart to start studying already. You should see your homework now as practise for the N.E.W.T's."

"That's depressing!"

"Not as depressing as failing your N.E.W.T's."

At that Harry leaned over and kissed her. She'd just been so 'Hermione' at that moment that he couldn't resist it anymore. She kissed him back and it was exactly as she had imagined it would be. It was not like she hadn't been kissed before, she had kissed both Ron and Viktor Krum, but this was totally different. This was Harry, Harry... that had been her best friend for so many years. Suddenly it all felt wrong. Calm down! This is Harry. This is what you've always wanted. And now you have it. Why doesn't that make you happy? But she couldn't convince herself.

"I've wanted this for so long," Harry whispered.

She couldn't take it anymore. She pulled back causing him to fall to the floor. "What are we doing, Harry? Why did you kiss me like that?"

She looked like she didn't believe she was doing this, but she had suddenly become very angry. Had it been that obvious that she liked him? So obvious that he just assumed that all she wanted to do when they were in the same room was throw her self at him? Not that it was very far from the truth, but still....

"But I thought you wanted this!"

"That's right! You just assumed that I wanted you to kiss me totally unexpectedly here in the Gryffindor Common room in the middle of the night... without saying a word to me about it. What makes you think I would want that? What makes you think that you can treat me like that?"

"Oh, I don't know? The fact you kissed me back? For several minutes...."

"I was surprised."

"Right and it took you that long to recover from the shock? What is this really about? Ron?"

"This isn't about Ron! What makes you say that? This is about me, you, us...."

"So you don't want this? Us?"

"No, I don't, I mean I did but... Oh I don't know."

"Well, if you don't know, we probably shouldn't be more than friends." Harry rose rapidly from the floor. "I'm going back to bed now. Good night!" He started climbing the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

"Night." Hermione felt absolutely terrible when she watched him go. She didn't know why she had reacted the way she did. It was not as if he had done anything wrong. And she did love him. And now she had hurt him and he would probably run straight to Ginny... Why do I always push people away? She had thought it would be different with Harry. She had told herself that she was pushing other boys away because they weren't right for her, but Harry was different. She had always known they would be a perfect couple. They connected on so many levels and he knew her better than anyone else. Maybe that was the problem? If it didn't work out between them then her life would never be the same, again. If they became a couple and broke up they would never be able to go back to being friends. Not like she and Ron had done. She loved Harry way too much.

Hermione sighed and picked up the book she had brought with her. She could still do something useful this night even if students would start waking up soon. She started reading, but couldn't concentrate. Wow! She thought. If I can't even manage to concentrate on a book then things are seriously wrong.

*************************************

Several hours later Hermione, Ron and Harry were sitting together at their usual spot listening to Professor Flitwick telling them about the paper they would be writing on the difference between invisible spells and spells that make things completely disappear. They also had to come up with some sort of theory about where the things that disappeared went or if it was possible that they just disappeared.

Harry, who had sat down on the seat nearest to the window, leaving Ron the seat between him and Hermione, sat and looked at some Hufflepuffs who were out, walking in the snow with Hagrid. They were walking towards the forest, probably to look at some new, extremely dangerous creature Hagrid had found.

Harry was very tired. He hadn't been able to get any sleep after his fight with Hermione. He still didn't quite understand what they had been fighting about. First, she had been kissing him back like she felt exact the same way as he did and then she had suddenly started screaming at him. They hadn't said much to each other since then. Ron had been wise enough not to make any comments to their strange behaviour, but he had shot some questioning looks at Harry. This was the last lesson of the day. In a couple of minutes Harry would go to the dormitory and try to replace at least a couple of the hours of sleep that he had lost the previous night.

"So, if you all know how you're supposed to write this comparison you are finished for today," said Flitwick. "Just remember to keep your voices down in the corridors! We don't want Mr. Filch to get upset, do we?"

***********************************

As soon as Flitwick dismissed them Hermione excused herself and went to the library. It was probably her favourite place in the school and she always went there when she needed some time alone. And besides, if she hadn't left Harry would have and she didn't want to be the one who had to explain the whole situation to Ron.

When she entered the library she saw Ginny sitting alone at a table. Her first reaction was to run and hide but then she pulled herself together. Her fight with Harry wasn't Ginny's fault and since she was a girl and had actually had several more relationships than Hermione she would probably be able to give her some advice.

