Hermione's Birthday.
Hermione stirred awake to quiet whispering around her. Her dorm mates were not being subtle this year. 'Then again," she thought, 'This is better than last year, when they woke me up screaming like last year'
You see, today is Hermione Jean Granger's birthday, and unlike most people, she didn't particularly like it. On most people's birthdays, they woke up, surrounded by family and presents, spent the whole day being congratulated on another year under their belt, and relaxed all day. Not Hermione granger. No, she spent her birthdays at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was woken up quite loudly by the other three girls who lived with her in the dorm, given a few girly presents that really didn't suite her bookish attitude, and spent the rest of the day going through the motions, pretending that it wasn't her birthday, because other than her dorm mates, nobody even knew that it was her birthday. Well, there was one more exception.
"Happy Birthday 'Mione!"
Wait.
That was his voice. But wasn't she still in her bed, in her dorm, which could only be accessed by women? Hermione slowly, as to not let her well-wishers know that she was awake, moved around, getting a feel for the mattress that she lay in. no, it was definitely her bed. These were her favorite sheets, this was her pale blue silk pillow that her parents got her when she started Hogwarts. That was her wand under her pillow that her fingertips were lightly caressing. This was her bed. She was in her dorm. Which could only be accessed by the female gender. And yet…
" 'Mione, I know you're awake. Come on, get up."
She closed her eyes tighter, gripped her pillow, and muttered in a dangerous tone, "Harry Potter, what are you doing in the girl's dorm?"
She could practically hear the grin on his face as he answered. "Lavender asked if I wanted to wish you a happy birthday, and when I said yes, she and Parvati levitated me up the steps when no one was looking."
Groan. Okay, mystery solved then. Brain shutting back down in three… two… one…
"Come on Hermione, get up. We've got presents for you."
Groooaaannnn.
"That's not gonna work on me."
"Grooa-AHHHHH!"
Harry ticked her relentlessly. "Harry jaaames PO-ha ha t-t-tter! Aha! Don't! Don't You DARRRE!"
Harry decided to throw caution to the wind, and even while her roommates watched, he slipped under her night shirt to where he knew she was most vulnerable.
"No har-aha! No No NONONO!"
There was a spot. A very sensitive spot on Hermione that Harry had discovered back in their first year. Right in the space between her armpit and her shoulder blade that never ever failed to tickle her.
"OH GOD! AHA HAHA! OH PLEASE! HAR-R-RY!"
"Come on 'Mione, get out of bed!"
"OK! I WILL I PROM-IIIISSSSEEE!"
Harry stopped his relentless tickle-attack, and withdrew his hands. As Hermione lay there breathing hard, her sides tightened to the point of slight pain, she smiled, and pulled her shirt back down from where it had ridden up to just below her breasts, and sat up. Her roommates were in fits of giggles themselves, and even as she smiled sleepily, Hermione plotted to get even with them for allowing him to torture her like that.
"I'm up, I'm up. Merlin Harry, you didn't have to get me there you know." This sentence sent her roommates back into fits of laughter, though for slightly different reasons. Hermione's brain caught up with her mouth, and her face turned crimson, even as Harry came over to give her a good-morning hug, that devolved into a Happy-birthday hug as the girls dog-piled the two friends. Hermione was buried under all of them when they began to sing.
"Happy Birthday to you"
"Harry wants to kiss you"
This sent both friends into a horrible blush, especially as their faces were only inches apart from being squished under the other girls.
"You want to kiss him too!"
"Happy Birthday to you!"
The girls laughed as they got off the crimson-faced friends, before starting to pile presents onto the foot of her bed.
Harry hugged her one more time, and, really quickly so that her dorm mates didn't see, kissed her on the cheek, before getting up to grab his presents for her.
Hermione was so dazed by the kiss that she didn't hear what everyone was saying for a moment. Did he really kiss her? Did it mean anything? Hermione had caught Harry looking at a few girls over the years. But her analytical mind showed her times that she had caught him looking at her too. The way his emerald eyes roamed her body, stopping at key spots below her neck and above her thighs. Did she have a chance? Did her really think of her that way? Or was it just her mind overthinking everything…
"…and this one is from me and Lavender. We didn't know exactly what you might want, so we asked Harry for advice, Oh! And this one is from Ginny! She couldn't be here to help wake you up. Ronald managed to irk their mother again, so she's writing home to help him out. Aha! And this one is from the man of the hour himself!"
