Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does.

A/N: So Here is chapter 12 - I hope you enjoy :) Once again thank you to everyone for their reviews especially rileypotter17 for her support and friendship and punkyredhead and Angelus Draco for their lovely reviews!

Chapter 12: Butterbeer and Bezoars

Hermione tugged her unruly hair up into a messy bun and pulled a silky black strap top over her head. She could hear Sirius singing loudly to the wizard wireless, Remus and Harry talking loudly over the top of the noise, and Teddy occasionally shouting something excitably. A smile tugged on Hermione's lips as she dug around in her wardrobe for a blazer; it was nice to hear Grimmauld Place filled with merriment again. It wasn't as though it had been a grave for the last few years but Sirius' infectious cheer seemed to have blown the cobwebs away from even Harry's smile.

Pulling on her blazer and waving her wand over he face to freshen herself up, she slipped some black ankle boots on over her figure-hugging jeans and left her room. She wasn't going to be the most glamorous at Sirius' 'welcome back from the dead' party but putting anything on that wasn't made for reading books around the house or going to work was glamorous in Hermione's books. She adjusted the silky top awkwardly as she descended the stairs towards the source of the noise.

"Starting early, I see," Hermione said as she walked into the sitting room to see Harry quaffing a beer and Sirius sipping a glass of red wine.

"It's never too early on a special occasion!" Harry exclaimed merrily, clinking glasses with Sirius before blowing a raspberry on Teddy's stomach causing the little boy to squeal and wave his arms and legs around.

"Boys," Hermione muttered.

"You're looking very nice," Sirius said as his grey eyes gave her an appraising look.

Hermione blushed.

"Would you like some wine?" He asked, gesturing to the well-aged red wine on the table.

"Oh go on then," she replied as she sat on the sofa.

"Are you not drinking Remus?" Harry asked.

"Not until later, I still have to drop Teddy off at Andromeda's house," he replied with a smile. "Mind you, that will be to my advantage. It means I can watch you and Sirius make arses of yourselves without risking my own dignity."

"I have absolutely no clue what you mean, Moony," Sirius said with an exaggerated sniff, reminiscent of Mrs Malfoy. "What are we actually doing tonight anyway?"

"Oh honestly Sirius," Hermione scolded as she sipped at the excellent wine. "It's your party and you have no clue what you're doing!"

"Everyone's descending on the Leaky Cauldron in about an hour or so," Harry said.

"Excellent," Sirius said rubbing his hands with glee. "I'd better go and find my get-lucky boxers in case there are any moderately drunk attractive young witches," he said with a wink.

"What have I unleashed on the world?" Hermione groaned as Sirius strutted out of the room.

o0o0o0o

Two hours later and Hermione was aglow with the warmth that good wine and good company brings. The entirety of the remaining Order had turned up to the Leaky Cauldron to welcome back Sirius along with a few magazine journalists and a large number of Sirius' other 'acquaintances'.

"Oh but Siri… it's been so long," pouted a blonde with lips and breasts that looked like they'd been magically enhanced one too many times.

"As generous as the offer is, Cherry, I must decline," Sirius said politely.

As the curvaceous blonde disappeared he caught sight of Hermione. "That's a woman marked out for a Y-shaped coffin if ever I saw one," Sirius remarked as he knocked back his whiskey.

"Apparently that didn't stop you before," Hermione replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, my dear Hermione, since my rather extended cohabitation with death I feel that I need more…" Sirius waved his hands as he attempted to find the words.

"Responsibility?" Hermione offered.

erm

"No…"

"Security?"

"No…" Sirius eyes lit up. "Excitement, that's the word I was looking for. Girls like Cherry just don't give me the challenge I feel I need," he said with a sigh.

"Sirius Black you are unbelievable," she muttered as she wandered off to find Harry and Ron.

Hermione murmured 'excuse me' repeatedly as she made her way through the crowd for several long and cramped minutes before she found Harry and Ron. Predictably, they were talking to a group of young, pretty witches who were hanging onto their every word. Harry looked distinctly uncomfortable whereas Ron revelled in the attention.

"Hermione!" Ron bellowed, pushing past the girls to greet her.

"Enjoying yourself, Ron?" She asked with a wry smile at the group of girls looking sullen and casting scornful looks in her direction.

"Oh yeah," He said taking a swig of his butterbeer and pushing his ginger fringe off his forehead. "It's bloody brilliant what you did getting Sirius back!"

"Oh, umm, thanks Ron," She replied as Harry wandered over and handed her another glass of wine. "I really shouldn't, I've already had the equivalent of a bottle," she said to Harry as she twined her fingers around the stem of the glass.

"Relax and enjoy yourself, it's thanks to you that this is all happening," Harry said with a clumsy wave of his hand.

"Lighten up, Hermione, it's not everyday someone comes back from the dead. Anyway, when was the last time you went out and enjoyed yourself?" Ron added, a grin spreading across his freckled.

"I don't need to drink to enjoy myself Ronald and I would appreciate it if you didn't imply that I have no social life," she replied with a sniff.

Ron shrugged and wandered back to the bar. Hermione watched as he chatted to a pretty dark haired witch behind the bar, his admirers stood close by.

"Don't be so hard on him," Harry said with a slightly chastising smile as he led her to some seats. "He's just enjoying the attention that he never got during the war. I mean he's the sixth son in his family and managed to make friends with the only kid at school who had the attention of the world on him," he continued as he sipped his drink.

"I know," Hermione said with a sigh. "We just don't get much time these days to be just the three of us and I suppose I miss it."

"You mean you're jealous?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hermione flushed and sipped her drink. "Yes – well no – not in the way you're thinking anyway!"