"Hi Ginny! Can I talk to you for a second?"

Ginny looked up from her book. "Sure. What did you want to talk about?"

Hermione sat down at the table. "Harry."

Ginny laid the book on the table with a thud. Harry hadn't told Hermione about what she had said, had he? Not that she had said anything much. She had just hinted that Hermione might still have feelings for Ron.

"I did something really stupid last night. And I kind of need your advice."

"My advice?" Ginny wondered when she had become everyone's personal therapist. First, Harry asked her what he should do with Hermione and now Hermione was asking her advice about Harry. Ginny didn't really want to get involved in their relationship at all.

"Yes. You are more... uhm... experienced with boys than I am. And... well... Harry tried to kiss me last night but I pushed him away."

"WHAT?!?" This wasn't what she had been expecting. She hadn't thought that Harry would have done something like that. Or to be honest, she had been thinking about Harry kissing girls at night quite often, but that girl had usually been her. Never in one of those visions had she pushed him away. So why had Hermione? It was pretty obvious that she liked Harry, at least to everyone besides Harry. She noticed Hermione looking questioningly at her and collected her thoughts. "I mean... what? Why?"

"I don't know. It just felt so wrong. I don't know why, it might have been because I had always thought he liked you." She suddenly realized why she had acted the way she had. "I think I was scared of destroying our friendship. Is that so weird?"

"No not at all. But he didn't understand your fears?"

"I didn't tell him, I was just so angry. We started fighting and yelling at each other and then he just left. And today he's been avoiding me."

Ginny sighed. She thought about telling Hermione to give up and find someone else, but she decided against it. Hermione was her friend after all, and so was Harry. "My advice is to apologise to him and tell him how you feel. I'm sure he'll understand if you just try explaining to him. He probably doesn't want your friendship to end either."

"I'd hoped you wouldn't say that... he was really mad, Gin. I hurt him and I don't think he'll ever forgive me."

"He won't until you talk to him. Trust me, Hermione. It will be much easier than you think. Harry is a smart guy. He'll understand."

"Do you really think so?"

Ginny nodded. I'm really too nice for my own good. No wonder I never get what I want.

"Well in that case I should probably go talk to him right now. Thank you Ginny and sorry I interrupted your reading."

"No problem." She turned back to the book.

Hermione was just about to leave the library when someone shouted, "Hey Gran... Hermione!"

She turned around and saw Malfoy standing looking like he'd just done something disgusting and still couldn't quite believe he'd done it.

"Malfoy, what do you want?"

"Could you tell me where..." He paused. "...Harry is? I kind of need to talk to him."

Hermione looked suspiciously at him. "What the hell are you up to?"

"Nothing, I just want to ask him something...."

"Harry doesn't have anything to say to you! Why can't you just stay the hell away from him?"

"Fine, I'll talk to him at dinner. See you later."

"Not if I see you first."

Draco watched Granger go. This wouldn't be easy at all. He needed to insult someone, and fast before he completely lost it. Neville Longbottom walked by with a book about plants in his hand. Perfect!

"Hello, Longbottom! Finally figured out the mystery of reading? Or do you just look at the pretty pictures?"

Neville just continued walking.

"What are you? Deaf?"

"No, I heard you Malfoy. I just don't care about what you have to say."

And with that Neville walked out of the library.

Draco kicked one of the library chairs hard, but the only thing that accomplished was to give him an aching toe. This really wasn't his day! He saw the Weasley girl sitting in a corner looking at him.

"What?!!" he asked angrily.

"I didn't say anything."

"Good!" And with that Draco stomped out of the library. He didn't feel like fighting anymore. He just felt like taking a long bath and then going to bed. Or not... He spotted Blaise in the doorway to an empty classroom waiving at him to come there.

"Any luck?" she asked when they'd entered the room and sat down at a desk.

"Not really. I talked to Granger; only she wouldn't listen to me. I'm going to have to catch Potter at dinner and ask him if he wants to talk to me."

"Good luck with that!"

"Hey! It'd be nice if you could be just a little bit more supportive. I can be persuasive!"

"Yes, you tell people what to do and if they don't then you scare them into doing what you want. I don't think that will work in this case." Blaise tossed her hair over her shoulder. "You will have to convince your worst enemy that he can trust you and that he wants to be friends with you."

