‘You're birthday is tomorrow,’ Draco stated, while they walked the corridors at night, hand in hand.

Draco had been wondering when she would bring up the subject of her birthday. He had found out the date of her birthday and had been thinking of the various things he knew she’d love. He wanted to get her a present.

‘Is it? I guess I lost track of time,’ Hermione said, looking down onto the floor as they walked.

‘What do you want to do?’ Draco asked, quietly, already knowing what she would say and he also knew that she didn't forget about her birthday.

‘Draco, I don't want to do anything. I'm not really the party type,’ Hermione said, looking around the corridors.

Draco knew she was thinking about the party where they kissed for the first time, as he was too. She looked up at him and chuckled once, before walking on and letting the silence surround them.

‘Are you sure you don't want to do anything?’ Draco asked, squeezing her hand, ‘I mean, now is your chance to ask me for anything you could ever want.

Hermione squeezed his hand once and shook her head, silently willing for the subject to change. Draco knew she was hurting and it killed him that he had done this to her. Sometimes he thought of leaving her so she'll go back to Ron... But he loved her and of course, that would be hurting her even more since she didn’t love Ron. Plus they had gotten a lot closer to each other.

‘What's wrong?’ Hermione asked, looking up to the lines creased with worry and guilt on Draco’s face.

Say it.

Don't be selfish.

Just tell her to leave.

‘I can't,’ Draco whispered, to himself, not realising Hermione was staring at him. He was too deep into his thoughts.

‘What? Draco, look at me. What's wrong?’ Hermione stopped and her small hands cupped Draco's face and they stared at each other, ‘you can't what?’

Hermione’s eyes were filled with hurt and guilt, her cheeks had lost the colour from all the stress of her friends. He couldn't do it. Draco had never lost a best friend... Actually he had never had one. He had always learned to trust no one but now Hermione was his best friend. He could trust her.

‘Nothing,’ Draco ran a hand through his hair, trying to think, ‘I'm tired. I love you.’

Hermione’s eyes furrowed together, studying his face intently. She knew something was wrong but he wouldn’t tell her since he was so stubborn.

‘Are you alright?’ Hermione asked, frowning, touching his cheeks to feel any heat radiating from him. Maybe he was ill...

‘Yeah, are you going to the Gryffindor common room? Or ours?’ Draco asked, changing the subject.

‘Our common room,’ Hermione replied, walking towards their common room after their nightly patrol.

They walked down the deserted corridors. It was late at night and they were supposed to roam the corridors in case anyone was out of bed. Sometimes Hermione told the prefects too but she liked walking with Draco. They reached the huge door and walked into the Heads common room.

‘Goodnight.’ Draco said, leaning in to kiss her once on the cheek.

Hermione was slightly surprised as he usually kisses her on her lips. She frowned, suspiciously. He raised his eyebrows at her. They stared at one another, not wanting to be the first to look away. After a while, Hermione kissed Draco on his lips, and Draco kissed her before pulling back, quicker than usual.

‘Think I'm coming down with something... Goodnight,’ Draco said, squeezing her hand and making for his door, leaving a confused and slightly annoyed Hermione behind him.

------

‘Happy birthday, beautiful.’

 A voice as smooth as silk whispered into Hermione’s ear. The breath tickled her ear, she smiled and turned around, stretching. Her eyes opened slowly and met a wonderful sight. Draco was there, with flowers and a present. He smiled at her, before kissing her on the lips, slowly.

‘Draco,’ Hermione whispered, smiling as she sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

‘Here you go, love. Happy birthday,’ Draco repeated, handing her the overwhelming roses and the wrapped up present.

Hermione smiled and smelled the roses. Of course, they smelled great. Wizard flowers smell so much better than muggle flowers. She magicked up a vase and put the flowers in there, before picking up the present.

‘What's in it?’ She asked, eyeing the present with a large smile on her face.

‘Open it.’ Draco said, sitting beside her.

She ripped off the wrapping to reveal a small, red teddy bear holding a heart. Inside the heart it said ‘Draco <3 Hermione’. Tears welled up in the brown eyes as she tackled Draco with her lips.

After a while they broke apart, resting their foreheads on each others and panting slightly.

‘I love you so much.’ Draco whispered, kissing her neck.

‘I love you too...’ Hermione said, pulling him to kiss him on his luscious lips.

