Harry Potter and the Adventure He Affectionately Calls Life

Lana was the first to Floo her way into her house. Mikey, her golden retriever barked happily at the sight of her. Harry Floo-ed in next, and Mikey stared at him oddly. By the time Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Draco had arrived, Mikey was thrilled to be receiving pets from everyone.

Mary Weasley came down from the stairs. "Lana! Oh, Lana, you're home!"

"MOM!" Lana hugged her mother tightly.

"Goodness, Ron, look at you!" She hugged her nephew. "And Ginny! Goodness!" She kissed her forehead.

"Mom, this is Draco Malfoy, Ginny's boyfriend."

"No doubt Lucius' son?"

"Yes, ma'am," Draco answered politely.

"And," Lana pressed on. "Ron's girlfriend, Hermione Granger."

"Hi," Hermione said rather nervously.

"And this is Ron's best friend, and my boyfriend, Harry Potter."

"Hullo, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh," she scoffed. "You must all call me Mary." She smiled at the group. "You all look so tired! And Lana, your brother has gone out with the twins, and Michelle has been dying to see you."

"Michelle!" Lana squealed, hurrying out the front door. Lana's house was beautiful, the kind of house you saw in the magazines. It was a pleasant and homey shade of gray with a neatly manicured front lawn. If you peered into the backyard at just the right angle, you could see the pool, sparkling a dazzling shade of blue.

"Lana!" A small girl with blonde banana curls and twinkling blue eyes ran into Lana's arms. Lana picked her up and twirled her around as she giggled.

"Look at you!" Lana gushed, putting her down. "You've gotten so big!"

"I'm five now!' Michelle said, holding up five fingers. "That's a whole hand!"

Harry laughed.

"Who are you?" Michelle asked, noticing the strangers for the first time.

Lana took Michelle's hand. "This is my boyfriend, Harry."

"Ew. Boys have cooties."

Harry grinned.

"And that'n, Ginny, my friend Hermione--"

"Her-ny-nee?"

"Hermy."

"Oh." Michelle grinned, showing her missing tooth.

"And this is my friend Draco."

"You're pretty," Michelle said to Draco.

"I know," Draco responded, ruffling her hair.

"Lana used to be my baby sister," she explained to the gang.

"Sitter," Lana corrected. "Baby sitter." She turned to her friends. "Why don't we all go to the mall, then sleep early," she suggested. "You guys can't go around in Hogwarts robes and sweaters."

Forty-five minutes later, they were all at the mall. Harry, Ron, and Draco had decided to go together, leaving the girls to do their own shopping.

"Let's get identical bathing suits," Lana suggested.

"Oooh! That'll be fun!" Ginny looked excited.

They tried on suit after suit, never agreeing on which one to get. "We should have brought the boys along," Hermione suggested.

Lana rolled her eyes. "They'd like the ones that showed the most skin."

Finally they settled on solid black bikinis. They each purchased a cover up in a different color. Ginny picked red, Hermione picked orange, and Lana settled on yellow. As they passed another store, they saw a sporty looking white one piece, and each decided to buy that one, too. Lana picked a turquoise colored cover up, Hermione liked a blue that matched her necklace, and Ginny picked a shade of green that reminded her of palm trees.

Draco spotted Lana paying for her things and ran over to her. "All the shops here are so... Mugglish."

"Mugglish?"

"Mugglish."

Lana sighed. "Come with me," she said, as Harry, Ron, Draco, Hermione and Ginny followed her. They walked into a store with flashing pink neon lights. "A lot of Muggles shop here. They think it's cool." Lana shrugged.

"Oh. My. God," Ginny said. "Come here, quick!" Ginny was pointing to a poster of two men in Quidditch gear. "They look like Draco and Harry!"

Hermione looked closely at the poster. "It is Draco and Harry!"

Lana hurried over. "'Who's hotter'," she read. "'D. Malfoy or H. Potter?'" She chuckled. "I'm going to be biased and say that Harry's hotter."

"Give me that poster," Draco said. "I'll autograph it for you."

Ginny giggled, handing it over to Draco. "Write To Ginny, lots of love, Draco."

"No!" Lana said, snatching it from Draco and giving it to Harry. "I want Harry to autograph it."

"Er..."

"I have an idea," Hermione said. "Since that's the only poster there is, why don't you get it and cut it when you get home. Lana can have the Harry half, and Gin, you can take the Draco side."

"That's smart," Ron said, kissing Hermione.

Lana paid for the poster and sighed happily.

"Oh, cousin," Ginny said sweetly.

"Yes, cousin?"

"Hermione gets to cut the poster."

Lana rolled her eyes, grinning. "Fine."

