Disclaimer: all characters and the wider wizarding world belong to J. K. Rowling.

Although Blaise kept his distance where possible to minimise Pansy's objections, despite Draco's reservations on the train journey up, in the 7th year boys dorm it almost felt like everything had returned to normal. Almost, apart from the fact there were only 4 beds now, instead of 5.

Greg kept to himself, Draco had tried to reach out to him a couple of times but he was clearly still struggling with the loss of Vince and Draco suspected he was simply making that worse, a constant reminder.

As a group, the 7th Year Slytherins set the tone for the rest of their house. They'd heard a few grumblings in the common room but they'd shut down any attempt at retribution, or even pranks. Even Greg had stopped a third year attempting to set fire to the hair of a bunch of Gryffindors who had tripped him up.

As Draco and Theo shared most of their classes, they quickly fell into a firm, if quiet friendship. Although Draco hadn't been all that close to the quiet boy at school before, they had known each other since birth and they could hardly afford to be picky in friendships this year.

As they rushed to Arithmancy, Draco had to stop to take points from a second year Gryffindor who was flying a racing broom around the halls for a dare, so they arrived slightly late and out of breath. Unfortunately it seemed two of the Ravenclaws they shared this advanced class with were having a lovers' spat and were no longer sitting together. This meant their usual desk was already partly occupied. The only free seats were next to the spurned Ravenclaw boy at the back and the front desk, next to Granger.

Draco, who had arrived slightly before Theo (the older boy cursing his long legs and his relative youth) dashed for the seat at the back of the classroom. On reflection, it looked like he didn't want to sit next to Granger and he grimaced at the politically awkward visual, but in reality he just didn't want to sit at the front of the class. Theo grumbled and glared at his friend as he took his seat next to the Head Girl.

"Sorry, Granger. Everywhere else is taken."

Hermione looked up from her notes and smiled at Theo. At least someone in Slytherin had manners, not that she had much to complain about over the past couple of weeks - most of their house had kept silent and to themselves. She hadn't had anyone hassle her since that first meal. If anything she was starting to worry about the quiet house, they hadn't so much as played a prank. Even the Hufflepuffs had been more trouble for her on rounds.

"Hi Theo," she ventured, as he pulled books, parchment and quills from his bag. "Um, you don't mind if I call you Theo, do you? Nott just seems so formal." She blushed and busied her hands straightening her already immaculate pile of notes and spare quills.

Theo paused in his actions and turned to the strange girl beside him. Take down the most evil wizard of all time? Sure. Face some of his most violent, deranged followers and live to tell the tale? Why not? But socially interact with people? That's what made Hermione Granger nervous. He was about to snigger when he caught a flash of blond hair in the corner of his eye. Draco was watching intently. Ridiculous boy thought it was his job to redeem Slytherin house single-handedly. Idiot.

"Well, it is my name," he replied. "Don't suppose you'd return the favour, Hermione?"

Hermione beamed at her neighbour.

"Deal."

Theo and Hermione sat next to each other for the rest of the week's Arithmancy classes. They were quiet but they discussed the assignments in class and worked together well when required. At the end of the second week of school, Ron had found out about her new class partner and had taken to walking her to and from the Arithmancy classroom. That had been a fun evening in the common room.

Ron was waiting outside the Arithmancy classroom when Hermione emerged, discussing the homework with Theo.

"Mione! Come on," he called. "I thought today was the day you're going to ask McGonagall about quidditch on Saturday?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Ron and Harry had persuaded her to ask the headmistress if she could have a pick-up-quidditch game for her birthday the following Saturday. Not that she really cared for pick-up-quidditch, but hers was the first birthday of the year and everyone enjoyed a good game.

"Sure, Ron, let's head there now," she said turning to Theo. "You're welcome to join us on Saturday, Theo."

She hesitated as Malfoy filed out of the classroom and hung back behind Theo.

"Same goes for you too, Malfoy."

Ron made some spluttering noises at her side but she silenced him with a look.

"What's got Weasley's wand in a knot?" Draco drawled. The ginger wizard was slowly turning an impressive shade of red.

"Pick-up quidditch," Theo answered carefully. "This Saturday. Hermione here was good enough to extend an invitation to us." Theo regarded his friend closely. He had been leading the charge when it came to making a clean start, but he didn't know how long it would last, or how deep his new-found friendliness (or rather, lack of hostility) would go.

Draco considered the offer carefully, while he rearranged his bag on his shoulder for time. He knew Granger was terrible on a broom, so it clearly wasn't her quidditch game, which meant it was probably Potter and Weasley's game. A game he would very much not be welcome at. He sighed, he'd been missing quidditch.

