The one where a birthday kiss is shared
'Oh my gosh, you didn't have to do this!' Lily exclaimed, batting a balloon.
Her friends merely grinned. The birthday party wasn't just for Lily's benefit. They needed something to keep their minds off the threat of the Death Eaters. Voldemort had warned Lily and James that he was after them and now any wizard devoted to the Light was doing their best to protect them.
Lily hugged each of her friends, lingering on Alexia. The girl was pale and her smile was forced. Dark shadows were under her eyes. 'Happy Birthday, Lily.'
'Thank you, Alexia.' She hugged her tighter and let her go.
'Wow, you're so old, Lily,' Sirius grinned. 'I think I can see a few wrinkles.'
She took a swipe at him and he ducked. 'You're older than I am Padfoot!'
'Yeah, but it's not my birthday!'
Lily rolled her eyes. 'You're incorrigible, Sirius.'
'Thank you, Lils.' He kissed her cheek and handed her a present.
'After this, sweetheart, I'm taking you out to the theatre,' James announced, spinning her in his arms. 'Sirius has promised to look after Harry for us.'
Lily bit her lip. 'Do you think we should leave them here, alone? Dumbledore said that we shouldn't have less than three people in the house...'
'Lily, we'll stay with him.' Remus said, laughing at her. 'We don't want anything to happen to your family.'
She finally nodded and smiled. 'Thank you all. I'm sorry I'm so paranoid.'
'Hey, somebody has to, and I don't see Sirius worrying over accounts in the near future.' James poured them all a drink and smiled. 'To Lily, who needs to get smashed once in a while.'
James indulged in a kiss before trying to put the key in the door. Lily slipped her hands under his cloak and around his waist, leaning closer to him. He chuckled under her lips and drew back, 'Sorry, Lils. We'll continue inside. We just have to get rid of all of our mates quickly...'
She pretended to pout. 'Alright.' James managed to open the door and held it open for his wife. Lily looked at the pale, scared faces, her mouth opening. 'What happened?'
Sirius, who looked like he had seen not just one ghost, but several, said, 'Lils, James, thank gods you're home!'
'What happened?' She repeated, feeling the blood drain from her face. James stepped forward, the keys back in his pocket.
'He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.' Sirius said softly.
James went to the cabinet and pulled out their special brandy. He filled glasses of it and passed them round, preparing one for Lily and himself. 'Drink it,' he urged.
Once everyone had a little more color in their cheeks, he started interrogating Sirius. 'Can you give me a blow by blow account?'
'I hope so, or else I might as well give up on being an Auror.'
Lily smiled a grim smile. If Sirius could be sarcastic, Sirius would be all right. 'What happened first?'
'The house shook. It felt like one of those earthquakes Muggles are always going on about...in fact, Alexia went to the doorway to hang on to it. All the lights flickered and we were plunged into darkness.'
James poured a little more into his best friend's glass. 'Go on.'
'I heard him, James. Who-Know-Who was speaking. He said that no matter if you hide, or fight or lay down and die, he was going to make your life hell. He has you in your sight and he isn't going to let go. It's turning into some sort of...obsession. It's terrible.' Sirius drank the rest of the brandy and wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve.
'I am so sorry we asked you to stay,' Lily said, still pale. 'It was entirely too much to ask for.'
'Ah, what's a birthday without a visit from the Dark Lord?' Sirius said, flashing a small grin. 'You should feel honored Lils. He never remembers mine.'
This time when Lily took a swing at him, Sirius didn't duck.
'Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Ginny, happy birthday to you.'
She clapped her hands like a small child and smiled at her friends. Professors' Dumbledore and McGonagall sat at the long table, wearing funny hats lopsidedly. Sirius grinned maniacally as he scraped the two large butcher's knives together. Harry was carrying the cake and looking as if he was wondering how much effort it would take to throw it at Sirius. Remus was smiling that damn smile that made her heart leap in her chest.
Her family, excluding Bill and Percy, had Flooed for the event. Ron had acted like a twelve-year old when Harry had casually mentioned his new relationship with the family, telling him to "pull his finger" (so that a poof of smoke would appear from his behind, an old wizard joke). Mrs Weasley had just enfolded him in a hug, saying that she must have always known as she had felt an instant closeness with him. No one believed it, however.
Hermione Granger was still ecstatic over the return of one of her best friends. Ginny and Hermione were still working out all the kinks in the plan to talk to Annabel through Hermione's body. The Muggle born witch had been all too happy to let Ginny communicate with the dead, but obviously wanted to make sure she didn't explode in the process.
Professor Snape was the least happy of the teachers that had been roped into joining the event. He still did not enjoy the fact she knew him when he was a child. He sat with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at the table. He looked like he had drunk a pint of sour milk, but Ginny knew he always looked like that and took no offense.
'Thank you everyone!' She said, blowing out the twenty-two candles.
Sirius lunged at the cake, knives gleaming. Frosting went flying and a candle got lodged in Snape's hair. Harry and Remus, who had both noticed the steaming candle in the steaming Potion Master's locks, said: "Watch out, it'll blow up!" obviously referring to the massive amounts of oil in his hair.
Ginny laughed and took the piece of cake Sirius offered her. 'Thanks Padfoot.'
