All comments and criticisms are very very welcome :) If I know what people think, I know that I'm writing the right sort of thing.


Chapter 2 – Ron Weasley, aged 12

Ron had never been more grateful to have his birthday on a Sunday. With no lessons, he was free to enjoy the day. He had the perfect day planned, and he had every intention of forgetting about his homework, in order to make the day as good as possible.

When he awoke, he got straight down to business, focussing his attention on the pile of presents at the foot of his bed. By the time Harry awakened in the bed next to him, Ron had worked his way through all the gifts.

"Happy birthday, mate." Harry said, rubbing his eyes before putting his glasses on.

"Cheers." Ron said brightly as he inspected a pair of orange gloves from Fred and George. You could never be too careful with a present from brothers, especially when your brothers were Fred and George.

"Here you go!" Harry said, tossing Ron a package.

Ron tore into it. A large back of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans fell out onto his lap.

"Great!" he said, instantly opening them and putting one in his mouth. "Urgh," He quickly spat the sweet straight out. "Soap."

He offered the pack to Harry, who had much better luck with a chocolate-flavoured one.

They sat back on their beds, gradually making their way through the packet, awaiting the promised arrival of Hermione. The packet was half empty by the time she arrived.

"Happy birthday, Ron." she said, peering around the corner of the doorframe. She was wearing a light blue dressing gown, and her hair was even bushier than normal. She had come straight from bed to see him, that was clear.

Ron grinned. "Come in. Dean, Seamus and Neville are downstairs already."

Hermione crossed the room, her bare feet padding across the wooden floor. She perched awkwardly on Ron's bed. She extended her gift with a smile.

Ron quickly dropped Harry's present, taking Hermione's and unwrapping it. He found another bag of Every Flavour Beans.

Hermione grimaced, looking at Harry putting another bean in his mouth. "I'm sorry, Ron, it's not very original."

Ron shrugged. "When have I ever complained about food?"

Hermione seemed instantly more cheerful. She picked up the Chuddly Cannons woolly hat that Ron had received from his parents. She played with the bobble.

"This is nice." she said conversationally.

Ron shook his head. "Can you get rid of the bobble? It's not very manly."

Hermione looked despairingly at Harry. "What's the magic word?" she asked in a sing-song voice.

"Please." Ron grunted with a great effort.

Hermione shook her head wearily. She pointed her wand at the hat and said, "Diffindo."

The bobble popped away from the hat. Ron examined her work, and when he was content he put the hat straight on. He ate another sweet, tasting of coffee, before offering Hermione one.

She took one with an awkward smile. She began to look around the boy's dorm as she chewed.

"I hope you're going to write that Charms essay today." Hermione said once she had swallowed.

"It's my birthday!" Ron said indignantly. He had suspected Hermione would try and interfere with his grand birthday plans, but he had not imagined she would try and do so at this time in the morning.

"Yes, but the essays due in tomorrow. Honestly, I don't know what's wrong with you two. Do you ever do your homework in time?"

"No." Harry said, helping himself to a bean. "We dunno how you can manage."

Hermione clicked her tongue. "It's not that hard."

"I'm not working today." Ron said firmly as he pulled on his new gloves. Mercifully, they were harmless.

"Fine." Hermione snapped. "But don't come running to me when you wind up in detention."

"Couldn't you write my essay? It is my birthday after all."

Hermione glared in response. "How do you expect to learn if you don't do your homework?"

Ron looked to Harry incredulously. Harry shrugged.

"Alright, keep your hair on." Ron said, turning back to an incensed Hermione, speaking before she could. "It was only an idea."

"Keep your ideas to yourself next time."

Harry laughed. "She's probably right."

Ron was about to protest until he saw Hermione smiling as well.

"Alright, I know when I'm beaten." He laughed taking a handful of beans at once. Their flavours were indistinct in the concoction he had made. "Hey, when's your birthday, Hermione."

Ron should have realised that this was dangerous territory when Hermione failed to reprimand him for speaking with a full mouth.

"It doesn't matter." Hermione said, flushing slightly.

"Of course it does." Harry insisted. "When is it?"

"You've missed it."

"When was it?" Ron asked. His tongue was beginning to burn; somewhere in his Every Flavour Bean cocktail had been a chilli one.

"It was ages ago now." Hermione said quickly, turning a darker shade of pink by the second.

"Just tell us!" Harry said impatiently.

"It was in September."

"Oh." Ron said dumbly. Every time one of the three had mentioned the months prior to the Halloween night they had become friends, Hermione would have fallen silent. They had learnt not to mention how cruel they had been and how lonely Hermione had appeared.

"So you spent your birthday alone?" Harry asked, causing guilt to spread through Ron's body like an icy shudder, making even the burning chilli numb.

"It's alright." Hermione said, playing carelessly with the hat's bobble she still held. "I don't mind. You weren't to know it was my birthday."

"We'll make it up to you next year." Ron said firmly. "We'll have a massive party and everything. We'll get my mum to make you a cake."

"Yeah, and we'll get Hagrid to decorate it." Harry agreed.

"Yeah, and I bet Fred and George could get hold of some Butterbeer."

Hermione evidently disapproved of the mention of clandestine alcohol smuggling, so Ron quickly moved on.

"You can nag us all day long if you want." he added. "We might even do our homework without you having to remind us."

Hermione seemed genuinely pleased by this, although her slight frown suggested she was still not happy with the thought of being caught by Professor McGonagall with a pint of beer in her hand.

"Thank you." she said warmly.

"Why don't we head down to the common room?" Harry suggested. "I'll beat you at chess, Ron."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Harry, mate, you don't stand a chance."

Hermione left the boys and headed upstairs to change. Ron got dressed, thinking what it must be like to have no one notice it was your birthday. Harry and Hermione must have experienced this, and it was a rather unpleasant thought. Ron had every intention of getting Harry a great birthday present. Maybe he would invite him to stay at the Burrow. Ron's home wasn't much, but he was sure that Harry would prefer it to the muggle house of Dursleys.

While Ron felt bad for Harry, he felt even worse for Hermione. Harry's last birthday had been a wonderful one, in which he had first discovered he was a wizard. Hermione's birthday must have been awful with all the insults he had thrown her way. He swore that from now on, every birthday Hermione had would be a special one.


All comments and criticisms are very very welcome :) If I know what people think, I know that I'm writing the right sort of thing.