Disclaimer: I only own the plot, Julie, Terry and Jason.

I want to take this time to thank all the people that have reviewed my story (some of you have reviewed more than once, that hasn't gone unnoticed, thank you ever so much!) so here goes.

OneOfaKind92: I'm not sure if he minds about her flying, or cares or for that matter, remembers. Sorry it took so long for the update.

AphelionChick: Another chapter is here at last.

Imperfectionist: Hermione is their best friend and they don't see her as anything more. Fact is, they see her as one of the guys.

DiOsA4u: New chapter.

Katie Weasly: I wanted to make Julie different even though she is in Slytherin. I remembered at the end of book 4 that some of them stood up and clapped, held their glasses up to Cedric and so on.

CurlyGurly: I'm trying to keep it going.

grlEgrlE:  I am continuing.

catgoddess13: I know that it was predictable to begin with and believe me, I hated making them Heads as in is very overdone but that was the only way that they could see each other enough for their attitudes to change, concerning the other.

Jessie: I love your review. Thank you.

Pottyaboutharry: Believe me, I am a huge fan of all things fluffy too but it actually isn't that far away now. I just didn't want them to get right into it but if I had had to wait as long as my reviewers have, I'd have been really annoyed by it.        SORRY PEOPLE!!

Fergiaj: Thank you.

Jessica: I think I hurried.

Casper: Is it really?! Thank you. Humour doesn't come easily with me.

Quiggles: I have updated! Aint I good.

Cat: I have updated Cat!

Mince99: Well Draco did save Hermione and my initial plan was to have him save her alone, but I guess that that would have been ludicrous because there was no way that one person was going to make a difference when it concerned all those Death Eaters so I have all of them save her.

Armmonde: Did I give what you wanted?

Navy Converse: Sorry about the errors.

Meg: Harry and Ron did help. Now we continue.

Lucy: J

Merlin: Thank you Merlin. But I must admit that sometimes I do love to read short stories in which they both get together by the 3rd chapter. That's when I'm in a hurry.

Hpfanatic: Thank you.

Amy O B: You're one of a few people that always reviews my stories and I think you for that because it encourages me to write some more. J

Fesh: It's people like you that make all this writing worthwhile. I appreciate it a lot. Hope you like the next chapter.

Me: Done.

Icea: Thank you.

B-chan and Syaorons angel: How ever can I thank you for what you have reviewed. Being one of the people that has kept me writing this story, even when I thought that it sucked beyond the telling of it. I hope I just did. Although it does throw me a little that Lucius is now in Azkaban. :S

Ellie: I am carrying on Ellie.

eth: Sorry it took so long.

soldiergurl: Abput a month apparently. I am so sorry that it took so long but I couldn't bring myself to write after my exams finished. I know it's unfair to lay this on people but I just felt that I had failed them and I was upset. Still am actually because I haven't had my results yet.

Juliet Broadway: Thank you so much.

Rosellen: Sorry about the non0quickness of the update.

Hermione-Malfoy22: Seeing that you signed the review, it's easy for you to find out when I update because your account will tell you. J

Now on with the story and I promise to thank everyone that reviews in my next update. I just lag behind sometimes.

Chapter 11; Hermione's Party and Other Plans

Gryffindor was preparing for the party they were about to hold for Hermione. She was Head girl and had just recently been rescued from the clutches of the evil he-devil himself so they thought it would be nice for her to celebrate her birthday like this. To be on the safe side, they had asked Dumbledore if it was okay and he had said yes, as long as they didn't make too much noise or party too long past curfew.

At this very moment, the Gryffindor were decorating the common room and Hermione herself was in the Head/Prefects room with Draco, Julie, Terry and Jason. (Ginny was also decorating Gryffindor Tower.)

"Hey, Hermione? What's all this party gossip I've been hearing about? And where's Ginny?" Julie asked from the Slytherin couch that her arse rested upon.

Hermione was on the floor, by the fire, trying to coax some of the house-elves out so that she could persuade them to leave their ungrateful owners. Not that Dumbledore was ungrateful. The only problem was that the house-elves had learned not to trust anything that Hermione has to say and they hardly ever came out. Especially not when she called them.

Hermione swivelled around to face Julie. "She's in the Gryffindor common room, decorating it for that party you have all been hearing about."

Julie didn't let up. She stood up from that couch and joined Hermione on the floor.

"Julez, the couch is a lot comfier than the floor. Get back on there."

"Who cares!" Julie said, exasperatedly. "Why are they throwing a party? Did they win the House cup and nobody decided to tell us? Or did they win the Quidditch cup again."

"Nope and oi! That's my House so stop talking about it like that. They are doing it for me."

"Ah…why?" Julie said confused.

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed. "Because it's my birthday today silly."

