Author's Notes:

I really am sorry for making this chapter very long, but I hope you bear with it. It's worth the effort, in my opinion. Hermione's birthday was the best part of this chapter, I think. I hope you try this. This is long but is more interesting than the previous chapters. I can even say that it's the most interesting chapter of this story.

The eighth chapter is the final chapter. It's coming out soon, so I hope you'll wait. I'll try to make it as spectacular as possible. Hope you'll like it.

Please read and review! This fic is really not so bad, in my opinion. I appreciate this and I hope you do, too. Thanks to all of my reviewers, especially to hermionegarner! ;-) This fic is dedicated to God, first of all.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, period.

Hermione was staring aimlessly at the sky. She was so deep in thought that she did not realize how long she had been staying outside. She went out of the house at six in the afternoon. When she checked her watch, it was already half past ten.

She had been pondering on thoughts of Ron and Draco. She did not know who she wanted between the two which worsened matters more.

I like Draco and I feel very touched with how he expresses his feelings. He's handsome, rich, smart and most of all, he fights for me. What more can I ask for?

She smiled, remembering how Draco's visit had been that morning.

But I like Ron, too. And I've already tested and proven his sincerity. He's my best friend for eight years. But he always seems so laid-back and weak, not to mention bashful. He's easily disheartened whenever Draco comes ahead of him. Where will his shyness get him? But then, he always makes me feel happy, and whenever he's around nothing is ever boring. More than that, I feel very secure with him. Oh, and how cute those roses were.

I like them both, but I can only have one.

Who, then?

I don't know. And I may never be able to know.

"Her birthday will be three days from now and I still don't have a single idea on how to surprise her! And competition with that Weasel is difficult. Argh, what now?" Draco asked himself as he desperately thought of solutions.

He was seated on the couch beside his bed at that moment, looking very drained and restless. His mind was taken off of worries for a while though when someone knocked on his door. He stood up and opened it.

"Draco, what are you doing inside your room? It's already past noon and you still haven't eaten your lunch. Come down now," Narcissa commanded. Draco groaned.

"Mum, can't you just let me stay in my bedroom? I'll have lunch later, I'm still doing some important stuff," he answered irately.

"You better do that later, come down now," Narcissa insisted. Draco scowled at her.

"Mum, please let me be. I promise that I'll eat my lunch later," he assured her.

Narcissa walked in his bedroom and seated herself on a wooden chair. Draco followed her.

"What stuff are you doing? There are no paper works or anything on your table," she told him.

Draco sat on his bed. "Well, just thinking of ideas on how to surprise Hermione on her birthday."

Narcissa frowned at the mention of her name. "Hermione Granger? Why not leave her alone and find some other girl? I know you like her, but she just isn't suited for you."

Draco's expression became grim. "I don't care, Mum. Haven't we agreed on this before?"

Narcissa smiled at her son's reaction. "Yes, I know, but we just agreed with your terms because we knew it was useless to prevent you from doing whatever that pleases you."

"But still you agreed. And that means you've let me court her," he answered. Narcissa softly laughed.

"Okay. So, may I just help you do your stuff then? You need to go down now. You shouldn't keep the food waiting."

Draco seemed enlightened with his mother's words. "Oh yes! You may. So, what do you think? How do I surprise her?"

Narcissa stayed speechless for some time while she thought of possible ideas. And then, as if a bell rang in her head, she smiled.

"Well, I suppose she hasn't ridden on a broomstick? Why not give her a tour? That would be something new to her."

Draco beamed at her mother. "Oh yes! I think she hasn't ridden on one before. That would be superb! You're a genius, Mum! Thanks! I'll go down and eat my lunch now," he said surprisingly. He then hurried down the stairs in big strides.

Narcissa was left in his bedroom, thinking.

Ron was also drained. He was never really that expert at doing special things for a girl. As a matter of fact, he sucked at it.

"Ginny! Come here and help me! I need you right now," he shouted. Soon, Ginny was already coming out of the kitchen.

"Yea? What is it?" she said as she took her apron and kitchen gloves off. She placed them on the center table and then slumped herself on the couch.

"Give me an idea on how to surprise Hermione on her birthday. I need to make something special for her," he said.

Ginny was too worn out to think of anything at that time, though. She simply said, "Just be sincere with her. Invite her over. Then let's celebrate and make her feel at home. Not really that special, but I can't think hard right now. I'm exhausted with kitchen work even with the use of magic."

Ron still considered her idea, though. He thought it over and over until he came up with something better.

"Yes! Yes! I'll take her to her parents and let her spend some time with them! She must be missing them terribly. Time to give her a break! And then we'll go out to Muggle places! That way she'll feel at home, don't you think?"

Ginny just said, "Yeah, yeah. Wonderful."

