Iniquity

Part IV

October 31st, 2000

The night of Halloween, Pansy and Blaise drag him to a nightclub to celebrate, all dressed up in costumes. Pansy has purchased the costumes, two devil outfits for the boys and a slutty angel costume for herself.

They take firewhisky shots first before moving to tequila and finally some shitty Muggle vodka. It burns going down his throat, but it does make it easier for him to stand Pansy grinding on him. The music is roaring in his ears and he shuts his eyes as he moves to the sound, bodies swaying all around him and he thinks, Gods, I want her.

He and Blaise take two more vodka shots before Blaise begins to feel sick. Haphazardly, Draco drags his intoxicated friend to the men's room, holding his shoulders as Blaise disperse the contents of his stomach into the waste tin.

"I'm alright, mate, I'm fine," Blaise mumbles, waving his hand in front of Draco's face. "Don't you worry about me."

"I'm not gonna leave you here puking like an infant," Draco huffs, wincing as Blaise spits into the waste tin. "Want some water?" He gets Blaise a cup of water from the tap and Blaise drinks it thankfully. It takes several minutes for him to steady himself and once he does, the two ex-slytherins exit the loo and begin to take shots once more.

As the liquid burns down his throat, Draco tries to right himself, but the world is slightly topsy turvy, and all he can think of is Granger's long neck and slender fingers and he fumbles for his wand.

"Draco, let's dance!" Pansy hollers, coming up behind him, her hands snaking around his waist.

He spins around in her arms, grabbing her face and yanks her forward. "I don't want you. Don't you get it?" he snarls, the alcohol fueling his rage. "I never have."

He releases her and she begins to cry as he Apparates.

-

He lands on his side in front of Flourish and Blotts hard and he gasps at the sudden pain in his left shoulder. Swearing under his breath, Draco stands, wobbling slightly as the alcohol runs itself through his veins. He clumsily enters the shop and the sound of the bell ringing causes him to cringe.

"What in Godric's name are you doing here?" Granger asks, and he turns to see her sitting at the counter, a quill in hand and her journal spread out in front of her.

"Hello, lovely," Draco replies. He knows he'll be cursing himself in the morning for calling her that. "Happy Halloween."

She rolls her eyes and licks her thumb before flipping a page and his heart does a little stutter in his chest. Pausing, she glances between him and her journal before slowly closing the journal and leaning against her palm.

"Is there something you need?" she drawls, looking over his exterior and he realizes he's standing in front of her in his costume.

You, on your knees.

"The party I was at became dry," he muses, looking around the shop to find he and Granger are not alone. Several witches and wizards line the bookshelves, all dressed in varying costumes, and he turns back to her. She shrugs, noticing his line of sight. "Did Mayjoy approve this?" he scoffs, and she shoots him a glare. "I don't doubt it, just curious."

"Well, to answer your curiosity, it was my idea to stay open until midnight for Halloween," she replies, glancing at the clock. "And it seems like that time is rapidly approaching, meaning you should produce your exit soon."

A witch with a tutu and ballet slippers slung over her shoulder approaches the counter, placing a book on the wood, and Draco steps back, watching as Granger rings up the girl, slipping the book into a brown paper bag.