The Path to be Together

By: Dueler 312

Note: J. K. Rowling owns these characters, not me.

Chapter 7

Ginny's lovely surprise

Harry's eyes were opening slowly as he woke up the next day. He realized however that he wasn't in his bed with Ginny. He realized that he had slept on the couch in the living room. He was about to start worrying when he heard and grunt from his left side. Ginny was asleep right next to him, with her head in the same spot as it was yesterday when they were holding each other close. Harry just smiled as he looked at the picture frame that showed those two together at the graduation ball.

Ginny must have sensed him waking up, because her eyes were starting to open up. "Morning, love," she said in a low voice.

"Morning," Harry replied back. He then lowered his head a little to give her a kiss. "You realized where we slept, don't you?"

Ginny sat up and was shocked as well. "We slept down here last night?" she asked.

"Yep," said Harry.

"I hope we didn't do anything foolish," said Ginny, in a worried voice.

"Hey, I think we're okay," said Harry. "I mean we still have our clothes on." Ginny laughed as she tapped him on the shoulder.

Harry was thinking however that it would be good to do that with her, after the wedding of course.

He was, also thinking that he wanted to something good for Ginny in return. And he knew when to do it. Ginny's birthday was ten days away, and Harry wanted to do something special for her. She was turning 18 on that day, and Harry wanted to let her have a special day. He had to move fast though. He had only 9 days to prepare for it.

Ginny didn't notice anything until the 4th of August, when he noticed that Harry kept disappearing during lunch times, when she was trying to ask what they wanted to do for her birthday. She was getting suspicious of what her fiancé was doing, that she went to her brother to find out.

"Ron," she called out to him.

"Hey sis, what's up?" he asked her when she caught up to him.

"Do you know where Harry is disappearing at lunch times?" asked Ginny.

"Actually, I was wondering if you would know," said Ron. "He's been disappearing every time at lunch break."

"I wonder what he's up to?" wondered Ginny.

"I could find him for you two if you want," said a familiar voice. Hermione was standing right next to them.

"How long have you been there?" asked Ginny.

"Long enough to know your wondering what Harry is doing," she replied.

"Yeah, you're right," said Ginny. "I just don't want him to disappear and try to face some big dark wizard like Voldemort again."

"Hey, I'll try to find him, okay," said Hermione. Ginny just smiled, thanked, and hugged her best friend. Then Hermione Disapparated.

"You know you cost me my lunch with her," said Ron.

"Well, you and I can have lunch together," suggested Ginny.

"I guess it's better than nothing," said Ron. Ginny just tapped him on the arm as they went to get some lunch.

Hermione meanwhile, Apparated to Diagon Alley to find Harry. She had a feeling on what Harry was up to, but wanted to see for herself. She used the pointing spell to help her find him. Luckily, she found him at what look liked a clock shop. Hermione was wondering what he was doing, and decided to go into the shop to find out.

"Thanks," she heard Harry said. "My fiancé will definitely love this." Harry then turned around and saw that Hermione was watching him. "Hermione, how long have you been there?" he asked, sounding a little nervous.

"I had a feeling you would've been shopping for Ginny's birthday. You haven't been secretive about it," explained Hermione.

"Well, luckily this is the last thing I have to do for a surprise for her," said Harry. Hermione just smiled as he held up a wrapped package. "What's in there?" she asked.

"You're just going to have to wait," he said, "because no one is knowing until Ginny does." Hermione just smiled as both of them left the shop.

"Hey do me a favor though and tell no one about this, okay?" Harry begged her.

"Well, you know she and her brother are going to be wondering what you were doing," Hermione pointed out.

"Well, lie to them then, until Ginny's birthday comes up," said Harry.

"I don't know," Hermione said, not convinced that was a good idea. "You'll know Ginny will try to dig it out of you."

"I'll handle Ginny. I'll say like, 'If you bother me about it, I'll try to peek at something else,'" said Harry. Hermione just smacked him, knowing what he was talking about Ginny's wedding dress. She knew though that Harry would never do that.

