Birthday Celebration

Hogwarts – Party Room – 19th of September

Fairly exhausted, Hermione plumped down between Harry and Daphne in the corner of the new party room of Hogwarts. The room had been one of the innovations of the new school year, and was accepted with much enthusiasm by the student body. It was thought to be a meeting point of all houses, especially to encourage interactions with the student delegations of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, and it had been in great demand in the last three weeks.

Hermione, who had intended to more or less skip her birthday, had been surprised - in an embarrassed but simultaneously pleased way - as the Weasley twins announced a big party in her name. Fifteen years of age – two years too young to participate in the tournament. Not that she would ever wish to do so, contrary to the Weasley twins who had been pouting about the demanded minimum age for days.

With a smile she accepted the drink offered by Harry and looked around. She had never dreamed of a party this big. A cake, a pot of tea and a handful of friends – that had been her birthday parties until now. At least until a certain Weasley surprised her…

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Three days ago

More than once in the past week the Weasley twins had smiled mysteriously in her direction. And more than once they had interrupted a whispered conversation if Hermione walked by. Normally she would assume some pranking bargains, but somehow she felt that this was something else. As Fred paced towards her she hoped to get some answers and his broad smirk told her that she was right about her assumptions.

"Hello, Mione-dear," he started before placing an arm around her shoulders. That he ignored her puzzled frown and that Angelina Johnson didn't glare in their direction confused her a bit. Harry had told her about the 'Angelina/Daphne-deal' he had made with Fred and apparently the Weasley boy had tried to fulfill his part of the bargain, spending more time with the athletic and beautiful chaser and acting more like a gentleman around her. He even asked her out for the upcoming ball; perhaps the first one to do this as the Yule Ball until now was more or less a secret to be officially announced after the arrival of the delegations.

She had accepted and while they still weren't officially an item, Angelina had shown a modicum of jealousy since then. There had even been a heated conversation between her and Daphne about the blossoming friendship of the Slytherin girl and the twins, but somehow Daphne had been able to soothe her worries.

"George and I," he continued, omitting the typical attempts to confuse the identities of the twins, "thought about your upcoming birthday. With Ron certainly presenting his usual package of sweets, your low interest in our splendid products and your other friends – as we expect – covering your book wishes, we considered a different type of birthday present for you. We'll organize a large party inclusive drinks, nibbles and music. You have nothing to do besides looking good and enjoying yourself. And we won't accept a 'no' for an answer."

He had left her in stunned silence and before Hermione had a chance to react the twins started to loudly announce her party. Oh Merlin…

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Present

Of course she had to take care of the punch not being spiked and to test the butterbeer to have only the usual low amount of alcohol, but apart from that it had been really nice to simply play hostess for the party. Hermione felt a bit bad that so much work had to be done by the house elves, but for one evening she was ready to simply accept it. The nibbles had been nice as was the music – mostly coming from the wireless. A few of the guests – mostly Gryffindors but also a few Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and exactly three Slytherins – even danced. The most elegant dancing pair certainly was Blaise Zabini, in his dark blue suit, whirling around his girlfriend Tracey Davis, who was in a periwinkle dress short enough to get her much attention from all the boys around.

Hermione had hoped that Ron would ask her for a dance too, but perhaps that was too much to hope. After a few days of glaring he had returned to his usual behavior and even tried hard to be nicer and more patient towards Harry and her. Hermione supposed that it had something to do with the letter he got from his mother, but it was nice nonetheless. Despite their frequent quarrels he was still one of her best and oldest friends. And while Harry certainly was like a brother to her, there was this little crush she had on Ron since last year.

Why hadn't it been Ron offering her a drink? It was something a boyfriend would do. Not that Ron was her boyfriend but at least it would show interest. Ron did not even seemed to notice her thoughts about this, contrary to Ginny who glared for a short moment in Hermione's direction before hiding it behind a false sweet smile. Harry hadn't offered a drink to Ginny either, Hermione noticed.

A small groan slipped Hermione's lips as she thought about the last few weeks and Ginny's behavior. She had – as expected and feared – tried to use Balou to get closer to Harry. Dragging the tomcat around, and ignoring how much Balou hated it, she used every opportunity to show Harry what a wonderful 'cat mother' she was. More than once she sat at Harry's side and leaned against his shoulder, causing Harry to tense not all too covertly. Hermione usually swayed between groaning and smiling, watching this kind of behavior. But sometimes, deep within, she wondered if this kind of behavior on her side would motivate Ron to notice her – not only as 'one of the boys' or 'the one who helps with the homework' but simply as 'Hermione the girl'.

