D/N: record machine I don't own anything.

Authors Note: Yeah finally, the Long Expected Party!!! Yeah, this is going to be a long but important chapter sooo bear with me! Remember no spoilers!

Ch. 5 The Long Expected Party

The grandfather clock in the hallway struck five. Bilbo took out his pocket watch for about the hundredth time in two minutes.

"Don't worry about it Bilbo, he'll come", chuckled Gandalf at his friend's anxiety.

Bilbo fidgeted. "We were suppose to have left ten minutes ago."

Finally Frodo came out of the corridor. He was being helped by Ron, to drag Malfoy out from his bedroom. Harry and Hermione were waiting with Gandalf and Bilbo.

"Come on, Draco the suspenders are not that bad", said Frodo.

"I am NOT going out in public with these bloody things on!"

"Come on, Malfoy" urged Ron, obviously pleased of how Malfoy was suffering.

They finally reached the door. With a little help from everyone Malfoy went through the door and they began the descent from Bag End to the field where the party was to be held. Malfoy grumbled the whole way down. Once at the party everyone went their separate ways. Bilbo went off to the entrance to greet his guests and Frodo took the wizards for a look around. Gandalf went to go get ready the fireworks. Frodo introduced them to so many different people that Harry could not keep track. After meeting about practically all the Bolger family, Frodo introduced them to his best friend, Samwise Gamgee. Sam stuck with them for a little while till he was called to see about the food. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy sat down at a nearby table. Frodo had gone off with Sam.

"So what do you think?" asked Ron.

"It's great", lied Harry.

"I don't think it is so great . I am bored half to death. I mean I don't know about you but watching other shrimps getting drunk and eating is not exactly my definition of entertainment." said Malfoy.

Hermione was about to protest to Malfoy's comment when Frodo came up to them. Sam had to attend to a small "emergency" in the food tent.

"So what are ya'll sitting around for?" asked Frodo. At that moment a group of hobbits began to play some music. Everyone gave a joyous cry and began to clap in union with the little bongo like drums. Pairs went on to the "dance floor" and began to dance merrily.

"This party is boring!" exclaimed Malfoy. Hermione hit Malfoy on the head.

"Ow!"

"Ok, that's all right, Hermione", said Frodo holding up his hands to prevent a second attempt on Malfoy's head. "If he wishes not to make the best of the fact that he is at a party, that's his problem."

Malfoy crossed his arms and made a dirty face at Hermione. But Hermione wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were on the dancing hobbit pairs who were twirling around everywhere. She sighed. Harry smiled, he knew what Hermione was dreaming about. He looked over at Frodo. Frodo was silent. He was looking at the hobbit pairs as well. He too sighed.

"I'll be right back", said Ron looking at the food table hungrily. He walked towards it. Malfoy started to make snoring sounds.

"Hey Frodo do you have anyone that you can dance with?" asked Harry. This question he saw grabbed Hermione's attention, she slowly turned from the dancers and looked at Frodo. Frodo looked like he had come out from a dream.

"What?"

Harry repeated his question.

"Um… I am afraid I don't quite understand your question?" answered Frodo confused.

"He is basically asking you if you have anyone special", said Malfoy impatiently. He held up his fingers in the quote-quote symbol.

"Oh," Frodo smiled sheepishly. He blushed.

"Well?" asked Hermione eagerly.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow at Hermione's eagerness.

"No, I don't", said Frodo finally.

"Uh huh", said Malfoy with a sneer. "Well your devoted fan sure thinks you are special to her."

Hermione blushed furiously. "Well, maybe you can teach me how to dance hobbit-style", said Hermione slowly.

"Sure, actually I was going to teach ya'll how, but I thought it would look kind of awkward if I was showing Harry how to dance with a partner. You know me holding Harry's hands and twirling him would give people the wrong impression."

* ~ * ~ * ~

Many bruised feet and wrong twirls afterwards……

"There Hermione see I told you, you're a natural", said Frodo.

"Hey Frodo! Come here!" yelled a hobbit boy with a strange accent.

"If you'll excuse me", said Frodo. He headed toward the boy.

"Bye!" said Hermione dreamily. She went to the bench. She made a movement to sit down but miscalculated where the bench was and fell to the ground.

