Chapter 11 - Hermione's Birthday
The day that Harry had been truly waiting for became the day he dreaded: Hermione's birthday.
Since the break-up, Harry and Hermione's "supposed" now platonic relationship, started out awful, then grew to be quite well. At first, it was peculiar. Even thought they hung around together with Ron, (can't break the tremendous trio right?) They ignored each other for most of the time, tuning out each other. Then as time went on, it got inevitable to ignore each other any further and they both (as if somehow reading each others minds) knew it was childish and foolish to continue this behavior. They got used to each others company and they went back to being the best friends they always were.
It was hard to see Hermione everyday without getting the urge to sweep her off her feet and to kiss her senseless. He dreamed of it countless times before: Even though Hermione said that she just wanted to be friends, Harry would find a perfect time to lean in and kiss her; and she would kiss him back, becoming once again the couple that they were.
By now, the news had spread across Hogwarts and beyond that Harry had Hermione had broken up. Most people took it as a joke and didn't think anybody was serious. They took it as just that: a rumor. However, one day in the Great Hall at breakfast, a 6th year Hufflepuff girl came up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the Gryffindor table while they were reviewing for a Charms quiz.
***
"Um… I'm sorry to interrupt you Harry and Hermione. Hi Ron," she added shyly, as she looked back and forth from the couple of the past and Ron, "but I am just curious about something. Can I ask you a personal question, Hermione?"
Hermione's eyes widened and she blinked once, giving a confused look toward Harry and Ron. They both shrugged.
"Um… sure…" Hermione replied uneasily, wondering what the question was.
"Well, um… are you and Harry… still dating?"
The Hall fell unusually silent. Harry anxiously looked at her, wondering immensely what she would say too.
"Uh… well… um… Harry and I…" she sputtered as she felt dozens and dozens of eyes on her. It seemed that this Hufflepuff girl was sent over to ask and find out what the truth really was between Harry and Hermione.
Harry stared at Hermione. To him, she seemed to have a hard time at answering the question. Harry didn't blame her; he actually felt sorry for her.
"Yes?" said the Hufflepuff girl. "You and Harry are…"
"No," Hermione said in sort of a dead tone, and dropping her head a little and shaking it subtly. "We aren't a couple anymore…"
"Oh!" said the Hufflepuff girl in surprise. "I apologize for the awkwardness of the question. I'm really sorry." And she really looked it. The Hall had obviously heard Hermione's answer too and they started to murmur toward each other.
"How are you two?" she asked with a motherly concern.
"I'm fine, really. But I still feel the pain sometimes." replied Hermione. "And Harry is -" she continued, looking at him.
"…A little sore in the heart, but… I'll manage," he finished with a weak grin. Hermione nodded at him and turned back to the Hufflepuff girl. She returned the forced smiles she gave her.
"How do you two manage?" she asked, "I mean, if it was me, I wouldn't be able to get anywhere near my ex-boyfriend, and yet, here you two are, still sticking with each other like true friends."
Harry and Hermione both glanced looks at each other, feeling very flustered.
"I think it's cool though," she continued, "that you guys are still great friends. Good luck you two."
She waved as she left the table. There were murmurs throughout the Hall after hearing what they had just heard.
Meanwhile, after a comforting hug from Harry, she and Ron went back to reviewing.
***
That was another thing. Even though they had broken up, she still let him comfort her like they did when they went out. At first she felt and looked awkward when Harry approached her with it, but she gave in. Nothing too passionate; she just let him hold her in ways that made people think they were still going out. Harry felt like he was being teased by her, but he wasn't complaining.
It wasn't bad that it was Hermione's birthday, it was just the thought that this was supposed to be the day where Harry and Hermione were supposed to bond in a special way.
Harry woke up early and rubbed his eyes lazily.
"Great," Harry yawned in a very unecstatic way, realizing what the day was. He went over to the foot of his bed, opened his trunk, and searched frantically for something.
"Here it is," he said holding it up to look at it. It was a basic box of chocolates with a rose on it. The special thing about it was that the chocolates were charmed (specially by Harry) so that it wouldn't melt until it was eaten and the rose could not wilt.
