Blake's birthday began the next morning, the group of Slytherins rising just after ten in the morning to a pancake breakfast cooked by Mystique's House Elves, set out on an elaborate table set just for the five of them. After eating and some light chatter Mystique, who had been ignoring Nichole the entire morning, declared it was time for gifts.

"Open mine first," she said shoving the package at Blake, who accepted it looking slightly surprised at the insistence. Everyone gathered around as he ripped off the packaging and opened the box, eyes widening when he saw what was inside. "Do you like it? It's an antique."

Blake stared at it a moment longer before bursting into laughter. "Is this what I think it is?"

"The very Quaffle we use to play with as kids?" Mystique smirked, then started laughing herself. "Do you remember how we use to think this ball was, like, the best one on the market?"

"Yeah," a look of nostalgia passed over his face. "I remember thinking how fast it would fly through the hoop every time I tossed it."

"Now it's probably the slowest," Mystique grinned.

"I remember trying to block it," Gabe added with a chuckle. "And it flew right through my out stretched arms."

"And you did that ridiculous dive," Bianca added with a shriek of laughter, "and almost crashed?"

"Good times," Blake grinned.

Nichole was feeling left out as her friends reminisced. She hadn't met them until her first year at Hogwarts, but the four of them had been friends for years before that, having grown up in the same pure blood community. Sometimes Nichole felt like she didn't fit in with her friends but then she remembered who she was- she was a Malfoy, she had the purest of blood flowing through her veins from her father and the powerful blood of her mother; not to mention she was stronger than the four of them out together.

"Ok, open mine next." Gabe thrust his gift towards Blake who accepted it, still smiling wide. Inside was a new set of Quidditch Robes, embellished with his name and number.

"Thanks mate," Blake said staring at the number on the back- 13. "I was going to buy these myself."

"Now you don't have to," Gabe shrugged.

"Here's mine." Bianca passed over an envelope. "It's not much, but-." She trailed off as she shrugged.

Blake tore open the paper and withdrew a card, which began to sing a loud chorus of Happy Birthday before exploding into fireworks, dropping a gift card to Quality Quidditch Supplies once it finished. "Awesome, thanks! You keeping with the theme, here, Nichole?" He asked, turning to her with a smile.

Her heart jumped inside her chest as she shook her head and handed him her gift. "Actually, I wanted to get you something you couldn't buy yourself- it wasn't easy, believe me, but I hope you like it."

Nichole actually bit her lip nervously as Blake opened the present and watched his face carefully as he saw what was inside. After the night before she wasn't sure how he'd react to what she'd gotten him- but Blake meant a lot to her, she cared about him- and she wanted to give him something personal, something memorable, something he couldn't get at a store.

"Nichole-." His voice was quiet as he gazed at the eight frame picture set where photos of the five of the reside- they were laughing, smiling, sitting on the couch in the common room, playing Qudditch, and there was even, he saw, a photo of just the two of them from Nichole's birthday in September, standing side by side, arms around each other, drink in each of their hands, cheersing. "Nichole this is incredible."

Her face was a little pink as she blushed. Trying to act tough she shook her hair back and shrugged, "it's nothing."

"It's not nothing, it's perfect. Really. Thanks."

"Yeah, well," she mumbled, lowering her face to stare at the ground. An awkward silence fell and Nichole refused to look around at her other friends but she had a feeling she could feel Mystique's eyes boring into her in anger.

"So what should we do now?" Bianca finally asked after the silence stretched on for too long.

"You could come back to my place," Nichole suggested quietly and felt her friends eyes move back to hers. She lifted her head and shrugged, "I'm suppose to be meeting my muggle friends in a little bit- if you wanted to come with, that'd be cool."

"I'm in." Blake said instantly. Nichole gave him a small smile before glancing at Bianca and Gabe, who both shrugged.

"Sure."

"Sounds good."

The four of them turned to Mystique; Nichole gave her a tight smile but she just glared in return, lifting her arms and crossing them on her chest. "Misty?"

Mystique sneered and turned her nose up. "Why would I want to spend my time with some filthy muggles?"

