Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter J. K. Rowling does. (And what an inspirational woman she is!)

Chapter One: The Determination

"Hey, I'll see you guys later this summer! Don't forget to write," Ginny Weasley yelled as she waved goodbye to her good friends Colin and Luna.

Ginny Weasley had just finished her 5th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It had been a quiet year, with no sign of Voldermort or his death eaters. The ministry believed that Voldemort wasn't strong enough to attack yet, the dunderheads couldn't be more wrong. Don't they get that denial is the first step? No, Voldy was strong enough right now, he is just waiting for the opportune moment…in Ginny's opinion anyways.

"Ginny dear, gather your stuff together so that we can leave. I need to drop by Diagon Alley for a bit of shopping," Molly Weasley said as she helped Ron put away his trunk.

"Alright mum," Ginny said as she grinned. This would be the perfect time for her to find a summer job. She was tired of wearing second hand clothes and other second hand things. She knew it wasn't her parents fault, they had tried to provide them with what they could.

Diagon Alley was quieter than usual, probably because people were still arriving home from school. The family split up after agreeing to meet at The Weasley Wizard Wheezes in an hour.

Ginny stood there for a few moments before deciding to just walk the streets looking for any help wanted signs. After about ten minutes she spotted a sign in the window of Flourish and Botts that read:

Summer help wanted, see management for details

Ginny smiled, this was exactly what she needed. She got a determined look on her face, held her head up, and walked into the store.

Thirty minutes later she walked out glowing, she had gotten the job! She worked weekdays from eight in the morning to two O'clock in the afternoon with a pay of three galleons a day. (I have no idea if this is right or not but it sounds good to me.)

She asked a bystander for the time and realized she should head to her brother's shop to me her parents.

"Well look Forge, it's our favorite baby sister," Fred said as Ginny walked through the door of their shop.

"I'm your ONLY sister," Ginny stated grinning, she loved her two favorite brothers.

"True, but you're more special to us Ginny bug," George answered while coming out from a door that lead to their back room. " By the way Gin we have something for you."

Ginny grinned. She loved it when they gave her new stuff to try out on people. She especially loved to try it out on Ron and Hermione.

"OK what this does," Fred said while handing gin a small bottle with clear liquid in it, "is, that when taken, makes a person continuously hiccup when they are thinking about the opposite sex, if you know what I mean. And these little bean like things here turn people's hair color into Fluorescent colors. Thank Tonks for that one, very inspirational she was."

"Now Ginny, I wouldn't use this little potion in Ron's food while Hermione is around, that could cause serious damage," George winked at her while handing them to her.

"Don't worry, I would never be that cruel," Ginny said innocently while taking the bottle from her brother and putting them in a bag she took from behind the counter.

Just then her parents and Ron walked through the door.

"Honestly Ron, I would have thought you to have more manners than a hippogriff! Starting a fight in the middle of town! Do you know how embarrassing that was for me and your father!" Mrs. Weasley yelled as they came near.

"But mum, he started it, saying how poor we were and calling Hermione a Mudblood!"

"That may be so but you should have come to me or your father, and we would have handled it!

You are to degnome the garden for the next two weeks and think about your reactions," Mrs. Weasley said, setting her purchases on the counter.

"Yes mum," Ron said gloomily. Then he turned to Ginny and the twins and mouthed, "But it was bloody well worth it."

They all snickered.

"OK everyone I have good news," Ginny said catching everyone's attention. "I got a summer job at Flourish and Botts!"

"That's great Ginny, but are you sure you can handle?" her mom asked gently.

"Of course she can! She wouldn't have got it if she didn't think she could handle it," Mr.

Weasley said while patting his daughter on the shoulder.

Ginny tossed him a grateful look and said, "I know I can handle it. This will also give me some of that responsibility you've been talking about mum."

"Yes, well I-"

"Nonsense mum, Ginny can handle it," George interrupted.

"Yeah, she'll be great! Just think George, our Gin Bug all grown up," Fred said while pretending to cry.

"I know, I know, but we have to let her go sometime," George replied sympathetically.

Ginny grinned at her older bothers.

"Ok, you win Ginny, I know what you are up to Fred, George. I know Ginny can do it," she said sighing, "She's just growing up so fast. She the youngest one of all of you, but sometimes I believe she is so much more mature."

"Ouch mum, that hurts," Fred and George replied simultaneously.

"Honestly Ginny, I can't believe you want more work right after you've gotten out of school, but good luck anyways," Ron said.

"Thanks you guys! I'm really excited about it," Ginny said hugging her parents.

"You're welcome dear, now come on we must go. I have to get dinner started soon you know,"

Mrs. Weasley said while picking up her packages.

Everyone said goodbye to Fred and George and left through floo. Later that night Ginny was writing in her diary. Bill had gotten it for Ginny after 2nd year so that she would have something that didn't write back.

Dear Diary,

You'll never believe what happened to day! I got a job! I'm really excited, I hope I'll do a good job. I believe the first thing I'll get with my money is a pet owl so I can write to my friends and not make Ron mad using pig all the time. Besides you know that ruddy owl drives me crazy. Anyways, my family was really supportive of it. Diary this summer might be the change of my life! There will be no more second hand stuff, I'll have more confidence, and who knows maybe I'll even get a different look just to show people the real me. You know better than anyone I'm tired of being in the golden trio's shadow. There's more to me! I'm my own person and maybe this way the world can see. Anyways, I better hit the sack I have to wake up early tomorrow for my first day at work.

Love you,

Ginevra Weasley

P.S.: Fred and George gave me some new jokes to play on the trio but I'll write more about that later.

Ginny put away her diary and turned off her light. She dozed off quickly thinking about how the next day would end up.

