Extra Day - Hermione's Birthday

The midnight hour struck with the sound of metal on metal. Its echo carried over Hogwarts grounds, skimmed across the lake's surface and onto the distant mountains. All sleeping occupants of the massive school didn't stir or notice any change as they slumbered through another September night.

Miles away, a lone Veela stood awake, eyes focused on the moonless night sky; lost in melancholy and silence.

Fleur heaved a sigh, hand pressed against the glass door that led to her balcony. It was growing cooler and the Being would normally enjoy the night air but she was caught up in loneliness on the eve of her beloved's birthday.

Their distance took its toll on both young women but for Fleur, her responsibilities were little to distract from the feeling. She ached for her beloved Gryffindor so much. She missed the dark eyes, the countless waves of long brown hair and soft pink lips.

About to pull away, Fleur felt her breath forcibly stolen from her body and as the element manifested, it morphed into an ethereal reflection before her. The being was tall, just under her own height, with long flowing hair; silverlike in its smokiness and appeared almost identical to the Veela's golden mane.

Only, the features shifted.

Sharp cheekbones softened, jaw rounded a little more and her nose became smaller. The hair wove its own small curl near the ends and Fleur watched in awe as the ghost-like creature smiled as it finally settled. A near perfect visual mixture of two people.

With a blink, it vanished.

Hermione awoke to a handful of gifts awaiting her at the foot of the bed. It was her seventeenth birthday and in the wizarding world, that was a big deal. Her roommates wished her well after they dressed for the day, while Harry and Ron met her halfway down the stairs to breakfast.

It was like any other school day. Only Hermione kept receiving small gifts.

A handful of cupcakes at meals, small gifts from Hogsmeade; like a new quil, notebook, candies or jewellery, and endless droves of 'happy birthdays' from other students. Hermione was positive the surprise gift left for her in class was from their head of house.

No one else thought to get her a book on Advanced Transfiguration. She loved it.

As the day wore on Hermione began to get a sense she was forgetting something. She knew it wasn't home related; her parents' letter arrived yesterday, and the numerous owls from the Delacour brood all practically dive bombed her in the lunch hour. Whatever it was, Hermione couldn't quite put her finger on it…

Until she caught sight of something out the window.

The trio were headed to dinner and Hermione barely glanced outside, mid-way down the tower steps when a white glow made her double back. An astral projection of a young feminine form floated not ten feet from the glass.

At the distance, Hermione couldn't discern features but it looked familiar. When she called the boys back to look too, it was gone.

"You're not seeing things are you?" Ron mumbled through a full mouth of bread and chicken leg. Dinner was, as always, a grand affair with an endless variety of delicious meals. She was sure Dumbledore sent a side bowl of bouillabaisse her way just to tease the poor witch.

"Least I'm not hearing voices." Hermione teased in return, side glance towards the Boy who Lived. Harry just rolled his eyes, mouth full at the moment of conversation. "But no. I swear I saw something. It was like a ghost but less transparent? Like it still held its bodily form…"

"What you're describing doesn't exist, Hermione." Ron pointed with his fork to add insistence. "Ghosts have no bodies. Just what they looked like in death."

"Maybe you saw something else. There are Banshees, Dementors and Poltergeists." Harry supplied in an attempt to be helpful. Hermione shared a smile but none of those perceived creatures fit what she saw.

"I don't know. It seems so human…" She sighed.

"Not like Moaning Myrtle right?"

"No; she was more defined and familiar somehow. A bit like…"

"Like that?" Ron speaks up with jaw agape and eyes locked onto the Great Hall entrance.

Harry and Hermione follow his line of sight and sure enough, the same ghost-like figure stands at the edge of the doorway before she steps out of view. No one else seemed to have noticed the clearly out of place phantom being.

The trio looked at each other with wide eyes and nervous energy.

"Told you!"

"What was that thing?" Harry muttered unsure. "A new ghost?"

"I have no idea." Hermione thought deeply for a moment; her appetite gone. She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

"We ignore it. I doubt it'll focus on us; we're just three in a crowd of hundreds." The boys nodded to her idea.

The visage didn't seem to get the idea.

Soon as they stepped out with the flow of bodies; most to retire, while others roamed the halls, the same spirit reappeared before them. Ron yelped and stumbled backward on instinct.

"Bloody hell!"

"Shhh! Ron!" Hermione checked to see if anyone was staring. "This way."

It turned out, no matter which path they took, which hallway or shortcut leading to their Gryffindor tower, the spirit somehow reappeared again and again. Each time, closer and closer. Its eyes set on the witch.

Hermione refused to freak out. It could've been some vile ploy by a Slytherin group to terrorise her for a 'birthday surprise' or something. She figured a well placed Finite would solve their issue.

Nope.

Not one spell, charm or counter curse did anything to the creature. Ron quickly became a quivering mess; Harry housed a scowl and Hermione was left shell-shocked.

Their magic turned out to be useless.

"Run!"

Her next thought was to find a teacher. Any professor would be strong enough to cast a spell or something that could dismiss the thing. It was their job to keep their students safe! As the trio raced down the hallway and turned a corner, their first saving grace made its appearance.

