Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. 'Nuff said.
Chapter Nine Birthday Cake and Bad Thoughts
"Ron? Say something." Tonks looked worriedly at Ron, who had turned bright red and looked like he was frozen to the ground. "Ron, I'm sorry if I messed anything up between you and Hermione. I really don't know what's going on."
Then Ginny, who had been watching and listening the whole time, rushed over and said, "Ron, stop kidding around!" She gave a fake smile. "He's just joking, he likes to say stupid things like that." She tugged his arm, and when he didn't move, she said, "Actually, I think he must be sick! Yes, that's it. He's very ill and he's hallucinating, and he's saying things he doesn't mean!" Ginny started to pull her brother away from Tonks and toward the kitchen. "I'm just going to go give him his medication!" She dragged Ron into the empty house and turned around to talk to him.
"Look, I know you and Hermione are going out or whatever, but if you're trying to keep it a secret, I'd suggest confessing your undying love to her in a more private spot! People were staring at you, babbling on like that, and I know that some students saw you two snogging at the train station as well, Parvati told me! So, like it or not, your relationship has pretty much gone public!"
Ron finally seemed to come out of the shock that he was in before, and his face turned a vivid red before he said, "You knew?"
"Of course I knew!" Ginny sighed impatiently. "I saw you guys kissing in the train station. It took you long enough to tell her you fancied her."
Ron gaped at her. "Was it that obvious?"
"Of course it was! I won two Galleons from Fred and George about it! I bet that you would tell her sometime this summer," Ginny said, grinning. Ron started to open and close his mouth as if he was a fish out of water. She just rolled her eyes and went on. "Anyway, as I said before, I wasn't the only one to see you and Hermione's little farewell snog at King's Cross, so I'd suggest you tell her that everyone knows. Parvati and Lavender will have already told the whole school by the end of holiday."
"Let me get this straight," Ron finally said, slowly. "Everybody here knows about me and Hermione?"
"Well, not everyone," Ginny said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I don't think Luna does. And Harry's been pretty clueless this whole time."
"Harry's always been thick in the romance department," Hermione said as she walked into the kitchen from the bathroom.
Ron looked at her, apology written all over his face. "I am so, so sorry Hermione," he said. "I thought that it was you—"
"It's ok," she interjected. "I heard." When he looked confused, she said, "Let's just say that your bathroom window isn't soundproof and you weren't making an effort to keep your voice down." She took a step toward him. "You really meant what you said?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," he replied. "I really care about you, 'Mione." She smiled at the use of her nickname, and took another step toward him to slip her arms around his neck.
"I'm completely happy for you guys," Ginny interrupted, "but I'm not thrilled at the idea watching my brother snog my friend in the middle of our kitchen. I'll see you two lovebirds later." Ron and Hermione blushed as Ginny left the room.
Just then, Mrs. Weasley came bustling in, and the two of them sprang apart, blushing even more deeply. "Oh, don't worry dears, everyone already knows," she said, smiling at them.
Ron let out a frustrated sigh. "My mother knows about us, but my best friend? Of course not."
Hermione gasped slightly. "Ron, what are we going to do about Harry? Should we just tell him?"
"I'm sure he'd rather want to hear it from us than Parvati and Lavender." Ron took Hermione's hand in his, and started to walk out the door.
"Don't be long, dears! The birthday cake is coming out soon!" Mrs. Weasley called after them.
They walked outside, hand in hand, earning many stares from the guests. They ignored them and headed toward the table where Harry was sitting with Lupin, Ginny and Tonks, who had finally stopped with the show she had been putting on before. "Harry, can we talk to you?" Ron said. "In private?"
"Sure," Harry replied, and they walked over to the secluded bench in the garden. They sat there in silence before Harry said jokingly, "Am I in trouble?" after seeing the serious looks on his best friends' faces.
"No, of course not," said Hermione.
"We just wanted to tell you…." Ron said, trailing off. "We wanted to say that…."
"Ron and I are going out," Hermione finished.
"As a couple," he added unnecessarily.
They looked at Harry worriedly for a few moments when he did not reply. Then, to their relief, his face broke into an unmistakable grin. "That's great!"
His friends returned the smile. "Really?" Hermione said.
"Yeah, really!" Harry punched Ron playfully in the arm. "You guys should have told me sooner! I'm fine with you going out!"
The three of them smiled and chuckled for several moments before Hermione said, "Harry! I think they've brought out your cake!" The three of them got up and walked back toward the group of tables where the guests were mingling. Sure enough, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were trying to bring a huge birthday cake out from the kitchen. Harry's eyes (and Ron's) widened at the size of the cake, and they quickly went over to Harry's table to sing Happy Birthday and cut the cake.
