Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 6: Happy Birthday, Hermione

Despite the serious situation that had occurred in Moonlight and Magic everyone's spirits seemed to rise, even Ron's, though only a little. All of them began to act appropriately for the day's special occasion: Hermione's 26th Birthday.

The five of them Apparated to the Burrow to drop off the items they had bought while in Hogsmeade and for Ginny and Ron to change into nicer clothes at Draco's suggestion. Once Ginny and Ron had come downstairs again, they were dressed much nicer with Ginny wearing a turquoise dress and Ron changing his casual pants into nicer grey slacks.

They decided to return to Hogsmeade because Draco informed them about the existence of a restaurant and dance hall at the far end of the village. All of them were excited to go except for Ron, who had muttered something about how he did not and would not dance. But for Hermione's sake, he obliged.

Hermione's eyes glittered with excitement when they stepped inside the restaurant which she learned was called Enchantment. The place lived up to its name, each rustic wall was donned with ornate, brass torches that burned with golden flames that lit the hall nicely and gave their surroundings an air of extreme sophistication. Each table was adorned with white plates, their rims etched with gold and the goblets were made of the finest crystal.

A pudgy host showed them to their table that was situated at the centre of the hall and near the dance floor. Hermione clapped her hands over her mouth in awe as Harry pushed in her chair for her when she sat down.

"This place is absolutely amazing," said Hermione, still gazing at the grandiose surroundings.

"Well it's your birthday," said Ginny with a smile, "it should be special."

Hermione agreed in humble embarrassment when everyone nodded vehemently to agree with Ginny. It was then that a stuffy looking maître d' approached their table with a leather bound notepad in one hand and a quill in the other. He appeared to have a permanent scowl on his face as though someone were waving a pair of sweaty socks beneath his nose.

"May I take your order?" the maître d' said in a nasal voice, his mustache twitching with every word.

They all picked up their menus, perusing them over and over. Just when they saw something that looked very delicious a new dish popped up. I didn't make their decision any easier. While they all continued to read the ever-changing menu, Hermione heard an incessant tapping sound jabbing in her ears. She looked up from the menu and discovered that the maître d' was tapping his foot on the floor.

"I'll just come back when you've decided what you'd like," he said, stomping away.

"We would like some red wine by the way!" Draco called, purposely waiting until the maître d' was a few feet away. The maître d' stopped and turned around, nodding curtly before storming off again.

"I don't like his tone of voice!" huffed Ginny.

Hermione nodded and then leaned over to Harry was still looking at his menu.

"That maître d' looks really stuffy, don't you think?" Hermione whispered to him.

"Yeah," agreed Harry with a nod, "it looks like he has a wand stuck up his ass."
Hermione couldn't help but giggle at his words.

"Why don't you do that thing you do?" Hermione suggested in an apprehensive hush. "You know that thing you do to impress people?"

"Oh, no, Hermione, you see that only works for women," said Harry with a look of surprise. He then lowered his voice more, "Besides, I hardly think a public place like this is appropriate for that sort of thing."

Hermione's eyes turned round and wide and she felt her cheeks growing warm. She only realized that Harry was joking when he cracked a mischievous grin. But she also knew that he understood the exact thing she was referring to.

"You know, 'Mione, it's a severe abuse of my identity and power," said Harry in a light and joking tone, but she knew well that he really did not want to do what she was asking.

She turned scarlet in embarrassment, now sorry that she had even asked. When she straightened up again, the stuffy maître d' had returned and they were all still clueless as to what they wanted as they were a few moments ago. As they skimmed the menu one last time, the maître d' was unable to contain his own impatience.

"I could have transfigured your goblets into cats by now," the maître d' snapped in his snooty voice. "Shall, I leave while all continue to dodder over the menu?"

Everyone looked up at the maître d' with their jaws dropped. Ginny and Ron both made to stand up, more than ready to tell the maître d' just how rude a man he was. Luckily, Draco and Hermione were there to pull each of them down back to their chairs. Hermione calmed Ron down, leaving him to mutter expletives to describe the maître d' under his breath and then she turned back to Harry whose eyebrows were lowered in anger. He then turned to Hermione and gave her a sly wink. Then, letting out an exasperated sigh loud enough for the maître d' to hear, he pushed back the bangs of his incurably messy black hair revealing the lightning shaped scar that rested on his forehead.

