Chapter Fourteen: Hermione's Birthday

A/N: Warning! Major fluff ahead. It even makes me gag.

Disclaimer: Mariah Carey owns "I'll Be There." JK Rowling owns Harry Potter

"Wake up, sweet angel!" (A/N: See what I mean? gag )

Hermione groaned and rubbed her eyes. She sat up and screamed, clearly startled by his presence in her room. "Oliver! What are you doing here?"

Oliver feigned his hurt. "Well, if that's the way you're going to greet me, maybe I should just go."

Hermione smiled, and said in a mock-dramatic voice," Oh, Oliver! Please don't go! You know I can't stand it when you're angry with me! How will I ever live without you?"

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Oh, now you want me."

Hermione smiled. "Yes, I do. Now why did you wake me up so early?"

"Oh, because maybe, it's your birthday."

Hermione clasped her hands on the sides of her face. "You're right! I can't believe I forgot!"

Oliver placed one arm around her. "Well, then. I guess it's a good thing I didn't forget. Today will be the best day of your life. I made sure of it."

Hermione grinned. "Oh, really? What did you plan?"

Oliver stood up and walked to the door. "The only way you're going to find out is if you get up, my angel. Be down at breakfast in exactly ten minutes, all right?"

"Oliver, why do you keep calling me an angel?" Hermione asked as she started making her bed.

Oliver grinned. "Because you are one." (A/N: Pukes )

Hermione rushed down the stairs, eager to see what Oliver had in store for her. When she had reached the Great Hall, there sat the entire student population and faculty who sang "Happy Birthday." Even the Slytherins were singing, though they appeared to be under a spell.

After the song ended, Hermione took her usual seat at the Gryffindor table and sat across from Oliver. "Oliver, that was absolutely wonderful! Thank you."

Oliver swallowed some toast. "You're welcome, Hermione. But there are still more surprises ahead."

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "More? Oliver, you being here already makes this the perfect birthday."

Oliver pretended to look disappointed. "Hmmm... Harry and Ron are going to be disappointed if they hear you say that." He motioned for her to turn around.

There stood Harry and Ron. Harry was struggling at carrying several bags of heavy luggage and briefly glared at Ron who was holding nothing except a chicken drumstick.

"Harry! Ron! I'm so glad you're both here!" Hermione squealed as she threw her arms around her friends, causing Harry to drop all of the luggage, while Ron quickly swallowed the chicken so Hermione wouldn't have a chance to knock it out of his hands.

"It's great to see you, too Hermione!" Harry said as he hugged Hermione.

"It has been too long, Mione," Ron said as Hermione tackled him.

Since Ron and Harry were visitors, Dumbledore allowed them to go to Hogsmeade so they could buy Hermione presents.

Meanwhile, Hermione was taking notes during an Arithmancy lesson. Normally, she was absolutely fascinated by Arithmancy, but today she was eager to get out of class to see what surprises Oliver came up with. Suddenly, when Professor Vector was in the middle of explaining a theorem, Oliver came in, holding sixteen gorgeous red roses, Hermione's favorite.

Professor Vector smiled and stepped aside. Obviously, Oliver had asked Vector for permission. Oliver walked towards Hermione, ignoring the swooning of the girls and the eye rolling from the guys. He got down on one knee and stared deep into Hermione's eyes. "Hermione, you've been the best friend I've ever had. You've always been there for me and I want you to know that I will continue to be there for you.

Suddenly, Oliver stood up and began to sing quite beautifully as he stared deep into Hermione's eyes:

You and I must make a pact

We must bring salvation back

Where there is love

I'll be there

I'll reach out my hand to you

I'll have faith in all you do

Just call my name

And I'll be there

And oh

I'll be there to comfort you

Build my world of dreams around you

I'm so glad I found you, yeah

I'll be there with a love so strong

I'll be your strength

You know I'll keep holding on

Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter

Togetherness, is all I'm after

Just call my name

And I'll be there

And oh

I'll be there to comfort you

Build my world of dreams around you

I'm so glad I found you, yeah

I'll be there with a love so strong

I'll be your strength

You know I'll keep holding on

If you should ever find someone new

I know he better be good to you

'Cos if he doesn't, then I'll be there

Don't you know baby, yeah, yeah

I'll be there

I'll be there, yeah

Just call my name and I'll be there

Just look over your shoulder, oh

Just call my name and...

