Quarrels & Loves

A Pirate's Tavern Song: Part I

Summary: Okay, so maybe folklore and men's bullshit prevented her from actually sailing, but Hermione was not so put off as to avoid the harbour front entirely.

A Pirate AU.

"I'll go bloody deaf in here before the night's out," Ginny exclaimed, raising her voice to be heard over all the drunken songs and shouts. The sound echoed through the small tavern and if Hermione hadn't been so high on the feeling of it, she would have shut the sailors up ages ago.

"You have weak ears!" Hermione yelled back, leaning over the bar counter to smirk at Ginny. She handed a flagon of beer to a man on her right and told Ginny, "They're no louder than usual."

Ginny gave her a look and adjusted her skirt as a drunk sailor stumbled behind her. He grumbled a song under his breath, swaying dangerously close to Ginny and spilling rum down his front. Ginny ignored him.

"I'll beg to differ," she replied. She kicked her foot back casually and the drunk that had been looming closer and closer fell to the ground with a loud crash. Ginny grinned wickedly at Hermione, but Hermione said nothing. "One of these days Harry'll shut you down because of those touchy drunks."

"Harry'll shut me down when the east wind blows backward," Hermione snorted. She handed Ginny two pints of beer and gestured to a table in the corner. "Finnigan's tab is open and those two want the full menu."

Ginny rolled her eyes and with an inaudible groan, she turned to deliver the beers to the two men.

Hermione returned to her work behind the bar. Rolling back her sleeves, she squatted down behind the counter and grabbed hold of the two handles on either side of a new barrel of rum. She kept a tight hold and leaned back, slowly pulling the barrel out from its hiding spot. Standing back up, she scanned the tavern for Harry and Ron who were getting close to drunk. Another hour and they'd be useless at lifting the rum up to where she could dispense it.

"Drunken bastards," she grumbled, grabbing a wash towel and wiping her hands on it. She made her way around the bar and over to where Harry was gallantly telling the tale of his most recent raid and Ron was nodding along excitedly.

As soon as Harry's eyes landed on Hermione, he stopped in the middle of his story and grinned.

"Mione! I think I have a story great enough for you to make into a book!" he exclaimed. His beer sloshed around in his flagon and Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. Maybe he was already too drunk to help. "We were just passing through Gibraltar on our way to Marakesh—"

"Harry, I got a barrel that needs liftin'," Hermione interrupted, crossing her arms in front of her. "Think you could break away for a half of a minute?"

"Don't think I could lift anything other than my flagon," Harry said cheerfully. He held his flagon of beer over his head and grinned sloppily at her.

"Drunk," she said, narrowing her eyes. Harry looked unapologetic and returned to telling his story with just as much vigor. She'd have to hope that night's barrel of rum lasted then.

Hermione turned around to go back to the bar, but was stopped as five unfamiliar men ducked into the tavern. While unfamiliar faces weren't all that surprising, it was odd to see so many step in all at once and so late into the evening. She scanned their faces, wondering if there were any she recognised, but came up completely blank. None of them had stepped into her tavern before.

As she walked behind the bar counter, the five men made themselves comfortable. A brunet hung his cloak on the peg board and another dropped into an empty seat by the door. Hermione busied herself with pouring new flagons of rum and beer, but she didn't miss the way the blond one gestured to the bar. Just as she turned around to shout for Ginny, the blond man appeared in front of her.