Everyone got the greatest pleasure as the maître d' affixed his eyes on Harry's scar. Indeed, he had been so taken by surprise that his leather bound notepad nearly leapt from his hands.

"Er---erm, Mr. Potter," the maître d' spluttered, "p--please, all of you, take your time."

Harry nodded and then turned back to Hermione was shining with a bright smile. Without question after that the maître d' became exceedingly attentive. Their food came out fast and they all had the feeling that their maître d' had told the chefs to take special care to make their food doubly delicious. They had obviously for Ginny and Draco were enjoying their tuna steaks, Ron was stuffing his mouth with glazed turkey, Harry was doing the same with his lamb chops and Hermione found her veal quite succulent.

When she was done, Hermione poked at her empty plate in satisfaction, her stomach sufficiently full of delicious food. The maître d' came back again and Hermione observed as Harry whispered something in his year to make him run off to the kitchen. She wondered what he could have said now to make him scamper away again.

"Well, that was very good wasn't it?" Hermione said to Ginny across the table.

Ginny nodded in agreement and then Ron said what she knew Ginny had been wanting to say since the abhorrent maître d' had approached their table.

"Yeah," garbled Ron with a scowl, "all except for that slimy toerag of a maître d' ...the shirty git."

Harry laughed at Ron's comment, feeling that he could not have said it better himself while Hermione patted Ron on the arm. She then took a sip of wine from her crystal goblet when she saw three waiters pushing something on a cart in the direction of their table. Her eyes followed it and she welled up in excitement when she realized it was a birthday cake.

"You didn't think you were done, did you?" said Harry, grinning.

"Happy Birthday, Herm!" Ron added as the waiters placed her cake at the middle of the table.

Hermione cracked an embarrassed grin, her cheeks growing pink. The cake was round with periwinkle blue frosting and written in scarlet and gold letters was: Happy Birthday Hermione. Candles were lit around the circumference of the cake and at everyone's urging she blew them out. Each of them had a slice of light, white cake and Hermione slumped in her chair feeling that she could eat no more. She leaned her head against her hand and pushed her plate away.

"That was delicious," Hermione said with a sigh.

They all began to hear a slow tune being sung by a witch with a breathy voice who had gotten on the stage just above the dance floor. Hermione watched as Draco pushed his chair out, stood up and offered his hand to Ginny.

"Come on, let's dance," said Draco.

Ginny nodded and shuffled off to the dance floor with Draco. Only moments after Ginny and Draco had left, a witch with dark blonde hair, her face painted with too much makeup, and dressed in a garish fuchsia robes, shimmied to their table. Without so much as a thought of consideration, she sat in Draco's empty chair which was next to Harry's. Hermione glared at the witch, who seemed to take no notice and engaged herself by ogling over Harry. And as much as Hermione tried to fight it, she clenched her fists tighter and tighter, the longer the witch sat there.

"Hello there," the witch said to Harry in a voice much too sultry for Hermione's liking. "I'm Alice."

"Er---hello," said Harry, with Hermione catching the furtive glances that he was giving to her and Ron. "Er---I'm Harry."

"Oh yes, I know who you are, of course," the witch said quickly flicking her eyes to his forehead and then flipping her hair sleek hair back with one hand. "I mean, who doesn't know who you are? Though, I must admit, I never expected you were quite this handsome."

Hermione tightened her lips, then reached for her goblet taking down a huge gulp of wine. She glanced over at Ron who seemed to be looking away and was coughing in embarrassment for Harry. Harry was still shifting his eyes over at them as if asking for help which he knew they could not give.

"Er---these, these are my best friends: Ron and Hermione," Harry added quickly.

The witch only gave them a fleeting glance, saying, "Oh yes, charming pair." And then she turned her eyes back to Harry.

Ron and Hermione shared a frown while Harry seemed intent on pulling away while she insisted on leaning towards him. Hermione glared at her as she flashed Harry a perfect smile that seemed especially white in contrast with her deep red lipstick. She stood up in a stately manner and held out a well-manicured hand to Harry.

