A/N: Hermione's birthday dinner has come. I hope it is realistic that way. Please, let me know what you think.

Many thanks to my beta, Cecelia Everhart, and everyone who reviewed!

20. Downward Spiral

The next afternoon, Draco was impatiently awaiting Hermione, who had spent her morning with her parents as she hadn't visited them for weeks. Finally, the fireplace roared and Hermione appeared, a bit of ash decorating her curls. Draco grinned and stood up to greet her.

"Happy birthday, love."

She smiled warmly and stepped into his living room. "Hi."

"You don't expect me to sing, do you?"

She laughed heartily. "No. I'm fine with a kiss."

At once, he leaned forward and pulled her into a tight embrace, capturing her lips gently with his mouth. Beaming, she finally stepped away. "You do realise I'm now older than you?"

"I couldn't care less," he answered, marvelling at her burning eyes, like fire opals, and her radiant smile, like a sunrise. "Do you want to see my present?"

She pulled a face. "I told you that you don't need –"

"I know," he interrupted her. "Therefore, I bought you something useful and not too expensive."

She looked at him expectantly and smoothed her dark green dress. He knew she was wearing it for him and that made his heart swell. "Okay, then. Where is it?"

"One moment." He quickly went into his bedroom and came back with a little cage.

"Oh my god," Hermione breathed.

"May I present: this is Nyx, a young short-eared owl. You've mentioned that you might want to buy an owl, but that you're worried about Cookshanks. I talked with the woman from Eylops, and she recommended her because she had something of a friendship with the neighbours' Kneazel. She'll be fine with Crookshanks." He pressed the cage into her hands and she peeked through the bars, amazed.

"My own owl," she whispered. "Hi there. Can I offer you an owl treat?"

The pretty owl's head snapped around.

"I think that means yes," Draco grinned.

"Here." She summoned some treats and pushed them though the bars. "I'm Hermione."

Nyx rattled her beak and devoured the treats at lightning speed.

"Wow, thank you, Draco," his girlfriend said, her voice trembling with emotion. Carefully, she put the cage on the table and hugged him passionately. "It is a wonderful gift."

"You like it?" he whispered insecure.

"Merlin, yes. I do."

He grinned at her cheekily. "That means, I'm allowed to give you something for Christmas?"

"Perhaps." She smiled against his lips and kissed him heatedly. He felt it again: sparks on gasoline, his whole body on fire. Reluctantly, he pushed her away. "We need to go, love."

She sighed, but didn't let go of him. "I know."

He knew she was afraid of her friend's reactions and tried to soothe her. "We don't need to do this. We can keep it a secret a little longer."

"No. I want them to know. I want to move on." She tried to sound determined, but a slight quaver in her voice remained.

"Okay," he whispered and tugged a lose strand behind her ear.

"I'm just scared they'll hurt you, or scream at you, or … maybe something bad'll happen," she explained, squeezing his hand.

"Don't be scared, love. I'll be with you. It's me that should be scared." He winked.

"I'll protect you," she answered intensely.

Gently, Draco kissed her again, pulling her to the door. "Let's go."

They apparated to the edge of the wards and walked hand in hand to the front door. "Maybe, you go in first," Draco whispered, "and announce me, so that they don't hex me on sight."

She nodded and opened the front door. Immediately, loud cheering and singing greeted her. He heard Mrs. Weasley's characteristic voice and Ginny's familiar laughter. The whole family must be there, like on Potter's birthday party. He had been mostly ignored that evening, but somehow he felt he wouldn't get off lightly today.

After they had all wished her Happy Birthday, he heard her clearing her throat and announcing loudly, "Thank you so much for the congratulations and the party. Now, I want you to meet somebody…" Her voice shook slightly. "He's my boyfriend, and I like him very much. I would appreciate it if you'd treat him decently and not ruin my day."

"Oh, how nice," he heard Mrs. Weasley sigh and shouts from the background, "Who is it?"

"Be nice, promise?" she insisted. Everyone seemed to agree because she turned around and called him. "Draco, come in."

Shocked silence welcomed him. He noticed the murderous glares from Ron and Mrs. Weasley, the unbelieving faces of George, Angelina, Bill, and Mr. Weasley, and the disgusted looks of Percy, Lavender and Fleur. The only ones smiling were Potter and Ginny.

"Ehm, hello everyone," he said calmly, but his voice sounded unnaturally loud in the room and everyone winced. At least, nobody had drawn his wand yet.

Little James was the one to break the eerie silence, not having noticed Hermione before. "Mioni!" he called out happily and ran to her with his little legs.

"Hi Jamie." His girlfriend smiled and lifted him up. "This is my friend Draco," she explained to him und turned to Draco.

"Dwaco!" Jamie exclaimed and automatically reached for him. Quickly, Hermione pushed James into his arms. It was quite clever actually because now nobody would dare to attack him. A bit awkwardly he held the little boy and looked cautiously to his parents, but they still smiled.