Hermione did cover for Harry, telling Ron and Ginny that she couldn't find out what Harry was up to, which was half-true. Ginny looked disappointed.

"Its all right, Hermione," said Ginny. "I'll try to find out tonight."

Luckily, Harry had Apparated back to Grimauld Place to hide Ginny's special present, and then hurried back to the Ministry to continue Auror training. It was getting tougher by the week that Harry had to stop at St. Mingo's on the way to fix a broken wrist one night.

Harry did a good job hiding the surprise for another two days before Ginny brought up again. He wasn't disappearing now like he was during the first 4 days of August, but Ginny was starting to get a little worried.

Ron was wondering what was Harry was up to as well. Harry was trying to hide his face to know nothing about the surprise. Although, it seemed that Ron and Ginny somehow were reading him like an open book.

"Harry, what are you up to?" he asked, 4 days before Ginny's birthday.

"Like I said the last few times," said Harry. "I'm keeping it a secret." Ron wondered how Harry got so good on hiding a secret.

He was still thinking that when he got home. Hermione was already there when he arrived, but when she to the front room to greet him, she saw that he was frustrated.

"Ron sweetie," said Hermione. "What's wrong?'

"Harry is hiding something, I know it," he said.

"Well, that's Harry," Hermione pointed out. Unless he's wanting to share it, he always hides it in him."

Yeah, but Ginny is getting frustrated with it as well," said Ron. "He is starting to make her worry."

Hermione just smiled and said, "Hey, maybe Harry keeping this secretive because it's for someone."

I don't-," Ron started to say. But then he looked at the calendar. He had Ginny's birthday circled, and then it all hit Ron in the face. (Not literally)

"Shoot," Ron shouted. "I am so stupid."

"What?" asked Hermione.

"I know why now Harry has been so secretive. He's been planning for Ginny birthday all this time," Ron pointed out.

'About time you figured it out, Ron,' Hermione said in her mind. "It could be," she lied.

"Well, I don't see any other explanation," said Ron.

"Hey, if he's being secretive about something, I'm pretty sure there's a reason why," Hermione assured him, trying to calm him down.

"You're right," said Ron. He then got up and hugged her, while giving a kiss to her on her neck.

"So, what's for dinner?" he asked. Hermione just laughed and said, "Actually, I thought we could go out for the night. What do you think?"

"Just let me take a shower, and I'll be ready," said Ron. Hermione just smiled again. Then she said, "Is their room in there for two?" Ron liked that idea as the two of them went up there together.

The night before Ginny's birthday, Ginny was starting to get a little angry. She decided to try to coax whatever he was hiding out of him that night.

"Hey Harry," she said, walking in the drawing room where he was at. He was reading his book on Defensive spells Sirius and Lupin got him during his fifth year on the couch.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, moving to make room for her. She didn't comply, though.

"What have you been up to lately?" asked Ginny. "You've been keeping secrets from me."

"Hey, if I've been keeping secrets from you, I'm sorry," Harry apologized. "But there is a reason why I've been keeping this one a secret."

"Harry, you better not try anything funny on me," Ginny warned him. \

Harry put his book down and went over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders "Hey, I would never do anything to hurt you. I love you so much. Plus, I would be breaking that promise that me, you, Ron, and Hermione made to each other," he explained.

Ginny just smiled as she gave him a big hug. "You better not be lieing to me, mister," she jokingly warned him. Harry decided to play along. "Well, I could do that in a little wet place." Ginny just laughed as she and him went upstairs.

Finally, the big day had finally come. Ginny's 18th birthday had finally arrived. Everyone but Harry had sent his or her presents ahead to her. She loved all of them, but was wondering where Harry had his present.

"Hey, Harry. Where's my present?" she asked.

"You'll see soon enough, that is you can meet me in the drawing room tonight," he answered. Ginny agreed. She would probably figure out the little secret at that time.