"You wouldn't deny me a dance would you?" The witch said in a haughty voice.

Harry shared a look with Ron and Hermione that indicated that he would very much like to deny the witch a dance. His decency, however, got the best of him and he stood up with a grudging nod. Then with a squeal of delight, the witch dragged him to the dance floor. Hermione glowered at her and then turned back to Ron. She began to tap her fingers on the table cloth in time to the music and shifted her eyes to Ron many times.

"What?" Ron said, finally noticing.

"What do you mean?" Hermione said innocently.

"You're shifting your eyes at me, I'm not that thick," Ron said and then looked at her in suspicion. "What do you want?"

"Oh....I just...Ron, why don't you dance with me?" Hermione said, grinning at him.

Ron looked at her as though she had just asked him to keep a jar full of spiders as pets.

"Have you gone completely mental?" Ron asked incredulously. "I---do---not---dance."

"Oh come off it, Ron!" Hermione pleaded. "It's my birthday after all!"

Hermione waited for his response, her hands clasped together. Then after Ron rolled his eyes, he got up stiffly from his chair. He held out his arm, his eyes looking anywhere but at her and the dance floor. She took his hand eagerly, pulling him to the dance floor. Hermione placed one of Ron's hands at her waist and the other in her hand. She frowned at how stiff he still stood as though someone had petrified him and then as soon as a mid-tempo song began she pushed him into moving. As they moved along the dance floor, Hermione understood why Ron did not like to dance. His feet were moving in an arrhythmic and jerky fashion, causing her to stumble at every turn.

"Ron! Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, bringing them to a halt. "Stop! Why don't you let me lead for a little bit?"

"This is why I don't dance," grumbled Ron as he heeded Hermione's words.

Soon they were moving again, but it was not in a jerky manner as before. Rather, it felt like they were gliding. Hermione saw the expression change on Ron's face from one discomfort to one of mild acceptance. It appeared that the dancing was no longer as bad as he thought it was.

"See, it's not that difficult, is it?" Hermione said with a smile.

"Erm---I s'pose not," said Ron with a gulp.

Ron soon became comfortable enough to start leading. Hermione was impressed and then became weary as Ron's eyes bore into her own. She thought that closing her eyes would help but found that each time she opened them Ron's gaze was still on her. It struck her more poignantly then that neither of them had discussed the kiss they had shared. She closed her eyes in thought, a sudden image of Harry flashing in her head, and then she looked up at Ron feeling more confused then ever before.

"Ron---,"

"Hermione---,"

They had spoken at the same time.

"Erm---" Hermione stammered, "erm---you first."

"No, you," Ron insisted.

She let out a puff of exasperation and rolled her eyes. She did not want to play a

back-and-forth game.

"Ok then," said Hermione in a firm voice. "I wanted to talk to you about...about that...kiss."

"Oh!" said Ron with his eyes wide. "Me too."

"Well," said Hermione in a slow voice, "what was that, I mean, what was it all about?"

"Well...I... it felt just like when we were kids, when were still together," Ron confessed, "and I just really felt like I wanted to kiss you then."

Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I know what you mean," said Hermione keeping her eyes on him. "I mean, it really felt like when were still younger, like we were still together."

Ron's eyes pierced hers after that and he brushed a strand of hair that had fallen at the corner of her face.

"What does that mean, Herm?"

Hermione answered the first thing that came to her mind, "I don't know, does it have to mean something?"

Hermione looked up into his eyes and knew them well enough to see that Ron was just as confused as she. Before he answered her he shifted his eyes from left to right as though he were searching the air in front of him for an answer.

"I don't know," Ron answered truthfully, "maybe...I don't know."

"Me either," murmured Hermione.

"Yeah…" said Ron in a distant voice, his eyes wondering past her at the empty space beyond them.

Hermione examined the expression on his face. She could tell it was one of distraction and deep thought.

"Ron, are you ok?" Hermione inquired in concern.

Ron's eyes darted back to Hermione and he gave her a weak smile, "It's just been a strange day...y'know."

