A/N1: Good grief. I took way too long. It's not the longest gap ever, but it was still pretty long. I am so sorry. High school stress homework, swimming and of course BOYS is very tiring. So please forgive me for my lack of updates.

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Never has been, and never will be.

Note: Special thanks to miss bookworm malfoy---her well timed review is the main reason that I'm updating now!!

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XXXXXHermioneXXXXX (10:00pm, January 8th, Hermione's birthday.)

After Hermione finished preparing for bed in the bathroom and headed off to get some much needed sleep, the hoot of an owl interrupted her trip. Hovering outside the window of her dorm was a magnificent and regal looking eagle owl. Recognizing it at once as Draco's owl, she let it in, her curiosity getting the better of her. As soon as it was let in, the owl gave a hoot and dropped its package and note on her bed before swooping off into the night. She took the scrap of parchment and gasped at what it said.

Happy birthday. Weaselette said that Pothead and Weasel probably couldn't handle much else...so I sent this instead. You'll see later.

Ha—don't you loathe not knowing something that I do? I'll bet it's driving you crazy.

DM

To say Hermione was confused was a simple way of stating reality. She was confused when nobody remembered her birthday. She was confused when Malfoy—Draco's owl was at her window. Now she was dumbfounded that it didn't contain evil greetings, but birthday wishes. And what did Ginny say? What did she have to do with anything? What did he mean by Harry and Ron not being to take anything else? What else is going on?? WHAT WILL I SEE LATER?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Yes, it is driving me crazy!!!

Taking a break from her mental breakdown of instability, Hermione put aside the note and picked up the little box that the note was attached to. Gingerly she unwrapped the silver and green striped paper and once revealing the gift, whispered aloud, "It's exquisite." It was a mini-snow globe that could fit in the palm of her hand. Inside there was snow floating around a silver angel that was flying around. An additional note fell out from the wrapping.

The snow is real and it is bewitched not to melt or to settle at the bottom, so you don't have to shake it to keep it moving. And the little angel is also charmed to continue to stay flying.

DM

Hermione breathed happily, touched by the unusually kind gesture from him. She set it on her bedside table and fell happily asleep.

XGinnyXXXX (Earlier that morning. Right after Hermione left the Great Hall.)

Ginny was exasperated. She turned to Harry and Ron and gave them an icy glare. "Do you know what day it is?" They both shook their heads.

"It's January 8th." Their eyes widened in horror and shock. Harry turned to Ron with a guilty look on his face. "I think we should apologize to her. How terrible must she feel?" He turned his gaze to Ginny. "Hey wait, why didn't you wish her a happy birthday?" She sniffed haughtily, "I am throwing her a surprise party. Speaking of which, Harry, do you still have that control galleon from the D.A?"

Harry looked confused. "What does that have to do with Hermione's surprise party?"

"Well, I thought that you could use those to contact the others and tell them to come to the RoR tomorrow at 7:30pm to help set up for Hermione's party which is at 8:30pm." His eyes widened in comprehension. "Ok, I'll go rummage around for them."

"Thank you." Ginny got up to leave, but she turned around and addressed Ron. "You two had better apologize at the party."

On her way to Potions with the Ravenclaws, Ginny ran into Malfoy, literally. If this were a cartoon, then a little light bulb would have flickered above her head as she got up. Malfoy was about to walk away when Ginny called after him. "Fer—Malfoy, wait!" He grudgingly turned and gave her an impatient glare. "What do you want, Weaselette?"

"Ok, listen to me. I really don't like you at all, and I KNOW that you don't like me, but you have to listen." Malfoy made no move to walk away; he just looked at her as if she were a mildly interesting form of entertainment.

"I'm listening, and right now you are wasting my time. So get to the point."

"Fine, fine. You see, today is Hermione's birthday and tomorrow I am throwing her a surprise party. I considered inviting you because of your recent engagement status and all..."

Malfoy's face reddened in anger or embarrassment, Ginny couldn't tell, and he started spluttering.

Glossing over his discomfort, Ginny continued. "And as interesting as I'm sure it would be if you came...I don't think my brother and Harry could take that. So if you have something that you could give her as like a gift, you should."

Ginny turned to leave and before she had walked ten paces, Malfoy spoke.

"What's in it for me?" Leave it to a Malfoy to look for self benefits.

"Nothing really, you just the joy of giving a gift to someone else." He rolled his eyes.

"Get serious, Weasley."

"I am serious. There isn't anything in it for you. But Hermione thinks that everyone forgot her special day, so I'm sure she feels pretty small right now. I'm just saying it'd be a nice gesture; that's all." She walked off to Potions and left Malfoy to ponder what she just said.

XXXXXXDraco MalfoyXXXXXXXXXXXX (9:45pm, January 8th)

Even during dinner, Malfoy was not able to shake the youngest Weasley's words out of his mind. Not even Blaise's irrelevant chatter and nonsense could distract him. Malfoy was so out of it that he put jelly in his pumpkin juice and didn't realize it until he tasted the concoction. Malfoy disliked jelly to an extreme extent. He always thought that it resembled crushed up worms, and he was never able to eat it after that visual image.

After dinner, he headed to his private quarters (he was a Malfoy after all, and head boy.) Digging through his stuff he found the perfect gift. It was something that he had once meant to give to Pansy before he realized that she was scum and didn't care for stuff like this. She only wanted him for his money and always wanted him to buy her pricy jewelry. Making a hasty decision, he quickly used magic to wrap the gift and scribbled two notes before going to the Owlry. It's only because I feel bad for her. That's all. As he walked to and from the Owlry, that was his constant mantra. It was that that also lulled him to sleep.

TBC…

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A/N2: Please review. No flames.

LOVELOVELOVE!!!!

Amanda