Chapter 2- This Is The Last Time
Ginny was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace in Harry's room, waiting for the perfect moment to wake him up. She looked at her watch- 11:59. Perfect. She put her book down, crossed the room, and jumped onto the bed. "Happy Birthday, Harry!"
"Wha- Ginny, go away," he groaned, rolling over.
"Get up."
"No."
"Harry James Potter, there is a Midnight Madness party waiting for you in the kitchen. Now get down there before I curse you into oblivion."
"Gin, you've only been my girlfriend for a week, you haven't earned the right to threaten me yet."
"I'm not going to give up. I'll keep nagging until sunrise."
"Fine," Harry put on his glasses and climbed out of bed. He didn't even bother to put a shirt on and Ginny certainly wasn't going to say anything about it. She followed him downstairs to the busy kitchen, where streamers and confetti were floating and falling all over.
"Fred and George put Silencing Charms on the kitchen," Ron said, passing Harry a drink.
Harry's state of dress wasn't out of place; everyone was in their pyjamas and Ron wasn't wearing a shirt either. Hermione was wearing very little, as was Ginny. These days, the house seemed to get hotter by the second. The rest of the Weasley boys were wearing t-shirts and jeans, obviously not planning on staying long.
"Do we know how to throw a party or what?" Bill slapped Harry on the back.
"Hermione?" Harry said, sitting beside her, "are you alright?"
Hermione lifted her head from the table. "Oh, Harry, happy birthday. I'm fine, just really, really tired." She yawned.
"You're not the only one. If I wasn't the guest of honour, I'd go back to bed." Harry looked around. Everyone had a drink in their hand, but only Ginny and Hermione were drinking Butter beer.
"The Midnight Madness actually started around 10:30. They're all drunk."
"Maybe I should lock the wine cellar. They're gonna drink everything I have."
"Wouldn't hurt."
"But that would." Percy tripped over Crookshanks and fell on his face. "I never thought Percy was the type to get drunk." Harry laughed as he watched Percy trying to get up, only to have Fred and George trip him repeatedly.
"That shouldn't be funny, but it is," Hermione said between fits of giggles.
"You really should get some sleep, 'Mione. It isn't that funny." Harry couldn’t help laughing, Hermione's giggles were infectious.
"You're right, Harry." She drained her Butter beer and stood up. "Happy birthday." She walked very carefully over to Ron and kissed him goodnight before going up to bed.
"Hey, Birthday Boy," Ginny said, sitting on Harry's lap. "Having fun?"
"Yeah." He downed his drink. "Smooth," he choked. He poured himself another from the bottle sitting on the table.
"Can I have a sip?"
"One sip, we don't need every Weasley drunk." He laughed as Ginny choked on the fire whiskey. "Are you okay?"
"I'm great. God, that's disgusting."
"I know." He drained his glass.
"So why do you drink it?"
"Good question." There was a loud thump in the corner. Ron was unconscious and Fred and George were already drawing on his face. "It'll be interesting to see him when he's awake," Harry said.
**
It was almost 6:00. The kitchen was empty, except for a snoring Ron and Harry and Ginny making out in the corner. Ron groaned.
"Should we wake him?" Ginny asked.
"Nah, let him sleep." Harry yawned. "Your Mum will deal with him in a bit."
Dobby appeared with a crack and tripped over Ron. "Would Harry Potter sir be wanting Dobby to wake up his Wheezy?"
"No thanks, Dobby. Just leave him there, his wake up call will be here soon."
Mrs Weasley opened the kitchen door. The first thing she saw was Ginny sitting on Harry's lap, both wearing the bare minimum. Her gaze dropped to the floor, to Ron.
"RONALD WEASLEY! GET UP NOW!" She screamed. Ron didn't move, he just snored louder.
"Oi, Sleeping Beauty!" Harry yelled. Ron sat up.
"We should go," Ginny said, pulling Harry off his seat and out of the kitchen.
"That was brilliant! I would give anything in the world just to see his face like that again!" Harry laughed.
"Harry," Hermione was leaning over the rail. "What's going on?"
"Mrs Weasley just found Ron."
"You mean he was still unconscious?"
"Uh-huh."
"What are you two doing up so early?" She asked curiously.
"You mean late. We haven't gone to bed yet," Ginny said.
The doorbell rang. Ginny ran upstairs. Not knowing who it was, she didn't want someone seeing her dressed like that.
"Professor Dumbledore," Harry stared at the headmaster.
