"Why do you two pester me about being friends with her? I don't have to be friends with everyone, you know." Fred sighed as Charlie tried to talk to him on their way to the great hall. "She's a bookworm and I'm a prankster. She couldn't even see the funny side when we tried to prank Filch."
"Well, she sort-of landed in the hospital because of us."
"It's not like it was serious."
"Fred!" Charlie yelled. "She's been through a lot. Just... watch what you say around her!" Charlie frowned and walked away.
"Been through a lot? She not even eleven! What in the world could she have been through?"
"I don't know, Freddie... Wait, 11?" George frowned, he looked to the girls in front of him. Hermione walked between Angelina and Katie as they walked inside the great hall. George walked a bit faster and sat down next to Katie, leaving a flabbergasted Fred behind.
"Katie..." George whispered as he filled up his plate, Fred sitting across from him next to Hermione, who was looking the other way, talking to Angelina and Alicia.
Katie turned her attention away from the girls and looked at George. "Yes, George?"
"Hey, congrats you know it's me." George chuckled.
"I know, because I can see Fred sitting there uncomfortable." Katie pointed at his twin. George looked over and saw that Fred's gaze was fixed on his food, sitting as far away as possible from Hermione, almost sitting on the lap of another first year, Magnus Drake. "This is getting ridiculous."
"Yeah, I know but we can't force them, can we?" He turned back to look at her. "So, what I wanted to ask... Isn't Hermione's birthday in a few days?"
"Yes, the day after tomorrow actually."
"Are you planning something?"
"No, she doesn't want to celebrate her birthday." Katie sighed, glancing over to Hermione.
"What? Why not?"
"I don't know, she won't tell me." She turned fully to George; brows knit. "Do you really care? I mean..." She said nervously. "Hermione says your just being nice to her because your mothers asked."
"I'm going to be honest. Yes, my mum and Mrs. Granger asked us to keep an eye on her, but I do care about her, I do really see her as a friend."
Katie sighed as she looked at her plate. "Alright... It's just, I don't think she had many friends back home. She won't talk about it, but I see her face when someone calls her a bookworm or up tight or something like that. She just... freezes and her eyes get fogged over."
George looked surprised at Katie, before glancing over at Hermione and then at his twin. "And Fred..."
"Yeah, but not only Fred. Even the other students in class aren't really nice to her when she knows more than them and you know how Slytherins can be against a muggleborn."
"Yeah..." George said unfocused as he tried to process everything Katie just said.
HG
"George?" Fred's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Are you ready to go?" George looked up and saw Fred standing at the table.
"Yeah, yeah. Uhm, can we make a stop at the owlery?"
"Sure." Fred answered, frowning. George stood up and they walked out the nearly empty great hall. "Why do you want to stop by the owlery?"
"Oh, I want to send an owl to the Grangers."
"The Grangers? Why?" Fred asked as they stepped outside the castle. George started telling everything Katie said during dinner. Fred listened intently as they walked over the grounds. "But it's not like I said those things on purpose to hurt her."
"I know..." George said running his hand through his hair. "I just want to ask her parents if they might tell us what happened and what she would want for her birthday. She might not want a party, but she at least deserves a present."
Fred nodded as they climbed the stairs to the owlery in silence as they both thought about the information, they received that evening.
HG
The next morning at the breakfast table, a barn owl dropped a letter in front of George, right on top of his cup of pumpkin juice. He grabbed the letter and looked up at Fred, nodding his head towards the doors. Fred gave him a look and they both stood simultaneously. When they reached the hallway, they walked in the first empty classroom and closed the door behind them. George ripped the letter open and started to read out loud as they sat on a desk.
Hello, George, Fred.
We received your letter late this evening. I don't know what to say. If Hermione didn't tell you herself, I don't know it is my place to tell you two.
But what I will tell you is, she has been through a lot. She didn't have any friends in primary school and got bullied. Things... happened. That's one of the reasons she started Hogwarts early.
Please tell me she isn't getting teased or bullied at Hogwarts?
I know she's very different than you two, but once you get to know her, she can be very funny and sweet. She just needs someone to loosen her up, to make sure she isn't with her nose in her books, day in and out.
Please let us know if it is happening again.
Greetings Mrs. Granger.
Ps: You know she likes her books but maybe you should give her something entirely different. Something fun.
George folded the letter again and put it in his pocket before looking up at his twin.
"I wonder what those bullies did to her..." George said, anger evidently in his voice.
"Yeah... But at least she has friends here. She has Katie; Angelina and Alicia seem to like her. And you..."
"She doesn't think so. Katie said she thinks I'm only nice to her because of mum..." George said as he hopped off the desk. "I mean, it started as such but not anymore. And the last few weeks she's been avoiding me, I think it's because of..."
"Me." Fred finished. "I know I've been a dick to her, I should've at least apologized after what happened."
"You still can Fred." George placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's start by getting her a birthday present."
"Have something in mind, twin-o-mine?"
"Indeed, I have." He grinned.
HG
On the morning of her birthday, she received a package from her parents with a few new books. She placed them on her desk and headed to breakfast with Katie.
"What?" Hermione asked Katie, who sat grinning opposite of her.
"Happy birthday!" Katie opened her bag and took out a neatly wrapped present.
"You didn't have to. You know I don't celebrate my birthday."
"I know, but you can't say no to a present, can you?" She grinned, urging her to take the gift. Hermione rolled her eyes but accepted the box with a smile. She opened the lid and saw a book; Tales of Beedle the Bard. She carefully took the book out of the box and turned it in her hands.
