Over the course of the next few days, Harry and Ginny had several more “dates”. Whenever she was not helping the twins at their shop, she and Harry would go for a walk, or sit on the bluffs and just talk. When they were together, Harry felt happier than he ever had before. He did not want it to ever end.
Talking with Ginny was not like talking with Ron. When talking with Ron, they would talk in a way that only guys would understand. They would jibe each other, or talk about sports, or just badmouth the Slytherins. None of it was serious in nature, or heavy in topic.
It was also not like talking with Hermione. When he talked with Hermione, it tended to be more serious. She tended to over think everything. She wanted to analyze every topic to death. You could pick almost any topic, other than Quidditch, and she would have an opinion. Since they were both raised in the muggle world, they could discuss topics that crossed from one community to the other. She would sometimes try to draw him into a debate about topics for which he had little opinion, but he had learned long ago how to distract her from those topics.
It just felt different talking with Ginny, though. They would joke and banter like he and Ron could, and they could discuss more serious topics like he and Hermione could, but he also found he could open up to her on an emotional level that he didn’t feel a comfort with in talking to the other two.
They spent quite a bit of time with Ron and Hermione just sitting around and talking. They would, however, find a couple of hours each day to be alone with each other. They spent several hours talking about their respective childhoods; Harry almost alone, and Ginny being the only girl with six over protective big brothers. They talked about their hopes and dreams, about their likes and dislikes, and just generally got to know each other better.
They shared in their sorrow over Sirius. Ginny had got to know him during the summer before at Gimmauld Place. They had both let out some tears when talking about him, and they had both found comfort in sharing that pain.
Talking wasn’t the only thing they did, however. They had spent more than a little time in more romantic activities. They had been embarrassed more than once by someone walking up on them while they were engaged in a snogging session. They had both been horrified the first time Molly had caught them. She had informed them that, while it was natural for them to want to engage in that particular activity, there were also a few specialized wards that would sound if things went any further. Harry was skeptical until Ginny had informed him of a time when the alarm had gone off because Charlie and a girlfriend had gotten carried away in the broom shed. The poor girl had never been seen at the Burrow again.
Harry told Ginny, Ron, and Hermione about the special lessons Dumbledore would be giving him once they were back at school. None of them could quite figure out what they would be about, though. They had theorized about everything from advanced defensive techniques to powerful offensive spells to aurer level dueling practice. Neither Molly nor Arthur knew what they would be either, but stated that knowing Dumbledore as they did, it would not be anything ordinary.
Harry had also attended the reading of Sirius’s will. Ginny and Molly had gone with him for moral support. As Remus had told him, most of Black estate had been left to him. This included, to his dismay, Kreacher. The frog voiced house elf had appeared when Harry called him, all the while muttering obscenities under his breath. At a suggestion from Remus, Harry had sent Kreacher to the kitchens at Hogwarts in order to keep him out of trouble. Before they left, Remus told them he would be over for Harry’s birthday.
Around ten o’clock on the day after the reading, Socks arrived with another letter from his aunt.
Dear Harry,
I am pleased that I will be able to come over for your birthday. Please thank Molly for letting me help with the meal and ask her if there is anything I can bring. I am ashamed to say that I do not really know any of your favorite dishes, so if she can suggest something, I will be more than happy to bring it.
Okay, now out with it! What did Ginny say? It’s been like waiting for a new episode of my favorite soap opera. (Yes, I watch them, so what.)
I have a question about Socks. How do I go about ordering treats for him? A box arrived with him, but I do not know how to get more.
With Love,
Petunia
P.S. What is a Floo?
Harry chuckled to himself as he wrote her back answering her questions and at Molly’s insistence informed her that she only need bring herself, and made him invite Dudley as well. Harry didn’t think his cousin would want to come, but included the invite in the letter as well.
* * *
Harry was awakened on the morning of his birthday by the sound of an air horn going off in ear. It was immediately followed by the sound of fire crackers going off right above his head. He opened his eyes to the sight of some of Fred and George’s fireworks going off above him. As he scrambled out of his bed trying to grab both his glasses and his wand, he could hear screams of laughter coming from the doorway to the room he was sharing with Ron. He looked up to see the twins, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny standing at the door laughing at him. Ron took that moment to snap a picture of him.
