** I don't own the characters and some places. They belong to J.K. Rowling. I am simply borrowing them. But the ideas are purely mine. Thank you and now, enjoy. ES <3 **

10. Amen

Ginny decided to blame all the day’s misfortune on Merlin; Merlin was definitely, most definitely, the cruelest being ever to exist. She believed that he had something out for her, something seriously horrible, of course; there was no other way to explain it all.

She leaned back against her couch as she heard both Luna and Neville arguing about “the stupidity of reporters to believe a mouthful of crazy lies” as they rummaged through her kitchen; looking for what, she had no idea. She inhaled, running her hands through her hair and closed her eyes.

Her life was never simple. She couldn’t just have a peaceful and easy life. No, she had to have an unfaithful, famous ex-boyfriend and a lying, backstabbing ex-best friend.

Life just was not fair to her.

She bit her lip sadly as she watched Draco Malfoy walk towards her and sit beside her on the couch.

“Good thing I saw you.” he frowned at her troubled expression.

“Good thing really, you guys almost had to come visit me in Azkaban.” she sighed.

Draco smirked, “If there hadn’t been so many witnesses, I would have helped. Potter still gets under my skin.”

“He’s such a liar.” Ginny said darkly.

“Yes, he is,” he agreed as he patted her leg softly then inhaled, exhaled loudly and stood up, “You know what? I know just what’ll make you feel better!”

She eyed him suspiciously and in the corner of her eye, she noticed Luna and Neville both come out of the kitchen most likely curious to see what Draco was talking about.

“Sex is not the answer, Draco.” Ginny reprimanded him jokingly.

“Well, there goes that idea,” he sighed and then sat back on the couch.

“Are you serious?” Ginny jumped up. “That was your solution to making me feel better?”

“You’ve obviously never had sex before.” he mumbled and crossed his arms.

“You are serious!” She stared at him in shock.

“No, I’m not serious. Do you honestly believe that sex is my answer to everything?” he asked, a pout on his lips.

Ginny stared at him; she couldn’t drop the fact that he looked so bloody adorable when he pouted. Damn, Draco was getting into her head and he needed to get out.

“Is it really that hard to answer? Dammit, Ginny! Really?” he jumped up and stared down at her. She stood up to him with her hands on her hips.

“Yes, yes it is that hard to answer!” She hissed.

“Fine, forget it.” he walked to her fireplace. She watched him.

He muttered something and then her fireplace roared to life, opening her floo system. She gasped as Draco stepped into the fire, whispered a name and then disappeared.

Ginny stared at her empty fireplace in surprise. He left because she had offended him.

“Good job, you grump.” She closed her eyes and dropped back onto the couch.

She sighed and rubbed her temples. She was getting a headache.

It’s all Harry’s fault.

~.~.~

“Blaise, Pansy, come to my house now.” Draco called into the fireplace at his home back at Malfoy Manor. He paced excitedly in front of his fireplace as he waited for his other best friends to arrive. He’d stayed in touch with the two after the Final Battle at Hogwarts.

The fireplace roared to life and a tall, thin black man stepped out of the fireplace. The man smiled widely at Draco. He had high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes. His dark eyes shined as he smiled. He was dressed impeccably well with black dress pants and a silvery-grayish dress shirt; the black tie loose around his neck.

Draco smirked at him and reached out to shake his hand when the man pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

“Blaise, mate, I can’t breathe.” Draco chocked out.

“Draco! How have you been? I haven’t seen you in…” Blaise ignored him.

“A week, now let go!” Draco growled.

Blaise was tall at a little over six feet, which made him taller than Draco.

“I really hope this is something serious because I’ve just met the man of my dreams, Draco!” Blaise hissed, hands on his hips.

Blaise Zabini was fully out of the broom closet. All the Slytherins had known but Blaise hadn’t until recently when he met a man. The two had dated for a while but then Blaise had called it off. Everyone had figured it had been a phase but Blaise loved being gay. And it fit him. He was happy.

