Of Goats and Men...

[Blaise Zabini]

*Blaise pushed open the door to The Hogshead, his eyes scanned the room quickly, checking to make sure that there wasn't another student or member of staff within the pub. He stepped through the door, pulling down the hood on his cloak and then making his way to the bar.*

"Good Evening, Aberforth."

'Evening, Blaise. Usual?'

*Blaise nodded. He waited while Aberforth reached under the counter and produced a bottle of firewhiskey, placing it on the counter.*

'10 Galleons.'

*Blaise raised an eyebrow.*

"10 Galleons? That's a little pricey isn't it? You know, I could but them from the shop for about 4."

'Not 'round, 'ere. You know when you buy from me, you're buying a bit of piece of mind. I'm not so worried about you being underage for a start.'

*Blaise mumbled a string of obscenities to himself, before digging his hand in his pocket, placing the coins on the counter and picking up the firewhiskey bottle.*

"Thanks..."

*He walked over to the corner of the bar, selecting his favourite table and sitting down. He unscrewed the cap from the bottle and took a swig from the neck, enjoying the mild burning sensation dripping down his throat. He never bothered with glasses in the pub, they came out of the sink as dirty as they were when they went in.*

[Draco Malfoy]

*Draco had left the castle not long after Blaise, allowing his friend to go ahead first for the sheer matter of not wanting to get caught should their attempt to sneak out go awry. It wasn't likely that it would; the two made a rather regular mission of heading to the Hogshead for a drink and stumbling back to the castle hours later, drunk and usually in a fit of laughter as they tried to return to their common room undetected. But on the off-chance that it did go wrong this time, in Draco's mind it was better for anyone's head to be set on a proverbial pike before his own, even if that did mean Blaise's. Feeling rather certain that the coast was clear, he pulled the hood of his travelling cloak a little further over his head and headed out of the gates, wasting no time in making his way down the path to Hogsmeade.

Upon finally reaching the Hogshead and pushing open the door, Draco frowned towards his fingertips as he drew them away from the dirty wood of the door; brushing his hand on his trouser leg to rid it of any potential grime as he headed inside. He gave a nod towards Aberforth at the bar, turning his head to face the corner that the old goat-loving barman was nodding towards in return and immediately spotting Blaise there; smirking to himself at seeing the boy already tucking in to the bottle of Firewhiskey. Lowering the hood of his cloak and making his way towards the table, Draco promptly took a seat and held a hand out for the bottle*

"I swear, that walk gets more bloody tedious every time I walk it.. We should really start ordering in.." He smirks, taking a drink from the bottle. "It'd be worth it just to see the look on Filch's face when a crate of Ogdens comes through.. Even more so if we sent a crate to one of Potters pathetic little fanclub.."

[Blaise Zabini]

Blaise smirked at the arrival of his friend, shaking his head slightly he offered out the bottle of firewhiskey, unable to prevent himself chuckling as Draco mentioned sending a crate of firewhiskey to Potter's lot.

"Yeah, well, maybe Abe will do us a discount, ordering in isn't such a bad idea mate, the price has gone up... Again... We're looking at ten Galleons a bottle now."

He raised his eyebrow slightly.

"And I'm getting a little sick of having to come out here in all sodding weather just to sink a bottle of firewhiskey. I was sure that Filch was gonna catch me this time."

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco shrugged his shoulders with a slight smirk, having thought the idea more of a jesting one but seeing some vague sense in it suddenly at Blaise's words on the matter; perhaps it was a viable option after all. As Blaise mentions the price increase though, Draco frowns, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Again? How marvelous.." He sighs, taking another drink from the bottle before passing it back to Blaise. "A discount wouldn't go amiss on a bulk-buy though.. Although I dread the thought of us actually attending any lessons for a week after any bulk purchase arrives, or trying to might be more apt.."

He smirks, raising an eyebrow as well at Blaise's next words and shrugging.

"I didn't see anyone about this time, actually.. Still, it is getting a little risky, we're bound to get caught out at some point if we're not careful. But.." He grins. "For the time being, given that we're relatively safe and have a bottle on the table, how about we just get good and drunk?"