'Ah, who's my birthday girl!' He asked, kissing her cheek and leaving an iced print.
Severus finally stopped his flailing and removed the offending candle. Harry and Remus panted for air, feeling breathless after their laughing fits. 'I believe I have gone over the line of duty in the name of "fun" and I think I will be on my way, thank you very much.' Snape said coldly.
'Bye, Severus.' Ginny used her sweetest voice that outstripped the cake she still had to eat.
'Happy Birthday, Virginia,' said the Potion Master woodenly.
'It's Ginny, I told you! Not short for Virginia, it is Ginny!' She grinned.
'Yeah, say her name, bitch!' Sirius shouted with glee, not minding that it made Mrs Weasley gasp in mortification.
Snape muttered something that sounded like "For crying out loud..." and said in a voice that made seventh years wet their pants: 'Happy Birthday Ginny,'
'Thank you Severus, darling.' Harry would have sworn the giggle she produced after was as close to an evil cackle as one can get whilst giggling.
The Potion's Master stomped out of the hall and everyone cracked up laughing. The cake went around and soon everyone was munching happily. Ginny watched as Harry and Ron began a debate on brooms for the total of three minutes before announcing that she wanted some party games. Sirius mentioned something about spin-the-bottle, a game he had picked up from a Muggle girlfriend, Harry wanted a Minute in the Closet, but, since there were very few girls, he soon changed his mind.
'Let's play…charades!' Hermione said, drinking the rest of her wine and standing up.
'I don't know, 'Mione. It could be dangerous.' Ron began.
'How on earth could charades be dangerous, Ron?' Her brown eyes bored into his. He mumbled something and remained quiet.
'OK, you can go first, Hermione.' Ginny said, grinning and sitting back.
'Thanks Ginny.' She put three fingers in the air.
'Alright, three words.' Remus said, getting into the swing of things.
Hermione did an action that looked like she was reading a book. 'Book!' Fred cried, rolling his eyes at the predictability of Hermione Granger.
'Hogwarts: A History.' Ginny said with absolute certainty.
Hermione frowned. 'Yeah, Ginny. How'd you guess?'
She laughed. 'Hermione, can thirty minutes go by without you quoting from it?'
Miss Granger smiled too. 'I guess not. Your turn now.'
Ginny moved out so that everyone could see her. 'Alright, it's a person.' She put two fingers up, indicating two names. Ginny stroked her chin so it looked like a beard. Lifting imaginary glasses from the end of her nose, she wiped them on her shirt.
'Hmm, is it Professor McGonagall?' Harry asked, grinning at the stern look the Professor in question gave him.
Ginny chuckled and shook her head. 'Is it Professor Dumbledore, Miss Weasley?' McGonagall asked hesitantly.
'Of course!'
After several rounds of charades, they decided that they had had enough "fun" for the night. Dumbledore, still ticked pink over being used as Ginny's person, flicked his wand and made the dishes disappear. Ginny waved good bye to her family at the hearth, as well as Hermione and Harry. Much to Ginny's painful pleasure, they were dating. It was great to see her friend and son happy, but she knew that Hermione didn't belong with Harry.
Sirius was too drunk to be able to go home through the Floo without going to the wrong grate or being incinerated, so he was forced to stay at Hogwarts. As Ginny walked back from the fireplace, she saw him singing on the stairs to Mrs. Norris. She laughed at that and hurried back to the table.
'Good night Minerva, Good Night Albus.' Ginny said warmly. 'Thank you for a brilliant birthday.'
'I dare say it was better than the last one you enjoyed.' Albus said, his eyes twinkling.
'Ah yes.' Her own eyes darkened. 'Being threatened by Voldemort wasn't the nicest birthday gift I have ever received.'
'You have a nice night, Ginny.' Minerva said, kissing her cheek.
'Thank you, you too.'
She saw the two senior professors walk to their respective rooms and felt arms around her waist. Remus turned her around so she faced him.
'Happy birthday, Ginny.' He whispered in a slightly husky voice.
'Thank you, Moony.' She smiled. 'Is there any reason why you have your arms around me?'
'It suddenly occurred to me that I have yet to give you a birthday kiss.' Remus prayed to whomever was listening that he didn't sound too nervous. Sirius was always telling him to be assertive when with women. Yet, he had never tried to kiss the stunning Ginny Weasley.
She grinned. 'That was quite rude of you,' Ginny paused. 'Forgetting such a vital part of birthday traditions!'
Remus felt like the bottom of his stomach had fallen through, such was his relief. His eyes met hers and an understanding went through them. Ginny put her hands on his shoulders lightly, moving closer towards him. He moistened his lips and leant down, kissing her on the mouth. Ginny kissed back, her hands moving towards his hair but meeting the goofy hat instead. She pulled it off, held it for a moment before her hands went limp as the kiss grew deeper.
On a step in the Great Hall, a very sober and a highly amused Sirius Black grinned as he watched the two enjoy a birthday kiss.
Author's Note: This is just a Birthday special seeing as it is my birthday in one minute. Yay me. Yay Chocolate Muse. Yay us. Happy Birthday to everyone! Sorry for the "say her name bitch" but it amused me. Will thank every review tomorrow, gotta go to bed.