Title: Birthday Wishes Author: Corking Mad

CHAPTER THREE: BY THE FLICKERING FIRELIGHT

Fred and George loudly cleared their throats.

Ginny, who had been rubbing Harry's back, suddenly realized what she had been doing and carefully - but quickly - stepped aside. Harry blushed a red to rival Ron.

Everyone was looking at Harry, waiting for an explanation. Even Ginny. Harry felt a little sheepish, but it wasn't as though he was hugging Ginny because he liked her, or anything like that. No, no, he was just happy that it was his birthday. And this was his family. And these were his presents. Yeah, yeah, that's right.

Harry shrugged and said, "I, well, you all know I don't get like this often, but I can't help it. You spend so long with only one real present for fifteen years of your life, and then on the day you turn sixteen you're blown away with sheer generosity and the fact that people care about you . it's enough to turn any guy into mush!" He chuckled. Convincingly, or at least he thought so.

Harry hugged each Weasly (and Hermione) in turn. He even hugged Ginny again.

No one had noticed that the sun was starting to set, but the pink and orange hues began to wash over the sky. Ginny and Hermione began helping Mrs. Weasly clear off the table and gather dishes to bring back into the house while the boys went around to the back of the shed to grab a few logs of firewood. Mr. Weasly started to set up the fire pit. After all the dishes were in the sink with soapy water, Mrs. Weasly accioed a large pile of Weasly sweaters.

Everyone grabbed their appropriate sweaters, and pulled up comfortable spots of grass around the fire. Mr. Weasly's talent for stoking large, magical fires in Muggle fire pits amused everyone. The pit was so big that not even all the Weasly's lined up would have circled it. As a result, everyone was paired off, with a sense of privacy and coziness.

Harry followed Ron and Hermione without thinking twice. But when Hermione sat down close to Ron, Harry realized that she wasn't close enough - yet. Even he could see what this evening would surely bring about. He quickly stopped short of sitting down and joining them, and turned around without a word.

Walking over to wear Ginny was laying on her back, Harry thought that he might be seeing less of Ron and Hermione this summer, and more of Ron-and- Hermione. At least he hoped so. It wasn't as though he'd be without companionship at the Weasly house.

"Oh, hello," said Ginny, sounding surprised that Harry wasn't with Ron and Hermione. "Wha-" she began before Harry cut her off, saying "It looks as though Ron and Hermione have something else on their minds tonight, if you catch my drift ." he lingered slowly with a smile on his face.

Ginny giggled and motioned for Harry to lie down beside her. He stretched out, and folded one arm under his head. He turned slightly towards Ginny and was going to say something witty about the two when he decided that he had a question burning inside him. He leaned a little closer and in a semi whisper said, "Will you really steal my socks?"

This time Ginny almost burst out laughing, but held herself back. She knew it would ruin the mood for her parents as well as Ron and Hermione. Mr. and Mrs. Weasly were currently in a state of mutual adoration, content with each other's presence. "That depends," she said coyly.

"On ." Harry prompted.

"On whether or not you have separate Quidditch socks," replied Ginny innocently. "I don't enjoy the stench of socks used for Quidditch, thank you very much!"

This time it was Harry's turn to laugh. "Of course I had separate Quidditch socks! Who do you think I am, Ron?!" he said.

Ginny was quiet for a moment. And then, rather wistfully, she said, "Well, if all goes well tonight, Hermione will have that boy whipped into shape. And I do mean whipped!"

At this Harry nodded in agreement. But he did have a slight premonition about the two crushers. "If they don't get into an row tonight, that is. Which is highly likely, considering their track record."

"It's such a shame," started Ginny. "Everyone else can see what they mean to one another, and yet they keep botching it up by yelling and pushing each other's buttons. Personally, I think Ron just likes to see Hermione's hair when she's mad. And I think that Hermione is secretly attracted to Ron's angry face."

Harry chuckled and added, "Which makes sense because Hermione's hair and Ron's angry face are the two scariest features to the rest of the world. Only they would find those qualities attractive."

Just as Harry finished his analysis, Hermione got to her feet. Anger was pouring from every orifice in her body. "RON, YOU ALWAYS DO THIS! VIKTOR IS IN BULGARIA AND I AM NOT. YOU ALWAYS BRING HIM UP, EVEN THOUGH HE HAS nothing TO DO WITH anything!!! NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING! HE'S NOTHING!" And with that, she marched with all the dignity she could muster into the house and up the stairs to Ginny's room.

Ginny was just about to get up to go after her when she was almost knocked down by the force of Ron running past her. He followed the same path Hermione did, and swung open the door without even knocking.

Random shouts and hollers could be heard. Harry and Ginny heard Mrs. Weasly mutter, "Oh dear," sigh, and then cast a silencing charm about the house. Mr. Weasly set his watch for fifteen minutes, saying, "We'll go in there in fifteen minutes, to help them sort things out."

Fred interrupted, "Or to clean up the remains of one or both!"

George chimed in, "Or to help rebuild the house!"

Harry and Ginny merely shook their heads and laid back down, gazing at the now dark sky. Though it was still early, a few stars were already appearing. Ginny sighed contentedly as she gazed up at the heavens above her, wondering what it must be like to love and be loved and not even know it.

Harry's question about letters brought her crashing back from her dream reverie, and she turned to face him. "What was that Harry?"

"Oh, I asked when I should give you my certificate - will you be too busy? I could wait a week or something?" he repeated.

"Oh, talking about the letters, are we?" Neither had noticed Fred and George come up behind them. "How bout that Harry, its been a tradition between us brothers for how long? And now you get to be a part of it all. Fancy that."

Something told Harry that these comments were not directed at him. He was too right, as both twins were staring right at Ginny, who had much the same look as a deer caught in tail lights.

Ginny didn't even wait for him to respond. She set her jaw and spoke scathingly to the twins: "Well, if you would have let me go in with your gift, it wouldn't have come to this! But NO, it was a brother's only present. Well EXCUSE ME! What if I told you that I WANT to write Harry a few letters, that I think he needs it? Needs it more than the two of you do! And he'll probably appreciate it more than you do anyway!" She angrily pushed past the two Twins, into the house, where Mrs. Weasly had just removed the silencing charm.

Hermione was letting Ron have it. He couldn't even get a word in.

Fred and George shook their heads, and put their hands on their hips. They sighed in unison.

"Hell hath no fury ." Fred began.

"Like TWO women scorned," finished George.