Ginny Weasley crept carefully down the hall. As she passed her parents room she took extra care not to make a sound. Her heart was pounding wildly with the knowledge of what she was about to do. She reached the door and slowly turned the handle, entering the room. After softly closing the door she took in her surroundings, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. It had been Percy’s room, but was now home to a new temporary tenant. Ginny tiptoed to the bed and gently came to be laying next to him, propped up on one elbow watching him sleep. She watched as his chest rose and fell peacefully. She loved him. She loved him with her whole heart, and she could have lay there watching him sleep forever, but she had come for a specific purpose and it was time to wake him. She leaned in slowly and softly kissed his cheek. He stirred slightly and she whispered in his ear;





“Happy Birthday Harry.”





He groggily opened his eyes, then gasped when he realized Ginny was there in his bed.





“Ginny! Wha-what are you doing in here?”





“I wanted to be the first to wish you a Happy Eighteenth Birthday!”





“But-you you shouldn’t be in here. If someone caught you-“





“Well if you want me to leave I will,” she said making a move to get out of bed. His arm shot out quickly and grabbed her shoulder. She looked back at him and he smiled sheepishly.





“Well, since you’re already here, and it is my birthday, maybe it would be alright if you stayed.”





“Ok,” she smiled, laughter in her voice, “If you say so Harry.”





She lay back down and he took her into his arms. After a little while she said, “So, you’re eighteen now, do you feel any different?”





“It’s weird,” he answered. “I mean I never knew if I would make it to eighteen. I knew I would face Voldemort and that’s all the further I thought. It just makes me so……I don’t know. I’m glad to be here.”





Ginny snuggled closer to him. “I’m glad you’re here too,” she whispered.





He kissed the top of her head. “I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be than right here with you.”





“Really? Cause just a few minutes ago you where nearly shoving me out the door,” she joked looking up at him with a twinkle in her eyes. He laughed wholeheartedly. It was good to hear him laugh. He had done so little of it since the war. She couldn’t help it; she tilted her head and kissed him deeply on the lips. When they finally broke apart, she was breathless. She wrapped her arms around him again. They lay there together in comfortable silence until Ginny sighed, “We should get up, Mum would be furious if she caught me in here.”

---

Fifteen minutes later, Ginny bounded down the stairs to the kitchen dressed in her favorite skirt and top. She had left her hair down and it fell softly below her shoulders. She could smell breakfast.





“Need any help Mum?” she asked.





“Yes dear, can you help with the bacon?” Ginny gave a flick of her wand and the bacon came soaring towards her. She placed it in the pan and it began to sizzle.





“So, how is Harry doing this morning?” her mother asked, not looking at her, a slight smile playing on her lips. Ginny stared up at her dumbfounded.





“Mum- ,” she began, but her mother cut her off.





“Ginny, we’ve all been through so much in the past year. After a war, your priorities change. You and Harry deserve to love.” She looked down at her daughter,” but love him fully Ginny. Be good to each other.” Then after a brief pause she said, “and don’t do anything that you’ll regret later.”





Ginny didn’t know what to say. She was so thankful for her mother’s insights. She promised herself then and there that she would take her advice to heart. “Don’t worry Mum,” she said, “you raised me right.”





Mrs. Weasley’s eyes filled with tears and she was about to respond when another redhead bounded down the stairs.





“What’s for breakfast? I’m starved!” Ron was still dressed in his pajamas.





“It’s not quite ready yet dear,” Molly said, discretely wiping her eyes.





“Ok, I’m going to go wish Harry a Happy Birthday!” Ron disappeared up the stairs.





Ginny and Mrs. Weasley finished cooking in silence.

---

Later Ginny was alone in the kitchen instructing the dishes to clean themselves. Breakfast had been relatively uneventful. Mrs. Weasley was throwing Harry a party later that evening. She heard the fireplace fill and turned to see her bushy haired friend Hermione Granger step out into the kitchen. She rushed to hug her.





“Ginny! How are you? Sorry I missed breakfast.”





“That’s ok, the party isn’t until later. I’m good, but how are you doing?” Since the war Hermione’s relationship with Ron was moving at a much slower pace than either Hermione or Ginny approved of. Ginny was growing concerned for her friend. It seemed that the healing process may have become an excuse to avoid the topic.





“I’m ok. Where’s Harry?”





“Upstairs with Ron.”





Hermione frowned, “maybe I’ll wait then.”





“Hermione, why don’t you just talk to Ron?”





Hermione sighed, “I have,” she admitted.





Ginny was surprised. “You have?”





“Yes……I don’t want to push him. He needs some time.”


“Hermione you’ve had half your lives of time over this. You almost got together during that war! What’s changed? Why are you stalling?!”








Hermione was getting aggravated. “Everything’s changed Ginny! Voldemort’s gone, the war is over and we’re done with school, but we don’t know what to do. The Order is in shambles. Everything’s changed, or have you forgotten that Fred is dead!”





Ginny was shocked. Angry tears streamed down her face as she faced Hermione full on, her hands balled into fists. “I know Fred is dead!” she spat. “He was my brother!”





