Hermione looked up at Ginny as she inspected her goblusic from Sirius excitedly. Harry was opening the shirts she'd got him. Ron was poking at a box no doubt from the Weasley twins. Zenobia apparently collected china dolls and inspected one carefully now, a small studious frown on her face. Sirius reached in a box and pulled out a collar and dog bone.
"Har har, Ron and Ginny, remind me to thoroughly hex your brothers." He scoffed. Spotting one from Draco to her, Hermione frowned and picked it up. She looked up at the blonde who was, in turn, watching her. It seemed too light to be a book, which she'd gotten plenty of. She opened the box slowly and neatly, as she always did and gasped. Standing, she pulled out a long medieval style dress. It was emerald green and purple.
"Oh, Draco! Ron and Harry, go away. Draco is my new best friend. Thank you, Draco, this is beautiful!"
"You're welcome." He nodded. She sat down, opening the rest of her presents. Sirius had gotten her an entire series that looked rather old all by the same author, J.M. Barries. There was Defense Using the Dark Arts, Inner Animal: a Guide to the Animagus Transformation and several others. Then, she found Blaise's gift. He wasn't paying attention as she opened it, speaking in quiet tones with his mother. Inside was her very own broom, a copy of Chasing Chasers and Chaser pads. Ron could smell a broom, she knew he could, his head whipping around. Her glare told him to shut it and he nodded, elbowing Harry to look too.
"Do you not like it, Bella?" Blaise asked. Apparently he had been watching. She nodded,
"I love it, Blaise, you really shouldn't have; this had to be expensive." He snorted derisively,
"It did not harm me, Bella, not at all."
"Grazi, Blaise, really." She moved it away from Ron and Harry, swatting their hands, "s'mine, get your own!"
"I have my own, thank you." Harry laughed, "come on, 'Mione, let's see it."
"No, go play with yours."
"CHARLIE WEASLEY IS THE BEST BROTHER IN THE WORLD!" Ginny howled, jumping up. She had gotten Chaser pads too, dragonhide it looked like. She turned to Blaise, "look at that, Zabini!" He took the chest plate, examining it,
"A fine quality." He nodded his approval. Ginny snorted,
"You're just jealous because you're going to get your face dragged in the mud with these! I'm going to go floo call Charlie and sing his praises to him!" and she was gone. Ron rolled his eyes,
"He's alright. Bill's better but everyone's entitled." He popped a candy in his mouth.
"Your face, Blaise." Hermione teased, "in the mud."
"We'll see." Blaise smiled back, "I am not afraid of some mud."
"Good thing." Harry nodded solemnly, "I expect you and Draco will be seeing a lot of mud."
"Ha, Potter!" Draco crowed, "Real cute, that."
"Thank you." Harry smiled smugly. "Oi, Ron, wanna take 'em to the Burrow and rub their faces in the snow first?"
"You're on!" Draco growled.
"Mia," Blaise cooed, pulling and tugging at her pads, "avoid those twins, but keep your eyes on me." She nodded,
"Got it."
Ginny, Blaise, Draco, and Hermione were on one team with Bill as a keeper and Ginny a Beater. Harry, Ron and the twins were on another team with Charlie as the keeper. Percy was keeping score.
"You couldn't just have a few more, could you, mum?" Ginny sighed, "we could almost have two full teams!" She swung her Beater bat, pointing it at Ron.
"MUM!"
"Ginerva! Stop taunting your brother!"
"You're scaring him!" the twins jeered and then, the game had begun. Harry, having to be a smart ass had laughed outright at Draco's scowl and then kissed his nose before they'd taken to the air. He still was squawking about it. There was only one bludger and it was slow, turned down years ago by a spell Bill wouldn't share. Hermione knew Blaise was supposed to carry their game but she saw her option and took it. This broom responded so much better to her than the school brooms, a lot like Harry's Firebolt. She supposed that was the quality of it and why he'd chosen it specifically for her. She dove beneath Fred and George and came up between them, stealing the quaffle.
