It had been hard since he had left Hogwarts. The Dursleys were none to happy to see him, as per usual. He had basically isolated himself in his room, only to come out to do his chores.

The only contacted he had with the outside world was the letters he got from his friends. Ron's letters were the usual subject of Quidditch. Hermione was constantly asking if he was alright and to keep his sprites up. She often would remind him how many days were left until his birthday when he would forever more be free of the Dursleys which really kept up his sprits. He also got letters from Neville, Luna, and members of the Order.

But no matter how many letters he got they couldn't keep his nightmares away. Every night like clockwork they always came, and it was always the same dream. He kept seeing Dumbledore begging for his life and then being shot by the killing cruse. Harry had come to dread falling asleep. But the dreams were becoming less vivid, less real. Which meant that they hopefully would soon stop. But that didn't stop him from feeling any less grief over the situation. He would much rather be out looking for the other horcrouxes then be wasting away in his room but he was keeping his promise to Dumbledore.

Harry looked over at his calendar and was half happy half sad when he saw the date. July 31, he would officially be seventeen in a few hours time. His trunk was packed, (to tell the truth he never really unpacked) and at exactly midnight the Order of the Phoenix would come and leave via the night bus. It was now 12 o'clock noon and the minutes seemed to tick be extremely slowly. Merlin could the time go by any slower?

Harry was jerked out of his own little world when he heard the door bell ring.

"BOY! Get the door!" Uncle Vernon's monstrous voice rang through the entire house.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I'm getting it." Harry grumbled as he stalked down the stairs.

Harry stop at the door for a moment he could have sworn he heard someone whisper his name. He gripped the door knob and cautiously opened the door.

"SURPRISE!"

Harry nearly fell over in sheer fright. Standing at the door beaming was the entire Weasley family (minus Bill and Charlie) Hermione, Luna, Neville, Neville's Grandmother, Tonks, Lupin, Hagrid, and Moody.

"Holy shit! You guys scared me."

"Who's at the door boy!" The Dursleys poked their heads around the corner. Harry couldn't believe the look on their faces. After seeing the massive giant who had once given him a pig tail, Dudley took his fat behind away from the scene as fast as his behind could carry.

"What are you all doing here?"

"Didn't think we would forget your birthday now did you Harry?" Hagrid asked with a chuckle.

"Seventeen! My oh my it seems like just yesterday you were a little eleven year old boy asking me how to get on the train." Mrs. Weasley said with a bit of a sob.

"There, there Molly. It's not so bad. Now Harry are you going to invite us in or are you just going to gawk at us all day?" said Lupin.

"Of course come in."

The whole group made there way to the family room much to the Dursleys disgust. Dudley had made his way down stairs when he smelled the food that was being conjured. Hagrid pulled some fudge, cookies, and a cake from his pocket. It was like dinner at Hogwarts, and Dudley couldn't wait to stuff his face with food. His parents held him back telling him that it could be poison. But when they turned their backs he snuck a cauldron cake and a chicken leg and scraffed them down with lightning speed.

"How about you open your presents Harry?" Hermione said as she plopped down next to him with a plate full of food.

"You guys didn't have to get me presents."

"Of course we did Harry. You deserve it." Tonks said with a smile. Dudley lifted his fat face looking greedy. He most likely thought he would be able to steal a few before Harry left. "Here open mine first." Tonks handed him a bottle green packaged. Inside was a picture of his parents, his mother was holding a tiny bundle of blankets. He smiled when he realized it was him smiling and waving at him. "I thought you'd like it. That was taken when you where about three weeks old."

"Thanks Tonks I love it."

"Her Harry this ones from me and my Gram." Neville handed him a brown package. He carefully opened it and onto his lap fell a glass remember all.

"Wow thanks Neville. This is great."

"Here ya' go 'arry this ones from me." Hagrid handed him a package rapped crudely in scraps of the Daily Prophet. Inside was a hand sewn quilt. On it were images of people playing Quidditch, Buckbeak, a werewolf, a stag, a black dog (the rat had been left out) two boys and a girl standing together, a lion, and two brooms. In knobby letters one said Nimbus 2000 and the other said Firebolt.

Luna gave him a leather bound book entitled Of Strange and Mythical Beast the Ministry Doesn't Want You to Know About. Mr. Weasley gave him a small collection of plugs. Mrs. Weasley gave him a Weasley sweater, like she usually did, with three dozen boxes of chocolate frogs, which Dudley eyed hungrily. Ron gave him a Chudley Cannons poster much like the one he had in his room. Lupin gave him a golden snitch.

"That's actually the snitch you're father took back in his first year. He just never got around to giving it back." He laughed.

From Moody received a second invisibility cloak. "YOU never know when a second one will come in handy."

From Ginny he received a bottle of broomstick polish. "I didn't know what else to get you."

From Fred and George he got a brand new set of marble wizard chess pieces. What amused him was along the base of the white pieces were rubies and canary diamonds, and on the black were emeralds and diamonds. "Nothing but the best for our future savor!" they declared

And last but not least was Hermione. "I'll give you yours later Harry. It's a surprise." She laughed a bit nervously.

Everyone started talking and eating amongst themselves. Then Dudley waddled over to Hermione. He lightly tapped her on the shoulder and introduced himself. "Hello I'm Dudley. And who might you be?"

"I'm Hermione Granger." She laughed.

"Well Hermione I don't mean be a bother but if you mind me asking what would a pretty girl like you doing with a group of people like these?"

"'Group of people like this?' And sort of group would that be Dudley."

"You know the odd balls. Like my cousin over their. He's a nobody really, not like me. I must have at least 50 girls after me."

"Really"

"Oh yeah like I said theirs no way you could be one of them. As I see it you're way to pretty to be one of those kind. So how's about you and me get together sometime. I know an awesome pizza place."

Hermione couldn't control her laughter "You must be kidding me. You have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into boy. Hey Harry come over here. Is this that cousin of yours Hagrid gave the big tail to?"

"Yep. Why Hermione?"

"He asked me out. He said I was way to pretty to be one of those oddballs!" Harry doubled over laughing.

"You asked Hermione out Dudley?"

"So what if I did? Its not like you could get any girl anyways, let alone her."

"HA! You apparently don't know you're cousin Dudley. Every single girl at Hogwarts is after him. Even the Slytherins!"

"He's still a nobody Granger."

"A nobody, please! This is the future savior of all wizarding kind! Even the muggles will know his name by the time the war is over."

"War?"

"Man Harry do you tell them anything"

"No more than I need to"

"Wait are you one of them?" Dudley asked a bit nervously.

"By George"

"Yes Hermione?"

"Shut up George. I think you've finally grasped it. I am as u put it an oddball."

"No way. It couldn't be!"

"It is true. And I'd watch my mouth around me."

"Hey Fred, George! You got any of those head exploding chocolates with you?" Harry laughed

"Always Harry!" Fred pulled a few blue candies out of his pocket. "Wants some Dudley?" He teased

"MUMMIE!" Dudley yelled. He ran away with great speed not thinkable for his size.

The whole room laughed "That Telling him Guys" yelled Tonks.

So what do you think? I know it kinda sucks but I've had this story in my head for a long time and I couldn't keep it in anymore. It might be a while before I update so be patient. I'm like the laziest person about updating. well please please review.

TTFN

Kayda