Chapter 24: Hermione's Birthday
The next day Harry, Hermione, Draco and Neville made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Neville and Hermione both looked rather tired. Neville explained that he did end up rooming with Dean and like Hermione, Dean was a muggle born, but instead of books Dean was obsessed with football. "He kept me up all night talking about it guys. I don't get it! There no brooms, no soaring bludgers. How can it be that fascinating?"
"I would have rather talked about football." Hermione groaned, "Lavender Brown is my roommate, but all she wants to talk about is boys! She asked me if I've had a boyfriend seven times! I'm eleven what eleven year old has a boyfriend?" she said a bit frazzled as she sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"Well there are things like betrothal contracts in our society." Harry told her, "And if you're betrothed to someone from young age you could technically consider them boyfriend and girlfriend."
"Wizarding society still does those." Hermione asked looking appalled.
"Yea." Draco told her, "Sirius had five lined up until he told his mother he liked lads."
"Oh wow…bet she didn't like that." Hermione said.
"She kicked him out a week later." Harry told her, "Though Sirius says if she hadn't he would have ran away that same week."
"Poor Sirius…" Hermione said not being able to understand not getting love from ones mother.
"Hey don't say that." Draco told her, "He may have lost his mother but has since made himself a new family. A much better one I might add."
"And there is nothing poor about him." Neville added, "The Black Family is loaded not to mention the money he received from Harry's parents who were even more loaded."
Hermione looked to Harry, "I thought all that stuff was Professor McGonagall's and Sirius'."
"Oh it is, the Manors are theirs but my family has its own Manor." Harry tells her, "I've never been, Sirius says he'll take me after my fourteenth birthday. I can't wait."
"Me either," Draco said, "I read the Potter Ancestral home is even bigger than the Black Ancestral home."
"Bloody hell." Neville said which got him immediately scolded by Hermione for his 'language'. Their discussion was soon interrupted by the handing out of their course schedules. Percy handed them each one, Harry and Hermione each began looking them over together thoroughly. Neville looked to Draco and said, "Nerds," which got a hearty laugh out of the Black family heir.
Their first couple of weeks flew by and to Hermione's disappointment, Harry was beating her on every quiz. She sulked about that for nearly an entire day until Harry promised to help her study. Their Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts had turned out to be Harry's favorites, while Hermione favored Charms and Transfiguration. They both agreed that all the subjects were fascinating in their own ways but the ones they had the most interest were their favorites.
Professor Snape's class was enlightening though they had a course book he would give them slightly different instructions. He explained to them that over his many years of working with potions he had discover the best methods for making each potion in their book. Every time they were to brew a potion he would explain the steps and why his method worked better than the one in their text book. Harry would take ample notes during this class.
In Defense Against the Dark Arts, they started with the theory of it but that only lasted a few days the next thing they new they were up in the classroom casting basic defensive spells while fending off a fellow classmates. Harry's and his friends always stuck together during these 'group' activities because they were avoiding two specific people, Seamus Finnigan and Ron Weasley. Now the group had nothing personal against Seamus though he had a nasty habit of blowing up ANY spell he tried. So none of them wanted to be on the receiving end of one.
Ron was another matter entirely. During one of their potions classes Ron tried to get Harry to pair with him, when Harry declined and instead teamed up with Neville, the red head tried throwing a random ingredient into their cauldron hoping to make it explode, but to his dismay Snape had been walking by and caught as it soared across the table. He got a detention for that and lost Gryffindor ten points which put Ron on all Gryffindors' bad side.
When they weren't side stepping Ron or attending class Harry and his friends were usually found in the library. Harry and Hermione both nearly drooled at the sight of all the books when Madam Pince, the librarian, suggested they close their mouths. She then directed them to a nearby reading nook that had a plaque above it that read 'Lily's Nook'. Harry had to fight back tears when the librarian told him the Headmistress dedicated this to Harry's mother. She also informed him this had in fact been his mother's favorite spot to read. From then on 'Lily's Nook' was claimed by the Potter Gang, that nickname for their group got around rather quickly thanks to the twins. Any time anyone was sitting there and they saw one of Harry's group round the corner they would immediately get up and run off to some other section of the library.
Hermione had kinda like that since they never had to hunt for a good place to study. So they could often be found at the nook with piles of books open. Harry, Hermione and Daphne would always be reading while Draco and Neville would be struggling to finish the homework the other three had already completed. The other three would of course answer any questions their friends had, but Harry put his foot down when Neville ask to copy his homework during their second week in the castle. "If I do it for you, you will never learn and I'm sure your don't want to be at the bottom of the class like Ron who is always copying Seamus' work." He said.
"Merlin no!" Neville said having a fire lit under him after that.
September nineteenth rolled around, Hermione woke up that morning excited. Today was her birthday, she had skipped quietly out of her dorm careful not to wake her dorm mate Lavender. She had gone down stairs hoping to find her new friends waiting for her only to see none of them were there. She was sad for a moment then remembered her friends likey didn't know when her birthday was. She sighed then left the common room heading for the library to devour one of the numerous books in the library. 'A great way to start your birthday." She told her self.
