Surprise

Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter or anything related to Harry Potter. If I did, I’d be one very rich girl right now.

Author's Notes: This is in response to an idea that I had from the Hermione's Birthday thread. I’ve decided to post it here after some excellent remarks were made about it when I had it in the Ficlets section. This was my first story ever posted on the internet. I hope you like it.

Surprise

The morning of September 19, Harry woke up bright and early. He got up and dressed quickly to make sure everything was going as scheduled.

Only a few people were in the common room that early. Harry took a moment to ask each one of them a question, and when he received a positive answer from each, he felt a little more at ease.

Today I will show Hermione just how much I appreciate her, he thought as he sat down in his favorite chair.

A half an hour later, Ron descended the stairs. “‘Morning, Harry."

“‘Morning, Ron. Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure," Ron replied. "What?"

"Check with Firenze before you go to breakfast and see if I can still borrow his room tonight?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Sure. What d'you want with his room, anyway?"

Harry shook his head. "My little secret. So, are you ready for this morning?"

"Yep. Bloody fantastic idea you've got going there, Harry," Ron said with a grin. "If this doesn't completely flabbergast her I don't know what will."

More and more people were filing into the common room from the dormitories. Harry looked at his watch. "You ought to start getting them down to breakfast, Prefect."

"Huh? Oh—er—right." He stood up. "Oi! Get a move on! The Great Hall awaits you!"

With a slight grumble, the Gryffindors started a mass exodus towards the portrait hole as Ginny headed over towards Harry.

"Does she suspect?" Harry asked her anxiously.

Ginny grinned. "Not a clue. See you at breakfast."

Just as Ginny walked away, Harry spotted Lavender and Parvati. He motioned them over quickly. "Is she up yet?" he asked.

"Yeah. She'll be down in a minute," Lavender replied.

"Great. You two better get down to the Great Hall."

Lavender gave Parvati a knowing smirk and headed out. The Creevey brothers called and waved at Harry. He waved back and motioned for them to get out just as the door leading up to the girls' dormitories opened.

Harry watched as Hermione walked out. Her bushy brown hair framed her face and her chocolate brown eyes scanned the crowd curiously as it rushed out of the common room. Harry inhaled a deep breath and headed over to her.

"Good morning, Hermione."

“‘Morning, Harry." Her voice sounded expectant.

"I'm starving. Want to go get some breakfast?" he asked.

She frowned. "Okay," she replied, sounding a little disappointed.

They walked out and headed for the Great Hall. Harry was pleased to see that the students he saw in the corridors weren't Gryffindors.

When they reached the Great Hall, Harry held the door open for her.

"Thank you," she murmured with an amused grin on her face.

"You're welcome," he replied and walked into the hall after her.

They moved towards the Gryffindor table but he stopped her before she could walk down and take her seat.

"Harry—” she started.

But Harry held onto her as he found Ron sitting towards the middle of the table and nodded. Ron winked and nudged Dean in the ribs, who whistled shrilly. Then suddenly, the whole Gryffindor table broke out and sang "Happy Birthday" to Hermione.

She turned a bright red as she clapped a hand over her mouth and laughed. When everyone finished, she looked back at him in awe. "I'd bet you anything you had something to do with this."

"And I'd bet anything you thought I forgot," he shot back smoothly. She grinned sheepishly. "C'mon, let's eat."

Ron and Ginny were talking animatedly with Hermione for most of breakfast. It gave Harry ample time to think about what he was going to do next.

When everyone was done eating, they headed out of the Great Hall and proceeded towards their first class.

"See you later," Ron said as he headed off up the marble staircase.

"Happy birthday, Hermione," Ginny said as she headed out for the grounds.

Harry checked his watch. "Class will start soon. Come on, I'll walk with you."

Hermione looked very astonished by this. "You'll what?"

"I'll walk with you," he repeated. "This is my free morning, remember?"

"Of course," she said as they made their way up the marble stairs. "I just never thought you'd want to walk with me to my class. It's completely out of the way of Gryffindor Tower."

"What? I can't walk my friend to class?"

"Certainly. It's just that you—”

"Hermione," he said with a smirk, "you're overanalyzing a simple gesture of friendship."

She laughed. "I suppose you're right." They stopped right before Professor Vector's class.

"Thank you, Harry."

