She took a step closer to him。
〃So then I thought； I'd like you to have something to remember me by； you know； if you meet some veela when you're off doing whatever you're doing。〃
〃I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground； to be honest。〃
〃There's the silver lining I've been looking for；〃 she whispered； and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before； and Harry was kissing her back； and it was blissful oblivion better than firewhisky； she was the only real thing in the world； Ginny； the feel of her； one hand at her back and one in her long； sweet…smelling haira150a150
The door banged open behind them and they jumped apart。
〃Oh；〃 said Ron pointedly。 〃Sorry。〃
〃Ron！〃 Hermione was just behind him； slight out of breath。 There was a strained silence； then Ginny had said in a flat little voice；
〃Well； happy birthday anyway； Harry。〃
Ron's ears were scarlet； Hermione looked nervous。 Harry wanted to slam the door in their faces； but it felt as though a cold draft had entered the room when the door opened； and his shining moment had popped like a soap bubble。 All the reasons for ending his relationship with Ginny； for staying well away from her； seemed to have slunk inside the room with Ron； and all happy forgetfulness was gone。
He looked at Ginny； wanting to say something； though he hardly knew what； but she had turned her back on him。 He thought that she might have succumbed； for once； to tears。 He could not do anything to fort her in front of Ron。
〃I'll see you later；〃 he said； and followed the other two out of the bedroom。
Ron marched downstairs； though the still…crowded kitchen and into the yard； and Harry kept pace with him all the way； Hermione trotting along behind them looking scared。
Once he reached the seclusion of the freshly mown lawn； Ron rounded on Harry。
〃You ditched her。 What are you doing now； messing her around？〃
〃I'm not messing her around；〃 said Harry； as Hermione caught up with them。
〃Rona150a150〃
But Ron held up a hand to silence her。
〃She was really cut up when you ended ita150a150〃
〃So was I。 You know why I stopped it； and it wasn't because I wanted to。〃
〃Yeah； but you go snogging her now and she's just going to get her hopes up againa150a150〃
〃She's not an idiot； she knows it can't happen； she's not expecting us toa150a150to end up married； ora150a150〃
As he said it； a vivid picture formed in Harry's mind of Ginny in a white dress； marrying a tall； faceless； and unpleasant stranger。
In one spiraling moment it seemed to hit him： Her future was free and unencumbered； whereas his。。。he could see nothing but Voldemort ahead。
〃If you keep groping her every chance you geta150a150〃
〃It won't happen again；〃 said Harry harshly。 The day was cloudless； but he felt as though the sun had gone in。 〃Okay？〃
Ron looked half resentful； half sheepish； he rocked backward and forward on his feet for a moment； then said； 〃Right then； well； that's。。。yeah。〃
Ginny did not seek another one…to…one meeting with Harry for the rest of the day； nor by any look or gesture did she show that they had shared more than polite conversation in her room。 Nevertheless； Charlie's arrival came as a relief to Harry。 It provided a distraction； watching Mrs。 Weasley force Charlie into a chair； raise her wand threateningly； and announce that he was about to get a proper haircut。
As Harry's birthday dinner would have stretched the Burrow's kitchen to breaking point even before the arrival of Charlie； Lupin； Tonks； and Hagrid； several tables were placed end to end in the garden。 Fred and George bewitched a number of purple lanterns all emblazoned with a large number 17； to hang in midair over the guests。 Thanks to Mrs。 Weasley's ministrations； George's wound was neat and clean； but Harry was not yet used to the dark hole in the side of his head； despite the twins' many jokes about it。
Hermione made purple and gold streamers erupt from the end of her wand and drape themselves artistically over the trees and bushes。
〃Nice；〃 said Ron； as with one final flourish of her wand； Hermione
turned the leaves on the crabapple tree to gold。 〃You've really got an eye for that sort of thing。〃
〃Thank you； Ron！〃 said Hermione； looking both pleased and a little confused。 Harry turned away； smiling to himself。 He had a funny notion that he would find a chapter on pliments when he found time to peruse his copy of Twelve Fail…Safe Ways to Charm Witches； he caught Ginny's eye and grinned at her before remembering his promise to Ron and hurriedly striking up a conversation with Monsieur Delacour。
〃Out of the way； out of the way！〃 sang Mrs。 Weasley； ing through the gate with what appeared to be a giant； beach…ball…sized Snitch floating in front of her。 Seconds later Harry realized that it was his birthday cake； which Mrs。 Weasley was suspending with her wand； rather than risk carrying it over the uneven ground。 When the cake had finally landed in the middle of the table； Harry said；
〃That looks amazing； Mrs。 Weasley。〃
〃Oh； it's nothing； dear；〃 she said fondly。 Over her shoulder； Ron gave Harry the thumbs…up and mouthed； Good one。
By seven o'clock all the guests had arrived； led into the house by Fred and George； who had waited for them at the end of the lane。 Hagrid had honored the occasion by wearing his best； and horrible； hairy brown suit。 Although Lupin smiled as he shook Harry's hand； Harry thought he looked rather unhappy。 It was all very odd； Tonks； beside him； looked simply radiant。
〃Happy birthday； Harry；〃 she said； hugging him tightly。
〃Seventeen； eh！〃 said Hagrid as he accepted a bucket…sized glass of wine from Fred。 〃Six years ter the day since we met； Harry； d'yeh remember it？〃
〃Vaguely；〃 said Harry； grinning up at him。 〃Didn't you smash down the front door； give Dudley a pig's tail； and tell me I was a wizard？〃
〃I forge' the details；〃 Hagrid chortled。 〃All righ'； Ron； Hermione？〃
〃We're fine；〃 said Hermione。 〃How are you？〃
〃Ar； not bad。 Bin busy； we got some newborn unicorns。 I'll show yeh when yeh get backa150a150〃 Harry avoided Ron's and Hermione's gazes as Hagrid rummaged in his pocket。 〃Here。 Harry a150a150 couldn't think what ter get teh； but then I remembered this。〃 He pulled out a small； slightly furry drawstring pouch with a long string； evidently intended to be worn around the neck。 〃Mokeskin。 Hide anythin' in there an' no one but the owner can get it out。 They're rare； them。〃
〃Hagrid； thanks！〃
〃'S'nothin'；〃 said Hagrid with a wave of a dustbin…lid…sized hand。 〃An' there's Charlie！ Always liked him a150a150 hey！ Charlie！〃
Charlie approached； running his hand slightly ruefully over his new； brutally short haircut。 He was shorter than Ron； thickset； with a number of burns and scratches up his muscley arms。
〃Hi； Hagrid； how's it going？〃
〃Bin meanin' ter write fer ages。 How's Norbert doin'？〃
〃Norbert？〃 Charlie laughed。 〃The Norwegian Ridgeback？ We call her Norberta now。〃
〃Wha a150a150 Norbert's a girl？〃
〃Oh yeah；〃 said Charlie。
〃How can you tell？〃 asked Hermione。
〃They're a lot more vicious；〃 said Charlie。 He looked over his shoulder and dropped his voice。 〃Wish Dad would hurry up and get here。 Mum's getting edgy。〃
They all looked over at Mrs。 Weasley。