Disclaimer: All characters, places etc. belong to JK Rowling

Chapter 7 – Birthday Surprises

Harry quickly settled into day-to-day life at the Weasleys. Whether it was de-gnoming the garden, helping Mr Weasley divine the purpose of his many muggle gadgets, most of which were broken, or just spending time with Ron, Hermione and Ginny (especially Ginny), there was never a dull moment.

Angelina was a frequent visitor and slowly she managed to bring George out of the shell he had crawled into. There was still a seriousness about George that hadn't been there before Fred's death but he was starting to regain his sense of humour and the family started to find pranks in their food, drink, beds, clothes, wherever. Outwardly, Molly told George off but anyone looking at her eyes could see that she was secretly overjoyed that George was regaining his old self. She made a mental note to thank Angelina for that somehow.

Hermione still had not received any word of where her parents might be. Australia was after all a very big place and the British Ministry of Magic was working with their Australian counterparts to try and find them but all Hermione could do for the moment was wait. She still twitched whenever an owl delivered mail but was always disappointed. So Ron took it upon himself to be there for her and she was grateful to him for that.

The days passed surprisingly swiftly and before anyone knew it the date was July 30th. Harry was excited although he would never admit it. After all, of all his seventeen birthdays so far the only ones that stood out for him with any real fondness were his eleventh, when he discovered he was a wizard, and his seventeenth, when Ginny had shown her love for him before he left with Ron and Hermione on the Horcrux mission.

Ginny had kept quiet about what she had planned for his birthday and Harry had not asked for any hints, preferring to be surprised. Although he did notice that one day Ginny and Hermione disappeared to Diagon Alley for a couple of hours. He decided to be patient, knowing that whatever it was it would be fantastic.

Harry woke up on the morning of the 31st and the first thing that he noticed was that it was still dark. He groped for his wand, intending to find out the time from his watch. His fingers closed around it and he silently cast the spell for light.

The first thing that met his eyes was Ginny. She was kneeling at the end of his bed near his head, leaning her head on her arms, just watching him and smiling.

"Gi...Ginny?" he asked, not sure if he was still dreaming.

"Happy birthday Harry." she said and lightly kissed him. Harry sat up and let her hold him.

"Thanks love."

"And now for your present." Ginny said.

"Oh I thought that was it." replied Harry.

"Don't be silly." Ginny laughed. She reached into her dressing gown and pulled out a small box, wrapped with red and green paper. Harry took the box and carefully unwrapped it. Seeing Ginny's expression he smiled.

"Old habit. Never throw away anything which might be useful."

Opening the box he gasped. Inside was a small golden pendant in the shape of a phoenix. He took it out by its thin chain and looked at it closely. It was perfect in every detail. "Thank you Ginny. It's beautiful." he breathed.

"That's not the best bit." she said. Harry opened his mouth to ask what she meant when he felt the pendant grow warm. Not hot but pleasantly warm, like the warmth from a blanket, or from a hug. Ginny smiled and held up her hand. She was holding an identical pendant. Off Harry's questioning look she explained.

"The other day I was wondering what to get you. Of course I wanted it to be special but I honestly had no idea. Then for some reason Fawkes flew into my room. He looked at me for some time and then flew out again. But I saw he had left behind two small feathers from his tail. I mentioned this to Hermione and she suggested we go to Diagon Alley, to Ollivanders. I explained to him why we were there and showed him the two feathers. He told me about your wand and V...Voldemort's wand being brothers and how they had been linked together. That gave me an idea. Well, long story short, we went to a jeweller's and she had the feathers put into two pendants. We found out that squeezing one would cause the other to warm up. And so here you are."

Harry couldn't think of anything to say. Instead he put the chain around his neck, finding that the phoenix sat comfortably over where his heart was. He then extended his arms to Ginny and they embraced each other. "Thank you." he whispered over and over again into her ear.

They were interrupted by Molly's call for breakfast. Harry couldn't wait.

...

