Rose Among the Thorns

Chapter 8 Birthday Celebrations

Hermione returned to the Burrow a week later for Harry's birthday party. The back garden was crowded with people, mostly the surviving Order and DA members. Mrs. Weasley had outdone herself, concocting an enormous lion-shaped cake with red and gold icing and homemade raspberry ice cream. Instead of a full course meal as she had originally planned, Ginny and Hermione had persuaded Mrs. Weasley to serve just punch and light snacks, much to her dismay. As she mingled through the crowd, Hermione turned back to the punch bowl to get herself a drink. The twins were already there, surreptitiously pouring something into the bowl.

"Have a taste," Fred said, offering her a cup.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "What is it?"

George grinned. "Just a little extra flavoring."

Hermione smiled and shook her head. "Incorrigible."

The twins bowed to her, doffing imaginary hats. "As always."

She turned and sniffed at the cup, feeling uncannily like Mad-Eye Moody. Firewhiskey... gin... vodka...and...rum, nothing too suspicious. Hermione took a sip and nearly sputtered. She had a strange feeling that many of her fellow partygoers were going to need a Designated Apparator at the night's end. She turned around. Sure enough, Hagrid was already rather loud, and Neville a bit more clumsy than usual.

"Hello, Hermione."

She turned around to find Luna, also holding a glass of punch.

"This is rather strong," Luna said dreamily, taking another drink.

"I think it's the twins' doing," Hermione replied.

"It could be a Shrouded Ranklemuck," Luna told her. "They're known for tipping alcohol into people's drinks at parties and weddings when they're not looking." She turned abruptly, as though trying to catch one in action.

Hermione giggled. "You'd better stay on the watch, then," she told Luna. She'd been around Luna long enough to finally let her ramble on about imaginary creatures without attempting to correct her.

Luna saluted her. "You can count on me." Luna turned and spotted her fiancee in the crowd. "Rolf! I think I've spotted a Shrouded Ranklemuck!" she shouted, drawing stares from the people around her.

"Coming, dear," he said excitedly, stumbling toward them through the crowd.

Hermione snorted into her glass as she left to find an empty chair.

"Lavender!" Hermione shouted at the pretty blonde talking to Seamus and Ernie. Lavender turned and waved, walking toward Hermione with a good-natured smile.

"How've you been?" Lavender said, kissing Hermione's cheek.

"Not bad," Hermione replied. "Any luck in the matrimonial department?"

Lavender grinned. "As a matter of fact..." she turned away from her friend. "Oi, Justin!" she shouted. A curly haired young man looked up from his conversation and smiled.

"No... Is that Justin Finch-Fletchley?" Hermione asked in astonishment.

Lavender winked at him and turned back to Hermione. "That's the one."

Hermione shook her head. "Well you certainly didn't waste any time."

Her friend shrugged. "We ran into each other at Gringotts. He's a curse breaker now, you know."

"And you love him?" Hermione asked.

Lavender smiled. "I don't really know, but there is something between us... I'm not quite sure what it is."

Hermione squeezed her friend's hand. "I wish you all the luck in the world."

Lavender gave her a one armed hug. "To love," she toasted, "and the hope we might find it in less than two months."

Hermione giggled. "To love," she replied, and sipped from her heavily liquored glass.

~~~~~~~

Hermione was careful not to drink too much of the twins' 'improved' punch as the evening wore on. Not everyone else had been so cautious. Hagrid had broken six chairs, Seamus had tumbled over the garden wall and cut his face in the brambles, and Rolf Scamander had pulled Luna, Mr. Weasley, Dean Thomas, and Hannah Abbot into the garden pond as he searched for Tanglburgen Norfelbungers.

Several couples had disappeared into the darkness, Lavender and Justin included. Hermione smiled to herself as she saw Ginny and Harry wrapped around each other behind a large shrub. She found a seat next to a rather dazed looking Remus.

He looked at her with a bemused smile. "'Lo, Hermione," he said. "Lovely weather for a hot air balloon ride."

Hermione looked at him out of the corner of her eye. There were at least five empty punch glasses sitting in front of him, and a sixth was nearly empty in his hand. He sat upright for a few seconds more, then slowly collapsed onto the table. Hermione sighed. She levitated him into the Weasley's sitting room to let him sleep it off. It was already crowded, as Neville, Charlie, Seamus, Ernie Macmillan, Bill, and Terry Boot were strewn across the room, all in a deeply inebriated sleep.

She wasn't the only woman in the room trying to find a spot for a drunken man. Fleur was busy adjusting Bill's lightly snoring form into one of the armchairs, clucking her tongue in disapproval. She stood and conjured a blanket with her wand.

"Men!" she huffed to Hermione. "When will zey ever learn how to control themselves around alcohol."

Hermione shook her head. "I don't think that's ever going to happen."

The two women returned to the garden, where they found Fred passed out on one of the tables and George half hidden in a bush, lipstick smudged on his mouth and face, Verity's head on his shoulder. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had disappeared, and Hermione didn't exactly want to know where to. As the only two people left standing, Hermione and Fleur began cleaning up the mess. The leftover food disappeared back into the kitchen; the chairs folded and stacked themselves against the side of the house. Streamers and party favors floated into the bin, and the cluttered piles of dishes stacked themselves, ready to be washed in the morning. After a few minutes they said their goodbyes, Fleur returned to the house to sleep in Bill's old room and Hermione went back to her flat.

She dropped her handbag on top of a pile of mail on her kitchen counter. She stretched her arms and yawned, pulling on a pair of pyjamas and flopping onto her bed. It's a good thing tomorrow's Saturday, or else a lot of people would be missing work, she mused wryly, thinking of the Burrow. Hermione rolled over and quickly fell asleep.

*******

notes: I thought a debauched birthday party was in order. You can't trust the twins around a punch bowl. ;)

The Shrouded Ranklemucks and Tanglburgen Norfelbungers were out of my rather odd imagination. They don't really mean anything...I think.