Malfoy laughed pointing a finger at her. Harry couldn't help it but laugh right along with Malfoy. Hermione's face went beet red. She tried getting up. Harry had been laughing so hard that he hadn't seen the hobbit boy come up to Hermione until he spoke.

"Are you alright, that was a nasty fall", laughed the boy merrily as he offered Hermione his hand. It was the same boy that had called to Frodo only a minute ago. Hermione looked up into his face and blushed furiously.

"Oh boy here we go", said Malfoy.

She took his hand and he helped her up. Harry and Malfoy had stopped laughing.

"Frodo, told me you guys are new here to the Shire", said the boy turning to Malfoy and Harry. Harry nodded.

"Oh, by the way, my name is Peregrine Took, but you can call me Pippin" said the boy.

"Hi, I am Harry, Harry Potter", said Harry.

"I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," said Malfoy with a sneer.

Suddenly out of no where Ron returned carrying a big pile of plates laden with all types of food. Everyone looked at Ron with a surprised glance. Even Pippin's eyes were wide. Ron was introduced to Pippin and with his mouth full of, yes, bread, he answered "Ron, Ron Weasley."

"And what is your name?" asked Pippin turning to Hermione. Hermione turned around and looked behind her. Then she looked back at Pippin and pointed a finger at herself.

"Yeah, what is your name you are the only one that hasn't told me your name," said Pippin.

"Oh my name is….is… Her-hermione Gr-granger," said Hermione awkwardly.

"Hermione? That's a pretty name."

Hermione blushed. Ron rolled his eyes. There was a moment of silence. Ron continued to eat. Malfoy was looking at Hermione and back at Pippin with a wicked smile on his face. And Hermione kept on looking at the ground. Harry watched Pippin. Pippin had kept his glance on Hermione with a smile and then he looked down. Harry looked up at the sky. The stars were shining brightly in the sky. Suddenly the whole sky was lit up as a firecracker rose up into the sky and exploded leaving an image of a tree in the sky. At that moment everyone looked up. Another firecracker went up and lit the night.

"Hermione would you-" began to ask Pippin when another boy hobbit came from the dancing hobbits to where they were all sitting. He had blonde hair and had obviously just finished dancing. His hair was not necessarily neat and his cheeks were red. He was the first hobbit Harry had seen with blonde hair.

" Hey, Pip, I have a great idea! This will -," the boy stopped. It was like he had just realized that Pippin wasn't alone. He held up a finger and pulled Pippin aside. Pippin excused himself and talked to his friend. The boy whispered his idea into Pippin's ear. Pippin's face lit up and he nodded to his companion.

"Excellent idea, Merry. If you will excuse us we have something to do", said Pippin with a wink. Without another word they left and headed to where Gandalf was setting off the fireworks.

* ~ * ~ * ~

Harry was tired. He had been at this party for a long time and he was getting a bit bored. He had danced with Hermione twice and he had eaten all the food that he could possibly eat. Merry and Pippin, the two hobbits he had met earlier, had just unleashed a firecracker that was in the shape of a dragon and scared all the hobbits. Gandalf had put them to wash dishes as a punishment for setting off the firecracker without his permission. Hermione was busy talking to a hobbit girl, Rosie Cotton, and Ron was busy talking to Sam about some secret. Malfoy had left earlier saying that he was going to find Frodo to complain more about the party and see if he could embarrass him in some way or other. So Harry was left to himself. He was now sitting at a table watching everything that was going on. The hobbits had gotten over their fright and were now just talking merrily and basically having a jolly, good, hobbity time. Harry was tapping his foot to the rhythm of the music when he felt that awkward feeling that someone was watching him.

He slowly looked around. No one appeared to be paying any particular attention to him. Maybe it was just him and his weird imagination. He suddenly felt thirsty and got up to go get a drink. At a table they were serving punch. He helped himself to some punch. He held the cup up to his lips and gulped down the refreshing drink. It felt good to his dry throat. It was at that moment that from the corner of Harry's eyes he saw something lurking behind the brightly lit area of the party. Something big was moving in the grass. Harry set his cup down. He stared hard to see if he could see whatever it was he had just saw. Nothing. Perplexed and curious he walked over to the edge of the bright glow coming from various lamps. Once pretty close to the border of the party he squinted to see if he could see whatever it was that he had seen before. Nothing. And yet why did he feel scared ? He scanned the grass one more time. Suddenly out of no where a pair of yellow eyes appeared from the long grass. Harry gave a gasp. Slowly the eyes came closer and Harry could make out the shape of something big. Something that he recognized almost at once. The shape moved steadily closer. Harry gave a cry and began to run backwards away from the eerie eyes.

