A Weasley Mess *ON HOLD - REWRITE*

IX.Firewhiskey

"What, more of a champagne sipper?" He mockingly said, raising his eyebrow her in a tauntingly way that reminded her so much of his brothers.

"No, I prefer red wine." She blushed a little, looking up at him through thick lashes from where she sipped her whiskey. "But this might be my new favorite." She stuck out her tongue, gaining a chuckle from him.

"Nobody ever taught you to drink, miss?"

"No, my brothers are quite older than me." She pushed a few strands of hair back, they had stubbornly escaped her relaxed ponytail.

"Tell me about your family." He leaned forwards on one elbow, the other hand slowly rotating his Firewhiskey. He would spill some if he wasn't more careful, but that was his problem.

"My dad, Brutus, is a middle aged wizard who works at the ministry, my mother an equally middle aged witch that lives for finery and Kneazle's. Thomas is my oldest brother, he's 35 and has a desk job in Moscow that he hates to leave. Jack is the middle child, 30 years old and works as an unmentionable in Istanbul." She shrugged and watched how intensive Bill seemed to be in his observation.

"They're just relatives to you, aren't they?" It wasn't that he looked to be pitying her, but there was something along those lines in his eyes.

"My parents got children out of duty, not love. My eldest brothers..." Her smile cut off, knowing that she had spoken out of terms. Her terms.

"You have more brothers?" He furrowed his brows. Claire sighed and decided to chug down the rest of her Firewhiskey, conjuring strength from the bottom of the glass.

"Luke, he was 23 when he killed himself." She waved at the barman for a refill, which she got before two seconds had passed.

"I'm sorry." He looked sincere, not like others at Beauxbatons had done. They had looked down, hoping that a meek tone would make her shut up about grief and death. "When did he die?" Claire looked bitter for a moment, sipping on her whiskey while looking out into thin air.

"Early this summer, actually." She sighed, finally recognizing the reason why they had left France. New ministry job, my ass... "The pressure was too much for him. Dad wanted him to work at the ministry, marry this pretty little Aussie that happens to be our second cousin. He just wanted to write books and marry this muggle called Frank." She looked down and shook her head, damning her family to hell and beyond.

"So then you moved to England." Bill nodded, putting a few pieces together. "Were you close to him?"

"Closer than with Thomas and Jack, but we would always be split up at the summers. It was better to not be too close with everyone, we would probably be married off to different countries anyways. That's why the boys ran away." She tried not to sound bitter, sipping in her whiskey.

"Are they trying to marry you off?" Now he looked concerned, he probably just realized how far up in the pureblood bullshit her family really was.

"I have a third cousin in Sweden, they want me to marry him when I'm done at Hogwarts." She raised one eyebrow and looked at Bill. "But that's not happening." He smiled a little at her.

"Aren't you afraid of being disowned?" At this she just shrugged.

"I have an account in Gringotts, enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life. I don't care if they disown me, I'm going to become an Auror and marry a muggle if I so do please." She straightened up, grinning. Bill shook his head and chuckled.

"You just won't be put down, will you? I like that." They toasted, each sipping their whiskey while looking at each other. Smiling.

"Just you watch, Bill Weasley. When I want something, I don't stop until I get it."

"Oh, I'm counting on it."

She had woken a slight headache, the Firewhiskey not sitting too well with her. She also had a tinkling that Bill would have a slight hangover too, he had also ended up a little drunk.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" Ginny yelled, jumping on Claire's bed. Claire just groaned in response and sunk further into her pillow.

"Too early!" She croaked, trying to push away the persistent girl.

"Come oooooon, please!" She actually squealed next to her ear, making Claire sit up abruptly and the girl to tumble off the bed. Ginny landed safely enough and just laughed.

Both of them headed downstairs, Claire clad in blue pajama bottoms and a large grey sweater. Even the scent of food wasn't appealing, only coffee.

They sat down at the table, Claire with a big cup of coffee.

"Are you not feeling well, sweetie?" Asked a concerned Mrs. Weasley from the stove, Claire just moaned loudly and put her head on the cool wooden table.

Not even ten minutes later two overgrown Weasley boys came lumbering in, one with an attitude a lot like Claire's.

"Oh sweetie, are you also sick?" She crooned motherly at Bill, watching him sit down at the opposite side of Claire.

"Oh no, mother. They're both hungover." Charlie beamed, a tad loud for the two.

"Hungover?" Mrs. Weasley said, surprise in her tone as she looked from Claire to Bill. She wouldn't deny that she felt some semblance of pleasure that her oldest son might've taken an interest in such a proper and nice girl. Maybe she could get him to cut his hair.

"It was only a small trip out." Groaned Bill.

"Apparently I needed to learn about British traditions.." Moaned Claire, sitting up again to sip her coffee.

"So the two of you went out, to a bar - together?" Mrs. Weasley seemed a little fixated.

"She's legal, eve eighteen in a few days." Bill looked up at his mother, afraid he had to defend himself. It wasn't like she was that much younger than him. But h never knew with his mum.

"Oh, no. It's okay. Perfectly fine." She crooned.