"I can be nice!"

"When have you ever been nice?"

"I'm nice to you, right?"

"Yes. But that's different. We're already friends."

"Well, let's go have dinner and you can see for yourself how nice I can be."

**********************************

"Hey, Harry! Can I talk to you a second?"

Harry looked up and saw Draco Malfoy standing looking a bit out of place. "I'm sorry but I don't feel like ruining my appetite just now. Some other time maybe?"

"Oh, c'mon. It will only take a few seconds...."

"OK then. I was in the mood for a fight anyway... Where do you want to go?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Yes I did. I just didn't expect you to say yes."

The two of them went back to the corridor.

"So... I just wanted to...."

"Yes?"

"I wanted to apologize to you for... well for everything. I've been treating you unfairly and that's going to stop now. I'm going to be a better person from now on."

Harry just stared at him. Then he burst out laughing. "Right. Like I'd buy any of that. Look if that was all you wanted to tell me I'd like to go back to my dinner. But thank you for making me feel better. I haven't laughed like this in a while."

Harry gave him a last amused look before turning around and joining his friends for dinner again. Draco leaned against the wall. This wasn't going to be easy. Even if Harry had agreed to talk to him that was only the first step and he would have to keep himself from hitting Harry or saying something mean. He was going to have to really work hard, but for the first time he started to think this might be possible. He'd just have to find someone else to fight with.

"What was all that about?"

He turned around and saw Weasley's younger sister standing there looking suspicious.

"Who's eavesdropping now?"

"Why were you talking to Harry? I don't believe any of your shit about becoming a better person. You're up to something. And I want to know what it is."

"Oh, am I? Well let me ask you this; shut up, will you? I don't really care about what you think, but if you don't like me then stop following me around!"

"I will!" She stopped. She hadn't come there to fight. "... I just... wanted to say thank you for not telling Harry about what you overheard the other day, that's all..." Ginny paused. "Thank you, that was nice of you."

"Well... You're welcome! See you later Weasley."

Ginny turned around and started walking towards the doors to go and have dinner.

"Hey Weasley!"

"What?"

Draco looked as if he thought he was as surprised as she was about calling her back. Then he seemed to reach a decision.

"Do you... Do you want to go have a drink?"

"What?!!" She must have heard wrong. Draco Malfoy would never ask her out!

"Well misery loves company, and you don't seem too happy either. A drink or two would cheer you up. I know this place in Hogsmeade...."

She thought about it for a couple of seconds. She could go have dinner with her friends, but then she'd be forced to either sit there looking at Harry and Hermione not talking to each other or listen to them fighting. On the other hand she could go with Draco Malfoy to some shady bar. "OK. I'll come with you. It's not like I have anything better to do and I've broken far too few school rules this year."

"That's the spirit! Let's go!"

Draco held out his arm and to his (and her) surprise Ginny took it.

"Just make sure I get back to the castle before the morning. And no taking advantage of me while I'm drunk!"

"Hey! I don't have to get girls drunk to get them into bed with me!"

"No, I'm sure you don't. You have to give them something stronger."

At that Draco actually laughed.

**********************************

An hour later they sat in a bar drinking Vodka. They had ordered in all the drinks that Draco knew the names of, which turned out to be quite a few. They had long ago mixed up all the glasses and didn't know which one was which, but they had gotten to the point where it didn't matter. Any drink was as good as the other.

"Did you know I could speak Latin?" Draco asked.

"No as a matter of fact I didn't. You have a lot of secret talents."

"Te audire non possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means something like 'I can't hear you, I have a banana in my ear.' "

"I bet you say that to every girl you meet."

"No, I only say it when I really mean it."

A waitress appeared. She was dressed in a short blue skirt and a pink top. Ginny wondered how she was able to walk, not to mention balance a tray, in her high stiletto heels. "Do you wish to have another drink, Mister Malfoy?"

"Yes, please. Surprise me! And make another Piña Colada for my date here."

"Of course, Mister Malfoy."

"Actually I want one too. Two Piña Coladas, and two special surprise drinks."

"Just a second, Mister Malfoy."

