Hidden Treasures Chapter 4 Party Plans
What Harry needed at the moment was a cup of tea or a warm mug of coffee. This was another night when falling into a comfortable sleep was a difficult task. He tried to think of pleasant things, but his mind would always drift back to the same thing: Ginny. He would like to imagine him kissing her and putting his arms around her waist while she stroked his cheek, but no, just no.
" I shouldn't even go there. I am the one who broke it off and now she hates me for it. She won't even look at me or talk to me. She excuses herself from the table early. Ginny probably doesn't even want to be in my house."
Maybe Harry could talk to her and they could gradually feel their way into being friends again. Then later, when it was safe to be with her, she wouldn't mind being with him again. It was that thought that put him to sleep.
A couple of hours later, Harry woke up to his body clock at seven in the morning. He wanted to help Mrs. Weasley with breakfast and getting everyone ready for the day. She was, of course, up way before Harry, and had already started feeding breakfast to her husband and twin sons before they were off to work. She noticed Harry standing in the doorway, fiddling with his emerald green pajama top.
"Harry dear," she said, surprised to see him up so early. "Why don't you come sit down next to Arthur and have some toast while I put on the eggs? Tomorrow is your seventeenth birthday; you'll finally be of age. You need something in your stomach if you're going to pass your apparition test on Friday."
He sat down at the table next to Mrs. Weasley's balding husband with Fred on the other side of him. They were both sipping mugs of steamy black coffee simultaneously. George was indulging in French toast, using all of the syrup to drench it in.
"Good morning Harry!" the three Weasley's said cheerily, all of them being morning people.
Harry was still half asleep when he replied, " 'Morning everyone." He stopped for a second and then said, "Yeah, I'll have some toast, thanks. Mrs. Weasley, do you want any help for breakfast later? I can set the table or wash dishes or anything else. I don't want to doing everything all of the time."
Molly Weasley just smiled at Harry and poured him a glass of orange juice. "Nonsense Harry! I can get things done faster because I can use magic, legally." Stressing the last word. "It would just be easier that way. When you turn seventeen tomorrow you can make all of the breakfast you want, but of course I wont let you because it's your birthday!"
He wanted to argue back, but Molly Weasley was the closest thing he had to a mother and whatever she says, goes.
Harry sat at the table talking and eating until Arthur, Fred and George apparated to work. Despite the disapproval from Mrs. Weasley he helped with the dishes, and then went to wake up Ron, Hermione and Ginny while she made pancakes.
Soon enough after they were all sitting at the table enjoying Mrs. Weasley's delicious pancakes with fresh fruit on top. No syrup; George finished it all. They chatted happily about their plans to visit Diagon Alley that day. Everyone was eager to shop for Harry's birthday present or to find amusing party favor or decoration for the party. Hermione's mind would usually be busy thinking about a new book from Flourish & Blott's, but instead she was casting sly and furtive glances in Ron's direction. And for once, Ron wasn't being as thick as usual; he noticed the looks, and had to keep taking frequent sips of orange juice, as he blushed.
A lot of people were coming to the party. The whole Weasley family was invited, and the whole lat of them were coming, including Percy with his fiancée, Penelope Clearwater. Mostly all of the people on the guest list were order members: Remus Lupin, Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody and Minerva McGonagall to name a few. No on was sure if this was a safe idea as a lot of Aurors would be at the party, making them open for attack, and unable to call for back up. Harry also invited some school friends. Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnagin, Dean Thomas (much to Ginny's displeasure) and Luna Lovegood. He wanted to invite Lavender and Parvati, but Ron said no to that. Mrs. Weasley was really making a big deal out of the party because it is his "first wizarding birthday bash," as she puts it sometimes.
They all donned 'normal' clothes so they could venture out into Muggle London without being taken for odd. As soon as they were in the Leaky Cauldron, the group split up: Harry and Ron then Hermione, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. They set up a time to meet each other in an hour for lunch then went off to their business.
Harry and Ron headed straight to Quality Quidditch Supplies to drool over the latest model of the Firebolt.
Ron was particularly ecstatic, "Look at how fast it goes Harry! I don't suppose I will ever be able to afford one of those, even with dad's promotion, and Fred and George's success." Harry snickered at the look on Ron's face. Ron was biting his chapped lower lip, and it was turning white while his blue eyes where open wide in admiration. He suddenly assumed a normal expression of wonder and said to Harry, "Have you noticed how strange Hermione has been acting lately? She keeps looking at me like she expects something, and I don't know what she wants, Harry!"
Again, he laughed at Ron. "It's pretty obvious what she wants, Ron. She fancies you, she has for years."
Ron looked as if lightning hit him right at the second. "I do too, but I don't know how to tell her! Should I just come out and say it or just wait for a right time?"
"There isn't any right time, Ron. Ever since Voldemort came back people have been dying. You can't waste anytime; if you do you'll regret it. It might help if you get her a flower or ask to have a private talk, and then tell her. She won't react to you badly."
Ron agreed to Harry's advice, and they made their way from the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies to a shop that sells gifts for all occasions. Ron picked out a pink and a red rose to give to Hermione. In his mind he was already setting the scene for their future conversation. He caught sight of his sister's flaming mane of hair, and quickly shoved the roses out of sight.
The lunch at the Leaky Cauldron was quiet except for Mrs. Weasley positively beaming at the purchases for Harry that she had to keep secret until tomorrow. The bar was silent; they were the only customers besides a shady looking witch wearing a tatty balaclava. The bartender, Tom looked glum as her polished the already shining tables.
Everyone was relieved to arrive home. Exhaustion was something Harry and Ron usually don't feel when shopping, but today was an exception as they tagged behind Mrs. Weasley as she helped select Ginny's first new set of dress robes. The four children waited dinner with impatience, and they tried to occupy their stomachs by throwing a Quaffle back and forth across the living room.
"Dinner is ready!" came the loud and shrill voice of Mrs. Weasley under a sufficient amount of stress. The initiation to dinner was followed by the sound of a gong. They all sat down at once, not caring where or whom they are stepping on. The food was placed in front of their faces, and suddenly the room was quiet with the sound of low chewing. This gave Molly Weasley the time for a peaceful diversion. She went up to her bedroom to magically wrap Harry's gift in paper that would flash different colors and patterns every five seconds. It went from a navy colored gingham to a rainbow colored polka dot.
She waited for the sound of pounding feet up the stair for her signal that the kitchen was a safe place to be. It was fifteen till seven and she wanted the kids to go to bed early so she could prepare for the next day.