"Not the thing that I was originally going to give her," Harry sad with a sigh, "but I hope she'll like this."
He also went ahead and grabbed his journal and immediately began to write in it, talking about the past few days and how things were going and how he hoped things were going to go in the future. After he had finished and put the two defensive spells on them, he placed it back into his trunk.
He got dressed and walked out of his door closing it behind him with the gift for Hermione under his arm. He turned and stopped abruptly as he saw Hermione already sitting on the couch.
"Oh hi Hermione," said Harry, slightly surprised. "You're up early."
"I should say the same thing about you," she answered smiling. Harry returned her smile.
"This… is for you," Harry said nervously, handing her the special box of chocolates and the rose. "It's not much, but I hope you like it. Happy Birthday Hermione."
"Harry, you shouldn't have," she replied, taking the gift from him. Her reaction wasn't quite excited because she was a lot more surprised than to be excited. Harry failed to notice this and snatched it from her.
"You hate it! It's lame…" he said swiftly.
"No!" exclaimed Hermione, taking it back from him. "I want it."
She eyed the box and rose for a minute (now with a noticeable smile) for a minute before getting up and standing on her tiptoes to kiss Harry on the cheek.
"Thank you Harry! I love it."
Harry's heart melted when her lips touched his cheek. It had been a very long time since the last time Hermione had ever kissed him, and it felt so good to receive it. Harry knew however, that that was the closest he would ever get from Hermione kissing him.
"Non-melting chocolates," confirmed Hermione as she eyed the dozens of different chocolates with anxiety. "Did you charm then yourself Harry?"
He nodded.
"And this rose! You know how I love roses!"
Harry nodded again.
"Thanks again Harry!" she exclaimed with excitement as she hugged him tightly.
"You're welcome Hermione," he answered, hugging her back just as tightly. After a very difficult time of releasing, Harry watched as Hermione praised the gift she had gotten. Soon after, he and Hermione when into one of their long and very "not-talking-about-anything-in-particular" conversation. At one point, Hermione said something that made his heart ache.
"I think someone's hitting on me Harry," she said in half serious, half matter-of-factly tone.
"Really?" said Harry, acting not to sound too disappointed.
"It was in Arithmancy class," she explained. "I think he kept looking at me because he either wanted to say something to me, or, he was just plain staring at me."
"Do you think he's cute?" asked Harry nervously and anxiously.
"He's okay," she replied. "Not the best looking wizard I've seen, but he's… decent."
"Why don't you go talk to him if you know he likes you?" said Harry, his feelings of love for her suddenly replaced with feelings of friendship.
"I won't Harry!" she explained. "If he likes me, then he'll prove it by making the first move. That's really the guys job you know."
"Really?" asked Harry with a "whatever" look on his face.
"Yep," she replied with a tone of a, "that's-right-Harry". "Take us for example. Remember when you told me you liked me and that I liked you too?"
Harry nodded, thinking why she was bringing "us" into this conversation.
"Well, even though I liked you too, and probably even more than you liked me, I wouldn't have said anything to you. It's just the guy's job. Plain and simple."
Harry nodded again, not wanting to continue that subject any further.
"What's his name?" asked Harry curiously.
"Who?"
"The guy that likes you. Or the guy that you think likes you."
"Well you don't know him, I think. But his name's Xavier Blake."
"Oh," responded Harry. He thought if Hermione was doing this specifically to hurt him. If she was, she was doing a really good job.
"Well if you feel right about it, I hope it turns into something good," he said, trying so hard not to let his eyes water.
***
At lunch, Harry sat alone at the Gryffindor table before Ron came over to join him.
"Hey Harry," said Ron, slapping him on the back and sitting next to him.
"Hi Ron," answered Harry. Ron noticed that it wasn't his usual "hi". It sounded a bit gloomy.
"What's the matter Harry?" asked Ron.
"Hermione…" was all he could make out.
"Figures," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "What about her?"
"I think she may have a crush on someone. This guy in her Arithmancy class, Xavier Blake."