Ron felt proud with his brilliance.

The sun was shining brightly that morning. Hermione woke up early and took a bath. She then fixed and greeted herself in front of the mirror. "Happy birthday to me."

Feeling energetic, she went down and did her chores. It did not take a long time with magic, though, so after half an hour she finished all of them and relaxed herself on the couch.

She was a bit sad, though. Neither of her suitors remembered her birthday.

But soon, she was proved wrong.

Both of them appeared in front of her just after she seated herself on the couch. Draco first, and then Ron.

Draco appeared carrying his Comet Two-Sixty. Ron appeared with a bouquet of flowers. After the two saw each other, their expressions turned sour.

"Happy birthday, Hermione." Draco was the first to greet.

"Happy birthday also," Ron said afterwards.

Hermione was overwhelmed and thunderstruck for a moment. She did not expect that they actually remembered all those times.

"Thank you!" she said suddenly. She stood up in a flash and hugged them both. She then entangled her embrace and stared at the Comet Two-Sixty with a look of surprise on her face.

"What's this for?" she asked. Draco gave her a beautiful smile. "Will you mind riding on this with me? I thought that this is something you haven't done before. I want you to try something new on your birthday," he said happily. Hermione could not say a thing.

Ron looked discouraged, thinking that Draco's idea was a lot better than his.

"And Ron, how beautiful these flowers are!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Well, I was thinking if we could go to your parents and spend your birthday with them. Then we could go to Muggle places and have fun," Ron shyly told her. Hermione's eyes were twinkling.

"That is absolutely brilliant! You're marvelous, Ron! I haven't even thought of doing that. They must be missing me so much. Oh, Ron, you're the best!" And then she hugged him tight. Ron looked flattered.

Draco was disgusted, not to mention jealous. He could not help but feel bad.

"But Hermione, are we not going to ride this broomstick and fly to places?" Draco reminded her.

Hermione thought about it for a while. "Why don't we all do both?" she asked them.

"It's not that nice if the two of us go with you. It's just so illogical. We're rivals," Draco answered.

Hermione smiled sadly. "Yeah, you're right. But I don't want to disappoint any of you two."

Draco did not want to make Hermione feel unhappy on her birthday. He did not want to spoil her time. But he also wanted to spend time with her alone. She had always spent more time with Ron.

"Let's just do both, okay?" Hermione proposed again.

Ron did not seem to favor her idea, but he wanted Hermione to be the one to choose. He nodded.

Draco had no other choice but to agree, too. It was her birthday anyway.

Hermione beamed at them.

Ron apparated to the Burrow to get his broomstick. Hermione chose to fly first before going to her parents.

He frowned at his Shooting Star. He pitied himself for having a pathetic broomstick.

He then disapparated with the broomstick in his hand. Soon, he was already with Draco and Hermione outside her dormitory. Draco smiled evilly the moment he saw Ron's Shooting Star.

Draco and Ron mounted their broomsticks. Hermione rode on Draco's. Soon after, they were flying thirty feet above the ground.

Hermione's locks were messed up by the wind. She felt happy, though. She was riding on a broomstick for the first time in her life.

Ron was flying behind them. His Shooting Star was jerky and a little incontrollable but he bore with it anyway.

They went to familiar places – Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and the Forbidden Forest. Hermione seemed to be having the time of her life. She felt uneasy on the broomstick but Draco assured her that he would not let her fall.

They flew for an hour and a half until Hermione decided to go down and buy some sweets at Honeydukes.

There, they met Parvati Patil, Seamus Finnigan and Hannah Abbott. The three were surprised to see Draco with them but they hid it anyway.

They chatted for quite a time. During that time, they found out that Parvati and Seamus were already engaged. Ron and Hermione were happy for the two. Draco seemed happy, too, but he could not relate that well because he had not really known them that much.

"Anyways, it's Hermione's birthday today," Draco interrupted. The three were surprised with this news.

"Why didn't you tell us, Hermione? Anyways, if that's the case, let's celebrate then!" Parvati Patil said. Soon after, sweets were flooding on their table.

Hermione had many Sugar-Spun Quills and Licorice Wands. Ron ate a lot of Fizzing Whizbees while Draco tried the exotic sweets like Blood Lollipops and Cockroach Clusters.

"I'm having so much fun," Hermione told them, smiling happily.

"Yeah, me too," Ron said as he chewed some Fizzing Whizbees.

"Don't you think it's already getting late? We're still going to your parents, aren't we?" Draco reminded her.

Hermione put her hand on her mouth, shocked. "Oh no, I forgot! I was enjoying so much that I failed to remember. Oh well, we better get going now," she said. She stood up and said farewell. Draco and Ron stood up as well.

"I'm sorry, but we have to go now. As much as we want to spend more time with you, we still have to go to my parents," she added apologetically.

