"HERMIONE GRANGER! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? WHERE IS MALFOY?"
Hermione was curled up on the couch and watching Ginny rant to Theo while he seemed quite amused. Draco came running down the stairs. "What happened?"
Ginny threw the newspaper at him. "When exactly did this happen? And what kind of friend are you, Hermione? How could you not tell me?"
Hermione shrugged from the couch. Draco sent her a small smile and tossed the paper onto the table. He sat down next to her and hung his arm around her shoulders. Hermione glared the photo.
There, on the front page, was a large picture of Hermione and Draco, on the dance floor, while the picture looped their kiss over and over. The headline read: The notorious Draco Malfoy and Death Eater Hermione Granger together?
Hermione blew her fringe up. "She couldn't even find a nice adjective for me. I mean, Malfoy gets to be notorious and what am I? A Death Eater?"
"Hermione! That's besides the point!"
Hermione silently thanked Blaise for apparating in when he did. He glanced at Draco and Hermione, on the couch. "Finally. But did you have to get Skeeter there?"
Hermione frowned. "Where wasn't there for us. She was tailing Potter and Weasley with their stupid dates. By the way, I might have ... spoken to Sierra."
Blaise laughed and sat down. "How mad were you by the time you saw her?"
"What?"
"I'm just trying to imagine how much you traumatised her."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I might have embarrassed her in front of Weasley a tiny bit, and then made her feel like crap. Wasn't intentional, though. It just slipped beacuse I had run into Skeeter earlier and might have had a word or two with her."
Draco laughed. "Skeeter asked us how we could walk around with our Dark Marks and if we're proud we supported Voldemort. So Granger asked her how she walked around with her face and if she was proud she ruined people's lives."
Theo looked up. "Woah, hold up. Just when did all of this happen?"
They all looked at him. "Are you seriously just catching on now?" Ginny asked.
Theo shrugged. "Anyway, please don't tell me we've got to invite all those Weasleys. Too much red in one room."
Ginny glared at him, and he raised his hands in surrender. She opened her mouth, but a light tapping at a nearby window interrupted her. She opened the window and at least three owls flew in. They all landed by Draco. He took the letters, and Ginny noticed that it was four, not three. "Okay, one from McGonagall, one from my dad, one Andromedra and one from ... who's handwriting is this?"
Hermione took the fourth letter. "What I want to know is how your father got a letter to you from Azkaban."
Draco shrugged. "I don't even feel like opening it." He opened McGonagall's letter instead.
"Dear Mr Malfoy ... blah blah blah ... I am pleased to congratulate you on turning eighteen ... blah blah blah ... I am wondering when you will return ... blah blah blah ... wait what! Guys listen here. I would also like to congratulate you on your relationship with Miss Granger!"
Hermione, who was reading over his shoulder, began laughing. "I forgot. Some students get the Daily Prophet delivered via the mail at school."
Draco shook his head and opened Andromedra's letter. He read through it quickly. "She wants to know if we want to come over, all five of us. Unless Zabini has a girlfriend, it's just us five."
Blaise looked at him. "No girlfriend!"
Draco set Andromedra's letter down and opened his father's letter.
"Okay, let's see. My dear boy ... blah blah blah ... happy birthday ... apologise I cannot be there ... how's your mother ... blah blah blah ... I heard about that mudblood Granger in my home ... do get rid of her for me," at this point, Draco started laughing and threw the letter into the fireplace. He took the last one from Hermione.
"Hope this one is nicer. Okay... dear Malfoy ... haven't seen you in quite some time ... heard Granger woke up ... saw the newspaper - of course you did - are you ever coming back to Hogwarts ... spoke to my mother ... I'll be there for a few days during the holidays, maybe - who the hell is this? - hope to see you and Granger both soon ... love, Ell - oh! It's from Ella!"
Hermione took the letter. "Wow, I really haven't seen her since about a week or so before the Christmas ball."
