A week passed by quickly and it finally came time for Hermione's birthday party that Draco had promised to throw for her. When Hermione came out of her room in the new robes Ginny had bought for her, she took a step back in surprise. Everyone was there and the flat looked beautiful, but what surprised her was that her ex-boyfriend was there as well, talking calmly to Seamus Finnegan.
It scared Hermione a bit, and she searched for Ginny and went quickly to her. "Happy birthday!" Ginny exclaimed, and Hermione turned her back to her ex-boyfriend, looking at her friend squarely in the eye.
"Ginny, did you bring Ron?" she asked, and Ginny grimaced.
"Well, you see, he was already invited, and Harry wanted nothing more in the world than for you two to get back together, so we brought him."
Hermione sighed. "Ginny, I'm scared! How is he going to react to me?"
"Just be calm, Hermione."
"Hermione! Happy birthday!" squealed Parvati and Padma at the same time, pouncing on her. "Come on, your cake!"
Hermione looked desperately at Ginny once before going with the two Patil twins to the kitchen counter. There was a lovely cake on the counter with her name on it. The blue sugary letters were enchanted to move around and every once in awhile change to spell out 'happy birthday', and the pink roses on the white cake danced around.
It was delightful, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at it. Ron suddenly appeared and put in two long candles and five shorter candles before lighting them and pushing the cake towards the birthday girl. He smiled, and Hermione's eyes widened.
"Happy birthday Hermione," he said, and Hermione's ears were slightly deaf to the birthday song as she stared into Ron's blue eyes. Finally, someone pat her shoulder.
"Make a wish, 'mione!" And so she did. She closed her eyes, made a surprising wish in her head, and blew out her candles. Her friends cheered, and she was handed a slice of cake, pushed to sit at the dining table, and presents were rained down upon her. A chorus of voices sounded, asking her to open their gift first, and Hermione laughed and picked out a rectangular box wrapped in red wrapping paper. Inside were new winter robes from Ginny, and Hermione held them to her face and smiled.
"Thank you so much Gin! You do have a delightful taste in robes!"
Ginny just smiled back and Hermione took another gift to open. By the time she had opened the last box, she had received a new swan feather quill from Seamus, more robes from Parvati and Padma, a box of chocolates and the new record from the Weird Sisters from Harry, a box of Weasley Wizard Wheezes pranks from George, the recipe to Madam Rosmerta's butterbeer from Draco, and a necklace from Dean. The last one was from Ron, and she was a bit afraid of opening the small box.
"Open the card first," Ron piped up, and Hermione nodded before taking the card in shaky hands. Inside, Ron had wished her a happy birthday and apologised profusely, and when Hermione opened the box, inside were a pair of diamond earrings and, inside the box was written, 'Be my girlfriend again?'
Hermione's eyes watered and she stood and flung herself into Ron's arms. "Oh Ron!"
"Oh Merlin, he didn't propose did he?" Draco asked disgustedly, and Hermione wiped her tears away and laughed.
"I'll be your girlfriend again Ron. Let's not fight again." And she kissed him.
The rest of the party was everything Hermione had wanted it to be and more, and when Ron had finally left, Hermione gave her best friend a big hug. "Thank you so much, Draco! That was such a wonderful party!"
"You're very welcome. But I still have one more thing to give to you." He disappeared into his room and came back out. "Happy birthday, Granger," he said, handing her a small, wrapped box. "I didn't want to give it to you at the party because I knew Ron'd have a cow if he saw this." Excited, Hermione quickly opened it and gasped.
"Draco!" was all she could exclaim at the moment. After getting over her surprise, she looked up at him. "Draco, this is exactly what I told you I wanted from Scotland!"
Draco grinned. "Yes it is. A little token for you to remember me by."
Hermione laughed. "I don't know what you mean by that, but thanks. I'll think of you whenever I wear it," she teased. She took out the smooth opal ring and held it up to her bright brown eyes. "This must've cost you a fortune!"
"A fortune well spent," he noted.
"I love you!"
Draco scoffed. "Do you think I would buy a ring like that for just any witch?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's nice to hear it from your mouth on the rare occasion I do."
Draco just smirked. Hermione slipped the ring on, admiring it with shining eyes. She smiled wider and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you Draco! The ring is absolutely beautiful!"
"Love you too, Granger," he said with a laugh. 'And I mean it,' he added in his head.
The next day after work, Hermione and Ginny went out to Twilfitt and Tatting's to buy Ginny new robes. Hermione was a bit distracted as they roamed around the shop together, and heard Ginny ask something, but didn't register the question.
"What?" she asked as she fingered some dress robes. "How lovely."
"You and Draco Malfoy, Hermione. You two act much closer than just friends sometimes. And that's not your colour," Ginny replied.
"Well, we do live together. Being roommates and all, we know each other really well. Should I try this one on?" She held up auburn dress robes.
"Maybe too well," Ginny replied.
"Ginny! Never!"
"Well, he gave you a blooming ring! And no, don't. Look at the price!"
"He knew I wanted it from that jewelry shop I told you about in Hogsmeade. And you're right." She put the dress robes back and held up her hand again, smiling at the opal ring shining on her finger. "It's beautiful."
"I agree, but I still think there's something going on. I'm just glad that my brother is too much of a dolt to see it. He'd go mad with jealousy for certain."
"Ginny, seriously, there's nothing going on. I promise. Come on, let's get out of here. It's a bit too expensive."
The two girls exited the shop and, right then, Draco came by and met the two girls. "I've been seeing you two around more than usual! Ginny, Hermione." He pecked each girl on the cheek. "What brings you two here?"
"Just shopping as usual," Hermione told him. "I should ask you the same thing!" He smiled.
"If you did, I'd respond with the same answer. I'm picking up dress robes for my mother. She's ill."
"Oh, well I do hope she gets better," Hermione said and Draco nodded. His eyes flickered down quickly to her hand, and he saw the opal ring and smiled. He grabbed her hand and ran his thumb along the silver band before dropping her hand. "I see you're wearing it in public."
"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I?"
Draco shrugged and kissed her on the cheek, as close to her mouth as he dared. "Goodbye, ladies." He walked off and Ginny gave Hermione a nudge.
"There is no way you two are only friends."
"We are only friends! What do I have to do to prove it to you?"
"Well, for starters, why did he seem so surprised you wore the ring in the public?"
"Because he knows Ron can be a jealous twat and knows that if Ron sees me with this on and knows it's from Draco, he'll go mad."
"Can you explain his cheeriness when he saw you?"
"It's probably this crisp air. God forbid there be one unhappy person this afternoon." Hermione took in a deep breath and smiled.
"How about his sparkling eyes?"
"What?"
"His eyes! Didn't you notice? They sparkled when he talked to you."
Hermione gave her friend an odd look. "I don't pay attention to his eyes. Why would they sparkle?"
"Because you two have a thing!"
"No we don't!" Hermione exclaimed.
Ginny laughed. "Stop being so defensive, dear."
Hermione just rolled her eyes and the two continued to shop, not bringing up the subject again. Neither saw the shadow nearby, nor the bright flash of a camera that blended in with the bright day.
