Gryffindor's Tigress

Chapter Twelve: Happy Birthday

From now on it will just be Ruby's POV unless otherwise stated.

On another note HAPPY NEW YEAR'S and MERRY LATE CHRISTMAS!!!

After everyone was done eating lunch we gathered in the sitting room to see Arthur and Molly off.

"Now Ginny we will be back tomorrow to take you around for your birthday," said Molly, giving Ginny a hug.

I immediately perked up and looked over at her, "It's your birthday tomorrow?"

She looked down anxiously, "It's today actually but with Charlie coming over we're just going to be doing everything for it tomorrow."

I jump in front of Molly and exclaim, "Is it all right if I take Ginny and the boys out for her birthday?"

Molly immediately says, "No we don't want to be any trouble dear, plus you need to save your money for when you need it."

I smile and shake my head, "It's no problem, Molly, and I have no need to save my money. Also, I was asking to be formal, if you say no I'll just take them once you leave."

Arthur decides to step in at this point, "If you are certain that you want to do this then go right ahead. Just stay together and," he looks at the twins, "Ruby is in charge."

"But she's younger than us!" they exclaim.

"Yes, but you are the guests in her home and she is far more mature than you," Molly say's in a matter of fact voice.

"If you guys just listen to me for today then I will let you use one of these," I say pulling out one of my little bottles of Babbling Beverage.

"What is it?" Fred asked.

"Not saying until you promise."

As the twins go into the other room to whisper to one another Molly and Arthur pull me aside to talk, "Are you sure that you're ok with this?" Molly asks.

"I'm certain, you guys helped get me on my feet with this house and now it's my turn to do something for you guys."

Suddenly I'm being crushed to death in one of Molly's hugs, "Thank you so much dear."

After being set free Arthur comes over and gives me a normal person hug.

"Alright you better go and get ready for your guests that your getting," I tell them.

Their eyes widen to an impressive size as they run to the fireplace and floo out of the house.

Grinning I turn back to where the twins went as they walk back in.

"You tell us what it is before you give it to us," George says.

"Deal, if you don't use it on me," I reply.

"Agreed," they say holding their hands out.

I shake their hands and take out the little bottle, "This is a potion called Babbling Beverage, once consumed the victim starting spouting out gibberish."

"Wicked," they say in unison as Fred takes the bottle.

"Now that that's settled lets get a move on my fellow red heads."

As we walk out they stop and look at me expectantly.

"Not saying where we're going until we get there," I sang out to them, walking away.

We walked for about fifteen minutes before we finally arrived at out location, "Here we are," I say looking up at it.

Above me is a sign for one of my favorite places, Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

Walking in I greeted the owner, "Florean, how are you my friend?"

He looked at me frustrated as half of the customers walked out, "Ruby, if you weren't one of my best customers I would have you thrown out for scaring business away."

I rubbed the back of my neck and smiled at him, "That wasn't entirely my fault last time."

He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, "What can I get for you girl?"

I reach back and pull Ginny up beside me, "This is my friend Ginny, it also happens to be her birthday today, so I thought I would bring her here for a little treat."

He looked at her then at me and said, "Just tell me what I can get the lot of you."

"I think I'll start off with the usual."

Ginny stepped up and said, "I'll have a Chocolate swirl cone."

"I'll have a Neapolitan cone," said Ron.

"Two chocolate cookie dough whips please," said the twins.

Once everyone was done I handed him a sickle.

He sighed and said, "One moment," before walking to the back.

Smirking in anticipation I led them to a large corner booth, "Alright so I always eat in my tiger form so just a heads up."

All of a sudden a ding went off at the counter, "Hey, Fred, do you mind helping me with this?"

"Not at all," he replied.

Rolling my eyes I pushed him back, "I said 'Fred', not George."

Then the correct twin stood up and walked over with me.

"Put it on Ron's ice cream."

Realizing why I brought him he chuckled as he did as I said.

Walking over to Florean I took a large cauldron from him and thanked him.

Everyone gaped at the cauldron in my hands as I set it on the ground by the booth.

Changing into my other form I start devouring all of the ice cream in the cauldron.

Ron grabs Florean as he walks by, "Excuse me but what is she eating?"

He sighs before saying, "One scoop of everything we have here with a lot of bacon bits."

Ron turns a bit red before Ginny jumps in, "What did you mean by scaring off your customers?"

At this he rubs his forehead, "The first time she came here Mr. Goyle was here with his son. They kept asking her what her blood was and where her parents were. After she asked them to stop several times they left her alone. When she gave me her order, which is what she's eating now, Goyle called her a stupid little orphan."

Ginny gasp's at this.

"Well that struck her the wrong way because next thing anybody knows he's pinned on the ground with her tiger on top of him and we have on hell of a thunderstorm outside. After she snarled at him she let him up and he ran out of here. That was the last time I saw him, now whenever she shows up the people that were there either leave or stay far away from her."

With that said he left them to go handle a new customer.

Everyone looked at me until my tail brushed against Ginny's leg causing her to gasp.

She stares at me with wide eyes before whispering, "So soft."

She reaches down and starts scratching my back which felt so good.

All of a sudden a content purr starts to form up in my chest and startles everybody.

They then start laughing and turn to eat their ice cream.

I look at Ron expectantly.

After a couple of bites from his ice cream he goes to take another bite when he said, "Poke, shark, bird, toast, water, brick, ow, yay, no, yes, huzzah,...."

Everyone that could hear him started laughing hysterically while I just purred contently as Ginny rubbed in between my ears.