…Happy birthday dear Ginny, happy birthday to you!� Everyone cheered.

“Make a wish Gin, whatever your heart desires!� exclaimed Hermione. She closed her eyes; there was only one thing she wanted, one thing she desired…without moving a muscle she opened her eyes and they slowly climbed to meet his shining, emerald ones. They held the gaze for a moment and then wishing with all her heart she quickly looked down at her cake and blew as the room went dark.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Something’s different…thought Ginny as she entered the Common Room the next morning. The whole atmosphere was different – the gloom that had seemed to encompass all since the Second War had begun was lessened significantly. She walked over to Ron who was attempting to teach Hermione how to play chess. This was rather difficult, however, as Ron blushed and mumbled his words every time Hermione met his eyes, and Hermione kept gazing at him unconsciously as he thought out each move, losing complete interest in the game before her.

“Hey guys…�

“Mornin’ Gins! How does it feel to be 16 and a day old?� she smiled and then comprehension dawned on her,

“It feels…er…good,� she said frowning and tilting her head…wait a minute, Ron hadn’t played chess since Sirius died. Every time anyone had let on any sign of amusement Harry had cast them a horrible glare and left the room in a huff, stomping up the stairs to cry in his room, or so they supposed. He felt it was disrespectful to Sirius to be having fun when he couldn’t, so he had given up nearly everything that brought any pleasure to him. Ron had learned better than to ask for a game of chess, Hogsmeade trips were verboten, and at the sound of laughter in a snowball fight one day Harry had slammed the door so hard a hinge had actually broken through it! For some reason unknown to Ginny he had allowed her birthday party without any complaints, but she wasn’t going to understand Harry Potter just yet – he had been through so much already, it was a miracle he was still functioning at all. “Um…are you sure you should be playing that now? Harry’s bound to be up any minute and you don’t want to get him all upset again, do you?� Ron looked up at her perplexed (not an uncommon expression for him, but nonetheless…)

“What on earth are you talking about Gin?�

“What am I talking about?� she looked at Hermione for support but Hermione was looking at her with the same puzzled expression as Ron, “He’s gonna get all mad and have one of ….one of his…er…tempers….�she trailed off hopelessly.

“Ginny are you feeling okay?� asked Hermione, face full of concern. Ginny’s eyes shifted back and forth as she tried to make sense of the situation before her. What on earth was going on? What was up with everyone? Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly as someone covered her eyes with their hands. She felt the hands and then pulling them down turned around to face none other than a smiling Harry Potter. What?

“Mornin’!� he pecked her lightly on the lips. “I’m gonna go up and take a shower, and then…I do believe there are some snowballs down there calling my name!� he laughed and then kissing her again ran up the stairs… “This time is going to be revenge Ron…� he yelled down the stairs as he closed the door. Ron and Hermione laughed. Ginny couldn’t move; every muscle in her tiny body froze. What? She blinked her eyes rapidly her mouth slowly opening…WHAT?!

Hermione noticed her expression and looking at Ron worriedly went to Ginny.

“Gin, what’s the matter? What’s wrong?�

She stuttered, fumbling for the words…any words… “He…he ki…" her face was scarlet and she was so out of breath she could barely speak, "Harry kissed me!� She looked as if she were about to pass out and Hermione gently sat her down on the couch.

“Yes…yes Harry kisses you every morning…� Ginny looked up at Hermione, her eyes expressing her question, What?

“And then after breakfast, and before lunch, and after lunch, and before class…� Ron’s muttering was hushed by a strict look from Hermione.

“Ginny do you think you need to go to Madame Pomfrey? You seem a bit…well…a bit delusional, actually…�

“…and then before dinner…�

“No, no…um…I’m okay, I think…I’m just a little, confused. Why would Harry kiss me?�

“…and then a WHOLE lot after dinner…�

“RON SHUT UP!� he closed his mouth abashedly and Hermione turned to her friend with a quieter tone, “Well Ginny, because he’s your boyfriend, and because he’s in love with you, and … why are you asking me that? Don’t you want him to kiss you?� Ginny just gaped at Hermione. Um…yah…she thought, but no, this wasn’t the time, she needed to figure out what was going on. “Ginny you do still love him right?� she nodded silently, caramel eyes wide, yes…she did. “I mean, it’s all you’ve ever been wishing for since you were like…eleven years old, you can’t seriously be having second thoughts!� THE WISH! OH MERLIN, OH MY GOSH!