The next morning

Ginny woke up to the sound of the Weird Sisters blaring out of her alarm clock at 6:30. She hit the off button and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh crap today is my first day of work!"

Ginny jumped out of bed and ran to the shower. She quickly got ready for the day and was down for breakfast at 7:15.

"Good morning Ginny dear, are you feeling ok this morning?" her mother asked while finishing up breakfast.

"Yeah but I have a nervous stomach," Ginny replied.

"You'll be fine dear, now here, eat your breakfast," Mrs. Wealsey said setting a plate down in front of Ginny.

Ginny nodded and ate her breakfast. She finished at 7:30 and said goodbye to her mum and headed off to her job. She walked through the door at 7:45.

"Ah, you're early Miss Weasley. Good, I can run the basics by you," Mrs. Fletcher said cheerfully. "Alright first thing, don't be nervous, nobody will kill you if you make a mistake, understand?"

"Yes mam," Ginny replied.

"No need to be so formal dear, Martha will be just fine. Now in the mornings we usually won't get busy until about 9 O'clock, so we do most of our shelving and stocking then, I'll show you what to do in a minute…," she kept going on and before Ginny knew it was around 12:00. It had been a busy morning but Ginny had done well to keep up and do a good job.

"Ginny hun it's time for you to take your lunch break. You have 30 minutes and just so you know you've done a great job, better than what I thought a student could do," Martha told Ginny.

"Thanks Martha, I think I'll head over to my brothers shop for lunch," Ginny said blushing from Martha's compliment.

"OK, see you in thirty minutes."

Ginny walked out of the shop toward her brothers' store it was only a few stores down. She had had a great day so far, all the nervousness from earlier that morning was gone and it was replaced with a feeling of self accomplishment.

"Hi Ginny your brothers are in the back if you want to go back there," Lee Jordan told her when she walked through the door.

"Thanks Lee," she replied as she walked into the back area.

She saw Fred stacking some boxes in the corner and George mixing some purple potion.

"Hey guys, " Ginny said, "Do you have any food?"

"AGHHH!"

Ginny laughed at the seen before her Fred had jumped and threw a box he was holding and it hit the cauldron, spilling some of the purple goop onto George who turned, well um duh, Purple.

"Oh dang it Ginny, I'm going to be this color for hours. Fred stop laughing, at least I didn't jump like I saw a death eater," George said while grabbing a towel from a nearby shelf to wipe some of the excess goop off.

"Whatever. Anyways follow me Ginny and I'll get you a sandwich or something," Fred said scowling at being made fun of.

"Thanks Fred," Ginny said taking the sandwich he gave her.

She ate it quickly and hurried off saying bye to her brothers who were cleaning up their purple mess.

"Well Ginny, you made it through your first day, how do you feel?" Martha smiled.

"It was fun. I never knew people read so much, I mean if you listen to the people at school you'd believe reading was a sin, unless of course you're in Ravenclaw," a giggling Ginny answered.

"Yes, it is quite overwhelming at first but you'll become used to it. Well, I believe I will see you tomorrow, same time," Martha said and went back to work.

Ginny left the shop and headed home. She stopped when she saw a recent headline of the Daily Prophet:

Deatheaters Return

Ginny paid for a copy and sat down on a nearby bench to read it.

Deatheaters Attack

By: Rita Skitter

Deatheaters were spotted attacking a small village called Locksworth earlier today. The casualties were few with 5 dead and 13 injured. The ministry believes this to be a warning from Voldemort, saying he is finally ready for war. The Minister said and I quote "People, we are prepared for this. Aurors have been heavily training and defense has strengthened. Please don't panic everything is under control." Is everything really under control? If so then why wasn't the attack avoided and why were there casualties? Albus Dumbledore has commented that he feels the ministry has not been doing what they should and has been warning the public that they should gather together against this force. With this stand off it makes you wonder, who is the war between the wizardry war and You know Who or is there war between each other?

Ginny sighed. She knew this was coming it was only just a matter of time. The ministry had been more cautious than usual, according to her dad, so she figured something was up. She, Luna, and Colin were even talking about it a few days before school ended. The students knew something would happen soon. Harry was even planning future D.A. meeting to prepare students for the war, because if things kept going as they were it would fall back to them to protect the wizarding world.

Ginny stood up and looked around. Everything and everyone looked like nothing was happening in the world. Well at least they weren't allowing fear to lead their lives. She sighed again and started walking toward the Leaky Cauldron so she could floo home.

Ginny walked through the fire place and was greeted by the site of her mum knitting something in a chair.

When she saw Ginny, she laid her knitting aside. "Hello Ginny dear, how was it?"

"It was OK, a little overwhelming, but nothing I can't take," Ginny said as she sat down next to her mother.

"That's nice." She picked up her knitting and started in again.

They chatted about general stuff for a while before Ginny excused herself, saying she was going to write Colin and Luna.

Ginny walked up the stairs, saying hi to Ron who was on his way down. She went to her room and got her stationary out.

Dear Luna,

Hi girl! How has the break been treating you so far? It's been amazing for me so far. You'll never believe what I got…A JOB. Yeah I know way kool right? It's at Flourish and Botts and I work five days a week, which really isn't too bad. I can't wait until Friday, when I get paid. I plan on buying an owl so that I don't have to depend on Pig. Anyways, I better go I still have to write to Colin before dinner. Write back!

Love,

Ginny

Ginny sealed the envelope and wrote a similar letter to Colin and sent them off with Pig.

A/N: Well there's chapter one if I'll get the next chapter up next Sunday Reviews are appreciated

Also I want to thank my betas Ashley and Emalee.