My dearest Harry,

Happy Birthday! It's odd to be writing these words to you on paper rather than being able to tell you face to face. It was even stranger to wake up this morning with nothing to keep me company other than the cold sheets. I guess waking up next to you is something that I have become very used to doing.

I spent most of last night looking back on our lives over the past 15 years. Who could have guessed from that first meeting so many years ago that our lives would end up here? It is amazing how much we have lived through - trolls, the squid, whatever Hagrid thinks is cuddly this week, dragons, megalomaniac egotistical crazy people out to kill us at every turn. Why do I continue to associate with you again?

You continue to amaze me more everyday. You have not had an easy life, Harry. On more than one occasion, I wondered why you didn't just tell the world to find another `chosen one' to put up with their crap and I wouldn't have blamed you at all. You have dealt with so much in your past 26 years - abusive relatives, the loss of your parents and Sirius, the fame, the stalking, the death, and the killing you were required to do; yet you are still the same sweet, gentle, humble man that I have known and loved for the past 15 years.

I thank every deity known every day that you came into my life. Looking back, I was so blessed to have you along the way. You are too good to me. You put up with my bossiness because you think it is cute, you support my causes, you listen to me rant and know just what to say to make it all better, and you were willing to put up with my fears of changing our relationship and work with me to overcome them. I was so scared when I realized that I loved you and that you loved me - my disastrous relationship with Ron and the hard road the two of us had repairing our friendship made me fear everything that was developing between us. I think I knew even then that while breaking up with Ron broke my heart, if something happened with you, it would wound my soul.

Well, enough of this rambling, though every girl is allowed to do it once in a while. I will close by reminding you just how much I love you. You are the air I breathe, the music in my soul, and my heart. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you.

I'll see you in a few hours!

All my love,

Hermione

PS. I'll be the one walking towards you in the blindingly white dress with an even more brilliant smile.