Fic and Art for stmargarets: Happy Eighteenth, Harry

Aug 30, 2010 20:31

To: stmargarets

Title: Happy Eighteenth, Harry
Author: katwoman_68 , art by fbo66
Pairing: Harry/Ginny
Rating: PG
Word Count:1100
Summary: After a few months of confusion, Harry's life becomes a bit clearer on his birthday.

Author's Notes: stmargarets , without actually having a request from you we contacted r_becca to give us an idea of what you liked. She said fluff and romance storylines, and I think she usually prefers a lower rating. I'm sure she would love anything with a holiday or family get-together, Quidditch or some other competition - this is what we came up with! Thank you so much for you help and we hope you enjoy this!



The Burrow. As I crested the top of the hill, I had to stop and stare at it. The crooked little house looked the same, but it was so different from the first time I was here. It had seen its share of joy and sadness, but it remained as strong as the Weasleys who live inside it.

The day after the final battle, the Weasleys and Hermione returned here. They all expected me to join them, but I couldn't. I knew that they didn't blame me for Fred, but knowing in my head and feeling in my heart are two different things. Well, let's just say that at the time I was still trying to come to terms with Fred's death, not to mention all of the other losses. Especially Remus and Tonks.

And Teddy. Teddy was as much a victim of the battle as those who fought.

So, these past three months were confusing for me. I couldn't remember a time when someone wasn't after me. First it was Dudley and his friends, and then it was Voldemort and his Death Eaters. And now, now I was free to do whatever I wanted. It was just a matter of choosing.

Professor McGonagall suggested that Ron, Hermione and I return to Hogwarts and complete our seventh years and sit for our N.E.W.T.s.

Kingsley offered us our pick of jobs at the Ministry of Magic. I could finally become an Auror. But I would walk into a job and work with people who had trained for years. I couldn't help think that they would resent the fact that I was given preferential treatment because of the whole 'Boy Who Lived' thing.

Hermione had already decided that she was going to return to Hogwarts. Ron alternately decided he would go back with Hermione, work with George at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, or join the Aurors.

For right now, I had decided that my duty was to Teddy, which was why I had gone to stay with Andromeda and Teddy at the Tonks' house while I was trying to decide what to do permanently. I figured that I could give Teddy the type of godfather that I was deprived of because of that rat Pettigrew.

On the days when I was being honest with myself, I knew that what I wanted to do more than anything was grab Ginny and snog her senseless. But she was a problem. I still wasn't able to figure out how things were between us. I wanted to be back together with her. And sometimes I thought she wanted that, too.

But there were times when I just wasn’t sure - take the other night, for example. It was after dinner and she had taken a book - a book! - outside, and was sitting on the steps reading. I sat down next to her and she never looked up or otherwise let me know that she knew I was there. I saw a star shoot across the sky and pointed it out to her. She looked up from the book and I leaned nearer to her to point it out and she shifted further away from me.

And then other times, I'd be talking to Ron and she'd come up to us and touch my arm or lean against me. Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches really needs a chapter on why girls like you one day and can't stand to be in your company the next.

Which brings us to today. My eighteenth birthday. Mrs. Weasl- Molly - had decided that the mourning was over and we were going to celebrate. Last week Percy had been to dinner one of the nights I was there and he informed us that there was talk of making my birthday a holiday. I nearly choked on my treacle tart until Ron burst out laughing and said that Percy was joking. Percy smiled and said that although a few people thought it would be a good idea, Kingsley had quelled it right away. Needless to say, I was a little uneasy about a Weasley family dinner right now where I was the guest of honor.

Molly had assured me it would be small - just the Weasleys, Andromeda and Teddy, and anyone else I wanted to invite. Ultimately, I decided not to invite anyone else.

Unlike last year, dinner passed with no unpleasant interruptions. My cake this year was shaped like Hogwarts (Molly really outdid herself). She said that it was because I had one time told her that Hogwarts was my first real home. I think partly it was to encourage me to go back for my seventh year.

After dinner, someone suggested a Quidditch game. When George mentioned that we really only had one person who could play Seeker, Ginny reminded him that she was a fairly decent Seeker and had helped Gryffindor secure two House Cups. She also mentioned that both of her wins involved beating Ravenclaw and their Seeker.

Although I knew we wouldn't be on the same team, I was excited by the prospect of watching Ginny play. I had seen her as a Chaser, but never a Seeker. I remembered both of her wins even though I never saw either match.

The game had been going on for nearly an hour when the snitch finally made an appearance. I saw it a second after Ginny did and quickly turned my broom. She might have seen it first, but my broom was faster.

Soon, we were racing towards the snitch and towards each other. I stretched my arm towards the golden ball and saw Ginny out the corner of my eye. She had let go of her broom and both of her hands were reaching towards the snitch.

I heard Ron yell, "Noooo," but I didn't care. Ginny's broom had started to dip so I reached over to grab it to steady her.

I must have surprised her - she spun her head quickly around. When she saw it was only me, she grinned and one of her arms stretched further and her hand grasped the Snitch. I didn't feel too bad at the loss, though because her other hand pulled my head towards her, her fingers twining through my too-long hair, and pressed her mouth to mine.

Minutes later, or maybe it was hours or days, she pulled back and grinned at me. "I won," she said, holding the Snitch high in the air.

Her team may have won the game, but I won something much more important that day. Not to mention I received the best birthday gift ever.



:artist: fbo66, :author: katwoman_68, fest: summer '10

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