Birthday Shopping

Harry woke up feeling refreshed. It had been five days since his return to Hogwarts. His reserves were not yet full but full enough to keep his body from aching, but the potion from Snape certainly sped up the process. He glanced towards his bedside table to check on the table watch, it read 6:12 am. Well it was still early enough for Harry to go down to the common room and enjoy some silence before the students piled in, so he did exactly that.

Getting up from his bed, he quickly went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and went down to the common room. Contrary to Harry's thinking the common room was not completely empty as the Weasley twins were sprawled on the sofa, sleeping. It would seem that they had been experimenting. Harry quietly went towards them and shook them awake. 

"five minutes mum", Fred groaned. 

"yeah just five minutes more mum", George added. 

"Well first off I am not your mum, and second off you are not at home, Fred, George", Harry said with a chuckle. 

Fred woke up grudgingly, rubbing his eyes. He then proceeded to look around, then his eyes fixed on Harry, "good morning mate.." he said slowly yawning. 

"Mornin' Fred", said Harry.

"Oi, Georgie, rise and shine!", Fred shouted causing George to jump up. 

"What? What happened?", George looked around expecting trouble. 

"Nothing, mate. Just us falling asleep on the couch," Fred explained wearily.

George groaned, rubbing his eyes in a mirror image of his twin, which caused Harry to smile. Twins were after all twins, having certain identical behaviour went to prove that further. George flunked himself down on the couch again. 

"Well Harry, thanks for waking us up. We were out here experimenting with a new kind of toffee that will make your tongue grow in length", George said as he struggled to stifle his yawn. 

Harry turned to the twins and put his hands on their shoulder. He then proceeded to cast an energizing charm to help them revitalize themselves. Both Fred and George were a bit shocked to find that they were not tired anymore. Harry's magic had energized them. Both of them turned to Harry and thanked him, to which Harry replied, "No thanks needed guys, I'm just helping out my brothers"

Both the twins broke in grins at that statement. Then Harry and the twins broke into discussion in which the twins updated Harry on their progress. Harry was extremely pleased knowing that the twins had completed in making 6 batches of the Chromatic Chews and were now experimenting with some new toffees with some rather interesting effects such as growing tongue and levitation.

"While I am pleased by your progress, aren't you guys pushing yourself too much? It's not like we have a deadline that we have to follow. Why don't you cut some slack on it. I wouldn't want you guys to fall sick just because you pushed yourself too much", Harry said with a small frown.

Fred and George looked at Harry with a blank gaze. Inside they were delighted to think that Harry was worried for them, but they wanted to make it so that they could repay Harry sooner than later. 

"Well we just want to get the business started sooner rather than later, you know" Fred chimed in. 

George nodded and added, "This way we can get a good grasp on what kind of pranks could be popular and this will give us a rather good idea on what kind of effects or pranks are more popular."

Harry nodded as he saw where they were coming from but it provided no benefit if the twins ended up in the hospital for over working themselves. 

"That's all good, but don't overwork yourself guys. It would do us no good if you guys end up in the hospital wing for over exhaustion."

"We just want to get things rolling, Harry," Fred explained, echoed by George's nod of agreement. "But we'll make sure to pace ourselves better."

"Great, I got this idea from seeing your exhaustion. But here is another idea for a sweet. Why don't you guys make a sweet that could be like a Pepperup Potion. Might come in handy!" Harry smiled. "Of course, I will personally kill you guys if you overwork yourself, so work on this idea in the next week, I think you have enough work this week"

"Brilliant idea, Harry!" Fred exclaimed, his eyes alight with enthusiasm. "A sweet with the rejuvenating effects of a Pepperup Potion could revolutionize our product line."

"Absolutely," George chimed in, nodding in agreement. "It's a practical yet innovative concept that could appeal to a wide range of customers."

Harry grinned at their eagerness, but his expression turned serious as he continued, "But remember, I mean it about not overworking yourselves. Your health is more important than any business venture. Just try to sell the Chromatic Chews for the remainder of this week."

Fred and George exchanged a knowing glance, understanding the gravity of Harry's words. "Got it, Harry," Fred assured him. "We'll pace ourselves and focus on this new idea for now."

Harry nodded and shooed them off to their dormitory. He then proceeded to sit down and conjured himself a hot chocolate to enjoy. As Harry sipped his hot chocolate, his eyes glanced towards the calendar hanging in the common room. It showed that today was Saturday 19th September. For some reason the date was bugging Harry. He thought, what was the reason. Is there something important today? 

