AN: And here it is. The 3rd chapter. This ones are a little bit longer, but I don't think that anybody is going to have a problem with that...At least I hope not :P
Also, i'm very sorry about the mix up with Harry's birthday in chapter 2...I have a feeling that may have upset some people, and for that I apoligise.
Anyway here is chapter 3.
Chapter 3 - Letters to you...
At the moment he saw Errol at his window Harry was taken over with a swell of happiness. He had received a letter on his birthday. Although it might not have been from anyone he would have most liked to receive something from, this was still more than suitable. He had wondered why Hermione and Ron had not written to him. This upset him a little, shrugging off the thought Harry unrolled the parchment and began to read.
Dear Harry
Happy 16th Birthday! I hope that it hasn't been as miserable as I think it has. I have organised your present but it might take a couple of days at most to get it. I'm sorry about that, I only realised yesterday that it was your birthday the day after and I had to get cracking on my plans. I am going to keep this letter a little short, only because Mum needs me to do some things with her today. She says hello and so does Dad. They are both worried about you. Mum is considering asking the twins to perform another breakout so you can stay here. Ron said that you will be getting his letter very soon and he is sorry that It may be late.
With love
Ginny
With love? Harry thought to himself. What does she mean with love? As Harry struggled to define what Ginny was saying in the letter, he decided it was best not to dwell on it.
Harry had often thought about Ginny. She had grown into quite the young woman since their ordeal inside the chamber of secrets. She was smart, cute, had a great sense of humour and could dish out one mean Bat Bogey hex if you got on her wrong side. On one hand, Harry was terrified of her. Ginny was defiantly someone whom you didn't want to have against you. Harry started to see Ginny more as a friend than just Ron's little sister. He was glad that he had someone like her in his life. Harry got the feeling that Ginny was just one of those people he could spend hours talking to about nothing to do with anything. Harry had just noticed himself picturing her in his mind. Snap out of it! Harry lightly slapped himself and started to focus on the task at hand. Writing his reply to Ginny.
Dear Ginny
Thank you very much for the kind birthday wishes. It has been a long time since any body has said that to me sincerely. I must admit I am quite intriguid about what this mystery present is. Although I was not expecting anything but a happy birthday message. I didn't even get one from Uncle Vernon this morning.
Ginny, I have something I wish to tell you. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this, and I would like to say that I would love to get to know you better as a person. Rather than you being Ron's little sister, or a former student of my DA classes. I have a feeling that you and I could become quite good friends someday and I would love nothing more that to sit and have a glass of butterbeer with you. I know that this may seem a bit forward, although with thhe upcoming war ahead I think that everyone could use more people that they could rely on. Don't get me wrong I do rely on Ron and Hermione a lot. Its just that I have all these people around me that I now feel I was kinda ignoring.
Take Neville for example. I can see Neville writing a book or becoming the herbology professor someday at hogwarts. Sure he may not have much luck with other things, but he did show a lot of aptitude and even more success in the DA classes. I would really like him to be involved in this too.
And Luna, she is by far the most interesting person I have ever met. Luna might be peculiar at times but she has really shown her true colours. She is very sweet and can throw a curse to boot. Sure she says some weird things sometimes but now that I realise I want to have her in my circle of friends, I cant wait to hear more of the ever sneaky Nargles.
I hope that this essay of a letter has not taken you by surprise. I just needed to get some things off my chest. I feel that I can talk to you. Without having to suffer a barrage of questions from Hermione and some nonsensical rant about being ok from Ron. If you don't want me to berate you with rants about feelings any more I understand. I just thought I would let you know.
Anyway Ginny, thank you again for the kind birthday wishes and I hope that I hear from you soon.
PS; Cant wait to see the present you got me.
Always
Harry
Feeling good about the letter he had just written to Ginny, Harry rolled up the piece of parchment and gave it to Errol. He told the ever ageing Owl to deliver it back to Ginny. He gave Errol an Owl treat and set him off. Watching Errol fly off into the distance, Harry's thoughts got lost in the morphing clouds that swelled over England
As Harry found himself lost within the clouds, he suddenly felt like he had taken a step forward in his potential friendship with Ginny. He was happy that she had written to him. He defiantly felt as though, he was making new friends. A small part of him wished that he could make this friendship with Ginny last as long as the friendship he had with his two best friends Ron and Hermione. Ron and Hermione to him were the family he never had. He had shared everything with them. Well... nearly everything. There were some aspects of Harry's life that he did not want to discuss with them. And for good reason. If he had mentioned half of the things that happened to him when he was a child, Hermione would start telling him to report to the proper authorities or even worse Dumbledore. And Ron would most likley say something along the lines of "Bloody hell!, thats barking man Harry". Although Harry didn't mind ron talking like this as it seemed to bring out a side of Harry that could only be described as comfort.
