Title: Birthday Wishes
Author: Susannah Wilde
Rating: PG
Word Count: 541 words
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Happy Birthday, kitty_fic! Hope you had a fantastic day! Thanks to Robert Burns for the quote used in the summary.
Summary: The best laid schemes of mice and men/Go often awry and no one should know that better than Ginny Weasley.
Birthday Wishes
"Ginny, I still don't think this is a good idea," Hermione says as she trails Ginny into the kitchen.
"Of course it is. You know how Harry doesn't like to talk about his relationships, so this is perfect. He just needs to make a wish before he blows out the candles and then I'll know if he wants to get back together." Ginny waves her wand to light the twenty-three red and gold candles on the strawberry cake that she made that morning.
"What exactly did you tell Fred and George to do?"
"Oh, don't worry, it's nothing illegal. It's based on the idea of Muggle wishes. Since they don't have magic, they wish on everything to get good fortune: stars, fountains, dandelions, and especially birthdays. So when Harry blows out these candles, anything he asked for should appear soon afterward. These candles are still in their testing phase, but I asked them to make an exception for me to use them tonight."
"You shouldn't use them then, if they're dangerous and don't know the consequences." Hermione reaches forward to get the candles out, but Ginny pushes her hands away.
"I made sure that it's safe. From what I understand, as long the wish doesn't violate the Fundamental Laws of Magic or is deliberately harmful, then whatever is asked should last until midnight."
Hermione crosses her arms and frowns. "How do you know for sure about what he wants? He's not the same person from Hogwarts."
"I know that. We've all changed, but we're still friends and talk all the time. However, lately he's been asking for advice, hypothetically of course, but I think he's working up the courage to ask me out again."
After making sure that all the candles are lit and no wax has dripped onto the cake, Ginny picks it up and motions for Hermione to follow her.
There is no changing her mind, so all Hermione can do is sigh and say, "Fine, Ginny, as long as you can live with the results."
"Of course, but that shouldn't be a problem."
Harry is talking to Charlie, Ron, and Arthur when Hermione and Ginny come outside with the cake. At the sound of them singing the traditional birthday tune, he turns around in surprise before being dragged to the table and told to sit down.
"You're one year older, Harry, so make a wish and see if fortune favours you tonight," Molly says as she takes a photograph and the flash of a camera momentarily blinds him.
"Thank you, everyone, but I think I have everything I need right here."
"Then there's no harm in asking for something you want, is there?" Ginny shoots Fred a dirty glare to tell him to stop talking, but he just grins.
When Harry blows out the candles and nothing happens for a full minute, Ginny smiles wide and steps forward to give Harry a hug. This just reaffirms that she was right all along and that Harry was ready to ask her out again.
Until the crack of Apparition sounds, and the screams begin, with Ron being the loudest in the crowd.
"What the fuck, Potter? I was taking a bath!"
In Harry's lap sits Draco Malfoy wearing his birthday suit.
