Hermione was pretty much as distant as a grieving girl could get for the next couple of days. She stayed up in bed all day and wouldn't come down unless she had to go to the bathroom. Meanwhile, Serena continued to stay downstairs and sleep in the spare room with the couch, waking up every morning to hear Mrs. Weasley busily cooking breakfast for everyone.
On Saturday morning, Mrs. Weasley came over rather early and woke her up, telling her to get ready.
"What for?" she mumbled sleepily. Then she remembered. It was Harry's birthday. Sitting up she pulled on a black shirt on and some jeans and hurried into the kitchen to help out.
"Hurry! We don't have much time we have to get everything ready," she said pushing her towards the table where Ron was sitting, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"It's too early," he mumbled.
"Oh, stop complaining and hand me those eggs," Ron did as he was told and Ginny and Hermione came into the kitchen. Hermione looked extremely tired.
"'She feeling any better?" Ron asked his sister quietly.
"She's up and moving now at least," she said. Serena knew it was just because of Harry's birthday that she was out of bed at all. Maybe he could help her to cope with her loss.
After the breakfast was cooked and the presents were wrapped, they all sat down to wait for Harry to wake up. Time ticked by and slowly but surely Harry walked into the kitchen, green eyes wide with surprise.
"Happy Birthday Harry!" everyone said at one, as if rehearsed.
"Wow, what are you all doing?" he said amazed. Lupin was smiling in the corner and Tonks stood next to him, her hair now a deep shade of blue. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were beaming at him with a strange sort of joy.
"We've made you some breakfast so come and eat," Mrs. Weasley turned and hurried over to grab the plates. Suddenly there was a loud *crack* and Fred, George and another red head appeared out of thin air.
"Did we miss anything?" Fred asked.
"Not much, he just woke up," Ginny said.
"Good, we got a little preoccupied, finally got rid of that ghoul in the attic, it was driving me crazy," the new red head said. Serena took the opportunity to ask Ron who the new arrival was.
"Who is that?" she asked leaning over to whisper in his ear. She noticed how he smelled, and tried to push the thought from her head.
"That's my other brother, Bill, he works at Gringotts," he said.
"Where is that lady friend of yours, Bill?" his father asked setting plates out on the table.
"Fleur couldn't make it," he said. Serena sat there for a moment turning the name over in her head.
"Serena, didn't you say you knew Fleur?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, yes, I remember her," she said suddenly.
"Is this the girl I've heard so much about? It's a pleasure to meet you," Bill stretched out his hand and Serena took it.
"Yes, nice to meet you, I remember Fleur from school, has her English gotten any better?" she asked.
"A little," he said.
"I can't believe he's dating her," Ron said almost jealously.
"Well, time for a bit of breakfast," Mrs. Weasley interrupted.
After breakfast, Lupin took Harry to get his apparition license, while Serena went upstairs with the others. Hermione was finally talking a little.
"Father says I can stay here until school starts, he's going to be taking care of a few things," she said watching Fred, George, Ron and Ginny play a game of Exploding Snap.
"Thing's will get better," Serena said.
"I hope so," Hermione lay her head on the pillow and smiled a little as a card exploded in Fred's face.
At least she was smiling.
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"I…I don't believe it,"
Hermione had just opened a parcel and was staring down at the Head girl badge lying there. It was finally time for them to start their school shopping for their year at Hogwarts, her final year; she couldn't believe she'd gotten that far.
"Don't believe what?" Ron asked after opening his Hogwarts letter.
"I made Head Girl! This is incredible," Hermione couldn't take her eyes off the shiny badge sitting on the bed. Harry and Ginny came into the room as well and they congratulated her.
"I wonder who's Head Boy," Ron muttered.
"No idea," Ginny said. There was a knock at the door and Mrs. Weasley came in.
"Hermione, you're Head Girl? Congradulations! I'm so proud," she hugged her, and Hermione seemed a little taken aback.
"Thanks," she said.
"Now let's hurry and get the shopping done and over with,"
Traveling by Floo Powder they managed to get to Diagon Alley in once piece. They first stopped in Flourish and Blotts, where they were loaded up with advanced books on every subject. Then they went into the apothecary to re-stock their potion supplies. Serena couldn't help but by a few extras as usual.
As they left the story Serena found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy. She stomached the urge to punch him dead in the face.
"Well, my good moods officially ruined," Pansy stood by him, gripping his arm. Serena's eyes wandered over to the Head Boy badge stuck to his robes. She hoped Hermione wouldn't see it, but it was too late.
"You! Head Boy? Impossible," she said.
"How rude of you Granger, I thought my placement was very wise, all though yours I cannot say the same for, what was Dumbledore thinking," he smirked.
"Let's go," Serena said suddenly.
"Why so soon? I was hoping to hear more about Granger and her muggle mother, how is she by the way?"
Ron and Harry were suddenly on the ground hitting Malfoy as hard as they could. It was as if magic was not enough to shut him up, they had to beat the hell out of him.
"Get off him!" Pansy cried. Suddenly something pushed them apart and Harry and Ron stood up. Ron's eye was blackening and Harry's nose was bleeding. Draco got the worst of it, his nose looked broken.
"What is Merlin's name is going on?" Her father was standing there with his wand, looking ready to give out a few punishments.
"Malfoy insulted Hermione's mum," Ron said.
"You should learn to stay out of people's business, Weasley," Draco said.
"I think you need to go," her father said looking at Serena and her friends. She nodded and turned, glaring at Draco as they left. She was glad to see his now bent nose as it bled freely onto his robes.
"Don't listen to him, Hermione, he's just being the usual arse," Ron said.
"I know, it's just I'll have to deal with him all year, I don't think I can do it," she said almost in tears.
"You'll be fine, beside, we'll take care of you," Harry said.
"Thanks," she said trying to smile. Ginny pulled Hermione into a hug and Serena watched as tears streamed gently down her face. She wished she could handle situations like this, but when it came to other peoples emotions she just couldn't handle it. She never knew that right thing to do, or the right words to say.
"Let's go back to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink," Harry suggested. Standing up, Serena looked back at her father who was scolding Draco and Pansy, then turned to walk with the three of them over to the Leaky Cauldron.
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