Chapter Eight: A Happy Birthday

It was not long before Uncle Sev was teaching again as his wife and twin daughters made a quick recovery from the flu. Harry and Ron were still going jogging every morning and Harry was attending Quidditch practice with the rest of the team. While Harry was at Quidditch practice, Ron and Hermione would get their homework done and when Harry returned, Ron would let Harry see his work to help him with his own essay. Both of them promised Hermione that they would not copy each other.

With another week of lessons over, there were the reserve try-outs as well as Quidditch practice afterward on Saturday. There was not a lot of interest in being a reserve for the team as first thought. However, Wood was not disappointed. In fact it made him more determined. Unfortunately, of the half dozen people who showed up for the reserve try-out, only three of them could actually fly. Ron, Seamus, and a second year by the name of Cormac McClaggen were the best flyers. Seamus was a little rough on the edges, but Wood could not deny he had potential. McClaggen could fly a bit too, but he seemed to think he was better than those who were already on the team – including Wood. Ron was better than both of them put together. He had been taught how to fly by James and could do the same show-off flying that Harry could, but as a 'Keeper, he found that it was not necessary for his position. Once the try-out was over, Seamus was selected as a reserve Chaser, and he would get to work with the other three Chasers to help him improve. While Ron was selected as the reserve 'Keeper, and to his and everyone else's surprise, the reserve Seeker. He was bigger than Harry, but Wood thought Ron could handle it. Wood even gave Ron a few Seeker drills and he was able to perform them well.

However, it was not all smooth sailing. McClaggen asked if he was going to be a reserve player too. Wood, who had been unimpressed with the arrogant boy's attitude, told him that he wasn't good enough and so McClaggen left the try-out grinding his teeth and humiliated. Wood, decided with whole pitch to themselves to have a practice match involving one 'Keeper, two Chasers and one Beater on each team as Harry flew laps around the pitch, before Wood released the Snitch.

Hermione watched the whole thing in awe. She had watched the first try-out and had been impressed. But this time she watched Ron keep goal and could not help but be impressed with him. Even though he was using an old broomstick he could still fly well and stop the Chasers from scoring on him almost as well as Wood was doing on the other side. When the practice session was over, Wood congratulated them all on a good practice and told Ron and Seamus that they would be subs for when they played against Slytherin at the beginning of November. After a quick shower and change, Ron and Harry found Hermione waiting for them.

'You were brilliant, Ron!' she squealed as she hugged him.

Ron hugged her back and said, 'Thanks, Hermione. I don't know about you, but I'm starving!'

Harry rolled his eyes as Hermione giggled and so they set off for the kitchen. When they got there, Harry tickled the pear and the door opened. Hermione had never been in the kitchen before and so Ron introduced her to the house-elves that worked there. The elves provided them with food as they were invited to sit down at a table. Together the three of them ate for a while.

'I take it you've never flown before, Hermione?' asked Ron.

'No, I haven't. I don't like heights too much,' she replied.

'Oh, you don't want to learn how to fly, then?' asked Ron.

'I didn't say that, I'm just not sure it'll be my thing or that I'll be much good at it,' she said.

'I don't mind teaching you, if you want to learn, that is?' offered Ron.

'Maybe, but don't you have enough on your plate already? You know, with homework, early morning jogs, practicing your Karate and Quidditch?' said Hermione.

Ron shrugged and said, 'It's all about effective time-management, and if something is important, you make the time.'

Hermione smiled at him and said, 'You still need time to rest too, Ron.'

'I suppose, but I have another question for you,' said Ron.

'What's that?' she replied.

'Your birthday is coming up. So do you want a party or not?' said Ron.

'Oh! I, um, don't know. I've never had a birthday party before because I've had any friends to invite to one,' she said.

'Well, you got us now, Hermione! I reckon a small shindig in the boy's dorm would be a good idea. We can get to know Dean and Seamus and Lavender and Parvati a little better too, what do you think, Harry?' suggested Ron.

'Yeah, sounds good, mate. We can get loads of food from here and get Fred and George to sneak out and get some Butterbeer, too,' replied Harry.

'Perfect! So what do you say, Hermione?' said Ron.

'I don't really have a choice do I?' she asked.

'Nope!' said Ron and Harry together.

'All right then, but I don't want anyone getting into trouble because of me or my birthday, okay?' said Hermione.

Once they had finished their food, they left the kitchen and went back to the common room to relax for a while. However, the common room was full of people so the three of them went up to the boy's dorm. It would be a while until dinner so they crashed on their respective beds, with Hermione on Ron's bed with him as they fell asleep.

