I do not own Harry Potter and co. I am just a fan that does not want the magic to end!
Just One of the Guys
Chapter Eleven
Happy Birthday Harry!
It was early, and Harry could feel an odd type of pressure on his chest. He moaned with more pleasure than pain as he felt an erotic sensation near his right ear. This was the best, most life like dream, and he was not going to wake up any time soon.
"Wake-ee wake-ee Harry," whispered the sweet, soft voice in his ear.
"Mmmmm," Harry's hands slowly reached out for the pressure that was now situated near his stomach. He felt a soft object, soft like a pillow, but this could not be a pillow. For starters, it was heavier then a pillow usually was; and it giggled.
"Stop it Harry, you're tickling me." His hands were swatted away; this pillow wanted a fight, and a fight it would get. Harry opened his eyes, and took in the figure that lay straddling him at his waist, only recognizing it has female. Leaving no time to allow for his visitor's reaction, Harry flipped them onto their back, pinning them down onto the bed.
Green eyes met startled brown. "Happy Birthday Harry," whispered Ginny.
It was Ginny, in his room, in his bed, underneath him. The facts of the situation came to him in waves. His sleepy mind acknowledged only the most important information so that it could be dealt with immediately.
Harry said nothing, and just kept looking deep into her eyes. Ginny swallowed thickly; it would seem that her throat decided to close up shop. Slowly, Harry's eyes drifted to the partially open mouth of the redhead currently frozen underneath him. Somewhere in the back of his mind a little voice (that sounded remarkably a lot like Sirius) was egging him on. Kiss her Potter, you know you want to, and you know she wants you to. Stop thinking and do it!
Slowly, Harry's head descended towards her. Ginny's eyes closed in anticipation of the kiss she had been dreaming about for more years then she prepared to admit to. His lips were almost brushing hers; she could feel the tickling warmth of his breath.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!"
His bedroom door swung open with a bang, propelling Harry off his bed and in turn off Ginny, and he landed with a resounding thump on the floor. Ginny sat up quickly, adjusting the top of her pajamas out of nervousness.
Ron and Hermione stood in the doorway, holding an overly large sign in front of their faces blocking the view. Thankfully, they had not seen a thing that had gone on before. Harry gingerly stood up to take the large birthday card.
"Ah…thanks." He was smiling down at the homemade card and squinting. After grabbing his glasses, the words came into focus. All of the Weasleys had signed it, along with Tonks, Remus, and a few others from school. It was great!
"What are you doing in Harry's room, Ginny," Ron demanded, his hands on his hips in an attempt to impersonate his mother.
"Oh…um, I well…" Ginny looked up into the questioning eyes of Hermione with a silent plea for help.
"Honestly Ronald, she obviously wanted to wish Harry a happy birthday, just like us. I told her we were going to give Harry his card first thing, and she just wanted to see his reaction. Isn't that right, Ginny?" Hermione glanced pointedly at the younger girl.
"Um, yes, right." Turning towards Harry, but not quite meeting his eye, she said, "Happy birthday, Harry," then quickly left the room to change. What were you thinking, why didn't you continue into the bathroom? You just couldn't help yourself! You were just going to tickle him, keep it friendly! Oh Merlin, he almost kissed me! Bloody Ron! Why couldn't he have waited a few extra minutes!
The scream that came from the bathroom made Fleur jump as she passed it on her way towards the kitchen. She wanted to help prepare the morning meal, and maybe talk Molly out of serving another fat filled banquet.
Ginny stayed in the bathroom longer than usual. It was her plan to make it to breakfast late in hopes to avoid the birthday boy. As with all her master plans, it went out with the bath water very quickly. The universe had it in for her. It would seem she was doomed to live her life in embarrassment.
She quietly took the only open seat, next to Harry of course. Who else would it be next to? Looking at her plate as if it held the secret to life itself, Ginny tried to do her best to blend into the bench seat.
"Morning Gin," whispered Harry into her ear. She had no luck, no luck at all.
He was so close she could feel his smile on her skin. Tiny goose bumps made their trail down from her ear, right to her toes, and back up again.
"Aren't you going to kiss the birthday boy?" Again, his whisper was for her ears only, but the blush that took over her body was obvious to everyone. Ginny was sure that you could probably see it from space!
"'Appy birzday, 'Arry," greeted Fleur, stepping in front of Mrs. Weasley, and effectively cutting off her access to the birthday boy, in order to softly kiss him on each cheek. In that most annoying French way, thought Ginny.
Harry caught the quick glare that Mrs. Weasley had shot at Fleur before she turned to bestow a glowing expression onto him. "Happy birthday, Harry dear!" He found himself the recipient of a rather restrictive hug, and he loved every second of it.
