Hermione couldn't help but laugh as Ginny burst into her room singing happy birthday at the top of her lungs. It was the first time in Hermione's eight years at Hogwarts that any of her friends had remembered her birthday. Year after year Hermione made excuses for them of course, there were so many other more important things. Having a birthday so close to the start of term meant that it was often lost in the hustle and bustle of returning to school. There were Quidditch tryouts, adapting to new schedules and homework loads, reciting and re-living your summer adventures to your friends that you hadn't seen. And so, year after year Hermione's birthday was forgotten. Don't get me wrong they eventually remembered but it would always be after the morning post when her parents would send a gift or the next day after asking why she was so sullen with them. But this year was different, this year Hermione was woken by her best friend. And even if only Ginny remembered then at least one person had.
Ginny had just finished a very off-key rendition of 'Happy Birthday' when there was a knock on the bathroom door. And there he was. Theodore Nott coming to wish you her a happy birthday, she knew he most likely had heard Ginny's squealing but couldn't bring herself to care if that was the only reason he knew. A blush creeping onto her cheeks as she thanked him.
"Would you like your present now or later?" he asked.
Hermione tried to keep the shock off her face, really she did. But a gift, a gift meant he had known, a gift meant he had cared enough to plan. All these things shouldn't come as a surprise to her, that's what boyfriends, hell that's what friends are supposed to do. But Harry never had, neither had Ron. She tried to speak but unable to find the words simply nodded. She watched as he slipped from the room, turning to look at Ginny with a wide-eyed smile.
"For you love, a little bit of both worlds."
She hadn't quiet understood what he meant until she unwrapped her gift to find a first addition copy of Hogwarts: A History, magical, and a first addition copy of The Winter's Tale, muggle. She wanted to cry. He truly understood her. About the two parts of her that made her whole. She had no idea how he had known about The Winter's Tale, for which she was named, but it meant the absolute world to her that he had gone to such lengths.
"Oh Theo! How did you know!" he shrugged his shoulders as she wrapped her arms around him, giving him a chaste kiss as Ginny pretended to look the other way.
He beamed down at her and said he would see her later for dinner. Dinner? She hadn't known they were having dinner. Once he had left she looked to Ginny.
"Dinner?"
"Oh, did I forget to mention that? Theo has organised a special dinner for you two. Hence why we are going out today! Got to get you all dolled up and ready for your man!"
Ginny dragged Hermione from store to store, her feet were getting sore, but she was having the most wonderful time. They had been to Honeydukes, Tomes and Scrolls, Zonko's and she was now being dragged into Gladrags Wizardwear.
"Ginny you are being ridiculous I do not need a whole new outfit for dinner"
"Hermione, I love you, you are beautiful, you have a handsome wizard, now get your butt in that dressing room."
And with that the fashion show began, Ginny throwing dresses at Hermione to try and her modelling them. She was about to give up when she put on the 5th dress and fell in love. It was deep green and velvet with thin tie straps and fell just above the knee.
"Ginny are you sure this is Pureblood appropriate?" she called from inside the dressing room.
"Well come out here and let me see it so I can tell you!" the redhead shouted.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the curtain and met her best friends' eyes.
"Hermione! You are a vision! It's perfect. Now go get changed we have an appointment in 20 minutes to get your hair, makeup and nails done."
"What! Ginny!"
