Head over heels

New chapter dears! BTW, this story is somewhat DH compliant. I just choose to reverse a few deaths and I totally ignored the epilogue!


******

Draco woke up with his head pounding. It felt like a rat crawled up his throat and died. He swallowed. Yep, that rat did die, probably a very gory death. Boy, that smelled.

When he sat up, the room started to spin. Apparently he had enough common sense to close the curtains last night. He didn’t even remember how he came home. He did remember the bloody bet though. Easy enough, as long as he didn’t bump into Granger this month it should be fine.

After brushing his teeth and showering, he went to get himself coffee. He lazily strolled into the kitchen and pressed the button of the coffee machine. There were a few muggle inventions that could enrich a wizards life and Draco didn’t hesitate to use them.

The Daily Prophet had been delivered already. It was folded neatly and was delivered on his balcony. With a mug of coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other he walked towards the living room. He sunk down in the couch and took a sip of the hot liquid.
Drinking coffee in the morning always made Draco feel better, especially after a night of too many fire-whiskeys. He had plenty of those: Blaise and Theo always dragged him along on their many nights of drinking. Most of the time they (tried) to appearate to whatever home was nearest or called a cab. Yes, called, Draco Malfoy owned a cell phone. All aurors did really.

He glances at the Daily Prophet.

“Terence Higgs gives to charity for War Orphans!” screamed the headline. A picture was plastered underneath, which showed a shaggy blonde in neat dressrobes and a lopside smile on his face, showing off his white teeth. He shook hands with the owner of the orphanage.

Draco frowned. He had donated large sums of money every year since the war, but that never made the headlines. Of course not, he was a death eater. Once a death eater, always a death eater.

Terence Higgs, the name sounded so familiar. Oh, right. He was in Slytherin as well, a year before Draco. He had been Slytherin seeker. At least, before Draco decided he wanted to be seeker and replaced Higgs. Higgs had harboured a grudge against him ever since. Whenever Higgs spotted him somewhere, he gave Draco a glare and a wide berth.
He read the article. Apparently Higgs was the newest owner of Flourish&Blotts. He bought the store about a year ago, at the same time Books&Cleverness was opened in Diagon Alley.

Books&Cleverness, wasn’t that Granger’s store? Probably, Draco thought, given the name. If Higgs was promoting his store so freely, Granger was going to fight a real war to keep her store open. It seemed the public loved Higgs, seeing as he was front page news.
He sighed. Whatever, he needed to take his mind of things and do something productive.

*****

This was how his free Saturdays should be spent: sitting in the Feisty Goat, a Wizarding pub in Diagon Alley, with Theo and Blaise, talking about everything and nothing at all.

“Are you even listening?” Blaise asked drily. Draco glanced at him.

“Yeah sure, you were talking about how you don’t think you should work,” Draco was listening, just not very interested. Blaise despised working, so he didn’t. He was content with sipping more firewhiskey and staring into nothingness.

“So what are you doing to do about the bet?” Theo asked while taking a swig of his firewhiskey.

“Nothing.” Draco said.

“Nothing?” Blaise asked.

“Nothing.”

“Shouldn’t you have some plans?” Theo asked with a small smile. Draco huffed.

“Of course not. I’m going to continue like I have for the past few...years and that’s it. Weasley has a girlfriend, he is in much more trouble than I am.” Blaise actually laughed out loud. “You think this is funny?”

“You have to admit, it is. Come on man, you’re twenty two. In the prime years of your life and you only had one shag. We should rectify that, don’t you think Theo? Maybe we could find a nice looking Witch for you. Or Muggle for that matter. Would be easier, they don’t know who you are.”

Theo snickered.

“And afterwards we could enjoy your lovely singing and pink hair,” he added.

“Forget it. I am going to win this bet and you know it. The only thing that could led me astray is Granger and she isn’t likely to show up all of the sudden,” Draco said.

“But what if Weasley tells Granger about your little secret and decides it would be funny payback for all the things you said to her in our innocent years?” Blaise said.

Draco hadn’t thought of that. But Weasley wouldn’t do that, he wanted to win this on his own.

“Nah, Weasley wouldn’t scoop that low. That would be too Slytherin for him.”

“Then let us hope that Granger will keep her distance and you’ll be fine.” Theo said and raised his glass. Draco and Blaise followed.

“Hear hear!”

******

Draco stumbled into the living room and kicked off his shoes.

“Just a tad bit tipsy,” he said to himself as he dropped down on the couch. His eyes closed and he began to doze off until a loud, screeching noise next to his ear interrupted his stupor. He literally flew off the couch.

“What?!” he screamed. On the arm-rest sat an owl, impatiently shaking his left wing. A letter was attached to his leg. It took a few seconds for Draco to recognize him. It was Diablo, his parents owl. Great, just what he needed. Parental meddling.

‘Dear Draco,’ the letter said, ‘We haven’t heard from you in a while. It would be nice if you came to visit tomorrow. We expect you for brunch at eleven. Love, your mother’.

That was a short one. Great, they were pissed at him. His mum was right though, it had been a few weeks since he visited. What did they expect? He had a life. A life that consisted of drinking firewhiskey in the pub and working, but it was a life nonetheless!

He wrote back a short note telling them he’d be there and sent the owl off. Diablo was a horrible, old, foul-tempered owl. Draco was surprised the beastie wasn’t dead yet. Serves him right, Draco thought.

He laid down on the couch and fell asleep in mere seconds.

*******
Next chapter will be up soon! R&R!