BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER
A soft knock was heard on her bedroom door. Hermione who just drifted off to sleep around an hour ago just shifted to her side.
Another knock was heard. Hermione shifted to her original position while muttering something that sounded like "disturbing" and "sleepy".
Another one. This one was rather hurried and louder.
And another one. More demanding and harder.
Hermione was now wide awake and angry because of the constant knocking. But her eyes were still closed when she shoved her light blue blanket off of her and walked towards the door. Unfortunately when her hand was merely inches from the handle, someone from outside who's been knocking madly opened the door first causing Hermione's head to bump with the wooden door.
"Oww!" Hermione shouted while she held the now-swollen part. She saw a glimpse of red hair coming inside her room, closing the door.
That's got to hurt.
It does!
"Oops, sorry 'Mione."
"Ro – hmmph!"
Ron shut her by covering her mouth with his left hand and putting one finger on his lips. He then whispered, "I'm sorry, but I think one of your parents just got out of their bedroom. And they might –"
"Hmph?!"
Ron put down his hand so Hermione could talk. Or in this case, whisper.
"We – no, you have to hide."
"Hide? Where?"
"Err." She looked around her room to find a place for her best friend to hide. After a quick look under her single bed, she pulled Ron's hand and pushed him down to lie on the ground. "Hurry, before one of them knows you're here."
Right after his right leg went into hiding, a soft familiar knock was heard and Hermione's mom's head came into view. With a sleepy voice, she asked, "Hermione, dear. I heard something from your room. Are you all right?"
"Err, I'm fine, mom. Thanks for asking," the daughter answered as she stood up from the ground. "I just fell off the bed, that's all. A nightmare, I just had."
"Well, okay." She saw her only daughter walking towards her. "You'd better continue your sleep now. It's already past midnight."
"Yes, mom, I will. Good night."
She closed her door just after her mom kissed her cheek and murmured a good night. After locking the door silently, Hermione walked towards her bed and squatted down to find out that Ron's face was right in front of hers. She blushed immediately and got out of the way so Ron could come out.
"Is your head okay?" he asked, standing in front of his best friend. He raised his hand to her head. "Is it swollen?"
"A bit." She blushed again. "But it's okay now."
'Okay now that you're here?'
Shut up!
"Good," said Ron, taking away his hand.
He immediately blushed as he found out that she was only in her pyjamas. Realising that Ron had looked away from her and his face was suddenly red, she looked down to find out that she was not quite decent to be seen by the opposite sex. She quickly took her pillow to cover her upper torso.
"Well – err, thank Merlin there's no spider inside," he said, breaking the silence.
"Were you expecting one?"
"Well of course, not. Bloo –"
"Ron!" she cut him off. "My parents live here, you know."
"Don't worry, they won't hear a thing," said Ron, taking a step towards her.
She looked confused and felt her cheeks go redder every time he took a step.
"How'd you know?"
"I just cast a Silencing Charm to your door."
Well that's bad.
"Whatever for?"
Hermione kept going backwards with Ron in front of her until her back reached the wall.
"I need to wish you."
"Wish me?"
He nodded and smiled. Closing the distance between the two of them, he put one of his hands on the side of her head and the other on her hip. Leaning in closer, he whispered, "Happy birthday, my dear 'Mione."
He said 'my dear'. And he's going to kiss you now! Drop the pillow!
Hermione dropped the pillow and closed her eyes as soon as she felt him really close. Her heart was beating rapidly as she wrapped both of her arms around his neck.
They were merely inches from each other. Just a couple more …
Hermione immediately opened her brown eyes as she heard her alarm on her bedside table. So it was just a dream, after all. I knew it would never happen to me, she thought as she turned off her alarm. She sat up on her bed and started to fold her blanket. Stretching her small body, she walked off to her window and pulled up the curtain to reveal a really sunny and bright day.
She then went to her bathroom to wash her face and brushed her teeth. The girl was still sleepy even though it was already 8 o'clock in the morning. Maybe it was because of the dream I just had, she thought. The dreams she's been having were always like that – they were all about one particular red-haired and blue-eyed Ronald Weasley. Hermione couldn't tell anybody about this because she's sure that she would be laughed at. Shrugging off the thought, she walked out of the bathroom and headed to the kitchen downstairs.
But knowing Hermione, she couldn't help but think again about that best friend of hers. She loved him and Harry since they were her first best friends in Hogwarts. But was it true? That she loved both of them equally?
Yes it's true, she thought. I love them both equally. They are both like my brothers I've never had.
However as she thought so, the image appeared in her mind was only Ron. There was no Harry in that picture. Did that mean something? Did that mean that Hermione loved Ron more than she did Harry?
She shook her head a couple of times to convince herself after thinking a bit.
