The Beginning of My Life

The slight feeling of resentment Harry had felt about Andria's apparent disregard for him vanished when he saw her. The upper half of the dress hung loosely as a halter top, while the middle held on to her body tightly and the rest of it flowed simply to the floor. It was a satiny, clear blue color that matched her eyes. It wasn't that she looked fantastic that made his feelings of rejection disappear: it was the sincere look in her eyes. She looked genuinely happy to see him.

"Andria, I've been alright." Harry smiled nervously. "What have you been up to?" She leaned on the bar next to him and ordered a glass of wine.

"I'm so sorry I haven't been to visit you," she lamented with a sigh. "Things have been so hectic at the ministry..." Harry mentally kicked himself for not realizing sooner. Of course! She works for the ministry...she even mentioned that the first time I met her. That's why I hadn't seen her around...I'm an idiot. Here I thought I'd scared her off somehow. Oh shit. She finished talking...pay attention to what she's saying, idiot.

"Oh, that's alright," he started trying to seem aloof, "I barely noticed." Shit. Now she'll think I didn't want to see her. "No, well, I noticed, of course," he added quickly. "I just mean, you know...um...it's fine," he finished lamely. She chuckled lightly.

"So do you need help or not?" Andria leaned over, picked up her wine and two champagne glasses, and waited for Harry to lead the way. Thankful for the change in conversation he made a path through the crowded tables.

* * * *

Ginny looked up and saw Harry coming back with the drinks. Jeez, took him long enough. She worried when he didn't return right away; he seemed somewhat melancholy during the evening so far. At second glance she noticed he seemed to be in higher spirits. Good. She smiled at him as he set down her glass.

"It's about time. Did you get lost on the way back?" Ginny teased. Harry apparently hadn't heard her as he was getting an extra chair placed next to him. A rather pretty dark-haired woman sat down next to him.

"Sorry, Arty sat down and talked to me for a bit and then I ran into Andria. This is Andria Stone by the way." He introduced Andria to the table, though Hermione, Ron, and Thomas already seemed to be acquainted with the girl. So this is the woman who made Harry depressed. Ginny held back a momentary glare.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed shortly after the introductions. "She's in my focus department, Harry, International Magical Cooperation." Andria nodded with a grin.

"I'm still between Magical Cooperation and Law Enforcement--haven't decided my focus yet," Andria added.

"I'm sure you're able to have two concentrations if you're sure you want to...that's quite a bit of work though, I'd imagine," Hermione responded thoughtfully. Andria turned her gaze to Harry, who was quietly sipping his drink.

He had been tense the whole evening until now. Ginny noticed a weight seemed to be lifted off of his shoulders as he finally joined in a conversation with Hermione and Andria--the first she had really seen him enjoy this night. Eventually the topic of conversation had switched to more trivial matters--the party, the food, the drinks, and so on. Ginny didn't pay much attention to the talking, she was busy observing Andria. Eventually, she came to the somewhat unsatisfactory conclusion that Andria was a nice person, charming, and easy-going. Ginny finally had to abandon her first misgivings about Andria's character; Harry seemed a lot more cheerful talking to her. That's what's most important anyways.

* * * *

As people were finishing their extravagant dinners, they happily began to fill the dance floor. Harry couldn't have been more surprised at the turn of events: the company of Andria certainly made the evening greater than he thought it would be. Somehow she managed to help him relax and enjoy the party--though maybe a bit too much. Harry was on his fifth or sixth drink along with Ron, Ginny, and surprisingly Andria as well. At first he was fairly shocked that the calm, kind Andria was the drinking type, but after the first few drinks he didn't think about it anymore. After all, everyone's entitled to let go once in a while.

Thomas and Hermione smirked with amusement as the absolutely flushed Ginny and Ron pulled both of them to the dance floor with enthusiasm. Harry and Andria watched on grinning and clinking glasses.

"You know," Andria began with a sly look, "you still owe me a flying lesson, don't you?" Harry laughed.

"I thought you had forgotten about that."

"Oh, no. I don't forget deals like that. I bought myself a broom weeks ago...even though I never made it to your place." She sipped her martini and Harry blushed from more than the alcohol. "After all, I can't let your last image of me be one where I had fallen flat on my back like an idiot." She chuckled to herself.

