Delirium

Chapter 43 - Anger

~ Part II of the Double Update ~

~*~

Jolie loved it here.

She loved this party. Loved these people.

She loved this firewhisky. Loved these flashing lights and pounding music.

Loved her life.

She loved Daphne who never left her side, keeping an eye out.

She loved Pansy who cheered and chanted for her, encouraging her to drink.

She loved Theo who had surprised the girls by joining them. Theo, who had not asked a single question about her smudged mascara.

And she loved Madeline, who drank right along with her, both of them giggling and hiccoughing all throughout the night.

It was perfect. Everything was perfect.

She loved Cedric who, despite the still-healing burn on his arm, willingly did several keg stands, then laughed joyously at himself when he toppled over.

She loved Cho, who waved her over every chance she got, ensuring everyone joined in on the fun.

She loved how the alcohol in her system washed away her emotion when others asked her about him, learning of their breakup. She was able to brush off their initial sympathy with ease. And, in no time, they all brushed it off with her, their condoling expressions quickly floating away by smoke and liquor, their thoughts replaced with just wanting her to let loose. To have fun.

She loved... She couldn't remember his name—one of Cedric's friends—who had complimented her early on in the night, making her feel like she was still approachable, still sought after.

Much later now and much drunker, she kind of wanted to snog him.

She could do that now; snog other people.

But the idea of doing so also kind of made her want to go to the nearest bathroom and cry.

Neither option would do, however. Daphne and Madeline wouldn't allow the former. Theo and Pansy wouldn't stand for the latter.

Thankfully, a new third option arose.

And Jolie rapidly decided she also loved dancing.

She loved dancing, and parties, and her friends. She loved the nameless group of witches that had called her over to join them—hence, her newfound love of dancing.

Jolie loved all of this.

And this was all she needed to love.

Nothing else.

No one else.

~*~

George's shoulder scraped against the stone wall as he wobbled to the side, the spiralling staircase making his drunken brain see double.

He grinned to himself.

Tonight was exactly what he'd needed. A fine party, indeed.

Fine, fine, fine.

Everything was perfectly fine.

He was perfectly fine.

He had long ago lost count of the number of shots he'd taken with his team, save for Harry of course. But tonight, even Cormac had joined them, and George had decided that the wizard wasn't all that insufferable—at least, not when he was thoroughly shitfaced. Early in the night, Angelina had already drunk all of them under the table. No surprise there.