Hello again, fellow HP fans!
This is a special oneshot I wrote for a very awesome, very close friend of mine. Her birthday is on August 13th, but I had to post this a few hours early. She's in Germany and I'm in the USA, so there's a big time zone difference. It's just now midnight her time, and this is her birthday present! :)
So, Herzlichen Geburtstag, Lesley! :D
I hope you enjoy the story!
Hermione opened her eyes, blinking at the sunlight that was shining in her dormitory window. She knew today was important, but she wasn't awake enough to realize what was so important. The brunette sat up and stretched, stifling a yawn. That was when it hit her: today was Ginny's birthday!
A grin appeared on Hermione's face and she scrambled out of bed. She'd been trying to plan a special surprise for Ginny for months, and the day was finally here! The only problem was, Hermione still wasn't altogether too sure what her surprise actually was. Technically, Hermione had everything planned except for her gift. She'd asked Neville to get her some flowers, Ron was going to entertain Ginny for the day, and Harry would take over after dinner. Hermione would decorate the common room and they would all surprise the redhead when she got back to the common room that evening.
Hermione gathered some clothes for the day and headed to the shower, her mind working furiously to think of a surprise gift for her best friend. An insane thought of a romantic dinner and a passionate evening flashed into her mind, and Hermione blushed, shaking the thought away. Telling Ginny about her feelings for her was not a good idea; Hermione had a hunch that it would ruin Ginny's birthday party.
Unfortunately, no other ideas occurred to Hermione while she was in the shower, or after she'd gotten out and gotten ready for the day. She glared at herself in the mirror as she tired to tame her hair, hoping that it would somehow help an idea occur to her. She sighed and blew her bangs out of her face, heading down the stairs into the common room.
Hermione glanced around as she walked into the midst of the common room, looking for one person in particular. She didn't see Ginny around, dismissing the absence of her secret crush as she continued through the common room. She was actually glad that Ginny was nowhere to be found; the younger redhead was a late riser, which made it very easy for Hermione to get everything planned before Ginny woke.
Hermione stepped around a first year absently, still looking for one person in particular. When her eyes landed on a dark-haired, green-eyed boy, Hermione hurried over toward him. She noticed that Harry and Ron were in the middle of a game of wizard's chess, not really caring that she was about to interrupt the game.
"Harry, we're going to the library," Hermione told him, grabbing his arm and dragging him to his feet.
"Hey, we were in the middle of a game! Uh, see you in a bit, Ron," Harry yelped, knowing he wasn't going to escape from Hermione.
"Oh, and Ron…?" Hermione asked over her shoulder, hoping he'd remember the task she set him for the day.
"I know, I know," he replied with a groan. "Be extra nice to Ginny today, and keep her busy until dinner."
"Thank you!" Hermione called, dragging Harry out of the common room and through the portrait hole, hurrying to the library.
The minute they were in the library, Hermione pulled Harry back to a secluded spot in the Muggle Studies section, giving him a desperate look. "Harry, you have to help me!"
Harry pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, grinning uneasily at his friend. "Uh, okay? What d'you want me to do?"
"Distract Ginny tonight. Take her to the kitchens for dessert after dinner or something," Hermione offered, wringing her hands nervously. "I just need a little extra time before she gets back to the common room."
Harry cracked a smile, visibly glad that his task was nothing dangerous. "All right, I can do that. How long should I keep her?"
"As long as you can, I guess." Hermione threw her arms around Harry, engulfing him in a grateful hug. "You're the best, thank you!"
Harry shrugged it away, leaning against the bookshelf beside him. He regarded Hermione for a moment, finally smiling again.
Hermione frowned uncertainly, fidgeting a little under his intense gaze. "… What?"
"Are you gonna tell her how you feel about her tonight?" Harry asked, tucking his hands in his pockets.
Hermione blushed, looking down at her feet. "I… I don't know. I don't want to ruin her birthday or anything, you know?" She was glad Harry was okay with her feelings for Ginny; if she'd had to keep her feelings for Ginny to herself any longer, she might have gone completely crazy.
Harry grinned, shaking his head. "Ruin her birthday? I think the worst thing you could do is kill Neville. I mean, really, putting him in charge of the flowers? 'Mione, I think he may get an ulcer worrying about making everything just the way you told him."