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An elbow into her side brought Hermione back to reality. "You're thinking too much," Daphne grinned. Since their return to Hogwarts she had spent countless hours in the library together with Hermione, totally ignoring the glares from her Slytherin housemates and a few Gryffindors. Sometimes Harry wondered if Daphne would not prefer to have Hermione adopted into her family. "Thinking about a boy, I assume, from your expression."

Glancing in Ron's direction Hermione blushed and hastily looked down to hide her reaction. Daphne noticed the glance and struggled to hide her disgust. While her relation with the Weasley twins had improved immensely and she really liked Bill Weasley for his part in saving Hermione at the Quidditch finals, her hatred for Ron and Ginny had only increased in the past weeks. But today was certainly not the time to speak with Hermione about this ridiculous crush.

Daphne pulled her present out of her bag and pressed it into Hermione's hands. She knew that Harry had given her his own present hours ago: a new flying broom, not the fastest but a very secure one. It was normally meant for elderly persons and quite a number of security spells were woven into the broom. But Hermione's security, and especially her sense of security, was more important than flashiness. He already had started the promised flying lessons, until now flying together on Harry's broom. But from now on they would start to fly solo and Daphne hoped that the progress would go on further.

"A book," Hermione grinned: "what a surprise."

Daphne punched Hermione's shoulder lightly. "If you don't like it…"

Hermione avoided the hand that tried to grab the book and started to unwrap it. "First I want to have a look."

It was a large and very heavy book, even more so than her favorite book about Hogwarts' History. "It's written in French," Hermione frowned. "I only know the basics of the language, and I've never read a book in it."

"That's the reason," Daphne showed her the last chapters of the book, "why the book is bilingual: French and English. With the student delegations incoming I thought you would like to read something about them. The book is similar to 'Hogwarts: a history', but about the school of Beauxbatons. And to train your pronunciation this book has a speaking function. You cast 'Sonorus' on a page to hear the words and 'Quietus' to end the effect." Daphne smiled a bit insecurely: "I hope you like it. I know it is a bit unimaginative to give you a book but…"

The girl's rambling was interrupted by Hermione hugging her heartily. "This is a splendid gift. Neither as dangerous as Harry's nor fattening like Ron's sweets – simply splendid. Thank you very much."

Daphne sighed with relief. Her insecurity had only been partially real. Additionally, it was meant as a distraction to give Harry a chance to usher Neville in Hermione's direction. The shy Gryffindor boy had been watching Hermione for at least half an hour, not able to gather the courage to offer her his own present until now. The small box, crafted from teak wood and the size of a shoebox, rested heavily in his hands. Daphne had helped him choose something special and even showed him a picture of her own bracelet to enable Neville to order something matching Hermione's. Her cryptic smile had unsettled him a bit, but Harry had supported Daphne's idea and so Neville was now standing in front of the bushy-haired girl trying in vain to suppress his nervousness.

"I… I have something for you… Hermione," he stuttered slightly, hastily avoiding her wide-eyed stare. The present still in his clenched hands, Neville needed a small kick from Harry to realize that he had yet to hand it over. "Here… here it is."

"Thank you Neville," Hermione accepted the gift with a soft smile. Gently she caressed the well-crafted box. "Not a book I assume," she noticed, causing Neville's blush to deepen while he was only able to shake his head. Hermione opened the box and saw a silvery brush surrounded by six equally silvery hair slides. All of them wore ornaments similar to her new bracelet.

"They… they are matching to… to your bracelet," Neville explained, his stutter lessening as Harry put a calming hand on his shoulder. "The brush has a charm on it. It helps to… you know… tame your hair. Not that you would need it… I only thought…"

Harry stopped Neville's rambling with a short pressure of his shoulder. A bit calmer Neville continued: "And the hair slides expand the duration of that hair charm. The longer you brush your hair and the more of the glides you wear the stronger the charm will be."

Daphne shared a grin with Harry. After the reaction of Neville around Hermione on the ride to Hogwarts they had spoken about the boy more than once. Unknown to Neville it had been clear to Daphne how personal this kind of present would be to a girl. Hair and fore teeth were the two criticized points Daphne had about Hermione's appearance, the two attributes she expected the girl herself to be uneasy about. And she intended to alter them this year. It all belonged to her plan to set Hermione up with someone special – and certainly not with Ron 'I-hate-Snakes' Weasel. Neville on the other hand seemed to be quite nice, fairly intelligent and really kind. He only needed a little push to fall into Hermione's arms, Daphne mused.

Harry was grinning broadly at Neville's side. He had been very supportive of her plans, realizing instantly what Daphne had planned. That he – who knew Hermione and Neville far better than her – apparently agreed with her matchmaking plans, reassured her.

