Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling's world, not mine.

It didn't take Draco long to adjust to living at Grimmauld Place. Hermione and Draco would have breakfast together every morning. They didn't have to worry about Harry. He was usually gone or just coming home, and would spend the early mornings in his room. Once Hermione left for Healer training, Tonks would come over and spend the day with Draco. Hermione wasn't sure what it was the two of them did all day, but Tonks helped Draco stay out of trouble. Some days, Hermione would meet the two of them in Muggle London for lunch. At first, Hermione was the slightest bit jealous that Tonks was able to spend her days with Draco, but then she realized how silly it was. Tonks and Draco were family after all, and Hermione couldn't stay with him all the time anyway. From what Hermione could see, he still wasn't comfortable around Harry, or the various Order members that were always in and out, but Tonks and Draco had been steadily building a relationship.

Harry's research and trip to Spinner's End proved useless. Just as Draco had suspected, the place was empty, devoid of everything. Apparently, it had been abandoned, though it was hard to tell when. For days, Harry, Ron, and a team of Aurors scoured the place to no avail.

The days of summer waned. A chill was about the air, and the days were getting progressively shorter. September was upon them and with September, brought Hermione's birthday. Not like it would be a big deal that year. It was no milestone. After seventeen, it was just another year, nothing special. Beside, they were still in the middle of a war. Harry had yet to find the last Horcrux and he still had the little matter of Voldemort looming over his mind.

Regardless of its unimportance, September 19th rolled around. Just another day, Hermione thought as she made her way downstairs. She found Draco in the kitchen preparing a meal fit for a king.

"What's all this?" Hermione asked making her way into the kitchen.

"Well," he said taking a sip of coffee, "it is your birthday after all," he said to her, just as she had in June.

"Cheeky," Hermione said, as she went to fix herself a cup of coffee.

"Happy birthday, Granger," Draco said before pecking her cheek.

"Thanks," she said taking her coffee cup to the table, "but it's no big deal. It's just another day," she insisted.

"Nonsense," he said as he set a plate of eggs, toast, and waffles in front of her.

"Draco, I can't eat all this," she told him gently.

"So pick. It's your birthday," he said. Hermione started to eat her eggs as Draco joined her at the table. He took a piece of her toast and nibbled. "Are they really making you go into work today?"

"Draco," she said swallowing her food, "people get sick everyday. It makes no difference to them if it's my birthday."

"Well I think you should skive off today."

"And do what? Stay here and have you cook for me all day. Tempting as that sounds, I'll have to pass."

"You don't know what you're missing, Granger. Many women would find that to be their version heaven," he smirked. Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"What are you and Tonks up to today?" she asked changing the subject as best as she could.

"Oh you know," he said, "a little bit of this, a little bit of that."

"Fine, have your secrets," Hermione said checking her watch. "I'd better go. I'll see you tonight."

"Try to get off work early," Draco said sincerely. Hermione gave him that look, but he merely cocked an eyebrow back at her. She sighed and rolled her eyes but smiled in spite of herself.

Indeed, it was just another day at Saint Mungo's. Hermione got back from work the usual time half expecting some grand meal Draco had spent all day preparing for the two of them. When she stepped out of the fireplace however, well that was a different story.

"SURPRISE!" Draco, nearly the entire Weasely clan, not the mention most of the Order, were all present and accounted for, except for Harry. Ron helped her out of the fireplace where Hermione stood frozen in shock. "Happy birthday Hermione," Ron said as he hugged her.

"I can't believe all of this," she told them.

"Oh Hermione, come on, don't cry. No one's dying," Ron told her when he saw the tears. Ginny rolled her eyes at her older brother and took her turn to hug Hermione.

"Ignore him, Hermione," Ginny told her. It took Hermione nearly twenty minutes to greet everyone properly. She made it to Draco and Tonks last, as they were both hanging towards the back.

"Many happy returns, Hermione."

"Thanks Tonks." Hermione looked over to Draco expectantly.