"Thanks, Granger," he ventured, "but I'm sure Potter and Weasley don't appreciate you inviting us to their quidditch game."

Hermione scoffed in a very unladylike manner.

"I can invite whoever I like to my own birthday celebration, thank you very much indeed," she insisted, brushing some hair out of her face. "If they want me to ask the headmistress to allow us to play quidditch for my birthday then they'll just have to deal with whoever I invite."

By the end she was staring at Ron, who stood mute at her side, his face near purple from the effort of not saying something.

"Well, we couldn't possibly miss a birthday invite," Draco smirked as he pulled Theo down the corridor. "We'll be there."

Theo looked at his friend and the blond wizard raised a pale eyebrow in reply.

"If the Gryffindor princess wants to invite us to play quidditch with her friends, who am I to say no?" He whispered, barely audible.

When they were out of earshot, Hermione braced herself for the onslaught from Ron but found him still silent. She looked at him but he was trying very hard to remain calm.

"House unity, Ron," she reminded him, in a sing-song voice. "As head girl it would be wrong of me to invite all the 7th years from three of the houses, and not extend the invite to Slytherins at all.

"So if you want me to get quidditch on the table, you'll play nicely."

She could tell the exact moment he told Harry. Across the common room she heard him yell "What? You can't be serious, Harry!" And storm off up to the boy's dorm.

A few minutes later, Hermione felt the sofa dip next to her and she finished the paragraph she was reading and set her book aside.

"Harry, before you say anything-"

"Relax, Hermione," he interrupted. "I told him it was the right thing to do, and obviously you heard how well that went down."

Her friend ran his hand through his hair - she could read him like a book, there was more to come.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked, tentatively. Harry knew Hermione's desire to support the idea of house unity as head girl coupled with her ability to see the good in people could have made her a target this year and he just didn't want to see her taken advantage of.

"I'm sure, Harry. Theo is really quite sweet, if a bit quieter than I'm used to," she raised an eyebrow to accentuate her point, and Harry had the decency to blush. "Besides, the Slytherins have barely been a presence this year - they haven't taunted or cheated, no hexing in the hallways, nothing. Nobody has called me," she lowered her voice and checked for younger students. "Mudblood since Pansy that first night - and remember who dealt with that?"

Harry nodded, they had discussed Malfoy's change of heart at great length. Hermione saw his continued good behaviour as a sign he'd really changed his ways, but Harry was more cautious. Sure, he hoped for the best, but he still suspected something was up.

"If you're sure, Mione," he bent to kiss her head. "What the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets, right?"


Saturday morning Hermione was greeted by Ginny banging on her door.

"Come on, Mione!" The younger girl yelled once Hermione had relented and opened the door with her wand from her bed.

"Honestly, Gin, the one day of the year I'm not rushing out of bed to study or get to class and you decide to wake me?"

"Harry and the boys are already heading to breakfast so they can get to the pitch for a quick practice - I drew the short straw because I'm the only one who can come up here to get you!"

They rushed through breakfast before Hermione was dragged to the quidditch pitch by her friends. There was talk of who would beat who, what the house elves would prepare for lunch and how many books Hermione would get for presents. Hermione couldn't help but be cheered by the normality of the situation - this was what their childhoods had been missing.

As they approached, the group of Gryffindors could see a few people already gathered by the pitch - Luna was visible from a distance with her long blond hair blowing in the light breeze, along with many of their comrades from DA in other houses, but it was the group of older students sitting apart from Luna and the others that caught Hermione's attention. She marched ahead as everyone stopped short.

"Theo, you made it!" She beamed.

Theo stepped forward so he was ahead of the rest of the Slytherins and waited as Hermione and Harry approached him. Ron stepped forward too but his sister held his wrist so he could hear the conversation but not interfere.

"Wouldn't have missed it, Princess," Theo answered, and Hermione blushed at the nickname.

Theo held his hand out to Harry, who was a little startled and fussed with his glasses before reciprocating.

"Looking forward to a good game, Potter."

Harry ran a hand through his messy hair and shifted his feet.

"Everyone from your house looking forward to the same thing?" He asked, cautiously. "I mean, Hermione knows some healing spells but I think she'd rather not use them on her birthday."

Theo turned and gestured to the group behind him and Malfoy and Zabini stepped forward.

"We're happy to take a wand oath that we'll play fair, if you'd feel more comfortable."

Hermione shook her head and stepped between the two dark haired wizards sizing each other up.

"That won't be necessary, Theo. But maybe you could be the second team captain, as that will stop Ron and Ginny from killing one another on opposing sides?"

