Secrets of Convenience

8th year: Blaise

"Happy birthday to the woman who saved my life, the world, and the universe!" Harry Potter yelled through the pub, lifting up a bottle of overflowing champagne.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, was the loud and disorganised answering cheer. It was a Muggle pub, in one of the Muggle towns in Scotland – chosen to be far away from Hogsmeade and the magical media. Half the pub was filled with local Muggles and the other half was Hogwarts students. They had announced themselves as a group of backpackers travelling through, which seemed to be common enough. Since it was a Saturday, the locals were happy to sing along to the birthday songs. The loud birthday celebration, the commissioned cakes from the local bakery, and the free drinks for everyone strengthened the Muggles' belief that the birthday girl or one of her friends just happened to be very well off.

Hermione in the centre of the room looked like she rather regretted saving Potter's life, the world, and the universe. Blaise was privately enjoying the entire affair. It was good to see Hermione's Gryffindor friends (Potter) putting in the work and money to organise it all.

A grinning Weasley offered Hermione a knife, and Hermione started cutting the cakes.

Blaise wormed his way through the crowd to her side, elbowing Longbottom out of the way to kiss her cheek. She smelled like flowers. "Happy birthday. You look beautiful."

"You just want cake," Hermione rolled her eyes, and handed him a plate with a large piece of red velvet cake. She sprayed whipped cream from a can all over it.

"I've been caught," Blaise murmured, lying only a little. Yes, he wanted cake, but also yes, Hermione looked stunning in her blue dress. Blaise kind of wanted to see her in Slytherin green, but that was a thought best left untouched. "How do you feel, now that you're the ancient age of nineteen?"

Hermione smiled. "Like I should be allowed to eat this entire cake by myself."

Blaise laughed as he was gently shoved out of Hermione's radius by everyone else reaching for cake. He managed to give Hermione his flute of champagne, but then Vince and Gregg were there, congratulating Hermione and asking for two slices of cake each.

Blaise found Theo and Draco sulking in a corner with a bottle of wine. They didn't bother with glasses, they just shared the bottle. Hopeless, really, but Blaise still took three clean glasses from one of the drinks' tables on his way over to them. They were the future Lords Nott and Malfoy, and drinking from a bottle at a Muggle pub really was depressing.

"Give me that cake," Draco demanded as soon as Blaise was within hearing distance – close, because the music was turned up loud.

"No way," Blaise held himself back from sticking out his tongue at Draco, "go get your own."

He did, however, hand the glasses over, and Theo thankfully filled the glasses and stopped drinking directly from the bottle. They clinked their glasses together, then Draco nearly gulped down the whole glass. Blaise had no idea why Draco was there in the first place. Muggle places must be new to him, and it didn't quite make sense that Draco Malfoy was out here celebrating Hermione Granger's birthday. But, whatever. Blaise was here for a good time.

Theo reached for Blaise's fork, and Blaise held his plate of cake closer to Theo so he could take a bite more easily.

"Hey!" Draco whined. "Theo gets your cake, but I don't?"

Blaise rolled his eyes, ignoring him.

Draco cursed under his breath, but something across the room caught his attention. "I can't believe he'd do this."