Hermione Granger, Another Life - Year Two

15. Party

That day they mostly sat outside as the last summer breeze passed through the hills. Lee had gone to the kitchens and brought some drinks and snacks when they took a seat near the lake. Hermione was subconsciously playing with the pen holder in her hands when the twins noticed it. The twins raised their eyebrows as they looked from each other to the girl.

"Hey, Hermione." George started of gently.

"What's in your hand." Fred pointed at her hands franticly.

"Oh." She said with a secretive smile. "A present from my parents."

"What is it?" Fred asked impatient, leaning forward to have closer look. Hermione rolled her eyes as she tossed him the pen holder. Fred sat back down on his heels as George leaned closer as Fred clicked the box open. Hermione had to hold back a giggle when she saw Fred looking at the tiny broom with a frown. He picked it up, out of the box and twirled it between his fingers. George carefully snatched it from his brother as he too inspected it. "Is it a pen?" Fred asked looking from the broom to Hermione.

"Nope." She popped the P.

"Just a little keepsake? From our lessons then?" George smirked, but again, Hermione shook her head.

"Put it back in the box." She sighed as the twins wanted an answer. "I'll show you when you put it back in."

George put the broom back in the pen holder that Fred held up before they gave it to Hermione. Hermione looked to the girls, who grinned at her knowingly. The twins and Lee noticed the exchange and looked offended that the girls knew something they didn't. But the three sets of eyes went back to Hermione as she let her fingers pick up the tiny broom. If anyone would've blinked, they would have missed how the broom enlarged in a second. Now in Hermione's hand lay a new nimbus 2000.

The twins made a strange sound when they saw the brand-new and expensive broom in her hand. Lee's mouth had dropped open and uttered one single. "Wow." Just like the girls did that morning.

"Your parents got you a broom?"

"Yeah." Hermione said taking the birthday card out of her bag and showed it to the boys. The three of them nearly slammed their heads together as they read the card. "You can all try it later, if you want." Hermione merely shrugged. "After I went first that is." She added with a grin.

"We-we..." Fred choked out; he cleared his throat as he looked away from the broom to his friend. "We can fly on it?"

"Or would you rather sweep the floor with it?" Hermione laughed. Fred grinned back at her before he turned solemn.

"Now our present looks like shite." Fred grumbled.

"No, I love the fireworks." Hermione insisted. "They actually brighten my day."

"The fireworks aren't your only present, Hermione." George added as he too finally looked up from the broom with a wide grin while Lee still had his eyes fixed on it.

Hermione looked from George to Fred and to the girls. "No more surprises." She shook her head.

"Oh, you don't trust us, is that it, little Granger?"

"Not when it comes to surprises or pranks, no." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Too bad." The twins said.

"What?" Her eyebrows high. "Girls..." Hermione groaned looking at the three girls. But they just had the same look as the twins. "Well, if no one will tell me." She said standing up and pointed her wand at her broom making it shrink again. Lee sighed as the broom disappeared before his eyes. "I'm leaving."