Suddenly, everyone started talking, and he saw how Hermione was pulled aside by Ron, but there was nothing he could do. He still held James and the Potters had surrounded him.

"I think this was a bad idea," he muttered.

"Nonsense! They'll calm down as soon as they've processed the news. Why don't we head to the garden?" Ginny proposed and grabbed his arm. He was quite happy to be outside, alone with the Potters.

"It's okay, Draco. Hermione just needs to explain it to them. They'll come to their senses," Harry mumbled. "You can put James down now."

Draco nodded. The boy had become quite heavy.

"Jamie, what do think about showing Draco the gardens?" Ginny smiled and kneeled in front of her son. "Would you like that?"

"Yeah. Dwaco, come Dwaco." The boy tugged quite forcefully at his hand, and Draco gave in. "Fair enough. Which place do you like most?"

Happily, the little boy led him further down a path to a cherry tree, where he spotted a little swing. He started pushing three-year old James, whose hair was just as unruly as Harry's, and enjoyed the child's laughter. However, he still worried about Hermione. What if they forced her to decide between him and the Weasley's? He would understand if she gave him up. He'd never had a large, close-knit family like this, and he didn't want her to abandon them for his cold father and a bit snobbish mother.

He was so lost in his thoughts and focused on James that he didn't notice the figures running down the path until they were right in front of him. It was Weaselking and his twinless brother, followed by Ginny, who tried to stop them. All of a sudden, a spell pushed him back, so that he was pressed against the tree trunk. George and Ron both had their wands out and pointed them at him.

"What game are you playing with Hermione?" Ron raged at him.

"No game," he stuttered, not being able to move and reach for his wand.

"Then why is she suddenly convinced she can trust you, ferret?" George hissed. "Love potion?"

"Why would I do that, for Merlin's sake?" he sneered. He couldn't help but act like his arrogant self around those idiots.

"Ron, George, this is stupid. Stop it right now!" Ginny exclaimed and tried to push her brothers back, and, although she was strong, having played Quidditch for years, her brothers were stronger.

"We can't let him hurt her, don't you see that? She'll break if …" Ron whispered, but Draco heard him nevertheless.

"I won't hurt her. I like her," Draco threw in.

"Viktor bloody Krum said the same," Ron snarled, turning back to him.

"What did that guy do that everyone freaks out about it?" he asked exasperatedly.

All three of them turned pale. So they knew. Everyone knew, except him.

Ron put his wand at Draco's throat. It was hot from his anger and sent burning pain through his body. "If you hurt her, we'll kill you. We won't let the same happen again."

"I understand," he choked.

"Ron, you're hurting him! Back off or I'll hex you!" Ginny warned. At once, Ron took a step back. His little sister apparently wasn't one to trifle with.

"So, you're intentions are honourable?" George repeated.

"Of course, they are. Now let me go!" he snarled. "I don't have to answer to you."

"She's our friend."

Following an inspiration, he hissed, "If she were your friend, you wouldn't feel so damn guilty about what happened with Viktor. That's the reason you're threatening me. You feel guilty because you didn't help her then. That's so pathetic. I've always known that you were pitiful, useless –" He wasn't able to finish his sentence because some spell hit him and he blacked out.

Just after Hermione had escaped Ron and George, who had accused her of not being in her right mind and of making a terrible mistake, Molly Weasley pulled her into the laundry room.

"Hermione, dear, I can understand that you must feel lonely, but I don't think Draco Malfoy is the right choice …" Molly began.

"We're not together because I'm lonely. We're together because we like each other," she tried to explain calmly. "And I understand that he made mistakes in his life, but so did I. He shouldn't be judged by them."

Molly pressed her lips together. "Maybe he shouldn't be your next mistake, honey. He can't be good for you. And I don't want you to get hurt again."

Molly didn't know everything that happened with Viktor, just bits and pieces, but it was enough. "Why can't he be good for me? He's intelligent, funny, charming, he genuinely cares about me, and he won't hurt me."

"But how can you know that, dear? He might not be a Death Eater anymore, but he did things –"

"I know. Still, I forgave him," she interrupted the older witch.

Sorrowfully, the Weasley matriarch shook her head. "Hermione, please, listen to me. He's not a good person! You are making a horrible mistake."

She knew Molly hadn't said those words to hurt her, but they did hurt, nevertheless. Everyone thought she was crazy to trust him, and maybe she was, but she was so sure that he was right for her. They way his kisses felt, the feelings he awoke in her…

"I'm not," she finally replied. "If you can't accept my decision…"

"Hermione," Molly pleaded.

She shook her head.

"Well, fair enough," the elderly woman snapped. "It's your party today and you can invite whoever you want to, but I don't want him in my house. If it weren't for him, my son would still be alive. Many people would. You should consider that when you choose your friends next time." She gave Hermione a sad, meaningful look and left the room.

