What Happened to Ginny

Chapter 11
Only Crazy People Talk to Themselves

A/N: My muse is simple girl. All she likes are plot bunnies and reviews. So be kind to Maggie and feed her review cookies please. Big thanks to my beta Lbandoly for her hard work.

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Diagon Alley on a late Saturday evening was a veritable throng of people. Today was no different. There were witches and wizards of all ages pushing their way through the Alley. Realizing she had yet to eat she turned around and headed for the Leaky Caldron. She went in and ate a quiet dinner in the corner away from anyone that might question her about the picture in the newspaper. Tom had served her personally and didn’t so much as mention a word of the article.

She left as soon as she ate, not wanting to stay around any longer than she had to. After all she wanted to let go and have fun, not sit about and be questioned by any and everyone in wizarding London. Ginny made her way through the mess as quickly as possible moving in the direction of the entrance to Knockturn Alley. All she wanted to do was get to AK and down the first glass of Firewhisky she could find.

It didn’t occur to her till she was halfway down Knockturn that it was Luna that had gotten them past the line that led into the popular club the night before. How was she supposed to get in this time? It wasn’t likely that Goyle was still working. Even if he was, he wasn’t likely to just let her in.

Standing in the alley in front of the row of clubs that led to AK she noted with some relief that the lines weren’t nearly as long as they had been the night before. “Oh well if I have to stand in line, then I’ll just have to wait won’t I.”

“You know, talking to yourself isn’t considered a good thing. Witch or not, it’s still a sign of being crazy.”

Ginny whipped around to face the voice that has snuck up on her. “Draco.”

Her gaze met the smirking face of the previous night’s entertainment. “Hullo Ginny.”

“Sweet Merlin. Don’t you have anything better to do with your time other than sneaking up on me?”

“Not really, no.”

“You need a life Mr. Malfoy.”

“I do not. I have a perfectly nice life. Though I also have a front lawn full of reporters wanting to know if you’re gonna be the next Mrs. Malfoy.”

She couldn’t repress a groan. “Thankfully I haven’t. But I did have Ron and my mum to deal with. Who the hell hangs out in streets taking pictures of people at four in the bloody morning anyhow?”

“People with no lives.”

“Obviously.”

“Did your parents take the blood feud news okay?”

“Better than expected. Dad didn’t seem fazed by it at all. Mum on the other hand seemed less worried about the blood feud than she was me spending time with the ‘son’s of deatheaters’.” A vague look of regret passed over his face at that particular comment. She gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry. God I’ve never wanted to hit anyone as badly as I wanted to hit her. My own mother. Oh god I wanted to hit my own mother. What sort of person does that make me?”

“You need a drink.”

“I need the whole ruttin bottle. I can’t believe I wanted to hit my own mother.”

“You get used to it after a while.” He looked at the shocked expression on her face and laughed. “Or maybe not, you’re a Gryff after all.”

She just shook her head at the blond. “Where you on your way to AK when you stopped to point out that I’m showing signs of insanity?”

“Why yes Weaselette I was. Care to join me?” He extended his arm in invitation.

Slipping her arm around his she smiled. “Please and thank you.”

Ginny had been correct. Goyle wasn’t working the door, Crabbe was. They stopped for a second for Draco to speak to him. She couldn’t help but overhear them.

Crabbe cut her a look that would kill. “Why is that blood traitor here?”

“Cause she wants to be. You know we don’t turn away purebloods, no matter what their status.”

“The picture in the Prophet?”

“None of your business.”

“If you say so Malfoy.”

“See that Goyle knows that if he sees her, that she is not to wait in line. She’s my guest. Don’t make her wait.”

“Whatever Draco.”

“Just do it.”

Crabbe sneered at them before lifting the velvet cord to allow them in. “Will do Mr. Malfoy.” Ginny didn’t think she had ever seen either Crabbe or Goyle actually sneer at Draco during all their years together at Hogwarts. It was more than a little disconcerting.

The duo made there way into the club. The dark thrum of an unfamiliar song resonated threw the club. Draco stopped a waitress on the way through the crowd. “Bring two bottles of Old Ogdens, one of Jack Daniels, and one of Grey Goose to my table.” The waitress nodded and headed for the bar.

“Planning on getting trashed Malfoy?”

“No, you are though. You already said you needed the whole bottle and I thought I told you to use my first name last night.”

She blushed at the thought of what they had been doing when he had given her that particular instruction. “You did.”

“Then do it.”

The two pushed their way through the crowded club, heading straight for the upper lever corner nook that the group had been gathered in the night before. It was mostly deserted; only Pansy and Theodore preceded them.

Draco seemed rather surprised. “Nott, where is Blaise?”

“Back room, passed out. He’s been there since we left for lunch.”

“Lovegood with him?”

“Of course.”

Ginny watched the interaction between the two of them. Their half sentences and unspoken conversation reminded her of her brothers. But she had the oddest feeling since the conversation Draco had with Crabbe that she was missing some very important detail about Draco. ‘Oh well, no point in wasting energy worrying about it.’

The waitress delivered the bottles of liquor that Draco requested along with a bucket of ice. “Will that be all?”

Draco nodded and gave a terse yes. The waitress turned and left without another word.
Ginny reached for the nearest bottle of Ogdens and poured herself a healthy double. ‘Yep it’s gonna be a nice night.’