"Come here," Draco said, reaching out an arm towards me.

We were still stood in my living room in the wake of Harry's departure.

I didn't move; remaining firmly where I was, eyeing his offered hand apprehensively. I still felt so conflicted about everything. A part of me wanted to give myself up completely to him, but another part was wary; terrified of being hurt further.

"Please," Draco implored his fingers stretching out to me. "I just want you to have a good birthday, one that you deserve. I... I've organised something."

"Does it involve cake?" I asked, cocking an inquisitive eyebrow. I could really go for some; it had been a pretty exhaustive morning.

"Yeah," he chuckled, his eyes glinting in amusement. "There's a cake."

And I couldn't resist, so I stepped forward, allowing him to take me into his embrace.

"Brace yourself," he growled in my ear as he tightened his arms around me. And then I felt the familiar unpleasant feeling of the air being sucked out of my body.

We arrived in a meadow; a familiar looking meadow.

A blanket was laid out amongst the long grass and upon it was an array of cheese, bread and fruit.

"Where's the fucking cake?" I asked frowning up at Draco who was looking down at me expectantly.

"All in good time, Weasley," he chuckled, taking my hand and leading me over to the picnic.

"This is what you were doing?" I asked sitting down, shivering slightly as the cool March wind bit at my bare arms.

He quickly removed his jacket, draping it over my shoulders, kissing me on my neck as he did so.

"I'd do anything for you," he murmured, continuing to kiss my neck.

I was going to point out except for refraining from marrying another woman, but I decided I didn't want to ruin my chances of getting my hands on this talked about cake.

"Isn't this the place you brought me to right before you went on to try and murder our headteacher?" I asked, hacking at the cheddar. Fuck, I was hungry.

"Er... yeah." Draco said, looking slightly thrown. "It was one of the best days of my life."

"What? Attempting to kill an innocent old man?" I muttered. "Whatever does it for you, I suppose."

"Ronnie, don't be like this," Draco sighed heavily. "I'm trying to do something nice for you here."

"What kind of cake is it?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him as I crammed a cheese topped cracker in my gob. "It better involve chocolate."

Draco disdainfully wiped the crumbs from his cheek that had sprayed out of my mouth before answering my question.

"Yes, there will be chocolate," he drawled derisively. "But maybe first you might want to open this."

He reached into his trouser pocket, pulling from it a small dark green velvet box.

"I'm not being funny, Draco," I spat. "But you're usually only allowed to be engaged to one woman at a fucking time."

"For fuck's sake Weasley, stop ruining this would you? It's something I want you to have to show you how much you actually mean to me."

I moodily snatched the box out of his hand and opened the lid.

I was greeted to a flash of silver as a familiar ring glared up at me. It was Draco's ring.

Great, another fucking hand me down. Has the cheap fucktard never bothered to go into a shop before?

"You're not actually expecting me to wear this are you?" I asked. "It's a bit too blingy for my liking."

His face dropped. Clearly, I had not given him the reaction he had been hoping for. Well screw him, I wasn't going to make this easy.

"Ronnie, I-" he paused, angrily chewing his lip.

I glared at him, daring him to continue.

"I just wanted you to have it, that's all." He muttered, scowling down at his hands like a sulking toddler.

I gave a heavy sigh as I stared over the picnic he had organised. I felt a bit bad. He had gone to some effort I suppose. Although I was still concerned about the lack of cake.

"Look, thank you," I mumbled. "I'm just not used to being treated like this. The last time someone did something like this was when some hot guy ate cake in bed with me."

Draco looked up in alarm. "Merlin, I don't want to hear about your past-"

"It was you, you stupid fucktard." I said, throwing a grape at his head.

"Oh." He blinked. "Well, he sounds like a keeper."

"Not really," I scoffed, "he 'accidentally' tried to kill me earlier that day and now he's marrying someone else."

"You know, you are making me sound really bad here, Weasley," Draco drawled, suddenly leaning across the rug to grab me by the waist and pulled me onto his lap.

I yelped crossly, flinging my arms around his shoulders. "Draco! I'm trying to eat!"

"Me too, baby," he growled, and I felt my stomach knot in instant longing as his teeth grazed my neck.

It better be a big fucking cake.

*****

"Why are we here?" I asked, blinking up at the doorway to the building of Blaise's apartment. "And where's my fudging cake?"

"Look," Draco said, looking fearfully down at me. "Don't be mad but I thought we could celebrate with the only people we can be ourselves with."

"Blaise and Bambi," I gritted. I wasn't sure how I felt about this. And I wasn't sure what Draco meant by being 'ourselves'.

I was soon about to find out though.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RONNIE!" Bambi squealed as I was engulfed in an excited pair of arms. "Oh, when Draco told us you weren't doing anything, it just broke our hearts, didn't it, Blaise?"

I looked past her shoulder to see Blaise hovering awkwardly behind her with his hands in jeans pockets.

"Uh, yeah," he muttered, not quite meeting my eye. "Happy birthday, Weasley."

We were all stood in his roomy apartment kitchen and I was pleased to see a great big chocolate cake with my name iced upon it sitting on the side.

About fucking time.

"This is erm... sweet," I said, extricating myself from Bambi's arms and stepping back. I wondered if I could just grab the cake and Apparate back to my flat.

An arm snaked around my waist and I jumped slightly when I realised it was Draco's.

Straight away, I glanced guiltily at Bambi. This was the first time all four of us had been in the same room together since Bambi's indecent proposal in the restaurant when I had stormed out after basically calling them all sick bastards.

To say the atmosphere was awkward was a fucking understatement.

"Perhaps we should open the champagne." Draco muttered, beckoning towards the fridge.

"Fabulous idea, darling!" Bambi trilled as she stepped forward to take my hand. "You boys sort that out and Ronnie and I'll go and get comfortable on the sofa!"

She dragged me away as I looked desperately back at an apologetic looking Draco.

"You know, I'm happy for you," Bambi breathed once she had settled me down on Blaise's large cream sofa. "You don't have to be ashamed. You clearly love one another."

"I- this all just seems a bit..." I threw my hands in the air as I struggled to find the right words. "I mean, I'm catering for your wedding for fuck's sake!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Bambi breathed. "But Ronnie, it's just a piece of paper to appease our parents. Nothing else."

Before I could point out they were fucking shagging not even four months previously, Blaise came in carrying a large bottle of champagne and four flutes, followed by Draco and the cake.

"We need candles!" Bambi trilled, as she jumped to her feet.

"No, please-" I started to cry, but she'd already run from the room. Good fucking god, the last thing I wanted was for them to all awkwardly sing me Happy fucking Birthday.

"Don't look so horrified," Draco chuckled, sinking down on the sofa next to me and smoothly draping an arm over my shoulders. "Relax."

Blaise chose that moment to pop the cork letting champagne fizz out the end of the bottle, just as Bambi came bounding back in with a pack of candles.

"To Ronnie," Bambi toasted after Blaise handed out the champagne. She had placed herself cozily on his lap in the armchair, while Draco and I remained on the sofa.

"Happy birthday, Ronnie," Draco winked at me as he tilted his glass to me before taking a dignified sip.

I couldn't guzzle mine down fast enough. After I'd emptied it, I wiped my mouth with the back of hand.

All three of them were looking at me uncomfortably. No one said anything. I was beginning to feel fucking irritated.

"Now will someone just cut the fucking cake already?!"

*****