It was nice to think that Harry may end up having a person that was neither Ron or Hermione. Somebody that took a neutral look towards things. All he had really been wanting is for somebody to tell him its ok. Not to start shooting off remarks or opinions. At the same time Harry was terrified. He assumed the worst would happen and Ginny would not want to be friends as it would come in-between him and Ron. He was also scared that if she said yes and was just another friend whom blatantly shot off excuses and threats for what has happened. Hoping that none of these would happen, with nothing better to do on his birthday he lay down on his bed continuley thinking about what he had said to Ginny and slowly started to doze off into a mid-afternoon nap.
As Harry slept leaving his window opened, a nice breeze was flowing gently into his bedroom. With the breeze circling the room Harry started to feel a slight cold, which woke him from his pleasant nap. He slowly crawled out of the bed and started to gather the blanket that was all askew at the foot of his miniscule bed. Not expecting any more letters for atleast another day, Harry thought that it was best to close his window. Upon leaving his bed he noticed that there were 2 pieces of rolled up parchment on his desk. Not knowing who they were from or how they got there he picked them up and trundled back into his bed.
As Harry looked at his name written on the parchment, he did not recognise the handwriting. He assumed that it was a teacher from Hogwarts sending him birthday regards. Unrolling the parchment he read the letter aloud in his head.
Dear Harry,
Happy birthday, you are probably wondering who this is from. It's Neville Longbottom, how have you been over the holidays? How are your Muggle relatives treating you this year? Gran has told me to wish you a happy birthday and hopes that you dont get yourself into any more trouble this year. She didn't say anything about me though, which I thought was a little strange. Oh I almost forgot, Ginny has asked me to tell you that this is her present to you. Well one of them, she Owl'd me and told me to write to you. I can't believe I didn't think of it myself. Anyways mate I hope that the rest of your summer goes ok. I have to go now. Gran wants me to help her with some of the gardening. She likes that fact that I am interested in plants. I think she got a hint when she saw my Herbology test results from 3rd year.
Can't wait to see you next term
Neville
PS; Will the DA be starting up again? I am feeling a bit rusty.
As Harry finished the letter he couldn't help but smile. He had gotten something for his birthday that he actually wanted. He just wanted to hear from some of his friends. It was definatly the best birthday ever In his opinion. He was still shocked at what Neville told him in the letter. This was all Ginny's idea? he was speechless. Without hesitation, he placed Neville's letter in his desk and began to unroll the second piece of parchment with unfamiliar handwriting. Upon doing so he began to read,
Dear Harry
Its Luna here I was just writing to tell you, congratulations! You are 1 year older. 16 years old now, if you were a girl It would be a historic event no doubt. I hope you are having a nice summer. Most of my summer has been spent at home with dad. He occaisionally mentions how upset he is that he didn't get to go looking for the Icelandian Wobblewimp. Apparantly they are currently infesting small villages and causing people to laugh histerically. According to the villagers its quite a big problem. I think the world needs more laughter, dont you? Other than that my summer has been quite has yours been? I cant wait to hear all about it over pudding, or maybe over some tea.
Happy birthday Harry.
Luna Lovegood
Harry could not stop smiling. He was so happy, he just wanted to scream with every breath he had in his lungs. This had been the happiest he had felt in a long time. Harry still couldn't believe the effort that Ginny had undergone for his birthday present. It was quite strange that Harry had not received anything from either Ron or Hermione yet. Normally he would get an Owl at the crack of dawn from them. Maybe they were busy he thought to himself. Well maybe Hermione was busy, Ron on the other hand had no excuse. Ginny had told Harry that Ron's letter would be coming soon.
As much as Harry hoped, the letter from Ron never came. He felt hurt, somewhat betrayed but most of all he was dissapointed. Dissapointed in his best friend for not having the desency to write to him on his birthday. Harry felt that he may be reading into it abit to much and maybe Ron was planning something. He doubted it, although it was a possibilty. He was sitting in his room until late hours of the night reading his birthday letters over and over again. Satisfied with how today had gone, it was now very late and he needed sleep. Harry got up from his desk and collapsed on his bed, immediately falling straight to sleep.