"It's a collection of stories, they are popular children bedtime stories."
"It's amazing! Thank you." She smiled wide at her friend, before standing up and pulling her in a hug over the table. When she sat back down George, Fred, Lee, Angelina and Katie had joined them. "Oh." Hermione said surprised as she saw them. "Goodmorning."
"Goodmorning and ..." Angelina started, smiling.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They all yelled.
"Oh no! Not you too!" Hermione dropped her head in her hands while the rest laughed.
"Come on Hermione, it's your birthday." Angelina nudged her. She looked up and stared in her deep brown eyes. "Here." Angelina pushed a present in her arms. "It's from me and Alicia."
"Open it." Alicia chimed in. Hermione offered them a small smile before turning back to the box; inside was the muggle board game Trionimos. "Angelina picked it out, don't know how to play."
"We'll teach you. Thank you." Hermione smiled wide before another box was shoved under her nose.
"I know we don't know each other that well yet, but I couldn't buy you nothing if the rest got you something." Lee grinned.
Hermione laughed. "It's okay, you really didn't have to get me something." She said as she started opening the present.
"Maybe not, but if you're not going to properly celebrate, you at least deserve a present." Hermione chuckled as she pulled out a wizarding game. "The girls told me you played a lot of games with your parents, so when I saw what they got you, I got you a magical game, Wizard Skittles."
"Thank you, Lee." She looked up, smiling. Lee waved her off as scooped up eggs on his plate. "I'm going upstairs to put it all away before class starts." She said as she stacked the presents on top of each other, before standing up. But she was pushed down again by two large hands on her shoulders. She looked up and saw George grinning down at her.
"Now wait a second, Granger." George said as he squished himself between her and Angelina. "You didn't think we forgot about you, did you?"
Fred sat down on her other side, grinning a bit more uncomfortable, letting George do all the talking.
"I hoped so..." Hermione grinned at George.
"No such luck, little lady." George grinned. "An eleventh birthday is something special, we couldn't just let it pass. But you will have to wait until tonight."
"Maybe I'll just hide out until my birthday is over." Hermione answered. She turned her head as she heard Fred chuckle behind her.
"We have our ways to find you, little Granger."
"We can find anyone." George winked, when she turned back confused.
"We'll see about that." Hermione huffed as she stood up and grabbed her presents. "Katie, I'll see you in the green houses in a bit, okay?"
"Later Granger!" The twins called after her.
HG
Her day went by quickly and quietly as her only friends already wished her a happy birthday. She grabbed an early lunch so she could avoid the twins. Her lessons ended early, so after she flipped through the books that she got for her birthday, she and Katie went down for an early dinner, sitting on the end of the table next to a few fourth years so the others couldn't join them. She was talking to Katie when she saw the group walk in. Hermione quickly finished her dinner and said goodbye to Katie, saying she was off to the library. She looked the other way when she passed the group.
"Hey, Granger! Don't think we forgot about you!" George called over laughing. Hermione ignored them, biting her lip trying to hold back a smile and walked out the great hall.
When she reached the library, it was mostly empty. She sat down on her favourite table in the corner near the window and pulled out next weeks' homework. She was almost finished with her potions essay when a shadow fell on her. She looked up, thinking it was the twins. But to her surprise it wasn't a red head looking down at her, but a boy with wavy brown hair.
"Cedric." She asked surprised, smiling.
"Hi, Hermione. Mind if I join you?"
"No, not at all." She pushed her books aside so he could sit down.
"Thanks." He sat down across from her and took his books out his bag. "Happy birthday, by the way."
"Oh, thanks. The twins?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes." He chuckled. "Heard them talking about your present."
"Oh god!" She sighed, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling. "It's bad, isn't it?"
"No, it may not be your style or the way you would choose to spend your birthday. But I'll think you'll like it. Just... don't expect it to be quiet."
"Thanks for the warning." She grinned at him before pulling her essay back to her. Cedric looked at her for a bit before opening his book and started to study in silence. They worked until it started to get dark. Hermione stifled a yawn, which made Cedric look up. He glanced over his watch and back to her, closing his books.
"We better get going. It's getting late."
"Yeah." She said, putting her books in her bag. They both stood up and walked out of the quiet library. They talked a bit about school before they reached the place they would part ways.
"Do you want me to walk you up to your corridor?"
"No, I'll be fine. Thanks."
"Are you su- Oh, a Weasley twin to the rescue." He grinned behind her. She turned and saw Fred walk over, stuffing a piece of parchment in his jacket. "Goodnight, Hermione, ..."
"Fred." Fred and Hermione said in unison. Cedric chuckled.
"See you in class, Fred."
"See you, Cedric." He waved and Cedric disappeared behind the stairs.
"So..." Fred started uncomfortable.
"We better get going, it's past curfew." Glancing at her watch, Fred nodded in agreement, and she started to walk up the stairs. "Where is George?"
"Oh, he's getting everything ready." Hermione turned so fast; Fred bummed into her. "Sorry."
"What did you two plan?"
"If I tell you, it isn't a surprise, little Granger." Fred rolled his eyes and walked past her. That moment they heard someone walk closer. Hermione instinctively looked around and quickly pulled Fred in a cupboard. They heard footsteps come closer and stop not far from them, both holding their breath not making any sound.
"Let's go, Mrs. Norris. No one's here." Filch voice said. They waited until they heard the sound of his shuffling grow quiet. They both released their breath and opened the door, only to find Professor Snape standing in front of them, a smug smile on his face.
HG