Seventeenth; it was gold, with stars circling around the race instead of hands.

"It's traditional to give a wizard a watch when he comes of age," said Mrs.

Weasley, watching him anxiously from beside the cooker. "I'm afraid that one isn't new

like Ron's, it was actually my brother Fabian's and he wasn't terribly careful with his

possessions, it's a bit dented on the back, but--"

The rest of her speech was lost; Harry had got up and hugged her. He tried to put

A lot of unsaid things into the hug and perhaps she understood them, because she patted

His cheek clumsily when he released her, then waved her wand in a slightly random way,

Causing half a pack of bacon to flop out of the frying pan onto the floor.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" said Hermione, hurrying into the kitchen and adding her

own present to the top of the pile. "It's not much, but I hope you like it. What did you get

him?" she added to Ron, who seemed not to hear her.

"Come on, then, open Hermione's!" said Ron.

She had bought him a new Sneakoscope. The other packages contained an

enchanted razor from Bill and Fleur ("Ah yes, zis will give you ze smoothest shave you

will ever 'ave," Monsieur Delacour assured him, "but you must tell it clearly what you

want...ozzerwise you might find you 'ave a leetle less hair zan you would like..."),

chocolates from the Delacours, and an enormous box of the latest Weasleys' Wizard

Wheezes merchandise from Fred and George.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione did not linger at the table, as the arrival of Madame

Delacour, Fleur, and Gabrielle made the kitchen uncomfortably crowded.

"I'll pack these for you," Hermione said brightly, taking Harry's presents out of his

arms as the three of them headed back upstairs. "I'm nearly done, I'm just waiting for the

rest of your underpants to come out of the wash, Ron--"

Ron's splutter was interrupted by the opening of a door on the first-floor landing.

"Harry, will you come in here a moment?"

It was Ginny. Ron came to an abrupt halt, but Hermione took him by the elbow

And tugged him on up the stairs. Feeling nervous, Harry followed Ginny into her room.

He had never been inside it before. It was small, but bright. There was a large

Poster of the Wizarding band the Weird Sisters on one wall, and a picture of Gwenog

Jones, Captain of the all-witch Quidditch team the Holyhead Harpies, on the other. A

Desk stood facing the open window, which looked out over the orchard where he and

Ginny had once played a two-a-side Quidditch with Ron and Hermione, and which now

housed a large, pearly white marquee. The golden flag on top was level with Ginny's

Window.

Ginny looked up into Harry's face, took a deep breath, and said, "Happy

seventeenth."

"Yeah...thanks."

She was looking at him steadily; he however, found it difficult to look back at her;

It was like gazing into a brilliant light.

"Nice view," he said feebly, pointing toward with window.

She ignored this. He could not blame her.

"I couldn't think what to get you," she said.

"You didn't have to get me anything."

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 639