[Blaise Zabini]

"Far too bloody risky, mate. We're definitely going to have to have a conversation with that rip-off merchant about organising a delivery on the sly."

Blaise nodded his head.

"I'm well up for that, mate. Let's see how fast we can get this down our throats. I feel like staggering back to the common room and not being able to remember a thing in the morning."

He smirked a little.

"Unless the unlikely event of a decent piece of pussy, entering this establishment, happens, in which case, I'll be getting my leg over."

[Draco Malfoy]

Nodding his head in agreement, he grabs the bottle back and takes a drink from it, casting his eyes around the room without realising he was doing so; as if inspecting the place for any sign of foul play before allowing the hot liquid to seep down his throat. Turning to Blaise, he points a finger, still nodding.

"Sounds like a plan, mate. Definitely sounds like a plan.."


Not only agreeing with it wholly, but taking Blaise's next comment instantly on board, Draco raises the bottle with a grin before pressing it to his lips and taking a good few long gulps, wincing slightly as he draws the bottle away at Blaise's mention of women, rolling his eyes as he shakes his head at his friend.


"Seriously, Blaise.. Is there ever a period longer than five minutes when you're not thinking about fucking? I'd be truly astounded if there were.. At the rate you're making your way through the castle's female occupants, you'll be queer by force before we leave the place for good.." He smirks briefly before shooting Blaise a rather serious look. "And on the off-chance of that happening; I stand at a firm 'no' from here on out at anything associated that you could ask, no matter how drunk I am.."


He chuckles slightly, passing the bottle back and raising an eyebrow at having to do so; why should they have to share when there was some perfectly spendable money in his inside pocket? Shrugging to himself, he turns towards the bar, calling out to Aberforth to bring another bottle over.

As the barman approaches, grumbling something under his breath about being treated like a damn waiter, and sets the bottle down on the table, Draco reaches into his pocket and extracts a small black pouch filled with Galleons. Grabbing 10 out and frowning towards the barman hovering at the table, he holds out his hand containing the money, but does not open his fist to release the coins into the awaiting palm of Aberforth.


"Now.. We may have a little proposition for you later on - a plan which neither involves anything lurid, nor goats, just so you don't get too excited.." He smirks, ignoring Aberforth's narrowed eyes and continuing in the same ever haughty tone. "Although, it's a proposition that likely wont coincide with your current prices - which are truly abominable by the way - and that is something that will have to be rectified.. I'll leave you to think on that."

Smirking to himself and releasing the coins in his hand, he rolls his eyes at the barman's continual grumbling as he leaves both boys at the table once more. Turning back to Blaise, he uncaps his own bottle and shrugs as he raises it into the air slightly.

"I'm sure this'll make things much easier on the 'staggering back to the common room' angle.."

[Blaise Zabini]

Blaise laughed hard at Draco's comment, holding his side and taking a full minute to calm down enough to answer him.

"I seriously doubt there's period longer than five seconds whe I'm not thinking about fucking, mate."

Blaise grinned.

"Don't be daft, mate, the rate I'm going through them has nothing to do with it. They always want to come back for more."

He smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"What can I say? Everyone wants to ride on the Blaise Express."

He chuckled a little.

"Although I have to say mate, you're completely not my type, too tall and too blonde. I don't think there's anything wrong with being gay though, mate. I think people should be free to engage in any sexual practices they choose; they should draw the line at goats though."

He shot a look in the direction of the barman. He chuckled a little as Draco purchased his own bottle of firewhiskey, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"I think it most certainly will help in that sense, mate. Although I am making this clear, right now. If you drink too much tonight and staggering is beyond you, I ain't carrying you back."

[Draco Malfoy]

Chuckling along with Blaise for a moment, he nods his head slowly and rather condescendingly at his friend's words on not going five seconds without such thoughts, smirking to himself at the realism to such words. Laughing at the mention of the ladies always wanting to come back and equally at the 'Blaise express', he rolls his eyes with a smirk; far too familiar with such a term.

"Merlin, Blaise.. At times, you make even me seem modest.. I'm sure such a thought should be terrifying.."

