The Gloriana Set

Hermione's Birthday

NOTE: 

Now for Hermione's Birthday, where this story's obsession with personal objects truly runs rampant. And it includes the first Slug Club gathering!

Love, 

Thebe

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Hogwarts' unseasonably fine weather broke on Friday; Hermione could tell even before she saw the sullen clouds outside her bedroom window. Her bathroom mirror revealed a head of hair twice as large as usual, much like it was in Potions, a casualty of the sudden humidity. Her usual meditation and journal time was pissed away combing Speakeasy Hair Tonic through her curls and trying to confine them in a loose braid.

"Happy Birthday!" Ginny crowed, leaping out of bed. "Time for presents!" She pulled a stack of brightly wrapped gifts out of her wardrobe and put them on Hermione's bed.

Lavender came back from the bathroom, already dressed for the day. "Happy Birthday, Hermione," she said without enthusiasm.

"Staying for presents?" Ginny asked her.

Lavender picked up her bag. "Just looks like a bunch of books to me," she sneered and left the room.

"Bitch," Ginny muttered, sitting on Hermione's bed. "Come on—I happen to know they're not all books."

Hermione smiled as she joined Ginny. Lavender wasn't entirely wrong; most of the wrapped gifts had a suspiciously heavy, rectangular shape.

"Mine first," Ginny said, handing her a small, soft package. Hermione unwrapped it, stared down for a moment, then glared at Ginny.

"Really?" she asked.

"Hold it up," Ginny said, eyes dancing.

"I will not!"

"There's nobody else here."

Hermione glanced around anyway and held up a green silk brassiere.

"Matching knickers, too," Ginny said smugly. "You're dating a Slytherin now."

"I'm not dating a Slytherin!"

Ginny folded her legs under her. "Aren't you going to Hogsmeade with Theo Nott tomorrow?"

"Yes, before I meet Ron and Harry," Hermione said, tugging a dangling strap away from Crookshanks. "It's not a green lingerie situation."

"You never know," Ginny said wickedly. "Now open Ron's."

"It's probably a book," Hermione sighed. Ron always gave her books. Last year's birthday book was about the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team, and he borrowed it from her right away and never returned it.

"I know for a fact it's not," Ginny said, handing her a small box.

"Did he pick this gift or did you?" Hermione asked, unwrapping it.

Ginny shook her head. "Wasn't even there."

Hermione eyed the small velvet box suspiciously, wondering what she would find. Earrings? A diamond pendant? Godric forbid—a ring? She took a deep breath and opened it.

"Well?" Ginny asked."It's jewelry, right?"

"It is a golden pin," Hermione admitted.

"At least it's not a book, right?"

Hermione turned the open box around so Ginny could see. "It's a pin shaped like a book," she said flatly.

"Oh." Ginny flushed slightly and sighed. "Well, progress."