Neville seemed eager to flee like a hunted deer as Hermione gently closed the box, put it in Daphne's hand and stood up to step closer. With Harry's hand still on his shoulder he was unable to flee and he nearly fainted as Hermione embraced him – even more than Daphne before and certainly unlike to the embrace she had given to Ron an hour ago – and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "This is a very sweet gift, Neville. And very thoughtful – thank you so much."

Considering the happy smile on Hermione's face, the deep blushing of Neville and Harry's soft grin – Daphne was unable to suppress her smirk as she looked towards the Weasley clan. A frowning Ron, Ginny who slapped her brother's head; and the broad smiles of the twins were all Daphne needed to make this her day of the month.

.

The conversation of Daphne – sitting a few places to his right – with her friend Tracey was only a lulling mumbling in the background. Relaxed, Harry leaned back, a mug of Butterbeer in his hand, his feet sore from dancing. Daphne hadn't accepted a 'no' when she asked him to take her to the dance floor and after one dance – with Harry dearly hoping that his torture was coming to an end – she sent him off to try another one with Hermione. Tracey followed swiftly and after the three ladies had left, there was no excuse to avoid Ginny anymore. Daphne had responded to his increasing glare with her sweetest smile and somehow he feared that this wouldn't be the last opportunity to torment him with social graces.

At least he hadn't been forced to dance with Professor McGonagall. Together with Professor Flitwick she had been at the party for a quarter of an hour, to congratulate Hermione and deliver her present – a book about some obscure Transfiguration spell nobody aside from Minerva and Hermione ever heard about. Harry sighed. On the train ride to Hogwarts it had been his decision to speak to Minerva about Roxanne. He had especially wanted to ask her about the correctness of Roxanne's fear: that Minerva was still angry about her marriage to Cyrus Greengrass. But to his astonishment she had so far avoided speaking privately with him. More than once he had caught her staring at him thoughtfully and it made him a bit uneasy.

Flitwick on the other hand seemed quite supportive. As expected, he had confirmed Agatha's statements regarding the magical properties of Hermione's bracelet. He had been quite impressed and congratulated Hermione with her finding. A few minutes later, the small Professor with goblin blood had been the attraction of the party. A very relaxed and happy looking Daphne – her appearance being quite a difference to her normal well-guarded behavior – had been dancing with him and obviously Professor Flitwick had enjoyed the attention of his cute, favorite student with the long black hair and grey eyes of her mother that sparkled with joy of living.

Cute? Where did that come from? He glanced to his right – hastily averting his look as he noticed the knowing smile of Tracey. She was Roxanne's daughter. She was his sister. She wasn't cute. Harry couldn't say when this change had happened in his mind, if not in his words, when he had decided to really give this new family a try, even before speaking with Sirius. But somewhere along the last weeks the question – should I? – had changed into a decision.

"I've forgotten my present for you," the voice of Susan Bones interrupted his string of thoughts. Peripherally he had listened to the short exchange of the Hufflepuff girl congratulating Hermione and drinking a toast to her with a round of light white wine. Susan, niece of the renowned Amelia Bones, had been one of the few students who had not only been agreeable to the 'Harry/Greengrass' - thing, but even belonged to a small group including Hermione and Daphne that met regularly in the library. Neville had been there most of the time, Padma Patil very often – apparently the Patils had been friends of the Pinegrews since their arrival in Britain twenty years ago – and to his regret Harry had been 'invited' too.

At least the brainiac girls ignored him most of the time. And yes, his marks had improved greatly. And yes, Daphne was certainly more talented than Hermione in explaining all the stuff that was too complicated for him – or simply too boring. But sometimes he really longed to imitate Ron's behavior and change from going to the library to the Quidditch field.

Another look around – Susan had left to fetch her present. Some of the younger guests had left the party in the last hour too but a few hardcore Butterbeer drinkers had assembled around the twins near the wireless. Blaise apparently had stopped to pretend listening to his girlfriend and was sound asleep and slightly snoring.

"Warm water with a small amount of oil should be helping to relax your feet," Hermione quipped, the tone of her voice not as pleased as her words suggested.

Harry grinned at his best friend: "They're certainly in better shape than yours after my attempts to flatten your toes." He frowned shortly as he noticed the tension of her stance. "Are you alright?"

Hermione tried to stop his concerns with a wave of her hand, but how she leaned on Neville's support betrayed her played composure. "Perhaps I had too much Butterbeer; I feel a little light-headed. Could you keep an eye on my guests? I would like to lay down for a bit."

"Say no more! I will look after them, especially after the twins," he grinned shortly exchanging a look with Neville who nodded slightly. Neville would be there for Hermione.

