A/N: Here's an alternate epilogue for my HHr 'In The Land Of Cupids'. But also a one shot for the challenge - 'Hermione's Birthday'

I wish the 'Brightest Witch Of Her Age' a very happy 34th birthday ! ^^ :***

Enjoy! (Y)

19th September 2013

It was a bright September morning when her beautiful cocoa eyes opened to meet a new day. She sighed and tried her best to sit up, but then, the warm blankets on top of her were much more comforting. Smiling to herself, the witch closed her eyes as her hands tried to search for the presence of another body, that of her husband's.

"Ugh, where are you!?" She groaned in annoyance when her hands met the soft material of his pillow. The brunette frowned and finally sat up, her eyes searching for him all around the room. All she found was a small note, along with a beautiful red rose, kept on the nightstand.

"Where have you gone this time?" She murmured to herself, reaching out for the note and delicately opening it to meet his messy handwriting.

Hermione,

I'm sorry to leave you alone in the bed on your birthday but Kingsley called me for an urgent meeting. I dunno whether I'll be back tonight, but a date after my return is a promise.

Happy Birthday sweetheart!

Love you and kids really much.

Harry

P.S: Hopefully my baby Lily isn't giving you a hard time. Tell her that daddy loves her very much.

A small smile played on the witch's lips as her hand darted to caress her swollen stomach. Her daughter had yet to make an appearance in almost a month and a half, making the mother jump to the heights of excitement for the third time. Having Emma and James was something that changed things between her and Harry. But little Lily was never planned. And Hermione's husband couldn't wish to become more happier and treated his unborn baby girl with utmost care and love, and also called her the 'Valentine's Blessing', as she was conceived on the Valentines day.

Hermione laughed slightly, when she felt a kick against her hand. "Good Morning baby. Mummy loves you." Another kick. "Daddy loves you too Lily, but he isn't here today to give you morning kisses." The next kick was harder than the rest. Hermione winced in pain, and moaned slightly. "I know baby, I am angry with daddy too. He isn't there for my birthday. He has to make it up to us. Don't you think?"

Lily kicked again, bringing her mother to smile dearly at her stomach. "I can't wait to see who you look like baby." She murmured when Hermione heard soft bangs on the door.

"Mummy!" It was James as he spoke in his squeaky, adorable voice and banged his fists again. "Wakey, wakey!"

"Mummy, may we come in? We've got something for you." The other happened to be her six year old daughter, Emma's voice.

"Come in darlings!" Hermione called out when the door opened to reveal her treasured gems, bringing her a piece of chocolate pastry. Blame the hormonal tears that her angels frowned at her and jumped by her side.

"Mummy?" Emma asked her mother worriedly, as she placed the plate on the nightstand. "Why are you crying?"

"Mummy cwying boo-boo." James said with a frown, bringing Hermione to smile and pull her babies into her arms.

"Mummy is happy sweethearts." She said, placing a kiss on either of their heads. "I'm just happy. That's all."

James gave Hermione a toothless grin before he saw his sister bringing the small plate and handing their mother a plastic knife.

"Daddy woke up early and asked me and James to give this to you." Emma explained. "He said that he is sorry and he loves you really much mummy. And he asked us to give you and Lily hugs and kisses from him."

"Your daddy is a ninny." Hermione half laughed as James prodded her to cut the pastry. Emma sang the birthday song as her mother took a small piece and fed it to James and the then to her when finally the kids got to smear her face with chocolate.

"Happee Buday mummy." James squealed and kissed Hermione's cheek, Emma following the same while their mummy only pulled them closer for a loving hug.

"Thank you darlings." Hermione said, when she felt Lily giving a small kick on her tummy, making her smile wider and also forgetting of the crossness with her husband.

"Hermione, believe me. It's happened with me as well." Roselyn Landon nee Malfoy tried to console her friend the very same evening as they sat on the kitchen island.

"But Rosie, how come no one's there to even see me?" Hermione asked when they heard the front door open. "I mean, Harry's not here. Ginny, Blaise, Ron and Luna have gone to Romania to see my very own sister giving birth for the fourth time. They should've at least sent me an owl or something."

"Hey there love." Eric greeted his wife with a peck on her lips and smiled at her pregnant friend. "Hi Hermione. Get up so that I can give you a hug. Oh, I'm sorry! You're so heavy that you can't." He teased, earning a glare from both Roselyn and Hermione.

"Is this the way to wish your friend 'Happy Birthday'?" Hermione scolded when Eric chuckled and only pulled her by the hands, enveloping her into a hug.

"Happy birthday." He said, giving a peck on her cheek. "How come you are alone? Where are the kids?"

"They are upstairs with Jasmine and Ed." His wife said. "And I can see James coming in three. Two. One -"

"Mummy, me sweepy." James Potter came trotting down the stairs to his mother as he rubbed his eyes.

Hermione smiled at her son, as he walked over to her. Climbing onto her lap, he snuggled closer to his sister in her tummy. "Love you Lily." He murmured.

"He's exactly like Harry." Roselyn commented. "So protective about his sister. Well in Harry's case it's his 'Valentine's Blessing'."

"I don't want to talk about Harry." Hermione frowned, petting James' messy locks. "How could he just-?!"

"Not again!" Eric moaned as his friend shot a glare at him. It was when Hermione's cell rang and she answered the call.

