Lemon Grass and Sleep

GRADUATION PARTY BABY

The Burrow had been tiring, after going through the graduation ceremony I didn't have enough energy to go around and talk to a bunch of people. Glinda seemed to be in her element, though, so I decided to keep quiet and enjoy my alcohol.

"Can't I have a sip?" Ginny whispered to me, "Just a tiny taste, you know?"

"Ginny, you are so underage it hurts to think about it," I deadpanned. "If I said no to Ron, why would I say yes to you?"

"Because you like me better," she replied, still looking up at me expectantly.

"How old are you? Like twelve?"

"I'm fourteen," she said indignantly, "So, basically drinking age."

"Is she pestering you for a drink?" Fred teased, coming up behind me.

"Just a sip," she corrected.

"Ooh, that makes it much better," he mumbled, a smile on his face as he took a sip from his own cup. "Peddle some coupons for us next year and I'll get you a cup of your own."

"Deal," she hissed, eagerly following behind him as they slunk around the kitchen to avoid Molly.

I watched from over the lid of my cup and Glinda and George talked in the living room, about what I couldn't decipher, but it seemed good natured. Bill and Charlie hadn't come, probably because it wasn't their family's graduation. It did feel odd, having the Weasleys celebrate a graduation that, technically, had nothing to do with them.

"You shouldn't give alcohol to minors," I mumbled as Fred walked back over to me, his scheming smile already on his face.

"Oh, I do a lot of things I'm not supposed to," he said lowly, "It's part of my charm."

"Is it now?" I smiled, "I think you're more trouble than you're worth."

"Ouch," he snickered, leaning on the table behind me. His chest barely brushed against my arm, the feeling of his jumper catching on mine pulling my sleeve a bit.
I was getting that feeling again, of boring domesticity. My life had been extremely mediocre before i met the twins, but it was reaching a point where the uninterrupted routine was comforting to me. In the Burrow, where there was nothing but snow and the moon outside, it was easy to pretend everything was fine. That was my favorite thing to do, after all, pretending things are fine.

"No thinking," Fred warned under his breath, "You've just graduated, the whole point is you don't have to think anymore."

"I *think* I disagree," I murmured, taking a drink.

"Are you tired?" He asked quietly, leaning in to whisper it to me. I glanced around nervously, afraid maybe Molly would hear me and be upset I wasn't enjoying the get together.

"Only the normal amount," I joked, not wanting to dampen the mood too bad.

"We'll leave soon," he comforted, seeming unconvinced with my words.

"We don't have to," I shook my head, looking over as Hermione and Ron burst out laughing at something George did, I couldn't really tell as they were turned away from us.

"We've been here a couple hours already, it's about time."

"Let them have their time," I replied, "They deserve it."

"We don't have to leave at the same time," Fred retorted, "George can apparate, too, you know?"

"Oh," I breathed out, suddenly remembering that, yeah, we all could leave separately. Even if George left, Glinda had Hermione and Ginny here to spend the night with if she really didn't want to leave. Molly and Arthur had already retired for the night, anyways, so it was just us hanging around and talking anyways.