A/N: This is not an excuse.  Well, maybe it is.  But this chapter was a little rushed because I have a lot going on now with school.  I realized I hadn't update in a while, so here's something.  (P.S. I got accepted to college!)

The Quidditch season is well under way and Harry is gone again.  This time for three full weeks, and I start to realize what smokers must go through while trying to quit.  I'm addicted to Harry.

In an effort to tear my mind away from him, I spend a lot of time with Lavender.  Unfortunately, she had started to see Ron again, to Mrs. Weasley's dismay, and he is all she could talk about.  We sit at her table, eating while she blunders on about Ron and I try to listen.

"So anyway, that's why I'm only eating strawberries for a while."

"Huh?  What?"

"Were you paying attention?"

"I'm…yes, you said Ron likes to cuddle after."  I try and save myself.

"That was five minutes ago." Lavender snatches my yogurt from me and looks me in the eye.  "Come to think of it, you should stick to a fruit too."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know…"

I stare at her blankly.  She releases a loud, exaggerated sigh and shakes her head.

"For the taste?  For him?"  She continues to hint.  Evidently she does not realize that I am completely clueless.

"Lavender, what are you talking about?"

She rolled her eyes.  "If you eat lots of fruit then the taste develops in your intimate area.  For him."

I respond to this by dropping my jaw on the table.

"That can not possibly be true!"

"It is."

"No it's not."

"Listen, it could be fun, especially since you guys are shagging like rabbits – "

"Lavender!"

"And especially since your birthday is in two days – "

"Harry said he's not even sure he could make it.  He'll whine to the manager and try his best, but they have a big game the next day and he has to tr – "

"Oh, he'll make it."  Lavender winked.  "And it would be a big surprise that night when he tastes – "

"Lavender!  I'm telling you, not possible.  How would the flavor – "

"Hermione, trust me."

"Trust YOU?" I grin sarcastically.

"Seriously, who would you trust more on matters in the bedroom.  Or on a desk.  Or in a library.  Or on a broom – "

"Do I want to hear this?"

"Who says it's not possible?"

"Well, me."

"And who knows more about sex.  Me, or you?"

An hour later I leave her flat, making a mental note to find out Harry's favorite fruit.

*

"What are you getting her?" Ron asks, shoving his sweaty robes into a bag.

We are sitting on our beds at the over-priced inn, taking a break from a strenuous practice session.  We would be playing the Wasps tomorrow and the Tornados in two days, and I was sitting cross-legged and wringing my hair trying to think of ways to weasel out of practice so I could be with Hermione on her birthday.  That is when Ron decided to make my life more enjoyable and make me realize I had no gift.  He sees my blank stare and shakes his head.

"That is not good."

"Ron you've got to help me."

"You're the only one who knows more about her than I do.  Way more." He added with a wink.

"Shut up.  Like that information would help any.  I can't give her sex as my present!"

"I know what I'm giving her."

"What?"

"It's a secret."

"Would she love it?"

"You bet."

I look at him with my best sad puppy-dog face.

"You look like a constipated monkey."

"Ron, I can't think of anything that's good enough to be hers.  And I can't get her anything that is.  I can't tear down the stars, I can't gather the oceans, I can't pluck every rose from – "

"Mate, you've got to stop before I vomit.  Just get her some jewelry for Merlin's sake."

"Not good enough.  A 50 foot diamond is not good enough."

"How about 51 feet?"  He sees the murderous look in my eye and flushes.  "I'm just kidding, mate.  How about a book?"

"She knows everything. She's read everything.  I can't just give her a BOOK."

Ron looks at me pityingly.  "Alright.  You can give her the one I was going to give her."

"How do I know it's not just some cheap sneakoscope or something?"

"Just guess what it is."

"I hate guessing games."

"What did Hermione nag you about for months before you two moved in?."

I stare at him.

"She was dropping obvious hints all last year, and she's asked you directly about ten times, and you shot her down each time because you 'couldn't handle it right now'."

My mind clicks into place.  "You got her a PUPPY!?"

"Yeah.  Problem is, I already told her I was getting her a puppy."

"You got her a puppy when you KNEW I didn't want one?"

"Harry, she wants a puppy.  It won't kill you, you know."

I sigh.  "Fine.  But it can't be from me if she knows you're going to give it to her."

"I can get her some book or something and give it to her first.  I'll tell her that I wasn't able to find a puppy.  She'll be down, and you come and save the day.  Acting completely oblivious, of course."