Draco clapped his hands together. "Alright. I want my gifts and I want them now."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Then she jumped. "Gift! I forgot! Someone needs to take me to the Leaky Cauldron! Like, now!"
"I'll take you."
Hermione looked at Draco. "I'm going to pick up your gift. You're not allowed to come. I need someone else to take me."
Ginny got up. "Come on, Hermione. I'll take you."
"Thank you." She turned to Draco. "Don't follow us."
Ginny apparated the two but stopped Hermione before she left. "You and I are going to sit down and you are going to tell me exactly when this happened."
Hermione shrugged. "Sure. After you tell me when exactly you decided you're in love with Nott."
"I am not in love with him!"
"Denial is the fi-"
"Oh, shut up. Go fetch your stupid gift."
Hermione faked a dramatic gasp. "My ferret is not a stupid gift!"
"You got him a ferret?!"
"No. Yes. Kind of."
"That's priceless!"
"It's not a real ferret, really. I mastered it a while ago, but I actually got him something else."
Hermione walked away and picked up the large box ridden with holes, covered in pink ribbons. Hermione made a face and brought it back to Ginny. She waved her wand and the box looked a little less ... girly. "Okay, to my room."
Ginny sighed and apparated. As soon as the got there, Hermione called for Dobby. "Hide this from Malfoy. I'll call you when I want it."
Dobby nodded and left with the box. Hermione and Ginny went down the stairs. Draco looked up. "Where's my gift?"
"With Dobby. You'll get it later."
Ginny smiled. "For now, we eat cake!"
She led Draco, blindfolded, to the dining room, where a medium sized cake sat on the table. The cake was made by all four of them and was a light green with his name in gold. Narcissa stood on the other side of the cake. "Happy birthday, Draco, darling."
Hermione rolled her eyes. There it was again, darling.
Ginny pulled the blindfold off. "We all made it, but if it gives you food poisoning, Hermione made the batter."
Draco smiled at them all. "You're all such idiots. It looks wonderful. Are you sure it's not poisoned?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes. They cut the cake, and as soon as Draco had a slice, Hermione flicked it in his face. "That's what you get for assuming I'd poison you."
Draco looked at the squashed cake. He tossed it in Hermione's hair. "Malfoy!"
She flicked her wand and a bucket of ice water emptied itself on Draco. She gave him a satisfied smirk. Draco gave his own wand a flick and Hermione was drenched in pumpkin juice. Hermione was seething. She dropped her wand and lunged at Draco, who sidestepped and ran to the other side. Hermione chased him. "You ruined my hair, you dim witted idiot!"
Draco laughed and hid behind Ginny. "Come and get me, Granger." Ginny moved aside. "Come and get him, Granger."
Hermione grinned. She flicked her wrist, having dropped her wand, and Draco was left in a puddle of mud. "Why you little mudblood."
He looked down at the mud and grinned. He picked up and handful of it and tossed it at Hermione. "Now you're really a mudblood!"
"Malfoy! I really hate you!"
Draco picked up another handful. "No you don't."
He tossed it and Hermione avoided it, tossing a handful of her own at him. Draco slipped under the table and crawled out near Hermione. "Gotcha."
Hermione tried to push him away. "You stupid. You ruined my hair. I'll never forgive you."
Draco grinned. "I fixed it. It was looking bushy again."
"Why you stupid ... I don't know. There aren't enough insults for you."
Draco wrapped an arm around her waist. "I know. I'm special."
Hermione smiled. She sent another shower of ice water over his head. "And now you're being drenched."
Hermione tried to slip away but Draco caught her hand. "Now you're drenched too."
"Malfoy! It's cold!"
"You sent it down."
"Okay, I'll get rid of it!"
Hermione flicked her wrist and the shower stopped, all the mud was gone too. Hermione was shivering. Draco wrapped his arms around her. "Cold, isn't it?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Your hugs aren't going to help. You're freezing cold as well."
Draco laughed. "Best birthday ever."