The words shook her deeply. She wasn't welcome here as long as she dated Draco. She had expected them to be mistrustful of him; however, she had believed they would trust in her decision, that they would trust her. Apparently nobody did. As if the things Viktor had done, had been her fault, her misjudgement.

Consequently, if she and Draco would break up, it would be her fault all over again because she had horrible taste in men. If he cheated on her, it would be her fault, too, and if he hit her, it again would be her fault.

That thought made her sick inside. She fled out of the stifling laundry room to search Draco and disappear from here. If she wasn't welcome, she wouldn't stay any longer.

"Draco?" she called, walking into the living and nearly colliding with Ginny. The redhead looked pale and truly guilty. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Hermione asked at once.

"I'm fine, Mione, but …" She glanced back into the living. "I tried to stop them."

"Stop who?" Hermione asked confused and peered over Ginny's shoulder. She caught a glimpse of a lifeless, deathly white body on the couch. "Draco," she gasped, pushed the redhead aside, and ran to the couch. For a split-second, she thought he was dead, but then she spotted his chest heaving. The relief she felt now was comparable to the relief she had felt when they had discovered that Voldemort hadn't killed Harry. Nevertheless, he looked ghostly pale, sweat on his forehead, his limps trembling with every breath.

"What curse did you hit him with?" she snapped and turned around. "Who was that?"

"Hermione, calm down," Harry said and grabbed her elbow. "Lower your wand."

"I'm perfectly calm," she hissed and scanned the room. Molly looked quite contented, bustling around in the kitchen; Percy was cleaning his glasses nonchalantly; Angelina bit her lip and glanced at George, who sat on the armchair with James; and Ron examined his shoe tips. "Ron? George?" she asked, deducing the culprits. "What did you do?"

She wanted to scream, but suddenly she felt only disappointed as if all her strength had left her.

"N-nothing. He was insulting us," Ron stuttered, having at least the decency to look ashamed.

"What spell did you use?" she asked brokenly, finally lowering her wand.

They both flinched. "He's going to wake up, don't worry," George mumbled.

"What spell?"

"Stupefy," George admitted.

"Ron?"

Ron's gaze wandered between her, Draco, and Harry. "One of the Auror spells, but I don't think it was supposed to be used together with a stunning spell."

Harry, next to her, tensed. "Ron!"

Hermione needed no further explanation. She could figure out herself that it was nothing good and probably painful. "Harry, you'll help me carry him?"

"We are sorry, Mione," Ron pleaded.

She pretended not to hear him. "Harry?"

"Of course," he muttered, his green eyes full of sympathy. She levitated the unconscious Draco out of the living room, ignoring everyone in it, and headed to the apparition point.

Harry followed her closely. "He'll be fine as soon as the stupefy wears of."

All of a sudden, she wanted to scream at Harry for not taking care of Draco, for not helping her, but she had no strength left. The only thing that came out of her mouth was a strangled sob.

"Mione," he whispered and put a hand on her shoulder. "Let me do this."

She shook her head, but took his offered hand, nevertheless. Together they grabbed Draco and apparated to Hermione's flat. They had just put him on the couch when the floo roared to life. Preparing for the worst, Hermione drew her wand, but it was only Ginny.

"I'm so sorry, Mione," she sobbed and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"It's okay," Hermione mumbled, finding herself in the odd position of comforting Ginny although she was the one needing comfort. As soon as Ginny loosened her grip on her, Harry pulled his wife into his arms. "Gin, it's fine. You couldn't have stopped them."

While Ginny tried to regain her composure, Hermione swayed over to Draco. "Is he in pain?" she whispered with a breaking voice.

"I'm not quite sure what Ron used. I hope not," Harry answered and kneeled next to her. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged and took the ice-cold hand of her boyfriend. He seemed to be freezing. "Harry …" she began, but interrupted herself.

"Tell me," he whispered and helped her put the blanket over Draco's body.

"You don't think … you don't think it was my fault, do you?" Her voice broke.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.

"V-Viktor," she choked and tightened her grip on Draco.

"No!" Harry and Ginny exclaimed simultaneously. At once, Ginny was at her side. "Who said that? Ron?"

She shook her head. "They implied it. But your mother made it quite clear that …" A sob let her voice break. "… that I'm not welcome as long as …" She couldn't speak any further, but her friends understood.

"She'll change her mind. Don't worry, Hermione," Harry tried to reassure her, while Ginny seemed to be fuming. "How could they dare to …" she hissed, but froze suddenly. "I think he's waking up."

At once, Hermione focused on her boyfriend. Ginny was right. His lashes fluttered.

"We'd better go. If you need something, you can owl us or come over," Harry said.

"Always!" Ginny confirmed in a firm voice.

Then they hurriedly fled through the floo, leaving Hermione with a half-conscious Draco.