"AND MIONE FOR THE STEAL!" Sirius crowed happily. She saw the look on Blaise's face and dropped as low to the snow as she dared before coming nearly straight up and forcing the twins off of her. Now a little worried, she threw it as hard as she could to Blaise. The Italian dipped and caught it and was off. "ZABINI HAS THE QUAFFLE!" Sirius roared, "HE'S GOING FOR THE GOAL! OH! WHAT'S THIS?! FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY FOR THE BLOCK! CHARLIE IS READY FOR HIM AND…" Sirirus stopped. Blaise had swooped upside down, flinging himself over the top of the twins and the quaffle through the goal. "I don't even know what that was." Sirius called.
"Zabini short stop!" Draco called, "take that, girl Weasley!" Then, he'd spotted the snitch and he and Harry were off. They were no longer boyfriends, they were competitors. Zenobia was on her feet, jumping and cheering Draco on.
"You were beautiful, Bella." Blaise purred beside her. She grinned,
"teach me that move?"
"I will try." He nodded, "it is dangerous."
"AND HARRY CATCHES THE SNITCH BECAUSE DRACO IS A SLYTHERIN!" Sirius crowed. Harry smiled happily at Draco and handed the snitch to him. The blonde shook his head and landed,
"That's alright, Potter; as team captain," he flicked his hair out of his eyes, "I can tell you we have decided on a new approach to win. Be ready, Harry, be ready."
"HA! We're not afraid of you!" Ron crowed. Ginny cheered, thumping her brother on the back.
"Mud, I say! MUD!"
They all went in to get warm and have dinner. After dinner it was Remus to alert them. He'd been headed for the door to let some smoke from one of the twins jokes out when he froze.
"Harry!" Sirius hissed, spotting him first, "stay where I can see you." It was getting dark and Remus was tense. He'd put his foot behind the door, stopping it from opening. Blaise stood just behind Hermione and he stepped forward, pulling her and Zenobia (who'd jumped up to watch) gently behind him and drawing his wand.
"Moony," Ron whispered, "what is it?"
"Werewolf." Remus growled, muscles jumping. His head jerked to the sky. "Stay inside!" he snarled, hurrying out. Bill and Charlie went to the door. They could see them now; Tonks, George (who had went to the shop) and Kingsley, carrying him. Fred, however, was not to be stopped and burst through his brothers to reach his twin. Moody disapparated in behind them with Mundungus.
"I SAID STAY IN THE HOUSE!" Remus roared at Fred, forcefully dragging him back.
"My baby," Molly moaned, "my little baby."
"An attack on Diagon Alley." Kingsley sighed as Molly rushed to George at the couch and the Weasleys watched on with wide eyes, "we barely made it out. George fought like a wildcat, Arthur, a man on fire. You should be proud."
"I am." Arthur nodded gravely.
"He's going to live." Molly told her children and everyone relaxed. Remus went back to the door,
"Kinglsey, was anyone bitten?"
"No." Kingsley frowned, "there were no known werewolves there."
"Get away from the door!" Bill shouted. It all happened at once. Frenrir suddenly appeared in the door, Sirius roared and Remus decked the werewolf, sending him flying back. Then, Remus was out the door on top of him. Sirius flew by in dog form, leaping into the fray as Moody charged out. Soon, all those who could fight were outside. Molly, George, and the Zabinis were inside. Draco and Harry stood back to back, as well as Ron and Hermione; ignoring the orders to go inside as spells were flung. Moody fell, dead, to the ground and Belatrix cackled,
"oops! I meant that to hit you, dearest nephew!" She spun on Hermione and Ron, aiming for them. Blaise dropped from the top of the Burrow, airborne on Hermione's broom and swung a vicious kick to the tail end of hers. With Frenrir on the run, Sirius took off and leapt into the air, biting her wand arm and dragging her down. Blaise kicked her hand, sending the wand flying and spun, joining the others. Ron was roaring, flinging hexes like no one's business. They were flinging spells at the house now and Arthur ran in, yelling and grabbing George who was now awake. Tilantha had Zenobia in her arms and they all fled as Belatrix struck the burrow, setting it on fire in one fell swoop before vanishing. Blaise turned Hermione to him, away from the fire and she began to cry for her second family.