Nichole's mouth fell open; she shouldn't have been surprised to hear Mystique talk that way about muggles- how often had they made fun of the muggle borns in other houses? But the fact that these were her friends, her life long friends, hurt Nichole more than she'd like to admit. Forcing her mouth shut she narrowed her eyes and nodded. "Have it your way then."

"I, uh-." Blake glanced between Mystique and Nichole a little nervously while Gabe and Biance sat there uncomfortably. "I'll just bring my gifts home first, shall I? Meet you in twenty at your place?"

"We'll be waiting." They all stood up- everyone, except Mystique, who turned her head to avoid seeing any of her friends. After an awkward moment they walked away to gather their belongings before meeting at the floo. "See you in a few," Nichole said as she picked up some powder and dropped it into the flames.

Nichole walked out of the fireplace to find empty bottles of wine littering the table in the living room and what appeared to be a bundle of blankets of the couch. "Mom?" she called taking a few steps in. "Dad?"

The bundle on the couch moved and a curly head poked out of it. Hermione's face was pink as she gazed at her daughter with wide, surprised eyes. "Nichole? What are you-?"

A flash of green erupted out of the fireplace as Bianca landed, stepping out and walking into Nichole who stood there, stunned and speechless, her eyes on the couch. "What's up?" she asked glancing at her shocked face.

Nichole didn't know what to say as her mothers eyes widened further. Bianca finally turned her attention to where she was staring and stopped, her own eyes widening a bit as she took in Nichole's mom on the couch covered in a blanket. Before she could say anything a blonde head poked out as well and she was staring into his Defence Against the Dark Arts professors face. Another burst of green light and Gabe emerged. He opened his mouth to ask what was going on but saw movement from the couch out of the corner of his eyes, and the words were quickly lost. None of the teenagers knew what to say, think, or do as they stared at the compromising position they just found their Professor in.

Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably before flicking his wand slightly, causing his and Hermione's clothes to reappear under the blanket. With an embarrassed sigh Hermione finally pushed the cover off of her and stood up, face still warm to the touch. "Well, um," she swallowed hard and forced a smile. "How was your night?"

Nobody knew what to say. Draco stood up as well, folding the blanket before setting it down on the couch. He glanced at Hermione, then to his daughter, then back at his girlfriend unsure what to say. "Maybe I should-." he finally said pointing at the fireplace beyond where the teens stood.

"That's a good idea," Hermione said quickly. "Um, floo me later?"

He nodded, quickly kissed her cheek, then looked at his daughter who stared back, face pale. "We'll talk later, okay?" Nichole didn't respond. He sighed then brushed past them to the fireplace, picked up the powder, and tossed it in calling out Malfoy Manor before being swept away.

Bianca and Gabe stood there uncomfortably, their eyes shifting from Nichole to Hermione and back again. "We'll be in your room." Bianca finally decided, grabbed Gabe's hand, and pulled him into Nichole's room, closing the door behind them. Just the two Granger's remained now.

"Nichole-." Hermione began in a soft voice. This seemed to snap Nichole out of whatever trance she was in as she blinked and turned her eyes onto her mother. "I understand that this is a little uncomfortable for you-."

"Uncomfortable?" Nichole spat. She shook her head causing her black and green hair to swish around her face. "Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was for me? The couch mom? Really?"

Hermione sighed, her face flaming a little brighter. "Yes, well, to be fair we hadn't expected you home so soon, and-."

Nichole made a face and pointed at the clock, "it's nearly lunch time mother!"

"Is it really?" Hermione blinked and looked at the clock. "Well, your father and I had a late night and-."

"I don't want to hear it!" Nichole shrieked, lifting her hands to her ears. She stood like that for a moment as her mother pressed her lips together. Finally Nichole lowered them and sighed, "I'm happy that you and dad are- together- but I don't want to see you guys like that!"

Hermione nodded and let out a long breath, "I am so sorry. We'll be more careful next time. I promise."

Nichole shuffled her feet and mumbled, "okay."

Her mother glanced at her bedroom door where she knew Nichole's friends were waiting, likely as embarrassed as her daughter. "Should I talk to them? I mean-."

"No!" Nichole cried. "You shouldn't say anything! We'll never speak of this again, okay?"

"But Draco is their Professor, and-."