"Don't look at me, I did the whole birthday thing this morning, remember? Or is your memory going in your old age, Granger?" he asked her.

"Ha ha, very funny. It'll happen to you one day," she told him.

"One can only hope, Granger," he said and held up a cup to her. "Cheers."

"Not back on the sauce are you?" she asked him as she took the cup from him and sniffed it.

"The Weasley woman made it," Draco informed her.

"Well, I'd watch out if I were you," Hermione explained, "Fred and George, you know."

"Will do, Granger. Now go party, it's your birthday."

It took Hermione some prodding before she found out that it was actually Draco's idea to throw her a surprise party. Ginny spilled the beans after a few cups of punch. Hermione had noticed Fred lingering around the punch bowl a little too long and steered clear of it. Tonks had told Mrs. Weasley that she and Draco thought it might be nice to have a little party for Hermione's birthday. Tonks convinced her with the old, "and beside, everyone could use it times like these." Hermione was glad too, but she was upset that Harry had been missing.

"Ron, where's Harry? I haven't seen him all day," Hermione asked slightly worried. Ron handed her a glass of punch and told her that Harry had to stay late at Auror training, and before he could come home he had to make a stop along the way. "A stop for what?" Hermione asked him.

"Never you mind that, Hermione. You'll find out," Ron told her. Her birthday gift, of course.

"Fine," she told Ron, "but I'm still not drinking this."

"Hey Hermione?" Ron stopped her as she went to leave him. "Are we, er, I mean, are we all right? The two of us? I know it's been a little weird, but–"

"But we're still best friends," she interrupted, "and nothing can change that. Promise?"

"Promise."

Hermione scanned the room but couldn't find Draco. When she asked Tonks, she said that Draco had gone upstairs for something a while ago and never came back down. Hermione excused herself and went upstairs to find him. His door was closed but she knocked. He opened the door with a smirk on his face.

"Couldn't help it, could you?" he asked her stepping aside to let her in.

"Couldn't help what exactly?" she asked him.

"You wanted to know what I was doing. You're so nosey, Granger."

"Well it's my party, and I can nose if I want to," she told him. "So what are you doing up here anyway?"

"I was waiting for you to come find me so I can give you your gift."

"Gift? You didn't have to–"

"Granger, don't finish that sentence," he interrupted. He handed her a box wrapped in silver paper. "Go on, open it."

Hermione delicately tore the paper, causing Draco to roll his eyes. "Oh hush," Hermione smiled. She opened the box to find another box.

"It's a box. Oh, it's lovely," she said as she examined the box more closely. It had her initials monogrammed on the outside.

"Open it," he told her. She looked at him excitedly. When she did, the box played music. Not just any music, "Moonlight Sonata". And there was an inscription on the inside as well. "I grant you the gift of song." Hermione laughed.

"Draco, this is the most thoughtful gift anyone's ever given me. Thank you so much," she said and kissed his cheek. He turned the slightest shade of pink.

"You're welcome. Shall we go back downstairs?"

"Make a wish dear!" Mrs. Weasley brought out the cake and everyone sang to Hermione before she blew out the candles. She cut the customary first piece before letting Molly take over. Hermione sat back and enjoyed her cake until she heard one of the plates crash and break. Hermione was horrified at what she saw.

"Draco!" Hermione yelled, and rushed over to him. He had collapsed onto the floor and breathing erratically. The color had drained from his face and he began sweating profusely. He was in pain. No, not pain, agony; torture it looked like. And Hermione wasn't sure what to do for him.

Author's Note – Finally an update! The usual excuses apply. Exams, projects, you guys know how it is. Sorry for the lateness in this update though. I was stuck, and then I got an idea for this chapter. Then I was like, even better, let's celebrate Hermione's birthday! The gift of song returns, even though it sucks, but I don't think this gift of song sucks (though I wrote it so I could be biased – originally Draco was going to write her a song but I think that bordered on cheese/fluff and there's no piano in Grimmauld Place). Thanks for reading, let me know what you guys think!