Darkness Falls

Twenty Two

1993 Third Year

Hermione stood at the top of the owlery holding the letter she had written to her parents in her hand as she lent against the side of a wall overlooking the grounds.

The sun had begun to set on her birthday and she couldn't have been more thankful. Other than spending the morning with her gifts and the occasional birthday wish throughout the day, she'd had an otherwise normal day.

Around supper time, Ginny had suggested that the group had a small celebration for Hermione's birthday back in the common room, to which she declined and told her she wanted to write to her parents and do some studying. When in fact, all she really wanted to do was escape to her and Draco's room and thank him for her gift.

The first part however, had been true. She wrote a letter to her parents thanking them for their lovely gifts and told them about the reaction her picture gained from a few of her friends who had never witnessed muggle photos before. She then told them about the gift Draco had gotten her, although for her father's sanity, she left out the part where the gift had come from a boy.

In truth, Hermione used to enjoy celebrating her birthday with her family where they would go for a traditional meal at the small Italian restaurant in the village, followed by a small fire in the backyard with Hot Chocolates and blankets, finally finishing with pyjamas and a film before she fell asleep on the sofa tucked up to her mum. They didn't make a huge fuss or force her to do something she didn't want and she appreciated that, she always did hate having a fuss made over her.

That fact still remained the same however, now she spent her birthdays away from her parents, they were just a reminder of how she used to celebrate it, how ordinary things were before she started attending Hogwarts. She would forever be grateful for the time she spent at Hogwarts but it didn't change the fact that she felt homesick on occasions like this.

So instead she decided she would rather her birthday go unnoticed so she could avoid the homesick pit that formed in her stomach, although that wasn't always entirely avoidable.

She glanced down at the letter in her hands, trying to ignore the longing she felt to see her parents after only being away for a few short weeks and simply hoped one year she would instead find it normal to celebrate it without them.

Finally she held out her palm to the nearest owl and presented him with a treat. Hesitantly, the owl took the treat as he scuttered his feet slightly to move closer to her and opened his beak a fraction for her to place the letter inside.

Patting the owl gently on his head, she thanked him and smiled as she watched his wings slowly expand before he took off into the distance, soaring through the sky. She sighed at the scene before her and looked towards the distance once more, the sun had set, leaving behind beautiful shades of pink and orange in its absence.

As she climbed down the stairs and made her way slowly and discreetly through the castle, Hermione pondered over the thought process behind Draco's gift.

The pair had been friends since first year, they'd had their troubles and quarrels, but they were now stronger than ever. She spent time with him most nights and had conversations with him she hadn't dreamed of having with anybody else. However, she spent every day with Harry and Ron, the evenings she wasn't with Draco she had been with them, most of her free time during the day and even days through her holidays she spent solely with them, they were her family and they meant the world to her, and yet, Hermione was fully confident that neither of her best friends could have thought up a more perfect gift than the one Draco had given her.

What makes the friendships different? She thought to herself as she absentmindedly turned the corner leading to the corridor her destination was on.