I'll be there

When he was finished, the class applauded enthusiastically, all of them stunned by Oliver's singing talent. Tears of joy filled Hermione's eyes. Hermione, don't fall for him. For his sake, don't love him. Shut up brain. I'm not falling for him. I'm just glad he's my friend. Uh, huh, sure you are.

Oliver gave Hermione a kiss on her cheek and handed her sixteen red roses. "My angel, here are sixteen red roses, one for each year you've been alive and shown me what heaven must be like every time I see you. Have a happy birthday." He kissed her gently on the cheek once more and left before Hermione had a chance to thank him.

The girls in Hermione's class glared at her with envy. "You are so lucky, Hermione. I wish Mark, here, would have done something like that for me," a girl named Tabitha said.

Hermione smiled dreamily. "Yes, I'm very lucky."

Anyway, while Hermione was being serenaded, Harry and Ron were arguing over what they should get Hermione. "I'm telling you Ron, Hermione is not going to like having a new broom. She doesn't even like to fly!"

"Fine," Ron grumbled. Suddenly, his face brightened. "Hey, Harry, how about this?" Ron rushed over to a window. Curious, Harry followed Ron.

"This is perfect!"

After class ended, Hermione could not remove the smile plastered on her face. So far this birthday had been absolutely perfect. She could not believe Oliver went to such lengths in planning her birthday.

"Hermione! I can't believe how lucky you are! It's so not fair!" Lavender squealed.

"Surely you're going to go out with him now? I mean, today he once again proved he's the sweetest guy in the world." Parvati asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No, I can't go out with him."

"Why?" Lavender and Parvati demanded.

"Because I don't want to get hurt, and I don't want him to get hurt."

Lavender sighed. "Hermione, you're clearly a novice to the whole dating game. Look, you want to be with him, and he wants to be with you."

"It's so obvious!" Parvati added.

"So," Lavender continued," by being apart you're essentially hurting yourself and Oliver because you both want to be together, yet you're keeping him and you apart. Think about it. Well, I'll see you later. Have a happy birthday."

Hermione replied with a thank you and began walking back to the common room, thinking about what Lavender said. It made sense, but even if Oliver was hurt from Hermione's refusal to date him, it was better than Voldemort killing him. Yes, so I must maintain this barrier between us, no matter how much it hurts. Just before she entered the common room, she heard someone approach her from behind.

"Hermione, I've been looking for you!" Oliver said, as he ran to greet her.

"Oliver, you didn't plan any more surprises, right?" Hermione asked in a stern voice.

"Well, just two more," Oliver said sheepishly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Two more? Oliver, you're spoiling me. I really don't deserve all of this. Besides, how am I supposed to compete with all of this when I plan your birthday?"

Oliver chuckled and threw his arm over her. "Hermione, you deserve only the best of the best, so don't you think any differently. As for my birthday, well, just seeing you will bring me more happiness than a thousand lifetimes of presents ever could."

Hermione smiled, touched by his kind words. "Oliver, how is it that you always know the right thing to say?"

"You inspire me, dearest Hermione. Enough talk. Harry and Ron have something for you. I know you'll love it."

Hermione looked up at him, curious. "This way, mi'lady." Oliver led her out into a courtyard. There stood Harry and Ron, grinning. "Happy Birthday, Hermione!" Harry stepped forward and held out an exquisite necklace with a diamond locket. "This is for you."

Hermione stared at it in awe. It was the most dazzling thing Hermione had ever seen. It shined brightly from every angle, its luster never diminishing. The words," To Hermione, with love from Harry, Ron, and Oliver" were engraved in gold on the surface of the locket.