Neither noticed Theo snapping pictures with his camera. Narcissa cleared her throat and Hermione jumped about a foot in the air, knocking Draco back. "Granger!"
"Sorry!"
Narcissa smiled and shook her head. "You two better have this cleaned when you're done."
Draco turned to his mother. "We are," he said.
She laughed. "I seriously doubt it. Have fun, girls and boys. I'll be back later this evening with your gift."
Draco frowned and Narcissa smiled. "I had to find a place to hide it far away from you."
Draco sighed. "Fine. I'll see you later then?"
His mother nodded and left the five to eat the remainder of the cake. Hermione was about to take a second when Theo stopped her. "Don't eat too much, Granger. Skeeter will accuse you of being pregnant."
Hermione threw her fork at him, narrowly missing his head. "I'll break your neck, Nott."
Draco, who was sitting next to her, put his arm around her shoulders. "Wouldn't be that bad, would it, Granger?"
Hermione glared up at him. "Nice try. The fork is coming back."
Draco ducked in time and turned back to see the fork lodged in the wall behind him. "Nevermind. Now can I please get my gifts?"
Hermione pinched his cheek. "You're like a small child."
Draco smiled. "Pinch harder and I'll spread rumors."
Hermione let go. "You wouldn't dare."
She pulled him up and made him sit on the couch. "Now you can have your gifts."
Theo pulled out a flat box and tossed it at Draco. Draco opened it and threw the book back at Theo. "I'm not a dummy!"
Theo grinned and tossed the book on the table. Hermione looked at the book. "How to catch the snitch. For dummies? Priceless!"
Ginny tossed Draco a small bottle. He read the label. "Fire-proof shampoo? Aww, you do like my hair."
Hermione glared at Ginny. "Now how am I supposed to set fire to his ugly blond head?"
"Hey, my head is not ugly."
Blaise tossed a box at him and accidentally hit him on the head. Hermione smiled. "See? Even boxes want to hit you."
Draco opened the box after sticking his tongue out at her. He pulled out and cellphone. "Is this that muggle thing you had?"
Blaise nodded. "Yeah. It's better than owls, you know. Granger can show you later, but I want to know what she got you. She's grinning like a fool behind you."
Draco glanced up at her. "What did you get me?"
"Dobby!" She smiled at him. "You remember when we were half drunk once, and I asked you what you wanted that your father would never allow?"
Draco frowned. "A bit."
Hermione gestured to the big box Dobby held. Draco took the lid off and peeked inside. Hermione reached over from the back and pulled out a small black puppy. "He doesn't have a name yet."
Draco looked at it. "You remembered."
The dog gave a small bark and jumped from Hermione's arms onto Draco. Draco scratched the dog's ears. "What was it Potter called Sirius once? In Umbridge's office."
Hermione frowned. "Padfoot?"
Draco grinned at the dog. "Hello, Padfoot."
Hermione smiled and leaned over to scratched the dog's ears. "Don't kill him, okay?"
Draco glanced her. "Do I look like I want to murder a dog?"
Hermione looked at him. "I was talking to the dog."
"Granger!"
Hermione grinned. "Oh! One more. My Patronus changed."
Draco nodded. "You mean it's now a beaver instead of an otter?"
"Fine. I won't show you."
"Granger, I'm kidding. Please show me."
Hermione smiled and waved her wand. A silver wisp fell from the tip and assumed a shape in front of Draco. He stared at it. "Is that a...?"
Hermione nodded. "It's a ferret."
Draco frowned. "I'm insulted it hasn't changed to a dragon instead."
Hermione laughed. "Pale little ferret."
Her ferret circled Draco's head and Padfoot pounced on it. Hermione dropped her wand and the blue ferret faded away.
She leaned over Draco's shoulder and scratched the dog's chin. "You like ferrets?" The dog gave a small bark of excitement. Hermione laughed. Draco smiled at her while she cooed at the dog. Neither of the two saw Theo snap another picture.