"Are you serious!?" exclaimed Ron, so loudly that other people heard and turned in their direction. "Sorry. But… already?"
"Seems like it," groaned Harry.
"Wow, she really got over you fast," said Ron, making Harry sigh in depression. Ron murmured a "sorry" to him, knowing that he wasn't making him feel any better. "How do you know?"
"She told me about him this morning," Harry explained. "How he was hitting on her and stuff."
"Did she like it?"
"She didn't say," Harry answered. "But I bet she did."
"Harry," stated Ron in a serious voice, turning his head to look at him, "did she say it herself. Did you hear it with your own ears that she likes him?"
"No."
"Then she doesn't Harry."
"Did she tell you that she liked me when she did?"
Ron was about to answer, but he didn't. His mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
"Exactly," said Harry, proving a point. "But never mind that already. I'm trying not to think about it."
"Well," Ron said awkwardly, trying to change the subject, "what'd you get Hermione for her birthday Harry?"
"Un-melting chocolates and a rose," he answered blandly.
"What!?" exclaimed Ron, raising hi eyebrows. "I thought you were going to give her the-"
"I thought otherwise," interrupted Harry. "I was supposed to give it to her on this day, when we were going out!"
"So?" retorted Ron. "Who cares if you two aren't going out anymore? Just give it to her Harry. Your plan was to give it to her, regardless if you two were together or not." Harry shook his head.
"I'm not going to give it to her Ron," he said in a final way.
"What are you going to do with it then?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"I think I'll jus keep it," Harry answered. "For now. Maybe someone will come up worthy enough for it. But I doubt that…"
"Whatever Harry," answered Ron. "I don't like your motives, but there's nothing that I can do."
"What you get her Ron?" asked Harry curiously.
"A book," he answered in the same bland tone Harry had when he told him what he had gotten Hermione.
"Figures," said Harry, in the same tone that Ron had said when he heard him tell him what was bothering him earlier. They both looked at each other and laughed, going ahead and eating their lunch.
***
Later that night after everyone was asleep, Harry sneaked out from his private dorm he shared with Hermione. After checking and making sure she was asleep still, he walked up to the magical wall. In the blink of an eye, it vanished. When he stepped through the doorway, he heard a voice behind him.
"Where are you going Harry?" asked Wally as he yawned.
"Wishing someone a Happy Birthday," whispered Harry. "Could you do me a favor and hold open for me for a while?"
"Sure thing my boy," Wally yawned.
Harry ran as quickly and quietly as he could up the stairs to find Ron already ready. He was holding a standard size cake with 17 unlit candles on it. On top of it, it read, "Happy 17th Birthday Hermione".
"This is a another good idea of yours Harry," Ron whispered.
"Thanks Ron," admired Harry. "But we have to get moving."
"Right."
They tiptoed halfway down the stairs before Harry stopped Ron.
"Wait here."
"Why?" asked Ron.
"Because, you aren't supposed to see the secret dorm that Hermione and I share. It's a rule that we agreed with Dumbledore."
Ron sighed exasperatedly. "Hurry up then."
Harry quickly walked through the open door way Wally left for him. He turned around to check to see if the wall had appeared again. It did. He crept to Hermione's door and turned the knob, opening the door slowly. He tiptoed to Hermione's bed, ready to wake her, when he became distracted.
The sight of Hermione sleeping peacefully in her own bed was a breathtaking one. She lay on her left side, with her left arm hidden and her right arm out of the covers and bent at the elbow in front of her. Her hair, usually wild and bushy, seem even wilder than ever as it cascaded all over her pillow. She had her mouth slightly ajar and her eyes still sparkled, even when they were closed. And from the way the blanket was shaped, it looked like she had a pillow between her legs. He watched her a few moments before waking her; her chest moving up and down with each breath and how her profile showed greatly from the moon peaking through her window.