Oddly enough, Draco was jealous. No, not that he wanted Blaise but because he was happy and Draco…well, Draco was used to getting everything he ever wanted and now the one thing he wanted immensely he couldn’t have.

Life was a cruel bastard.

“Draco, darling, please make this quick. I was occupied.” Pansy Parkinson’s voice broke Draco out of his thoughts. He hadn’t even heard her arrive.

Draco turned to look at Pansy. She was tall, thin and elegant. Everything he should want but didn’t. Actually, for a while, before Lucius had ended up in Azkaban, Pansy and Draco had been engaged; yes, an arranged marriage. The Malfoy and Parkinson families had been close for centuries. And they were also two of the purest pureblood families since the beginning of time.

Pansy huffed as she brushed soot off of her expensive green sundress. Her black hair was styled graceful in a French twist and her dark eyes lined with makeup.

Draco and Pansy had called off the engagement as soon as Lucius was hiked off to Azkaban. He didn’t want it and neither did Pansy even though when they were children, she’d been completely smitten with him. After the split, they stayed friends of course. Not that there had been any romantic feelings between the two.

Draco looked at his two closest friends and grinned. They’d changed so much in the last year and a half. Blaise and Pansy both had grown up; well, truthfully, they all had. After Voldemort’s defeat, his true followers were collected and the others had to prove their allegiance was forced. Which for some, it was; Draco’s included. Even though his father was scum, he was still family. He didn’t want to his parents to die and in order to protect them, he’d been forced to do things he didn’t want.

But that was neither here nor there.

Things changed and now he was in control of his life.

“Draaaaaaco,” Pansy waved her hand in front of his face. “Please, tell us! I don’t have all day.” she whined.

Draco’s eyes narrowed at her. “Patience, Pansy.”

She huffed in annoyance and rolled her eyes. “Yes, Lord of all the Magical World.” she bowed mockingly.

“Yes, Master Draco, do tell.” Blaise bowed as well, going along with Pansy’s playful act.

Draco ran a hand through his hair. He had no idea.

“Well, something happened today and I need advice.” he cringed. He hated asking for help.

“You got a witch pregnant? Draco! They have spells and potions for that!” Pansy cried.

“Ginny’s pregnant?” Blaise perked up.

“Ginny?” Pansy’s eyes widened comically, “Ginny Weasley?”

“Yeah, the littlest weasel. Draco fancies her.” Blaise nodded towards Draco.

“I do not fancy her!” Draco spat.

“Well that’s good.” Pansy sighed, “I heard she’s in serious trouble with the Ministry of Magic for hexing Scar head.”

“She didn’t hex Potter.” Draco defended her.

“I heard that too!” Blaise exclaimed.

“Ginny didn’t hex that bloody git.” Draco growled.

“How do you know?” Blaise asked, watching him intensely.

“Because I was there.” he stuffed his hands in his pocket. “She almost hexed Potter in front of everyone. And no, Ginny Weasley is not pregnant. I haven’t slept with her. I haven’t even snogged her, for Merlin’s sake!”

“Then what the hell do you want? I had Cristiano waiting for me at my house!” Blaise hissed.

Cristiano, too much information; Draco’s mind cried.

“Who cares about your Cristiano?” Pansy complained to Blaise, “I was this close – this bloody close – to securing a husband to finance my every whim! Sweet Merlin, Draco. What do you want?” she said, glaring at Draco.

“Forget it, go back to you perfect lives.” he turned his back and disappeared.

“Draaaaaaco!” Both Pansy and Blaise cried.

“Come back.” Pansy sighed.

“I really hate it when you pull that disappearing act. Just because you can do that, doesn’t mean you should abuse it.” Blaise grumbled.

“Abuse it? Please, if I could do that, I would do it all the time.” Pansy sniggered.

Draco rolled his eyes as he sat on the couch behind them. They hadn’t realized that he had returned.