Harry's birthday cake really was amazing. There were layers and layers of frosting, and the words 'Happy Birthday Harry' were written in gold icing on the silver-white cake. Golden Snitches made of frosting moved around on the top, and a broomstick made in icing was underneath Harry's name. But the most extraordinary thing about it was that after the slice of cake had been put on a plate, all a guest had to do was think of the kind of cake he wanted, and it would instantly turn to that kind.
Just as all of the guests were finished eating, the song that the Weird Sisters had been playing was over as well. The guests clapped, and a slow song came on (though thankfully, not a waltz). Ron and Hermione got up at once to dance. Couples, young and old, joined them, and they all started to slow dance the way Mugges did. Harry and Ginny seemed to be the only ones who weren't dancing (except for Lupin and Tonks, who were looking around awkwardly).
Harry wanted desperately to dance with Ginny, but she beat him to the idea. "Do you want to dance?" she asked, suddenly shy.
He didn't even have to think of the answer. "Of course." They walked out onto the patch of grass that was being used for dancing. A few heads turned as they walked by, and Harry noticed that a few of those heads were redheads. He tried to ignore them, but he couldn't help imagining himself being beat to a pulp by six older, stronger wizards.
But that thought flew from Harry's mind when Ginny put her arms gingerly around his neck and looked up at him with her warm brown eyes. His heart caught in his throat, and he timidly put his hands on her slim waist. He gulped. This way of dancing was easier than waltzing, but there were certainly more hormones involved.
Ginny's heart was beating as fast as a Fizzing Whizzbee. Harry was getting very flustered and nervous. It definitely wasn't because he was dancing with her. No, that couldn't be it.
Still, she thought he looked rather handsome in the light of the lanterns and the moon. She was lost in his green eyes, and she subconsciously twirled a lock of hair on the back of his head between her fingers. She wanted to dance with him forever.
Several feet away, Remus Lupin sat in awkward silence with Tonks. He looked over and saw Harry dancing with the youngest of the Weasleys. He gasped.
"What is it?" Tonks wanted to know.
"Look," he said, nodding towards Harry and Ginny. "In this light, from this angle…."
"Oh my God," Tonks breathed.
"I know," Lupin said. "They look exactly like Lily and James."
Moments later, the song ended. Both Harry and Ginny were reluctant to leave each other's arms. They retreated to the semi-private bench in the garden to 'continue their conversation'. Harry was the first to speak up.
"I just wanted to thank you for throwing this party for me. You didn't have to."
"Well I wanted to," Ginny replied. "And you deserve it. Besides, Hermione and Ron helped out a lot too."
"Yeah, well they're my best friends. You're…" He trailed off, unable to find the right word.
"Your best friend's little sister?" Ginny offered, her heart sinking.
"No. You're my friend too. I really…" Just say that you like her, Harry thought. Or fancy her. Or anything! "I really respect you." Okay, not anything!
However, Ginny seemed pleased with his answer. "Well, I'm glad that there's a guy out there who respects me, who isn't one of my brothers of course. Especially after Michael Corner."
"That git." Harry said it under his breath, but Ginny heard. Their eyes met for a moment, and before either of them knew it, they were kissing.
Both of them had been kissed before. Harry with Cho, and Ginny with Michael. But neither of them had ever experienced anything like this. It was not awkward or tear-filled, but absolutely wonderful. Harry was fighting a grin, and Ginny was holding back a squeal of delight. They were in their own little world until a horrible thought shot through Harry's mind like the bolt of lightning that was his scar.
Ron's little sister, his mind taunted him. Ron's little sister, Ron's little sister, Ron's little sister!
Harry sprung apart from Ginny. The all-too-familiar words that he had chanted in his mind when playing Quidditch with Ginny, to keep him from thinking about how beautiful she was, came at the worst possible time. For about a minute, he had been in heaven, and then he was ripped brutally back to earth.
Ginny looked up at him. "What is it?" she asked, worried that he had had some kind of vision, or that she wasn't a good enough kisser.
"Ginny," he said, avoiding her eyes, "I really like you."
"So what's the problem?" she asked, concealing her delight at the words she had waited to hear for so long.
"I can't go out with you," Harry said. The thought still haunted him: Ron's little sister! "Or kiss you, or lay a single hand on you!"
"And why not?" she demanded angrily.
"I just can't!" And with that, Harry walked away quickly, leaving a very upset Ginny behind.