Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, I own nothing. It all belongs to JKR.

This is just a little something that bit me after reading a number of similar stories and I thought I'd give it a try. You can assume the story is canon compliant up to the just about the end of Harry's rescue of Ginny in Chamber of Secrets. It goes AU when he falls unconscious before Fawkes arrives to drip tears in the wound on his arm.

This is a stand alone story not related in any way to any of my other works

I'm going to be posting very short chapters. Don't worry though, the story is complete and I'll post a chapter a day.

Enjoy,

Sorcerer's Muse

Finally, Peace.

Chapter XX

Last Firsts

The summer raced on and before Lis knew it the end of July was only a day away and she'd yet to find a gift for Harry. Part of the problem lay in the fact he had exactly zero space to keep anything she might have thought to give him. She'd been particularly surprised to learn his tent was nothing more than what could be seen from outside. She could still remember his amused look when she'd complained of never being invited to, or given a tour of his place, and hadn't believed him when he'd told her there really was nothing more to his tent. Of course she knew all of her Muggle friends were living in strictly Muggle tents and campervans without any of the expansion charms or enhancements she had on her home just fine. But Harry was a wizard; a quite wealthy one at that. She figured there had to be a hidden flap inside his tent that led to something; at least a kitchen and loo. But no. He was subsisting on dried foods, fruits, nuts and the like and dinners at the bonfire with the crew. He and Joe would also go down to the beach shack a couple times a week for breakfast. She had a standing invitation to join them but only had once. Even if she hadn't wanted to be in the water before they started serving, that much food was too much for her to be surfing on.

But the thing most difficult for Lis to fathom about Harry's living quarters was the lack of a toilet. Herself, Danni, Hannah and Tals the four women of the crew all had campervans for pretty much that reason alone. It wasn't like the public toilets were horrendous or anything. They were well maintained. But there were thousands of people in and out of them during the day. There were no showers either, just the outdoor ones for rinsing off the sand and salt. Harry, Joe and the most of the boys didn't seem bothered by it, but she didn't feel she could live that way. For a few days, or a week maybe. But not indefinitely. Just having had to have gotten up in the middle of the night and trudge across the parking lot even once would have been enough to send her searching for alternate housing. But kitchen, toilet, lack of an actual bed to sleep in, pondering any of that wasn't doing her a bit of good in her current predicament of what to get him for his birthday… Or maybe it was.

She considered the thought for quite some time; even going so far as to make herself some tea while she debated. It turned out to be a three tart think before she settled on a course of action and once she did it had been time to head out for her daily training session. Things were starting to ramp up. The end of August would see the sessions become mandatory. September would bring full practices and the loss of her afternoon surf session. October would come and she would need to leave for the season. Surfing would only happen on her off days and very often she would be too tired to even consider it.

The good news though was she'd gotten her new contract. Three years with a starting seeker's salary and a signing bonus worth an entire year's salary. Her endorsement deal had come through as well. It was only a year contract, but was worth nearly two years of her player's salary. Almost overnight she'd gone from comfortable to quite well off. It wouldn't be enough to be considered independently wealthy, but if she continued to be careful with her funds and managed to play out the full contract and add another endorsement deal or three to it she might never need work again. And she wouldn't even be twenty-five when the contract expired. With luck she'd just be entering what was generally considered a player's prime. As long as she delivered on the pitch she could expect a bigger contract, more endorsements, and her future looked bright indeed.

Harry had genuinely been thrilled for her. The day she'd gone to sign she'd come back to find him waiting with the most expensive bottle of champagne he could find and the new board she had been coveting wrapped in a bow. Her rack was now full and unless she was going to get rid of her scooter she wouldn't be getting more boards. That's what she told herself anyway. Surfers always wanted a new board and she could put a rack on the roof yet if she wanted. She refused to let herself consider just how many boards – eight – she could house up there. To do so didn't fit in the definition of careful spending of her funds and when she thought of what she might like to do with herself when her flying career was finished she inevitably came up empty. She wanted to surf. She wanted to see her sisters and mum and dad, the four birth brothers she maintained contact with and the nieces and nephews she was certain would soon be on their way. She did not want to be worried about funds or working some job she hated because she had been frivolous. More than anything though, she was pretty certain she wanted to spend her days with Harry. And that was why, after her training session and an abbreviated turn in the water she'd claimed a headache and that she just needed to go to bed and then promptly worked from six to midnight to complete his gift. She'd then collapsed into bed and now it was morning and she was utterly terrified as she ushered Harry into her campervan after dragging him out of his tent an hour before even she was normally in the water. She might have been terrified, but there was no way this was going to hold till tonight. She'd give herself a heart attack if she tried.

Lis backed into the campervan, keeping him out for just the moment. "All right, give me your hands."

"Pretty sure I can make it up the step without help, Love," he teased but did as she asked anyway.

Lis tried to ignore the way her stomach lurched at the name. It was common practice in the UK to use the term and the pronunciation gave no indication as to if it was Love, or Luv and she was trying not to read too much into it. "And shut your eyes."

"Shut my eyes?"

"It was impossible to wrap and I don't want you to see till I'm ready."

Harry chuckled. "Whatever it is better be good or I promise you I'm going back to bed."

"Maybe we'll go back to bed even if it is good."

Harry's eyes widened. Their relationship hadn't progressed beyond heated snog sessions and some heavy petting yet and the only times they'd slept next to each other were a few afternoon naps in his tent. It was a bit curious to her really; because it hadn't taken but a few days after her first kiss with Luna for them to be sleeping with each other. But with Harry it was different. She'd been cautious early on; taking near a month to kiss him after first acknowledging there was something between them. But she didn't think it was caution on her part for the slow pace of their relationship now. It was more like she was savoring each moment. They hadn't talked of it yet, but it was as if something deep inside her recognized Harry might be it for her. And if that were the case, every first with him would be also be a last first. And she did not want to rush through them as she had with Luna. Harry, this, was too important to rush.

"Just to sleep," she clarified.

"I can think of far worse birthday presents than sleeping in your arms."

"Well then maybe you should do as your told, yes? The faster you do, the faster you just might get that particular present."

Harry closed his eyes. "Ready and waiting, my Lady."

Author's notes:

It seems to me when you feel like you've been searching your whole life and finally maybe find it, you'd jealously guard those last firsts.