Along with his side job at WWW, he worked for the Ministry as an Auror. But he also had a special skill, a special skill that only a few other people knew about. He had found out, during his Auror training that he was remarkably fast. There were no spells or potions behind it; he was just very fast. With that, he had been offered a job; a job that he loved so damn much it wasn’t even funny.

But again, now was not the time to be thinking about that.

“Okay, fine, I’ll tell you.” he gave in.

Both Blaise and Pansy spun around quickly; shocked that he had been behind them the entire time.

Pansy’s hand shot to her heart as she gasped, “For Merlin’s sake, jingle something when you move! You almost gave me a heart attack!”

He snorted as he crossed his legs on his mother’s expensive coffee table that no one ever used.

“Now Draco, tell us.” Blaise frowned at him.

“I need to make Ginny feel better because Potter is such a git. But I have no idea what to do.”

“I know just the thing! I’m surprised you didn’t think of it.” Blaise immediately said, clapping his hands in surprise.

“Sex is not the answer,” Draco repeated Ginny’s words.

“Damn, that sucks, mate.” Blaise responded mournfully.

“I know, tell me about it. That’s exactly what I said.” he chuckled.

“Is that all you think about, you lecher?” Pansy stared between them in shock.

“No, it’s not.” he growled.

“I know what you can do!” Blaise jumped in. “Buy her a gift; gifts always work.”

“Where did you hear that? From your mother?” Pansy shook her head in disbelief.

“Just because she married seven times doesn't mean she’s wrong.” Blaise frowned at her.

“Just keep her company, Draco. I’m sure she’s feeling pretty down that Potter was such an arse to her. She needs friends. Obviously, not a lover or a gift.” she looked at her two best friends in disgust.

“I can do that. Yes, I can do that. Okay, now get out. I’m heading over to her place and Mother isn’t home now.”

“Wow.” Blaise snorted. “Your mother would be appalled at your manners.”

“Why don’t you come with me then? Longbottom and Lovegood are there.” Draco said as he ran his fingers through his hair and wondered if it was sticking up in odd angles.

“Remember, finances for my future. So, I’m heading back. Hopefully he hasn’t left yet.” Pansy declined, “Ta-ta for now.” she threw some floo powder into the Malfoy Manor’s fireplace and disappeared.

“I’ll come with you, Cristiano probably left already. He’s a closet gay.” Blaise shrugged.

Draco laughed as he made his way towards the fireplace. He threw the floo powder in and stepped in.

~.~.~

Ginny pouted as she stared at her fireplace. She couldn’t believe that Draco had just left. Yeah, she’d offended him but he usually had stronger skin than that! He must be really mad.

“Stop staring at the fireplace.” Neville pulled her hand and dragged her off the couch.

“But…but…” she tried.

“Let’s go get a drink.” he tried.

“I’m broke,” Ginny sighed.

“You have Firewhiskey, don’t you?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, it’s in the cabinet by the refrigerator.”

“Then let’s drink.” Neville conjured three cups as Luna brought over the Firewhiskey. He each poured them a shot. Ginny grabbed hers and stared at the glass.

“Shot one: to leaving insufferable gits in the dust.” he offered.

Ginny and Luna lifted their glasses and responded, “Amen.”

The three took the shot.

Ginny hissed as it burned on the way down. She heard Neville and Luna do the same.

He poured them another shot.

“Shot two: to keeping away from Wrackspurts that fuzzy your brain and make you make bad decisions.” Luna said.

“Like dating an insufferable git named Harry sodding Potter.” A male voice added from behind them and Ginny turned to see Draco and Blaise Zabini standing in front of her fireplace.

“Amen,” Neville and Luna responded.

They took the shot.

“You have room for two more?” Blaise asked, smiling charmingly at the trio.

Ginny nodded and Draco conjured two more glasses and they decided to sit around her dining room table; Ginny sitting between Draco and Luna.

“Okay, fill ‘em up, Luna.” she smiled and Luna poured the five shot glasses.

“Shot three: to plotting ways to make people suffer terrible and painful fates.” Ginny lifted her glass, smirking deviously.

“Amen,” the group responded and took their shots.