Julie's eyes widened. It was Hermione's birthday and not only had she not gotten her anything, she didn't even know that it was. Julie searched for something to say but was saved the trouble when Hermione's voice interrupted her jumbled thoughts. "It's okay Julie. You didn't know that it was my birthday and it's not like I got many presents for my other 6 birthdays that I have had during my stay here."

Julie shook he head at Hermione. "A birthday is there to be celebrated. I can't just not get you anything. It'll be a bit late. Is that okay?"

Hermione started to speak up, insisting that she didn't want anything but Julie silenced her with a look which got her thinking that Julie would make a good Professor McGonagall when she gets older.

"Okay then, just promise me that it won't be too expensive ok!"

Julie nodded. "Hey, you're having the party in the Gryffindor common room, which means that we aren't allowed." She indicated herself, Draco, Terry and Jason.

Hermione looked sheepish. "It wasn't my idea, honestly. They sprang it upon me and it's not like I could refuse right? They did all that for me. I'm not ungrateful."

"Chill Hermione." Jason said. "We just feel that it would be nice if we did something for you. How about a little game."

Hermione thought. "As long as it's not Truth or Dare, I'm up for it."

"Hey" Draco suddenly said, "Doesn't that mean that Ginny gets to enjoy both? Not only is she a Gryffindor, but she's a Prefect also."

"No one said that it was fair." Julie said, giving Draco one of them looks. "So what do we play?"

"Spin the bottle?" Terry asked "That's different from Truth or Dare."

"And the difference is?" Hermione asked.

"She's right" Julie said. It's practically the same.

"How about a game of Quidditch? There's six of us. Three on each side and let the best gender win, boys against girls!"

Julie rolled her eyes "Typical Draco. Always about Quidditch. It just so happens that I agree with you so Quidditch it is…if Hermione agrees with it." Julie was a little uncomfortable with asking Hermione to go back onto a broom after what had happened to her the last time she was on one.

Hermione didn't see what all the fuss was about. The near death was her fault and it wasn't like they were going to go out of bound playing Quidditch on the actual pitch. "Stop looking so shifty Julez. I'm fine with it. It'll be a great way to get me back into the swing of things. I'd love to."

Everyone relaxed into a smile except for Draco as it hadn't seemed to affect him at all. Typical.

At that precise moment, Dobby appeared out of the door that opened into the Gryffindor common room. Hermione saw him and smiled "Hi Dobby. How's freedom treating you?"

Dobby looked confused. "Is freedom supposed to treat Dobby Miss? How is this supposed to be Miss? Freedom leaves Dobby alone. Miss, you is wanted in Gryffindor now."

Hermione obliged while her roommates rolled about laughing at Dobby's misinterpretation. They heard him say to Hermione, as they entered the Gryffindor common room "Who is freedom Miss?" while Hermione heaved a sigh of exasperation.

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Hermione entered the common room and gasped. Everything in there was so bright and sparkly. Not that Gryffindor wasn't always bright, what with the red and gold but it was just so beautiful. Shimmering streamers hang down form the ceiling randomly, the windows were stain glassed with 'Happy Birthday Hermione' engraved on them. Soft music was playing from somewhere, she could tell that it was a muggle song as the Weird Sisters were a lot louder than this. Even through all the decorations, the Gryffindor colours were still prominent but the thing that made Hermione blush, was a huge picture of her hanging in midair in the middle of the newly expanded room. It was about four times bigger than the actual Hermione and as everything did in the wizarding world, it was moving.

Food was laid out along a very long table at the far end of the room and to Hermione's great surprise, around 30 house-elves were there too. Dobby stepped forward "We is here to help celebrate your birthday Miss but we is promised by Harry Potter that you will not introduce us to freedom." The other house-elves shied away at this word but resumed their position a few seconds later.

Hermione smiled kindly. "That is very nice of you and I promise not to introduce you to freedom at all tonight as I want to keep it special for everyone." The house-elves beamed.

Hermione allowed herself to look at her fellow Gryffindor's finally, and laughed out loud. They each had a t-shirt on that said either 'Happy Birthday Hermione' or sported the picture of her, exactly the same as the one hanging in midair, only many times smaller. The Gryffindor's laughed, sang Happy birthday to her and then removed their t-shirts to show normal clothes (not robes) of mostly jeans, trousers, normal t-shirts and shirts or in the girls cases, dresses or the tomboy look.

Hermione was thrilled beyond explanation. The music was turned up and everyone started to enjoy themselves. Ron even had to wrestle a bottle of Butterbeer from one of the house-elves who was adamant in having more 'fun' than any house-elf should ever be allowed. Ron successfully managed to get the bottle away but didn't see that he snatched another one and hid it under his hat when Ron's back was turned.

On the whole, the house-elves were happy and everyone could not remember when they had last had so much fun. Harry hadn't smiled so much since before Voldemort had returned, the death of his godfather had been hard on him too. Hermione knew, even though Harry never said it, that there were more than just a few times when Harry had completely given up hope on ever being happy. She didn't want anything to remind him of that right now.

