Chapter Fifteen: Ron's Birthday and Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff

The last couple of weeks had been spent going to class, doing homework and in Harry's case, Quidditch practice. The game against Hufflepuff was approaching rapidly, as was Ron's birthday. Harry had spoken to Fred and George about having a small party to celebrate the day and they said that they would take care of everything. Ron, meanwhile, was looking forward to his birthday and the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. He had been busy with other things. He had narrowly avoided getting detention for making Malfoy's trousers fall down during Transfiguration as Malfoy had been sitting in front of him, Hermione and Harry. Malfoy kept turning around to look at them to make rude hand gestures and in retaliation, Ron used a clever hex that made his trousers too big so that when he stood up at the end of the class, his trousers fell down exposing his green underwear, which made the rest of the class laugh, and while Professor McGonagall had struggled to keep a straight face herself she had a feeling about what might have happened and who was responsible, after all, she had taught the Marauders.

When Ron awoke on his birthday he found that all his presents were there ready and waiting to be opened. Unfortunately, they had to wait until after his morning run with Harry. During their run they had talked about the usual stuff, girls and Quidditch. After their run they showered and dressed for the day before Ron opened his presents.

From his parents he received homemade fudge and a new jumper, from his siblings, who had collaborated, he received new quills and parchment, as well as book on ancient curses from Bill, and a new book on dragons from Charlie. He received an enormous box of Chocolate Frogs from the James and Lily, and from Sirius, a really cool a handy pocket knife that a special key to open any lock. Harry had gotten one for his last birthday and Ron had thought it was cool.

Once the presents were done they went down to the common room where Hermione was waiting for them.

'Happy Birthday, Ron!' she said as she hugged him.

Ron hugged her back tightly and said, 'Thanks, Hermione.'

Hermione then handed him an envelope which obviously contained a birthday card.

'Thanks!' he said again before opening the envelope.

'Sorry it's not much, Ron,' she said.

Ron took out the card and he saw it was handmade and said, 'It'll be brilliant, Hermione, because it came from you.'

Ron then opened the card but something almost fell out of it but it was caught quickly. It was a handmade Chocolate Frog Card much like the one he had made for her for her birthday back in September and he read it.

Ronald Weasley 1980-present

Ron is considered to be the best chess player and friend in the whole world by his friends and family. When he was eleven he met Hermione Granger who became his best friend and who inspired him to do his homework on time and study to pass his exams with high marks. They will be best friends for life.

Ron looked up from the card to look at Hermione and smiled at her before saying, 'This is brilliant, thank you, Hermione.' He then gave her another hug before tucking the card into his bag before grabbing her bag off of her shoulder and then they left for breakfast and class.

When classes were finally over they all went back to Gryffindor tower so Fred and George could throw Ron his birthday party. During the small shindig, which comprised of all eight first years, the Quidditch team and Percy, a good time was being had by all. Dean had made a special Happy Birthday banner, and nobody went hungry or thirsty. All the girls took it in turns to dance with Ron, but Ron's favourite dance partner was Hermione.

Harry, meanwhile, was enjoying himself too, he was watching as Ron and Hermione danced with one another. As he did so, he noticed that they looked positively giddy as Ron made her laugh and she made him smile just by dancing with him, and he was strongly reminded of his parents. Harry was then accosted by the twins, who gave him another Butterbeer to drink, which distracted him enough to miss Ron and Hermione slipping out of the room.

After Ron closed the door behind them, Hermione said, 'What are we doing out here, Ron?'

'I just wanted to say thanks again for the birthday and Chocolate Frog card, they mean a lot to me, and so do you,' Ron replied.

'Oh, it was no trouble because you mean a lot to me, too,' said Hermione with a blush.

Ron then gave Hermione a bear-hug and as she giggled she squeezed hi back just as tightly.

When they broke apart, Ron and Hermione moved as one to share a soft kiss on the lips.

'I think you're brilliant, Hermione …' Ron whispered.

'So are you, Ron …' Hermione whispered.

'We'd better go back inside before Gred and Forge come looking for us,' said Ron.

'Yeah …' said Hermione, in a sad voice before following Ron back into the party.

It was a week later and it was time for the match against Hufflepuff. Harry was not as nervous this time around. He had one good match under his belt already, and was determined to make it two out of two. Wood told Harry that Hufflepuff had a decent Seeker in Cedric Diggory and that he would be more of a challenge than Higgs of Slytherin had been, although no-one was scared of Hufflepuff's Chasers, Beaters, or their Keeper. As far as the rest of the team were concerned, it was practically seven on one.

After a quick breakfast the team left the Great Hall for the changing rooms, leaving Ron to escort Hermione to the pitch along with Neville. Since his birthday, Ron had noticed that Hermione had not been her usual self. She had been a little withdrawn and one time when Ron called out to her, she snapped at him and ran out of the common room. However, he found her later in the day in tears. When he asked her what was wrong, she told him that her stomach hurt, so Ron took her to the hospital wing and to Madam Pomfrey, the school matron. When she came out from her consultation with the matron, Hermione seemed relieved about something, but when Ron asked her what had been wrong, she merely blushed as she told him it was personal. Ron guessed that she was having what his father called a sad week for when his mother had them too, although he was no fool and knew exactly what both Hermione meant, and what his father had meant too, due to his lessons about girls from Lily and Sirius, so he put his arm around Hermione and had taken her back to the common room.

Now, though, they had taken their places in the stand to watch the match. Unfortunately for them it seemed as though their enjoyment of the game was going to be spoiled by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle as they stood behind Ron, Hermione and Neville.

As they watched the game, the three of them all managed to ignore Malfoy and his attempts to get a rise out of them, and even better, the game was brought to a very quick conclusion when Harry caught the snitch in record time. It was with great satisfaction as Ron, Hermione and the other Gryffindors walked away from an open mouthed Malfoy and went to party in the common room.

During the party, Harry was the toast and darling of Gryffindor tower. All the girls wanted to dance with him as the moment he finished one Butterbeer, he was given another instantly. On the other side of the common room, Ron was dancing with Hermione, as Fred and George danced the night away with Angelina and Alicia. The Gryffindors partied long and hard into the night as they celebrated their victory.