"It's alright, we understand. It's wonderful to see you guys again," Hannah answered.

"Yeah, it is. And oh, please don't forget to attend our wedding. Three months from not and we'll be married," Seamus told them as he winked at Parvati. Parvati grinned.

"Oh yeah, don't forget us. Anyways, see you next time," Parvati said.

"Okay," Draco answered. Ron nodded at the three of them.

"Good-bye!" Hermione then stormed out of Honeydukes. Draco and Ron followed.

"So, ready to apparate?" Hermione asked. Both of them nodded.

"At my parents' house then, Edinburgh. At the count of three," Hermione signaled.

One, two, three. They all disappeared in thin air.

The first thing they saw was a spacious living room with a television, two sofas and many other Muggle things. Draco and Ron were awed with the place. Hermione's house clearly showed that she came from a wealthy family.

"Who's there?" Mrs. Granger asked, hearing their footsteps.

"Mum, surprise!" Hermione said as she rushed to embrace her mother.

"Oh, Hermione, dear! We miss you so much! We thought you won't visit until next summer. This is wonderful!" she said with difficulty as Hermione hugged her tight. She returned the embrace of her daughter.

Draco and Ron shook her mother's hands after Hermione introduced them. Her mother seemed to be a good-natured woman.

"Come, let's go inside, I prepared something special to eat since it's my daughter's birthday." She then led them inside the dining room.

"Mum, where's Dad?" Hermione asked while they ate.

"Oh, sorry dear, but he's still at work. He'll come home later this evening. I guess you won't be able to see him," Mrs. Granger said, looking sorry.

"Oh. What a misfortune. Anyways, we won't stay long, Mum. We still have to go to other places," Hermione told her mother. Mrs. Granger smiled at her lovingly.

"It's okay. Anyways, why don't you let these two have a tour inside the house? I'm sure this is quite unusual to them," she suggested. Hermione smiled at her mother.

"Excellent idea. And then maybe we can talk for a while," she answered.

Soon after Draco and Ron were already inspecting Hermione's house. They were amazed at the things they saw – things that were very new to them. Ron smiled when he saw a telephone, remembering how he called it 'fellytone' before.

After some time, the three decided to leave. They did not catch much attention during their trip, fortunately. Hermione made them change their robes to Muggle clothes in her house.

Hermione decided to be their tour guide. She showed them different stores – Prada, Burberry, Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, and many other famous stores in the world. The two seemed to be enjoying the trip. They even tried on couture clothes and sprayed expensive perfumes on their skins. Hermione laughed every time they try new clothes on. She felt odd at seeing them wearing crisp suits instead of cloaks.

After some time, they decided to eat in an expensive restaurant. She recommended her favorite dishes, but the two decided to eat ice cream only. She snorted at their innocence. They ate their ice creams happily.

"By the way, Hermione, can you go out on a date with me on Sunday?" Draco interrupted.

Ron frowned at him. He was planning to invite Hermione to the Burrow on Sunday.

"But Hermione, Mum also wants to see you again. She told me to invite you over on Sunday," Ron said.

Hermione looked worried with the conflict. She wanted to please both but she knew she would not be able to do that.

"Uhm, I guess I – "

"Please, go with me, I just want to spend some time with you," Draco insisted. "You've spent most of your time with Weasley these past few weeks. Please accept my invitation," he pleaded.

"But Hermione, Mum also misses you so much. She badly wants to see you," Ron said.

Hermione felt fed up. She did not want any more of their alibis.

"Please Hermione, I just want to – "

"Hermione, Mum wants to – "

"Please, just do this favor – "

"Hermione, Mum misses you so – "

"I quit!" she yelled. "I quit. If you two don't stop nagging me, I'll leave you here and lock my door to both of you forever."

Draco and Ron were dumbstruck at how stern Hermione had been. Draco apologized.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. Just go with Weasley," he said.

"No, just go with Malfoy, if that's what pleases you," Ron told her.

Hermione felt nagged again. She slammed her hand on the table. "I won't let any of you two court me anymore if you don't reconcile. Just please stop this argument and let me feel peace even for just a while."

Draco and Ron were dumbstruck again. They obviously did not want to reconcile.

"Do it or I'll leave you here on your own," Hermione said threateningly.

Draco sighed. Ron scowled.

"Do it now or you'll regret it later," she told them.

Draco and Ron had no other choice. As much as they despised and loathed each other, they did not want to disobey a direct command from the girl both of them loved.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Ron said first. He offered his hand to Draco, though in an unfriendly manner.

"I'm sorry too," Draco said insincerely. He looked at Ron with hatred. Both of them shook hands.

"That's it," Hermione said, smiling at her brilliance. "Go and continue eating your ice cream," she told them.