"Thank you so much! It's absolutely beautiful." She kissed each of the guys on the cheek and gave them bone-crushing hugs. "Wait, how much did this cost?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrowing. She was grateful for the locket, but she didn't want her friends spending a fortune on her.

Harry and Ron chuckled. "Trust us, Hermione. You don't want to know. But it doesn't matter. You deserve the best, and this was the only present we could find that was worthy of you."

"Still, I don't feel right about accepting such an expensive gift."

Ron stepped forward. "Hermione, we would be offended if you didn't accept it. But if you don't want it-"

Hermione interrupted," No, I do! I mean, if you insist, then I'll gladly accept." Hermione admired the locket once more. It's amazingly beautiful."

"It's also quite useful," Ron mentioned. Harry, Hermione, and Oliver focused their attention on Ron.

"What do you mean, Ron?" Hermione asked, a bit miffed that Ron knew something that she didn't, but also surprised that he was thinking about something other than food or Quidditch.

"Yeah. What do you mean? You didn't mention anything at Hogsmeade," Harry asked curiously.

"Well, this is no ordinary locket. It once belonged to a famous sorceress by the name of Valdiana Rubble. She always wore this locket around her neck when she participated in her weekly duels. No one could defeat her, regardless of their own skills. This locket," Ron pointed to the shiny object," possesses remarkable abilities, though they aren't consistent. Sometimes the locket will reflect curses back at your opponent, while during other times, it will reduce the effect of any curses that strike you."

"And what happened to this sorceress?" Oliver inquired.

"Oh, she choked on a raisin and died."

Harry let the shock of Ron's knowledge, and the oddity of the sorceress' death sink in before responding. " And how did you come by this information?"

"I just read a wall caption," Ron responded as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

"A wall caption had all of that information? And the store sold something as valuable as this?" Oliver asked in disbelief.

Ron shrugged. "Well, yeah."

"How do you know it's true?" Hermione asked, still skeptical.

Ron's eyes darkened mysteriously. "I have my ways. Leave it at that."

An uneasy silence spread throughout the room. "Er, all right then," Harry said, trying to find something to say to lessen the tension.

Hermione tried to pry open the locket, but it still remained closed. "Ron, why doesn't this open?"

"It will open when you start being true to yourself," Ron said mysteriously.

A look of puzzlement crossed Hermione's face. "What do you mean?"

"When the time is right, you'll know. Don't worry about it now," Ron said mysteriously, again.

Hermione shook her head, unable to comprehend Ron's sudden mysteriousness. She studied the locket carefully, thinking about what Ron said earlier about the locket's abilities. " If the locket can reflect curses, or reduce the effects of the curses, then does that mean the Avada Kedavra curse would not kill me as long as I wore this locket?"

Ron shrugged. "I guess so. I just hope we never have to find out."

Hermione decided to break the depressing tone of the conversation. "Well, this is truly a spectacular gift; it has both beauty and utility. It's perfect! Thank you all for being so thoughtful!" (A/N: I know this sentence sounds so fake, but I'm having writer's block)

Harry chuckled. "Glad you like it. Ron picked it out at Hogsmeade. I guess you like this better than the broom we were about to get you."

"Definitely! Ron, your taste has improved!" She kissed Ron on the cheek and hung the locket around her neck.

Ron blushed. "I'm sure glad I saw it; I haven't seen a smile that huge on your face since your first 'A' at Hogwarts."

Hermione grinned. "Well, part of this smile exists because you two are here. You guys have no idea how much I've missed you!"

Harry and Ron gave her another hug. When Ron released Hermione from their hug, he clutched his growling stomach. "This is all nice, but when are we going to eat?" Ron asked, ruining the nice moment.

"Ron!" Harry, Hermione and Oliver groaned.

"What?" Ron asked, sincerely perplexed.

After dinner, Harry and Ron had to leave in order to catch a second dinner (Ron was starving!) at Mrs. Weasley's house. They would return in the morning to Hogwarts, spend a little time with Hermione, and return to America to finish the study abroad program.

