A/N:
Most importantly, I'd like to say to you, that this is my longest chapter yet! It's about twice as long as any of the previous ones and I had a lot of "Oh my god, what am I doing?" moments in it, what makes me all the more proud, that I'm convinced I did a good job!
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Harry hadn't seen George in ages. In fact he only saw him once since he came to the Burrow the previous month. No one was allowed to enter his room, the only hint Harry had as to what George was up, was a fake wand that removed Ron's bones when he thought about hurting Harry for kissing Ginny.
Guilt overwhelmed Harry when he realized he hadn't even tried to break into George's room once. He was sure that George would be okay though. His guilty conscience wasn't put at ease much more when he entered George's room to find a large poster of Fred over an deserted bed. Below it were lot of photographs of Fred and George. Some in babyclothes, some as younger children and the most wearing Gryffindor robes. The largest of all was a picture of every member of Dumbledore's Army as it has been in Harry's fifth grade.
"There you are!" George exclaimed happily "That Skeeter hag finally gone then, I presume?" Harry simply nodded, overwhelmed by the altar George had created for his lost twin. George looked at his collection and smiled "Ah yes… Fred wanted to be remembered this way… ´Seen this one, Harry?" he asked and pointed at a light flushing photo.
Harry could see Fred and George flying away from Hogwarts, leaving behind them a desperate Umbridge trying to fight the havoc they just called upon her. "Cry 'Havoc' and Let Slip The Dogs of War… I heard Professor Binns say it… It's about the only thing I remember him saying… Wonder why that is" he acted thoughtfully. Harry noticed the glassy look George became when he looked at the picture and put his arm around his shoulders.
"Anyway," he said abruptly "That's not the only thing I've been doing, of course!"
"We know about your bone-removing-wands…" Ron said accusingly.
"Oh that, yes! It's only the first step" George explained "I added body-binding charms, invisibility charms or combinations, so you never know for sure what the outcome will be. Figured for the female collection a hair-remover would be prudent… BUT" he objected to Hermiones shocking look "That would probably be too cruel, so I abandoned that plan. The next idea I had involved expanding the business. Since most of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes customers are students at Hogwarts, I figured a store in Hogsmeade would be a good idea. I wrote some letters and got an offer for a shop near Honeydukes'. But I might need some help with that…" he said looking at Ron.
"Er… How can I help?"
"By running it" George said, making Ron gasp.
"Ron is off to Hogwarts, George… It's important that he finishes his education" argued Hermione.
"I know, mother," responded George "I actually was counting on that. He might do some advertisements while he's there. What do you say, brother dear?"
"Brilliant! I might have to turn the Auror Office down after all, but…"
"It's not like the Auror Office wanted you that desperately, Ronald," eyeballed Hermione her boyfriend "I don't even remember them asking you"
"They were going to" explained Ron flatly "Maybe the owl got lost on its way here or something."
"If you say so, Ron. But I don't think it's right to sell Weasley products at Hogwarts"
"You never have, sister dear," George said flatly "But it didn't stop us from doing it anyway"
Hermione opened her mouth obviously trying to argue, but flushed when she realized that George just called her his sister.
"He has a point, you know…" whispered Harry grinning to Hermione.
"What's that?" asked Ginny from the corner of the room, standing in front of a wardrobe.
"Oh that… That's nothing." explained George away, jumping to Ginny to stop her from peeking inside, what made her all the more suspicious. She looked at her brother, narrowed her eyes and walked to Harry. George took a few steps back from the wardrobe, not letting his eyes wander away from Ginny.
"You distract him" whispered Ginny to Harry with the slightest movement of her lips.
"Anyway, George," said Harry spontaneously "Did you hear about Perce?" George looked at Harry fort he tiniest bit of a second which was more than enough for Ginny to cast a body-binding spell on her brother.
"Hey!" yelled George angrily.
"Sorry… But you've hidden away enough already… I just want to look what's inside that wardrobe."
"Look, it's not mine! Dad asked me to keep it hidden from Mum and Harry!" George whispered.
"Then you won't mind me taking a look at it" said Ginny victoriously, opening the wardrobe astonished as she sees the motorcycle inside.
"That's…" began Harry amazed.
"Sirius'" said George defeatedly "Dad's repaired it, but didn't want Mum or Harry to find it… And since she seemed to respect my privacy he asked me to hide it in here…"
"But why wouldn't he allow me to see it?" asked Harry, gasping.
"He wouldn't say" said George flatly "Promise me you won't tell anyone… please!"
"Sure" said Ginny, grinning.
"And I'd also appreciate it if you could release me, Ginny"
"Maybe…" said Ginny innocently, winking at Harry.
"What? Hey! I'm your brother, come on!" he said pleadingly.