Harry, grinning with appreciation, took a sip from his tea mug. What he would like most for his birthday was a little quiet time with Ginny to finish what they had started earlier. It didn't look like he was going to get it. Merlin's Pants!
In honor of Harry's birthday, a Quidditch match was arranged for after breakfast, as that afternoon the guests were due to arrive for a special birthday tea. Hermione and Ginny were requested to help prepare the house and generally be at the mercy of Mrs. Weasley.
"Let the boys play, you girls can help me get things ready," commented Molly while trying to avoid the hopeful face of Fleur.
Hermione smiled her understanding at Mrs. Weasley and silently sent up thanks to the heavens. Playing Quidditch was not on her list of top things that she liked to do. Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes. Honestly, so what if she was a girl! Why did that have to mean she was supposed to enjoy cooking and household crap! On the bright side, his will allow me to steer clear of Harry.
The Quidditch game was fierce with Harry, Ron and Fred on one team, and Charlie, Bill and George on the other. Harry couldn't ever remember being challenged as much as he was while playing against Charlie. Ron had always talked about how good Charlie had been, but after playing against him, Harry thought Ron had underestimated his brother's abilities. Charlie was not only good, he was brilliant!
"Great game Harry," commented Charlie. He had been highly impressed with the younger man's abilities. Secretly, he had hoped to beat Harry, sadly this was not to be.
He had heard from Ron as well as from Ginny how good he was. It was not so much Ron's comments that had spurred his moment of jealously towards the boy, as it was Ginny's. She had always been his biggest fan and cheerleader. Now it would seem he had been replaced by another, not to mention, younger model.
"Thanks Charlie. You were brilliant; I would love to play you again before I leave for school, it will keep me sharp for the new season." Harry had started the morning wanting nothing more than to spend it alone with Ginny. However, he was having so much fun with everyone that he was now at a mind to forget this morning ever happened. Almost. Yeah right Potter, that's likely!
The boys trooped in, and were unceremoniously ushered into the yard to wash up using the large metal washing tub. This shortly turned into a bit of a water fight, but in the end it got the job done.
Bill and Charlie, with the not so helpful assistance of Fred and George, soon had the magically extended summer table out. It was draped in a light summer table cloth, with mismatched chairs and benches along the sides. Within moments of the completion of the table, the food began its journey to start the beginning of the special tea.
Harry was happily chatting to Ron and Hermione. He did not see guests as they arrived. Each person took in the happy boy with wonder. No one had ever seen him this happy, and that in itself was enough to thank Molly Weasley for, even before what was promising to be an excellent meal ahead.
"Happy birthday, Harry," remarked the joyful voice of Hagrid. He was blocking the view of the other guests, but as he moved, Harry was bowled over at the familiar faces that smiled up at him.
"Happy birthday," chorused Remus and Tonks, along with Neville, Seamus, Dean and Luna.
Remus made his way up to the young man he was so proud of. "How are you Harry?"
Harry startled his old professor by initiating a manly hug. "Brilliant."
The two chatted quietly, and the others drifted towards the table to give them space. It went without saying that the two men locked in a quiet conversation were special to each other. Each represented a link to family and friends they had both been deprived of far too soon.
The birthday tea was perfect, and the food wonderful and the company were brilliant. Harry couldn't remember ever having a better party. In fact, he couldn't remember ever having a party, period. The Dursleys surely never took time out of their busy days to ever acknowledge the young boy's birthday, let alone set a party for him. Harry looked around shocked; this was his very first birthday party.
"Oh, Harry love, there is some mail for you. You can get to it later, I asked the girls to put it in your room." Mrs. Weasley had been handing out slices of her wonderful chocolate fudge cake when she remembered the owls that had delivered the day's mail.
It had been quite a sight. Never before had she seen such a mass of birds winging their way to her little kitchen in the quiet countryside. Heaps of mail, all addressed to Harry James Potter, had been parceled and packed into bags. Those very same bags were now in Harry's room, awaiting his attention.
"Yeah, right, thanks Mrs. Weasley, for everything." Harry placed a soft kiss on her cheek, and missed the looks that were being exchanged around the table. It was extraordinary to watch this boy, that had once been so reserved, show true affection for someone. It was simply amazing.
"Present time!" announced Fred.
Colourful boxes and bags were waiting for Harry at the corner of the large table. Harry made his way over to the mound of gifts with a slightly bewildered look. Never had he seen such a wondrous sight. He had the urge to count them and call up Dudley with the final total.
One by one, he opened them and gave his thanks to the person who gave it to him. Fred and George had boxed up many of their new (and previously tested) inventions, with a note for his eyes only concerning the secret reason they had been disappearing most afternoons. This was going to be big, and he knew that the money he had given them had been a big help in getting them this far.