While Neville fetched her gifts, Hermione said goodbye to Daphne and Tracey before she left the party room, her arm linked with Neville's for a bit of support. Harry's concern increased as he turned around only to see Daphne deeply in thoughts. She didn't listen anymore to Tracey's ramblings but stared at the exit, her expression showing that she pondered about something, her mind not fully able to grasp what troubled her.

"Something on your mind," Harry asked her. Startled she looked up, her face still working.

"The smell…"

"Smell, what smell," Harry's eyes narrowed. There had been something weird about Hermione but he didn't notice a special smell.

Daphne paled intensely: "Her eyes, how have they been?"

"Wha… what? Eyes?" Harry shook his head to clear his mind. For a moment he thought about the question. Eyes – yes, that had disturbed him. "Bloodshot I would say. But… the color was more lilac than red."

Daphne paled even more and for a moment Harry feared she would faint. But before he could ask her, the girl hurried away, shouting for the twins: "Fred, George, I need your help, NOW." Waving them to follow her Daphne went for the exit, grabbing a bottle of water and a salt shaker as she passed the buffet table.

Ignoring Harry's concerned questions while she run after Hermione and Neville, Daphne asked him breathlessly: "You're able to cast a full Patronus, aren't you?"

"Yes, why…"

"Send him to Madam Pomfrey; deliver a message. Tell her we have a case of thorn apple poisoning."

"Poisoning…" Harry stopped and stared at her fast departing form. Realizing that he would get no answer he tried to concentrate, waving the twins to run after Daphne. A happy thought… Hermione poisoned… a happy thought… who would poison… ?

Struggling hard to thrust his fears aside Harry concentrated again. Normally he used the memories of his parents to cast a Patronus but somehow they now slipped his mind. His wand hand trembled and he had to grasp the wrist with his left hand to steady him.

The bracelet, Harry thought as he touched the leather. A voice filled his mind: that leather bracelet had been meant to be worn by your father, Harry. It was a kind of heirloom, a sign of his new family, a proof that he could get away from Vernon 'the whale' and Petunia 'horse-head' Dursley.

"Expecto Patronum!" The light formed the shape of a stag, flickering first but then solidifying. While the stag vanished into the wall to deliver the message, Harry hurried after Daphne and the twins.

As he reached them two minutes later, Harry found Hermione leaning against the wall, more or less steadied by Neville's grip. His clothes were blotted with vomit; the empty water bottle and the equally empty salt shaker were cast aside.

"I sent the Patronus," Harry hastened to assure a questioning looking Daphne. She sighed and kneeled at Hermione's side. "Are you able to breathe again?"

Between heavily forced breaths of air Hermione nodded weakly.

"You're sure about the poisoning," Harry asked, causing the twins to inhale deeply and Neville's heart to skip a beat.

"Yes, the smell, the look of her eyes… concentrated thorn apple I suppose. Her breathing difficulties match," Daphne responded. Watching Hermione breathing heavily a thought crossed her mind: "Thorn apple is a fast poison, working after thirty minutes at most. What had she been drinking and eating in this time?"

With Hermione unable to answer the question, Harry pondered: "She hadn't eaten anything since the cake an hour ago, I think. And drinking… the wine… the bottle of wine is still there. Stay here with Daphne," he ordered the twins and started to run, back to the party room.

.

"The wine is quite nice," Tracey stated and went towards the wireless, leaving her boyfriend at the small side table. Blaise filled a second glass, carefully corked the bottle and lifted his glass to inhale the aroma of the wine. Not bad at all, he mused. Just as he wanted to sip the wine a hand slapped it away, causing him to lose his grasp. The glass flew at the wall and shattered.

"Are you mad?" Blaise asked Harry, who tried to grasp his breath, his face red with exhaustion.

"Sorry… poison," he gasped. Upon Blaise's doubting look Harry continued: "No joke… poison… has anyone drunk from the bottle?"

"Tracey," Blaise pointed towards his girlfriend and paled. Slightly shuddering he watched Harry repeating Daphne's drastic treatment, putting salt into a water bottle, warming the bottle and forcing Tracey to drink and vomit. It was quite a show for the assembled hardcore guests who ignored Blaise's scolding and watched the very unhappy Slytherin girl. But Harry showed no mercy until Tracey's stomach was empty too. Only then did he pocket the wine bottle and helped Blaise to transport Tracey to the Hospital Wing.

He only hoped that he would get good news about Hermione on his arrival. Hopefully they had been fast enough. And when Hermione was out of danger he would look for the culprit and kill him… slowly.

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A/N

Please don't comment the medical correctness of this poisoning and my 'cure'. I only say: artistic freedom.