I yawned, stretching my arms high above my head as I wriggled my body round, the events of the previous night flooding pleasantly into my mind.

It took me a second, however, to notice that I was in the bed alone.

"Drac?" I muttered sleepily as I sat up, drawing the sheets around me.

Suddenly, the bathroom door flew open and Draco came striding out, straightening his tie, already suited and ready for the day.

"You're dressed," I pouted, failing to hide my disappointment.

"Sorry," he chuckled, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to me. "You looked so peaceful. But now you're awake, I may as well give you this."

I watched as he reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a small black shiny box; the kind that comes from a jewellery shop.

"I thought last night was my present?" I said coyly, raising an eyebrow. "Not that I'm complaining."

"It's your seventeenth," he shrugged; an amused smirk playing at his lips. "You get two."

Grinning, I took it off him and carefully lifted up the lid. Inside sat a silver bracelet adorned with tiny delicate trinkets.

"Drac, it's- it's beautiful," I breathed, lifting it up in my fingers to inspect it more closely.

"I filled it with charms that mean something to us," he said, taking it off me to point them out. "See, here is the Scottie dog - that's me, and next to it is-"

"-the old boot..." I finished for him, my lips tugging into a helpless smile, "...me."

"Yeah," he grinned warmly back, before moving on to the charm that resembled a bucket and spade, "and this one is for when you came and played in my sandpit."

"Oh yes, when I threw sand in your face."

"You did not," he said indignantly, "I think you'll find it was the other way around!"

"Sure, Drac," I laughed, poking my tongue out at him.

Rolling his eyes, he went on to show me the rest of the charms which included a deck of cards, a treehouse, and a Muggle 'chocolate' coin.

"There's space for more, of course," he murmured, a soft wistfulness in his expression as his finger delicately trailed along the empty links.

"It's perfect, Drac," I said with sincerity, holding my wrist up so he could fasten it on for me. "Thank you."

"It's no bag of chocolate coins, I know," he drawled; his grey eyes glinting into mine. "But as it's your seventeenth, I wanted to give you something that you could keep."

"It's everything," I breathed, taking his hand in mine as I held his gaze; warmth and affection flooding my heart.

He lifted a hand, tangling his fingers in my hair as he pressed his lips firmly down upon my temple.

"I'll let you get ready," he murmured, his voice suddenly hoarse with emotion, "see you up at breakfast, okay?"

I smiled back at him as he strode across to the door, my eyes glancing back down to the wonderful gift that said more than any words ever could.

******

My vision was obscured the second I stepped into the Great Hall.

"Happy birthday, B!"

"Nev!" I laughed, my voice muffled in his chest. "Ger'off!"

He pulled back, placing his hands on my shoulders as he took a good look at me.

"You had sex!" he gasped dramatically, his eyes widened knowingly.

"Shhhh!" I quickly hushed him, looking around to see if anyone had heard.

"You had good sex!"

"How the fuck do you do that?!" I hissed.

"So ferret boy liked my tea after all, eh?" Neville chuckled, his eyes glinting wickedly as he stuffed his hands in his trouser pockets.

"Come on," I said, grabbing his arm and pulling him in the direction of the Slytherin table. "As it's my birthday you can have breakfast with us today."

"Oooo, an honorary Slytherin. My Gran would be spinning in her grave right now if she was dead. But alas she still ticks along, never failing to attend Batwing Bingo every Thursday night."

He sighed heavily as if this was a bad thing that his only sane living relative was not six feet underground.

"I love your weird sense of humour, Nev."

"Goes with my dress sense, apparently," he grinned, lifting up his trousers to reveal Bart Simpson socks. "Gran has a Muggle telly."

"Cool," I nodded impressively. "Sis has style."

"Uh- I don't think your bed buddy looks too happy about the prospect of sharing you," Neville muttered in my ear as we neared the Slytherin table.

"Nonsense!" I cried, waving enthusiastically over at Draco, whose face resembled a grumpy cat's as he sat and waited for me to join him.

I pulled Neville along the table until we reached the empty space next to the white-blond haired Slytherin where we both squeezed in, causing the rest of the Slytherins to grumble as they were forced to scoot down for a Gryffindor.

"I didn't realise the Gryffindor table was full." Draco muttered bitterly; his eyes flashing as he looked pointedly at Neville.

"It's not," I said at once, placing my hand on Draco's knee hoping to placate him, "I asked Neville to join us because it's my birthday and I want to sit with him as well as you."

I gave him my 'be nice or I'll kick you in the nuts' look, and Draco immediately bristled uncomfortably; evidently reading me correctly.

"How's that tea holding up, mate?" Neville asked, as he started enthusiastically piling his plate up with bacon and eggs.

"Fine," Draco muttered stiffly, clearly uncomfortable at being referred to as 'mate' by a Gryffindor.

"You give me the nod when you need some more and I'll be right on it," Neville winked as he pierced a sausage on the end of his fork and pointed it in Draco's direction.

I heard the disdainful click of Draco's tongue as he rolled his eyes and looked away, trying his best to ignore our guest.

I just shook my head and started piling my plate up with food, suddenly ravenous.

"The owl post better get here soon," Neville mused, glancing up towards the windows as he drowned his breakfast in brown sauce. "I want to see your face when your present arrives."

"Excellent," I said, feeling a thrill of excitement in the pit of my stomach, "I can't wait to see what it is; you give the best presents, Nev."

A sudden spluttering noise sounded on my other side. I turned to see Draco looking utterly affronted at me.

"I meant," I jumped in quickly, pulling my sleeve back so I could admire my bracelet, "apart from your gifts, of course."

Neville gave a long low whistle as he grabbed my arm to take a closer look. "Nice bit of bling, that," he said impressively.

"That 'nice bit of bling' is probably worth more than your house, Longbottom," Draco drawled derisively.

"I don't doubt it," Neville shrugged unbothered, "it's a shitty little two bedroom terraced eyesore. Still, Gran's happy there and that's what counts at the end of the day."

Draco gave a disgruntled sniff, clearly displeased with Neville's lack of reaction to his cruel jibe.

"I'd love to meet your gran one day," I said, pouring myself and Neville some pumpkin juice. "She sounds ace."

"Well you will this summer," Neville answered matter of factly, "when you come and stay for my birthday. Girl, you promised we'd go out on the town remember?" He added when I gave him a blank look.

"And where, exactly, is she supposed to sleep in this 'shitty' two bedroomed shack?" Draco sniped, clearly unable to contain himself.

"She can top tail with me," Neville shrugged, ignoring the look of horror that immediately sprang to Draco's face. "I don't bite. Well-" he added giving Draco a sly wink, "not females, anyway."

I quickly whacked Draco's back as he proceeded to choke on his sausage.

"Oh goody, the post's arrived," Neville beamed brightly, rubbing his hands vigorously together as owls began to swarm over our heads. "Wait till you see what kind of gift tops expensive sentimental tasteful jewellery."

Turned out it was a life size cardboard cut out of Tom Cruise.

*****