A classroom's length ahead, Professor Flitwick exited his room and found the three out of breath students a confounding sight. Before he could speak, Ron pointed behind them and tried to piece together a sentence about a ghost or something chasing them.

But once again, the scene was clear of any unusual visage.

Flitwick reprimanded the Gryffindors for running in the hallways but he wouldn't deduct points as it was Hermione's birthday. With a firm look, he dismissed them back to their common room before the curfew would take effect.

Hermione was still so lost as to what or who would stalk them. It didn't make sense; the school term had just begun and without incident, they hadn't gotten involved in any dangerous activity, irked others or caused trouble. Which was a shock given her friend's ability to do just that.

"Maybe we're overthinking this. It's probably nothing." Harry offered with a rough hand through his hair. Hermione could only agree.

"It might just leave on its own."

Soon as she said it, Hermione was suddenly three feet from the ethereal spirit. It hovered inches from the stone floor, adorned in a flowing dress with its long hair caught in an invisible wind. The rhythmic pattern was trance-like.

As it reached out for the brunette, she felt an odd sensation crawl over her skin. A cold touch that whispered sweet nothings, promised greatness and reassured warm security. Hermione could swear the face was familiar and yet not so.

"Or maybe not!" With their collective power, the boys wrenched Hermione back before the spirit could get touch her and the three raced to the portrait hole at top speed.

Harry called the thing dangerous. Hermione figured it was just lost. Ron just repeated the phrase, 'being haunted sucks', over and over.

The common room seemed like a safe haven. With other students present and a roaring fire, no ghostly figure breached the walls and the trio sighed in relief. It didn't answer the question as to what or who the spiritual being was, nor why it seemed to set on getting closer to Hermione.

What little they did know; didn't make sense.

The spirit seemed to arrive that day. Only went for the witch and kept disappearing at random intervals only to reappear exactly where they were. Research on ghosts, traumatic deaths or other such Being behaviours led the bookworm to believe if their newfound friend was some sort of curse, haunting or otherwise it couldn't last forever.

Logically, Hermione figured, if the thing was related to her birthday (Merlin forbid!), then they had less than three hours until midnight and it would be over.

But the student numbers were dwindling as the younger years headed up to their rooms and the common room grew quieter. Three sets of eyes glanced around nervously.

"Do we make a run for it?" Ron whispered.

"It's not after you mate." Harry replied, a clear look of disapproval on his face. "It's focused on Hermione."

"Still…"

"It's almost ten o'clock Ron. We can't leave when curfew is…" Hermione's widened eyes fell onto the high window and the determined face of the astral figure that hovered beyond it. "Shit…"

"Go 'Mione!"

Harry all but pushed the brunette to her feet and towards the entrance. Curfew be damned; he'd rather have detention with Professor Snape for weeks if it meant he kept his best friend alive.

Though for once, this problem wasn't his doing.

Footsteps echoed the stone corridors, heavy pants fogged the cold air and bodies blurred passed arches and pillars as the trio sprinted for their life. Down countless staircases, through the courtyard and out onto the grounds.

If any of them were paying attention, the path to Hagrid's hut was to their right; though doubtful the half-giant could help them. Anywhere was better than the tower.

A stone throw from the forest's edge, Hermione came to a stop in aggravation; she couldn't take anymore. Her legs were jelly, lungs burned with each breath and she was feeling overheated despite the temperature.

"What the hell does this ghost want?!" She growled angrily; teeth ground together in a vicious snarl.

"Mon ange?" Heads snapped round at the heavily accented voice. Fleur Delacour stood bewildered, paused in her trek up to the castle with a travel cloak firmly situated on her shoulders and hair mildly windswept. To see her girlfriend and fellow troublemakers out on the grounds was a concern. "What are you doing 'ere?"

"Us? What are you doing here?" She replied unsure if to be ecstatic or conflicted at the blonde's sudden arrival.

"I'm 'ere because of ze…" But before she could finish, a familiar silvery aura escaped her body and formed into their advisory. Hermione gazed horrified as the creature charged towards her.

"Watch out!" Harry's futile warning unheard as the witch was forcibly thrown to the ground. Winded and groaning, Hermione recoiled once as the essence fused itself within her, then rolled into the fetal position.

"Well zis could 'ave gone much better." Fleur murmured as she approached. Figures the situation would snowball into a problematic one. Harry glared up at the Veela. "I can assure you 'Arry, zis is meant to 'appen."

"What?"

"It's a Veela thing isn't it?" Hermione's garbled voice rose up slowly. Her dejected expression represented her current condition. Why was she so attracted to the complicated shit?

"Oui, a bonding if you will." Fleur smiled, hand on hip. "As you are now of age, ze Veela 'as claimed its mate. Now were you really zat worried?"

"While the thing was chasing us, yes." With a heave, Hermione welcomed the tug up from her lithe yet strong partner. Fleur welcomed the younger witch into her embrace.

"Ze aura wouldn't do any'zing to you ma belle." She gazed at the brunette, hand playing with a strand or two. "It is merely a focus to bring ze two of us toge'zer."

"Oh, is that all?"

The two wizards lay on the ground, forgotten and tired after the day's adventure. Harry with his eyes closed and Ron staring crestfallen at the starry sky.

"Merlin, why does this shit always happen to us?"

Midmoon Kitsune out!