“No! No, no, no…� Hermione raised her eyebrows and laughed, “No, no second thoughts…I had this weird dream and I think that’s why I was confused,� she lied. Hermione nodded understandingly but looked slightly doubtful. But, before anyone could say anything else Harry came bounding down the stairs. He grabbed her hand,

“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!� and before anyone could respond he had dragged them out into the wintry fantasy for a good, old fashioned snowball fight. After quite a few snowball imprints on their jackets and pants the girls had run off in search of cover. They seemed safe for now.

“Hermione, can I ask you something?�

“Sure, what’s on your mind?�

“Well…I know this is going to sound funny, but after…after Sirius died, do you remember how distant Harry was, how he couldn’t bear the thought of anyone even smiling, because it wasn’t fair to Sirius?� Hermione nodded sadly, “Hermione, what changed him? How did he recover from that to…� she spread her arms revealing multiple snowball marks, “…to this?�

Hermione examined her carefully and then quietly answered, “Well that’s easy isn’t it? You.�

“Me?�

“Well yah, I mean...you’re love brought him back…to all of us.� Ginny mused silently for a minute, unable to believe it all, but she was brought back as Hermione asked tentatively, “Does it seem a bit…too quiet to you?� Ginny looked at her, uh-oh, they tried to inconspicuously peer out from their hiding spot, but all of a sudden,

“ARGH!� Ginny and Hermione were both pelted with snowballs and Harry and Ron could be heard laughing menacingly, coming for more. The girls looked at each other and then ran for it. Ginny’s short legs were no match for Harry’s however, and he caught and tackled her quickly. Laughing they wrestled in the snow; Ginny took a big handful and holding his hair with one hand, shoved his face in her other.

“Had about enough Potter?� he nodded quickly and urgently, eyes innocent, but as soon as she released him he laughed and rolled back over so he was on top of her. Their laughs faded as they looked into each other’s eyes and he leaned down and kissed her, then rolled onto his back, and lay next to her, looking up at the snow falling down on them. She closed her eyes – she was in heaven. It wasn’t even being kissed by the one she had loved for years, although she trembled slightly from the love that seemed to flow from her thundering heart, it was his happiness – the color in his face from excitement, the crooked smile that seemed to always be on his face now, and the laughter in his eyes…it was like a dream…Her eyes bolted open. Ooooh… she moaned silently and pinched herself…nothing…it was just a dream. She closed her eyes again, and tears silently leaked out.

“Ginny?� she looked up and Harry was looking at her with concern in his eyes, “What’s wrong?�

“Nothing, nothing…� she forced a fake smile, but he caught her lie, only mistaking it for something else…

“You know, sometimes I think about him, and I don’t think I can get past the pain; it’s like it’s going to destroy me from the inside out…and then I think of you.� She looked up, “If you hadn't told me how you felt...I think I would still be a miserable puddle of guilt. You saved me Ginny Weasley.� She smiled and they both leaned back down looking at the sky, holding hands tightly…

…Of course, Ron being ignorant as always did not realize the sincerity of the moment and in a second they were up and laughing again, dodging snowballs and enjoying their young love…

After a long and exhausting, but wonderful day, Ginny laid her head down on Harry’s lap as he stroked her hair…she grasped his hand tightly and the comfortableness of their love gently lulled her into sleep…

“…Ginny…�

“mmm�

“Ginny…wake up,� she opened her eyes and Harry was rubbing her hand gently waking her…she smiled and leaned up, kissing him softly on the lips. She sat up looking around, outside the window it was dark and the decorations from her party were still hanging – and -- there was a heaviness in the air, a slight, but noticeable, gloom. Comprehension dawning on her she looked slowly to Harry…he was staring at her in disbelief. This was not a dream… she thought to herself in horror…what was he going to do now? She looked at his eyes, wide with shock but still hollow with pain. The face of the loving Harry from her dream, the happy Harry, flooded her mind, and determination set in. He was now looking away shyly. With both hands she turned his face to look at her, “I love you Harry,� she said and kissed him gently on the lips. From the look on his face she decided he needed to be alone to think things through, and got up to go back to her room, but as she released his hand he grasped hers firmly. She turned around and he stood up with a resolute gleam in his eye. He pulled her to him strongly and kissed her passionately. She looked up and smiled…he was back.

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Author's Note: I know everyone of you wants people to review your stories when they read them, so please give me the same consideration!