"Good morning Harry, and happy birthday."
"Thank you, sir." He stepped aside so Dumbledore could come in. "I came to speak with Mrs Weasley."
"She's in the kitchen, but I'd wait awhile, sir. She's still yelling at Ron."
"And what has Mr Weasley done so early in the morning?"
"More like, late at night, sir. He sort of passed out at the party. I didn’t have the heart to wake him."
Ron appeared in the hallway, looking as though he had shrunk two inches after his mother had finished with him. "She's mental, Harry. I'm an adult and she's sent me to my room."
"Don't incur the wrath of Molly Weasley," Harry said, laughing. "I'd go to your room if I were you." Ron nodded and went upstairs.
"Excuse me, Harry," Dumbledore said, heading for the kitchen. Harry went up to the Secret Room.
"Ginny?" He saw her sitting on the couch. "I thought you would have gone to bed."
"What's the point? Mum would be waking me up in half an hour for breakfast."
"True. You should have seen Ron. He actually looked shorter."
"That's what happens after a 'lecture' from Mum."
"So far, it's been a great birthday." He sat beside Ginny on the couch. "I have seen Ron get taken down a notch, twice, and discovered the secret to avoiding a hangover."
"What's that?"
"Don't go to sleep, and snog with your girlfriend for five hours."
"Does that really work?"
"Do I look hung over?" Harry asked.
"A little." She slid closer. "Maybe five hours isn't enough."
"Yeah, I don't think it is either." He leaned forward and kissed her.
"Harry, am I a better kisser than Cho?"
"A million times better," Harry said without hesitation, kissing Ginny again.
"Good." She leaned into the kiss, refusing to end it.
**
Harry and Ginny returned to the kitchen, fully dressed, an hour later. Several members of the Order were at the table, already eating. Harry looked over at Lupin and who he assumed was Tonks. 'So it is true,' he thought. They were holding hands and acting like teenagers in love.
"Aren't they a cute couple?" Ginny said to Harry.
"Happy Birthday, Harry," Mrs Weasley said, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.
"Uh, Mrs Weasley, I can't breathe," Harry gasped.
"So sorry, dear," Mrs Weasley said, letting him go.
"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks said. She had long, golden ringlets this morning; ringlets which Lupin enjoyed playing with to Tonks' great amusement.
"Happy birthday, Harry," Lupin smiled. Harry grinned widely and sat down next to Ginny.
"I'm 17," he whispered happily to her.
"I know," Ginny whispered back.
"I never thought I'd see the day when the great Harry Potter turned seventeen," Snape drawled. No one had even noticed he was in the kitchen. Everyone looked at Harry expectantly.
Harry stared at the wall in front of him, trying to focus, before saying, quite calmly, "This is the last time I will tell you, Severus, you and your slimy face are not welcome in this house."
"Believe me, Potter, I take no pleasure in this visit. I am here merely to inform all of you of another attack."
"Who was it, Severus?" Lupin asked.
"Neville Longbottom."
**
Harry and Ginny spent the rest of the day in their Secret Room. They sat on the couch, completely silent for hours.
"I feel like I should be saying something," Ginny said, "but I don't know what to say."
"Neither do I."
"How could there be another attack? I thought Voldemort was gone. You killed him, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
"Then how could he kill-" Ginny couldn't force herself to say Neville's name. She broke down and started sobbing into Harry's shoulder. Harry wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
"It was Bellatrix Lestrange. She's the one who tortured his parents, she's been after Neville since that night at the Ministry."
Whether that had been two years, or two hours ago, everyone who was there would never forget. Ron and Hermione still had scars.
"Harry, what's going to happen now?"
"I don't know. I wish I did. I just want all of this to stop. Sometimes, when I'm just about to go to sleep, I think that, if I concentrate hard enough, then all this would just go away- all the pain and suffering, everything that hurts you."
"I wish it were that easy."
"Me, too." He kissed Ginny again and rested his chin on the top of her head.
They sat like that for hours, until Harry noticed the sun had set a while ago. "Gin?" Ginny had fallen asleep. "Hey, Ginny. Wake up, Love."
"What?" She said quietly.
"It's late."
"I know, that's why I was sleeping."
"We should go to bed. This couch isn't comfortable enough to sleep on."
"I guess it isn't." She stood up and stretched before leading the way out into the spare bedroom.