Ron had given him a self help book for charming witches. Harry smirked at the catcalls when he had held it up for viewing. Neville had given him a rare cactus that pricked his finger as he had tried to get it out of the box. Luna had made him a necklace to ward off nargles, along with a lifetime subscription to the Quibbler.
Dean and Seamus gave him a special magazine subscription. Harry was glad that Mrs. Weasley had been in the kitchen during that present unwrapping. The lecture they had received form Hermione, along with the glare of disgust from Ginny, were priceless, though. Fred made sure Harry knew he was willing to take it off his hands, since Ginny seemed to be so offended by it. This gained loads of laughs, and two members of the group blushed heavily.
Hagrid gave Harry a book on creatures, along with a small supply of chocolate frogs. Remus and Tonks gave him a book of collected photographs of his parent's days in school and their early marriage. Harry had been so touched that he had not wanted to put it down. He tucked it by his side to keep it close.
Hermione gave him a new broom maintenance kit, and Charlie gave him a book on famous seekers and Quidditch players and plays. Bill and Fleur gave him a book on advance self defence spells, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him a hand knitted jumper with a golden snitch on it, along with a long box. He opened the box and stared at it with astonishment. It was a hand for the magical Weasley clock. Harry wiped his eyes as he thanked the two people that had become his surrogate parents.
Harry took in a deep breath and reached for the last present, Ginny sat beside him on the warn bench, quietly watching his hands fumble with the wrapping. It was a handsome pair of dragon-hide Quidditch gloves. He held them in his hands as the smile lit up his face. He turned his head to say thank you, but decided at the last minute he would place a kiss on her cheek instead.
At that exact moment, Ginny turned her head to face him, running cute and flippant remarks in her head, when she realized a moment too late that his lips had collided with hers. The two broke apart as the catcalls and whistles exploded from the other guests. They each became so red in the face that they spent the remaining part of that evening avoiding each other.
It was much later in the evening, after the remains of the party had been cleared away and the Burrow had been returned to its usual tidy self, that Harry found his way, along with Ron and Hermione, back into his room. Immediately upon entering he was faced with the mountainous view of letters and packages, all addressed to Mr. James Harry Potter.
"What do you suppose they are?" he asked no one in particular.
"Guess you should open them up and find out," commented Ron.
"Wait, don't touch them," demanded Hermione as she ran out of the room. Moments later she entered the room again, but this time she had Bill and Charlie with her.
The two older wizards walked towards the pile of mail and packages. The letters had already been magically checked once at the Ministry and again by Molly and Arthur, however a third time would not hurt.
Taking out their wands, they quickly cast a few spells to ensure the safety of opening up the unknown mail. Once they were declared safe, Harry reached in and grabbed the first letter he touched.
As he was opening it, Ginny walked into the room and gaped at the pile. Never before had she seen so much mail for one person.
"What is it?" asked Ron impatiently.
"Nothing," Harry said, with a slight rosy glow on his cheeks, as he tried to stuff the letter back into its envelope.
"Nothing my eye," shouted Ron as he reached for the opened letter. Quickly, he scanned the contents of the letter, then laughed. "It's a request for a date!" Ron shook his head and handed over the letter to Hermione so that she and Ginny could read it. "Blimey Harry, guess you don't need that 'how to chat up witches' book after all!"
Not all the letters and packages were requests for dates. Some were regular witches and wizards that were honestly thinking of him on his birthday, and wanted to show him they cared. Unfortunately, the others were rather blunt, and in some cases quite graphic with the assistance of pictures and inappropriate gifts of underwear.
Ginny left in a bit of a huff to go back to her room for a little quiet reading time. Never before had she needed the pick-me-up that only one of her novels could offer this badly. Bloody desperate witches! Imagine begging a perfect stranger for a date, some of those women were twice his age!
Harry looked at the door as Ginny slammed it closed and sighed. He didn't want all this attention. In fact, the only witch he wanted some attention from had just left his room. I wouldn't be surprised if she just figured out that I wasn't worth it after all. Merlin, it looks like it might be over before it even began.
Two updates in one week, and back to back no less. Don't get use to it. LOL! For all of you yelling 'NOOOOO' don't worry, I won't keep them mad at each other. Things will work themselves out next chapter.
Thanks again to my fantastic beta justloony! She as dusted off her polish kit correcting all my commas and thing that I don't think much about. I truly appreciate it!
Thanks again to all my brilliant reviewers. Oh, in case any of you were wondering from the last chapter when Harry said "my Fleur". He only said that for clarification just in case their might have been anther Fleur around, no because he fancied her or anything. His heart belongs to Ginny (always will in my stories).
Remember to please review and I will send you more hints, yes I know its bribery, but it works….sometimes anyway. The fact that my ten year old has over thirty reviews for his wonderful short story goes to prove that you're willing to drop a line, so please, why not for me. Yes I know I am begging, but I can't help it. I am addicted to my inbox!