He shrugs, smirking briefly at his own words before the expression turns to a frown slightly at Blaise's comment on not being his type, his brow raising a fraction

"So what, you're willing to toss aside rich, charming, devious and attractive just because 'tall and blonde' isn't your type? Hmm.. Well, if that's the case, perhaps you should go after the Weasley girl; she certainly fits the opposite end of the bill.. And I never said there was anything wrong with it, I merely subtly implied that there was.. Good call on the addition of goats though."

Smirking to himself, he raises the fresh bottle of Firewhiskey to his lips and takes a drink, wiping his mouth with the sleeve as he sets it back on the table and smirks across it at Blaise.

"I think given the current topics of conversation, it'd probably be best if you left me in a ditch rather than carried me anywhere, mate.. I'd much rather explain that angle as well.."

[Blaise Zabini]

Blaise smirked slightly.

"Mate, look, I can't help being the pretty one."

He reached over the table and gave his friend a slightly-patronising pat on the shoulder.

"You can't help it, we all can't have ten inches of the finest dark chocolate. But it's a cross I'm willing to bear."

Blaise sat back, smirking and picking up his firewhiskey bottle, taking a drink from the neck before raising his eyebrow slightly.

"Ugh, don't go there, mate, you'll make me sick. What I meant was, you weirdo, is that I like my women, small and with dark hair and that suddenly should you sprout a pair of breasts, you would be in no danger of having to fend off my advances."

Blaise laughed and took another drink from his firewhiskey bottle.

"Ok, noted mate, we - or you rather - get too drunk to walk, I'm to leave you in a ditch. Got it. The plan is formed."

He took another drink from his bottle.

"So, you wanna play canasta?"

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco laughed rather loudly at Blaise's first comment, shaking his head and taking a long drink to try and stifle his amusement: clearly, Blaise was either drunk or deluded, but Draco had little time to decide as Blaise placed a hand on his shoulder. Raising an eyebrow and looking rather amusedly grossed out by the darker boy's next comment, he grabs the hand on his shoulder and puts it back on the table with a smirk and a shake of his head.

"Again, Zabini, you over-share. Do feel free to bear this alleged 'cross' silently from now on, if only to save me vomiting in a perfectly good bottle of liquor at the thought of either your cock or where it's been in recent days.."

Smirking to himself, he raises the bottle as if to press it to his mouth again but stops a little way shy, raising a finger and wagging it towards Blaise instead and smirking all the while.

"And just for the record, the day that you're the pretty one, is the day I fuck a mudblood.." he smirks, taking the swig he had previously held off before resuming his speech. "And in case that didn't translate as well as I might have hoped; that's a clear never, mate."

He smirks again, chuckling slightly into the bottle and taking another drink from it. His head was already beginning to swim a little from the liquor and thankfully so given Blaise's next words. Chuckling slightly at the boy across from him, he waves a hand.

"Well, anything that deems me immune to your advances is all well and good in my mind, so whatever you say, mate.."

He chuckles briefly and rolls his eyes at Blaise's next comment, grinning slightly.

"How many times do I have to tell you; I only play card games with those I can cheat out of their money.."

[Blaise Zabini]

Blaise shook his head with a smirk.

"Draco, Draco, Draco.... Dear, simple Draco.... You just don't have my bone structure... I'm sorry, mate... One day you'll deal with the fact that you're not as pretty as me..."

Blaise took another drink from his bottle, smirking at the conversation.

"Mate, why would we play for money? We'd play for something we'd actually care about losing.... Actually, I don't think you have anything I want, so scratch that idea."

He took another drink from his bottle.

"You want to talk to Aberforth about potential deliveries before we get to the enevitable conversation?"

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco laughs slightly at Blaise's words, sounding rather amused as he replies.

"Oh, don't you 'dear simple Draco' me.." He rolls his eyes. "Sticking your hand in a cauldron does not suddenly make you a potion, does it Blaise? Now, given that such logic pertains to most situations; the fact that you care little about who you bed as long as it's not your own hand and therefore accumulate a high number of victims, does not make you the pretty one: it makes you the whore.."

