The New Girl

As he got closer he began running hexes over in his head. When he got close enough he took a deep breath, and stepped behind his desk to face whatever, whoever was there. He held his wand out, poised for action.

Jessie backed away from Harry and his wand, horrified. Her hands spread across the patched wall. "Harry... uh... I mean... Why are you threatening me with a stick?" She relaxed and folded her arms, but her eyes still looked worried.

"Why are you in my bedroom at six in the morning?" Harry set his wand on his desk, feeling stupid. What did Jessie think of him...It was only a stick to her after all.

"Well... It's your birthday isn't it? I brought you a present, and I wanted to be the first to give it to you!" She held out a small package, wrapped in yellow paper, with a white ribbon. She shoved it into his arms, not nervous, after he had put his wand down. "You can open it after you get dressed if you like." She smiled and blushed.

Harry, realizing he was almost naked, also blushed, and rushed to his closet for clothes. After pulling on a t-shirt and pants, he turned back to Jessie, who had become fascinated with a rip in the wallpaper, while Harry got dressed. She was still bright red.

"Thank you for the present." He picked up the discarded package from off his desk, and began to rip the ribbon and paper off, revealing a tiny box, as big as his fist. He quickly opened it, not wanting to upset Jessie, who had moved closer to look over his shoulder. Harry pulled the present out of the box, and tried not to laugh. A small glass frog sat on his hand. It was bright orange with purple spots all over it, and it was absolutely hideous.

"Here's a card too!" She handed him a light purple envelope with his name on the front. She looked very happy, thinking that Harry had liked her present. The card was much better than the present, sporting a wizard's hat on the front. "I know you like that kind of stuff, I saw all you're books on the old wizards stuff, and spells." She smiled. She was more on target than she had imagined Harry thought. He opened it up to see an old fashioned wand and cauldron. Have a magical birthday, how corny. Signed happy birthday, love Jessie. He liked that part.

"Thanks, Jessie. I love it" He lied through his teeth. Could she tell he was lying? Hermione did that all the time.

"Well... I guess that wasn't you're first present though..." She frowned at a small pile of packages at the base of his bed, with a small colony of owls sitting on top. Why hadn't he seen them before? "I didn't know you liked owls too! I've always wanted one, but mom never let me, said they were too hard to take care of..." She trailed off, put off my talk of her mother.

"Well I didn't see these," he smiled, trying to make her happier, "and I only own the white owl." He smiled sheepishly, glaring at Hedwig for not waking him up. She simply ruffled her feathers, and flew over to her cage, Pig and the obvious school owl following.

"You better open them!" She smiled, lightening the mood, and walking over to sit on the end of Harry's bed.

"I suppose..." Harry faltered. What would she think of his moving cards, and magical objects? There was no way he could make up a lie that big... He belt over to pick up the present with Hermione's neat handwriting. It wasn't a book... too small. Why couldn't she send him a book this year? That wouldn't have been too unusual...

"HARRY!!!" Uncle Veron's voice echoed from the kitchen. "GET DOWN HERE BOY! IF YOU OVERSLEPT AGAIN..." Both Harry and Jessie jumped at the tone of his voice. He did remember Harry's birthday, and was set on making it as miserable as possible.

"You better go..." Harry was happy, for the first time in his life, that his uncle had called him down to make breakfast. "If he finds you here, he'll have a fit!" Jessie looked worried.

"Okay..." she whispered. Jessie stood up, and kissed Harry on the cheek. She smiled, and said a quick "Happy Birthday" before she lowered herself to the ground, by the drainpipe, and jumped the fence, leaving to go to her grandma's house.