After a few more drinks, in an increasingly shorter amount of time, with a growing percentage of alcohol, Harry and Andria were laughing and joking about things Harry usually would not have wanted to discuss. He told her about how bored he'd been, he talked about how he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life now, and even how he had worried about scaring her off. At that last topic--the scaring her off bit--she nudged him playfully and called him an "idiot". He was beginning to feel that he could tell Andria anything, even if he wasn't completely smashed.

"This drink is excellent," Harry commented happily as he downed the rest of his scotch. Andria laughed.

"Is Mr. Harry Potter drinking a bit excessively? My god, it's warm in here." Andria started fanning herself with a napkin.

"Never," he replied vehemently. "It's just that I never thought I'd have this much fun at a ministry party...I feel like celebrating." Andria laughed harder.

"Isn't that the point of the party--to celebrate? Mind you, I don't mind if you get slightly inebriated. It's a party after all!" She held her glass up to Harry's empty one and swallowed the contents. "I think it's time we stole the dance floor." Harry looked into the crowd of people, who were probably also drunk, dancing exuberantly. The older wizards and witches seemed to have gone and left the party to Harry's generation. The elegant ministry celebration apparently took a turn more towards night club. The dinner tables had disappeared and were replaced with dark, comfortable chairs and mini tables lining the dance floor. The chandeliers had been turned off and the club lights had come on.

"It looks like we might die if we tried to get in there." He gestured toward a couple that nearly fell over trying to push their way through the mass of people. Andria stood and stretched her arms up over her head, almost falling over.

"Are you telling me that Harry Potter's afraid to die by the hands of a dancing mob?!" She looked at him sidelong and her lips curled into a devilish smile. Almost tripping over something nonexistent, she somehow managed to disappear into the crowd without hurting herself. Harry stood. He knew he couldn't dance, but at this moment in time he'd be damned before he let anyone tell him he's "afraid" to dance...or whatever she said. Taking a shot of vodka for extra measure, he ran into the crowd looking for Andria.

As he suspected, many of these wizards and witches were completely drunk--not that he could say much for himself. Harry may have been slightly seeing double, but he did notice that numerous witches randomly danced with him as he walked by, or attempted to walk by, and their accompanying wizards glared daggers until he was out of sight. After much stumbling followed by slurred apologizing, he finally caught sight of Andria who was dancing in a surprisingly sexy way. Her face was flushed, her eyes were closed, and her lips formed an enticingly evil smile. So far this night he'd just been relieved that he hadn't lost her as a new friend, but now the thoughts in his mind were swarming around something that simple "friends" definitely did not do. He blushed and quickly made his way through the dancing couples to get closer to her.

As he approached her he realized she wasn't dancing alone. His blood went cold when he heard that all too familiar voice...

"Well, well...I'm sorry Potter, but I'm already taken," Draco Malfoy sneered with that annoyingly amused smile of his. Draco's hands were on Andria's nicely defined hips and they were both swaying to the upbeat music. Fucking Malfoy bastard. Harry stood there for a second flaming with anger. He hadn't seen Malfoy since just before the final battle when he joined the Order. Deciding not to give Malfoy the satisfaction of rising to the bait, he lightly touched Andria's arm.

"Andria?" The sound of Harry's voice broke her dancing trance and she smiled up at him.

"It's about time you joined me, Harry!" she yelled happily over the music. "Meet my new friend, Draco. Oh, wait! You already know him don't you?" Andria suddenly began dancing with him again, and Malfoy gave Harry an arrogant smirk that Harry wanted to tear off of his face without the use of magic. His vision went blurry.

"Why don't you...go home, Potter?" Harry's temper flared. "We're trying to dance and I don't believe we need any help." He's trying to brush ME off? Son of a bitch...

Without thinking Harry grabbed Andria and pulled her close enough for him to feel her breathe against his chest. He did it so fast that they both almost fell over.

"Woooah!" Andria laughed dazedly. She looked behind her at an angry looking Draco Malfoy as if just remembering him, and smiled. "Oh, and have you met my date, Draco? Harry's here now...thanks for the dances though!" Malfoy gave them both a disgusted look before disappearing into the crowd. Andria looked at Harry with a shocked expression. "What did I say?" Harry would have laughed at Malfoy if he hadn't been so drunkenly happy that Andria had called him her "date".