Hermione opened her presents at 9pm. She had gotten loads of little things from the Gryffindor's. Harry gave her an advanced copy of Defence Against the Dark Arts which she had not been able to buy for herself because it was too expensive. She had thanked him endlessly for it. Ron had given her a wand case which automatically shrunk it wand and allowed you to store it into a jeans pocket or anything else(so as never to forget it again). And Ginny had given her a lovely charm bracelet which had charms that actually moved, including a book that opened and closed and a quill that wrote in never ending gold ink, wherever it was placed.

They partied until 12:30am when Hermione's Head duties kicked in and ordered everyone to bed. The food had been devoured but amazingly, not a single decoration had been harmed. The huge picture of her was now sleeping. Hermione grinned, grabbed Ginny by the arm and dragged her back into their common room with a last warning of bed to the rest of the room at large. They were too tired to argue. Ginny didn't even put up a fight.

They went their separate ways when it came to going up to their rooms. Hermione entered her room and went straight to the bath. She brushed her teeth, had a quick shower and changed into her PJ's. She walked to her bed and stopped. There was a box on her pillow. She reached out for it and opened it. Inside, glinting in the torch light, was the most beautiful ring Hermione had every seen. It was a snake, coiled once with red ruby gems (for Gryffindor obviously) for eyes. The ring came full circle when the tail met the head. It glinted as if it had its own light. The ring was delicate yet solid silver. Hermione noted that Draco had exactly the same ring, only he gems were emerald green. She couldn't get over the awe at how perfect it was. She took the ring out, set the box aside slipped it onto her middle finger on her left hand (it shrank to fit her finger), and went to bed. Smiling but completely happy over the days turnout.

*               *               *               *               *

When Hermione woke up the next day, she looked at her finger to see if the ring was there or whether she had dreamt it all. It was there, glinting away. It took her 20 minutes to get ready and head down to the common room which was mercifully empty. As always, she was the first person up. It was annoying sometime, being the only one up so she got out her book, lay bock on the couch and read 'Pride and Prejudice', her favourite book. There was still and hour before lessons began.

Twenty minutes later Hermione was still reading when she heard someone coming down the same stairs she had come down which meant that it could only be one person. Draco walked over to his own couch and sat down. Hermione smiled, putting her book away and sitting up straight so that she could look at him.

"Thank you for the ring Draco, it's lovely."

He looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "What ring?" he looked at it on her finger and smiled slightly "What makes you think I gave it to you?"

Hermione, in turn, raised an eyebrow "The snake and the fact the you have exactly the same ring, only with emeralds."

Draco reached over and took her left hand. "It looks good on you. Do you like it?"

Word of advise Draco, I never wear something that I don't like. She smiled warmly at him. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

"Pity they don't make it in gold huh?" Draco said thoughtfully.

"Nah!" Hermione made a face "I don't like gold jewellery, only white gold. I like it in my decorations though."

"Which is good, considering the fact that you have to live with it for the rest of you life now."

Hermione's eyes widened "Even after I leave school?!"

"You'll always be a Gryffindor Hermione. It doesn't matter if you leave, it's in you."

Hermione breathed deeply "I know, and I'm very grateful for it. I love my house."

"But?" Draco implored.

"But? There's no but. It's better to be in Gryffindor than Slytherin, wouldn't you agree?"

Draco's eyes narrowed but only in mock anger. "You're preaching to the wrong choir here. Slytherin , remember?" He said, indicating himself."

Hermione laughed. "Of course I do. And thank you again. I never would have believed that you would ever give me a birthday present."

Draco faked a look of hurt "Hey, I'm not heartless!"

"Could have fooled me!" Hermione laughed hard.

"You're going to wake the rest of the school up if you don't stop that!"

Hermione laughing subsided. "You know what? It's nice to talk to you without the fear of you biting my head off or trying to curse me into the next oblivion."

"Likewise." He murmured.

It was then that the Prefects decided to make their appearance known and thus, rendered any kind of conversation impossible. Lessons for that day were hectic with the prospect of catching up on everything that they had missed, not that it was hard for the prefects or the Head's to do it as that was practically the reason that they were given their title.

Every now and then, Hermione would look at her ring. I'm never going to forget who gave me this. She thought. The eyes shone just a little brighter as if it knew what she had just thought. (Which it didn't, obviously.)

It didn't matter what Ron or Harry said about Potions, it was her favourite lesson, along with Charms, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes and Defence Against the Dark Arts. She loved practically every lesson and was extremely glad that she only had to see the Slytherin's in Potions and Care of Magical Creatures and she had none of those lessons today. The day was too perfect to have it ruined by them. Hermione wasn't sure how Draco would act towards her when he had his friends and minions with him.

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I have finished that chapter and I promise to update a lot quicker this time. Please review and please do not flame. J Thank you. (Hope you like it)

Dina