a/n: Shout out to poka, Time Keeper, and DDNT.07 for reading and taking the time to review. It's such a motivation to keep posting.

Prompt: Hermione's Birthday (open ended)

Chapter 5: Realizations

Harry woke up with an anticipation in his gut. It took him several seconds to remember what it was he was looking forward to. Hermione. It was her birthday and he had gotten her the perfect present. He very nearly gave it to her early. If he hadn't been so busy with his lessons with Dumbledore, Quidditch tryouts, and the Slug Club, he might have given it to her the day it arrived.

Checking his watch, it was early. She'd be in the common room studying. He hoped so. Hopping out of bed, he pulled on a long sleeve shirt, changed from his flannel pants to jeans. In an absent attempt to smooth his hair in the mirror, he decided he didn't care if it was sticking up. She wouldn't care. Stepping into his shoes, he dug in his trunk for the wrapped package. He had considered leaving it in its brown parcel paper and had thought better of it. She'd appreciate the effort to cover it with silver paper and a neatly tied ribbon. As he passed Ron's bed, he let his other friend sleep.

It had been weird recently between her and Ron. He suspected they had feelings for each other and that made him uneasy. He told himself it was because he knew what they were like as friends, arguing all the time. Acting like they disliked each other for no reason every other day. What would happen if they tried to be a couple and then broke up? They'd hate each other. He was sure of it. Ron would make sure she was reminded of every mistake she made. Every slight he had felt. In retaliation, she'd do things that were illogical and out of character to get back at him. It sounded awful. And that wasn't even the worst case scenario. What if they got together and stubbornly tried to mix oi and water together day in and day out. He loved them both. He didn't love them together. Secretly he had known Ron had a crush on her since the yule ball. There might have been signs before that but that's when Ron showed his hand. He wasn't sure when he picked up on her feelings. Maybe at the burrow that summer.

Harry wasn't one to meddle in his friend's lives. He was considering an exception in this case. He told himself it was for their own good as well as his selfish desire to not have to choose between his two best friends. He knew who's side he'd choose too.

As he expected, Hermione was already up and reading by the fire. He stood on the steps and watched her for a minute. It was the same chair she had been sitting in on their first night in the castle. A part of him had known that night she was special. The way she calmed his nerves about class and showed him he was capable of learning about magic. She had been so eager to prove herself. Maybe a little too eager, to Ron's great frustration. Remembering those early days, it crossed his mind that she was exceptionally obnoxious in potions class. His eyes narrowed. Snape never wanted to call on her. He did everything to discourage her participation. She never quit. At the time he thought she was too focused on saying the answer to be bothered by the professor's annoyance. Now, he wasn't so sure. Walking down the stairs, he flopped into the chair across from her. "Are you going to read that whole book before class?"

She hadn't looked up at his arrival, but her lips curled up at his words. "I've already read all my books. I'm re-reading them. It's called being prepared."

"Hm," he said in response. "Some might call it being over-prepared."

She closed the book, but kept her finger in place. "Those people will be glad I'm overprepared when they're not. What have you got there?" Her smile turned into a full grin at the sight of her present in his lap.

"Happy Birthday, Hermione," he said awkwardly and handed it to her.

Setting her arithmancy book aside, she studied the present. It was clearly a book. He could see that now. He should have done more to make it less obvious. She delicately pulled at the corners of the tape, undid the knot of the ribbon and let the silver paper fall away. Her fingers passed over the title and her eyes went wide. " The Complete Book on Extension Charms. Harry this is a regulated book," she said scandalously but pulled it close, daring anyone to take it from her.

"I know. Professor Dumbledore helped me get it," he explained, wondering if she thought that would be weird if their headmaster helped him get her birthday present. It didn't seem to bother her as she flipped to the index and read the chapter titles excitedly. He loved to see her happy. "Do you remember our first night here?" he asked, letting the nostalgia take him away. Life had been so much simpler then. Before he knew about Tom Riddle or Voldemort. Before he watched Sirius die. Before he learned about true evil in the world.

"Of course. You were so great. You learned the entire transfiguration alphabet in an hour," she complimented him and then blushed a bit. "I was a little enamored by you that night."

He sat up in surprise. "You were? It wasn't that impressive. I'm sure you learned all the symbols in half the time."

She waved him off. "No. Not about that. You were Harry Potter! And you sat down and talked to me. I had read all about you in A History of Magic, and there you were. Like a book came to life and you were talking to me. I was sure you'd forget all about me the next day. I was convinced you'd become so popular you'd forget I existed."

Harry bristled at the thought. He never wanted to be popular. He was glad that had never happened. "Well you made it really hard to forget you existed," he joked. "Every class you had your hand up, Especially in potions. You were relentless."

"Well, I wouldn't have had to be if Professor Snape had called on me once in a while," she explained.

"Sometimes I thought you were doing it so Snape wouldn't try to make an example of me." Her silence was the answer to the question he sought. He felt a surge of affection for her. "You lost so many points doing that."

"I always made sure to make them up in other classes. He didn't need to pick on you like that."

With her words he remembered a flash of her notebook with slash marks. He thought she was being obsessive over how many times she answered questions in class. He now realized she was making sure her actions in potions didn't affect their house standing. "Honestly, Hermione. You still find a way to surprise me."

"What?" she asked. "I'll always be there for you. I don't know why that would surprise you."

He shook his head. "I know. Just… thank you. And happy birthday, Hermione."