Thicker than Water (Marauders Era)

24 June, 1978 - Drunk

She let herself forget why she was here and not in her own common room, let herself forget that she didn't know or like these people, let herself forget to be offended when she was passed from partner to partner like some oddity or circus attraction, each one, she knew, dancing with her just to be able to say they'd braved the Slytherin girl who had dared to come to a Gryffindor party. And she leaned into it. She let herself be the mysterious, cold creature they all assumed she was. She accepted every time a bottle was passed her way until she couldn't have given anyone the day of the week if they'd asked. She let her laughter be wild, let her smile be cold and sharp and let her heart disappear into the fog of her head. She let herself be the girl they wanted and she didn't think twice. Because it was easier. So much easier to be anyone other than who she was.

Eventually the party died down and Lavinia found herself partnerless and with nothing to do because she didn't particularly want to dance alone. Even foggy and drunk she remembered that her mother had always said dancing alone was one of the most embarrassing things a person could do. It made them seem unwanted. And she didn't want to seem unwanted because that was too close to feeling unwanted and she'd already done that tonight and had no interest in repeating the experience.

So she left the now sparse dance floor behind, tripping slightly as she went and headed for the food table, thinking she could at least have a snack or maybe something more to drink. She knew that last was probably a bad idea, but the edges of her alcohol induced euphoria were wearing off and in its wake she was left with guilt and shame and the kind of hollow sensation that she's started drinking to avoid in the first place.

She stood at the table for a long minute, contemplating her options with a fuzzy and uncooperative brain and was reaching for a butterbeer when someone grabbed her hand and stopped her. She turned around, mouth open to protest when she saw who it was. Standing very close and smiling gently down at her with raised eyebrows was Sirius.

"From what I've seen, you don't need more of that," he informed her quietly, an edge of concern in his voice.

She felt her cheeks flush and decided it must be because of all the drinks she'd had. It couldn't be because of him. No sir. Couldn't be. "I know you," she observed stupidly, her mouth spitting out the first thought in her head just to cover the awkwardness.

His eyebrows rose higher and his amused expression deepened. "Yes," he agreed, nodding with an air of extreme patience. "I would say you do."

"Well that's settled then," she asserted, patting his arm with her free hand and looking around as though hoping some distraction would be written on the walls. But of course, it wasn't. Which was unfortunate, Lavinia thought. People ought to spend some time painting distractions on walls for precisely this kind of situation.

Sirius gave a little exhale that might have been a laugh or a sigh, she didn't know. "You're drunk, Vin," he informed her.

"No I'm not," she countered, feeling rather offended by the suggestion. "Rowle was drunk. I'm... tipsy." She waved her free hand as though dismissing the matter as nothing of real consequence and would have slapped Sirius in the face had he not leaned back.

She watched with some fascination as, having righted himself, his amusement turned into a frown. "When did you see Rowle?" he asked and there was a very strange tone to his voice that her fuzzy brain couldn't begin to place. So she didn't try to.

"In the Slytherin common room," she replied easily, not entirely sure why that was important.

"When were you there?" he pressed, meeting her eyes intently.

It was Lavinia's turn to frown, mostly because his voice still sounded strange and she didn't know why. "After I went to the kitchens. Before I came here," she explained, confused. "Why?"