The Muggle Way, Chapter Ten: Birthday

Disclaimer: I don't own anything...

A/N: Yes, it's the last chapter!

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Hermione Granger burst into the house. She knew that Tom wasn't there, for the black car he had bought two weeks was not on the steep driveway. She only hoped that Harry had remained in the house, but told herself not to count on it, since Harry was Tom's lover. Climbing up the stairs that led up to the master bedroom, she let out a breath of relief as she saw Harry looking out the window.

"Have you come to tell me about my surprise party too?" he asked, glancing at her with a smug grin.

Drawing in a breath, she was about to begin her speech when she caught herself. "What? How did you know?"

"Well, let's see," said Harry, holding up his hand and counting off the fingers. "Remus, Fred, and George came to tell me yesterday, Dean emailed me about it this morning, Draco just left a while ago with Neville, and now you're here. For some reason everyone thinks I should know about it in advance."

Hermione sat down on the bed, surprised. "But you have to be surprised, Harry, Tom worked so hard at it," she tried to explain.

"Oh, I know," he said cheerfully. "Personally, I can't wait."

---The Next Day---

Harry opened the front door, just returning from the stroll Tom had suggested he go on. A red-and-gold balloon charged at him and bounced off his face, knocking his glasses askew. "What the - ?"

"SURPRISE!" everybody shouted gleefully. Tom was standing in the middle of the crowd, beaming like he had never beamed before. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY!"

Harry widened his eyes and clapped his hands together. "I…wow, you guys, I can't believe…" his surprise became real when he laid his eyes on a giant mountain of presents. "FOR ME?" he yelled, jumping into Tom's arms.

"Just for you," the Dark Lord grinned before crushing his mouth to Harry's. Behind them and out of Voldemort's view, Neville, Dean, Fred and George high-fived and cracked up silently, making Draco sigh and roll his eyes. Remus chuckled at the sight, smiling. Hermione just stood there, glaring at the whole lot of them for ruining the surprise for Harry, never mind the fact that she had wanted to do just that. A few others grinning happily like idiots, watching them kiss.

---A While Later---

Harry sat there as a bunch of presents were shoved onto him. He laughed helplessly, picking one up at random.

"That's mine!" Dean said excitedly. "Open it first, Harry!"

Stomping down the bubbly excited feeling, the Boy-Who-Lived unfolded the red wrapping paper and opened the box. "Wow, you got me a laptop!" he exclaimed as he hugged the Muggle-Born (the main reason he was invited to the party).

"Happy b-day, Harry!" Dean said happily.

Tom came around suspiciously. "What's a b-day?" he asked with his eyes narrowed.

"…"

---Some Time Later---

BBBBBDFFFFFTTT!

"…"

Everyone cracked up simultaneously at the loud farting sound. Fred and George grinned at each other and smirked, watching Tom jump up to throw the whoopie cushion onto the floor.

"Who - " Tom began loudly.

"Here, Tom, check this out!"

A small black kaleidoscope was shoved into his face and the Dark Lord had no choice but to peer inside it and –

WHACK!

Remus fell over laughing at the sight of Voldemort being punched in the eye with a painted stuffed glove. Tom clutched at his eye socket, feeling greasy wetness on his hand. Looking at it with his good eye, he saw that it was some sort of black paint.

"Muggle permanent ink!" Fred exclaimed, tossing his head back with a laugh. "That'll stay on for weeks with the charm we used on it!"

Furious, Tom whipped out his wand. "Crucio!" To his shock and dismay, the wand turned into a live, squawking chicken and feathers fell all around him as he attempted to control the wild flapping wings. Finally, he saw the sense in letting it go and the chicken fell to the floor, running from the room.

"You - !" Tom began again in a voice that was becoming high-pitched.

"Tom?" Harry peered into the room, wearing the new green shirt that said 'Voldy's Little Monkey' in bright pink, given to him by Neville and made by Neville's Gran. The shirt was supposed to glow in the dark. What Neville and Harry didn't know was that the shirt also glowed whenever 'Voldy' was around. "I heard something and -" He cut himself off. "Why do you have feathers all over you? And why is half your face all black?" He looked around; everyone's face seemed to be red (from laughter, though the Boy-Who-Lived didn't know that). "Tom, you didn't start torturing them again, did you?"

---Nighttime---

"Did you like today, Harry?" Tom asked gently as he leaned on the doorframe.

The green-eyed boy turned slightly and nodded, grinning ear to ear. "Couldn't have been better," he breathed.

Voldemort smiled a little. "I'm glad," he said, stepping over to Harry and helping him up. "I haven't given you a present yet," he murmured, looking into the boy's verdant eyes curiously.

"The party was more than enough," Harry answered softly as he snuggled into Tom's chest. "I love you."

"I know, darling." He took Harry's head between his hands and took a long look at him before pressing his lips to the other's mouth gently. The kiss began sweetly and Harry shifted slightly and moved his mouth upwards just a bit, nibbling at Tom's upper lip. Letting out a tiny sigh of comfort, he slipped his tongue into Voldemort's mouth and licked his gums. Tom 'mmhm'ed and caressed Harry tongue with his own as he drowned into the kiss. When they broke apart, they were no longer aware of the deck they were standing on, they couldn't feel the warm gentle air, none of them saw the summer moon that hung above them.

"I love you too," Tom whispered as they slid down to the wooden floor of the balcony. "You and no one else." He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "How's this for a present?"

Harry snatched the scroll from Tom's hands and untied the piece of string eagerly. "A treasure hunt?" he laughed, scrambling up. "And it's in our yard, too!" he exclaimed as he recognized the messy drawing as the three trees on the side of their property.

"Yep…"

"Eight paces north…" Harry began to search for the treasure.

---Many clues, hints and paces later---

"It's here, it's here!" Harry screamed, pointing to the tiny pond that Tom had somehow managed to construct the Muggle way when they first bought the large house.

Tom gave a small nod and approached Harry with a smile. "I don't see it," he teased.

"I do!" Harry reached into the shallow water and took out a small jeweled silver box.

"Well, let's see what it is then."

Harry held his breath and opened the pretty box. Inside, there was a…ring?

"Will you marry me, Harry?" Tom murmured, taking the ring out of its velvet nest. The band of white gold glinted in the moonlight and the tiny diamonds studded into the ring seemed to glow, but the shine that caught Harry's eyes was the small ruby heart and the tiny emerald snake around it.

Harry held his breath for a long heartbeat. "Yes." His voice was no louder than a whisper and it quivered like the tear that was threatening to break free. "Yes, Tom."

Tom kissed the heart on the ring before slipping it onto Harry's outstretched finger. "We are not having the wedding the Muggle way," he said mock-firmly as he wiped away the tear that trickled down Harry's cheek with a smile.

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So The Muggle Way has come to an end. Or has it? Thanks to those who have read this story and reviewed. A big plate of muffins to the reviewers!

P.S. You never know when I might add a mini-chapter or two, for the Muggles' sake...