The bar had turned out to be owned by Draco's father. Ginny had never heard of it and suspected that it was the kind of place that was used for secret business meetings. Meetings that you wouldn't want anyone to find out about. It was situated in the cellar of a shop that looked like it had been abandoned for years, but that Draco had assured her was actually still running. The owner had died and then come back as a ghost to continue with the shop. The shop assistant, a short man that looked really unpleasant, sat at a table in the corner of the room drinking black liquor, from which steam was rising. He occasionally looked up from the drink to glare at someone.

"It must be cool to practically have your own bar," Ginny said when the waitress came back with the drinks.

"It's okay, I guess." He raised his glass. "To alcohol, the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."

"Cheers!"

Ginny was getting really drunk. This wasn't the first time she had tasted alcohol, Fred and George had always had something drinkable in their closet and sometimes they would let her taste something in exchange for not telling their parents. This was the first time she had enough to drink to get drunk, though. She had a feeling that she wouldn't be able to walk home to the castle. Draco would have to carry her....

"You know, if someone would have told me two hours ago that I would spend this evening in a bar with you, I would have thought that person was insane. And still, here we are."

"Well, I'm glad you came along. Otherwise I would have had to ask Longbottom, since he was the only one else in the corridor when we left."

"Did he see us leave together? Because if he tells my brother Ron's going to kill you."

"I'm not afraid of your brother." He paused. "But just in case he finds out, will you tell him not to attack me?"

"Hmm... Buy me another drink and I'll think about it."

"Are you sure you want more to drink?"

"Yes! No, wait a minute... I probably shouldn't drink any more...hmm... Get me one with an umbrella in it! Preferably pink."

He walked over to the bar to get their drinks. On the way back he noticed that he wasn't walking even close to straight. What the hell am I doing? He asked himself. I'm out on a date with a Weasley, getting drunk and actually having fun. He had really surprised himself when he'd asked her to come with him, but he hadn't regretted it. She was really fun and smart. He couldn't believe she came from the same family as her older brothers. And she was beautiful too, not in the same conscious way as Blaise, who spent hours in front of the mirror every morning getting ready, but that made her even more beautiful. He realized that this probably wasn't the best way to get Potter to trust him, but Potter, school and his father all seemed very distant at this moment. He wondered how much they had been drinking, probably too much, especially Ginny. Well, he'd just have to follow her home so she didn't fall asleep in the corridor and everything would be all right.

"Okay. Here is your drink... Did I already tell you the story about a wizard that used to live in a village near our manor when I was little? He made every Muggle in the village have an affair with the same duck."

***********************************

"Harry, can I talk to you for a second?"

Hermione still hadn't had a chance to tell Harry how she felt since he'd been in his dormitory sleeping until it was time to eat dinner and she hadn't wanted to talk to him in front of Ron and the other Gryffindors. The three of them, she, Ron and Harry were now sitting in the Common room together and this would probably be her last chance to talk to him today.

"You still have something to say that you didn't say last night? Have I displeased you in any other way?"

"Look, I'm sorry. You don't have to talk. I just want to tell you something."

They climbed out of the portrait hole and started walking down the corridor.

"Well, make it quick!"

"Harry, I'm sorry for yelling at you. You were right, you didn't do anything wrong...."

"Really? Because last night you accused me of taking advantage of you and treating you wrong."

"I know. And I'm sorry but I was scared, Harry."

"Of me? Am I that terrifying?"

"No! But I don't want our friendship to end. If we became a couple, that would be great, but we could still break up. I don't think that it's worth destroying our friendship for a few kisses. Couples break up, friends last forever."

"But I love you! Isn't that enough?"

Hermione burst into tears. "No Harry. I'm sorry but it isn't."

"Hermione!" She looked away. "Do you love me? Because if you do I think we should risk it. How are you ever going to be happy if you're too afraid to trust love? Look me in the eyes and say you don't love me and we'll go back to being friends and never talk about this again!"

She turned her head and tried to steady her voice. "I don't love you, Harry. Happy now?"

He looked her deep in the eyes as if trying to read her thoughts. He looked extremely sad and hurt. She felt terrible for hurting him like this, but they couldn't be together. It would be too painful when it ended. She loved him too much.

"If this is what you want."

He sat down on the floor and she sat down beside him. "This is what I want," she said. She leaned her head against his shoulder and all she wanted to do was kiss him, but she knew that if she did that there would be no going back. They just sat there together on the floor for a couple of minutes. After a while Harry had suggested that they should go back to Ron.