Hermione laughed, stepping forward and hugging Harry. "That would be awful," she admitted. "Thanks, Harry. You're the best."
Harry hugged the brunette back, shrugging at her. "No problem. I've got you covered."
"Great. Now, I still have to figure out what I'm going to get for her," Hermione said, half to herself, and half to Harry.
Harry gaped at her. "You still don't have anything for Ginny? Hermione, the most organized and prepared person in Hogwart's, still doesn't have anything?"
Hermione glared at Harry, effectively silencing him. "Shut up," she muttered, a slight blush darkening her cheeks. "I just… I don't know. I wanted to find something perfect, and it just never showed up."
Harry wiped the disbelief from his face, an idea occurring to him a moment later. "You want to borrow the Marauder's Map? You can sneak to Hogsmeade and try and shop for something."
Hermione cringed at the idea of sneaking out of the school, but the friend in her decided it was a brilliant idea. She turned and looked at Harry for a moment, trying to figure out if there were any loopholes that might get her in trouble. "… Could I?" she asked timidly.
Harry faked shock. "Hermione, I daresay you're considering breaking school rules!"
Hermione glared at him again.
Harry grinned sheepishly. "It's in my trunk. You can use the invisibility cloak, too. That way no one can catch you and give you crap about it." He motioned that Hermione follow and together they headed back to the Gryffindor dormitories.
"This is pitiful," Hermione muttered to herself, creeping down the hallway. She'd changed out of her school robes and into more regular-looking clothes after a quick lunch, hoping no one in Hogsmeade would rat her out to anyone at Hogwarts.
Hermione had casually gone to the third floor corridor where the one-eyed witch statue was, slipping the cloak over her head just before she neared the statue. She pulled a scarp of parchment out of her pocket, studying the pronunciation guide she'd written for the password. "Dissendium," she whispered to the ugly statue once she was within a few feet of it.
The back of the statue started moving almost immediately, revealing a small slide. Hermione climbed up and positioned herself to slide down and hurry to Hogsmeade, glancing down at her watch. "Bloody hell," she growled, smacking her palm against her forehead.
Harry had warned her that going down the passageway to Hogsmeade would take almost an hour, and coming back just as long. Hermione was already running out of time; she still wanted to decorate Ginny's dormitory before dinner, which was already only four hours away.
Just then a rather brilliant idea occurred to Hermione. She could just use the Room of Requirement to find the perfect gift for Ginny. Proud of herself for having thought of something so brilliantly simple, Hermione jumped down from the statue, scurrying down the corridor and toward the Room of Requirement.
Once she arrived at the familiar spot, Hermione pulled the cloak off and began walking back and forth in front of the empty wall. She focused all her thoughts on finding the perfect gift for Ginny, silently begging the magical room to help her.
The moment the door appeared in the seemingly empty wall, Hermione rushed to it and grabbed the handle, pulling the door open. Her heart sank a little when she saw a large, nearly empty room. The only things in the room were a leather armchair, and an end table that held a small mirror.
Hermione groaned, walking forward and plopping down in the armchair. Her "brilliant" idea hadn't helped in the least. Not only did she not have any gift ideas, she also didn't have enough time to hurry to Hogsmeade and find a last minute gift.
"This is just perfect," Hermione groaned sarcastically, rubbing her temples wearily. She looked into the mirror, studying her haggard face and rolling her eyes. She looked horrible. Hermione made a mental note to freshen up before Ginny got back to the common room.
She nearly smacked herself a moment later, the message the room was sending her not lost on her at all. She was already giving Ginny the greatest gift a friend could; the unconditional love that came with being best friends. Hermione simply being there on Ginny's birthday was a perfect gift, even if it didn't feel like it was enough.
With renewed vigor, Hermione got up and grabbed Harry's cloak, leaving the room and heading back to the Gryffindor common room; she had a party to plan.
"So…" Neville cleared his throat nervously, worrying his lower lip as the brunette surveyed the common room. "What do you think?"
Hermione grinned and shook her head in awe. "Neville, it's wonderful. Thank you!"
Neville blushed, pawing at the floor embarrassedly. "Ah, it's okay."
Hermione admired the flowers for a few more moments, leaning over and sniffing a blossom.