They parted ways at Ginny's door, saying their goodnights. It was not like their usual goodnight, where Harry would try making up excuses for staying in the doorway and kissing Ginny. Being a gentlemen, he never asked to cross the threshold, and never asked Ginny to cross his. He was happy with their games of tonsil-hockey. But, they were both tired and upset tonight, so they settled for a warm hug and a quick kiss.
**
Harry sat up and looked at his blurry surroundings, noticing that the hangings of his bed had been pulled open and someone was sitting beside him, crying. "Ginny, what's wrong?"
"Can I sleep here?"
"Of course you can. Bad dreams?" He asked. Ginny was always welcome in Harry's bed, no questions asked, but in her condition, Harry would never even consider trying anything.
Ginny nodded and climbed under the covers beside Harry. She curled up like a cat, resting her head on his chest. "I keep imagining what his body looked like."
"Don't think about that, just-"
"But I can't help it. It seems so real."
"You're shivering." Harry wrapped his arm around her and held her tight to his body.
"Well, I'm cold."
"There's no need to get sarcastic."
"Sorry.
"Don't be." Harry adjusted himself so he could see Ginny's tear-streaked face. "Do you think you'll be able to sleep now?"
"Yes. Thanks for letting me sleep here, even though Ron will kill you in the morning."
"Now I have something else to worry about," Harry joked. Ginny gave him a weak smile before closing her eyes and nestling into Harry's chest. Harry sighed and closed his eyes.
**
For a week or so after that, Ginny continued to sneak into Harry's room. She felt safe when she was lying close to him like that, his arm draped over her shoulders.
The morning after the third night, when Ginny had left for her room before sunrise, she ran into Ron.
"Morning," she said, ducking into her room. Ron, instead of going back to his room after spending the night with Hermione, knocked on Harry's door.
"Ginny, go back to bed. Ron will-" Harry opened the door. "kill me," he finished lamely, looking at his feet.
"Did you?" Ron said, practically growling.
"Did I what? Oh! No! Ron, she was just upset about Neville. I swear!"
"Good." Ron turned and walked down the hall to his room.
A loud buzzing made Harry jump. He threw his alarm clock against the far wall. He had set it early so he could make Ginny breakfast in bed. Cooking for the Dursleys was absolute Hell, but cooking for those he loved was a great pleasure. Harry loved to experiment with recipes, improving them or just making them more interesting. This morning, he planned to make his tested and true waffles.
If Harry had used magic to prepare this special meal, he would have been done in minutes, but he preferred doing it the Muggle way- it was more personal.
"Gin?" Harry bent over her, holding the tray. "Ginny."
"What time is it?" She yawned, not opening her eyes.
"5:30."
"Little early, don't you think?"
"Not really. Your breakfast would get cold, wouldn't it?"
"Huh?" Ginny opened her eyes and sat up. "You made me breakfast in bed. That's so sweet."
"You like waffles, right?" Harry set the tray down on Ginny's lap.
"Love 'em."
"Happy birthday, Love." He kissed Ginny.
"Want some?" She offered.
"No thanks. I'll be right back, I left your present in my room." In the hall, Harry ran into, quite literally, Ron. "Ron."
"What were you doing in Ginny's room?"
"Talking."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes. I made her breakfast, and then I said 'happy birthday' and she offered me some of her waffles and I said 'no thanks' and now I'm going to get her present, which I left in my room." Harry walked around Ron and into his room. When he came back out with the gift, Ron was gone. In Ginny's room, he sat on the edge of the bed and watched her open the small box.
"Harry, it's adorable, I love it." It was a silver and pink teddy bear brooch.
"I thought you would."
"It looks expensive."
"Does that matter? Ginny, you're always going to get the best from me, not because I can give it to you, but because you deserve it."
"I don't deserve something like this, Harry," Ginny argued.
"Yes you do. You've always been there when I needed someone to talk to-"
"So were Ron and Hermione."
"But it was different with you, I wasn't obligated to tell you things because you weren't one of my best friends, I told you because I thought you would listen and you did." He looked at the pin, then into Ginny's eyes. "You deserve it because I love you." Ginny stared at him blankly. "Uh, Gin?"
"What?" She said quietly. Harry's face fell. He stood up and opened the door.
"Happy birthday," he said, leaving.
"Harry!" Ginny pushed the tray aside and followed him. "Harry! Wait!" She grabbed his arm. "Harry…"
"I understand. I hope you enjoyed your breakfast." He tried to walk away, but Ginny wouldn't let go.
"Will you stop that? You're being so overdramatic!"
"You didn't answer me."