"You go. I'm going to the library for a while. If you go to bed before me, good night!"

"I probably will. I was up kind of late last night." He smiled carefully at her before sighing heavily. "Good night."

She gave him a quick hug before she turned around and started walking towards the library. She felt his eyes on her back. As soon as she turned around a corner she sat down and burst into tears. If she had done the right thing then why did she feel so awful? She hadn't wanted to hurt him, but if she hadn't pushed him away they both would have ended up so much more hurt... right? Love always ended and it wasn't always a happy ending.

**********************************

"Draco, there's two of you and one of them... of you, is all blurred. Stop it."

"Okay that does it. We should probably be heading back to the castle. As long as we can still walk."

"What a wonderful idea! Which way should we go?"

"There's a door. To go through it would probably be a good start."

"Where does it go?"

"It pretty much stays where it is, I think."

Ginny started giggling. Draco caught her just before she fell over.

"Okay, let's take it one step at a time."

They started walking back towards the castle arguing about which side of the road was straighter and who of them was walking more unsteadily. When they reached the castle Draco helped Ginny to climb the stairs.

"I should probably walk you to the Gryffindor house. I don't want you to fall asleep in some closet on the way."

"I'm not that much drunker than you. How do you know that you won't fall asleep on the way back?"

"I'll be fine. Please let me walk you?"

"If you insist."

They started walking towards the Gryffindor tower. When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady Ginny was just about to speak the password when she turned around suspiciously.

"You're a Slytherin!"

"An excellent observation."

"I can't say the password when you're here."

"Well, I'll go then. There's just one thing I want to do first."

"Oh, yeah? And what's that?"

Draco didn't answer. Instead he took a step forward and kissed her on the cheek. At least it was supposed to be a kiss on the cheek, but she turned her head so it became a kiss on the mouth instead. He was just going to pull back when she kissed him back. Draco didn't know how long they'd been kissing when he heard a sound behind him. He turned around so quickly that Ginny almost tripped over.

"Well isn't it just adorable. You two really make the perfect couple." Blaise appeared from the shadows. "I didn't think you would sink this low Draco. A Weasley? I mean, I admit she is kind of cute and she is Potter's girlfriend so that must have its appeals, but honestly. I thought you had at least some standards!"

"Don't talk about me like that!" Ginny screamed. "And I'm not Harry's girlfriend! I wish everyone would stop believing that."

"Aww, she really thinks you like her, Draco." She turned to Ginny. "Well, you're wrong. You're just a toy to him just as you were to, Potter."

"Blaise, shut up, will you? I can talk for myself!" Draco gave Blaise a furious look.

"I'm just telling her how it is. Or are you really planning to start a serious relationship? With a Weasley? Your father would kill you!"

"So what if I am? It has nothing to do with you, Blaise. Now, go back to the Slytherin House. I'll be there in a minute."

"No, I'll wait here. You're drunk and you don't know what you're doing. Someone's got to look after you."

"Fine. But be quiet." Draco turned to Ginny. "Look I'm sorry. I didn't want this evening to end like this."

"Do you mean the kissing or do you mean Blaise interrupting us?"

Draco didn't answer.

"Look, Draco, I'm sorry too. I really didn't mean to cause any trouble for you with your father. In fact, I don't think I would even want to be your girlfriend. Your father terrifies me too...."

"I'm not afraid of my father!"

"Oh, yes you are. And I can't even imagine what that must be like, but you are. I can see it. And I had a great time tonight so let's just leave it at that, shall we? We went on a date, had fun, but anything more won't come of it. That's fine right? It's probably better this way anyway since I have six older brothers who hate you. Now they never have to find out that you kissed their baby sister." She smiled at him and then turned to Blaise. "Happy now? And if I were you I wouldn't be so fast about judging my relationships. Or can you name one guy who you have been dating who hasn't dumped you? People are talking, you know?" She turned back to Draco and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night! And thank you, I had a great time tonight."

She watched Blaise and Draco go. She could hear them fighting loudly. Apparently Draco wasn't very pleased with what Blaise had said. Ginny sighed. She could have really fallen for Draco but at the same time she was a little relieved that Blaise had stopped them. She hadn't been exaggerating when she'd told Draco how terrified she was of his father.

