A/N: Happy Birthday Harry, and more importantly, Happy Birthday to JK Rowling. You have inspired and shaped a generation with your words and characters, thank you. Many happy returns.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Harry looked up, feigning surprise as his family walked into the yard, his children 'bearing' a large chocolate cake (in reality, Ginny was levitating it). Nonetheless, a smile spread across his features and he gracefully accepted the cake from the kids.
"Thank you, James. Albus. Lily." He intoned in a foreboding voice. James rolled his eyes, Lily giggled. Albus caught his father's eye and snickered.
"Happy birthday, Harry." Ginny summoned dishes from the kitchen. "Lily, dear, will you get the milk from the refrigerator?"
"Yes Mum," the youngest Potter raced to the kitchen, where they immediately heard a sharp CRACK. Anxiously, Harry was about to check on his daughter but Ginny laid her hand on his arm.
"She'll be alright." She said soothingly, though there was a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes.
"Happy Birthday, mate!" A tall, freckled man came loping from the house, two children clinging to his back.
"Ron! Thanks. Sit down," Harry summoned more lawn chairs from the shed. "Hermione," he greeted his other best friend as she came down with Lily.
"Happy Birthday, Harry!" Hermione beamed, putting the milk on a table.
Harry had had birthday parties for the past nineteen years and had received presents from his friends an additional six years, but he still could not get over the fact that this was, in fact, all for him. That he had people who cared enough about him to, not only spend time and money buying something that he might like, but to spend time with him, simply to celebrate his existence.
As Harry was pondering this, another guest arrived. Harry raised his eyebrows questioningly at his wife, who simply smiled. "Go answer the door, Harry," Ginny rolled her eyes. "Can't you see I'm busy?" She gestured towards the door with the knife, mock-threateningly.
Harry held his hands up in mock surrender. "Yes, dear." He made his way through the five children (how did they manage to be underfoot all the time if there were only five of them?) and opened the front door. A man in a great coat filled the entire door frame, black eyes twinkling through a mess of black hair and beard. "Hagrid!" Harry embraced his oldest friend.
"Happy Birthday, Harry." The half-giant said gruffly. "Thirty-four years to the day we met. Do yeh remember that?"
"Of course I do!" Harry exclaimed, beaming. "You came to that rock and gave me my first birthday present. I think you may have also said something about I'm a wizard or something?" Harry laughed and Hagrid grinned, both chuckling at the memory. Though ninety years old, Hagrid was still a professor at Hogwarts, living in his cabin at the edge of the Forest and keeping the keys and grounds organized, and teaching Care of Magical Creatures to third year students and older.
Lily handed each of them a slice of Ginny's cake. "Granny's here, Dad. Hi Hagrid," Lily was scooped into a bear hug by the latter as the former rose to greet the Weasley matriarch and patriarch.
"Mrs. Weasley," Harry hugged his mother-in-law.
"Happy Birthday, Harry dear." Mrs. Weasley kissed his cheek and sidled into the kitchen, calling hellos to the rest of her family.
"Happy Birthday," Mr. Weasley clapped Harry on the back and smiled. "You know she's been trying for twenty years to get you to call her 'mum'."
"Yes, I just, I can't do that. She's always been my best friend's mum, and though she, the both of you really, are like parents to me, am I making any sense?" Harry tried to explain what was running through his head.
"Perfect." Mr. Weasley grinned. "Happy Birthday. Now, I think I'm going to snag a piece of that birthday cake of yours before my grandchildren eat it all."
Harry stood in the doorway a moment longer, watching his friends and family. At some point earlier, Luna and Rolf had arrived, as had Neville and Hannah, Dean and Seamus, the remainder of his brothers-in-law and their families, Oliver Wood (now playing as a reserve Keeper for Puddlemere United), Katie Bell (Holyhead Harpie and 'frenemy' of Oliver Wood), Cho and her husband, Susan Bones, Ernie MacMillan and his family, and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Ginny slipped beside him, taking his hand. "Happy Birthday, Harry," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder, watching the party unfold.
Harry smiled, his hands holding Ginny's face. "Thank you," he breathed, bringing his lips to hers, breaking apart when his brothers and old schoolmates began catcalling the couple.