“This will be excellent blackmail material once we get back to school,” Ron said as he lowered the camera. With a growl, he started to raise his wand at them, but before he could, they bolted down the hallway to the steps that led down to the kitchen.
All except Ginny that is. She stood in the doorway just looking at him with a lopsided smirk on her face. It was then that he realized he was standing there with nothing on but a pair of boxer shorts. He blushed scarlet as her eyes slowly lowered to take in his chest, then back up to look him in the eye.
“I see Quidditch has been good to you, Mr. Potter,” she said as she arched eyebrow. She then slowly turned and exited down the hall.
Ten minutes later, a blushing Harry, walked down to the kitchen for breakfast. He was met with a chorus of catcalls and wolf whistles. Glaring at them as he did it, he sat down next to Ginny. He noticed she was a little flushed a little as he did.
“Happy birthday, Harry,” she said as she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
The twins and Ron were grinning widely at him.
“So, Harry, Ginny seemed a little distracted when she came down. She almost ran into the wall as she walked in here.” Ron started in.
Harry’s face was crimson by now.
“Yes, Harry, please tell us…” Fred added.
“Do you have this effect…” George added.
“On all the ladies?” Fred
“Or just our dear sister?” George.
“Although, brother mine, maybe we should be asking Hermione,” Fred.
“Quite right, Fred, how about it Hermione? Does the effect extend to all girls?” George
“I can’t say I really noticed,” she said hesitantly, trying to look anywhere but at Harry and Ginny.
“Good!” Ron blurted out, and then turned red himself. Every one else, except Hermione, laughed at this.
“That’s enough, everyone! You’ve embarrassed them enough.” Molly said as she started to put breakfast on the table. Un-deterred, they all continued to banter back and forth throughout the meal.
After the food was gone, Molly swished her wand, and the dishes flew to the sink. With another flick, several presents were summoned and placed beside Harry. He looked up excitedly as they landed next to him. Ginny gave his hand a squeeze then let go so he could use them both to un-wrap the gifts.
Ron had gotten him a wand holster for his arm which could be worn under his sleeve. Hermione got him a book on defensive spells in which the pictures moved to show the correct wand movement. The twins gave him a selection of products from their shop, much to Molly’s chagrin. Molly and Arthur gave him a tin of fudge, and two new shirts.
The last present was from Ginny. He looked at her and smiled, which she returned shyly, but he noticed she looked nervous. He could sense her fidgeting as he started opening the gift. Inside was a framed picture of her and him. In the picture, she was holding her wand in front of her, and he was to the side and slightly behind her with his right hand on hers and his left hand on her left shoulder. It kept repeating a scene of him showing her a wand movement. He looked at her with a question in his eye.
“Colon took it during a D.A. meeting. You were showing us the shield charm,” she said quietly while turning the famous Weasley red. “He gave me a copy, and then I asked him for a second copy.”
“Why did you want a second copy?”
“So if we ever got together, I could give one to you,” she said looking down.
He leaned over and kissed her gently on the cheek. “Thank you. I love it.”
She looked up at him and smiled brightly. They looked into each other’s eyes for a few seconds, forgetting there was anyone else in the room until they heard a small cough.
“All right, everyone outside while I clean up. Harry’s aunt will be here soon, and we don’t need you lot under foot while we prepare lunch,” Molly stated.
They all trouped outside to enjoy the morning. Harry thanked everyone again as they got up from the table. So far, it had been the best birthday of his life.
The twins had left Lee Jordan in charge of the store for the day so they could celebrate Harry’s birthday with him. They had told him they did that for every one in their family. For all of their pranks and jokes, they had big hearts.
They all decided to go down to the grove and play some Quidditch while they waited for lunch. They tried to get Hermione involved, but she politely refused. Instead she borrowed the book she gave Harry and sat under a tree and watched them play. Because of the odd number of players, they decided to play with only half the pitch and Ron keeping for both sides. The twins naturally paired up, and Harry and Ginny made the other team.