Hermione nodded, feeling worry for him settle in her stomach. She took one hand and touched his face and he brought his own hand to hers and clutched it. Hermione held his smiling gaze for a few moments knowing that not talking about it was better than anything else at the moment. Then they both turned their eyes to Harry who they spotted still hooked by the gaudy witch. Hermione began to feel the comfortable warmth she had been feeling begin to boil up in anger as she watched the witch tighten her grip around Harry's neck.

"Harry looks like he needs help," Ron commented with a chuckle. "He looks like he's been trapped in a room with Snape without a key."

"Yes, hmm, well she's a rather twitchy sort of woman, isn't she?" Hermione said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.

"Care to help him out?" Ron suggested, gesturing towards Harry.

"Yes, we should," Hermione answered at once.

"No, I meant you," Ron clarified.

"Pardon?" Hermione asked, bewildered and hoped she was not blushing.

"Well, I'm surely not going to cut in and ask Harry to dance with me," quipped Ron. "It'd be rather odd, don't you think?"

"Oh," Hermione mouthed in realization but then turned back to Ron, feeling guilt stirring in her stomach. "Wait, I can't just leave you here by yourself, Ron."

Ron gestured towards a pair of glass doors with brass handles leading to a garden at the restaurant's rear, "I'll just go out there...I wanted to go for a walk anyway. And besides, it's the only way I'll be able to avoid any one who may ask me to dance."

Hermione gave him a half-smile, nodded and then watched as Ron walked off the dance floor and beyond the doors into the garden. When he had gone, she turned and marched towards Harry, who was desperately trying to distance himself from the clingy witch. With the air of someone ready to win a duel, Hermione tapped on the witch's shoulder. She let go of Harry and spun around nearly swatting Hermione with her sleek hair. Her lips were tight and her eyebrows were narrowed in anger.

"What?" the witch snapped at Hermione.

"Oh, well, you see, I wanted to cut in and dance with Harry," Hermione replied in a calm and confident air.

"What happened to that vacant red-haired man you were dancing with?" the witch uttered with a low glare at Hermione.

Hermione and Harry glowered at the witch as she uttered those insulting words about their best friend. And while Harry stood there, clenching his fists so hard that his nails dug into his palms, Hermione still managed to keep her cool as she lifted her head up.

"Well, he wanted to sit this one out and he told me to go on and dance with Harry," Hermione flashed a smile at both Harry and the witch and the clapped her hands together. "So, here I am."

The witch sneered at her, not prepared to let Hermione anywhere near Harry. She was fuming, but before she could even open her mouth to make just one sound, Hermione spoke out again, but to Harry this time.

"So, what do say, Harry?" Hermione turned to him and looked straight into his eyes as though the witch weren't even there. "You surely wouldn't refuse your best friend her birthday dance, would you?"

"No," Harry replied, taking a hold of Hermione's outstretched hand, "I dare say I wouldn't."

Hermione beamed at him as he pulled her close and then they dancing away, leaving the witch standing as a bright fuchsia lump in the middle of the dance floor. When they were out of earshot, Harry let out a huge sigh of relief as he gazed at Hermione.

"Thank you...so much!" Harry told her as they slowed in their steps to match the ambling tempo of the song being played. "You have no idea how much you saved me!"

Hermione sniggered and then smiled up at Harry, "Well, you just owe me then."

"I guess do," Harry agreed with a nod and then looked around, "Where's Ron?"

"Ohh....erm…," Hermione started in a slight stammer, "he's out taking a walk in the garden back there. He told me he wanted to help you but didn't want to take a chance that someone might ask him to dance."

"Hmm...smart man, Ron is," Harry murmured.

"I don't understand why you and Ron don't like to dance," said Hermione in a matter-of-fact voice. "It's not that bad is it?"

Harry avoided answering with a shrug and he pulled her closer so that they were now dancing cheek to cheek. Hermione could feel the soothing warmth of his cheek touching hers. The feeling of it was wafting so warmly in the pit of her stomach that she had to close her eyes and take a deep breath. For a moment she remembered what Ginny had said to her about still being in love with Harry and Ron.

Maybe---maybe it is possible, said a very logical voice in a reluctant manner.

Hermione still had her eyes close, letting the realization sink into her mind.
So, what are you going to do now? The voice said. Who are you going to choose? Because there has to be one you love more...one you're in love with more.