"So…" Neville began uneasily, attempting to get Hermione's attention with the word. "Are you going to tell her tonight?"
Hermione jumped as though stung. She turned around, fighting down a blush as she tried her bests to look appalled. "What? Tell her what? I don't have anything to tell Ginny other than 'happy birthday!'"
Neville blushed again, staring down at the carpet intently. "Really? I mean, I just thought…"
"Thought what?" Hermione prompted, cringing at the sudden sharpness in her tone. "Sorry."
Neville shrugged, looking up at Hermione curiously. "I've seen you sometimes, looking at her when you think she's not paying attention. Or… or the way you glance up from your schoolwork and see her, then lose your train of thought. No one else has that effect on you." He was quiet for a moment, watching as Hermione ducked her head embarrassedly.
"Oh, God," Hermione whimpered, her heart pounding with sudden fear. "Everyone knows, don't they?"
Neville chuckled uncertainly, shaking his head. "Nah, I'm just really observant."
Hermione looked up at Neville, regarding him for a moment. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"
Neville shook his head. "No. Your secret is safe with me."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks."
They were silent for a moment, and to avoid the awkwardness of the situation, they both began looking at the flowers.
"Neville?" Hermione asked after a moment, playing with the petals of a large purple bloom.
"Yes?"
"Do you… do you think I should tell her?" Hermione started playing with the ends of her hair instead, a blush dark on her cheeks. She had surprised herself by asking Neville; they weren't the greatest of friends, and Hermione suspected he held a small grudge against her from the time she used the body-bind curse on him in first year. On the other hand, since he was surprisingly observant, Hermione figured she may as well ask him for his opinion.
Neville made a soft sound of surprise, obviously taken off guard by the question. "I don't know," he answered after a moment, sounding thoughtful. "That all depends. Do you want to tell her how you feel?"
Hermione hesitated, frowning a second later. "It would cause problems, and it might ruin our friendship. I'm not sure I want to risk it." She turned and looked at Neville meaningfully, hoping he would understand the stress of her situation and tell her the perfect thing to do.
Neville shook his head. "Look, Hermione, I can't make the decision for you. I don't think Ginny will stop being your friend, if that helps. I do think you need to tell her before you go crazy, unless you want to spend the rest of your life as just a friend and always have those feelings hidden." He was silent for a moment, watching as Hermione's shoulders slumped a little. "… Is that was you want?"
"No," Hermione whispered, fighting off tears at the thought of having to suffer silently as Ginny's friend for the rest of her life. She was amazed at Neville's wisdom, and swallowed her emotion. She gave him a serious look, letting a grateful smile appear on her face. "Thanks, Neville."
He grinned back, trying to shrug causally. "No problem."
They said an awkward goodbye, and Neville went down to dinner, leaving Hermione alone in the common room. She looked around again at the flowers and things that been perfectly placed, a smile stretching across her face. The only thing left for her to do was decorate.
Hermione pulled her wand out of her pocket and began to conjure up balloons, ribbons, and all sorts of other birthday decorations. The last thing she conjured up was a large banner that hung over the fireplace that read: "Happy Birthday, Ginny!"
The brunette looked around the room, satisfied with her work. She glanced down at her watch, noticing that she'd finished just before dinner was supposed to end. She had about fifteen minutes left to herself that she decided she was going to use to think of a way to tell Ginny how she felt about her.
Hermione sank into the nearest armchair, staring into the fire as the thoughts swam around in her head. A few ideas that were completely ridiculous popped into her mind, but she dismissed them quickly. "I need a perfect way to say it," Hermione mused, knitting her fingers behind her head and leaning back in the chair, staring up at the ceiling.
She tried imagining the situation to see if it would help, closing her eyes and letting her thoughts form themselves. She pictured Ginny walking into her dorm, only to find a scantily clad Hermione laying on her bed, a seductive smirk on her face. Hermione's cheeks flamed with a dark red blush, and she opened her eyes quickly, shaking her head to dispel the images.
"Well, isn't this bloody perfect," Hermione muttered, trying to think of anything other than Ginny and herself in rather compromising positions. "Here I am trying to figure out a way to tell Ginny I love her, and all I can think about are bloody sex scenes!"
