6 months later:

He fiddled with the extra coaster at his table. It was from his third cup of something he wasn't supposed to be drinking. He was on his fourth now. There had been a plan, but he wasn't following it; he forgot it the moment he stepped into the pub—erm bar rather. It took an hour to find anything pub-like in Boston. Forget finding one in the Wizarding town, they were all about modernizing things, he had to settle for a Muggle establishment.

"Stupid," Draco coughed out. His vision was slightly blurry and he was somewhere between regret and euphoria.

"Where'd ya pahk tha cah?" a man drunker than Draco yelled out to his mate as he stumbled by Draco's booth.

Draco put his head in his hands, rubbing his temples. Many things about Boston were wearing on him. He ought to stagger home, possibly take a taxi, and sleep off his anger and drink, but at home there was no alcohol. Not that he needed any more.

He looked up for the waitress, hoping to get another tumbler of something when his eyes landed on a woman. She was sitting at the bar, her legs crossed and her elbows on the table. She was gorgeous. The bartender seemed to be flirting with her, a smirk on his face and hunger in his eyes. As he went in the backroom, Draco stood up. He casually sat down a seat away from her.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Hello," she greeted, and then looked away, her long wavy hair falling like a shield.

"I'm Draco," he introduced himself, his hand out to take hers.

She raised an eyebrow at him and shook his hand. "Pleasure," she nodded, turning away from him once more.

"Do I get your name?" he asked, leaning forward towards her. She smelled of vanilla and he was even dizzier than before. He had no idea what he was doing; all he knew was that it was something extremely idiotic.

"No, I don't think so," she answered with tight lips. "I'm here trying to celebrate an okay day at work, I'd rather not complicate things." She pushed her hair out of her face and glanced at him quickly before looking away once more.

The bartender returned with a big, colorful salad. He set it in front of the woman and proceeded to pour her a drink. Placing a glass of red wine next to her salad, he smiled at her. "Is that all you're having?"

"Yes, thank you," she smiled, lifting up her wine to take a sip.

"Is this guy bothering you?" the bartender asked gruffly.

She turned to Draco, surveying him for a moment. Taking her bottom lip between her teeth she looked back to the barkeep. "Not at the moment," she answered.

It seemed to satisfy the questioning man, as he went about his business cleaning cups a few meters down the bar.

"Why was your day just okay?" he asked, turning on the stool so he was facing her completely. She was wearing an outfit he normally wouldn't qualify as sexy, but there was something so drawing about her energy that it didn't matter. He ought to go home.

"Because I work with a lot of stupid men who talk over me," she answered with a sigh. Before touching her salad, she finished her glass of wine.

"Men would have to be stupid to talk over you," he responded. He watched her roll her eyes and he almost rolled his own. When he was younger alcohol helped him interact with others. Now it seemed it only hurt.

"And yet so many men do," she sighed. She flagged down the barkeeper to fill her glass once more. As soon as he set it down she began drinking. "What are you doing here?"

"Avoiding my life," Draco answered with a shrug. "Looking for a distraction."

The woman turned to look at him and studied him for a moment. She nodded and stood up, crossing the bar to the back hallway where the bathrooms were.

Draco watched her and quickly stood to follow her, stumbling back a few steps first. He entered the hallway and her hands were instantly on him, pulling his shirt from his pants. Her lips were on his and her hands moved up his chest. Draco felt like he was on fire. The alcohol was probably helping that heat, but the woman in front of him was a force to be reckoned with. Her hands unzipped his pants and then her own.

Draco pushed her pants down, and lifted her up, her legs spreading and wrapping around him. They joined and Draco rested his forehead against hers, seeking out her eye contact, but she kept her eyes closed. Little noises came from her, but she held her eyes closed tightly. Draco stared at her eyelids, wishing with at every movement that she would open them. Soon enough her mouth opened and her legs tightened around him. Her eyes opened after and Draco followed her.

They caught their breath. The woman pushed Draco away lightly, putting her pants back on and fixing her hair. "I should get home."

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but she was already on her way out of the hallway and out of the bar altogether. Draco collapsed against the wall, catching his breath. He had all but sobered up from the interaction. Fixing his own appearance, he left the hall himself. He stopped at the bar to pay his tab, and left.

His arm went out for a taxi, but he put it down after a moment, deciding to walk. The walk wasn't too far, and it gave him time to sober up the rest of the way.

In honesty, he hated Boston. He loved it for Ginny, and he was able to continue his own work from the town, but it wasn't home. He didn't like the words and pronunciations Orion was picking up from the Boston kids, and he didn't like all the men that leered at Ginny when they walked down the street. More than anything he hated being so far away from his friends. He had made no friends since moving. It was probably what drove him to drink alone at night.

Finally Draco found himself in front of their brownstone. He sighed and unlocked the door. Without thinking he found himself in Orion's rom. Draco watched the boy sleep. His hair was a light red now. He was such a Weasley. Draco couldn't help but smile. He was just as beautiful as his mother, just as smart as her too.

Draco placed a kiss on his son's forehead and left the dark room. Across the hall was Ginny's room. He was surprised to see that no light shone from underneath her door. She must have rushed to bed that night. It was unlike her since they had moved to Boston. She had become quite the night owl. She was staying up almost later than Draco every night. But Draco's slight insomnia meant he always stayed up later than his wife.

The blond pushed open the door and stared at his wife sleeping in bed. He had recommitted himself to her in a way different than every time before. The couple did everything they needed to stay together now. They had redefined their relationship, new commitments, new looks, new rules, new love.

Draco climbed into bed next to her. He watched her roll over to look at him. She placed a kiss on the tip of his nose and smiled. "You're home late."

"Sorry, love," he replied, capturing her lips. "Drank a bit too much. I had to walk it off."

Ginny nodded, running her fingers along his jawline. "Orion gave the sitter hell apparently. He wanted to eat dinner with you."

"I'll make up for it tomorrow. It's a family day," Draco said simply. "How was your day at work?"

"Okay," she said, turning back over to get back to sleep.

"Sometimes okay is enough for a celebration," Draco mumbled.

"Hmm?" she asked, her back to him.

"Nothing," Draco replied, wrapping his arm around her, snuggling close. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Ginny replied, yawning.

Draco inhaled deeply, her vanilla scent calming him down.

"I hope you can get to sleep tonight, love," Ginny sighed, rubbing her hand over his.

"You gave me quite a rush back there. I think I'm more ready for sleep than I have been in months."