Cheers, Potter.

Merlin, help us.

Harry's POV

Needless to say, Ron lost it the moment Malfoy was out of ear shot. He was actually leaning against the wall to stop himself falling over with laughter. I, on the other hand, had never been more silent. What if he'd heard? My stomach knotted and I cringed at the thought.

We wandered back over to the table once Ron had gotten a hold of himself and returned to our seats; his, impossibly close to Hermione and mine, across the table from Malfoy's irritating smirk.

"So," Malfoy began, addressing the whole group, "do you guys know how truly awful Potter is at Wizards' chess?"

"I still maintain that you cheated," I replied, quieter than could be considered dignified.

"No mate, you really are terrible," Dean chimed in with a reserved laugh, "I reckon even Seamus could beat you."

"What do you mean, 'Even Seamus'?" Our friend piped up, quickly lifting his head off the table, immediately regretting it and clutching his hands at his temples, as if to stop the world from spinning.

"The only way I'd lose to Seamus is because he'd manage to set the board on fire after two moves!" I retorted, probably too seriously for the light-hearted nature of the conversation.

My friends all laughed at that, even the Slytherins who had looked constipated when they'd arrived had begun to relax and join in the conversation. Malfoy and Dean kept up their conversation about my terrible chess skills that I assume must have evolved into another subject because they were talking for a long time. I couldn't be that awful at a board game.

It was strange being able to just hang around, not worrying about if we'd stayed in one place for too long, not worrying that anyone among us could have outed us to Voldemort. It was peaceful. It was fun. I soon forgot about Malfoy overhearing my conversation with Ron and after a couple more drinks everyone found themselves to be sharing more than they might have ordinarily. Ferne and Hermione were sat in a booth, huddled and giggling about something, Neville, Ginny and Blaise were laughing at something she'd said, Luna was showing Theo something through her weird-looking glasses that he seemed to find fascinating. My gaze kept wandering over to Malfoy though, who had definitely relaxed since his arrival and was even smiling. He still hadn't cut his hair in a while but it didn't look dishevelled and messy the way it had a month ago. He'd combed it back and tucked it behind his ears, though a few small strands still fell into his eyes. It looked good. Really good.

I looked away before my drunken haze could get me to think of anything else that made Malfoy look good, because I knew there were plenty more. It was infuriating.

I tagged into the conversation with Ginny and the others, they were talking about the up-coming Quidditch season, something I could definitely be distracted by.

She and I had worked things out a few months before and had decided not to get together. Every now and then I get a hint of what I had felt for her, but we knew that we just didn't click like we had in the past. I had loved her, but war changes people, and for us, it was too much.

Now, we sat like old times laughing and joking about anything and everything. Ginny told me about her recent Quidditch opportunities – she'd been scouted by an agent of the Holly Head Harpies (much to Ron's irritation) and they wanted to hire her straight out of Hogwarts! I couldn't be prouder or happier for her. Neville was just as enthusiastic, even though the sport was never really his thing. Blaise was goading her, seemingly with only good intentions and I could see that Ginny had almost allowed herself to be taken by it, she was grinning, which meant that before the end of the night, Blaise would be crying, making a fool of himself or going back to her dorm with her. Or a strange mixture of all three.

I decided at that point to check out of the conversation, a sentiment Neville shared and we migrated away from them together, laughing knowingly as we did.

I glanced once more to where the blonde was sitting and found that he'd moved closer to Dean and Luna and they seemed deep in conversation. I was jealous. I wanted to get closer to Malfoy tonight and we'd barely shared a word. I didn't want to ruin their dynamic though, so I moved on and ended up chatting to a couple of people I hadn't really spoken to before and ordered another round of drinks.

It was nearing closing time and I was definitely more than a little bit drunk when I noticed that Malfoy had gone missing. This annoyed me, and not least because this whole bleeding party was an excuse for me to get closer to him and he'd gone and buggered off.

In my semi-collected stupor I attempt to find him, deciding that not even he would have left without saying goodbye. I checked the booths, the staircase, the toilets and everywhere else I could think of and finally found him... in a rather compromising situation.

He'd found himself a quiet corner, away from the shenanigans of the group. At first I'd thought he was in trouble; he was pinned against the wall by someone I couldn't identify straight away. Which was probably because I'd never have expected to see them with Malfoy, of all people.

Malfoy and Dean Thomas were snogging in the back of the Three Broomsticks! Quite enthusiastically! Even in my state I realised that my presence, had it been noticed, would probably be unwelcome so I made away as quickly and quietly as I could.

I couldn't quite gage what it was that I was feeling. I wasn't confused; Dean had told us he was pansexual in third year after Professor Lupin's boggart lesson, and I'd always assumed that Malfoy wasn't straight. I wasn't grossed out by the fact that one of my best friends had his tongue down my nemesis' throat. I wasn't angry, or upset. But I felt... something.

I felt offended. Offended that Malfoy had barely paid me any attention tonight, offended that Dean would take him away, offended that he'd rather kiss Dean than me. Wait, no. That wasn't right. It was just my drunken haze that made me think that.

I physically shook my head, trying to get the thought out of my brain.

When I found my way back to the table, I had to supress a laugh. Blaise and Ginny were arm wrestling and had gathered a crowd (Ginny was winning). There was something else in the air too, and not just competitive energy. I couldn't help but laugh out loud now, drawing the attention of my best friend.

"What are you laughing at, Harry?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"What is wrong with us?" I leant towards her whispering, "We get drunk and we suddenly feel the need to shag the first person we see," I was on the floor now, clutching my stomach from the pain of laughing so hard.

"What do you mean?" she was laughing now, infectious as it is.

"Dean," I tried to hold back the sniggers, "Dean and Malfoy are making out in the back corner,"

Hermione gasped and leant back to get a look at the two. She gasped again and lost her balance, toppling her chair over and laughing. I couldn't contain my own laughter by then and we were half under the table like a pair of children, and we laughed until our jaws ached.

"Exactly how drunk are the two of you?" Ginny grinned, peeking under the table, clearly having finished her competition.

Hermione and I shared a look, "Not as drunk as those two," I snickered back, "Did you win?"

"Of course I did," she scoffed, "never bet against a Weasley," she knuckle bumped her brother who had come over to check we were okay.

All of a sudden the bell rang for last orders. All of the Hogwarts students present looked at each other and seems to share the same thought: Merlin, help us if McGonagall catches us sneaking back into school.