They all slept immediately after dinner. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and there was a lot to do in such a short time.

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Lana had offered to help her mom with the cooking, but Mary had flat out refused. She had hired a whole bunch of house-elves to do the dirty work while she went to work. Apparently, even people in the American Magic Association didn't have off on Thanksgiving. So Lana, awake before everyone else, decided to bake cookies for her friends.

About an hour later, when the cookies were done and everything was cleaned up, her friends still weren't awake. Now what am I going to do? she wondered.

"Lana?" Draco muttered sleepily, coming down from the stairs. "What are you doing awake and alive so early?" His hair was messed up and he wore black silken pajama pants. His green robe was hastily thrown on, but not tied properly, so Lana had a very nice view of Draco's six-pack.

"What are you doing awake?"

"Your boyfriend snores. Loudly."

Lana giggled. Draco had put up a fuss about having to room with Harry while they were staying. Hermione and Lana were sharing a room, as Lana's bedroom was big enough for two. Ginny and Ron were sharing a room, and the twins had a room to themselves, but they were in Miami strictly on business.

"It's not funny!" he insisted, peering over at the cookies on the table. "What's this?" He picked one up. "Aw.. how cute. Personalized coasters!"

Lana whacked him. "They're cookies, genius."

Draco looked at the cookies, then at Lana, then at the cookies again. "No comment."

"Oh, shut up."

"Draco, what are you doing?" Ginny asked, coming down and kissing him on the cheek. Lana smiled at Ginny and how happy she was with Draco. Ginny peered at the cookies Lana had just baked. "Ooh! Coasters!"

"Oh, forget it," she grumbled. "You two are useless."

"What's all the fuss about?" Harry mumbled, plopping down onto a chair.

"Potter, you snore."

"I do not!" Harry said, looking slightly insulted.

"No, really, you do."

"Do what?" Ron looked confused.

; Lana greeted him.

"Don't call me that," he responded automatically. "Harry, what don't you do."

"Snore," Draco and Harry said in unison.

"Oh. Yeah, you do. Sorry, mate."

"Oh!" Hermione came down in pink pajamas. "You're all awake!"

"'Mione, my best friend," Harry said, taking her hands in his. "I need to ask you something."

Hermione looked at Ron and Lana quizzically. "Yes?"

"Do I snore?"

Hermione laughed. "Yes. And you also think I'm Aunt Petunia."

Harry dropped her hands immediately, and everyone laughed this time.

"Okay," Draco said. "I have an idea. There are three couples. There are three rooms."

"My mom would have a heart attack if she ever found out that her sleeping arrangements were messed up."

"What she doesn't know can't hurt her."

Lana considered this. "Continue, Oh Wise Slytherin."

"So Potter moves into Lana's room, Ginny moves into my room, and Granger and Weasley have a room to themselves."

There was a moment of silence as everyone considered this.

"Maybe we should just stick to the way things are," Harry said. "But during the day... Lana's room belongs to us." He kissed her.

"Ginny can come into the room when Potter's not there," Draco said.

"And Hermione and Ron can have the other room," Ginny finished. &qquot;

Harry grinned. "I know."

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The boys were outside lounging on pool chairs while they were waiting for the girls to come out. They had all purchased the same bathing suit, but still insisted on modeling them.

"Ugh," Draco said aloud while he waited. "Look at me."

"Hmm... If I looked like you, Malfoy," Harry said with a smirk on his face. "I'd have the same reaction."

"Oh, sod off."

Michelle came running from inside the house in a bright pink bathing suit with a tutu. "They're ready," she said. "They're ready, they're ready, they're ready!"

"Okay, okay, okay!" Harry said, hoisting her off the ground.

"Hey! Lana said I have to be the announcer."

"Okay," Harry agreed, putting her down. "Be the announcer."

"Okay." Michelle took a deep breath and held her plastic Barbie microphone up. "Lana, Ginny, Herm." She bowed.

Lana, Ginny, and Hermione all came out wearing identical white bathing suits and a cover in a different shade of blue or green. They had all braided their hair into pigtails and tucked a flower behind their ears.

"Wow," Draco said, staring at them. "Just... wow."

Harry stood up and clapped.

"And thanks to Michelle!" Lana said cheerfully.

Michelle bowed again. "Throw me," she said to Lana, lifting her arms.

"No, 'Shell, not now."

Michelle turned to Draco. "Mister! Will you throw me?"

Draco looked at Lana. "Can I?"

"Go ahead. I've been doing it to her since she was three."

"Okay..." He picked Michelle up and threw her in. She surfaced a few seconds later giggling hysterically. "Again! Again!"