You're in denial.
No, I most certainly am not!
Yes you are. You do love Ron more than you love Harry.
No, I most certainly do not!
Yes you do. You love Harry because he's like a brother. You love Ron because … I don't know; well you love him for who he is. You love him because he's Ronald Weasley. You love him –
Okay, fine. I get it.
Hermione had been fighting with her own heart for so long, she didn't even realise that she was already standing in front of the kitchen door with her hand reaching out for it. Shrugging off her thought again, she opened the kitchen door and walked in…
"Surprise!"
Hermione was so shocked that she didn't do anything but covered her mouth with her both hands. She could feel some tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she found out there were more than two of her parents. There were Mr. and Mrs. Weasleys, George, Ron (her stomach did a flip when she saw him smiling), Ginny and Harry (see – your stomach didn't do anything. You do know what that means right?).
As they were singing the 'Happy Birthday' song, a very huge cake with a shape of an open book came floating in the air. Hermione gasped as soon as she saw this; she even shed a few tears. Ron walked out to her to stand in front of her and brushed her tears away with his thumb. He smiled as she closed her eyes and leaned into the touch.
"Happy birthday, my 'Mione."
His voice was so soft that Ron was certain Hermione didn't hear anything. But to his surprise, she opened her eyes and smiled after staring into his blue eyes for awhile. She then hugged him quite tightly as if not to let go of him. After some time, she whispered a 'Thank you' and reluctantly let him go as she heard a cough from one of the guests watching.
"Blow out the candles, dear," said Mrs. Granger, as she saw her daughter approaching them.
"Make a wish," said Mrs. Weasley.
"But don't take long," said George before he put his hand on his stomach. "I'm starving."
"George!"
"What? I am starving."
"But you just ate before we got here."
The others laughed at George and Ginny. Molly Weasley just rolled her eyes and shook her head. She turned to the birthday girl and said, "Just ignore those two. You can blow out the candles now, Hermione dear. But you'd better hurry up, before George eats his only sister."
"You all didn't have to do this, you know," said Hermione, tears falling again.
"But we wanted to, Hermione," said Harry, smiling and approaching his best friend to brush away the tears. "Come on now – it's your birthday, don't cry. It's a taboo."
"Really? Are you serious?" asked the other best friend, now standing beside Hermione. His face was so serious that Harry had to try his hardest not to laugh at him.
"He's just kidding, Ronald. Don't take him seriously," said Hermione, looking at him before she looked at Harry. "Besides I'm not crying because I'm sad; I'm crying because I'm happy." She turned to the others. "You all did this for me."
"It was nothing," said Ginny, now finished quarrelling with her brother. "So, Hermione, make a wish and blow out the candles now before he," pointing to George, "eats everyone here."
"Hey!"
Hermione smiled at everyone and took the longest time to smile at Ron who was now standing beside Harry, holding the cake together.
"Thank you. For everything."
She then stood in front of the cake and closed her eyes to make her wish.
I wish we could all stay happy and together always until the end of time.
She opened her eyes slowly and blew out the candles. The others clapped their hands and cheered. Ron and Harry, feeling tired for holding such a huge cake for a few seconds, put the cake down at the table and followed clapping. George, whose patience was wearing thin, took a knife from the nearest cabinet and gave it to her, grinning widely. Hermione received it with a smile and started cutting the cake.
Ron has to be the one to get the first piece of cake.
And why is that?
Because he's the one you love.
I do not love him.
Ooh of course you don't.
You're being sarcastic, aren't you?
Thank you for noticing, Hermione. Anyway just give the cake to him. Can't you see that he's hoping to get the first piece?
No, actually. I'm busy cutting all the cake.
You know what, I don't care. Just give the cake to anyone. I'm sick of hearing you say that you don't love him even though you really do. Deep inside.
Hermione was now holding the first cake. She couldn't decide whether to give it to Ron or to someone else. Maybe she could give it to George who now looked really like a hungry wolf. Or give it to one of her parents who were now smiling. Or maybe one of Ron's parents since they've been her second parents. Or Ginny who looked really scared of George. Or maybe Harry since he's her best friend since their first year.
You're still in denial, admit it.
Okay fine, I'm in denial. Happy? Now who should I give it to?
I told you – give it to Ron. Just realise your own feeling. You won't regret it. I promise.
But what if he doesn't love me back?
He loves you. I can tell. Why did you think he said 'my 'Mione' for? No-one has called you ''Mione' before. Let alone 'my 'Mione'.
She still hesitated to give the cake to him.
Just give it to him.
But I –
Hermione woke up suddenly from her 'daydream' because someone had taken the cake out of her hand. She found out that it was George who was already eating his cake.
