Theo was awoken the next morning by the squeals of Ginny Weasley. He could hear Hermione's laughter as the red head burst into song, singing 'Happy birthday" as loudly as she could. This was all part of their plan. Ginny would take Hermione out, distract her for the day with food and shopping so that Theo could begin setting up the common room for the party.

He was nervous. So much of his future would depend upon today. If she liked the ring, if the joint party was a success, if, and he couldn't believe he was thinking this, if Potter showed up. Theo wasn't stupid, he knew how much Potter meant to Hermione. All he could do was hope he would come.

Theo dressed quickly and went across the bathroom to knock on Hermione's door.

"Come in" he heard Ginny call from the other side.

He opened the door and saw Hermione looking as radiant as ever, covered in confetti, sitting on her bed.

"Good morning, I just wanted to come in and say happy birthday before Weasley here commandeers you for the day."

The smile on her face made his heart swell.

"Thank you, Theo," a blush creeping onto her cheeks now.

"Would you like your present now or later?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow at him. Of course, he wasn't talking about the ring. No, that was her courting gift. For her birthday he had ordered in a first addition of Hogwarts: A History as well as a first addition of The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare. Hermione nodded her head happily, so Theo slipped back into his room to grab the presents.

"For you love, a little bit of both worlds"

Hermione looked at him puzzled until they were unwrapped, then she gasped.

"Oh Theo! How did you know!" she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a small chaste kiss as Ginny looked the other way pretending she did not see anything.

"I had some help, now, enjoy your day and I will see you this evening for dinner."

He retreated to his room and begun looking over the checklist they had made. It was a long list to be accomplished but Hermione was worth it, and thankfully he was not alone.

10 minutes later Theo heard Hermione and Ginny leave, waiting a few more for good measure he grabbed the checklist and headed down to the common room where he found Draco, Blaise, Daph, Tori & Luna waiting.

"Alright team are we ready? Luna, Daph & Tori you are on decorations. Blaise if you can head down to the kitchens and speak with the elves, they should be expecting you. Draco, drinks, how did you go with your mother without explaining who it was for?"

Draco let out a short chuckle "I told her who it was for, all things considered it was much easier once she knew it was for Hermione. Guilt thing I think" he shrugged trying not to get lost in the memory of Hermione on the Malfoy drawing room floor.

"Right, right sorry mate."

"No offence oh fearless delegator, but what are you doing?" Blaise mused with a smirk.

"I have the hardest job of all. I'm off to convince the Gryffindors."

They each gave one another an uneasy look. In the weeks that had passed since their courtship became known the Slytherins had embraced Hermione. They knew how much she meant to Theo, and they understood the last thing any of them needed was to give anyone any reason to think they didn't feel she was good enough for him.

The Gryffindors however were another story. With the exception Ginny and Neville (who was currently out in the greenhouse with Professor Sprout organising the floral arrangements for the evening) the remainder of the house had turned cold to Hermione. It was one thing for a kiss in truth or dare, or even a friendship, but many had felt betrayed by Hermione's choice of companion, and he knew that Weasley's rant in the hall had not helped. Since then, Thomas, Finnegan and most other Gryffindors kept solely to their house common room. Hence why he would be heading into the lion's den. He had got the password from Ginny and was determined to try and convince at least some of them to attend tonight for Hermione's sake.

"Don't worry Theodore, I predict this evening will go just as you hoped" Luna's airy sing song voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Thank you Luna, for everything"

Luna had been instrumental in helping Neville and the other houses see reason, she had pointed out how much lighter Hermione seemed and for someone who had lost so much, deserved any kind of happiness she desired. This had brought the other houses and Neville onside.

Thea made his way across the castle rehearsing in his head over and over again what he would say to try and convince the others to attend. As he stood in front of the fat lady's portrait he almost lost his nerve. Taking a deep breath, he said the password 'Victory' and with a look up and down from the fat lady he was let into the common room.

Th warmth and noise hit him like a brick wall, tempted once more to turn tail and run but there was suddenly silence. He was spotted.

"What are you doing here snake! You're not welcome or allowed!" hissed Finnegan.

"I'm here to talk about Hermione." Theo summoned all this strength and prayed his voice would stay steady.

"What about her?" asked Dean Thomas, he had an edge of worry to his voice. As a fellow Muggleborn, Theo could understand Dean's hesitancy to trust him.

"It's her birthday…"

"We know" he was cut off by Finnegan again.

"As I was saying," Theo shot him a look that made the Irishman sink back a little. "it is Hermione's birthday, now I know Ginny already told you, but we are having a party for her in the Final Years dorm, it would mean a lot to her if some of you attended."

"And why would we attend a party hosted by snakes." Theo couldn't place the face to the 7th year girl who had just spoken but he knew that this girl would not have had the nerve had Ginny Weasley been the one standing here and not him.

"Because little lion. It's Hermione bloody Granger, brightest witch of our generation. YOUR fellow Gryffindor. The reason all of us are still alive. She lost everything in this war and has still come out the other side with kindness and forgiveness which is more than I can say for the lot of you. Who turned your backs on her every bloody time she did something you or lets be bloody honest Weasley didn't like. You don't think other houses saw the way you treated her. How you made fun of her! How the only reason half of you were nice to her was because she was friends with Potter. Where is your fucking loyalty! I may not deserve her, but you know what, neither do the lot of you!"

He could feel his magic prickling at the end of his fingertips and breathed hard to slow his heartrate. He left with a huff not looking back at their stunned faces. It wasn't till he was on the other side of the portrait hole that he heard clapping, he turned to face none other than Harry Potter.

"Well, that was certainly something." He smirked at Theo.

"I didn't realise you were here."

"You weren't supposed to. I had planned to surprise Hermione and yourself by attending this evening but looks like I'm the one surprised. Didn't know you had that in you Nott"

"I'm sick of the way you all treat her. She is the best of all of us and you know it"

"Oh I do. She is my best friend after all."

"Best friend? Don't make me laugh Potter. You haven't returned a single letter, not hers and certainly not any of mine. You think I'm stupid? That I don't know what she risks losing every day she choses me. But I will never ever abandon her the way you lot did."

They stood there staring at one another for what felt like forever.

"You're right."

Theo thought he was hallucinating "I'm sorry what did you say?"

"I said you're right Nott. I should have given you a chance, I should have trusted Hermione's judgement. Let me see what I can do about the other Gryffindors."

Theo shook his hand, thanked him and watched as Potter re-entered the common room.

Maybe today wouldn't go too badly at all.