"It can't be it!" was all that Harry could think at the moment. When suddenly he tripped. Then he ran into someone which caused him to fall down to the ground. Harry looked up to see who he had bumped into. Then there was a huge explosion. Harry turned around just in time to see one of Gandalf's firecrackers go off and head right for the table with the two cakes on it. Sam had made a cake for Frodo because Harry had learned that today was Frodo's birthday as well. Harry flinched as he saw frightened hobbits get creamed by the two huge cakes. The firecracker kept on going till it went into the food tent. By now everyone was running wildly all over the place trying to get out of the way of the rocket. The rocket hit the tent and the tent went up in flames and there was a loud bang that shook the very ground underneath their feet. The tent was now on fire and everywhere hobbits were helping the hobbit lasses that were working in there out. Harry stood up amazed at what had just happened. The person he had run into turned around and looked down at Harry. It was Gandalf.

"Harry don't just sit there help out!" screamed the wizard as he ran off to help some hobbits get buckets of water.

"You have done it now, Potter" said Malfoy with an ear to ear grin. Harry turned around and saw Malfoy standing over him. Harry narrowed his eyes and said "You tripped me, Malfoy!".

"I did nothing of the sort, Potter. Stop trying to blame your mistakes on me", Malfoy sneered and he walked calmly away laughing at a hobbit lass who had her hair on fire. Harry got up and saw that Frodo was coming toward him. He was carrying another hobbit lass who seemed to be knocked unconscious. Harry stared as Frodo set her down.

"Harry watch over her will you, I have to go see which drunken idiot did this! And somehow manage to calm everyone down!" He ran back into the crowd. Harry was left with his mouth wide open. He looked down at the girl. She was breathing fine, but she was covered from head to toe with black soot. He quickly looked around he saw the sponge that Merry had been using to wash the dishes earlier and he soaked it into the first source of water he could find, the fruit punch. The girl immediately got up as soon as the sticky punch touched her cheeks. Harry was pleased to see that she was awake.

Cries coming from behind Harry made Harry turn around. Harry's smile disappeared. He looked back at the tent that by now looked like it was suppose to look like a bonfire. Gandalf stood on top of what looked like a tree stump. His hands were held high in the air and he was saying something in a different language. Hermione and Ron came up to Harry. Their faces were a mixture of confusion and anxiety. Suddenly clouds started to roll in. Thunder rumbled and everyone head turned up to look at the sky. By now the fire was catching on to the other tents that were placed here and there. A lightning bolt struck and the rain came pouring down. Gandalf had summoned a storm to put out the fire. Unfortunately this didn't go so well for Harry or anyone else for that matter. The poor hobbit girl had just gone through a fire and now she was drenched in rain.

"HARRY POTTER!" exclaimed Bilbo coming up from the baffled crowd. The crowd grew silent. Harry grinned and then he remembered the shadow that he had seen in the grass. He looked back and there was nothing there. Bilbo marched right up to him and said "Well, Harry you ruined my birthday, and Frodo's birthday I hope you are happy!"

Harry was dumbfounded. He hadn't done anything all he had done was run into the wrong person. Harry opened his mouth to protest when Hermione stomped her foot on his own. Harry expression turned from anger to pain. Bilbo turned around at the crowd. Everyone was watching them. Biblo then stood up on a stump and cleared his throat. The storm had died down, but it was still raining.

"My dear hobbits of the Shire, unfortunately disaster has struck the party and I am afraid it is over. I just want to let you all know, in case you have forgotten that today is alsp Frodo's birthday and that I want to wish him a very happy birthday."

Everyone somewhat clapped. Frodo came out from the crowd. His hair was smoking and his face was black. His clothes had some of the cake on them. Harry flinched. Frodo didn't seem to happy either. Bilbo finished clapping for Frodo and continued.

"I regret to announce this is the end! I am going now and I wish you all a very fond farewell! Good-bye!" And with that Biblo disappeared into thin air. Harry, Ron, Hermione and the hobbit girl gasped. Everyone else too gasped. Harry couldn't believe what he had just seen. Hobbits didn't just disappear, did they?