"Yes Draco?" Hermione drawled as Eric ad Roselyn exchanged a knowing look. "At my place?" She continued. "Without the kids-? Draco, are you suggesting a date? You have a family you know." She paused, looking at the couple sitting in front of her. "Oh, alright. Just a talk. Will be there in five. Let me just put the kids to bed and say goodbye, okay? Bye." She smiled and cut the call. Taking James in her arms, she got up and asked her friend "Do you mind having Em and Jamie for the night?"

"Of course not." The blonde smiled. "They are my godchildren after all."

"I mean, you didn't have any plans for tonight, did you?" Hermione further asked pointedly.

Roselyn blushed while Eric cleared his throat and said "We did actually. Rosie and I had planned to make another baby." He flushed slightly. "But its alright. The best we could do is to lock our room's door and carry on with our activities."

"My baby has ears you know." Hermione said pointing at a sleeping James.

Eric chuckled and said "We promise we won't let the children hear anything. Now go back home and talk to Draco. Katrina still thinks that he is having an affair with you."

Hermione knew that activating the floo network through the Landons' fireplace was an advantage. It saved her ten minutes of driving and the diesel worth five pounds. And Harry had strictly forbidden her from driving during her pregnancy.

'Gods! I hate him for that! I'm sure that I'll forget how to drive.'

'He is just being protective about you and the baby.'

'If he was, he wouldn't have left me alone on my birthday morning.'

The thing that caused Hermione to think was her dining hall being royally set as the two candles stood luminously at its centre. What brought Hermione to an awe was a muggle projector displaying pictures on the opposite wall, which were right from her childhood days, to that of Hogwarts and finally as a successful young woman. All she did was to clasp her hands over her mouth and squeal like an excited toddler.

"I knew you would like it." A voice said from her back. "It took me a whole day to arrange for it."

Hermione turned around to meet her husband's striking green eyes and he leaned against the door. He straightened his appearance and walked towards her. "Hopefully you're not angry with me anymore. I'm sorry I wasn't there by your side in the morning."

Hermione chuckled and cupped his cheek. "You have no idea how much Lily and I hated you for leaving us without our morning kisses." She said. "But Harry, this is-" she paused and looked around. "Beautiful. I mean, I-"

Harry silenced her with a small kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he pointed at the wall. "Look." Was all he said.

It was a picture of their wedding where Harry kissed her lovingly as she stood next to him in a beautiful wedding gown. Then came the picture of their honeymoon in Thailand, where Hermione stood next to Harry in a red swimsuit; modest, but revealing as she kissed his cheek.

"And after nine months, came our Emma." Harry whispered in her ear as the picture changed to the one as a family, as Hermione held their daughter, her face flushed with after effects of childbirth. While Harry sat next to her, his arms protectively wrapped around his small family. "You both looked so beautiful then." Harry further whispered, placing a kiss on Hermione's ear. "You still are." Now the picture showed Hermione cuddling a baby James as Emma sat by her side. "I love you so much 'Mione." He continued, making her orbs of melted chocolate meeting his emerald ones. "I love you for giving me the family I always been wanting to love. A daughter I've always wanted to be like you and a son who has my dangerously dashing looks." She chuckled. "It's been eight years with you and wonder how many more to come. Every morning I wake up, I see your face bearing the widest smile. And it makes my day. All I want to see you is happy. And I guess, that wish of mine has been fulfilled."

Hermione smiled with tears trimming her eyes and said "I love you Harry Potter. But by any chance have you been nicking out my Nicholas Sparks books and have been reading them lately?" Harry opened his mouth to speak when Hermione held up her hand to continue. "And don't lie to me after all the sappy dramatic dialogues you said!"

"What?!" Harry said scandalized. "No!"

"Don't lie to me Scarhead! I found my copy of 'The Notebook' under your pillow last week!"

"Well, that was just- I wanted to see why you like them. And I learned that you love reading the smutty parts. I've seen marking on those pages."

Hermione turned crimson. "Well, that was just- you didn't need to say that!" She screeched, punching playfully on his shoulder. "You men are not the only one who can have raging hormones!"

"Uh uh." Harry said with a small wink and kissed her softly. Hermione only pulled him closer as her hands fisted his hair to pull his face closer and to tighten his lips over hers. Small nibbling and tongue fights went on for moments when they pulled back, all breathless.

"What's for dinner?" Hermione asked huskily.

"Where are the kids?" Harry asked, ignoring Hermione's question.

"They are at Roselyn's for the night. I thought that they didn't need to know about the 'so called affair' going on between Draco and I."

Harry chuckled and kissed her again. "Ask that question again."

"About what?"

"About the dinner."

Hermione rolled her eyes and asked "What's for dinner?"

Harry mischievously smirked. "Actually my dear birthday wife, there's only dessert on the menu."

"Hmm..." Hermione said, tracing his jaw seductively with her finger. "I guess, I like the idea."

"Then let me make it up to you and my Lily." Harry said before scooping Hermione's heavy form in a bridal style. "And don't say that you're as fat as a whale. However you are, you are beautiful."

Hermione smiled as Harry carried her to their bedroom while smelt of fresh roses and laid her on the bed. Oh yes their night was going to be like the ones in Nicholas Sparks's books; smutty, yet romantic.

A/N: Yeah, I've just finished reading 'The Notebook' lately and it brought tears to my eyes :')

Anyway guys, you know the drill ...