"You didn't ask a question!…Sorry, I- what I meant was, it's really early Harry, I was, well am, half asleep. Things don't process very quickly." She smiled apologetically. "Harry, I'm sorry if not saying it the second you shut your mouth upset you, but I do love you."
"Really?"
"Really," Ginny said. "Do you think I'd let you buy me expensive things if I didn't?"
"You're adorable, you know that?"
"Yes." Harry chuckled and kissed her.
"Isn't that what bedrooms are for?" Hermione said, walking by.
"I don't know, is it?" Harry asked, wrapping his arms around Ginny.
"How'd you-?"
"I saw Ron coming out of your room this morning." Hermione blushed in a way that would rival a Weasley.
**
Down in the kitchen, all the Weasleys had gathered for breakfast, waiting for Ginny to come downstairs. Mr Weasley was putting the finishing touches on a long parcel while Fred and George argued over who was going to give Ginny their gift.
Harry and Ginny walked in together, as they always did- Harry with his arm over Ginny's shoulders, whispering something to her that would make her blush and giggle, oblivious that a kitchen full of people were watching them.
"Happy birthday, Ginny," Ron said, pulling her away from Harry and hugging her, slipping a small present in to her hand. "Don't open it here."
"Thanks, Ron."
Fred and George were next, with their usual banter. "What have you done with our sister?" Fred said, examining Ginny.
"Ginny is a Quidditch playing tomboy. And this is no Quidditch playing tomboy."
"Should we give her our present anyway?"
"I suppose. We can't let it go to waste, now, can we?"
"No ,we can't." They lifted up the chest together.
"Happy birthday!" Ginny tore off the ribbon and opened the chest.
"Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She squealed, hugging her brothers. Harry looked in the chest- Quidditch balls, complete with Beater's bats. His jaw dropped.
"Look at the Snitch," George said. Ginny took it out very carefully, not wanting it to start flitting about the kitchen. Her initials were engraved near one of the wings.
"This must have cost a fortune!"
"Hasn't anyone told you it's rude to ask how much a present costs?" Fred asked.
"Nothing's too good for our sister," George said.
"I distinctly remember someone else saying that today," Ginny said, looking at Harry.
"Must be true then," he said, winking.
"Open this one next," Hermione said, pointing to the small pile of gifts on the table. Ginny picked up the purple case and opened it. "The makeup changes colours with your mood," she explained.
"Hermione, this is awesome, thank you!" Ginny said, just as enthusiastically as she had accepted the Quidditch set.
Once Ginny had opened all her presents, including a new set of dress robes, an encyclopaedia of Quidditch fouls, and a new broom, Mrs Weasley served breakfast.
"Harry, I never took you for being cheap," Charlie said. "Didn't you get Ginny a present?"
"He made me breakfast in bed," Ginny said. "And gave me this pin."
"Isn't that sweet?" Hermione said pointedly to Ron, who was obliviously eating scrambled eggs.
As breakfast wound down, the Weasleys who had to get to work left and a large brown owl delivered Hogwarts letters for the rest.
"How'd you do on your OWLs?" Hermione asked before the owl had even left the kitchen. Ginny opened her letter and stared at her results before saying:
"I got 8."
"Really? That's great!" Harry said. He had also received 8 OWLs when he took the tests.
"I failed Divination and History of Magic."
"Does anyone ever pass those?" Ron said.
"Hey!"
"Other than Hermione?" He added.
"
Oh my!" Hermione held a small pin in her hand. "I'm Head Girl."
"No surprise there," Ron said, opening his own letter. A pin fell on the table. "I don't believe it. Head Boy."
"We don't need much this year, do we?" Hermione said after recovering from the shock of becoming Head Girl, looking at the list. "The Shrinking Book of Shrinking Spells, Vindictus Verididan, and some Defense Against The Dark Arts books. I'm pretty sure most of those are in the library, aren't they, Harry?"
"Hm?" He looked at the list. "Maybe, but they'd be too beaten up to read. I do, however, have The Shrinking Book of Shrinking Spells. I think Sirius got it as a joke or something. Whenever you try to open it, it shrinks so small you can't even see it."
"Then why would it be on the list?"
"Maybe we'll have a teacher with a sense of humour for once," Ron said hopefully.
"And if we do, we need to keep Ron out of those classes, or nothing will get done," Hermione said seriously. Harry and Ginny laughed.
"I guess we have to go to Diagon Alley, then?"
"It's up to Ginny," Harry said. "It's her birthday, she should decide what to do."
"Diagon Alley."