Well there is the match with Slytherin today, and a weekend so no classes. Harry's first quidditch match ever. Apart from that he couldn't think of anything. Was it someone's birthday? Hmmmm....Ginny's birthday is on August 11. Which surprisingly Harry had missed. Well she couldn't blame him. She never told him her birthday, well in her defense, Harry had not made contact with the Weasleys until August 18. When was Ron's birthday again? March something. So it's not today at least. When was Hermione's birthday? Harry remembered her telling it was 19 something. He focused on the memory. Ahh, 19 September was Hermione's birthday.

Harry's face went white. Today was 19th September. He hadn't bought her a gift yet. At this thought Harry vanished the cup of hot chocolate and ran upstairs to his dormitory. Once he entered his dormitory he went straight to Ron, who was still sleeping. Harry shook Ron, 

"Ron wake up!". 

Ron just rolled to the other side and continued sleeping. Harry looked at Ron in disbelief. 

"Well, you made me do it", Harry said with a smirk. He grabbed Ron's ankle and shocked him with a small shocking spell. Ron jerked awake, screaming. Good thing Harry had casted a silencing ward around his bed before shocking him. Ron glared at Harry,

"Why did you shock me?"

"Do you know what day it is today?", Harry asked.

"Bloody hell, Harry. Did you just wake me up to ask that? There should be a calendar in the common room, you could have just used that", Ron said angrily. 

Harry sighed. Ron surely loved sleeping more than anything else. "Mate, today is 19th September. Anything ring a bell?"

Ron looked at him confused, "Well apart from the Gryffindor and Slytherin match." Harry added.

Ron started thinking. After a while his face went white and he looked at Harry. Harry nodded as he understood Ron had grasped it. 

"Yes it's her birthday today. We forgot to get her a gift!", Harry added. 

Both Harry and Ron were pale in the face. Ron jumped up from his bed and both he and Harry went down to the common room. 

"Well Harry what should we do now?"

Harry started thinking. What should he do? Where to get a gift? Hogsmead seemed like a good choice. So he turned to Ron, "We'll go to Hogsmead now to get the gift. The shops should be open by now and I am sure no one will be there. So lets get dressed fast."

Ron nodded and both of them ran back to their dormitories to get dressed. Both Ron and Harry met in the common room again after getting dressed. 

"Now how will we make it to the Hogsmead village, Harry? If I am correct first years are not exactly allowed to go there."

"We will take a secret passage from behind the One-Eyed witch statue on the fourth floor corridor. It will take us to the Honeyduke cellar."

"Blimey Harry. How do you know about that"

"Well no time to explain right now Ron. Let's hurry while the castle is still empty"

Harry and Ron soon made it to the Honeyduke's cellar through the passage. They were lucky to not encounter anyone on the way to the statue, well except the ghosts, who didn't seem to care anyway. 

"What should we get her Harry? I don't have much money on me. I only have about 15 sickles." Ron said as both of them made it out of the shop.

"Well we will find something Ron. Let's check out the bookstore first.", Harry said as both of them made it towards the bookstore.

Both Ron and Harry searched the shelves of the bookstore, hoping to find the perfect gift for Hermione. However, their efforts yielded no results. Stepping out into the crisp Hogsmeade air, Harry halted Ron with a determined look.

"Let's put our heads together, Ron," Harry suggested, his mind racing through memories of conversations with Hermione.

Ron nodded, trusting Harry's intuition.

Harry furrowed his brow, delving deep into his recollection of their chats. Suddenly, it clicked. "I've got it, Ron," Harry exclaimed. "Remember when Hermione mentioned she envied Hedwig? Let's get her an owl."

Ron's eyes lit up with approval. "Brilliant. One gift down. What's next?"

"Think back to our first week here," Harry prompted. "Remember Hermione eyeing that dress Susan Bones wore? I bet she'd love something similar."

Ron grinned, impressed by Harry's deduction. "Right, let's go find that dress."

"That's a solid plan, Harry. You handle the owl, and I'll take care of the dress," Ron remarked, a hint of resignation in his voice.

Harry studied Ron's expression, sensing his friend's concern. He understood Ron's predicament – money was tight for him. Yet, Harry couldn't shake the feeling that getting Hermione the owl would be a significant gesture, one that might bring Ron and Hermione closer together.

As they made their way to the pet shop, Harry pondered his options. He could easily cover the cost of both the gifts himself, but he needed to find a way for Ron to take credit for the gift. Deep in thought, Harry and Ron approached the entrance of the shop, ready to tackle the challenge ahead.

"Alright, Ron, let's start by finding the perfect owl. Then we can ask about the price to determine who's buying," Harry suggested as they stepped into the shop. Ron nodded in agreement, heading toward the section displaying various owls.

Meanwhile, Harry approached the shopkeeper, a kindly lady, and initiated a discreet conversation. "Excuse me," he began, lowering his voice, "I could use your assistance."

