when a fire starts to burn | draco malfoy

CHAPTER 7

My birthday came around rather unexpectedly this year. I hadn't been particularly excited to celebrate turning fifteen, not since I knew that a few weeks following my birthday would mark the one year anniversary of my parents death.

I didn't tell Hermione, Ron, or Harry about my birthday, hoping it would just pass by uneventfully this year. However, when I woke up on November 12th, my dorm room is decorated with streamers and Hermione and Ron are standing eagerly next to my bed.

"Happy birthday!" The two exclaim when they notice I'm awake.

"How did you guys even know?" I ask as I get up, giving them each a small hug of gratitude. I can't help but look around, wondering where the third member of the trio is. Harry and I had gotten much closer after he had confided in me about his troublesome time at Hogwarts.

"I may have seen it written on a note you left out a few days ago..." Hermione admits, looking guilty.

I must have a confused look on my face because she adds, "and Harry wanted to be here, but he had some tournament stuff to attend to this morning. He said he'd see you at breakfast."

Ron scoffs and rolls his eyes, but Hermione elbows him before he can say anything.

Relieved, I think back to what note Hermione could be referring to before realizing that she must have seen the card Evangeline had sent me wishing me a happy birthday. I'd left it out on my desk, along with the new winter jacket she had sent me as a gift.

"Thank you guys. This is very sweet of you all," I gush.

Ron reaches up and ruffles my hair. "Of course. You don't turn fifteen everyday."

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Harry is already at the Gryffindor table when we arrive in the dining room for breakfast. When he notices I've arrived he gives me a big hug.

"Happy birthday, Olive. Sorry I couldn't be there this morning," he says to me as we begin to make our plates.

"No worries, Harry," I reassure him, "duty calls."

He smiles as the four of us begin to eat our breakfast. Ron and Harry were still not on speaking terms, so it was Hermione and I doing a majority of the talking. Hermione must have told a few other Gryffindors that it was my birthday because Neville, Dean, and a boy named Seamus Finnigan, join us and wish me a happy birthday.

The rest of my day is rather uneventful. Besides a few Gryffindors in my Astronomy class wishing me a happy birthday, no one else seemed to bring it up - which was more than alright with me.

However, when Hermione and I return to the Gryffindor common room after dinner, I'm surprised to find Neville, Harry, Ron and a few others gathered around the fireplace. They're all bending over, focused on something on the coffee table. I walk over quickly, curious to see what's got their attention.

On the table is a small red cake, the words Happy Birthday Olive, written on it in gold icing.

I could cry at the incredibly kind gesture. In fact, I almost do. I look up to see everyone surrounding me is beaming, clearly proud of however they had produced this cake in the first place.

"I don't even know what to say..." I begin.

"You don't have to say anything," Harry says delicately, "we know how hard a year you've had. We just wanted to make it a little bit better."

My heart swells at his kind words and the smiles the others give me. I can't help but think about how lucky I've been to be blessed with friends and housemates as caring as they all are.