Chapter Eleven: Family Before Friends

Emerald flames lit the small kitchen with an eerie green glow as a witch suddenly came into view in the fireplace spinning like a top. She was in the middle of taking her first step out of the fireplace when she was instantly rammed by a large object. Her eyes were filled with black and her nose clogged with the combined smells of cologne and cooking.

"Hermione!"

"Hermione!" Another thump shook her but she still couldn't see in the dark.

"Hermione!" The sound of china hitting floor suddenly rang in her ears. "Thank Merlin, I'm saved!"

The darkness lifted from her eyes and Hermione could now see Harry (now that his untidy mop wasn't blocking her view of the kitchen) standing a short distance from her, Ron right beside Harry, and Ginny who stood in the doorway, broken china bits littering the ground beneath her. Ginny ran to give her friend a hug.

"So, how have you been? We haven't really seen you in awhile."

"Alright, I was in Diagon Alley this afternoon and I visited Fred and George and they told me to stop by tonight."

"You were in Diagon Alley? Why didn't you tell us, we could have met up," Ron whined.

Hermione shrugged trying to keep her face as neutral as possible. "It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of trip."

"So...," Harry said. "What'd you get in Diagon Alley?"

Hermione shrugged again. "Just chocolate ice cream. I didn't even go into Flourish and Blotts."

"Did you get anything else in Diagon Alley?"

Hermione stared at him blankly, "No... I just told you I got the ice cream."

The four of them stood around for a minute until something clicked in Ginny's head. "Hermione, can I talk to you for a minute. Alone?"

Hermione looked at Ginny curiously, "Yeah, sure, I guess."

Ginny led Hermione up to her small room and shut the door. "Hermione, do you know why we're having this dinner?"

"Don't you have dinner every night," Hermione joked.

Ginny ignored her, "Hermione, tonight is special."

Hermione frowned, "Oh. Well if it's a family thing then I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'll floo home." Hermione tried to make her way to the door but Ginny blocked her path.

"Hermione. I'm sure the guest of honor would want you there."

"Well who's the guest of honor?"

"Oh Merlin, Hermione! You really did forget!"

"Forget what?"

"Hermione, today's Harry's birthday dinner!"

Hermione froze and let everything click into place. Ginny was right. Today was Harry's birthday and she had completely forgot. Suddenly the letter that he had sent less than two weeks ago came back to her:

Hermione,

I'm at the Burrow right now but Mrs. Weasley is yelling at Fred and George for something stupid they did. So I ran. We haven't heard from you in awhile and we were getting worried. We haven't done much since I got here. You missed a awesome game of Quidditch in the backyard. Me, Ron, and Charlie versus Bill, George, and Fred. Ginny wanted to play but the teams wouldn't have been even, if only we could get you on a broom.

Reply quick. We all miss you and I think Ginny's gonna go over without any female company. So get over here soon and we can celebrate your seventeenth birthday. Oh, and mine's coming up too, you have to be there for that.

-Harry

"Oh Merlin, oh Merlin, oh Merlin!" Hermione yelled out in aggravation, "I can't believe I forgot! I'm the worst friend ever! I've been too tied up with Blaise and Carmina and--" She stopped dead in her tracks realizing she had said too much but the damage had already been done.

"Blaise? As in Blaise Zabini," Ginny asked, her eyes were narrow. "Why are you 'tied up' with Blaise Zabini?"

Hermione's thought process went into overdrive as she desperately tried to think up something plausible but for once, Hermione Granger was stumped. She sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the space next to her telling Ginny to sit. Ginny sat on the bed looking at Hermione with an expectant expression as the other girl twisted her hands and refused to meet her eye.

"Hermione," Ginny said calmly but forcefully, "what is going on?"

Hermione drew in a deep breath and lost control of both her mouth and vocal chords as she spit out, "Blaise is going to be my step-brother!"

Ginny looked at her blankly for a minute before screaming, "What?!"

Hermione explained everything from the beginning. She told Ginny of her father's departure very briefly, she had never told any of her friends about this as it was before Hogwarts and Hermione deemed the story a "on a need-to-know basis" kind of event. Then moved on to more recent events such as the call and meeting the Zabinis.

"But the Zabinis," Ginny whined. "They're pure-bloods. Why would she even give your father a chance?"

"Says the pure-blood to the Muggleborn," Hermione said teasing. She felt a little lighter knowing someone else knew. Draco Malfoy didn't count.

Ginny brushed off the comment, "This is just... surprising, that's all." She paused and thought before speaking, "So I take it that Harry and Ron don't know?"

"No," Hermione said sighing. "I was worried they'd get mad at me."

"Mad at you? What for?"

"I don't know," Hermione said sarcastically, "marrying into a pure-blood family of Slytherins?"

"Well they can't do anything about it, can they?"

"Hardly."

Ginny sighed and stood up, "We should probably get back."

"But what about Harry's gift? I can't just say 'I forgot,' he'll be crushed! And I can't go out to buy something now."

"Just tell him... it's at home and you forgot it."

"Well I could floo and be back instantly! And if I have to lie about the present, I have to remember all my lies and find a present that fits them all!"

"Then tell him it's too late to get it and you'll send or bring it over some other time. And avoid questions or just avoid the whole subject altogether. Just tell people it's a secret."

Hermione pouted obviously moody. "Fine."

So together they walked downstairs making meaningless chit chat so that Harry and Ron wouldn't get supicious, but then again, the two boys had always been rather oblivious. Nevertheless, Hermione spoke with them and all of the other Weasleys following Ginny's advice and avoiding the subject of gifts. The night droned on and eventually the time came for Hermione to leave.

"Bye, Hermione," said Ron giving her a big bear hug.

"Bye, Hermione," said Harry also giving her a hug.

"Happy birthday, Harry," Hermione answered.

Harry stepped back from his friend and grinned, "Thanks."

"You're coming back for your birthday, right," Ron asked.

Hermione spoke as she stepped into the green flames, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

A/N ;; No, I'm not hatin' on Harry's hair. It really is an untidy mop!

Sorry for not updating for awhile and sorry that this chapter's so short. I've been trying to put more pieces in my portfolio before college interviews next year. So that's been eating my time away. If I ever decide to upload some of my stuff, I'll post a link on my profile, mmkay?

Review you little sexy beasts, you!