"Ginny! What was all that about?" Hermione came walking from the other direction. "I heard you fighting, but I didn't know if I should interfere or not." She paused and looked at Ginny questionably. "But I couldn't help, but overhear some bits of the fight... You went on a date with Malfoy?!?!"

"You won't tell Ron, will you? I don't want him to find out and kill Draco, or tell my parents and my brothers that I went out with him. How much did you hear?"

"Enough to tell that you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk. I'm just exhausted because I've been up all night, drinking." Ginny laughed. "Ok, maybe I'm a bit drunk, but so was he. He kissed me, you know?"

"Yes, so I heard. Well, at least one of us has luck with boys. If you can call it luck to be dating Malfoy."

"He's really not that bad! And we're not, dating. Blaise put a definite end to that. Not that I really mind, he's father is not a man I would like to dissatisfy. He's so scary, with all his black clothes, and his eyes... they're so cold. I don't really understand how anyone ever married him. Of course, if you're attracted to the dangerous type... And he isn't exactly ugly..." She realized that she was rambling and stopped talking. She was really sleepy and for the first time that night the thought that she might have been drinking a bit too much. "But enough about me. Tell me how it went with Harry."

They had entered the Common room and sat down in a couple of chairs in front of the fireplace. Hermione sighed deeply.

"That bad, huh? I really thought he was going to understand."

"Well, he didn't. He told me he loved me and if I loved him too a relationship would be worth the risk of destroying our friendship. He asked me to look him in the eyes and tell him that I didn't love him and I did. You should have seen the look on his face, Ginny. I felt terrible. And the worst part is that I really do love him, I'm just scared. Is it stupid of me? Should I just tell him how I feel and see where we end up?"

Ginny didn't say anything for a while. She was thinking about Harry and Hermione. They would be a good couple. She was surprised when she found that it didn't bother her nearly as much anymore. I must really have gotten over Harry, she thought, and without trying to find a substitute for him. Draco didn't count since they were never going to become a couple, but that wasn't the only thing that was different from all the other boys she had gone out with. When she'd been out with Draco she hadn't been thinking about Harry at all. She had not been comparing them or thinking about what Harry would do and what Harry would say in a similar situation.

"Ginny?"

"I can't tell you what to do, Hermione, but if I loved somebody as much as you seem to love Harry and thought that person loved me back I think that I would go for it. If you never dare to take any risks, you're not going to find love. But, as I said, that's just me, and since we have just stated that I'm drunk you should definitely do what feels right for you. Now I'm going to go to bed before I fall asleep here in this chair. It doesn't look that comfortable at all. Good night!"

"Good night, Ginny!"

Hermione sat alone in the Common room thinking about Harry and their friendship. When she noticed that her eyelids wouldn't stay open anymore she rose from the chair to go sleep in her own bed for once. Ginny had had a point when she'd said that the chairs in the Common room weren't too comfortable to sleep in. She would make a decision about what to do with Harry, tomorrow. Right now she just needed to sleep.

***********************************

When Ginny woke up she felt like someone was beating her in the head with a hammer. She tried to remember what she had done last night for a couple of minutes before it hit her. She'd been out drinking with Draco Malfoy and they'd been drinking a lot and they'd kissed. She tried to remember if he was a good kisser. He probably was. It wouldn't fit his image to be a bad kisser and if there was something he cared about it was his image. She made an effort to lift her head, groaned and put it down again. She would definitely not be going to any lessons today. She promised herself that she would never touch alcohol ever again. She realized that she wouldn't keep that promise and changed it to that she wouldn't touch any alcohol until she felt better. Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Ginny groaned, "or stay there," she added as an afterthought. "I really don't care...."

"Ginny, it's me," Hermione's voice came from the other side of the door. "I'm coming in."

Hermione opened the door and came in with a glass of water in her hand.

"How are you feeling?"

Ginny grunted something from under the pillow.

"Here, I brought something that'll make you feel better."

"A new head would be good."

"I brought some pills. If I give you these you have to promise me that you'll go to all your lessons today."

"Give them to me!" Ginny looked pleadingly up from under the pillow. "Ok fine, I promise I'll go to all my lessons today if whatever it is you have makes me feel better!"

"Deal." Hermione gave her the glass and a white pill. "Actually, you should probably take two, just in case...." Hermione gave her another pill that looked exactly like the first one."

"What do these do?"