0o0

When Hermione awoke on her twelfth birthday, she took a quick shower and got ready for classes before opening her presents. She opened the card from her parents.

Dear Hermione,

Happy birthday, sweetheart! We hope you have a lovely day and those boys of yours spoil you rotten! We wish we could be with you, but we are thinking of you and missing you every day!

Lots and lots of love,

Mum and Dad

Hermione placed the card on her bedside table and moved to the gift her parents had sent her. She picked up the neatly wrapped gift and began to open it slowly without tearing the paper. When the gift was open she saw that it contained a new watch. She took off her old Mickey Mouse watch and replaced it with the more grown up watch. This watch was silver and had a clasp. It was a link too big but she did not mind the new watch slipping up and down her wrist as it did not pass her hand and fall off. She decided she would get a professor to shrink the size for her. Hermione then moved on to her next card which she opened and it said,

Happy birthday, Hermione!

Happy 12th to our new friend!

Harry and Neville

Again she put her new card on her bedside table before turning to the last of her cards which she opened with a little excitement as she guessed that it had to be from Ron. Once it was opened she read it.

Happy birthday, Hermione, and I hope you have many more!

So does 12 feel any different to 11? I guess I'll have to wait until March to find out!

I hope you have a great day and that you enjoy your party!

Lots of love from your best friend,

Ron

She felt a tear or two roll down her cheek as she read his birthday message. She had never had a best friend before or been one to anyone either. With a teary smile she put Ron's card next to the others before going down to the common room. When she got there, to her great surprise, she found that Ron, Harry and Neville were waiting for her. She thanked Harry and Neville for the card before Ron took her bag for her and put it on his shoulder. Hermione have him a hug as a thank you but Ron gave her another gift. As with her other gift, she slowly opened the wrapping paper to reveal a Chocolate Frog.

'Sorry it's not much, I tried to get you something simple and something I wouldn't need to sneak out of school and get in trouble for,' said Ron.

'It doesn't matter, I love Chocolate Frogs!' she said beaming at him before giving him another hug. Once they broke apart, Ron took her hand and they went to breakfast.

The rest of the day went by slowly for Hermione, but for Ron it went by quickly. He told her that they weren't doing any homework tonight. They were throwing her party and so she, somewhat reluctantly, agreed.

The party was wonderful. Seamus organised the music/entertainment, Dean made a nice banner with a few drawings on them. Fred and George had been able to sneak out and acquire the Butterbeers as Harry and Neville got the food. Lavender and Parvati behaved themselves and as the night went on were brave enough to dance with Seamus and Dean respectively, while Harry, Neville and Ron got to dance with the birthday girl. Unfortunately for Hermione, Neville kept treading on her toes, and Harry seemed to hate dancing, but Ron, he was an excellent dancer. He even had Lavender and Parvati wanting to dance with him. Ron obliged them and when Ron went back to dance with Hermione, the two girls said that if they ever have any formal dances at school, they would want a dance with him.

Hermione was overwhelmed. She could not help the tears that escaped as she was dancing with Ron again. Ron saw them and understood. He gently wiped them away with his thumb before she rested her head against his shoulder. But unfortunately it was a school night. It was getting late so the party came to an end. The other girls had already left and the other boys were out of the room leaving Ron and Hermione alone.

'Thank you, Ron. This has been the best birthday I've ever had, you are the most wonderful best friend in the whole world,' said Hermione.

'You're welcome, Hermione, just you wait until next year, and, being your best friend means a lot to me, thank you,' said Ron.

They shared another hug before Ron said, 'When you open your Chocolate Frog, check out the card, yeah?'

'I will, goodnight, Ron,' she replied before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Ron gave her a kiss on the cheek in return before saying, 'Goodnight, Hermione.'

Hermione went back to her room and took out the Chocolate Frog. She opened the box and caught the Frog before it could jump around her bed. She bit off the head as she held it on one hand, while with the other, she picked up the card and read it.

However, it was not a normal card as it read.

Hermione Granger 1979-present

Hermione is famous for being the cleverest witch of her age, and maybe the age. When she was eleven, she met her best friend, Ron Weasley, and became even more brilliant thanks to his good/bad influence. Hermione will go on to break all the records Hogwarts has when it comes to academic achievement, and after school, she will help to make the wizarding world a better place for all.

She smiled another teary smile as her heart rate increased as she read the words Ron had written about her. She placed the hand-made Chocolate Frog Card inside the birthday card from Ron before eating the rest of the Chocolate Frog and going to bed after a very happy birthday.