"For what?" He shook his head. "Go on; you'll be late for class," he said as he ushered her into her class. "See you later."

He walked away whistling as the bell rang and he headed down to the kitchen to ask his good friend Dobby for a favor.

* * *

When the bell rang again, Harry quickly caught up to Hermione as she exited Arithmancy.

"How was class?" he asked her.

"Good. How was your morning?" she returned.

"Productive."

She gave him a quizzical look before saying, "Good."

"Let's go to Transfiguration," he said. As they traveled throughout the corridors, he watched her as she kept adjusting the heavy bad on her shoulder. "Here," he said finally, taking the bag from her. "I'll take it."

She gave him another puzzled look before murmuring a thanks. She rubbed her shoulder as they walked along.

"I'd offer you a massage, but I don't think Professor McGonagall would approve," he told her as they reached McGonagall's class.

She laughed. "Thanks anyway."

During Transfiguration, Harry kept Hermione laughing by telling her some of the better stories of his life. He actually found himself being more open with her than he had ever been with Ron, and he enjoyed it.

When the bell rang they headed down to the Great Hall for lunch. Ron was nowhere to be seen and Harry found that, for today, he preferred it.

"Say, Hermione, how about we take some of this outside? It's a beautiful day," he suggested.

"Sure," she replied and began to gather a few sandwiches. "Let's go to that tree by the lake."

He smiled. "Where do you think I was going?"

Soon they were down by the lake, sitting underneath their favorite tree, eating sandwiches.

"Mum and Dad sent a couple of books for me to read," Hermione was saying. "I'm so glad I got them. I've been dying to read them for months."

Harry smiled. "I'm sure you'll have them done before Christmas."

She smiled too. "Then I'll need more."

He laughed. "I'll buy you Hogwarts: A History."

She giggled. "That costs too much."

He raised an eyebrow. "Money is not a problem."

"No, I guess it wouldn't be for you," she said somberly. They were silent for a long moment that seemed to go until eternity. Then, Hermione wondered, "Have you ever given a thought to what it will be like after Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, I've given it a thought or two," he murmured.

"I think I'll keep S.P.E.W. going," she went on. "D'you think a lot of people will join?"

A slow smile crept across his face. "I think they will when they discover what a great idea it is."

She beamed and looked down at her watch. "Oh, no. Lunch is almost up."

Harry got up and held out his hand. She grinned as she look it and let herself be pulled up.

"Charms and then Ancient Runes," she said to herself.

"Yeah. Let's get moving so we can have enough time to talk to Ron before class starts."

When they got back inside the castle, Harry spotted Ron walking out of the Great Hall. They ran over and joined their red-headed friend on his way to Charms. When they reached Professor Flitwick's room, Harry let Hermione go inside first before pulling Ron aside.

"I could use your help setting something up," he whispered.

* * *

That evening, Hermione returned to the common room after spending her last class translating runes. She set her books down and collapsed into her favorite chair.

She was having a wonderful birthday. She couldn't believe how much attention Harry was bestowing upon her. Of course, she had not seen him since the end of Charms.

It was then she noticed the rose that was lying near the hearth. It was a beautiful rose, a bright red mixed with yellow. Attached to it was a note addressed to her.

She picked it up carefully. What was this about? she thought. Sliding the note off the rose and opening it, she gazed at the familiar print.

We have sat by the fire since first year,
Through times of happiness and times of fear.

Seeing as you like riddles, Hermione, follow along and find me.

If this stirs up any emotion,
It is where you made the Polyjuice Potion.

She gasped. What did this mean? Was she supposed to use this clue and go to a certain

place? She thought about it. Polyjuice potion...

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom!" she exclaimed excitedly and took off.

When she entered Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Myrtle was examining another red and yellow rose closely. Hermione shuffled her foot across the floor. "Er—hi, Myrtle."

Myrtle jerked her transparent head back. "Oh, I suppose it's you whom this is for."

"Yes," she replied, holding up the other rose. "Could I have it please?"

"Take it," the ghost muttered and floated away.

Hermione quickly grabbed the rose, slipped off the note and read:

Very good, Hermione. Here's your next clue.

With these directions we had three hours:
Seventh floor; thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower.

What? she thought, puzzled. What did that mean?

Patterns, said a little voice in the back of her head. He's following a pattern. The first one mentioned first year and then took me to a place I frequented second year. He must be sending me to a place I went to third year.