If Harry had thought that Ginny's gift was the only one he would receive that day he was soon put right. Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Beans and Liquorice Wands soon made their way into his room. Molly had knitted him a new jumper and Arthur gave him an electric torch he had managed to obtain ("You never know when it will be useful"). Hermione gave him a copy of Hogwarts: A History and he promised her he would finally get round to reading it.

George gave him some jokes and gadgets from his shop and Ron had bought him the Quidditch Yearbook for that year. Ginny squealed with delight as the cover showed her favourite team, the Holyhead Harpies. Harry also received many, many cards from his old classmates and most of the staff at Hogwarts. By eleven o'clock he was quite exhausted. He went out into the fields surrounding the Burrow with Ginny, Ron and Hermione and they had a picnic in the sun. They spent the rest of the time flying on the Weasleys' brooms, all except Hermione who shared a broom with Ron.

There was a further surprise for Harry that evening. Molly had invited Luna, her father, Neville and his grandmother for dinner. It transpired Neville and his grandmother were visiting the Lovegoods for a few days and gladly accepted Molly's invitation.

It was a warm evening so they decided to eat outside. As they got started on the fourth course of roast chicken Harry heard flapping and suddenly Fawkes swooped down and dropped an envelope into his lap. It was stamped with the official Ministry of Magic seal.

"I wouldn't have thought Fawkes the type for delivering mail." Hermione observed.

"He's fine. I think he likes the chance to spread his wings once in a while." Harry replied, slitting open the letter. He read it and, to everyone's shock, whooped for joy.

Dear Mr Potter

We are pleased to inform you that, in view of your exceptional NEWT results, you are hereby offered a place on the Ministry of Magic's Auror training programme. The programme is scheduled to commence on the 10th of September this year.

Please RSVP with your acceptance, or otherwise, by no later than the 5th of August.

Hope you are well,

Mafalda Hopkirk, Under-Secretary to the Minister of Magic

"Harry, that's fantastic news!" Ginny forgot all about the others who were there and threw her arms round him tightly. She let go a moment later, suddenly embarrassed.

Harry however was overjoyed. An Auror! He was finally going to be an Auror!

"Well done mate!" Ron was grinning widely. Too widely.

"What?" Harry asked.

Ron said nothing, he just pulled out a similar letter from his pocket. Molly was stunned.

"Ron? You as well? When? Why didn't you say anything?"

Ron shrugged. "I was just waiting for the right moment. This seemed as good as any."

Harry turned back to see Neville sheepishly holding his own letter. Luna smiled in her dreamlike way and put her hand on his. His grandmother was thrilled.

"Oh my Neville! An Auror! Oh if only Alice and Frank could see you..." she tailed off as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She dabbed at them and soon recovered herself.

The dinner soon became a celebration for all of them, not just for Harry. Harry, however, was thinking only one thing.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

...

Over the course of the following week Harry had only two things on his mind. The Auror training programme, and Ginny's upcoming birthday. The latter one was causing him trouble, even more so since she would be 17. What could he possibly get her that would equal what she gave him? He wore the pendant all the time and smiled whenever it warmed up, knowing that she was thinking of him even when they were apart.

On the morning of the 8th August the family were all sitting at breakfast when Errol, the Weasleys' aging owl, dropped a letter in front of Ginny. She wasn't expecting any mail and so was a bit surprised to see her name on the front. She opened it and practially screamed and jumped up and down. Whatever it was she seemed to like it.

"Ginny, Ginny dear..." Molly tried to calm her down. "GINNY!" Eventually Ginny did calm down. "What is it?" Molly asked her.

"It's from the Holyhead Harpies!" Ginny could hardly keep her voice down, she was that excited. "They want me to try out for them!"

"What?" Ron asked.

"It's right here! 'Dear Miss Weasley, we have been monitoring your progress in Quidditch at Hogwarts and would like to offer you a place at the upcoming tryouts for our team.' Listen! 'We are pleased at what we have seen so far and are confident that you would fit in excellently here'. I'm going to play for my favourite team!"

"Oh my darling girl!" Molly was crying. "I'm so proud of you! When is it?"

"It says here it's the 20th of August! That's this month!" Ginny couldn't contain herself. "Oh it's wonderful! Isn't it wonderful Harry?"