Just then, students started coming in the portrait hall, talking loudly and laughing. Most of them commented on the decorations and flowers, and a few gave Hermione a thumbs-up. She managed to thank them with a smile, groaning as she ducked behind the back of the chair and buried her face in her hands. There was no way she was going to be able to plan out her "present" for Ginny now; it was too noisy.
Ron came over and tapped Hermione on the shoulder, startling her enough to make her yelp.
"What?" she cried, a little embarrassed at having been so easily startled.
Ron turned his snort of laughter into a cough. "I just came to pass along the message Harry gave me. He said he's taking Ginny to the kitchens for dessert now. I don't know how long they'll be, but I think she's getting really tired of being entertained by us guys today. They'll probably be getting back here sooner rather than later."
Hermione cringed, hoping that the surprise decorations weren't going to simply irritate Ginny after the long day she'd apparently had.
"Oh," Ron said as he remembered something else. "Mum said she was gonna send a cake. It should be-"
A tapping came at the window near Hermione and Ron, and they both jumped out of surprise. Hermione scrambled out of the chair and ran to the window, opening and stepping aside to let the owl fly in. Surprisingly, there were four owls, each holding up a corner of a large parcel.
The parcel was addressed to Hermione, and the owls gently lowered it into her hands.
Ron helped Hermione untie the cake, practically already drooling. "God, I love Mum's cakes," he said excitedly.
Hermione smacked his hand away as he tried to open the cake. "Calm down, Ronald! This is Ginny's. You might be able to have a slice later, if Ginny is feeling gracious."
Ron looked like someone had kicked his puppy, but he brushed it off and ushered the owls to the window. The owls flew out of the window, heading toward the Owlery. Ron shut and latched the window closed, watching the owls through the glass.
Hermione, meanwhile, had taken the cake over to one of the tables that were scattered through the room. She untied the wrapping and opened it carefully, trying not to harm the cake in any way. A small gasp escaped her lips.
The large cake was beautifully decorated, its entire surface covered with detailed magical icing-sculptures of Ginny from her previous birthdays that moved around on top of the cake. Among the small icing figurines, there were also beautiful designs. Across the middle of the cake was written: "Happy Birthday, Ginny!"
"Ron, remind me to thank your mum sometime!" Hermione called over her shoulder before setting about conjuring plates and flatware. As a last minute addition, she also conjured up a stereo, complete with all the latest hits from the wizarding world.
Not a second after she'd finished, shouting came from the portrait hole.
"Harry, I don't give a damn if you think we should wait a little longer to go back to the common room!" Ginny's voice yelled. "I'm bloody tired, and I want to be alone for a little while!"
Everyone in the common room fell silent, everyone's ears pricking up to hear the shouting match.
"But, Ginny! I mean, I really think we should-"
"Harry James Potter, leave me alone! I'm a big girl, and I can decide what I want to do!"
"Gin-"
"Merlin's beard, Harry, I-" Ginny's voice stopped immediately when she finally entered the common room. She stood there and gaped at all the decorations, her eyes falling on the large banner.
Harry appeared behind her, looking relieved when he saw that all the decorations were in place.
"Bloody hell," Ginny managed, walking toward the fireplace to get a closer look at the banner.
Hermione watched as Ginny turned and gave Harry a knowing grin.
"So, this was your secret, huh?" she asked playfully, punching Harry on the arm when he walked up near her. "No wonder everyone was keeping me so busy today!"
Harry laughed. "Nah, it wasn't my idea."
Ginny seemed to immediately connect the dots, and she turned, scanning the crowd.
Hermione stood completely still, feeling all the air rush out of her lungs when Ginny's gaze landed on her. She and Ginny stared each other down for a few moments before Hermione managed a grin.
Ginny ran over and enveloped her best friend in a hug. "I thought you were avoiding me," Ginny mumbled into Hermione's shoulder.
Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny, shaking her head. "Definitely not. On your birthday? Never!" She hugged Ginny a little closer, trying not to lose her train of thought at the feeling of holding the redhead in her arms. "Happy birthday, Gin," she murmured, looking up and noticing Harry and Ron heading to their dorm to get their gifts for Ginny. Harry shot Hermione a meaningful look before disappearing up the stairs.
"Uh, Gin?" she asked nervously, wincing at the shake in her voice.