They got up and Draco binned the wrapping paper while Hermione got dressed. She then walked out to the common room, to find three wrapped presents on the table.

‘Draco?’ Hermione called out, ‘are these from you?’

Draco walked to the common room, tying his tie. He frowned as he looked upon the presents before smirking.

‘Nope,’ Draco shook his head, styling his hair in the mirror, ‘you wish I’d get you three presents.’

Hermione picked up the first present, wrapped in pink and a card taped to it. The card read:

‘Dear Hermione,

Happy birthday, we love you. Inside your present you will find a small ring. That ring was your Aunt's ring. She didn't have a daughter to give it to, so she gave it to you. Keep it safe.

Love, 

Mum and Dad’

She ripped open the envelope to reveal a beautiful ring. It fit her perfectly and had a green emerald in it. It made her so happy, she kept it on, showing it off to Draco.

‘I like green on you. It suits you,’ Draco commented before going to lean on the back of the sofa, watching her open her presents.

Hermione felt her heart flutter slightly and she offered him a smile. She then picked up the second present and opened the card:

‘Dear Hermione,

Happy Birthday!

We know how much you love books so... Well open the present!

Love               

Neville and Luna’

She smiled at the message, imaging them saying it to her. She opened the present and found a book she had wanted for ages but never had the time to get it. Draco chuckled slightly at the excited squeal that left her lips.

She picked up the last card...

‘Dear Hermione,

You may think we are angry with you, but I'll never forget what you've done for me. You have been through everything with me. Thick and thin. Don't worry, Ron will come around. I have, though I don't trust Draco.

You're not alone.

P.s. Didn't really know what to get you.

Love, 

Harry’

Hermione’s heart swelled up with happiness, trying to ignore the fact that Ron hadn’t gotten her a present. Harry could have got her mud for her birthday, but she still would have been happy. She opened the present and there was a huge red lollipop in it.

‘Yummy.’ Draco whispered.

‘I know.’ Hermione said, eyeing the lollipop.

‘I wasn't talking about the lollipop...’ Draco smirked and came over, kissing her.

-----

‘Thank you.’ Hermione said to Harry at breakfast, ‘thank you so much.’

Hermione had grabbed this opportunity because Ron wasn't here. Harry smiled and nodded his head as a reply.

‘You guys too. Thank you so much for the presents.’ Hermione said to Neville and Luna.

‘We've been friends for ages. Of course we'd get you presents.’ Luna said, twisting her long blond hair.

‘never going to forget what you've done for me. If it wasn't for you... I would have been dead...’ Harry carried on before Hermione could say anything, ‘but Ron is hurting and if I turn to your side... He needs me right now. Just give him time.’

Of course if Harry turned to her side Ron would hate him too and he wouldn't have his best friend which would hurt him even more. Hermione nodded, not trusting herself to say anything. She didn't want him to have to choose sides.

The owls flew in to deliver the mail as they carried on with eating breakfast and chatting to each other. Hermione had been keeping an eye on the Daily Prophet for any news of Lucius Malfoy. So far, there had been no news.

The black owl landed in front of her and stood with his leg sticking out. She took the paper and dropped her apple on the table, reading.

Lucius was on the front page, he looked absolutely awful. He had bags under his eyes and his hair was messy. His grey eyes held no appeal to Hermione, they weren’t like Draco’s eyes.

The paper stated that Lucius Malfoy had been questioned without the involvement of paparazzi. From his family, only Narcissa was allowed to come. He was questioned on his involvement with Voldemort and if he was reformed or not. He was found guilty because in court he had spoken for Voldemort and he had said that he was still a deatheater.

A picture was shown of Lucius and Narcissa saying goodbye. Narcissa was holding onto his arm, crying and her make up trailing down her face while Lucius looked like a mad man as he was being dragged away to Azkaban.

Hermione’s fingers tightened around the glass she had orange juice in. A hand covered hers and she looked up, shocked to realise most people had left except for herself and Luna.

‘Hermione, it's nearly time for class, come on.’ Luna said, pulling her up gently.

Hermione nodded and got up. She started to make her way out of the Great Hall when she saw him...

Ron stood staring at her, his eyes and face red. He was angry and if looks could kill... He noticed that Hermione had saw him. He turned on his heels and took off without a backwards glance.

Luna, not noticing anything, started towards their next class with Hermione trailing along behind her.