"We. Will. Not. Speak. Of. This. Again." Nichole ground out of clenched teeth. Hermione nodded as Nichole let out a breath and began walking towards her room. "we're going to meet up with Amanda and Chris," she added as she turned the handle of the door. "I don't know how long we'll be."

"Just be careful," Hermione warned. "You know how dangerous it can be when muggles mix with wizards."

"We will be," Nichole assured her.

Hermione let out another breath as her daughter closed her bedroom door behind her. Well, that wasn't exactly the sort of position she'd ever imagined her daughter would find her in, but she'd handled it pretty well, if she dared say so.

"What'd I miss?" Blake asked as the group walked out of Nichole's door a little while later and down the hall towards Amanda's flat. Gabe and Bianca glanced at Nichole hesitantly, but Nichole shrugged easily.

"You missed our DADA Prof naked on the couch."

Blake's eyes almost popped out of his head as he stopped her in the hall, swinging his arm out to block her from going further. "Say that again."

"Oh you heard me right," Nichole shrugged. "Dear ol' dad naked- on the couch- with my mom- it was quite the scene."

Blake blinked a few times, sure he'd heard wrong, but one glance at Bianca and Gabe and he broke out in laughter. "Please- please tell me you got pictures of that!"

"Sadly no," Nichole sighed as she continued walking, Blake's arm having dropped when he began to laugh. "Besides, my mother would likely murder me if I'd done that. She's an employee of the Ministry, after all. Can't have discriminating photographs going around, you know?"

"Damn," Blake muttered, quickly catching up. "So what'd he say? Anything?"

"Just that we'd talk later. Mum was pretty embarrassed."

Nichole stopped in front of Amanda's door and lifted her hand to knock on it. Moments later it swung open. Chris greeted her with a smile and Nichole swallowed hard, remembering her promise to him that she'd have an answer to his question. Past Chris she could see Amanda on the couch looking pale, her hair sticking up and makeup smeered; she didn't look well.

"Amanda had a good night last night," Chris said catching Nichole's gaze. "She's hurting hard today."

"I can see that." She glanced over her shoulder at the trio behind her. "Chris, this is Bianca, Gabe, and Blake. Guys, this is Chris."

Bianca and Gabe nodded greetings but Blake, mouth set in a straight line, refused to say a thing. Nichole sighed; she was worried Blake would act like this, despite his speech last night, encouraging her to be with Chris. He was still jealous.

"Well come on in." Chris opened the door wider and they entered glancing around the flat in awe. Nichole strode over to Amanda and plopped down on the couch beside her, leaving her friends to take in their surroundings. She knew many of them hadn't been in a muggle setting before and probably felt uncomfortable, but these were her friends- she didn't want them to feel left out.

"Take a seat," she called over. Blake dragged his gaze away from the kitchen and forced a smile, sitting down on a chair next to the couch. Bianca and Gabe walked a little more hesitantly, pulling chairs from the dining room table to sit on while Chris sat on the couch beside Amanda. "So what'd you do last night?" she asked leaning over her friend so she could speak to Chris.

He shrugged and leaned forwards as well. "Got together with a few of Amanda's friends from school- it got a little out of hand though." Chris frowned as he remembered the events from the night before. "Cops ended up crashing the party a little after midnight. Amanda here," he grinned and slapped her back making her moan as she lifted her hands to her head. "Was already smashed by that point. I'd only had a couple so I drove her home where she promptly passed out right here and hasn't moved since."

"Where's that potion when you need it?" Amanda mumbled. Nichole froze as Blake, Gabe, and Bianca all turned to stare at her with wide eyes sure they had heard Amanda wrong, but her friend looked at her through blurred eyes and asked, "do you happen to have another bottle of it? I could really use it."

"Nichole-" Blake breathed. She turned to look at him, panicking slightly. "Did you- do they- but you said-?"

"I, uh," Nichole stuttered, unsure what to say.

"Whats the big deal?" Chris shrugged. "Nichole trusts us, we aren't going to tell anyone."

"But it's against the law!" Blake roared. "And you said they didn't know."

"I- I mean, I just-."

"You lied, to all of us." He stood up angrily and Nichole could see his wand sticking out from his pocket and was reminded, rather quickly, that Blake was now seventeen years old- he had become of age- he could use magic freely now; but had he realized this yet?