Ginny pulled away and looked up at the brunette, concern in her eyes. "What?"
"I, um… I need to tell you something." Hermione released Ginny and started looking at the floor. "I… Well, I didn't exactly get you a gift this year…"
Ginny reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand. "That's okay, 'Mione," she said with a smile. "You don't need to get me a gift."
Hermione shook her head, a slight blush creeping up her neck. "No, but… well, I did get you something, in a way."
Ginny frowned, her confusion evident on her face.
"And I have to tell you now or I'll be miserable for the rest of my life," Hermione continued, still looking anywhere but at Ginny. "So don't hate me, okay?" she finished timidly, pulling her hand out of Ginny's grasp.
Ginny looked a little worried, and she acted like she was about to say something.
Hermione took a deep breath and asked whichever deity was listening to help Ginny not hate her. Then, she finally looked into Ginny's eyes, nearly losing herself in the beautiful blue orbs. Hermione reached forward, cupped Ginny's face in her hands, and kissed the redhead gently, letting her lips linger on Ginny's.
After a moment, she pulled away, releasing Ginny in the process. She stared at Ginny breathlessly, her heart pounding. The kiss had been nothing short of amazing, and Hermione had felt like she was on top of the world. Now that she was looking into Ginny's eyes and finding an emotion she couldn't read, her stomach dropped and she was terrified.
The sound of footsteps coming down a staircase caught Hermione's attention, and she looked over to see Harry, who had paused on the stairs and was watching concernedly. Ron came clambering down behind Harry, stopping and following Harry's gaze when he realized what was going on.
"'Mione," Ginny called, bringing the brunette's attention back to the shorter redhead. "I don't hate you."
Hermione felt a small wave of relief flow through her, though she was still worried about what would happen to their friendship. She didn't have the time to worry, though, because a split second later, Ginny threw her arms around Hermione's neck and kissed her.
Hermione's knees nearly gave out, and her heart soared.
When the two broke apart, Hermione saw Ginny's bright smile and heard Harry cheering. Tears of relief clouded Hermione's vision, and she hugged Ginny tightly.
Ginny giggled, hugging Hermione back. "Hey, no crying on my birthday! You have to dance with me, anyway!" she added as someone started playing the music Hermione had set up.
"Sorry," Hermione replied, wiping the tears out of her eyes. "Ginny?"
"Yes?"
"I love you," Hermione said with a blush.
Ginny stretched up and gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek. "I love you, too," she told the brunette, causing the blush on Hermione's cheeks to deepen. "And thank you for my birthday."
"No problem," Hermione answered, happy that Ginny was holding her hand again; she felt like she might fly away, she was so happy.
Harry came over and clapped the girls on the shoulder, congratulating them before giving Ginny her present. Ron followed suit, and then cake was served. Once Harry started up the stereo, the party took off in full swing.
"'Mione," Ginny's voice crooned.
Hermione jerked awake, looking around groggily. The common room had been cleaned, thanks to the house elves and nearly everyone had gone up to bed. She checked her watch, surprised to find that it was past midnight. The brunette looked up at Ginny, who leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
"Come on, love," Ginny murmured, a happy smile on her face. "Time for bed."
Hermione sleepily allowed the redhead to pull her out of the chair she'd fallen asleep in, watching as Ginny led her up the stairs to her dormitory.
Hermione stopped outside the dormitory door, frowning at Ginny, who was already holding it open for her. "Gin, it's… I mean, um, I-" A blush appeared on her face, and Hermione glanced down at the floor.
Ginny laughed quietly. "Come on, 'Mione. I just wanna fall asleep in your arms."
Hermione grinned giddily, following Ginny into her dorm.
The two changed into their pajamas shyly, climbing into Ginny's bed and drawing the curtains. They managed to snuggle up together, arms wrapped around each other.
"Thanks again, Hermione," Ginny whispered, nestling her head against Hermione's shoulder. "This was the best birthday ever."
Hermione smiled into the darkness, sleepiness overcoming her. "You're welcome," she answered. "I love you, Gin."
Ginny tilted her head up and kissed Hermione one more time. "I love you, too. Sweet dreams," she whispered.
Hermione mumbled something that passed for "you, too," before she drifted off to sleep, happier than she had ever been.