“Gin- I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-“





“No!,” Ginny wrenched from her grasp, “I loved Fred and I know that he would think we were all a big bunch of idiots if we refused to live because he’s gone!” Ginny ran from the kitchen and tore up the stairs. She reached her room and slammed the door, flinging herself onto the bed she began to sob. She scolded herself. What she had said to Hermione was true, Fred wouldn’t want her to put her life on hold, but it was ok for her to be sad for him. She cried softly for her beloved brother, and for Hermione and Ron who seemed to be so lost in their relationship, and she cried for Harry and all he had been through. When she finished her cry she lay there for awhile in silence, forcing herself to calm down.





She heard her door open. She hoped it wasn’t Hermione. She knew her friend hadn’t meant what she’d said, but Ginny wasn’t ready to face her just yet.





“Ginny?”





It was Harry. Ginny shut her eyes and kept her position on the bed. She didn’t want him to see her like this.





Harry sat on the bed next to her and gently rubbed her back. He was silent for awhile then he asked, “Are you ok.”





“Yes,” she said quietly.





“Hermione told me what happened.”





“She didn’t mean it.”





“You’re right, she didn’t, but she was out of line and she knows it.”





“I overreacted. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset.”





“Ginny,” he said softly, “its ok for you to be upset. We’re all just trying to recover. It’s hard to know how to move on.”





She sat up and wiped her face. “I want to move on. I want everyone to be ok. I want to forget about war and death.”





He reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Me too,” he said. “We can help each other.” She nodded as he leaned in and kissed her soundly on the lips.





“Come on,” she said. “It’s your birthday. We should be having fun.”





“What did you have in mind?” he asked following her out of the room and down the stairs.





“You’ll see,” she answered mischievously.

---

“Ginny I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean what I said. I don’t know what I was thinking.”





Ginny held up a hand to stop her. “Hermione, its fine. I shouldn’t have stuck my nose in your business.” She glanced at Ron. “I won’t bug you about it anymore.”





“No Ginny, you were right.” Now Hermione glanced at Ron. Ron sat at the kitchen table completely oblivious that the conversation had begun to be about him. Harry laughed and sat down across from Ron apparently continuing a game of wizard’s chess. “I am going to talk to him about it,” Hermione whispered. “You were right I can’t just stop living. We need to enjoy the time we have.”





Ginny broke into a broad grin. “And you can start enjoying your time by getting up on a broom and joining us for a Quidditch game,” she said loudly. Hermione’s face turned to one of complete horror, while Ron and Harry were nearly out the door to the field at the mere mention of Quidditch.





Ginny, Harry, and Ron were not able to convince Hermione to get on a broom with them, despite their best efforts. They played uneven teams until Charlie showed up early for the party and joined a team with Ron. They played two games. Ginny and Harry won both games. When they landed, Charlie headed back to the house mumbling something about Mrs. Weasley hexing him for not telling her he’d arrived. Ginny spotted Hermione Pulling Ron out of hearing range. She smiled and silently wished her friend luck. Harry slung his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple as they began to walk slowly back to the Burrow.





“Great idea Ginny. This was the best birthday ever!”





“What are you talking about Harry Potter! You haven’t even had your birthday party yet. You get on a broom and you think your life is suddenly complete.”





He grinned down at her. “I don’t need a party or a broom, I just need you and my life is complete.”





She grinned back at him before swatting him on the arm. “That is the cheesiest line I’ve ever heard!”





He laughed. “Maybe, but it’s true.” He kissed her cheek. Ginny felt like she was floating on a cloud.

---

That evening all the Weasleys gathered together in the backyard for Harry’s birthday dinner. Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood were also in attendance. Hagrid was there too along with Professor McGonagall and Kingsley Shakelbolt. Ron had used his deluminator to suspend lights from the Burrow above the table. Mrs. Weasley had outdone herself making all of Harry’s favorite foods.





Mr. Weasley and Kingsley made toasts to Harry. Ginny could tell that Harry was uncomfortable with all the attention. Once the meal began, he seemed to relax and looked like he was enjoying himself. Ginny sat next to him and he kept glancing at her or grabbing her hand under the table. When Mrs. Weasley brought out the cake, everyone sang and ate until they were all very full. Harry took Ginny’s hand and they quietly slipped away unnoticed.


They walked for awhile in silence. Then Harry stopped and pulled her down so she was sitting next to him under a tree. She snuggled close. “Thank you Ginny,” he whispered into her hair.

“For what?”


“For being here, for this day. It really was the best birthday I’ve ever had.”


She thought for a moment before she looked up at him and answered; “Up until now your birthdays have either been forgotten, or in the midst of a war. Now the war is over and I’m here to make sure that your birthday is never forgotten. So this may be the best birthday you’ve ever had Harry Potter, but count on a lot more ahead.”


Her words hung in the air as they both savored their meaning. This was the beginning of a whole new life. One where they were safe, and happy, and-


“I love you Ginny.”


Her heart skipped a beat. She looked up at him. His heart was there, open to her. She looked into his eyes and saw the love she had for him reflected back to her.


“I love you too Harry, so much.”


He kissed her softly. When they parted she whispered;


“Happy birthday Harry.”