Hermione looked at Harry as Parvati set a large package on the bed that made a slight noise when it settled that she couldn't place. It sounded as though it was full of rocks. Before her mind could decipher this riddle Lavender, with the help of Quiet little Sally-Ann carried over a large, flat object that took all of .002 seconds for Hermione's to say Mirror. Hermione shook her head, and smiled. Knowing Sally, it was probably enchanted in some way. Sally was even quitter than her, and was never far from a charms book. Hermione's eyes glanced around for a second as Harry set another package on the bed, a book, by the look of it, and saw…yes! There it was. Charms & Enchantments for Everyday Life. Interesting. So Sally enchanted the mirror herself? Probably under the watchful eye of professor Flitwick. Hmm.
A large THUMP brought Hermione back to her bed, and the rather heavy-for-it's-size gift-wrapped basket. After that was laid down, Hermione noticed that other than the spot where she sat, there was hardly any room left on her bed! Even her legs, still under the sheet were covered in presents. She looked up at her friends, seeing their smiles. This was way more presents than the mere half- a-dozen of just last year. Mind you, Hermione Granger was NOT a materialistic girl, but still, she wondered what had changed that she should get so many!
Parvati answered her soon after her inner monologue came to an end. "Sorry about the number, but, we asked around and found out that outside of us, only Harry knew that your birthday was today, so last weekend, while Harry distracted you, everyone in the tower went out and bought gifts. We know you always leave us gifts. So we thought everyone else should return the favor."
It was true. Hermione had never had any siblings, so after McGonagall's speech about family, Hermione took it to heart, and treated everyone in the dorm like a big or little sibling, helping with homework, being someone to talk to or even ask for advice. Whenever she wasn't off with Harry on an adventure, she was helping her fellow Gryffindor's. And every year, on every Gryffindor's Birthday, they would find at least one present for them outside their dorm, waiting for them. Hermione never told anyone who they were from, and until today, thought that no one knew they were from her.
Hermione smiled softly, and started unwrapping presents. She started with the mirror that she couldn't even reach, and had Sally unwrap for her. It was a beautiful Stand-up Mirror, laden with runes and engravings holding dozens of enchantments. Sally smiled, and handed her a card.
'Hermione, thank you for helping me throughout our years together. This mirror is my thanks to you for being a big sister, for standing up for me, and being my shoulder to cry on. I leave it up to your genius mind to figure out what secrets it holds.
With love, you're sister, Sally-Ann'
Hermione looked up at Sally with tears lightly coating her eyes and nodded, smiling even brighter than before. Next was Ginny's gift, a catalogue from Flourish & Blot's as well as a book titled A guide to Cooking charms, can't cook? Get magic to do it for you!
Hermione smirked. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was horrible in the kitchen. Burn water? Please, she set fire to the kitchen before the water got warm.
The wrapped basket was making her toes go numb, so she grabbed that next, and laughed out loud when she saw what it was. Harry explained, "Yeah, sorry about that, I asked Crookshanks if he might want to get you something, and I thought he understood because he got up and followed me out to Hogsmeade, but…this is everything he chose for you…"
The basket was filled with kitty toys, catnip, and even balls of yarn. Hermione shook her head and set the basket down on the floor next to her bed, where Crookshanks darted out from under it to jump in the basket. Hermione grabbed the next one, Harry's gift, and unwrapped it. She almost dropped it when she saw what it was. An advanced Rune Carving Kit sat in her lap. Hermione had always wanted one, but they were dozens of galleons, and her parents, while well off, never let her spend money on hobbies, or extracurricular activities, so she never had enough to buy it. Hermione beckoned Harry over, and when he was close enough, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in close, and kissed him on the cheek. She held him there for a moment before letting him go, both of them blushing. Hermione hurried onto the next present, Parvati and Lavender's, which turned out to be a bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, and a card that said,
'Hermione, we know that you won't admit it, but we know you like him. We saw the way he looked at you on the night of the yule ball, and no, I wasn't jealous, I was looking too. You don't need this to look beautiful, but if you want to do anything special for him one night in the future, then here it is. We hope you two get your heads out of the sand and find each other soon, or drastic measures will have to be taken.