But that's when it her, that she knew Harry was planning something for her birthday. She was being so stupid that she slapped her head. "Are you okay?" asked Harry. He must have seen her slap herself.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Ginny assured him. "Let's just go on ahead and get ready." Harry just shook his head at her, imaging how much she would like her present from her as he started to get ready for another tough training day.

Harry didn't say anything to Ron until lunch break. He thought that he needed to be informed now on what he was doing.

"Hey Ron," he said before they left the training room. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," he said. They both then Apparated to the Leaky cauldron to order some food. After they ordered it, Harry got down to the point.

"Okay, Ron. I feel I owe you an explanation on why I was being so secretive all this time," Harry started to explain.

"It's okay, Harry," interrupted Ron. "I kind of figured out you were planning for Ginny's birthday."

"You did?" asked Harry, a little shocked.

"Well, I marked her birthday on the calendar, and then I put two and two together," explained Ron.

"Hermione is definitely wearing off on you," joked Harry. Ron kicked him on the table.

"She kind of knew already," Harry also admitted.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ron, as he and Harry took their plates of food they ordered.

"Ron, you know she uses that brain to find out about things," he said. "I just asked her to keep quiet because I wanted to surprise Ginny."

"That girl of mine definitely scares me sometimes," Ron admitted. Harry couldn't just be silent about that and agreed.

"Oh though you scare me sometimes," he said as Ron began eating like a monster again.

"Hey, I can't help it," said Ron. "I got a bottomless pit in my stomach." Harry just chuckled as he began to eat his food.

Later on, Ginny got home and sat down in the drawing room, waiting for Harry. Harry showed up a few seconds later. "Hey, you ready for my little secret?" he asked.

"It depends on where you're taking me," said Ginny, as he put her hand into Harry's fitting it perfectly.

"Come on," he said. "And hang on tight." Ginny grabbed her fiancé's hand as tight as he could with hurting it, and Harry Apparated with her to a spot in a meadow.

"Harry, where are we?" asked Ginny.

"Close your eyes for a minute," Harry instructed her. "And no peeking." Ginny did what he said, and Harry led her over to a hill. "Okay, you can open your eyes now," he said to Ginny.

Ginny opened her eyes to a special delight. There was a blanket laid down on the ground, which was covered by a glass of mulled mead, and two plates full of her favorite foods. There were even candles lit around hovering around them. Although Harry made sure the candles didn't fly too high, so that way they wouldn't have any muggles seeing any floating candles.

"How do you like it?" asked Harry. Ginny in a form of a deep kiss that caught Harry off guard. "You're so romantic, you know that?" she said.

"Well, that's one part of my present," said Harry as he flicked his wand a little, revealing a wrapped box. Ginny just smiled and went down to open the box. When she did open it, She was shocked and touched. It was a clock, but not an ordinary one. It was like the one at the Burrow. It only had hands for Harry and Ginny. As a matter of fact, that's what it all have had.

"How come its blank, Harry?" she asked.

"Well, I just thought you would want to put the places on there yourself," he explained.

"I love it, as much I love you," Ginny stated.

"I love you too," said Harry. "Now why don't we eat before the food gets cold?" he suggested. Ginny liked that idea as she was lead to one side of the blanket and he went to the other. She was really happy that Harry had planned this for her. It was one of the reasons that she loved Harry so much. You never know what he has got under his sleeve.

After their picnic in the park, they Apparated back to Grimauld Place, where they got changed and headed into bed. But Ginny did one thing when she got in there with Harry.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I want to be really close to you tonight, Harry. You definitely showed you liked being with me," she explained. Harry just smiled as she climbed onto him, with Harry wrapping his arms and legs around her, getting ready for one comfortable sleep.

(A\N: I bet you guys like that lovely surprise. I thought it would be a romantic surprise for Ginny. You better stay tuned. Next up is Hermione's birthday, and you'll want to see what Ron has in store for her. In the meantime, its review time.)