AN:

Thanks again to all those who have read Chapter one. Makes me think that there is a reason to keep writing. Anyways I want to thank Emily and Tarra for being my Beta Readers. They have really helped.

And without any further ado...

Chapter 2 – Victory and Defeat?

As Harry finished his letter to Ginny, he couldn't stop wondering. "What am I doing? Ron would have a fit if he knew about this!" But as Harry said he realized why he had wrote the letter in the first place. Ron hadn't written to him all summer, it was getting close to his birthday, not like harry cared, and he knew that Ron would just talk about something to do with Quidditch. That really got on Harry's nerves sometimes. Ron had a funny way of doing that to him. "Thump!" As harry turned around in fright at the sudden bang he had noticed that Errol had fallen off the top of his wardrobe. Chuckling to himself a little, he rolled up the parchment and tied it to Errols foot telling him to deliver it to Ginny. As the owl seemed to struggle to fly away in the direction of The Burrow, Harry started to feel that even though his summer seemed to be going fairly shocking at the moment, he may have a reason to feel a little better about himself if he stayed in contact with someone. Even if it was Ginny.

A few hours after the typical dinner at The Burrow, Ginny went up to her room. Inside she had discovered that Errol was sitting at her window sill. "Hello Errol" she said unexpectedly "Did Harry write back?" After asking this Errol lifted his leg with the parchment attached and gestured towards Ginny. "Ah so he did write back, thank you Errol" And with that she gave to old family owl a owl treat and away he flew.

Ginny unrolled the parchment and inside she found the letter from Harry. As she started to read the letter she couldn't help but think that Harry was being rather honest. Which seemed strange as Ron always described him as someone that hid everything inside. Ginny thought that maybe if she kept on writing to Harry then maybe he might feel a little more comfortable about expressing his feelings, and she might find it easier to talk to him. Although Ginny had grown up a lot since the incident with Tom Riddle's diary, she was still convinced that if she even tried to talk to Harry, she would say something stupid. This fear swelled through Ginny ever since the moment Harry had saved her inside the Chamber Of Secrets in her first year. Harry Potter had saved her life, she felt that it was about time that she pucked up the courage and spoke to him more often. Even if to start out with it was just letters.

A few days had past and it was now July 30th, 1 day until Harry's birthday. Ginny decided that she would send Harry a letter wishing him a happy birthday. She felt horrible that she hadn't gotten him anything but she thought that he would not mind if he got his present a little late. But what to get him? She didn't really know what Harry's interests were. If she asked Ron he might get a little confused about why she was asking and start to assume something. So she decided to ask her mum.

As Ginny made her way down the stairs from the landing her bedroom was on she wondered on how to ask her mum what she should get him. She said to herself "Just ask her, what is she going to say?" Obviously Ginny had not prepared well for what she was in for from her mother. As she made her way into the living room she saw her mum sitting in front of the fire reading the Daily Profit. "Hey mum?"

"Yes dear?" with a smile across her face Molly began to look as if she was expecting Ginny to ask her for something ridiculous. Having children all in their teens had done this to her.

"I was just wondering if you knew what kind of things Harry liked? Its his birthday tomorrow and I want to get him something."

"Like what dear?" Molly asked in a questionable tone.

"I don't really know, that's why I came to ask you. I just thought you might know something about him. " And then it hit her. She knew exactly what to get him. Sure it may have been a bit arrogant of her but she was sure that it may bring some happiness to his day. She hurried up to her room to make preparations.

"Well that was strange" muttered Molly as she turned her head back towards the Daily Profit. Ginny burst into her room with enough force to slam the door on the inside of the room. "Ginny? What was that?" yelled Molly.

"Nothing mum, just my door" Ginny said as she quickly closed the door to muffle out the sounds of her mother screaming something from downstairs. Ginny rushed to her desk, opened a drawer and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill . She started to feel nervous. "Snap out of it!" she exclaimed with frustration. Why was she feeling nervous about this particular letter. She didn't know, nor did she care. She began to write.

July 31st , Harry's birthday. The day started out as any other would. Harry awoke from his bed in his awfully small room at the Dursley's, then proceeded to the bathroom to go to the toilet and shower. After he was done in the bathroom he proceeded to the kitchen where he was, as usual, not greeted by the overly large Uncle Vernon.

"Anything happen to you lot when you turn 16?" Uncle Vernon said in a demanding fashion. Harry couldn't stand it when he referred to him and the rest of the Wizarding world as "you lot". But Harry also got satisfaction in what his Uncle was asking, as Harry knew he was as ignorant as he was fat. He also hated how he used the word "to" as if a dragon was going to whisk him away to a spectacular party deep within the clouds above London. Harry knew nothing like that was going to happen but it didn't hurt to imagine it.

"Nope, don't think so at least." Harry retorted with a condescending yet neutral grin. Whilst awaiting his uncles feeble response he decided it wasn't worth him making any breakfast, he didn't want to be berated with abusive remarks from his uncle. Instead he just waited for a response. But none came, instead his uncle just leaned back in his armchair reading the newspaper as If he didn't have a care in the world as to what Harry had said. Harry considered this to be a victory, although, it was also a loss. Harry had the last word in the argument, but a small part of him wanted the man to come back at him. Him just sitting there reading insisted that he could not care in the slightest . This was no surprise to Harry, he could still not consider this to be a full victory though. With that, he walked back up the stairs and entered his room.

Upon arrival he had noticed that Errol was yet again sitting on his window sill."Sorry Errol, maybe ill just leave it open from now on" as Harry said that Errol hopped into his room and held out his leg. Attached to it was another parchment, upon the parchment was the same handwriting that he had seen the last time he saw Errol. Ginny had finally written her reply.

AN: I thank those who left me reviews. I know that this chapter was short but it was intended to be. I was trying to build a little of Vernon's character in this fic. I hope it worked...Anyways the next chapter should be up soon. I just have to plan it out a bit more.

Thanks for reading