* * *
"Harry! Get up!" Hermione's voice echoed through the house. "We'll be late to the Burrow!"
"What?" Harry asked groggily, shaking his head a little as he sat up in bed, "Oh! I'll be down in a sec…hang on."
Harry jumped out of bed, grabbed some jeans and an old Weird Sister's tee Tonks had given him before she had died, and hurried to the bathroom. Today was Ginny's birthday, and Harry didn't want to be late. Somehow this day had become inexplicably linked in Harry's mind with getting back on Ginny's good side for real, and Harry did not want to ruin any chances of that.
Once he was dressed and ready, Harry took the steps down to the kitchen two at a time.
"Oh, there you are, Harry," Hermione said as Harry came into the room, "That was very fast."
"Oh, well, I just don't want to be late for Gin-" Harry faltered, breaking off at the smirk playing across Hermione's face, "What! I just don't want to be late to see the Weasleys!"
"Yes, the Weasleys as a whole, not just one in particular?" Hermione smiled knowingly.
Harry shot her an annoyed look as Ron came groggily into the kitchen and sunk into a chair on the other side of the table. Hermione had been trying to get Harry to tell her why he had stormed away from the Burrow with Ginny fuming at his heals ever since she and Ron had witnessed it after Harry’s birthday party. He had refused to talk about it, and, unlike Ron, Hermione had not been satisfied with "Ginny and I were just having a peaceful disagreement."
"Whas' for breakfast?" Ron asked Hermione sleepily.
"Oh Ron, you are completely helpless!" Hermione sighed, though she smiled slightly and kissed Ron softly on the cheek as she placed his toast, jam, and coffee in front of him.
"Thanks, 'Mione," Ron mumbled thickly with his mouth full of toast. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down next to Harry with her their own plates. Harry pulled his towards himself and ate quickly. He was anxious to leave for the Burrow.
The three left Grimmauld Place after a silent breakfast broken only by Ron's occasional mumbling. They Disapparated on the top step of the house and were soon strolling down the walkway towards the Burrow. Ron and Hermione had bought a gift together for Ginny; a brand new set of crimson robes and a copy of The Magic beyond the Broom; a Study of Advanced Quidditch Techniques. Harry had tucked the necklace he had gotten in the muggle jewelry shop in his pocket, though he was nervous about giving it to Ginny. What if she didn't like it? What if she thought it was just some kind of joke? What if she thought it was tacky? What would her family think? He took a deep breath and entered the kitchen.
"Harry! Ron! Hermione!" squealed Mrs. Weasley, rushing over to greet them.
"Careful mum, you might suffocate them," George chuckled as his mother gave Ron a tight hug. "Honestly, you act like it’s been a year every time they come over! How are you Harry, Hermione?"
"Fine," Harry said. He looked around the kitchen. The walls were covered in banners displaying "Happy seventeenth, Ginny!" in flashing silver lettering. He could see a long table with mismatched chairs around it in the garden through the open window.
"Well, everyone else is here," Mrs. Weasley said, "and the food is already outside, so we can all go out and eat!"
The group trooped out the back door and into the garden. It was the usual untidy mess of weeds and many magical plants Harry did not recognize. A dozen gnomes were diving in and out of their gnome holes, and Harry felt at home, a feeling that ended quickly.
"Harry," came a soft, but firm voice from behind him. Harry spun around to see Ginny standing feet away from him, her arms crossed.
"Hey," Harry said stiffly, "Happy Birthday."
Ginny said nothing, but walked right passed Harry towards the table, leaving Harry standing alone. He had a feeling this was going to be harder than he had thought.
"Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley called from the table, "we're ready to eat."
The meal passed without much trouble. Harry was sitting three seats away from Ginny, next to Mr. Weasley and Ron. Mr. Weasley informed him of the going-ons at work. It sounded like Kingsley was the best thing that had ever happened to the Ministry, and everything was running smoothly.
After the last crumb of treacle tart disappeared, Ginny began unwrapping gifts. Her parents gave her a silver watch with moons and stars carved along the edges. Bill and Fleur bought a new cage for Arnold, along with a gift card to Witch Wonder Beauty Boutique. In light of Harry’s overwhelmed reaction Charley and George supplied Ginny with a new broom, a Nimbus 2000. Her eyes lit up when she finished unwrapping it and it was her favorite present by far. The party dispersed and people began strolling around the yard. George set off inside the house with his parents to show them his new plans for a joke shop opening in Hogsmeade.
"Ginny, can I have a word," Harry spoke quietly to Ginny once he had cornered her. He figured it was now or never.
"I suppose," Ginny mumbled and beckoned Harry to follow her around to the more private front of the house. She stopped under the same elm she and Harry had met just weeks before and turned to face him.
"Harry, I-" she began, but Harry cut her off.
"No, I need to tell you something, Ginny. I love you. I have loved you forever. I have never stopped loving you. All that time I was searching for Horcruxes, I loved you. All that time you thought I was treating you like a baby, I loved you. I watched your dot on my Marauders Map ever night I was away from you and wished with all my heart I were there with you. I love you, Ginny, more than I could ever say."
Harry finished in a voice barely more than a whisper. Ginny was staring him straight in the eye, and he noticed there were tears running down her soft cheeks. He reached out and wiped them away, his hand caressing her smooth skin. She shivered.
"Ginny, I wanted to give you something for your birthday that you would remember," Harry said, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing the small wrapped box. He handed it to her and watched her open it with slightly trembling hands.
"Harry, you didn't have to get-"she gave a sudden gasp and fell silent when she saw the necklace. Slowly she lifted it from the box and read the inscription on the pendant. She looked up at Harry and then, without warning launched herself at him. Harry was knocked down onto the grass and Ginny landed on top of him.
"Wow, do you really like it that much?" Harry asked, a grin spreading across his face.
"Harry, it's beautiful," she said breathlessly, still on top of him, "It's the best birthday present a person could ever get."
"I dunno," Harry said, "I think yours from last year would beat anything I could ever give you."
"Well," Ginny smiled mischievously, "You could add to your present by trying to match mine from last year."
"Fine by me," Harry whispered and he kissed her like he had never kissed her before, and Ginny kept kissing him back, and it was pure bliss. Harry did not know how long they lay there, in the front yard of the Burrow kissing, whether they were there a minute or a year. All he knew was that the thing that mattered most to him in the entire world was Ginny Weasley, and it was as if everything else in the world were gone. It was just him and Ginny, with nothing between them, nothing to stand in their way.
"This is too good to be true," Harry said softly as they broke apart.
"No, Harry, this is too good to be fake," Ginny whispered and they she pulled him toward her again, and his world was finally falling back into place.
Too Good To Be Fake by way 2 HP obsesed
Chapter Notes: Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling, not me
Chapter Endnotes: HA. Ohhhh so that’s where I put the title in. Ah well… what can you do. Now slightly cleaned up in 2015. Hehehe.