Hermione couldn't seem to take her eyes off of the diamond-studded locket. "Oliver, I know that many people say diamonds are the most precious things in the world, but I disagree."

Oliver raised his eyebrow. "Why?"

"Well, I think friends are far more precious than a thousand diamonds. Diamonds are physically beautiful, but their beauty cannot compare to the bond of friendship."

Oliver smiled. "You're absolutely right. I think you also should know that no diamond, no person, and even, no Quidditch Cup can compare to you."

Hermione hugged Oliver. "And nothing can compare to you."

Oliver kissed Hermione on her forehead. "As much as I love exchanging compliments with you, there is still another present I must give you. Come. Follow me into the common room."

Hermione shot Oliver a curious glance before stepping into the common room. What she saw made her gasp in surprise.

At least five hundred paper eagles flew about the room, and the floor was covered with exquisite white snow, which was covered with thousands of Hershey's kisses (A/N: The Hershey Company owns this brand of chocolate. I take no credit whatsoever. So don't sue!), which were Hermione's favorite chocolate. In the center on a table covered with thousands of individually-cut silver stars, were a golden genie lamp, a photo of Hermione, and a statue of an angel that glowed brilliantly. (A/N: This will make sense in a moment) As if that wasn't enough, dozens of gorgeous red roses cascaded down the walls. Hermione stood in the doorway, stunned by Oliver's thoughtfulness. She had never met a guy who put this much energy and time into making her happy. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen!

"The surprise doesn't end here. Watch." Oliver swished his wand and muttered an incantation. Suddenly, all five hundred-paper eagles arranged themselves to form a message as they floated above the Hershey's kisses on the floor:

Hermione, you make my heart soar higher than any eagle. Your sweetness is so captivating that I can't help but kiss the ground you walk on, and not even the most beautiful roses of the earth can match your beauty. You are a genie that passes throughout my life granting my every wish of seeing the most wonderful human in the world, every time I see you. You are an angel that walks the earth, more pure than the whitest snow, and more ethereal than every single star that is woven into the sky. I know that I'm not worthy of even being in your presence, dearest angel, but won't you please be mine?" (A/N: This has too much fluff, even for me! I need a moment to puke.)

Hermione gasped at the message. She turned to Oliver, completely at a loss of what to say.

"Hermione, what I'm trying to say is, will you please give me a chance and be my girlfriend?" Oliver asked nervously.

A/N: I am REALLY sorry for the long wait. The good news is that I've finally gotten settled at school, so I will get to update frequently. Once I get at least 4 reviews, I will post the next chapter, so read and review everyone!

And now, without further ado, I will thank my lovely reviewers...

Kole17: I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Thanks so much for your review.

Lost angel92: Thank you for your review!

CrazyVoices22: Yeah, it is hard for both of them to return to being just friends especially since both of them really do love each other. It'll just take a bit longer for Hermione to realize that she likes Oliver more than a friend. But Hermione's reluctance won't stop Oliver from trying again....

Black-rose23: That's sweet of you to say the last two chapters didn't suck, even though they kinda did. :) The story gets much better from here. Stay tuned!

Valentines-hater: Thanks for reviewing! I promise the story will get more action-packed. The crappiness factor will be low from now on.

Troublegirls: Hmm...you're not having a great year are you? My advice: be very careful about getting back together with your ex. He cheated on you once, so he may be prone to do it again. As for your friends abandoning you- try to make new friends. From my own experience, the really shy ones are the most interesting and loyal once you get to know them. And lastly, the fight with your teacher- can't really help you there because I've always been a goody -two shoes, teacher's pet, etc. Just make sure the teacher isn't angry with you when the report card comes out! (Some teachers are vengeful)

(P.S. Of course you can e-mail me. I would type my e-mail address here, but for some reason, the computer refuses to cooperate. You can find my e-mail on my bio page by clicking on "Atomic Elf." If it isn't there for some reason, let me know when you review.)