An Unrequited Birthday

Tomorrow was Hermione's 30^th birthday and she was dreading it. Normally she would be happy about such a big event, but she wasn't. She couldn't be excited after what happened last month. The war against Voldermort had finally come to an end last April. It had been a long and hard final battle, and her fiancé had been lost. They never did find his body. Everyone else had survived and many had received Order of Merlin First Class.

Ever since they got together in the spring of their seventh year, Harry had flooed Hermione's flat and sang her Happy Birthday. This year would be different. This year she would be alone on her birthday. This would be her first birthday without Harry in 19 years. Nineteen years, she thought, I can not believe it has been that long.

Ron had planned a surprise party for her, but she found out several days after he came up with the idea (you never really should tell the twins a secret) She told him that she didn't want anything for her birthday. The only thing she did want was the one thing she couldn't have.

That night, Hermione barely slept as tears streamed down her cheek. When she finally did get to sleep, she was only left with horrid dreams of the night she lost the man she loved.

"Hermione, what ever happens tonight, always remember that I love you." The look in Harry's eyes showed he was hiding something, but Hermione never found out what. She, Harry, Ron, Dumbledore, Malfoy, Remus, Sirius and Snape had all been informed of the whereabouts of Voldermort and his closest supporters. They had a carefully thought out plan and were going to ambush the meeting.

Harry would be used as a decoy, while the rest of them apparated into the back round and knocked off the Death Eaters one by one. All had gone as expected until the very end.

They had taken each of the Death Eaters into Ministry custody, but as they were about to get Harry they saw a dread flash of bright green light, and the yelling of the words Avada Kedavra. Hermione screamed and ran towards the area Harry had been, but he was gone. Dumbledore and Snape stunned Voldermort before he could leave, but Hermione didn't move from that spot.

She sat there crying for what seemed like forever before Ron and Sirius brought her to her flat.

After an insufficient 2 hours of sleep, Hermione got up. She knew that sleeping meant dreaming and dreaming meant seeing that dreadful day over and over again. She made herself a pot of tea and rested on the couch, prepared for a day of full-out sulking. Since she lived in the town of Greenly (a part muggle, part wizarding town) Hermione decided upon watching movies to rid herself of sorrow.

After watching The One for the third time in a row, Hermione got up and went to rewind the movie. She suddenly froze as she heard the words, Happy Birthday dear Hermione, Happy birthday to you, slowly drift through the air. It was at less then a whisper, but to Hermione it was very distinct. She closed her tears and slowly breathed in. Keep this up Hermione, she told herself, and they will put you in Mungo's in no time.

She paused the movie and went to go get some more tea when she heard the voice a little louder this time. This time she didn't hesitate.

"Who ever is doing that to taunt me, stop! Please stop." The rest of her sentence was droned out by her sobs. She tried to enjoy the rest of her day alone, but couldn't get that voice out of her head. It was nearly 2 hours later when she heard the voice again. This time it was quite loud, almost as if it were right next to her. She couldn't take it; she broke down and just lay on the couch crying. Eventually she fell asleep to the steady sound of her heart beating.

She awoke with a start. Looking at the clock she saw that it was 6:47. Well this is it, she thought, I am officially 30. "Yeah," she said, speaking aloud, "Happy Birthday Hermione." She drew in her breathe when she heard another voice beside her own. A voice she knew so well, a voice that was lost one month ago. She turned around quickly. Harry was standing facing her.

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Hermione,

Happy Birthday to you.

"Harry? Is that really you? What are you doing here?"

"I told you I would never miss your birthday. When I make a promise, I keep it." Unable to control herself any longer Hermione flung her arms around Harry, only giving him enough room to breathe.

"Where were you? I thought...I thought you were dead. I thought I had lost you forever."

"I would never leave you Hermione, you know that. I guess I'll start from the beginning. Dumbledore and I demised a plan. We thought that if I were to be a true decoy in capturing Voldermort, I would have to make it realistic, not pre-meditated.

"After the eight of us split up in the forest, I had to make it as if I stumbled upon the meeting by accident. I played as if they were smarter and I had been captured. As you began to take the rest of the Death Eaters away, Voldermort noticed. He knew it was all a set up and he would have to get rid of me. He took two of his men and used the Polyjuice potion to make them look like us. He took me into a secret hideout about 20 minutes away form where the battle was taking place. He only kept us there till the other potions had warn off.

"When we got back, he took the remaining vile of potion and forced me to have some. I turned into him and he turned into me. He then tried to use the Avada Kedavra curse on me but missed. He forgot that he couldn't see without my glasses on. He wanted to frame me, get me sent to Azkaban for using the killing curse. If someone had seen me do it, I would have a life sentence. He knew there was no way of escaping, he had already lost all of his Death Eaters, and he had nothing left. If he was going to go down, I was supposed to go with him.

"After he missed my with the curse, I fled. By the time I apparated away, I had changed back into myself. I had to stay in hiding for the rest of the month. Dumbledore knew I was still alive, but couldn't risk telling you. I had to remain hidden. We needed to catch all remaining Death Eaters and end it for good." He saw the hurt look in her eyes and couldn't help but start to cry himself, "I love you Hermione, I'm so sorry for leaving you, but I had to. I love you and I will never leave your side."

"Oh Harry! I love you too." With that he swept her off her feet, and carried her upstairs; singing Happy Birthday the whole time.