She enters the library making a beeline for a shelf with the most obscure tombs in the entire library. The girl grabs one of the biggest books on the shelf and heads to the nook she and the others always used. As she approaches she looks up from the page she was reading only to stop in her tracks. The usual nook was decorated with a few balloons and some streamers, and inside the nook were her friends: Harry, Neville, Draco, and Daphne. There were presents and a cake as well, "Happy Birthday Hermione." They all said together.
Hermione stood there shocked her fingers slipping, causing the book in her hand to fall from her grasp smacking into the floor with a loud clap. Daphne leaned over to Neville, "Did Hermione Granger just drop a book." she whispered to him.
"It seems so." Neville said.
Hermione looked at her friends as tears started to form in her eyes. Harry and Draco immediately walked over to her concerned, "Mione are you okay?" Harry asked as he and Draco took her arms and guided her over to the table.
Hermione sat down as tears streamed down her face, "Its just…I…I've…never…I've never had friends…celebrate my birthday before." She sniffled.
"Like ever?" Neville asked which got him popped by Daphne.
Hermione answered though shaking her head, "Every time my parents tried to throw a party and invited people…no one would ever come." She sniffled then looked at her friends, "How did you even know?"
"Well I kinda asked your parents while we were in Diagon Alley." Harry said, "Draco pointed out that we've known you for two years and we never got a party invite from you. So I asked your mom and dad when your birthday was. They told me and I realized we'd be at Hogwarts for your birthday. So the four of us planned a little party."
"You have no idea how hard it was to convince Madam Pince to let us have the party here." Daphne told her.
"We had to promise to not get any cake on the books, and we have to clean all this up by nine thirty." Draco added.
Hermione chuckled, "Well I guess we should get started then shouldn't we."
"Yes!" Daphne said as she pushed the cake towards Hermione. The group of friends sang the Birthday Song, albeit quietly, "Make a wish." Daphne said when they finished, pointed her wand at the candles and they immediately lit up.
Hermione smiled and wiped her face before closing her eyes, 'I Wish every birthday will be like this from now on.' She wished to herself then opened her eyes blowing out her candles.
"Happy Birthday Hermione." They all said.
"Thank you everyone!" she said and hugged Daphne who was sitting to her right.
"You're welcome Hermione." Daphne told her, "Now open your presents." Daphne passed her a package.
Hermione smiled and opened the gift to find a thick bound journal with a periwinkle blue leather cover. "Oh my, its gorgeous."
"Harry said periwinkle blue is your favorite color." Daphne said, "Now you can write down all your new happy memories with all your new friends." She said stroking Hermione's bushy hair, "Next, we're going to tame this mane of yours."
Hermione laughed, "Good luck with that, my mom has been trying for years."
"Have you tried Sleekeazy's Hair potion?" Neville asked, "Harry's hair was just as bad until he started using it."
Hermione looked to Harry eyeing his hair, it was about shoulder length an fell loosely in soft curls around his head. "He's right, if I didn't use it every morning it'd be everywhere."
"Perhaps I should give it a try." Hermione told them.
"I'll get you some. After all my family did create it." Harry says smiling.
"Seriously?" Hermione asked a look of total surprise on her face.
"Yes," Harry replied, "I assume my ancestors had a similar issue with their hair and wanted to remedy that. Now, for my present." Harry passed her a large parcel.
Hermione opened it and found a large book title, 'Advance Transfigurations and How to Apply Them'. Hermione smiled, "You know me too well Potter." she tells him.
Harry smirked, "Fellow bookworms are easy to shop for." He said smiling.
Draco and Neville passed her their presents. Neville had also gotten her a book, his being one on Magical plants. Draco on the other hand gifted her a self refilling quill made of mithril and a periwinkle blue feather, "So its like a pen." Hermione said.
The three friends looked at each other, "What's a pen?" they all asked making Hermione laugh. Their little party went on after they had all given her their presents, and before nine thirty came, they began to clean up. After wards the group went down for breakfast, since Hermione insisted cake was not a valid substitute for breakfast. So they walked into the Great Hall, Hermione had her presents in her arms as they walked down the aisle.
They sat there chatting glad it was Saturday so they could just enjoy their day. Their fellow Gryffindors came in, and when they saw her presents they would wished Hermione a happy birthday. Hermione felt happy to have so many people giving her birthday wishes. The 'Gang' laughed as the girl blushed with each congratulatory remark. Hermione would laugh as the twins teased her for bringing her presents down with her. The group was enjoying their fun morning. However they weren't prepared for the days to come. Their happy weekend would end come Monday. As whispers began circulating the castle that evening.
A/N: Yes trying times are to come for our gaggle of comrades. I wonder how many of you will react when you hear what sorted affairs await our darling little babies that have lived a quiet happy life until now.
Up Next: Rumors begin circling the castle that cast a cold shadow over the 'Potter Gang'.