Hermione wanted to scream out in desperation that she did not know, but instead she opened her eyes. Her heart began to pound as Harry took her hand in his and pressed it to where his heart would be. She welled up with a smile, unmistakably feeling his heartbeat at her fingertips. She swore she could hear her voice come back and start to give her the answer she most wanted to hear, but it was crudely interrupted when she spotted a sandy-haired man coming in her and Harry's direction.

Her voice responded to this instead, Oh no.

"Oh my!" Hermione gasped, looking up at Harry in horror.

"What?" Harry asked in concern. "What is it?"

"Oh dear! Oh dear!" She repeated and then took a deep breath, squeaking out, "It's Seamus Finnegan, he's coming this way!"

Harry, who she was sure would understand the severity of this predicament, let out a boisterous laugh.

"It's not funny!!!" Hermione snarled in panic. "Oh, I have to do something. You have to help me! What do I do? We have to do something!"

Hermione was so blind with panic that she barely noticed Harry calmly clasping her face in his hands. She looked up at him, bewildered and wondered what in the world his plan could be. She grew more and more frantic by the second until she froze when Harry quieted her with a wispy "shhh", his hands still gently holding her face. Then Hermione felt herself become immobile as Harry drew closer and closer to her. His vivid green eyes were but inches away. He still insisted on bringing his face closer to hers, so close that his features were becoming nothing but a blur. She thought she could see his eyelashes through the lenses of his glasses before she closed her eyes for him.

When he let go she felt a lingering tingle on her lips and thought it was one of the side-effects of being temporarily unable to speak. She kept opening her mouth to say something but found to her dismay that she seemed only able to release air. She stared at Harry who had taken her hand in his but was not looking at her. In fact, he was looking to something next to him. Hermione diverted her eyes to the direction Harry had his and saw the same sandy-haired man she was panicking about only moments before. He smiled and waved at her.

"Hiya, Hermione," said Seamus Finnegan.

"Erm---hi, Seamus," replied Hermione, relieved that her loss of speech had passed, but the same panic she had when she first saw him was now flooding back.

"Erm---how are you, Seamus?"

"Actually," he paused and Hermione gripped Harry's hand harder in hers, "I'm doing very well. I've been meaning to tell you, but you seem to not be getting me messages."

"Oh...well....erm...I...," Hermione stammered guiltily.

"She's just been very busy at the Ministry," Harry rang in and the kissed her on the forehead, a gesture she found calming. "You know my Hermione: all work."

"Erm...yes...that's it," Hermione said, lingering her thoughts on his words: My Hermione.

"I see you two are back together," Seamus said, pointing at them with a smile.
Hermione nodded and felt a wave of relief pass through her in knowing that Seamus didn't appear to angry with her.

"That's really great, I always thought you too would make a nice couple," Seamus said and then added, "I mean, I know you dated Ron, Hermione, but, well, I always thought you and Harry…well, you two just seemed to make a lot more sense. I always figured you two would get together eventually."

"Erm---yes...eventually," Hermione agreed, feeling a twinge in her heart at Seamus's words.

Seamus grinned and ruffled his hair humbly, "Erm---those messages, by the way Hermione…"

"Yes?" Hermione squeaked, feeling nervous again.

"They were about,erm...me and Lavender."

"What?" Hermione and Harry said together in shock.

"Erm...yeah," Seamus said happily, "we've gotten together, me and Lavender."

Hermione's eyes widened and she stared at Seamus with her mouth ajar. The only thing that she seemed to be feeling now was surprise.

"Wow, Seamus," she said overcoming the surprise, "that's really wonderful."

Hermione turned to Harry who was nodding in agreement shaking Seamus's hand. She looked back at Seamus again, who was glowing with content and grinning from ear to ear. There was no mistake: Seamus Finnegan was in love.

"Well, it was great seeing you two again!" Seams said. "Well, I better get back to Lavender now."

Seamus pointed through the crowd at Lavender waving in their direction. Then he set off with a final nod and Hermione turned to Harry and gave him an impressed grin.

"Thanks," she said.

"Well, I didn't really need to help you out then, did I?" asked Harry. "I mean he was coming over here to tell you he met someone else."

