'Thanks for taking me out tonight,' Ginny Weasley said, tucking her orange-red hair behind an ear. 'I just needed to get away. To get out, you know?'

'I know,' said Harry Potter, placing a large, calloused hand on the shoulder of the emerald dress Ginny was wearing. 'You'll get away from all that soon, and then it'll just be the two of us.' Ginny twirled her body into the gap between Harry's puffed chest and his outstretched arm and rose up on her stiletto toes to kiss him delicately on the cheek.

'You are just the most amazing gentleman. I can't wait for Mrs Harry Potter.' Ginny sighed dreamily and stretched out her arms. With one final embrace and a nod, Ginny walked into the dark of Harry's garden, and Harry grinned foolishly.

'Happy birthday to me!' Harry said quietly, excitement running through his veins as a certain redhead began to swim through his head. Stuffing one hand into his front pocket, he beamed to himself and quickly walked back into his house, not noticing the tall shadow slinking back into camouflage.

The lights were on all night on that summer's dream, but even through his supposed alertness, even Harry didn't hear the scream.

'I can't find my wand,' Harry said, stepping down the stairs bleary-eyed on the morning of July 31. Multiple pairs of eyes turned away from their business to look at the raven-haired, pyjamas-clad 20-year-old, who was currently cleaning his glasses on the hem of his pyjama shirt. Harry looked up, his eyes squinting at the light. 'Well? Do you guys know where it is?' He put on his glasses and snapped back to attention as Hermione Granger opened her mouth.

'Have you forgotten it's your birthday?' she said, an unidentifiable edge in her voice as she motioned to the mahogany table's centrepiece: a large chocolate cake covered with red and gold icing and a lightning-bolt piece of treacle tart stuck haphazardly in the centre. Harry squinted at the cake and cautiously walked forward as Hermione stretched out her arms. 'Happy birth-day!' she said, her voice faltering as she finished.

Harry's squint deepened, and he turned to the faces of Ronald Weasley and several other sudden guests. He heard a party horn's tell-tale noise and an uneasy chorus of 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' from his unexpected house-guests, then some laughter arose from the table, but the one person he had expected to see seemed to be the only person missing from the normally enjoyable clutter of the party.

'Well, I already knew...,' the tired man mumbled, but Hermione had already turned away and tightened her fuzzy scarf around her neck. So Harry cleared his throat and scratched his leg, and when he raised his head again Dean Thomas was there, peering down at him.

'You seem a little tired, mate,' observed the taller wizard wisely. 'Not as pumped as you should be. It's your birthday!'

'Er, yeah. Late night, you know. Uh, would you know where Ginny is?'

'Nah, sorry. I don't think I've properly talked to her since she ended things with me and then went with you. ...Yeah.' Dean shrugged. 'Sorry, mate,' he finished, though it almost seemed as if the words were fuelled by some new, more inappropriate thought. With that, Dean turned around and rejoined a group of ex-Hufflepuffs Harry faintly recalled at the table, his appearance punctuated by subdued giggles and whoops, and Harry found himself following Dean to the head of the table. Harry sat down at his seat there, and everyone fell silent as the wizard pulled his chair closer to the table and opened his mouth.

'Fir-...' Harry abruptly cut himself off and swallowed down the knot in his throat. He was never a strong speaker unless what he had to say was important to him, and although this likely was important to everyone who was currently wasting their time on him, Harry presently wanted nothing to do but curl up next to Ginny and spill crumbs of treacle tart anywhere he wanted. Harry let the group's eyes sink in as he struggled to weave together an acceptance speech of sorts. His attention flickered from expectant Hermione to uneasy Ron to the empty chair where a proud Ginny should have been. Where was she, anyway? Harry settled on 'Er, dig in' and let himself have a small smile as he gestured for Hermione and Ron to speak with him in private.

'What's up?' Ron said. He didn't seem nearly as worried about the lack of Ginny as he seemed sad that food was only a heartbeat away and still so far. Almost simultaneously, he and Hermione thrust their hands into their robes, exchanged an unreadable glance, and looked back to Harry.

'Where's Ginny?' Harry half-hissed, red colouring his features as his two friends seemed to slink down in worry. 'I haven't seen her all day!'

'Well, the day hasn't really passed enough to say that.'

'Ron!' Hermione's lips trembled slightly as she leaned instinctively forward. 'Harry ... we didn't want to tell you so soon ... and on your birthday! It just seems so wrong ...'

Harry opened his mouth, prepared to retort, but then the words hit him full-force like a Cruciatus Curse. 'Wait, what?' he asked, concerned. 'What's going on, you guys?' Hermione suddenly pulled her hands out, pushed her face into them, and burst into tears. Harry's eyes widened, and he looked to Ron, who had draped a comforting arm over Hermione's shoulder and presently seemed to be pushing down some sort of emotion. Harry swallowed, believing he was prepared for the worst (after all, he had survived other losses and even completed the admirable feat of death), but he found himself sadly mistaken when Ron squeaked out:

'... Harry, Ginny's missing.'