CHAPTER ONE

"Ginny! Get down here. You're gonna make us late. Mum's already going bonkers. Let's go!" Ron Weasley stood at the foot of the stairs yelling for his sister. Ginny appeared at the top of the stairs, glaring at her brother. She started down the stairs, shaking her head.

"You know, I can't have five minutes alone because of the fact that school starts today. It's so annoying. Must we hurry?" Fred and George, Ginny's two twin brothers, came out of the kitchen of The Burrow, carrying a trunk. The trunk belonged to Ron. Fred and George had taken his robes out and put a special surprise in their place.

Mr. Weasley had borrowed a Ministry car and put an enlarging spell on the inside. "I'll go get my trunk." Ginny mumbled. She rolled her eyes and walked back up the stairs.

When she got to her room, she saw a package sitting on her desk. Ginny hurried over to her window and saw a barn owl flying away. Ginny picked up the package and unwrapped it. A book fell out of it. "Wow!" She whispered excitedly to herself. It was the new Charms book, 'Your Guide to Charms From Here And There' by Johnston Beckley. "I can't wait to show Professor Flitwick this. It costs a lot of money."

Just then, there was a big thump outside Ginny's bedroom door. "What are you doing?" Ginny threw open her door only to find Ron standing there, listening with Extendible Ears, one of Fred and George's inventions.

"Who are you talking to?" Ron got up and dusted off his knees. He looked around the room suspiciously, looking for people.

"No one. Just myself." Ginny tried to close her door, but Ron held it open.

"What's this?" Ron walked across the room and picked up the book on Ginny's bed. "Where'd this come from?" Ron opened it and flipped through the pages.

"It's from… well, it's from Harry. He got it for a back to school present." Ginny looked innocently at Ron, hoping he couldn't tell she was lying.

Ron sighed and tossed the book back on her bed. "Whatever. Let's go." Ginny sighed and gave a small smile. She picked up the book and put it on top of her robes and closed her trunk. As she picked up the wrappings to toss away, a note fell out of them.

i Ginny,
I hope you enjoy this book.
It cost a fortune so don't destroy it.
I can't wait to see you again.
Maybe we'll meet on the train.
If I don't meet you then, I'll
see you in the Great Hall.

-A Friend /i

Ginny turned the parchment over but nothing else was written on either side. She stuffed the parchment in her pocket and grabbed her trunk.

"Come on, then. We don't want to be late." Mrs. Weasley ushered her children towards Platform 9 3/4. Ginny went through the barrier with Ron. Fred and George went together carrying Ron and Ginny's trunks. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went last.

As Ginny boarded the Hogwarts Express, she veered off from Ron, hoping to find Harry before Ron did. She pushed her way through the corridor, glancing in every compartment for a mess of black hair. Finally, in the last compartment, she found him.

"Harry! How are you? Look, I'm so glad I found you before Ron did or else he might kill you." Ginny pulled Harry out of the compartment and embraced him.

"What do you need to talk to me about? Wait a minute. Let's go in here." Harry dragged Ginny into an empty compartment right next to the one he was in. Ginny gave Harry a confused look. "I saw Ron."

"Well, first of all, he still doesn't know about our relationship. He's jealous that you sent me a back to school present. So-''

"Wait, I didn't send you a present. I mean I don't think I did. Did I? If I did, why is-'' Ginny covered Harry's mouth with her hand.

"Slow down. You didn't send me a present? Because I don't know who did. It was a Charms book. So if he asks, you did send me a present, a Charms book. Okay?" Harry nodded and Ginny raced out of the compartment.

"Hey, Ginny, do you know where Harry is? I have a couple of questions to ask him."

"I don't know. I was just looking for him to thank him for the present. Bye." Ginny waved Ron away and went into a compartment with Hermione in it. She sat down and took out the Charms book.

"Where did you get that?" Hermione put down the book she was reading (Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6). Ginny rolled her eyes.

"It was a present." Ginny went back to her reading, hoping Hermione would get the hint that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Okay, then." Hermione picked up her book again. Ginny gave out a sigh of relief and pulled the note out of her pocket. She read it through twice. Who could this be from? Ginny pondered.

"Ginny! I'm so glad I found you." Harry burst into the compartment just as Ginny was putting the book down. "Listen, everyone knows about this present you got. Everyone wants one now. So don't go flashing it about. By the way, you better change. We'll be there soon."

"How does everybody know?" Ginny asked.

"No idea." Harry came over to Ginny and leaned in. She put a hand up. "Gin, Hermione knows." Ginny nodded and Harry caught her in a passionate kiss.