Cupcake Surprise

It was a brisk autumn day. The grounds were deserted because of the cold wind. By the lake there was a girl, sitting shivering alone. Today was her birthday, September 19th and everyone had forgotten.

After about an hour or so, she began to mentally prepare herself to go back inside and face her friends, who had yet again forgotten. She always remembered their birthdays. Harry's on July 31st and Ron's on March 1st . Maybe it was the fact that it was at the beginning of the year, Hermione didn't know.

She dragged herself upwards into a standing position and began trudging up the hill and back to the castle. Within ten minutes she was back in the entrance hall. As she passed by, Sir Cadogan waved merrily. She was walking up the familiar steps to the Gryffindor common room when started daydreaming. Reality faded away and her daydream became all she could see.

*She opened the common room door. There was nobody in sight. She checked her watch, it was only 8:00 pm. Too late for dinner but too early for everyone to be in bed. As she looked around puzzled, all of the Gryffindors jumped out from their hiding places yelling "Surprise!" Maybe they hadn't forgotten after all.*

A shrill voice snapped her out of it. "Password?" Oh, she had just imagined it. The fat lady looked at her curiously. "Good dream?"
"Yeah" Hermione replied.
"Oh I forgot to say happy birthday dear." The fat lady spoke again. "Anyways, password?"
"Mimbulus mimbletonia" The door swung open.

There were clumps of people dotted around the room. They were chattering loudly not seeing the crushed despair on the newly 16 year old's face.

"Hermione," Harry cried, "come over here!" She began to start hoping again, but when she got there, she just saw Ron and Harry playing chess.
"Hello" she said.
"Shh" hissed Ron, "this is important." She looked at their game, for the first time ever, it looked like Harry may be winning. She huffed and climbed the stairs to her dorm. Grabbing her book she slumped downstairs and lay back into a chair. She got absorbed in her book, so absorbed in fact that she didn't notice Ron cry out in horror, or the boys saying goodnight. The room slowly emptied until it was just her. She turned the last page and checked the old ticking clock in the corner, it was 11:56. Only 4 more minutes and it would be over, the most disappointing day of her life done. It's not like she needed them to have given her presents, all she wanted was for someone, anyone to have acknowledged it. Other than the fat lady that is.

Just as she finished thinking this, the common room door flanged open, the door hitting the wall, causing the fat lady to yell her outrage. Fred hurtled himself through the door and across the room towards her mumbling something. She barely caught the words "hope... not ... late". He finally reached her and sat on the chair beside her, catching his breath. What had he been doing? Running across the castle? When he had finally begun to breathe normally, he turned to her and smiled. His smile took her breath away.
He muttered, "perfect timing," and took a little box out of one of his large pockets. The box was wrapped in bright wrapping paper which proclaimed 'Happy Birthday'. Fred had remembered!

Hermione gasped in surprise. He prodded her gently, and put the package in her hands.
"Go on, open it."

She looked at it in delight and started to tear it open. Under the wrapping there was a plain white box. She scrambled to open that too, her heart beating quickly in anticipation. Inside was a large cupcake. It was frosted in red and gold, with a little lion that walked around on it and opened books. The first book when opened read 'Happy Birthday Hermione'. She gasped as she heard Fred's voice singing happy birthday. She glanced at him but his mouth wasn't moving she looked back at the cake in astonishment. The second book was opening, it read 'Happy 16th' The third and final book opened slowly, she could feel Fred shifting uncomfortably beside her. The book was a lovely blue colour, with gold swirls on it. Was it just her or was this book taking longer to open than the others? It finally slid open and she read the words. It said something remarkable, something she never would have expected. It said 'Will you go out with me?'

She knew then, something she hadn't known before, at least she hadn't noticed, she liked him. She, Hermione Granger liked Fred Weasley.

"Yes," she breathed.

AN: Oh hey guys :) So hope you like it. If you are one of the readers of my other stories I'm really really sorry! If anybody is interested they are up for adoption. PM me if you are. Anyways... My sister IcePrincess99 betaed it for me. Please review :D