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Rory and Jess had been planning this surprise for their friend for weeks now, it would have been months but Hermione had only let slip that it was her thirtieth birthday last month. She had been down lately, despite her not talking about it and burying her head into her work at the bookshop - it was taking more work than any of them expected it to get the shop back up and running and getting customers back in there. Rory was helping as much as she could, to try and lessen the burden on her new friend, and to forget about her problems too - but that was a story for another time.
She wasn't blind to the other brunette's struggles, but she also wasn't one to pry and force people to talk about any issues - or not anymore. She had learnt her lesson in the past and knew that a person would open up if, and when, they were ready and not before.
She looked around them at the array of things at the couple's feet. Jess had come up with the idea of a Coney Island trip and a picnic the night of Hermione's birthday. As much as she thought Hermione may not be up for a big deal being made, Rory couldn't let such a milestone birthday pass with nothing. It was low key, just the three of them, a picnic under the boardwalk and then maybe some rides, ice skating to an aquarium visit. In all honesty, they were going to leave the plans for later open-ended and let the birthday girl pick.
"Are you sure we have everything?" Rory asked Jess, she had made lists and given him the one of things to pack. She had told Hermione to meet them near the Coney Island boardwalk at six thirty, it was six fifteen now. They could not afford to have something missing.
"Yes, we have everything on the list," Jess said. Closing the gap between them and gently taking hold of Rory, "Breathe love, things will be fine. It is a nice thing we are doing, and even if she doesn't want a fuss Hermione isn't the type to make a scene. Plus she loves us." He kissed Rory on the cheek. "Now we better get things finished, we know how Hermione occasionally likes to be early to things." He added with a chuckle.
Rory and Jess had only just sat down when they spotted Hermione's approach. "Happy Birthday!" They called in unison as she came to a standstill a foot away from them and the picnic set up.
"Uh, what's all this?" Hermione asked a look of pure terror on her face.
Uh oh, Rory thought, a pang in her stomach. Maybe we did muck up she thought to herself. "We wanted to celebrate your birthday. You mentioned it a little while ago and I - we couldn't let it pass with nothing." Rory said, a little too jovially. "Come sit." She tapped the space on the blanket near her.
Hermione closed the gap with small, tentative steps. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. Is the idea of celebrating her birthday, of celebrating her, such a bad thing? It had nearly been a year since this mysterious woman had rocked up in Star's Hollow and in all honesty none of the townsfolk were any closer to knowing about her, what brought her all this way. They knew that she was from England, that something had happened, that she was strange. But she hadn't opened up to anyone, not even Rory. And it wasn't for lack of trying.
"This is nice, but you didn't have to do anything. It has been a while since I celebrated a birthday." Hermione admitted as she settled herself down. Pulling on her skirt as it pooled around her legs. "It felt strange to celebrate for so long that I got out of the habit of doing so... and then moving away from everyone I knew I had expected I could start over and things like this wouldn't be a big thing."
Jess scoffed at that, "Well you moved to the wrong town there. A lot of things get a big fuss in Stars Hollow. Even things that don't need them." Jess admitted. "It's the small-town aspect. It's why I figured getting away this weekend would be best for you. If that lot caught wind of it being your birthday they would have sorted something much more than just this."
"Thanks," Hermione smiled for the first time since she had arrived. "That is so kind of you."
Hermione was trying, and making new friends was good. But by hiding her magic, her history was taking more of a toll on her than she had expected. She had wondered more than once if she should tell these two things. They were her new best friends, it felt wrong to hide it all from them. Though she didn't think she was allowed. Were things as strict over here as they were back home? Hermione had no clue. She could live like a muggle if she needed to, but she did miss parts of her magical life.
They ate and drank. Talking the night away, about nothing important, but it was nice. A slice of normality that Hermione had been craving for far too many years.