It's My Birthday
Chapter 1- Telling Hermione
The sun is shinning brightly over The Burrow as two young girls sit at the table discussing their plans for the summer, now that they both have graduated from Hogwarts. Both are unaware of the owl headed towards them that will shake their friendship and change their futures.
"I think my interview at the Ministry with Mr. Kibler went well, he was basically falling over himself to convince me to take a job in his department. Everyone at the Ministry wants a piece of the 'Golden Trio', I know I want to work at the Ministry, but I don't know which department yet. What about you, made a decision about jobs, actually have you even looked for a job, Ginny?"
Hermione's constant chatter about jobs was starting to annoy Ginny because she too had a lot of decisions to make. After the final battle almost two years ago, the wizarding world was still reeling from the devastating effects Lord Voldermort and his follower's campaign had on the wizarding community. However, the last blow that the opponents of Voldermort had to face was the death of their hero, Harry Potter. Harry Potter had died with Lord Volermort and the wizarding world had been shocked and in a state of confusion for almost a year after the battle.
Now the wizarding world was recovering, but not everything was how opponents of Voldermort thought they would be. Wizards were more fearful of change; they considered Voldermort's faults rested in the fact that he was a 'half-blood' that had been raised around to many muggles. Pure-blood customs that had been dying out had made a cultural rebirth and while the muggle born were not killed or threatened, pure-blood families were pushing their children to marry within their own blood status.
Hermione would always be known as the smartest girl in her class, but she was also known as a muggle born and was expected to work with the transition of muggle borns into the wizarding society. Muggle borns were encouraged to drop all ties with their muggle families and fully submerge themselves in the wizarding world.
"I don't know Mione, my birthday is coming up and well…. I was thinking of doing a traditional seventeenth birthday." Ginny was hesitant to see how Hermione would take this news, but truthfully Ginny felt like she had few options. While her family was no longer poor because they were seen as heroes of the wizarding war and her father was second in command at the Ministry, the family did not like the idea of her working.
Pure-blood women did not work, they had children and kept the home, and while this was dated Ginny had heard romantic tales of courtship from her mother and grandmother since she was a little girl. Her parents had also talked to her about marrying within her blood status. No, the Weasley's were not against muggle borns or half-bloods, but they wanted to give Ginny the chance to make her own decisions.
"WHAT? Are you serious? Why would you degrade yourself like that, you are not a piece of meat to be given to the highest bidder?" Hermione took the news just as Ginny thought with screaming and demanding that Ginny not do it.
"I am not degrading myself, my mother had a traditional party and she is very happy with her choice." Ginny knew she had to be calm and use a little of sympathy care with Hermione.
Molly Prewitt and all Prewitt women before her had a traditional wizarding seventeenth birthday day and while Molly knew how hers was going to end, it still made the night very magical. On the seventeenth birthday of any pure-blood witch the family throws a large debutant party where they introduce their daughter to society and offer her hand in marriage to the pure-blood male that would offer her the largest dowry. After a proposal has been accepted the couple start a courtship that lasts six weeks, where at the end they are married in a traditional wizarding ceremony.
By this time Hermione had left her seat and was pacing around the kitchen table that Ginny still sat at calmly. "But your mother knew she was going to marry your father, no one else was going to propose, you have not dated anyone since Harry, you never know who could propose."
"Yes, Hermione you are correct I have not dated anyone since Harry and I will never find someone I loved as much as Harry, but I think this is for the best. My parents would not admit it, but I know this is what they have always dreamed of for me. I know they had hoped it would work out as theirs did, but this way I will always be taken care of. I have no desire to get a big job. I want to be a wife and with society how it is this is best for my entire family." stated Ginny with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Your parents will never go for this they are not for blood-purity!" Hermione was now furious.
"Your right Mione my parents don't believe in blood-purity, but they want the best for me and this is what society wants from me and I am willing to abide by society rules." Ginny now looked at Hermione with sympathy. "Mione you know that with a traditional wizarding marriage I will be protected, no harm can come to me and I will never want for anything if I get lucky."
Hermione had now sat down and was staring out the window with a contemplative look on her face, "Ginny have you even talked to your parents about this?"
Molly Prewitt Weasley had been listening to the girl's conversation from the laundry room and decided it was time to make her presence known. "Yes, Hermione, Ginny has discussed this with her father and I and we are willing to go through with it if this is what she truly wants. I know this is hard for you to understand, but it is easier to be a muggle born than it is to be a pure-blood and not marry another pure-blood. Ginny would be punished under are law and any children she might have would be looked down upon. This is for the best." Molly was not fully excited that her only daughter was going to marry the wizard who offered her the best proposal but understood the consequences if she did not.
Hermione finally looked at Mother and Daughter and understood this was best for Ginny and that the family had obviously given this a lot of thought. "I do understand I just hate that this is how it has to be, this is what we faught against and now the wizarding world has taken a step back." Hermonie had tears in her eyes and was looking lost.
Molly too was distraught that all their war efforts could not come to better use but was willing to accept this society if it guaranteed no fighting and no more muggles being killed at a whim by a crazed evil wizard for his own revenge. "I understand Hermione but we at least are alive and we are not in hiding, life is able to go on and I just know this will work out for the best."
Ginny looked to be shocked, she expected lots more shouting from Hermione. Ginny and her parents had discussed this since she finished school at the end of May and had decided this was best. They had already told the older brothers and were just waiting for the right time to tell the twins, Ron and Hermione. The twins would be easier to convince, because they were more rational and understood how society now worked. George was about to ask Ellen Franklin to marry him, for she too was a pure-blood, whose marriage options were limited by society's new culture. Ellen was nineteen and her family had stayed neutral during the war, but she and George had met in Diagon Alley and had been dating for almost six months.
Ginny finally spoke up, "Hermione we plan on telling the twins and Ron soon, but I wanted you to know first and.." Ginny looked sheepishly up at Hermione, "I was hoping you could kind of help with Ron, I know he is going to explode and it would help if you helped him see this is for the best."
"I understand, Ginny and I promise to try and speak reason to Ron but I can not guarantee anything." Hermione was not about to make a promise about keeping Ron's temper in check. "Have you started planning your party?"
"No, I could not start without you!" Ginny looked at Hermione with a huge smile on her face, hoping this would change Hermione's mood, she always loved planning things.
The occupants of The Burrow's kitchen had finally taken notice of the brown barn owl sitting on the open window seal. Ginny was the first to move and went towards the owl and removed the letter tied to its leg. The letter was stamped with the Ministry seal and addressed to Miss Ginevra Molly Weasley and Parents.