Draco laughed. "Hold on." He turned to the others. "Aren't you coming in?"

"It's cold!" Ginny said.

Hermione dipped her foot in. "It is! It's freezing!"

"No it's not!" Lana argued, dipping her own foot in. "It's fine."

"Yeah?" Draco asked, grinning. "Then why don't you be the first one in?" He picked her up the way he had done to Michelle just a few seconds earlier.

"Draco Malfoy, put me down this instant," Lana shrieked. "I mean it!" She turned to Harry, who was watching the scene with an amused smile on his face.

"Sorry, hun," he said. "This is hilarious."

"One..." Draco rocked her back and forth and he started the countdown.

"No! Draco!"

"Two..."

Ginny and Hermione looked on and grinned at each other, and Ron was wiping away tears of laughter.

"Three!" He threw her in with a big splash.

"DRACO MALFOY, I'LL KILL YOU!" she declared when she hauled herself out. "YOU'RE DEAD!"

"Oh, shit!"

"I'm telling my mommy," Michelle told him, although no one heard. Lana was now chasing Draco around, and Harry and Ron were trying to stop Draco from getting away.

"Here, hun," Harry said, grabbing Draco's arms. "Ron, get his legs." Ron did as he was told, and they dangled him from the edge of the pool.

"Alright, alright, I'll say sorry," Draco said pleadingly.

"Malfoys don't apologize, remember?" Harry asked, smiling at the memory.

"This one does, remember?" Draco countered.

"Wait!" Lana said, stopping them. "Draco, can you swim?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "Why?"

"Just answer."

"Yes..."

"Throw him in, boys."

Ginny and Hermione clapped their hands and laughed as Draco was thrown in. He swam out muttering something about chlorine and how bad it was for blondes.

"Your turn, ladies," he said angelically, shoving them into the pool. "And Weasley-" in Ron went, too. "And Potter."

"No, not Harry."

"Why not?"

"Harry can't swim. Not well, anyway."

Draco glared at Harry. "You're off the hook, Potter. For now, anyways." He grinned. "But by the time we go back to Hogwarts, I get to throw him into the pool.

"Deal?" He extended his hand to Harry.

"Deal," Harry said, allowing Draco to help him to his feet before he shoved the already-wet Slytherin back into the pool.

"Gryffindors," he muttered. "Can't live with 'em'; can't live without 'em."

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"Dad, can you please pass the mashed potatoes?" Lana asked at dinner (which, by the way, was amazing) that evening.

Dad, Draco mused. Mom. Not father or mother. He looked around, seeing everyone dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. No one all dressed up with nowhere to go. Lana was telling her father about life at Hogwarts. Her mother and older brother, Al, were listening to her. The twins were discussing business. Potter and Weasley were chatting about the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw next week, and Ginny and Granger were planning on how she should wear her hair on the opening night of Liberation. Everyone's so tight-knit, Draco thought, thinking of how he could go for weeks without a word from his father.

"So, Draco,&quoher asked with a gleam in his eye. "What's it like to be a Slytherin with five Gryffindors?"

Draco laughed. "They're going to turn me into a goody-two shoes," he joked. "Father will probably disown me."

Joe laughed heartily. Draco liked Joe; he was everything Lucius Malfoy wasn't. He was kind and loving, and Draco could see where Lana's compassion had come from. Joe managed to make everyone feel welcome. "Well, you keep Lana in check for me," he said to Draco. "We haven't received an owl since August. Not one."

"I think I sent you one, dad."

"Yeah, when you reached your Aunt Molly's. That's it."

"I've been busy."

"Right."

"I have!"

Draco smiled at the sight of Lana and her parents arguing. They lived in a nice Muggle home, but had the benefits of the wizarding world and had wizarding jobs. He thought of how lonely his mother must be, and it was odd because he had never thought of it before seeing Mary and Joe. If father saw me in Muggledom, he wouldn't disown me. He'd probably cut off my head and mount it by the fire place. And if he knew I was in love with a Weasley... damn...

The telephone rang in the other room. "I'll get it," Lana offered, rushing. "Hello...?"

Draco thought of his mother just then, remembering that she had installed a telephone in secret at the Manor. Draco would have to call her later.

He looked at the feast on the table. Crabbe and Goyle would love this, he thought, wondering what they were up to. He hadn't seen much of them lately; these Gryffindors took up too much time.

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"Today, Mr. Potter," Lana announced, looking heart-achingly beautiful in a solid black bikini and a yellow cover-up. "You are going to learn to swim. And I-" she grinned proudly. "Am going to teach you."

&quoked at Lana warily.

"Nice knowing you, mate," Ron said solemnly.

"I heard that!"