He grins, rather proud of his mildly drunken assessment as he takes another drink from the bottle in his hand.

"Sorry mate, but again; the day you're the pretty one, is teh day I fuck a mudblood. End of story.."

Chuckling breathily, he shakes his head and takes another drink; only pausing in such at Blaise's next comment and removing the bottle from his lips to smirk at the boy's words.

"Which is precisely why I would play other - less financially endowed - people for cash, and wouldn't play you at all" He smirks, shrugging. "And I'm sure I can think of a few things that I have that you'd want come to think of it.. How about that signed Gobstones Tournament Programme my Father brought me back from Egypt that summer? You've had your eye on that for years.."

He grins slightly, his eyebrows flickering briefly up and down in a rather teasing fashion; he loved to wind Blaise up over such things and the two's friendship was often based in mocking conversation that generally ended in the two of them laughing it off; today being no exception.

At the mention of Aberforth, Draco casts a glance towards the barman; his nose wrinkling at the sight of the old man dirtying a glass with an ever-filthy dishcloth as his eyes lazily raked over the clientelle. Turning back to Blaise, he shrugs.

"Could do.. Although it's a conversation that might require a little more dutch courage; on my behalf at least.. Well, not really require, but it seems like a better idea than standing right now." He pauses, frowning slightly. "Huh? What inevitable conversation?"

[Blaise Zabini]

Blaise almost drooled.

"The... the one signed by Roland Kegg...?"

Flashes of images went past Blaise's eyes, the gobstones championships, the tournaments, Roland Kegg; his hero. The greatest Gobstones player ever to be a part of the England team.

"It's not bloody right you keep teasing me about that, you know. One of these days I'm just gonna hit you over the head with something blunt and accidentally kill you."

Blaise chuckled a little at the mention of dutch courage.

"I know what you mean by that mate, just thought we might be better off doing it now, whilst still coherent enough to not agree to end up paying more than we're already paying."

Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"You know, the conversation, the conversation we have nearly every time we get legless."

[Draco Malfoy]

A grin spread across Draco's features as he noticed the expression change on Blaise's face; it was cruel to tease the boy so blatantly, sure. But what fun was being ridiculously wealthy if you didn't enjoy gloating about various aspects of it as you rubbed them in others faces? No fun at all in a certain young Malfoy's mind, that's what.
Nodding his head, he grinned towards his friend.

"Yep. The very same.."

Laughing at Blaise's next words, he took another drink, shrugging his shoulders.

"It's not right at all; but that only makes me enjoy it all the more." He grins wickedly, chuckling a moment later. "Although the you hitting me over the head angle is equally entertaining, although for different reasons entirely.. Still, I'm sure you'll manage con it out of me someday."

He shrugged a shoulder, smirking. Draco, in truth, didn't hold any real sentimentality to the item himself; if he thought about it, Draco wasn't entirely sure that he even did sentimental.. But still, there would likely be a day when Blaise had something that Draco needed to bargain for, or perhaps a day when Draco needed help moving a body.. Either way, the item would fall into the right hands on the same day that such a favour needed cashing in.

Turning back over his shoulder to glance at Aberforth again as Blaise mentioned him, Draco turned back with an agreeable shrug.

"I must say, that sounds like far too sensible a conclusion for a man with a bottle in his hand.. Drink up already." He smirks. "Still, you do have a valid point there, mate.."

At Blaise's brow raising, Draco instantly wished he had not asked; the answer seeming suddenly as inevitable as the alleged conversation. Rolling his eyes, he shook his head.

"If it's the inevitable conversation, then I'd rather sink this entire bottle and then try my chances with Abe.."

[Blaise Zabini]

Blaise laughed and raised his bottle to his mouth, taking a long drink from the neck.

"You might be right there, mate."

He took another long drink before adding:

"Still it's a damn fine idea and between the two of us, we can look pretty intimidating."

He took another drink before raising his own eyebrow.

"Well of course it will be the inevitable conversation. What do you think the definition of inevitable, is?"

Blaise held the bottle up to his face, assessing the amount of amber coloured liquid still contained within it.

"I think I can manage downing this in about 3 gulps."