"And as such, you wouldn't mind not playing any kind of prank on me for… let's say… One year" she smirked.
"Oh, now you're playing dirty!"
"Take it or leave it" she grinned.
"Fine! I'll take it then" said George defeated "You learned well, little sis."
Ginny bowed playfully and muttered the counter-spell to release George.
When Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry left George's room, Harry glanced back at him, seeing the glassy eyes he had before. George still wasn't fully over Fred… and it's likely he never will be thought Harry.
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Three days later, Harry woke up with a slight pressure from a sweet taste on his lips that seemed to caress his'. He moaned, enjoying the kiss he was getting, leaning in on the warm hand that caressed his cheek. The flowerish smell that intruded his nose was unmistakable. When the pressure on his lips lifted away, he smiled and said with his eyes still closed "Morning, Gin".
"Morning, sleepyhead" her voice echoed back at him. Harry opened his eyes slowly and saw her sitting on his bedside, her head still close to his. He felt the warmth of her breath when she whispered "Happy eighteenth".
"Thanks" he answered affectionately, closing his eyes as she kissed him again. Just one year back they stood in Ginny's room, kissing good-bye for the last time for all they knew… This year they kissed good-morning – for the first time. And no intruding their intimate moment.
"Ahem" hemmed Ron from the door. Thinking of the devil… Harry and Ginny opened their eyes, smiling at eachother apparently thinking the same thing. Harry sat up and lay his arm around Ginny's shoulder.
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything" Ron grinned sheepishly as he entered the room.
Harry opened his mouth to object, but looked after Ginny who gave him a kiss on the cheek and ran out of the room, saying "I'll help Mum with the breakfast"
"Eighteen, eh? Happy birthday, mate!"
This birthday breakfast was the best Harry could have wished for. The best surprise of all was that it was made by none other than Kreacher. The former house-elf of the Black family, who now worked – as a free elf - at Hogwarts, had insisted to make it. It was a back and forth between Mrs. Weasley and Kreacher. Neither of which wanted the other to do anything at all, which made Hermione express her desire to get S.P.E.W. started again. "Relax, ´Mione," said Ron "He WANTS to do it!"
After breakfast, the Quartet left for the Quidditch field to play two-on-two.
"I'll take Ginny" said Harry cheerfully, taking her hand and summoning their brooms.
"That's not fair!" yelled Ron after them "Hermione isn't as good as Ginny!"
"If you don't want to play on my side, just say so, Ronald!" said Hermione affronted, putting her hand on her hips.
"No, that's not what I wanted to say! You're… You're just not as good as Ginny, that's all!" said Ron desperately.
"Just shut up, Ron, you're only making it worse … Now, come on" said Ginny throwing him his broom and handing a spare broom to Hermione.
"Maybe I'll be so bad, I'll score an own goal" considered Hermione and flew up in the air.
Of course, Ginny and Harry would be unbeatable at Quidditch when their opponents were an untalented Hermione and a Ron Weasley. Especially when the latter had to find a way to make it up to Hermione his girlfriend. Harry had played Keeper and didn't want to make it too hard, but not too easy either, for Hermione.
After a clear one hundred to zero lead for the birthday boys' team, Hermione succeeded and scored twice in a row. After that, when Ron caught some Quaffles that seemed like a certain goal, Hermione started to cheer him on, which made him better instantly. The endresult was a close twohundretfourty to onehundreteighty. Okay, close for Hermione and Ron standards.
When lunchtime drew closer, Harry was not the least bit surprised that Mrs. Weasley seemingly was able to come out on top of her argument with Kreacher. "Wizwards forbidding house-elves to serve… Oh, ashamed I am of myself" he mumbled when Mrs. Weasley brought in the delicious meal. Hermione failed to cheer him up and Ron could not refrain from saying "Told you so, ´Mione"
In Mrs. Weasley's absence, Mr. Weasley quickly used the opportunity to ask Harry to join him in the backyard after lunch, but not to tell his wife about it. Harry had a hunch what Mr. Weasley would want to talk to him about without Mrs. Weasley's watching eyes.
He was right. When he and Mr. Weasley left the house, Harry saw George standing in front of Sirius' old motorbike, freshly waxed and shining.
"What do you think, Harry?" said Mr. Weasley beaming at it "I've been repairing it for quite some time and George cleaned it up for you. We wanted to give you something special for today"
"That's why George shouldn't tell me…" said Harry without thinking.
"Pardon?" asked Mr. Weasley distracted, not noticing his son giving Harry a 'Don´t say it!' look.
"Nothing" said Harry hastily "It's brilliant, Mr. Weasley!", giving him a hug and doing the same with George "Thank you so much! Both of you!"