The shopkeeper leaned in, intrigued. "Of course, dear. How may I be of service?" she replied in a hushed tone.

"My friend over there is in search of an owl. Whatever owl he selects, please inform him that it's priced at 12-13 sickles. Feel free to come up with a story about a special morning discount or something of the sort. I'll cover the remaining cost," Harry explained discreetly.

The shopkeeper smiled, understanding Harry's intentions. Harry slipped her three galleons as a token of appreciation. "For your trouble," he whispered with a grin. The shopkeeper accepted the coins with a grateful nod.

With the arrangement made, Harry rejoined Ron, who was admiring a magnificent golden-brown Wood owl nearby.

"Hey, Ron, what do you think of this one?" Harry approached, peering over Ron's shoulder.

Startled, Ron jumped slightly and turned around. "Merlin's beard, Harry! You nearly gave me a heart attack," he exclaimed with a chuckle.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Harry grinned sheepishly. "But what do you think? Is this owl a winner?"

Ron studied the owl thoughtfully before nodding in agreement. "Yeah, mate, I reckon she'll adore this one. And it seems pretty sharp, too."

Harry observed the owl closely, sensing a peculiar aura about it. There was something subtly different, an indefinable quality that set it apart. Despite his attempts to discern its magical signature, Harry couldn't quite pinpoint it. Nevertheless, it appeared to be a standard owl, so he picked it up and carried it to the front desk.

"How much for this owl?" Harry inquired, turning to the shopkeeper.

"Thirteen sickles, young man," came the reply.

"Thirteen sickles? That's a steal!" Ron exclaimed, visibly excited at the prospect of affording the owl.

The shopkeeper nodded with a warm smile. "Indeed. You two are my first customers today, so I always offer a generous discount to start the day off right," she explained kindly while winking at Harry. 

Excitedly, Ron rummaged through his pockets, his grin widening as he retrieved thirteen shiny sickles. With a flourish, he presented the coins to the shopkeeper, who accepted them with a gracious nod and proceeded to carefully package the owl in its cage, adding a selection of treats for good measure.

As Ron strutted out of the shop, his smile practically reached his ears.

Meanwhile, Harry hung back, on the excuse of browsing for treats for Hedwig. Just as he was about to inquire about the owl's cost, the shopkeeper waved off his concerns with a reassuring smile.

"It's already been taken care of," she said kindly.

"But he only paid thirteen sickles," Harry interjected, his brow furrowing with confusion.

"The original price for the owl was 2 galleons. You handed me 3 galleons earlier, so consider it covered. I included the treats as a bonus," she explained, her tone warm and friendly.

Harry expressed his gratitude with a nod and slipped an extra galleon into the shopkeeper's hand before heading out. 

Harry and Ron stepped into the quaint dress shop, the soft chime of the bell announcing their arrival. Harry wasted no time in seeking assistance, approaching the young shopkeeper with a polite smile.

"Excuse me, could you help me choose a dress for a friend?" Harry inquired, his tone earnest.

The shopkeeper, a girl in early 20s, beamed at the opportunity to assist. "Of course! What's your friend's style?"

Harry paused for a moment, considering Hermione's preferences. "She appreciates classic styles with a touch of elegance I guess?" he explained.

Nodding understandingly, the shopkeeper led Harry to a rack adorned with an array of dresses, each one more enchanting than the last. "I think these two might catch her eye," she suggested, pulling out two stunning dresses in shades of deep blue and emerald green.

Ron leaned in to get a better look, his eyebrows raised in admiration. "Blimey, Harry, she's going to love these," he remarked.

Harry examined the dresses closely, appreciating their intricate details and fine craftsmanship. "I think you're right, Ron," he agreed, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "We'll take them both."

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up at Harry's decision, pleased to see such thoughtful consideration. "Excellent choice! Would you like them gift-wrapped?" she offered.

Harry nodded gratefully. "Yes, please. That would be perfect. Also make it into one single present"

As the shopkeeper busied herself with wrapping the dresses in delicate paper and ribbons, Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, both satisfied with their gifts.

"Ok let's hurry back now", said Harry, once he took the gift wrapped dresses and paid the shopkeeper 5 galleons.

Ron nodded eagerly, and the two of them hastened back to the castle through the secret passage. Upon returning to the castle, Ron and Harry hurried through the corridors until they reached the familiar comfort of their common room.

As they entered, they spotted Hermione seated on the couch, her expression somewhat sad as she pored over a book. 

Silently, the duo approached Hermione, their excitement bubbling beneath the surface.

"Happy Birthday, Hermione!" they exclaimed simultaneously.