They had played four games to a hundred points, with each side winning two, when Molly called them in for lunch. Harry had forgotten about his aunt arriving and immediately felt bad that he had not been there to greet her. He excused himself and tore up to the house as fast as he could on his Firebolt.
When he got there, he jumped off of his broom, and ran into the house. His aunt and Molly were standing by the sink, talking and drinking some tea. Harry walked over to his aunt and gave her a hug.
“I am so sorry, Aunt Petunia. I lost track of time out there.” He said.
“Think nothing of it, Harry. I saw you out there, and was glad you were having a good time. I was impressed by the way you could fly.”
By this time the rest of the teens were coming into the kitchen. Harry introduced them as they came in.
“Aunt Petunia, These are my best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Guys, this is my Aunt Petunia.”
Hermione stepped up and offered her hand, “Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Dursley.”
“The pleasure is mine, Hermione. Please call me Petunia, all of you.”
Ron stepped up, somewhat warily, “It’s nice to meet you, Ma’am.”
“Likewise, Ron. Harry has told me a lot about both of you.”
“Aunt Petunia, you may remember the twins here, Fred and George.” Harry smiled at the memory of the prank they had played on Dudley.”
“Ma’am,” they both said shaking her hand, chuckling as they did so.
“Ah, yes, the reason Dudley was afraid to come with me today,” she said. They grinned in response.
Finally, he took Ginny’s hand and led her forward. “And this is Ginny, my girlfriend.” He was surprised to feel a little choked up as he said that. It was the first time he’d had the opportunity to introduce her that way.
Ginny blushed a little when he said that, but he could tell she was pleased. She smiled and extended her hand. “It is nice to meet you, Ma’am. I am glad you could come over today.”
“I am very pleased to meet you, Ginny. I see Harry finally got up the nerve to tell how he feels.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Petunia leaned over to Harry and said in a whisper loud enough for everyone to hear, “She very pretty, Harry. Hang on to her.”
“I’ll do my best,” he said looking straight at Ginny.
With that, Molly told all of them to get ready for lunch. They all went and washed up and then talked merrily through the meal. Petunia looked a little out place as she sat next to Harry. He tried to include her in the conversations, but knew she probably would never feel completely at ease here. After all, she had spent many years despising the magical world, and this house and everyone in it was as magical as you could get.
After the meal, Petunia offered to help clean up, but Molly told her it would be no problem and then set the dishes to doing themselves with a flick of her wrist. Petunia then pulled Harry aside and gave him his birthday gift. It was a large, thin, rectangular package. It was a collage of pictures of a young, red haired girl.
“These are pictures of your mother when she was a little girl, Harry. It has been in the attic for many years. I thought you should have.”
Harry looked at the pictures, and his eyes misted over. He was too choked up to speak at that point, so he pulled her into a fierce hug.
Finally he was able to speak, “Thank you, I will treasure it always.”
With that, it was time for Petunia to go home. Harry walked her to the fireplace. She made him promise to visit for lunch the following Wednesday and to bring Ginny with him. After a last hug, she stepped into the fireplace and disappeared in a ball of green flames.
Harry turned back to the room and saw everyone watching him. “Thanks for being nice to her. I appreciate it.”
They all nodded back to him, except for Ron. Harry looked at him.
Ron just said, “Harry, I know you have forgiven her, but there was a part of me that wanted to hex her for the way she and her family treated you all those years. After what you have told me, if her son comes around, I may do it anyway.”
Hermione glared at him, but he just shrugged. The twins and Ginny nodded in agreement.
Harry just smiled, “Thanks, mate.”
With that, Ginny grabbed Harry’s hand and started to lead him outside. “Um, Ginny? Where are we going?”
“I still have to give you the second part of your gift.”
“Oh, yeah? And what, would that be?”
“I thought we could go up to our spot, and I could show you how much I liked being introduced as your girlfriend. I also thought we could run a test to see how effective Mum’s wards are,” she said with an impish smile on her face.
He was only too happy to oblige.