"Captain?" He chuckled. "Merlin, no, I'm worse than dreadful. I'm ok as keeper but honestly all that flying around and tactics and ball management? Nope, can't do that. Malfoy's the man for that."

Hermione whipped her head to the blond wizard and brown eyes met grey. Normally she would have scoffed at the suggestion, but his eyes weren't shuttered like they usually were. He was an open book right now, and he was braced for rejection.

"If you think you're up to it, Malfoy?" Harry teased, holding out his hand.

Draco hadn't dared to hope for such a warm reception. Gryffindors were much more forgiving than Slytherins it seemed. He smirked and shook the offered hand.

"Bring it on, Potter."

They divided into teams and warmed up with the quaffle until everyone had come down from the castle. Some of the younger years had joined them, but Hermione sat in the stands surrounded by her non-flying friends, the other Slytherins sitting just slightly off to one side, drinking bottles of butterbeer and eating sweets and cakes.

When the warm up was over, Malfoy and Harry approached Hermione to start the game.

"So what are we playing for, Hermione?" Harry asked, a smirk on his face.

"How about my respect and admiration, Harry? And maybe an extra helping of cake later?"

"Cake, Granger?" Draco scoffed as he hovered in front of her. "If we win," - if I finally beat Potter to the snitch, he thought - "there's going to be firewhiskey. Lots and lots of really good quality firewhiskey."

Harry laughed and Hermione blushed and fussed with her dress.

"Did he just say firewhiskey?" Ron shouted from above them.

"Yeah he did, Ron, but only if they win!" Harry shouted back. "Makes me almost want to throw the game!"

Hermione listened to the banter - even Theo and Blaise were joining in - and she smiled. Her birthday was turning out to be the perfect example of house unity.

"For my respect and admiration!" She yelled as she let the snitch go and, a moment later, threw up the quaffle.

The game was close - Harry's team, made up of mostly Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, had good chasers and Theo was only passable when it came to keeping, but the Slytherin chasers were outstanding and seemed to communicate without words, making Ron work doubly hard at the other end of the pitch. In the end it was going to come down to the snitch.

Harry and Draco circled high above the game, looking for any flash of gold. Harry kept a close eye on his competition, looking for any sign he'd spotted the snitch. Draco caught his eye at one point and flew over beside him.

"Can't seem to keep your eyes off me, Potter. Should Weaselette be worried?"

Harry spluttered a bit before he laughed out loud.

"Alert the Prophet!" He yelled between guffaws. "Draco Malfoy has a sense of humour!"

Draco smirked and was about to say something scathing but hilarious in return when he saw a flash of gold hovering near the stands behind Potter. He immediately started a dive in the opposite direction, which Harry followed. When they were neck and neck, he pulled back and shot off towards the stands.

Hermione looked up when the seekers started their dive. Play on the pitch below was abandoned as everyone watched with rapt attention. Draco was zooming towards the stand holding most of the 7th years at such a pace Hermione was convinced he was gunning for them. As he approached and showed no signs of slowing the screaming began and she drew her wand in case it was needed.

Draco was vaguely aware of some commotion in the stands but the snitch was just hovering above the stands, too high for anyone to reach, but close enough his trajectory had to be flawless otherwise he'd end up in the hospital wing. At the final minute he twisted in mid-air and reached for the snitch, closing his fingers around it before coming to a full stop above the stands.

He had done it. He had caught the snitch playing against Harry "Chosen One" Potter. He looked around for someone to share the news with. His teammates were cheering and performing acrobatic tricks on their brooms. The stands were a mess, many people had seemingly moved away from his path, but his eyes met warm brown and he smiled. He had the perfect idea for getting back in the black with Hermione Granger, the one who had thrown him the best life line so far. He flew down until he was level with her and he winked.

"What was that you said about respect and admiration, Granger?"

Her shocked expression changed suddenly into a glorious smile breaking his concentration and he wobbled on his broom a little.

Pansy and Daphne had recovered from Draco's near-miss with the stands, to witness the exchange of smiles. Daphne had to grab at Pansy's hand as she started towards the two. Pulling her close she whispered in her friend's ear.

"Pans, you dumped him remember? And your boyfriend is fast approaching!"

Pansy allowed herself to be pushed towards Blaise as Daphne congratulated Theo.

Harry and Ron quickly flanked Draco and offered him their congratulations, somewhat grudgingly from Ron. He perked up when Ginny reminded Draco his promise of firewhiskey.

