** I do not own the Harry Potter world, characters or places. They belong to J.K. Rowling. I am simply borrowing it. But the ideas are purely mine. Please read, comment, vote and fan. Now enjoy, ES <3 **

11. Dream Job

"That – that shot was splen-tacular! I just - I just made up that word. Get it? Get it? Like splendid and spectacular together!” Ginny said, snickering.

The others laughed.

The five of them: Ginny, Draco, Luna, Blaise and Neville were thoroughly plastered.

Ginny’s face was flushed as she twirled her fingers across the top of her shot glass.

Luna’s eyes were focused while the others were glazed over.

Blaise was smiling seductively at Neville who was trying to ignore him but the blush on his face showed that he wasn’t as unaffected by the looks as he lead on.

Draco on the other hand was staring at the empty shot glass in his hands. He frowned at it then placed it on the table. He pushed his chair back and leaned forward until he was eye level with the glass.

“Whatdidtheshotglassdotoyou?” Ginny asked, her words slurring.

“Er - whaaaaat was that?” Draco asked.

“Nothing,” Ginny muttered and laid her head against the table.

She was ridiculously drunk. She shouldn’t have had so much since she was scheduled to work tomorrow at WWW and George needed her. He was counting on her. She took care of a lot of things at the shop but she didn’t want to work there anymore. She wanted to have her own career that she chose.

“Then choose your own career. What do you want to do?”

Ginny looked up at Draco’s words to all four of them looking at her. She hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud.

“But – but George needs me. Since Fred is…” She couldn’t finish.

Her eyes watered at the memories that flooded through her mind at the mention of Fred. Usually she wasn’t so emotional but lately, well, with the day she had today she had an excuse. She could be as emotional as she damn wanted to be today.

“George will be okay on his own. If he needs help, I’m sure he could find it.” Neville whispered. He took her hand then and squeezed it. Ginny squeezed back.

“What do you want to do? What have you wanted to become for a long time? What’s your dream job?” Draco asked.

She looked around the table and sighed. She didn’t want to work at WWW anymore. She wanted to go out into the world, make a difference.

“I want to be…” she stopped, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hands.

“What do you want to be?” Luna asked as she twirled a lock of hair around her fingers.

“I want to be an Auror.” she whispered, expecting them to laugh.

For a few moments, no one said a thing and then they were all talking at once.

“You wanna be an Auror! But – but – but since when?” Neville asked.

“I like it. Do it.” Luna smiled.

“An Auror, yeah, I can toootally see it. Sexy woman in power,” Blaise winked at her.

“Whoa, Ginny, are you serious? Do it. You can. I know it. Why didn’t you ever say anything before?” Draco asked.

She blushed, biting her lip.

“Since my fourth year at Hogwarts but well, it just…er – I decided not to.” She murmured in the hopes that no one would really hear her.

But Draco did and he knew why.

St. Bloody Potter, he growled inwardly, probably didn’t agree that she should do what she was so obviously made to do. Probably felt threatened that he’d be in her shadow or something like that.

Merlin, that man was a complete tosser.

“I think you should do it. I’ll talk to the Head Auror and maybe he’ll owl you.” Neville said.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s too late.” Ginny said.

“It’s never too late to do what you want,” Blaise told her as he stretched back and she noticed Neville check him out quickly.

She grinned as she looked at Neville. Who would have thought that that Neville could be interested in Blaise Zabini!

Neville looked over at her and he blushed when she wiggled her eyebrows at him.

She snorted and looked over to see Draco smirking at her.

She flushed but smiled at him.

“You’re drunk.” Draco chuckled.

“So are you,” she responded as she leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes. She tilted the chair back so it was only on two legs.

“Watch out.” Draco teased after kicking the back two legs.

She was suspended in air for a moment before she fell to the ground.

The other three laughed.

“What the hell?” She cried.

He laughed harder and she gasped. His laughter did funny things to her heart.

“You’ve got to be careful. I can’t always be there to catch you, Red.” he grinned.

She flushed even more, if possible.

Draco helped her to her feet and she immediately stumbled.

“Too much booze, maybe you should get some sleep.” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Wait, wait!” she cried, grabbing her shot glass tightly and pouring everyone one more shot. “Shot twenty-one: to doing something you love and possibly kicking arse at it.”

She took the shot as everyone screamed, “Amen,” loudly and took their shots.

“We’re heading out,” Neville told Ginny as Draco held her up.

“Okay,” she nodded.

She was drunk but happy drunk. She smiled at Neville who returned it.

“Can you take Blaise home? He’s too drunk. Don’t think he’ll get off at the right gate if he floos home. Go outside and apparate.” Draco told him.

“Sure,” Neville nodded as he wrapped an arm around Blaise’s waist and pulled him to his feet. They were about the same height but Neville had a few more pounds on him than the black man. Blaise was barely conscious. It looked like he was quite the light weight when it came to drinking.

“Blaise, you need to learn how to handle your booze.” Ginny teased.

Blaise opened one eye and snorted. “You don’t look like you can handle it much better than me, girlie.” he said, drawing her attention Draco’s arm.

“Yeah, yeah,” she waved him off.

“Are you doing to be okay going home alone, Luna?” Neville asked her as she stood and stumbled a little.

“I sure am. I can handle myself. If not then it’ll be like a little adventure trying to find my way home. Or maybe my father will come find me.”

The four of them looked at her then burst out laughing. Leave it to Luna to find getting lost to be an adventure.

“Alright, goodnight, I’ll just tuck our dearest hostess in bed and head home myself.”

Draco ignored the look Blaise gave him and followed the two to the door.

Blaise and Neville headed out and as they reached the door, Ginny’s mouth dropped when she saw Blaise whisper something into Neville’s ear. He chuckled charmingly. Draco closed the door before she could say anything.

“Luna, maybe I should apparate you home.” Draco tried but Luna smiled dreamily and shook her head.

“I’m okay, Draco. I’m off. Tootles, Ginny-dear.” Luna smiled, gave Ginny a quick kiss on the cheek and disappeared into the flames.

“Alright, Red, time for bed.” Draco started pulling her towards her bedroom. She struggled a bit but it was like putting up a fight with a hippogriff. You always lose.

“Boo, you party pooper. The night is still young.” she muttered but her eyes closed.

“Yeah, sure, party-animal.” he snorted then picked her up in his arms.

Ginny’s eyes shot open. “Draco, put me down!”

She struggled in his arms.

“Nope, you walk way too slow. Now stop moving or I’ll drop you.”

She huffed and closed her eyes, relaxing into his embrace. She blushed when she inhaled his scent. His smelled so good. She smiled a bit and then she was lying in her big, comfy bed. Her eyes shot opened again. How had they gotten there so fast? She wondered.

“You fell asleep, Red.” he told her.

She’d said that out loud. “Oh,” she mumbled as she closed her eyes and cuddled into the covers forgetting the question and that it had been odd since the door was a good distance from the bedroom.

“Goodnight,” he whispered softly but Ginny was already asleep.