Hermione let out a loud tutt and then rolled her eyes. She knew that Harry was right, but she couldn't help but think on the way Harry had chosen to help her. Her lips began to tingle again and she pressed her fingers to them.

"You...," began Hermione, "I mean, he really believed we were together."

Harry's grin softened and he set his green eyes on her.

"Well," he said slowly, "I s'pose I'm a good actor."

Hermione stepped backwards. She did not expect those words to come from his mouth. She was sure that the kiss was more than just a trick for Seamus. She felt something. She was so sure she felt something. And now instead of feeling uplifted by his touch, all she felt was disappointment.

"I suppose I still owe you then?" Hermione said, her voice coming out slightly cold.

"Well," Harry grinned at her again and she knew he hadn't spotted it, "I could settle for another dance."

"I don't really feel like another one, thanks," she said turning from him. "Hermione!" said Harry, grabbing her arm.

She thought he sounded confused and sorry, but she wasn't sure so she shook him off and turned again only to run into a couple that danced in front of her.

"Erm, sorry," muttered Hermione.

"'Mione, Hermione, you OK?" Harry asked quickly.

"I'm fine, I just don't feel like dancing anymore...I don't feel well," she told him, but refused to look him in the eye.

"Is this what I said about Seamus, because I was just joking around," added Harry.

"No, it's not, Harry...I'm…," Hermione began her replay but was interrupted by a female voice in front of her, "Madame Granger?"

She looked up in surprise. She was only referred to by that title at the Ministry and she saw none of her colleagues in front of her. Then she turned her eyes directly to her front, looking at the couple she had just run into and recognized a shiny-haired, violet-eyed female.

"Miss Gerlantes?" Hermione addressed the girl who was but six years younger than she. "How...how are you?"

"I'm behaving myself, honestly," the girl said with a laugh, recalling the meeting Hermione had with her regarding her misuse of magic. "But with supervision, of course."

Hermione looked at the man Gerlantes was gesturing to with a grudging nod. He was a stringy sort of young man and had light brown hair and earnest blue eyes.

"This is my friend, David, Madame Granger," the Gerlantes girl introduced, "David, this is Madame Granger with the Ministry."

"Nice to meet you," said Hermione and then gestured grudgingly to Harry beside her. "This is my friend, Harry, Harry Potter, he's an Auror with the Ministry, Harry this is Isabelle Gerlantes...and David, right?"

Hermione watched as Harry shook Isabelle Gerlantes's hand. She observed Harry's gaze as unblinking and intense. He looked almost angry. She had seen a look like that before, but it had been some ten years since then. She looked back at Isabelle to see if she had noticed at all. She was not surprised to see a small frown turn down Isabelle's lips.

"Good to meet you," Harry said in a salty voice.

"Erm…" David said, breaking from his quiet and glancing at his watch, "Isabelle it's getting a little late, we should go home, Vera'll be worried about you."

"Oh yes, right," Isabelle said and then turned to give Harry and Hermione a smile. "Well, it was good running into you."

"Yes, let's just hope I won't have to meet you on a more...erm...formal occasion." Hermione added as the two walked off.

Hermione turned to Harry forgetting her disappointment for the time being and bringing her attention to the intensity that was still emanating from him.

"Harry," she said turning his face to hers, "are you OK?"

"I'm fine," he replied with a stiff nod.

Hermione frowned, finding herself unsatisfied by yet another one of his answers.

"I'm not buying that," said Hermione as she shook her head and then she gazed at him in concern. "Please, Harry, please, tell me....what's wrong?"

She saw his intense expression settle slightly.

"I'm OK, honestly 'Mione," he assured her, "she, that girl, she just reminded me of someone."

"Oh really?" Hermione asked, bemused. "Who did she----"

Before she could finish the question, Harry answered her.

"I can't place exactly who, though."

Hermione grabbed his arm, she suspected that he knew who the girl reminded him of, but decided not to push it out of him, also knowing that he did not want to speak of it. And though she desperately wanted to know what was bothering him, she settled herself with the thought that he would tell her in time.

"Let's go find the others then, OK?" suggested Hermione. "We'll just tell them we're ready to go."

Harry nodded and squeezed her hand gratefully, wanting nothing more than to go home and go to sleep.