After a hearty late lunch provided by the elves (on the condition that not one of them would be forced to take clothes) the weather turned colder and Harry suggested everyone retire to the Gryffindor common room for Hermione's presents and a continuation of the festivities.

The Slytherins were making their excuses when Theo and Draco shared a look and said that they would be delighted to join them. Pansy's eyes bulged so far Blaise was genuinely concerned for her sight.

Blaise was no fool - Pansy was using him to get back at Draco. She was left in the dungeons whilst he, Greg and Vince went off to fight. It was when she realised Draco had rescued two of his best mates from imprisonment and not her, that he'd rather have those two at his side in battle, not his girlfriend, that she'd started coming on to Blaise. It was a little heavy-handed for his liking, but she kept herself in shape and she was easy. But Merlin, he was struggling to ignore her flaws now they were back at school and her constant fawning over one of his best mates was the hardest part. He pulled her closer to him and suggested they go for the firewhiskey Draco had promised.

On the walk back to the castle Theo fell in line with his best mate and shared a concerned look. Draco just smirked and shook his head in response. Whatever Draco was up to, he wasn't sharing.

The elves outdid themselves again and the common room was full of sweets, food, butterbeer and a big pile of presents when they returned. Everyone had their fill as the sun set and Hermione sat down by the fire surrounded by her friends before opening her gifts.

There were books from Harry and Ginny, a whole parcel of muggle clothes and make-up from her parents, and a knitted hat from Mrs Weasley. Ron had opted for a leather bound journal that Hermione immediately declared would be used for her revision, causing everyone to groan. Most of the rest of the presents were sweets from Honeydukes and some choice items from George's shop - including some items she was sure weren't on sale yet.

The final gift was a box of high-end chocolates from Theo, her thanks for which caused him to blush uncharacteristically. Looking up, she was suddenly faced with a familiar sight - Draco Malfoy was smirking at her. He sauntered up to her and held out his hand. There, fluttering just above his palm was the golden snitch from today's game.

"Happy Birthday, Granger."

Hermione hesitated. Even Harry had never offered her a game snitch before. Unless they were practice snitches, which this was not, they would never again be able to be used in a match because of their flesh memory charm. The professionals sometimes auctioned off game snitches for huge amounts of money, but she knew most seekers just kept them as trophies.

This was the first snitch Malfoy had caught against Harry. It was special, there would never be another first, and this snitch would never be anything else.

"Come on Princess, it won't bite," he drawled. "Besides, I didn't get you a present."

Hermione tentatively reached out and took the golden ball from him, watching as the delicate wings folded in on themselves and it came to rest, finally, in her palm.

"I think you've rendered her speechless, Malfoy," Ginny shouted across the room.

"If I'd known that was all it took, I'd have given her a snitch years ago!" Harry added, as the room erupted in laughter.

Hermione blushed deep crimson and closed her fist around the precious gift.

"Thank you, Malfoy. It's an excellent keepsake, I'll always be able to remember this birthday now."

They toasted her again with butterbeer before Malfoy produced a couple of bottles of firewhiskey, shrunk to fit inside his pocket, and the older students got thoroughly merry. Hermione couldn't remember the last time she'd been so carefree. Everyone was just acting like normal teenagers - snogging in corners, laughing and joking, drinking a bit too much. It was marvellous. People drifted back to their own dorms in dribs and drabs until only Gryffindors remained, and Hermione fell asleep on the sofa in front of the fire surrounded by her friends, a huge smile on her face.

On Sunday, breakfast was served until midday with extra coffee.

Ron loaded up his plate with sausages and fried bread and slumped over a cup of pumpkin juice Hermione had thrust at him.

"It was all going so well until the snakes had to take it too far with the firewhiskey."

Ginny and Hermione's laughs pierced his head, and he groaned.

"I didn't hear you complaining when you were helping yourself to yet another glass of Ogden's finest last night," Ginny reminded him. Ron had clung to his dislike of the Slytherins until the second round of top-ups, arguing that it could have been poisoned. When nothing untoward happened, he argued instead that he had some catching up to do.

"Yeah, well, they didn't have to bring two bottles, did they? It's irresponsible," he grumbled. "Plus, rubbing their victory in Harry's face like that? Typical."

Harry, Ginny and Hermione shared a smile across the table and Hermione rolled her eyes before pointing her wand at the red-head and casting a quick pain-relieving charm designed specifically for what ailed him.

"Thanks, Mione."

McGonagall sat at the head table reading the paper and observing her 7th Year students, a grin on her face and a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh to be young and foolish, Filius," she mused, as the professor joined her.

"Speak for yourself, Minerva," Professor Flitwick replied. "I was never foolish!"