A/N: I feel so loved! Thank you so much to my reviewers. You guys are awesome.

Bluehorse – I do believe that's the best review I've ever gotten. Thank you so much. I'm glad you liked the Quidditch, I was quite concerned that I hadn't gotten it right.

MasterDeath – really? Heh. I can't believe I didn't know that. Well, thank you for telling me. In that case it's their second year out of school. It doesn't really matter that much to the plot. And I agree that my chapters are too short, but I just can't seem to make them longer without screwing them up...xx

Heaven'sReaper – I know, I know...::smacks self:: I'm thinking of putting City Of Flowers on hold, or even deleting it, until I finish The PPC. Don't worry about updates on this, though. I've gotten the next five chapters written already.


I'm twenty today. Not sure if that's good or bad. I don't really care either way, at the moment. Although presents are always good. I woke up today to a nice pile in the living room. I haven't opened them all yet, since I have to go to the Weasley's pretty soon. But so far I've gotten a set of books on the history of UK quidditch teams from Hermione, a Blasting Wands band poster from Ron, and a wall mounted broom rack from Dumbledore.

I expect there'll be some sort of birthday celebration waiting for me when I get to the Burrow. Of course, they said it was just an early dinner to celebrate Hermione getting promoted. But Hermione didn't tell me she got promoted, so I doubt that's the real reason.

I wonder if Tonks will be there. I've been talking to her a lot in the last couple weeks. Apparently she's a huge Quidditch fan, and has posters of nearly every player up on her wall. It's a bit disturbing to think of a poster of me on her wall. She says I'm in her kitchen.


Laughter and the sounds of excited chatter drifted through the windows of the Burrow as Harry Apparated onto the lawn with a pop. A second later, there was only shushings, and then silence. Harry grinned. Walking up to the door, he pretended he didn't know anything was going on, and knocked softly.

"Hullo?" He called when no one answered, suppressing a smile and opening the door.

"SURPRISE!" Shouted more people than Harry had thought could fit into the house, jumping out from behind couches, doorways, tables, and in the case of Dobby, even a lamp. Harry grinned and laughed as he was showered with 'happy birthday's and 'congratulations's. Someone handed him a drink, someone turned on some music, and someone else pushed him out into the backyard, where there were tons more people and a lot of food. Hermione and Ron greeted him at the back door.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" She gave him a huge hug, then held him back and looked him up and down. "Do you feel the same now that you're not a teenager any more?"

"Yeah, pretty much. How's work going? Did you manage to get that wand bill to Fudge?"

"No, of course not. I can't understand why people are so stupid. Goblins have just as much right to wands as - "

"Yeah, yeah, we know and agree and support what you're doing. I'm just glad you gave it up with spew." Ron interrupted her and pulled Harry aside. "Hey, thanks for recommending me to Jenny and Perna. They're gorgeous."

"I owed you one, for introducing me to that professor in training...Michelle? That's it. I still say you should ask Hermione out though."

"Are you kidding? It would be like going out with Ginny." But he looked pleased that Harry thought so. "Oh, come over here, you've got to meet this guy...he says he can get us VIP tickets to the next Blasting Wands concert...and why don't you have a butterbeer?"

An hour or so later, Harry was a bit tipsy and still hadn't talked to everyone at the party. Hermione and Ron grabbed him and brought him over to a large table in the living room that was nearly covered with a huge chocolate cake. Candles on the top spelled out 'Happy 20th Harry!' He laughed, blew out the candles, and started dishing up cake for people.

Finally he flopped onto the couch with two pieces of cake for himself, letting Mrs.Weasley finish serving the cake. It took him a couple seconds to realize that he had never met the black-haired girl next to him. He held out a hand.

"Harry Potter. And you are...?"

The girl grinned. "Wotcher, Harry." Harry smiled, recognizing Tonks. She took his hand, using it to pull him forward, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "So you're not a teenager anymore, huh? Poor boy."

"I don't mind at all, actually." He took a bite of cake. "Mmm. Mrs.Weasley, you make the best cake ever."

"Thank you, dear," called Mrs.Weasley from somewhere in the room. Tonks frowned.

"What do you mean you don't mind? Now you've got to be responsible and all that shit." She waved a hand, as if dismissing the idea that Harry wouldn't mind being a twenty-year-old. Someone deposited a piece of cake into the hand, and she nodded her thanks at them. Harry shrugged.

"Well, it's not like I'm a different person. I've already got responsibilities, and that's fine." Tonks took a huge bite of cake and muttered something that included 'better than sex'. "I mean, you've got tons more responsibilities than I do, and you still have fun."

"Yeah, but I enjoy my job. And I'd still be sixteen, if I had the choice. You know that."

"I enjoy my job too. But you know what your problem is?" Tonks shook her head, unable to speak around a mouthful of cake. "You've got a Peter Pan complex. You never want to grow up. But eventually something, or someone, is going to make you."

Tonks raised an eyebrow and swallowed her cake. "Who's Peter? And what the hell do pans have to do with anything?"

Harry laughed and glanced across the room, to where Ron was calling him. "I'll have to explain later." He stood up, and then bent back down to take Tonks' plate from her. He paused when he was on level with her. Her eyes were green today, he noticed – in fact, her hair and eye color nearly matched his own. "Hogsmeade, tomorrow night?" He said the words quietly, meaning them for her ears only.

She smiled at him softly, happy that he had finally asked her on a real date. "Of course. I'll meet you at the Shrieking Shack. At seven."

Harry nodded, pleased, and walked off to find Ron and a place to dump the dishes.


A/N: Another short chapter. xx

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