"So this isn't about you and Ron?" Harry said leaning back in his chair. "You know it'd be okay if it was, I mean I know he never stopped caring about –"

"Harry," Hermione interjected. "This isn't about any relationship Ron and I may have had in the past, alright? I was the one who decided that a relationship between us wouldn't work and I just don't care about him that way… he's just Ron. I know you want to see me happy but I'm not going to have some fairy-tale romance with anyone – merlin forbid Ron of all people. I'm just not that sort of person," she said with a shrug.

"Okay, okay," Harry said with a laugh. "Incidentally, when did you last go out?"

"My social life is perfectly adequate thank you!" She said with a familiar sensation of embarrassment at her lack of social engagements.

"Don't avoid the question, you," Harry said.

"I've been very busy at work," She replied defensively. "And all this malarkey with Robards' disappearance and break in is far more important than whether I go out!"

"Just enjoy yourself tonight, okay? You deserve a night off," Harry said with a smile.

Their talk was interrupted as Sirius bounded over to the table, physically dragging Remus with him. "Ah! To be alive!" Sirius laughed, the soft glow of light gleaming in his grey eyes.

"Are you enjoying the evening, Sirius?" Harry asked as he got up to clap his godfather on the back.

"How could I not?" Sirius said with a laugh. "Friends, alcohol, no war, and plenty of beautiful women just dying to lavish affection on me!"

"It's been painful watching him," Remus said as he sipped at a firewhiskey. "I'd forgotten how damn demanding he is when he's drunk," he said with a nostalgic smile.

"But you wouldn't change me for the world, would you Moony?" Sirius said, nudging his friend in the ribs.

Remus simply raised an eyebrow.

"Oh come on Moony, I've been dead for years…" Sirius whined.

"Don't pull that sad puppy face at me!" Remus scoffed.

Sirius continued to look doleful.

"Ugh, fine, I missed you terribly Padfoot and I wouldn't change anything about you. Now excuse me whilst I go and speak to Minerva, at least I can trust her not to look like a kicked puppy!"

Remus sent a grin back at Sirius as he wandered over to talk to McGonagall. Hermione smiled to herself as she watched the exchanges between the three men and decided that risking her life in the Veil had been worth it just to see her friends happy again.

o0o0o0o0o

As it got later, the numbers dwindled slightly; most of the women who had unsuccessfully attempted to win Sirius' affection had left and the majority of the reporters had left when they had snapped a few photographs of the Boy-Who-Lived and his godfather or realised that nothing scandalous was going to occur. The lack of journalists had even prompted Kingsley to turn up and settle himself at the big round table in the pub. The gathering was a much more comfortable atmosphere that lacked the chaos of the last few hours. Even Ron had settled into a seat around one off the large tables to chat with the old Order lot.

"Speech! Speech!" The merry guests bellowed at Sirius fuelled by the rare opportunity to celebrate.

Sirius held up his hands and stood dramatically. "Barkeep! A round of butterbeer for everyone!" Sirius exclaimed to the sound of his cheering friends.

Hermione smiled in thanks at the attractive barmaid who handed out the drinks and she waited patiently for whatever was about to come out of Sirius' mouth. She hoped it wasn't too inappropriate as she glanced at McGonagall.

"I have no qualms with calling all of you here friends," Sirius began. "Some of you have been through one war with me and others two. I regard all of you with the highest respect."

Hermione relaxed a little.

"Of course that never has or will stop me from mercilessly teasing you or occasionally making lewd and utterly inappropriate comments. May I just say Professor McGonagall, you're looking more ravishing than usual," he said with a suggestive smirk.

Hermione choked on her wine.

"I am being completely serious," Remus audibly groaned as Sirius grinned at the titter of laughs. "When I say that I could not be here today harassing any of you without the efforts of the most intelligent and beautiful witch in the room, Hermione Granger – so I toast her most heartily!" There was silence as everyone took a long draught of butterbeer. Hermione averted her eyes swiftly when Sirius gave her a wink. The group applauded Sirius' speech as he sat down.

The merriment was interrupted by a scream.

Hermione's eyes snapped to the source of the distress. Ron was lying on the floor of the pub, his bottle of butterbeer flowing freely across the floor, as he convulsed and frothed at the mouth. The guests sat stunned as Molly Weasley knelt by her son, helpless as his eyes rolled back into his head and a trickle of blood appeared from his nose.

Hermione rocketed out of her seat, grabbing her small bag as she did. "Accio Bezoar," She whispered as she flung herself beside Ron and caught the small round object flying out her bag.

"Mrs Weasley, I need you to move back so I can help him," Hermione said as calmly as she could to the distressed woman. Mrs Weasley nodded tearfully and scooted back a little, still gripping her son's limp hand.

Hermione was horribly aware that Ron's chest was not rising or falling, and she tilted his head back and opened his mouth to try and establish if the froth from his mouth of obstructing his breathing. She could see nothing but white and she didn't have much time. Her heart pounded in her chest as she forced the bezoar between his teeth and used a spell to force it into Ron's stomach. She then rolled him onto his left side and noted with relief that he was breathing and the convulsions had nearly stopped.

"What's wrong with him?" Mrs Weasley cried as she stroked her son's head.

Hermione was almost too scared to announce it.

"Is he alive?" Arthur asked.

She tried to speak but her throat was dry with panic.

"Hermione?" Harry asked shakily.

"Ron needs to get to St Mungo's now," she croaked. "He's been poisoned."

A/N: Thanks for reading :) Leave me a review and let me know what you thought - I love to hear from all my readers and it encourages me to write even more :)