The end of Harry's month long stay was drawing closer, as was his sixteenth birthday. Unbeknown to Harry, the Weasleys had decided that it was time for him to have a proper party. A Portkey had been organised for 8 pm on July 31st, and three Weasleys would be picking him up: Mr. Wealsey, Ron and Ginny. Their Portkey would be reactivated automatically at 8.30, leaving Harry some time to pack his trunk and say goodbye to the Dursleys. Both Ron and Ginny (Mr. Weasley too) doubted that Harry would even want to say goodbye to the Dursleys, but Dumbledore wouldn't hear their reasoning.
Harry, on the other hand, had gone about his business as usual that day. To be honest, he had entirely forgotten that it was his birthday soon and he didn't feel in the mood for it anyway. No letters had come to indicate his birthday, so why should he think it was the 31st?
At 7.30 pm, Harry made his way up the stairs to his room, as usual. He randomly pulled out a book from his trunk. Hmmm, looked like he would be studying fighting tonight.
At 8 Harry stopped his practice. Something was working against the magic surrounding the house, he could feel it. Crouching in a fighting position, Harry waited, ready to strike. He didn't have to wait long. Within half a minute three silhouetted forms materialised in his bedroom and he moved. The tallest of the three fell down with a satisfying thud. Harry was about to strike again when a voice stopped him.
'Ow! Bloody hell, what was that!'
'Ron!'
'Hey mate. Happy birthday. Couldn't give me a hand, could you?'
In fact, Harry could not, as he had just had all his breath knocked from his lungs and his vision was swamped with red.
Ron laughed as his father helped him up.
'Hey Gin, give the man some room to breathe.'
Ginny quickly stepped back, blushing furiously.
'Happy birthday, Harry.'
'Th…thanks, G…Ginny,' Harry managed to get out, still struggling to regain his breath.
Mr. Weasley looked on with a smile on his face.
'Well Harry, we've got half an hour to get you all packed up and ready to go. If you hurry that should give you enough time to say goodbye to your aunt and uncle too.'
Harry quickly picked up his book, dumped it in the trunk, closed the lid and looked up.
'Well, that's done.'
Mr. Weasley raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Harry then manoeuvred past Ginny to get to his desk, scribbled something on a piece of paper, manoeuvred back to the door, stuck the paper on the outside and looked up once more.
'And that'll tell the Dursleys that they'll have to make their own breakfast tomorrow.'
That caused Ginny to raise an eyebrow too as Harry looked round his room.
'Well, I'm ready.'
Mr. Weasley merely nodded and squeezed his wedding ring as they took hold of the rope he held out to them.
'Reactivate Portkey now.'
The four of them reappeared in Ron and Harry's room in Grimmauld Place. Unnoticed by the others, Harry swallowed - this was going to be hard.
'Right. Why don't you two help Harry settle in and I'll go tell them downstairs we've arrived.'
Harry put his trunk at the foor of his bed and looked around the room. It looked a little brighter from last year. Ron's orange bedspread was on his bed and some of his Chudley Cannons' posters were on the wall. Harry also noticed the painting of Sirius greatgreat-whatever-family-member was still there. At the moment the frame was empty. Harry turned to his two redheaded friends.
'Shall we go downstairs? I'm dying to see everyone,' he said, a smile on his face. Or anyone other than the Dursleys.
The three made their way to the kitchen, where Harry was the first to open the door.
'Happy Birthday, Harry!'
Ginny bumped into him as Harry stopped in the doorway. He turned around, instantly alert, but then relaxed as he saw her rubbing her nose, which had collided with his shoulder. The smile on his face grew and his green eyes sparkled as he stuck out his hand to her and pulled her into the kitchen.
'Sorry 'bout that, Ginny,' he said, grinning as he ticked her nose with his finger. Then he was gone, greeting everyone in the kitchen, leaving Ginny staring after him. Presents were handed to him at every stop and soon he was staggering under the weight.
'Uh, guys! Help, please?'
Ginny had been pushed out of the way by Ron and Harry's voice shook her from her stupor. Together with Ron she laughingly helped him pile the packages on the table and when they were done (and the pile was quite high), Harry stood in the middle of the kitchen, looking at the table covered in presents.
'Wow! Those are all for me?'
'What do you mean, mate? Of course they are! Come on, open up!'
Ron shoved one of the presents into Harry's hands, but Harry just stood there, eyes wide and sparkling oddly. Only Ginny heard what he said next.
'This is more than I've had in my life.'
Then, as if someone turned a switch, he turned to Ron.
'Ron, where's 'Mione?'
Something was not quite right in this picture, but Ginny couldn't put her finger on it. Ron meanwhile was blushing and stammering. Hang on! Why was Ron blushing?
'She'll be here in a couple of weeks. S...She's on holiday with her parents. W...Why?'
'No reason.' Harry had a knowing smile on his face and he winked at Ginny. Oh!
The evening passed without further incidents. Well, unless of course you counted the fact that Harry unwrapped about 20 DADA books from the Order, amongst other things, the absolutely humongous cake and the WWW fireworks that went of when Harry blew out the last candle. After cake a disco was set up by the Weasley twins and all of the younger people moved into the living room to dance and chat. Some of the recent graduates from Hogwarts were present, as were all the Weasleys (save Percy). Bill had brought Fleur along. Harry walked among the guests, chatting here and there, dancing for a while if he was pulled onto the dance floor. He looked every part the perfect host. Ginny stood by the drinks, watching. No one would notice if she disappeared, she thought, and she decided to do just that. As she reached the door a hand on her arm stopped her.
'Hey, Ginny. Where are you going? I thought you liked to dance. Come on.'
The hand turned her and pulled her through the dancing crowd. Ginny sighed and follower the head of purple hair that was Tonks. Looked like disappearing would be a little harder than expected.
Tonks kept pulling her through the crowd until they reached the other side of the room.
'Harry! Oy, Harry!'
'Wotcher, Tonks!'
'Ginny here needs a dance partner!'
'What! Tonks,' Ginny spluttered, 'I don't...'
Tonks turned to her.
'What's up, Ginny? Scared to dance with your former crush? Where's your Gryffindor bravery?'
Ginny turned red.
'He's not... He's not my former crush!'
Tonks grinned and gave her a push in the back towards Harry, who stuck out his hand to Ginny to lead her onto the dance floor.
'Of course he's not,' Tonks muttered, as she watched them, 'he still is.'
