A/N:
Drabble 1 for the 30 drabbles in 30 days challenge on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge Forum. This is my first challenge and it's starting out well I think. :D
Enjoy!
"Whacha get Hermione?" Asked Ron around a mouthful of food.
The trio had just sat down for lunch when the usual cadre of owls had come streaking through the windows, buzzing the students and dropping off the packages before heading off to their well deserved rest.
A tawny mid-sized owl had dropped a bundle of packages in front on the Hermione who was quickly turning a light shade of pink. "Nothing Ron my parents just sent me some items from home I told them I wanted." She replied hurriedly. "I should get them back to my room, excuse me."
Her plate still full minus a forkful of salad Hermione snaked the wrapped packages into her arms and beat a hasty retreat.
"Musta been girl stuff." Ron guessed shoveling more meatloaf into his mouth.
Harry raised an eyebrow at his mate, "Yeah, probably something like that." It wasn't all that odd for Hermione to get an idea and run off to the library to research it but the blush that had colored her cheeks made him wonder what the owl had really dropped off.
An hour later Ron and Harry where sitting through yet another lecture of their futures and how dire the world looked from Professor Trelawney.
"Really mate she just needs to be put out of her misery." Ron whispered to Harry while her attention was focused on telling Lavender how a wizard on broom would soon come to sweep her off her feet.
Harry snorted his agreement; he wouldn't bet a knut that she knew what she was talking about most of the time. Sometimes though she would get this far away look and he wondered if Dumbledore saw more in her than others did.
Snapped out of his thought by a flourish of brightly colored robes descending in his face Harry looked up with a grimace. "Harry Potter…The Boy Who Lived. Such tragedy, such heartbreak. Do you have love in your future?"
"Um, no?" He answered hoping it would be enough to send her away.
"Nonsense my dear boy, everyone has someone, now give me your hand and let me see!"
Her glasses magnifying her eyes comically he swallowed a groan and tried to ignore the snickering around him as he hesitantly placed his hand into hers. "I really don't think this is going to-".
"Hush now, let me see." She replied, cutting him off. "Hmm, so much fog, uncertainty of course. It's clearing… I see a -- snake twisting in a depthless sky of blue, royalty, wise and faithful, a world set serenely upon a stone, solid and true it reflects into the heavens."
The class came alive with roars of laughter and cat calls as Harry flushed a deep red and tried to slip deeper into his robes. "An odd young man you are Mr. Potter." Professor Trelawney said quietly sliding her warm hand from his. "Odd indeed."
She turned from him and crossed the class room to a still laughing Draco, giving Ron the opportunity to commiserate. "Would you like me to kill you now or after dinner?"
Harry just slumped deeper into his seat and grunted.
Luckily enough it was a Friday night and a Hogsmead trip was planned for the next morning, as such the Gryffindor common room was crowded with people relaxing and making plans.
"Really Hermione? Homework on a Friday before Hogsmead?" Ron asked.
Blowing a stray lock of thick brown hair from her face Hermione didn't even bother to look up as her quill continued to scratch away at her parchment. "Yes Ron, even on a Friday before Hogsmead. If I finish the lot of it now it will be less to worry about on Sunday and I can curl up with a good book to read and relax."
Ron grunted something about reading and relaxing muffled under his breath.
Harry opened his mouth when Lavender leaned over the back of the couch, her done-up hair framing her face prettily. "Oh Hermione, I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier, Happy Birthday!"
"Thanks Lavender, you shouldn't have." She replied not looking up from her the book in her lap.
"Oh no problem! We should get a butterbeer tomorrow to celebrate, my treat." She said standing back up.
Quill scratching away Hermione replied "Sure thing."
Lavender flounced off giggling and tossing her hair as both boys turned to stare at their friend. "That's what all those packages where right?" Harry asked.
"Yes."
"Blimey Hermione! Why didn't you say anything to us?" Ron burst in.
Finally looking up Hermione tucked her hair behind her ear. "Because it's not a big deal and I didn't want you guys to think you had to get me anything."
"Of course we would have got you something, geez you get us stuff for Christmas and our birthday's why shouldn't we get you something for yours?" Ron asked, an actual logical question coming from him.
Harry nodded in agreement. "He's right you know. Now I feel like a prat for not getting you anything,"
"Girls and boys are different so don't feel bad about it. I didn't expect to tell you or you to find out so I didn't expect to get anything from either of you." She replied stiffly. "Now that it is out we can move on and please don't get me anything, I am fine if you both just tell me happy birthday and call it even."
Harry and Ron shared a look, neither was happy with what she was asking but they knew that it would be easier than to argue with her. "Happy birthday Hermione." They said in unison.
"Thank you, now if you will excuse me I need I book from my room." She closed her book, parchment marking her spot, set it to the side and headed across the room to the winding stairs.
Ron slumped into his chair. "That girl, I swear she tries to drive people away." He glanced over at Harry, "Want to play some chess?"
Harry nodded, watching Ron pull a table close and set up the pieces. Ron would win as he always did but this time it was because Harry was wracking his mind about what to get Hermione for her birthday.
Monday night Hermione was dumping her bag onto her bed as she always did, searching for missed notes and loose quills when a small square package thumped gently onto her quilt.
She looked around the room quickly, no one was there and it was still fairly early so the other girls wouldn't be in for a while yet.
Sitting on the edge of the bed she gingerly picked up the package, wrapped in brown paper and tied with a simple red string it was light but solid. "I told them not to." She said to herself, not unkindly.
She still wasn't totally used to having friends who actually cared about her and didn't want to be disappointed if they forgot her birthday so she had decided it would just be easier not to tell them. Sighing she carefully slid the string over the corners and unsealed the paper with her fingernails.
A dark green velvet case sat in her hand; her heart sped up and thumped heavily in her chest. Her parents had gotten her nice things in the past but this was different, it was from a friend…from a boy.
She noticed a small piece of parchment that had fallen to the bed with the wrapping, setting the box down she unfolded it and read.
Hermione,
I know you told us not to get you anything but that just isn't right. It's like Ron said, you get us stuff all the time, not to mention make sure we pass all our classes and to be honest if it wasn't for you I am pretty sure we would be dead a couple of times over by now.
Anyways, I am not sure if this is something you will like but I remember watching muggle TV when the Dursley's would go out and seeing girls get excited about this stuff, so I went to the library and did a little research. It took me forever and I had to sneak past Finch to get back in but I think it is worth it. I picked it up when I had to "use the loo". So don't worry about where I got it, Hogsmead has some surprisingly nice shops if you look for them.
I didn't want to embarrass you so I thought this might be the best way. I hope that is ok. Well, thanks for everything Hermione; you're the best friend a bloke could ask for. Happy Birthday.
Harry.
Tears welled in her eyes and she fought them back, she was being silly it was just a simple gift. She knew Harry was thoughtful so this really shouldn't surprise her.
Setting the note aside she picked the box back up and opened it. A thin chain held a delicate silver setting that nestle a deep blue gem, it winked and sparkled in the light as her tears fell past her smile and landed on her gift. "A sapphire, oh Harry."
Lifting it from the box she unlatched it and guiding her hands around her neck she clasped it together. Grinning so hard it hurt she laughed; she was going to have to up her game at Christmas this year.