"Seventh floor; thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower," she whispered, thinking hard. And suddenly, it hit her. Professor Flitwick's office, her mind screamed. From when we saved Sirius!

"Bye Myrtle," she called as she dashed out of the bathroom and bounded up the steps to the seventh floor.

When she reached Professor Flitwick's office, she found her next rose floating in front of

his door. She opened the note and read eagerly.

You're getting warmer. Here's your next clue.

At this picture you will stare
Unless you tickle a pear.

She smiled. This one was easy. She turned around and headed back down the stairs and for the kitchen.

Once she tickled the pear on the portrait and ran inside, Dobby came up to her excitedly.

"Oooh, he said Miss would come, he said Miss would come," he squeaked as he bounced up and down. "He asks Dobby to give Miss this," he said and held up another rose.

"Thank you, Dobby," she said and took the rose. "Did he say anything to you about what he's doing?"

"Sir said not to tell you, Miss. It's a surprise," Dobby said excitedly.

She grinned as she opened up the next note.

You're so close now. Follow this:

Those slimy Slytherins are so smarmy,
They'd never make it in our army.

She laughed. "Good-bye, Dobby," she said quickly and left to go to the Room of Requirement.

When she made the door appear, another rose was stuck in the door. She pulled it free and read the note.

This is the final one. My hint is that it's not north.

In this room you shall wait
Until someone predicts your fate.

She thought for a moment. Predicting fate was as good as fortune-telling, which was Divination. But why would he be sending her to Trelawney's room?

It's not north, she reminded herself. That meant he wasn't in the North Tower. Then she remembered Hogwart's other Divination teacher. Realizing the answer, she took off running for Firenze's classroom.

By now, her stomach ached a little. Dinner was being served in the Great Hall and she wanted desperately to join her friends in there.

She caught her breath just outside of Firenze's room. Then, inhaling deeply, she opened the door to the most wonderful sight she had ever seen.

The room, which was bewitched to resemble the Forbidden Forest, was lit with over a dozen of the fairies that were used to decorate the outside during the Yule Ball. A blanket was set out with an assortment of food displayed. And standing in the middle of the room was Harry, holding a crimson rose.

Hermione was speechless. After a moment, she managed, "Harry..."

He walked forward with a grin on his face and held out the rose. "Surprise."

And then she laughed and flung her arms around him. “I can't believe you," she murmured.

"Come on, let's eat before the food gets cold," he said, releasing her.

They sat down on the blanket and ate an elaborate meal consisting of a variety of Hermione's favorite food. At the end, Harry retrieved a beautiful chocolate cake and lit sixteen candles with his wand.

"Dobby made it. He seemed rather happy to help," Harry explained.

"That was nice of him, although I feel bad about adding to his work load."

"So was I, but he insisted," Harry said as a fairy flew by his face, illuminating his bright emerald eyes.

She smiled. "I honestly can't believe you went through the trouble for me."

"It was no trouble whatsoever. And besides," he said and started searching his pockets,

"I'm not done yet," he said and pulled out a small wrapped parcel.

"Harry," she scolded playfully as she took the present from him.

"Open it," he urged.

She took off the bow and tore off the paper. When she lifted the lid off of a tiny box, she gasped.

"Holy—"

"Do you like it?" he asked anxiously.

Inside the box was a half of a karat sapphire ring.

"You shouldn't have!" she exclaimed.

"You don't think so? I think you deserve it," he replied. "It is your birthstone, right?"

"Yes," she replied with a smile as tears formed in her eyes. "Why? Why do I deserve this?"

"Why? Because you're always there for me. You have never once abandoned me when everyone else, even Ron, has. You've stuck by me."

"But—"

"Shh. I have to say this," he said gently as he wiped the tears from her eyes. "I will always be there for you. No matter what, I promise you that whenever you need me, I will be there. You can cry on my shoulder, use me as a punching bag, and talk to me whenever you want. I promise you this."

She stood still and said nothing. She couldn't. She had never been given such a promise and did not know what to do.

Harry smiled mischievously and leaned in. "Y'know, I've just realized I haven't wished you a happy birthday." He leaned in farther and kissed her gently on the cheek. Before he leaned back, he whispered, "Happy birthday, Hermione."