"Oh, and one more thing, Harry" said Mr. Weasley beaming at Harry.
"Yeah?"
"Molly and I've been talking… You're off age and all of us have been through so much" said Mr. Weasley glancing at George and making a silent sigh sound "We think it's appropriate if you call us Arthur and Molly"
"Hey, you never offered that to any of your own children, DAD" exclaimed George at once, winking at Harry.
"Why would you want to call me or your mother by our firstnames, son?"
"Yeah… You're right, It'd make you too much of a normal person" thought George out loudly.
"Molly's offering the same thing to Hermione as we speak" said Mr. Weasley.
"I think I have to get used to that, Mr. Wea… Arthur…" said Harry slowly, thinking that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would probably always be Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to him.
"Ah, time will tell, Harry. Unfortunately after our little joy ride with the bikes, Molly put in place some enchantments, so no engine would work around here anymore" said Mr. Weasley, apparently unaware that a bike has no machine.
"That's okay, Mr. Weasley", said Harry "It's brilliant anyway… sorry… Arthur"
Mr. Weasley smiled down at him, fondly. He put his arms on Harrys shoulders and sighed proudly before returning to the kitchen.
In the afternoon, Harry was blindfolded and let somewhere outside. He heard a lot of chattering people who fell silent as he approached with Ginny leading him. When Ginny took off his blindfold, Harry was yelled at "SURPRISE!"
Harry beamed around, gasping. A big crowd was assembled around a large table near the Quidditch field, a broom-shaped cake on it. Among the closest faces were Neville, Luna, Dean and Seamus, Cho, Dennis Creevey, Justin Finch-Fletchley the former Hufflepuff, Ernie MacMillan, Michael Corner, the Parvati twins and so many more. It was like all of Hogwarts had met here – except for the Slytherins.
"Wow!" marvelled Harry "I… I don't know what to say…"
"You don't have to say anything, Harry", said Neville proudly.
"How'd you get everyone here?" wondered Harry, still gasping.
"That? That was easy" said Neville "These helped". He held up his DA coin.
"But I would", started Harry, but remembered that Hermione took his coin because Neville wanted it. "That's why you needed my coin… So I don't get any of the messages"
"That" started Neville "And I figured you might like this". He took out a present, wrapped in red and golden paper with a lion emblem upon it, and handed it to Harry. "It's from all of us… Everyone did their part" Neville smiled.
"I… I don't…"
"Know what to say, we know, mate" grinned Ron "Come on, open it!"
Harry carefully unwrapped the paper, afraid to damage any of it. In it he found a black box with a glass window. When he looked inside he thought he saw a medal of some kind, but looking closer he realized it was his Dumbledore's Army coin, turned into a medal. On the backside of the box Harry saw the lion again – the lion of Gryffindor.
Catching for breath, Harry looked up at them, seeing their smiles at him. "It's beautiful" he finally said and looked down at his Medal box. He felt Ginny's kiss on his cheek and heard her whispering in his ear "All Neville's idea. He's a real Gryffindor, don't you think?" Harry nodded his assent and greeted each one of his guests individually.
There were so many, after a while they decided to make a small Quidditch tournament with a ten minutes timelimit per game. Harry played alongside with Ron, Ginny – of course – Dean, Seamus and Neville. They would play without a Snitch, because it could fly off the field and fly into the Muggle village. Neville still had problems riding the broom, but all in all, he was doing a good job holding off the Bludgers with Seamus.
The only trouble was that Luna was so fascinated by the Bludgers that she dreamily chased them for a change, her teammates - among were Cho Chang and Dennis Creevey - merely shook their heads, since thise proved to be a good distraction for their first two opposing teams.
It already got dark when the tournament was finished after a close one hundret and ten to one hundret between Harry's and Luna's teams. Everyone was enjoying himself, but out of a sudden one by one fell silent, turning towards a figure that approached. It was Draco Malfoy.
"I see you have your fan club with you on this happy day, Potter" sneered Draco.
"Why are you here, Malfoy?" teethed Neville back at him.
"I don't like to be… indebted… to you", said Malfoy, pulling something out of his pocket. Ginny, who had gotten to Harry's side, took out her wand, while Neville took a step between Harry and Malfoy.
Draco handed a packet of chocolate frogs over to Harry, sneering "Consider us even" and walked away.
Hermione and Ron joined Harry. Hermione put her hand on Harry's shoulder. "That wasn't so bad"
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A/N:
Well, looks like all the way to Malfoy Manor wasn't that bad of an idea, afterall, was it? Draco visiting Harry on his birthday and giving him a present... Wuu! I feel like the Devil just complained over the snow that starts to fall in hell.
Anyway! Should Malfoy fans read this, I'm not making him good, don't worry. He'll basically be the same as ever.