See – you were too late.
"Sorry, Hermione but you were taking your sweet time. I couldn't help but take it from you since it was calling for me," said George, going out of the kitchen to sit on the sofa in the living room. "Happy birthday, by the way."
"Sorry, you know what George is like," said the only daughter of Weasleys, before hugging Hermione. "Happy birthday, Hermione."
"Thanks," replied Hermione as she saw her taking a plate and went out of the kitchen after Harry took one piece and congratulated Hermione. The others soon followed, except one person Hermione didn't want to see yet.
"George was right, you know," said Ron, taking one plate from the table.
"About what?" asked her, turning to look at him. "The cake calling for him?"
"Ha ha, very funny," sitting on one of the counters. "He was right about you taking your sweet time."
She turned away from him to busy herself with taking a plate and eating the cake. Realising that she didn't reply him, he stopped eating and put down the plate. He walked over to her and turned her around to face him.
"Are you okay, 'Mione?"
Second time he called you that.
"You're not supposed to be sad on your birthday," he said, raising her chin to look into her eyes. Smiling, he continued, "It's a taboo."
Staring into his beautiful eyes, she smiled. Ron tousled her hair, saying, "That's better."
"Ron!"
He smiled again, melting her on the spot.
"So what's wrong?"
She looked away, and fell silent. She murmured something so soft that Ron couldn't catch anything.
"Come again? I didn't hear that."
She looked at him, deep into his eyes. She took a deep breath and said, "You."
"Me? What's wrong with me?" he asked, looking confused. He raised her chin again. "What did I do wrong now?"
"I –"
Just tell him. He looks so confused. Yet he looks adorable. Don't you think so?
Yeah I do – hey!
So you admit that he's adorable?
Stop it!
"Hermione, you're spaced out again," said Ron, looking worried. He checked for her temperature by putting his hand on her forehead. "Are you sure you're okay?"
She took his hand with hers and settled it on her cheek. She enjoyed the feeling so much that she closed her eyes as she leaned in.
"Ron," she called out, opening her eyes.
"Yes?"
"I have to tell you something."
Tell him now! Enough chit-chat.
"You're stepping on my foot."
"Huh?" he looked down and saw that he was stepping on her foot. He stepped back a bit. "Sorry 'Mione (third time). I didn't know. I thought I was stepping on something else. No wonder it felt so weird."
Oh oh.
"Are you saying that my feet are weird?"
"What? No, of course not. I didn't –"
She silenced him by putting her right index finger on his lips. He immediately fell silent and really looked at her in the eye.
"I was just kidding, Ron. Don't take it to your heart."
Hermione cupped his face with her both hands and traced his lips with her right thumb. She pulled his head close in a slow motion and leant her forehead against his. They both closed their eyes as soon as they felt each other close. Ron slowly raised his hands to rest on either side of her hips.
"Hermione," he broke the silence.
"Sshh, I want to stay like this for awhile."
"So do I, but now you're stepping on my foot," said Ron, pulling away from her.
"What?" She looked down and realised that she was indeed stepping on his foot. She backed away a little. "Sorry, I didn't know."
"It's okay." He smiled the way Hermione's come to find lately that she liked it so much.
Merlin, his smile is so amazing.
I know.
I take it you now realise that you're in love with him?
She smiled as a reply to the question she asked herself earlier. Her arms made their way to wrap around his neck as Ron pulled her closed and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Ron," she called out to him, getting lost into his eyes.
"Hermione," replied Ron. He looked down to check whether once again he was stepping on her foot. But as he found out he didn't, he looked up again to meet her eyes and smiled. "I thought I stepped your foot again."
She let out a small giggle.
"I have to tell you something, before I hear another scold from my own heart," said Hermione, causing Ron to raise one of his eyebrows.
"And what is that?"
She fell silent.
"I think – no wait, I know that … Merlin, this is harder than I thought it would be." She looked away as she felt her cheeks turn red. She let out a deep breath and eventually looked at him straight in the eye. "I love you, Ronald Weasley."
All of the sudden, he leaned in closer and started kissing her lips. Hermione was taken aback; for awhile she just stood there with her eyes wide open. As she felt Ron's grip tightening around her waist, she finally closed her eyes and gave into the kiss.
After awhile, they broke apart for air. Ron was now grinning widely as they locked each other gaze. Hugging her petite body, he said softly, "I love you too, Hermione Granger."
Birthday present like no other, don't you think?
"Best birthday present ever," she whispered.
A/N: I had this idea for a long time, and decided to write this story here before I forget it. Well anyway, thank you for reading. If there are any flaws, please forgive me as I am only a human being. Reviews are appreciated. I didn't get any for my last story though. Well anyway I hope I will get some for this. Til next time.