I rub my chin.  "That might work…in some alternate universe, maybe!  Did you happen to forget Hermione is smart?"

"I know it will work.  Trust me."

"Trust YOU?"

"Have I ever let you down before?"

"Yes." I say bluntly.

"It was rhetorical, Harry! Now we need to find a way to sneak out of here for her party."

*

The bright sun hit my face and I turn over and hide in my pillow.  My body is spread out on the bed, trying to fill up the space that has been empty for three weeks.

"Happy birthday, sunshine!"

I groan and open one eye to see Lavender bouncing at the foot of my bed like a disturbed toddler.

"How the hell did you get in my house?"

"We need to get the party started!  No old people are going to make it, so we could have all the booze we want!  It's going to be the wildest luncheon in all of Europe."

"I said I wanted a luncheon, not an orgy.  And it's too early."

"It's 8 AM, Hermione.  And it will be a luncheon.  Just not a boring one."

"Gimme an hour."

"I don't think so, brainiac."  She mercilessly pulls off my blanket and tries to roll me off the bed.

"Okay, okay!  You're insane, you know that?"

"Go wash, I'll be downstairs haggling with the strip-wizard."

I'm halfway to the bathroom by the time I realized what she said.  I swivel around.

"The WHO!?" I demand.

"Just kidding!" and she flies down the stairs in a wave of perkiness.  I silently pray that she was really joking.  Last thing I need is for someone to find out I invited a strip-wizard to the house of Harry Potter. 

As I make my way to the bathroom my cell phone rings.

"Happy Birthday!"

"Mom!  Are you coming?"

"Your father and I can't.  A friend of ours had an uncle who died yesterday and we have to go to the wake."

I sigh in disappointment.  Now there was nothing standing between Lavender and some crazy midday rave that she was planning.

"I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry.  I miss you."

"I miss you too." In the background I hear my dad whining about wanting to talk to me.

"Your father wants to talk to you.  Here – " There is a soft swish as the phone is handed off.

"Happy Birthday, sweetie!"

"Thanks daddy."

"You will be coming for Christmas, correct?" he asks quickly.  I raise my eyebrows.

"I might.  It's only September though. Why?"

"We miss you."

I stay silent for a little while.  He speaks up.  "Hermione?"

"Is this about me and Harry?"

Another pause.

"Hermione – "

"Dad, I thought you were okay with this!"

"Hermione," he takes a breath. "I just don't want to lose you.  You've been hanging around your wizard friends so much since you were eleven that it's like you're pushing us away…I feel like they know my baby better…I know they are great people and your fully grown, but … "

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

I hate to disappoint Harry, but I love my parents.  They've loved my being a witch, surprisingly, despite me spending most of my holidays with the Weasleys during Hogwarts and moving to a wizarding city.  I'm eternally grateful for that.

"I'm coming home for Christmas."

I hear him smile on the other end of the line.  "I love you."

"I love you too."

When I hang up the phone a few minutes later, I hear Lavender screech.

"Lav?"

"Don't come down here!" she calls back.  Then she screams to whoever else is down there.  "I said strip-WIZARD, not WITCH!"

By one o' clock I had kick the scantily clad woman out of the house and guests start arriving.  Fred and George hand me a shaking, squeaking package wrapped in red foil paper on their way in.  I lock it in the closet, where I hid their last gift, a dancing leprechaun statuette that yells suggestive phrases to any female that passes.  I only hope that this present won't escape the box and stomp on my coat like the leprechaun did. 

Tonks helps Lavender with her kegs of firewhiskey, looking sheepish but excited.  As soon as it is set up, the noise level increases a few thousand decibels and I just stand around idle, hoping for Harry and Ron to show.  Crookshanks can't take the pounding noise, so he politely leaves the party by clawing through a group of hulky wizards I don't know and out the door that someone left open.  I feel extremely out of place in the various drunken situations unfolding around me.  Serves me right for being Lavender's friend.

"OH he-LLO!" a guy no older than 18 stumbles up to me.

"Who are you?"

"Whoever you want me to be, baby!" he warbles, then he releases a full belch from deep in his chest.  I smile politely before turning around and walking away, praying he doesn't follow.  Luckily he had already forgotten about me and seemed to be hitting on my sofa.

"Come on, Harry…"

In the meantime I see Lupin is standing by the television, looking as lonely and out of place as I was.  I decide it's because he is by far the oldest person here, and perhaps he's missing how he and his "Marauders" used to party. 

"Hi." I greet him and walk over. 