Harry felt a shiver of anxiety run through his body as he thought about the position he was in. Hermione was asleep peacefully in her bed and he could… possibly… steal a quick kiss from her; something he wanted even more from her when she called it off between them. He could do it. He could lean down, give her a kiss and say it never happened afterward. If Hermione questioned it, he could use the excuse that she was asleep and only dreaming. His plan was perfect!
He mentally slapped himself in the face as he came back to reality and shook off the pain in his head. He couldn't do it. As much as he wanted to, as much as he wanted that kiss, he could never take advantage of Hermione. Plus, that would violate his trust with her even more. Even though she would probably never know, Harry knew it would give him a guilty conscience and haunt him in his dreams. His trust was already damaged and he didn't want to make it worse than it already was. Instead, he bent over and shook her gently, trying to wake her up.
"Hermione?" he whispered, shaking her gently. "Hermione?"
She adjusted herself in the bed, apparently not hearing him.
"Mione?" he said, still shaking her gently but with a little more force. "Mione, wake up." He stroked her cheek a little with his other hand.
"Mmm," she moaned with a smile, as she playfully moved her face against his warm hand. She still being asleep, had no idea what was really happening. Harry love seeing her enjoy herself like this. He stopped stroking her and shook her a little harder.
"Mione, wake up," he repeated in a whisper. This finally got her attention.
"Harry?" she answered lazily, opening her eyes slowly. "What's going on?"
He sat down next to her.
"Ron wants to show you something important," he said in a serious voice.
"What?" asked Hermione, suddenly fully awake.
"I don't know," Harry shrugged. "He just told me to get you."
"Well let's hurry then," she exclaimed.
Harry walked out the door and through the doorway that was Wally first as Hermione followed him. As they stepped out of the doorway, Ron called.
"Surprise!" Ron said loudly to Hermione, but kept his voice low enough so that no one could hear. He stood in the middle of the common room holding the cake in front of him
in his hands with 17 candles lit on it.
Hermione was surprised all right. She walked slowly pass Harry a few paces forward and stared at the cake noticing the "Happy 17th Birthday Hermione" written on it. She turned confusingly around to Harry to find that he had a wide grin on his face. She turned back to Ron and the cake.
"What's the meaning of this?" she asked, puzzled.
"Ever hear of celebrating your birth?" said Ron teasingly.
"Yeah, it's this event that happens once a year. It's when all these people come to you with a cake and expect you to blow out the candles on it," Harry added, sounding just like Ron.
"Shut up you two," Hermione said, hitting them playfully in the arms. "I… I don't know what to say…"
"You don't have to say anything Hermione," said Harry from behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Just make a wish and blow out your candles when we're done."
She eyed the cake happily as Ron placed it on the coffee table in the middle of the room. Hermione kneeled down in front of it and Harry and Ron stood side by side behind her.
"I'm flattered guys," she said as Harry and Ron sang the happy birthday song and when Hermione made her wish and blew out her candles, she stood up and hugged Ron tightly and much longer than a usual hug.
"Thanks Ron," she said as she released him. She turned to Harry. "And you. You were in on this too huh?"
"You bet," said Harry.
"Well that deserves a special thank you, too then. Don't you think?"
"You don't have to," said Harry blushing.
"Of course I have too!" answered Hermione. "Plus I know that you want it."
She came in toward Harry and hugged him just as tightly and long as she did with Ron, probably even tighter and longer. The only difference was that after the hug, she had given him another kiss on the cheek. She turned around and bend down as she cut her cake, apparently eager to eat it; her mouth salivated from wanting to taste it.
Meanwhile, Ron whispered out of earshot of Hermione.
"Wow," he said. "that was some thank you from her Harry. It was a hug and a kiss."
"It's strange Ron," he said. "She kissed me today too when I gave her, her gift."
"Oh," exclaimed Ron. "two kisses in one day and you two aren't going out? That's got to mean something."
"Don't get ideas in my head Ron. That was just out of friendship."
"She didn't kiss me!" added Ron. "And it's not a jealous thing Harry. I just want to know why she kissed just you and not both of us? And what's that supposed to mean anyway when she said, 'I'm supposed to thank you. I know you want it'?"