"You were meant to."

Lana ignored him. "C'mon, Harry."

Harry followed her into the shallow end of the pool. "Where's Hermione?" he asked Ron.

"Cooking cookies." He looked at his cousin and grinned. "Properly."

Lana threw a floating tube at him. "Shut up!"

Ginny came out wearing her black bikini and a red cover that matched her hair. Draco drew in his breath. Ginny was no Lana, but she still looked hot. Draco took her in his arms and kissed her passionately, ignoring the groan and "get a room" that came from Ron.

"Wow," Ginny said breathlessly. "What was that for?"

Draco swept her off of her feet and carried her inside the house. She laced her arms around his neck and gazed lovingly into his eyes as he carried her into his room. He placed her on his bed and kissed her, his hands instinctively reaching for the ties of her bikini top.

He was surprised that Ginny didn't even attempt to stop him. Her hands moved, but they reached to undo the buttons on his silky blue shirt. It slid off in a matter of seconds, and Ginny sighed contentedly against his lips.

Now that the bikini top was gone, Draco's hands traveled around her body. She was pale where she had been covered by the swim-suit. He focused now on the bottom of her suit. Draco had been pulling strings to get what he wanted all his life; Ginny's bikini strings should not have been any different. And they weren't, for Ginny again made no attempt to stop him as that, too, came off.

A few seconds later, they were both naked. "Ginny..." he said in between gasps of air. "Do you want me to do this?"

"Yes," she gasped back. "I do."

For a Weasley, Draco realized, she wasn't half bad at this. And that, too, for a Weasley virgin. Well, not a virgin anymore, on account of Draco, but that was a different story.

Ginny's nimble fingers ran up and down his spine; Draco left little kisses of fire all around her neck and chest. Draco pressed his lips against her collar bone, afraid of what he would call out when it was over.

But she shifted underneath him, and Draco couldn't help but cry out, "I love you. Oh, God, Lana, I love you so much."

He rolled off of her and panted as she hid under the covers, her eyes wide and blue against her pale skin.

"Ginny," she said, staring at him in shock. "I'm Ginny."

"Oh," Draco said, still breathing heavily. "Right."

Harry stuck a piece of paper in Draco's face when he walked into their shared room that night. "Fdiv>

"G'night." He got into bed and pulled the covers around him. "Good night, Mother. Good night, father, wherever you are. Good night, Lana. I'm still in love with you."

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Ginny ran after Harry. She knew exactly where he was headed: To tell Ron about what had happened between her and Draco. "Harry!"

Harry had just been about to knock on the door. "Hmm?"

"Don't tell him."

Harry stared at her. "Why not? He needs to know! You're his sister."

"I know." She reached up and pulled his hand away from the door. "And he's enjoying a vacation with Hermione. I don't want to ruin it. We're going back to Hogwarts tonight, anyway, so I'll just tell him when we get back."

"What about your vacation being ruined?" he asked, heading downstairs, Ginny following him.

"Okay, so it's already ruined. But watching Ron try to murder Draco would only make it worse."

Harry looked at her and smiled. "Malfoy didn't deserve you, Ginny. You're one of the bravest and warm-hearted people I know."

"I'm not brave," Ginny said.

"Sure you are. You surely remember Tom Riddle?"

Ginny's eyes were downcast.

"Hey." He used his index finger to left her chin up. "No need to be ashamed of it, Gin. You were young. You didn't know."

Ginny snorted. "A talking diary. How many of those do you see in the bookstore?"

"Thousands," Harry said, grinning.

"Right. I forgot." She looked at him and smiled. "You're alright, Potter," she said, smiling again.

"Well, your brother, his cousin, and his girlfriend all seem to think so. And, well, yeah... I guess I am."

Ginny burst out laughing. "Don't get too ahead of yourself."

"So what's actually going on with you and Malfoy? You're not going to stand by his side, are you?"

Ginny sighed sadly. "I love him, Harry. He broke my heart into a million pieces, but I love him. And he loves Lana." Ginny sat. "You know, I don't get it. You love Lana, and there's nothing wrong with you!"

"You and I were never together. Maybe that's why."

"We could have been," Ginny grumbled. "If you hadn't been such a stubborn asshole when you were twelve." She grinned.

"Oh, please. I was twelve."

"So? I was eleven!"

"And they say that girls are two years more mature than boys, so you were thirteen."

"I thought men liked older women."

Harry burst out laughing, and Ginny laughed, too. "Thanks, Harry," she said, standing up. "I needed that."

"Anytime. You're my girlfriend's cousin. You're my best friend's sister. And you're my friend, too. I think it means I'm obligated to listen to you, whether I like it or not."