"Hello Hermione." He smiles at me warmly through his graying beard.  "How are you?"

"Just wonderful.  You?"

"Same."  He is still smiling.  "Waiting for Harry?"

"Actually, yes…"

He winks.  "You two are very lucky."

"I think so too."

"You remind me of…Harry's parents…"

My voice catches in my throat.  I never knew much about the Potters, except what I had learned from reading, and what little Harry cared to tell us.  Harry's parents were a taboo subject, and always have been.  Talking about them, even when Harry was not around, makes me a little anxious. 

"How so?"

"Well, when they first met they hated each other to death."

I raise my eyebrow, but then I remember how in first year Harry and Ron found me annoying and bossy.  With good reason, but I still think they could have met me halfway and attempted to be nice and work hard or something.

"But you two got over that very quickly.  It took James and Lily seven years to realize they could be friends.  Took you a heck of a lot shorter."

I nod.

"Then, they became friends.  Good friends.  The best.  The only reason she was never dubbed a Marauder was because she insisted on following rules.  Like you.  But James loosened her up a bit…and the sparks flew."

Lupin was right.  Our paths were similar.  I'd learned from the Hogwarts trophy room that Harry's mother was a top student, and Harry's father was a trouble magnet.  He held the record for "most times able to sneak dungbombs into the trophy room", which was inscribed sloppily over a Dueling Tournament cup.   Harry is probably not as jaunty as what I hear about his father, but he is definitely a trouble-magnet.

"People had trouble accepting they loved each other too, you know.  Specifically, Lily's family."

"I can imagine.  Those Dursley trolls Harry had to live with…."

"But you know, they were almost as strong as you and Harry are."

That takes me by surprise.  James and Lily Potter were practically legends.  Granted, so is Harry, but how could I live up to that?  It's a lot of pressure to be going on with. 

Suddenly I hear the doorknob jiggle.  My eyes grow wide and meet Lupin's for the first time.

"Go on." He prods me.  I squeeze his hand, then make my way to the door as it swings open further.

"THE FUN HAS ARRIVED!" Ron's deep voice announces.

"Wooo!" Lavender yells drunkenly.

Harry appears after him and I practically teleport into his arms.  Our lips close on each other for an eternity, with several muffled "Awwww"s in the background.  I didn't care.  He made it.

*

I take a deep breath, smelling her flowery scent, then I force myself to pull away and look at her face. 

"Hey."

"Hi."

She hugs me again.  "Thank you for coming."

I hug her back.  "Thank you for existing."

"You see?  Harry has been spouting that poetic garbage for three weeks.  'Oh, woe is me, I want to give her the stars!'" Ron mocked.  "Hermione, please shag the boy soon, because if he talks about flowers and love one more time I am beating him over the head with a Bludger."

"RON!" she cries.

"Hi Hermy."  He locks his arms around her and squeezes.  They laugh.

"So, you want to give me the stars, huh?" she winks.  I blush.

"I did not say that."

"Yes you did, mate."

"Shut up, Ron."

"Awww." Hermione patted my cheek.  "He's blushing."

I swept her up off her feet and kissed her deeply in my arms.

"Harry!" she gasps.

"Now who's blushing?"

It isn't long before the two of us are getting antsy, waiting for the firewhiskey to run out so everyone would leave.  It isn't until almost six that the keg finally empties.  Not too long afterwards, people start leaving.  After Melissa leaves, the last one, Ron shuts the door.

"All right, now the fun can begin." He cackles and holds Lavender close.

"Not in my house it doesn't." I say, ushering them to the front door.  They laugh and apparate back to Merlin knows where, to do Merlin knows what.  I turn to Hermione.

"So how'd the presents turn out?"

Her beautiful face falls slightly and I know Ron had made his rehearsed, unfortunate announcement.  "Not bad…" Then she fingers my shirt collar.  "What am I getting from you?"

I fight down the primal urge that has been building up in me for three weeks.

"Be right back."

"What – "

Before she could finish, I bolt to the door and go outside.  I pick up the box, poked full of holes for breathing, and take it inside.  Hermione's eyes widen.

"What is – "

"Open it."

"Wait.  Did you get it at the twins' shop?"

"No." I laugh.

She cautiously lifts a flap on the box and peers inside.  Suddenly a smile explodes on her face as she carefully lifts out a chubby brown-and-white terrier. 

"HARRY!" she squeals, probably scaring the poor puppy to death, but I enjoy it.

"You like him?"

"I love him!"