* * * *

The dance floor was unbearably hot and Ron was ready to take Hermione, leave, and enjoy the rest of the night at home, alone with Hermione. He was grabbing their things off the table and noticed a ridiculous amount of empty drink glasses on Harry and Andria's side of the table. I better go make sure they're getting home alright. Still slightly buzzed, Ron tried to focus while looking over the heads of the dancing crowd for the completely wasted couple. Finally he found them stumbling out of the mass of people. He was shocked to realize that Harry had actually joined in the dancing. Harry and Andria were both laughing and dancing their way over to the table. Ron had never seen Harry like this before.

"Well if it isn't my best mate, Ron Weasley!" Harry exclaimed clapping Ron roughly on the back. "What?! You're leaving?!?!" Harry stepped back and Andria joined him in looking shocked and appalled at Ron. Wow, this is great. Ron laughed.

"Well you know how it is, Harry. Hermione and I want some...alone time now," Ron said in a conspirative tone looking sidelong at Hermione who was on the other side of the table looking for her purse. Harry squinted, looking in Hermione's direction, and nodded with Ron in an exaggeratedly knowing gesture.

"Ah! Of course, of course. We'll let you get going then," Harry whispered loudly and, along with Andria, gave him and Hermione a thumbs up. Ron was smiling broadly. I'm definitely reminding Harry of this later on.

"You're going to be able to get home right?" Ron remembered to ask. "You're not going to pass out on the ministry floor are you?" Andria shook her head.

"No, no, no. Don't you remember?! Arty had them set up temporary fireplaces in the other room for people who may not be able to apparate after the party," she responded while swaying from side to side. "I'll make sure your drunk friend gets home. Don't you worry!" Andria raised her hand in the air, as if swearing an oath.

"Oh, I believe you," Ron laughed and led Harry and Andria away from the table a bit. "Harry, you two better leave before Hermione notices how smashed you both are." Harry's eyes were large with concern. He grabbed Andria's arm and they scurried away with Andria looking rather confused. Hermione touched Ron's shoulder.

"Where did Harry go? I wanted to say goodbye." She pouted and Ron pulled her close for a tender kiss. "He's already gone home, how about we do the same?" Hermione blushed and they quickly left the building.

* * * *

Harry and Andria stopped running away from Ron when they found themselves in the floo room. There were dark, red brick fireplaces lining the room.

"Wow...this room is fantastic!" Harry commented while swirling around as if he didn't believe the number of fireplaces there. Andria grinned and sat down on the floor.

"You're intoxicated!" She exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at him. Harry sat down roughly on the floor next to her.

"Oh yeah?! What about you?" He nudged her shoulder slightly and she fell sideways on the floor. Still lying there, she reached out and nudged him back blindly. She laughed as he collapsed backwards.

"There! We're even," she said smugly. "Now, let's go home. You do know where you live right?"

"Pssssh...yeah. Of course I do. I live in a cottage away from everything..." Harry closed his eyes his voice drifted off. She nudged him with her foot.

"Oi! Don't fall asleep here. I told Ronald you wouldn't pass out here." Harry half-opened his eyes.

"You know...you don't seem like the type to get completely drunk," he mused from his lying down position on the floor. Andria sighed.

"Yes, I know. I'm a weird mix of nice and alcoholic...is that what you're saying?" Harry chuckled.

"Exactly." Andria tried to smack him, but her current position didn't allow her.

"To be honest, I feel like I never get the chance to just let loose. Perhaps that's not a good excuse for excessive drinking like tonight...ah well, come on. Get up. Let's go." Andria sat up and got to her feet only to find that Harry was sleeping comfortably on the floor. "Hey, you were awake two seconds ago! Get up!" Harry groaned and rolled over on his side. Great. He's out. How do I get him home? She considered flooing him to his place and then flooing to her house from his cottage, but a moment of dizziness told her she probably couldn't make too many trips tonight. She pulled her wand out and tried to levitate Harry to a fireplace, but stopped when she almost made him hit the mantle above the fireplace. Grabbing him by the shoulder she dragged him the rest of the way into the fireplace and threw down some floo powder.

* * * *

Ginny's tipsy feeling was dying down and she told Thomas she was ready to go home. They gathered their things from the table and saw that Ron and Hermione had gone home. As they were walking away, Ginny noticed the absurd amount of empty glasses on Harry and Andria's side of the table and that they hadn't even bothered to take their stuff home. She quickly picked up Harry's green-lined robe and Andria's purse with a twinge of annoyance and curiosity. How drunk are they?