With love, your sisters in all but blood, Parvati and Lavender.'
Hermione gestured for them to come in for a hug, and when they were in her grasp, she whispered, "thank you, and I'll talk to him."
Parvati nodded while Lavender winked, Hermione blushed as they pulled away. She had always crushed on her best friend. She just never thought about pursuing him until today. Before today, Harry potter was a quiet boy who didn't start things, who didn't touch, and didn't show others what he really thought. He always wore a mask. And yet, here in front of her was Harry Potter, smiling boy who hugged, and even kissed his best friend. Maybe she had a chance after all.
Hermione tore through the rest of her presents, and after reading more cards than she had ever received in her life, put everything away with the help of her friends-no. With the help of her best friend and her sisters. The thought brought a smile to her face. Hermione slung on a light robe, and they all left to go down stairs. Harry went first, turning the stairs into a slide that the other girls then had fun riding down. When they all piled at the bottom, and removed their limbs from each other, Hermione stood up to another surprise. A HUGE cake, with five layers, each detailing little figurines and events that had happened during each of her years was set in the middle of the common room, with the rest of her house sitting around it in a multi-layered semi-circle. Professor McGonagall and even Professor Dumbledore were sitting on the floor, chatting like first years. When everyone saw her, they sat up straight, and as one, sang,
"Happy birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy BIRTHDAY to Hermione,
Happy Birthday to you".
Everyone sung at a different tune, a different pace, and although she didn't notice them before, Hermione noticed that the twins, Fred and George Weasley had taken the morning off to come back to Hogwarts to visit. Hermione couldn't help it anymore. She started crying in happiness. This was by far the best birthday she had ever had. As she got sat down in front of the cake, Ron and Ginny came up for hugs, and the twins followed. Soon everyone was in line to give her a birthday hug, and by the time Professor McGonagall came up to her, Hermione was nearly out of tears to shed. "Now Ms. Granger, why the tears?" she asked.
Hermione shook her head, and as the aged professor bent down to give her a hug, Hermione whispered in her ear, "you were right Professor, your house is your family, and I've got the best family in the school!"
McGonagall smiled as she straightened up, and moved aside for Professor Dumbledore to get his hug. The Headmaster swept in and hugged her with far more strength than a man his age should possess. "My dear, happy birthday, and many more to you. Now, let's get on with the cake, and be done with the hugging. I think Mr. Potter is starting to get jealous."
Hermione laughed and went to sit by Harry as the cake got passed around. She looked up in his eyes as he gazed into hers and asked, "you started all this didn't you?"
He shrugged non-committedly and smiled. "Maybe I did, but you deserve nothing less 'Mione."
Hermione cuddled into his side, and smiled. She really did have the best friend in the world, along with the best family, and now, she could add Best Birthday to that list. Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. Despite the dark time ahead, for now, life was good.
A/N: so it's been a long time, hasn't it? I've been busy, and so my stories have been left to gather dust, and for that I'm sorry. My phone reminded me last week that today was Hermione's birthday, and I knew I had to do something for her. This story is a representation of ow I see her. She is my best friend at times, the most beautiful woman in the world at others, and at times, a big sister to share my burdens of life with. Hermione Jean Granger, thank you for your contribution to the world I love so much. This is my birthday present to you. Happy Birthday!
P.S. for all the curious readers who want clarification. The event is set in sixth year. I was originally going to leave it ambiguous, but I decided against that. For the most part. Also, the helping others around the house, I get the feeling that Hermione is never as close to her parents as most fanfics put her. She just spends way too much time away from them during the summers for them to be too close, therefore, I got it into my head that she sort of adopted Gryffindor as her new family, therefore I added the part about leaving gifts in front of rooms, which is something my family does whenever they a member can't be around for another member's birthday for one reason or another.