"They'll take away the headache and the nausea, but it has some side effects. You'll get extremely happy and you'll start talking a lot. It works a bit like alcohol, actually."

"Don't... mention ... that... word...."

Ginny swallowed the pills and felt the effect almost immediately. Hermione had been right; she did feel a bit like she was drunk. She also felt really happy and as promised the headache and the nausea had disappeared.

"Thank you! I love you, you know that right?"

Hermione laughed at her. "You're welcome. And now, let's go have some breakfast. Harry and Ron are waiting downstairs."

Ron! Ginny hoped he hadn't found out about her date with Draco. She wondered if there would be any point denying that she had been drinking last night. She glanced over at Hermione. Had she told the boys?

"Don't worry. I didn't tell them anything about last night."

"I trust you, but you might have told Harry and he could have told Ron."

"I wouldn't have done that even if Harry and I were talking to each other."

"It makes me really, really, really sad that you two can't work this out. Try talking to him again. For me? Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!"

"Ok. I will. If you start at least trying to behave normally!"

"Thank you!" She gave Hermione a hug, which made them both fall over and roll down the stairs. They landed at the floor at Ron and Harry's feet.

"Hey, look who's up! You almost overslept. Are you two ok?" Ron seemed to be having problems with keeping himself from laughing. Harry on the other hand didn't seem to have any difficulties with not laughing at all. He looked like he hadn't slept in several nights. Which he, Ginny reminded herself, probably hadn't.

"I feel great. I feel... great!" Ginny tried to calm down a bit. "I'm sorry I made you fall, Hermione. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine."

"Great! I love you!" Ginny gave Hermione a big hug. "And I love you too, dear brother." She gave Ron a hug too. Then she turned at Harry. "And I love you." The look on his face made her a bit calmer. She hugged him and whispered in his ear "Are you ok? Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry tried to smile at her. "No, I'm fine. It's good that at least some people don't have a problem with saying 'I love you'."

Hermione must have heard the last part because she winced and turned around. Ginny was pretty sure that she had seen tears in her eyes before she turned. Ginny turned back to Harry.

"If you're sure that you don't want to talk then maybe you boys should go and start having your breakfast. We'll be there in a minute." Harry nodded and he and Ron climbed through the portrait hole.

******************************

Draco wasn't feeling very good. Not only did he have a terrible headache. He had no one to complain to about his headache since Blaise was angry with him and he didn't want to tell the other Slytherins about last night. He would have liked to stay in bed all day, but he knew he needed to go to the lessons if he was going to be the best student this year. Another thing he had to do was talk to Potter again, try to make him trust him. Another reason he didn't stay in bed, even if he didn't even admit it to himself was that he really wanted to see Ginny. It was a shame really. He knew Blaise had been right about most of what she'd said the previous night, but at another time and place he would really would have liked to get to know the Weasley girl better.

Draco went towards the Slytherin table, but on the way he passed the Gryffindor table and saw Potter and Weasley sitting there. Granger and the other the girl Weasley were somewhere else.

"Morning, Potter!"

"Malfoy. You look terrible."

"Well, thank you. See you around."

**********************************

Ginny and Hermione were walking down the corridor when Blaise Zabini came rushing towards them.

"Can I talk to you for a second, Weasley? In private."

Ginny glanced at Hermione. "Do you mind waiting?"

"No, not at all. See you soon."

Blaise dragged Ginny into an empty classroom and closed the door. "OK, I'm just going to say this once so listen carefully. I don't know what you think you are doing trying to hang out with Draco, tricking him into going to bars with you and stuff like that, but I'm warning you. Stay the hell away from my boyfriend! Next time you'll get more than a warning."

"But... He asked me out! Look, I didn't know the two of you were together. He didn't say anything about it."

"We were taking a break, but we're back together now. Not that it's your business at all. Well, I just wanted to warn you. And remember, I'll be watching you." She turned and walked out of the room. Ginny just stood there staring at her. What the hell was her problem? It wasn't like Ginny had done anything to her. She acted almost like Ginny had planned to steal Draco from her for months. Ginny didn't get what Draco was doing with someone like Blaise. She shrugged and went back to Hermione. She'd had fun, but she'd probably better stay away from Draco in the future. Malfoys meant trouble, that was what her parents had told her many years ago. They couldn't have been wrong, could they?