"I didn't lie exactly," Nichole stated quickly, trying to think of an excuse. "I was just worried about what would happen, and-."

"You didn't tell us they didn't know," Chris said with a slight frown. "I thought since we were all friends-."

"We are not friends," Blake stated firmly, eyes narrowed towards Christopher. "The only friend we have in common here in Nichole."

"Blake," Nichole tried but he turned his narrowed eyes on her.

"I can't believe you would lie to us- to me! I thought we were better than that."

"We are!" She insisted but Blake just shook his head and glanced at Bianca and Gabe. "I'm out of here. You coming with?"

Gabe nodded, going to the door with Blake. Bianca glanced sadly at Nichole and shrugged as if to say I have no choice and followed them.

"Wait!" Nichole cried standing up. Chris stood as well and grabbed her arm as she tried to rush after them, the door slamming as they left. She rounded on him, swinging her hand out of his reach with a glare. "What'd you do that for?"

"Let them leave, Cole."

"They're my friends, Christopher!"

"So are we," he insisted. "Stay- we're not mad. Confused, maybe, but not mad."

"I don't care about anything right now," Amanda mumbled from her spot on the couch. "Except for the fact that all that yelling and anger was making my head pound."

Nichole sighed and reached into her pocket, withdrawing a vial of blue liquid. "Here. Oh and I brought this too." She held up a bottle of firewhiskey and Christopher's eyes widened. "Maybe not tonight, not with Mandy like that- but I promise we'll get together and try it soon. I really should go do damage control though. I'm sorry guys."

Chris looked disappointed as he nodded; Amanda grabbed the vial greedily and tipped its contents back with a sigh as she closed her eyes and waited for the potion to kick in. "I'll walk you out?"

"Sure." Nichole's heart fluttered again as she recalled, once more, the promise she had made. But had she truly decided what she wanted yet? Walking side by side the two of them went down the hall and stopped outside of Nichole's place. She leaned against the door while he leaned against the wall studying her. "What?" she asked.

"I was just wondering if you've had a chance to think about- well-." He trailed off looking sheepish, "what I said the other day?"

Nichole let out a big breath and nodded. "I had, actually. And," she stood up straighter so she could look in his face better. "First you should know that my friend Blake- he kissed me at midnight, confessing his love for me as well." Christopher's face morphed into one of anger but he quickly masked in, nodding for her to continue. "You should also know that I slapped him for it- nobody kisses me without my permission."

Chris couldn't help but chuckle, "sounds like my Cole."

"Yeah." The grin quickly faded from her face. "He and I had a chance to talk and- I confessed to him that I had you to consider- because you'd just told me you loved me."

"What are you saying, Cole?" Chris asked hesitantly, his words coming out slowly. "Do you need more time or-?"

"Blake said I should pick you," she spat out quickly, the words blending together, but Chris had heard. She took another big breath and said, a little more slower, "but it's not that easy for me- at first I thought that I had my answer, but something is holding me back from choosing you."

"Why are you telling me this than?" Chris asked sounding hurt.

"I'm sorry Christopher," Nichole reached out and grabbed his hands. They were warm and she clutched them tightly, bringing them up to her chest. He was breathing deeply as she whispered, "I don't want to hurt you."

Chris was starting to breath rapidly now as he took a step towards Nichole. She tilted her head up, her own breath quickening as she anticipated what he was about to do. "You won't slap me if I kiss you, will you?"

Nichole swallowed and stuck her tongue out to lick her suddenly dry lips. "No," she breathed.

"Good." He took another step towards her. "Because it's only fair if I get my chance to kiss you as well. Play the field evenly."

Nichole couldn't help but smile as her lips parted softly and Chris leaned down to press his to hers. She stepped closer, let go of his hands and snaked them up around his neck and he touched her face gently. Chris' lips were soft, softer than Blake's had been, and he seemed to know exactly how to move his mouth with hers.

She didn't hear the door swing open, or the footsteps, or even the gasp. But she did hear Blake's angry voice ringing through the hall as he cried out, "WHAT THE FUCK."

A/N

2 updates in one day! I told you I wanted to get this finished, didn't I? I honesty don't anticipate many reviews as this story is so horribly written at the beginning but I am still determined to finish! So please R&R!