"More than me?"

Her smile fades into a seductive grin.  "I don't know…have you talked to Ron?" She slowly puts the puppy on the sofa, where it walks in a confused circle and falls asleep on a pillow. 

"I have no idea what you are talking about."  I lie, but I can't stop the smile that is pulling at my mouth.

"Oh…"she comes so close I can feel her body heat through our clothing.  "…Really?"

"Well, I might have gotten a…." she breathes on my neck, right below my ear.  "….hint."

"Well, I think I should get another present.  Since you cheated."

"Greedy, aren't we?"

"Yes.  You are all mine."  Her hands travel lower than comfort. 

"Hermione, I have a game tomorrow – "

"What time is it?"

I glance at my watch.  For no reason, because I knew what I was going to do, regardless.  "I love you."

"That's not the time."

"Who cares?"  I carry her up the stairs and shut the bedroom door.

*

A few hours later we are both naked and lying under the covers.  Harry had brought up my new puppy and now it was scampering around on the bed, climbing over the hills on the blanket our tangled legs created.  He made the occasional whimper as he fell over Harry's thigh.

"He's so cute."

"He's alright."

"You have some competition, Potter." I laugh.

"What are you going to name him?"

I watch the puppy maneuver his way to our pillow, where he curls up in my messy hair.  Harry picks him up and places him on my tummy.

"I don't know.  I'm not good at giving names.  I had a doll when I was five named Hatshepsut."

"Hatshepsut?"

"Fine.  You name him."

"How about Harry Jr.?"

"Everyone in England born after we graduated Hogwarts was named Harry."

"Good point" He made a face.  "Well, how about 'I'm late and the team is going to have my ass'?"

"Doesn't quite roll off the tongue."

"Oh, and Hatshepsut does?"

Harry rolls to his side and buried his face in my neck.

"I have to go."

"Okay…"

"I hate to leave you…"

"Me too."

I watch silently from the bed as he gets up and gets dressed.  Then he makes his way back to the bed and kisses me on the forehead.

"I love you."  Then he pats my puppy.  "And I think you're okay."

"I love you, Harry." I laugh.  Then he is gone, leaving an empty void were his warm glow had been just minutes earlier..

I get up and cradle the half-asleep puppy.  "Well it's just you and me.  Let's go meet Crookshanks."

After I slip on some clothes I put him on the floor, since it looks like this puppy has some sort of hyperactive disorder and would rather scramble everywhere himself than be carried.  He slips clumsily on the hardwood and crashes into the floor. 

"I told you.  You should've let me carry you."

The puppy whimpers indignantly and continued to slide and scuffle down the hallway.  He stops and stares at the top of the stairs.

"Oh, now you want help." I chuckle and pick him up.

Crookshanks is sitting lazily in the kitchen, as usual, licking a paw.  At the first sight of the puppy he bristles and glares.

"Crookshanks, this is – " I think about how clumsy he was upstairs. " – Bumpy."

Crookshanks stared like it was the dumbest thing anyone had ever fathomed.

"Oh shut up, I don't see any suggestions coming from you."  I set the puppy down next to him to see how they would react. 

The puppy slides on the tile floor and crashes face first into Crookshanks stomach.  I guess Crookshanks realizes the name makes sense now.  He glares at Bumpy, but Bumpy is oblivious as he hoists himself up and scitters along his tail.  Crookshanks looks utterly offended and walks away into the living room.

"Don't worry, Bumpy.  He'll come around."

POP!

I run into the living room with Bumpy in my arms.  Crookshanks gives us a fleeting look and heads back into the kitchen.

"Hermione!  Happy Birthday!  I'm sorry we couldn't make it."

Mrs. Weasley's head is floating in our fireplace.

"Hi, thank you, its fine."

"What is that?" her eyes fall on Bumpy.  "It's adorable!"

"His name is Bumpy.  It was a present."

"I was under the impression that Harry didn't want a dog."

"It was a present from Harry."

There is an inscrutable expression on Mrs. Weasley's face that I can't place.  It doesn't look negative, but she doesn't look pleased, either.

"Is something wrong?"

"No dear, nothing.  He's cute."

"I know."

Awkwards silence.

"Well, I have to go run some errands for Mr. Weasley.  I will talk to you later, all right?"

"Great, see you."

She disappeared and I sat on our sofa to think. 

"She doesn't like that Harry gave you to me." I say to Bumpy.  He sniffs indifferently and squirms until I put him back on the sofa. 

"I wish I didn't care either…"