Harry ignored him just as Hermione turned around with two small plates in each of her hands with a slice of cake in it, holding it out for Harry and Ron.
"Thanks again you guys," Hermione said as Harry and Ron took the cake from her. "I really appreciate this."
They squished themselves onto a couch that was only meant for three people. Harry at one end, Hermione in the middle, and Ron on the other end as they laughed and ate their cake. When the three of them had their fill of Hermione's cake, Ron volunteered to go to sleep first.
"Well, I'm going back to bed," he yawned. "That cake made me sleepy."
"You always get sleepy when you eat!" retorted Hermione. Harry laughed.
"Sorry Hermione, but I'm way too tired to throw an insult back at you. Looks like I'm going to have to take a rain check on that one."
With saying that, Ron walked lazily up the stairs to the boys' dormitories and out of sight.
"Harry we need to talk," Hermione said seriously when she knew that Ron was completely gone.
"About what?" he answered, turning his head toward her. Funny, even though Ron had left, they didn't make themselves room on the couch.
"Us," Hermione said. Harry looked away from her and dropped his head.
"What d'you mean?" he asked puzzled. "I don't think that there is an 'us' anymore."
"I didn't mean it like that Harry," she said. "I mean about where we are going as friends."
"I think it's going rather well, don't you think?"
"I know I am Harry," she said in a concerned way. "I just want to know how you're really feeling."
"Like I said to that Hufflepuff girl Hermione, I'm a little sore in the heart, but I'll be fine."
"You sure?" she asked, moving closer to him warmly.
"Well, I still feel the pain. And I cry myself to sleep sometimes. Go ahead, make fun of me if you want."
"Why would I?" asked Hermione. "I think that's really sweet when guys show emotion my crying. It shows sensitivity and compassion."
"Thanks Hermione."
There was a long silence before she spoke to him.
"So have you been seeing anybody Harry?" she asked curiously.
"No. And I don't plan to anytime soon," he answered.
"Why not?"
"Because I haven't clicked with anyone else. I mean, it's not like my life depends on it though. What about you? That Xavier character?"
"No, he's just another friend of mine. Nothing more."
"Are you sure about that?" asked Harry, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm sure."
"Well if you're sure, I need to be getting to bed. It's late. You should get to bed too," Harry said.
"I will," she answered. "I just want to hang around for a while."
"Well bye then," waved Harry. "I'll see you tomorrow." He stood up and walked behind the couch toward the magical wall to their private dormitories when Hermione called to him again.
"Aren't you going to kiss me goodnight Harry?" she asked looking over the couch at him. Harry looked like he was thinking for a minute before coming back toward Hermione. He stood in front of her, held out his hand, which she took, and pulled her onto her feet. They now were standing very close to each other, their eyes locked.
Harry could only stare at the beauty that was Hermione in front of him. She seemed to be in a daze as Harry put his right hand on her cheek, rubbing it gently. She closed her eyes and sighed softly as she moved her face against his hand. Harry bend his head down toward her, ready to give her, her goodnight kiss. He closed his eyes, suddenly feeling very nervous and very excited at the same time. Hermione must've known what he was trying to do, but the funny thing was that she didn't stop him. Was she going to let him kiss her? What did this all mean? Did maybe she know what was supposed to happen today and go through with it? Harry told himself to find the answers to those later as his lips got closer and closer to Hermione's. Right when he was about to touch his lips with hers, Harry's dream was shattered.
"No Harry," she whispered, subtly shaking her head. Harry eyes popped open. She still had her eyes closed, but she knew what was about to happen. It didn't look like she was mad either. "Not a kiss like that."
"Right," Harry said, "of course not."
Instead, he moved to the right of her face and kissed her right on the cheek.
"Goodnight Hermione. And Happy 17th Birthday."
"Night Harry," she said smiling at him and then sitting back down on the couch and crossing her legs.
What was that supposed to mean? asked Harry to himself as he walked to the magical wall. Why was she teasing me like that? He felt very sleepy afterward and plopped right into his bed, thinking about nothing except about how he was so close to giving her a real kiss once again.