For the first time in his entire life, Harry Potter hadn’t been dreading his arrival at the Dursley’s. They were just as bothersome as ever, but with Ron and Hermione by his side almost anything seemed at least a bit more bearable. Even the task of finding the remaining Horcruxes and destroying Voldemort seemed less impossible.
But still, Harry knew he was endangering the two people who had been loyal to him through everything - his true best friends in the world. His thoughts were constantly at war with each other, and lately in particular about his former girlfriend, Ginny Weasley. It had been almost a month since he had seen her last, and he still stuck by his decision of parting with her. But would he feel the same once he saw her again at the burrow in a few short days? He tried to push the thought from his mind as he tried to find a more comfortable position to sleep in.
He half-smiled as he heard Ron’s muffled snoring beside him, and Hermione’s quiet mutterings from across the room. He never knew she talked in her sleep - but he had never actually slept in the same room with her, as he unfortunately had with Ron over the years. These two were the only source of happiness he had at the moment, and he tried not to let his thoughts wander to the death of Dumbledore, the last of the few people he could confide in. Without Dumbledore, Harry feared for his life and for others’ lives like he never had before. When Dumbledore was around, nothing could come near Harry. He had always pictured Dumbledore as invincible, outsmarting anyone that crossed his path, and now, his death made Harry see clearer than ever before - anyone could be gone in a moment. Especially the people he was closest to, and he would have to be ready for that if it came.
Daylight quietly slid its shadows over Privet Drive. Harry knew he had been awake the entire night, and was now used to it. It was almost impossible for him to sleep when he had so many things occupying his mind - things that were imperative for him to figure out. His current thoughts, however, were interrupted by a bushy-haired figure who was yawning quietly.
“Harry?” she whispered, though she needn’t have, really - Ron’s snores were enough to drown out any conversation. “Are you awake?”
“Yeah,” Harry replied without an ounce of fatigue in his voice.
“Have you been up all this time?” she asked, yawning again, this time rather loudly. Harry nodded and sat up, almost knocking over the lamp on his bedside table.
Ron then awoke with a start. “Wassgoinon?” he shouted, groping blindly for the sheets.
Harry managed a smile. “Sorry, mate, I know it’s rather close quarters at the moment.”
Ron yawned, rather obnoxiously compared to Hermione’s, and then muttered, “It’s alright, Harry. We’ll be gone from here in a few days anyway.”
“Oh, Harry, that’s right, I almost forgot!” Hermione said cheerfully. “Your birthday’s in just two days!”
Harry wanted to laugh but didn’t - he had never been one to fuss over his birthday. While to normal people it was usually a rather important event, to Harry it simply meant nothing. But this year, at least, he would be turning seventeen. He would be of age in the wizarding world. It was already decided that the Order would come and fetch Harry, Ron, and Hermione on the eve of Harry’s birthday, and they would proceed to leave the Dursley’s just a few short minutes after Harry was officially seventeen. Harry and Ron would Side-Along with a member of the Order - Hermione, of course, would Apparate herself - and arrive at the Burrow just in time for Bill and Fleur’s wedding which would be a week afterwards. After that, Harry thought, they would have to face their fate.
“Good thing, too,” Ron smirked. “Then Harry will be able to add ears to Dudley’s piggy face.” They all laughed for a moment at that wonderful thought.
Since they’d all arrived at the Dursley’s a month ago, they’d barely talked about anything else but leaving. They hadn’t talked about Dumbledore’s death, for whenever Ron and Hermione brought it up in conversation, Harry would immediately change the subject. It was only something Harry wanted to reflect upon on his own - without anyone else’s thoughts in the way. Harry knew this was a bit selfish, but he thought that if he heard what Hermione and Ron had to say, he would immediately feel as if they didn’t understand. Nobody had been as close to Dumbledore as Harry had been. However, Harry swore he heard Hermione and Ron softly crying together in the middle of the night on several occasions, and he decided it would be intruding if he did anything but pretend to be asleep, though it didn’t stop his own tears from falling.
They also hadn’t talked about this break-up with Ginny, though Hermione definitely hinted that he was making a mistake. Harry didn’t want to hear it - his best friends had to trust his decisions. The real question was, did he trust them? Ron seemed rather indifferent about it, as well as reluctant to talk about it, as he probably sensed Harry’s own reluctancy. Harry thought that maybe Ron expected he would come around eventually and shouldn’t press the matter. Harry prefered this logic much more than Hermione’s. However, Hermione was nothing if not determined to be right.
The next two days passed slowly, and on the night before Harry’s birthday, he, Ron, and Hermione packed for the Burrow. It wasn’t hard since both Ron and Hermione could use magic now, and as they swished their wands to direct various pieces of clothing and possesions into their trunks, Harry half expected to hear the familiar tapping of a Ministry owl on his window, informing him that someone had performed illegal underage magic. Consequently, no such owl appeared and Harry let himself smile for just a moment.
Because it was such a small space, Ron and Hermione kept bickering over whose stuff they were actually summoning, but Harry saw out the corners of his eyes that they kept accidentally bumping into each other and blushing.
Around eight thirty, Uncle Vernon poked his head in the room and sniffed disapprovingly.
“What’s all this racket?” he sneered, clearly horrified as he saw Ron and Hermione’s things folding themselves neatly on Harry’s bed.
Hermione, who wanted to be as kind as possible to the Dursley’s - “We really should leave a good impression, being your friends and all,” she’d said earlier - muttered, “Sorry, Mr. Dursley. We didn’t mean to cause a disruption.”
“Too right you didn’t,” he hissed. “Now shut it!”
“Hey!” Ron bellowed. “If you’ve got a problem with Hermione then you’re gonna have to answer to me!” He brandished his wand fiercly and Vernon ran. “I love doing that, Harry,” Ron chuckled, and Hermione looked disapproving.
“Really, Ron,” she reprimanded, but Harry noticed that she was bright red and trying not to smile. Harry laughed and closed his trunk. He had finished packing, with the help of Hermione, and consequently they were ready four hours early for the arrival of the Order.
When Harry’s watch finally beeped at midnight, they all rejoiced.
"Happy birthday, Harry!" Hermione said as she threw her arms around him, earning an expected jealous look from Ron.
“Feel any different, mate?” Ron asked excitedly, clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder and shoving Hermione away from him.
“No,” Harry answered honestly, “but the Dursley’s have got a little goodbye treat in store for them before I leave.” He took out his wand and stuck it in his back pocket with an evil smile.
“Harry, you really musn’t -” Hermione protested, but Harry was already out the door. He could tell already that this would be his best birthday yet.
A Summer to Remember by hermione__is__me
Chapter Notes: Wow! You've chosen to read this despite my horrible summary! Thanks! I hope you enjoy :]