Harry had sat in silence while all this was going on. From his various yearbooks he knew that the Holyhead Harpies were based in the north coast of Wales, approximately 350 miles from Ottery St Catchpole. He knew he was supposed to be happy for her but he couldn't bear the thought of being so far away from her, especially now they had only just found each other again. So when Ginny spoke to him he just grunted non-commitally. "Yeah."

Ginny stared at him, turned and ran upstairs. They all heard the door to her room slam. Harry felt everyone else's eyes upon him and immediately felt bad.

"Ginny, wait!" He went up to her room and knocked on the door. "Ginny it's me." No answer. Harry opened the door and entered.

Ginny was sat on her bed, head in her hands. She was obviously quiet.

"Ginny..." Harry said quietly. Ginny didn't look up.

"You're supposed to be happy for me." she said.

"I am happy for you. I just thought..."

"You just thought what? That I would stay and live off you forever? That I would sit at home while you went out and saved the world again?" Ginny looked at him and her eyes were blazing. "That I wouldn't want to do something I loved and wanted, even though you've always wanted to be an Auror? This is my dream Harry and you're the last person I thought would be in my way!"

"Oh so it's all my fault is it now?" Harry's temper was rising. Part of him wanted to calm down and try to make things better but he wasn't listening.

"I'm not going to argue with you Harry. Just get out."

Harry's anger instantly evaporated. Just get out. "No." he said quietly.

"I said get out!"

When Harry didn't budge Ginny made to leave the room herself. Harry caught her wrist on the way past and held on tightly. Ginny looked down at his hand.

"Let go of me Harry."

Harry just shook his head. He could feel the tears gathering in his eyes.

"Let. Go."

With an effort Harry looked into Ginny's eyes. "I promised I would never leave you and I meant it." he said in a voice so quiet it was nearly a whisper. He saw the fury in her eyes drain away to be replaced by her own tears.

"I promised I would stay with you too didn't I?" her voice was just as quiet.

Almost with no conscious thought they flew into each other's arms, crying into each other's shoulders.

"I'm sorry Ginny. I'm so sorry." Harry was saying. "Of course I'm happy for you. I'm so proud of you Gin."

"I'm sorry too Harry." Ginny said. "I was so caught up in it I didn't think that I would be leaving you. I'll tell them I can't come."

"No Gin you have to go." Harry cupped her face in his hands and looked her straight in the eye. "You were right, this is your dream. You have to follow it."

"Oh Harry." And with that they kissed each other for all they were worth. The argument was completely forgotten and might as well never have happened.

"Ginny!" George's voice came up the stairs. "It's gone quiet and mum wanted me to make sure you hadn't killed each other and... oh..." They hadn't moved even when he opened the door on them. His face went as bright red as his hair as he mumbled something and closed the door.

"It's ok mum they're still alive!" They heard his voice as they finally pulled apart. They looked into each other's eyes, smiling at each other.

"Hi." Ginny said.

"Hi." Harry replied, his smile threatening to take the top of his head off.

They linked hands and went back downstairs to rejoin the others.

...

On the 11th of August Ginny received a long thin package. The label read 'For my beloved. I'm so very proud of you. Happy birthday. Harry'. Ginny ripped it open and squealed with delight.

Inside the package was a sparkling, brand new Firebolt 45 broom. She knew it wasn't even officially on the market yet and had no idea how Harry had obtained it. Engraved at the end in gold lettering was the legend 'G. Weasley, Holyhead Harpies', along with a small drawing of a horse.

I love you Harry. She thought to herself and gripped her phoenix pendant tightly feeling its warmth and knowing he could feel it as well.


A/N Just for the record I don't mind arguments between couples in stories, but the longer they go on the more I wish the author would just make with the lovey-dovey goodness again. When it goes across multiple chapters it's enough to make even me lose interest. So I cut this one down before it really kicked off. Anyway would they really stay mad at each other for long? Next update on Friday.

Oh yes and thanks to everyone who commented on my last chapter. I don't think my email inbox has ever been so full so quickly!

Next Chapter: Letters