"Okay Ginny. This is where it gets serious. It'll take all of your effort and concentration to remember these spells," said Hermione. It took all my effort to get through your handbooks and I didn't complain

"I understand, and I promise I'm going to work really hard," Ginny assured her.

They were standing in the centre of the ballroom, with the blinds closed. Hermione had done a spell to create artificial light, and it reminded Ginny of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. They had pushed back all the furniture to the corners of the room. Hermione said that it was because they could work at different paces if they had more space, but Ginny thought it was because they all thought she was going to do something like set fire to a painting. Hermione walked into the middle of the room and took charge, yelling like a teacher.

"OKAY! LISTEN UP EVERYBODY. THE FIRST SPELL WE ARE GOING TO LEARN IS A DISARMING SPELL. NOT ONLY WILL IT DISARM YOUR OPPONENT BUT IT WILL ALSO-" Ron burst out laughing. Hermione's face turned icy and she walked up to him. Her face was inches from his face.

"I'M SORRY RONALD, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WHATEVER IT IS YOU FIND SO AMMUSING WITH THE REST OF US?" she yelled. Ron looked taken aback.

"Sheesh Hermione, you don't have to be so serious about everything, and you've no right to boss us around like that," he said, looking at her with disgust.

Hermione looked genuinely hurt. Her face became soft and Ginny thought she looked like she might cry. Hermione stepped back and looked up.

"I'm sorry," she said, speaking normally now, "You know I just get carried away sometimes."

Ginny put her arm round her. "That's okay, now why don't you tell us what you were going to say."

"Okay, well, this spell is a disarming spell, like I said, but it is also a non-speaking spell. So you could use it on anyone anywhere and they need never know that it was you. First of all, you focus on your opponent, I'm focusing on Harry, then you clear you mind and repeat the words Omarius Haiatimus to yourself," Hermione explained.

She stepped back a little and faced Harry. She bit her lip and scrunched up her eyes like she was deep in concentration. Then after about thirty seconds Harry was pushed back against the wall by an invisible force, his wand still in his hand.

"Well I suppose we can't always get it perfect the first time," Hermione said with a sigh. Harry and Ron laughed, but Ginny stayed focussed.

"Okay, I'll practice with Ron and Ginny can practice with Harry," said Hermione. Then she and Ron turned and walked to the other side of the room. Ginny and Harry stood silently for a moment longer shuffling from foot to foot and staring at the ground.

"Harry...?" Ginny asked, she wanted to say something, but she wasn't quite sure what it was.

"Yeah."

"Oh, never mind," Ginny said

Harry frowned, "Let's just start." Why is he so different all of a sudden?

Ginny and Harry didn't talk much to each other, the just went straight to practicing. Ginny wasn't even able to clear her mind to focus on the spell, but after about an hour Harry eventually did get it.

Hermione and Ron were done too. They came over.

"Hey Ginny, what do you want to do now?" Hermione asked.

"Um, I think I'm just gonna go for a walk for a while," Ginny didn't add that she wanted to go alone.

"Okay, Ron and I are going to go to Diagon Alley and look for some supplies for potions. So we'll see you later?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, okay." Ginny looked at Harry. Although she wanted to talk to him, she kind of felt like being alone for a while.

"I think I'm gonna go upstairs and take a nap. See you later," Harry said. Ginny felt relieved, but also slightly disappointed. As she walked from the room she wondered what they were all keeping from her. She was thinking about it so hard, she almost forgot about the day. Almost.

Ginny quickly went back to her room and changed out of her robes and into muggle clothes. She picked up a book she had borrowed from Hermione. It was a romance novel written for muggles, but she had gotten really into it. Then she made her way downstairs and out to the garden. The sky was still a depressing colour of dark grey, there were lots of weeds and bits of rubbish scattered across the ground. It reminded Ginny of home. She walked slowly around the garden. It was small and it took her less than five minutes. Finally she sat down under a big tree on a dry patch of grass and opened the book.

Meanwhile Ron and Hermione…

"Diagon Alley," Ron thought carefully before apparating. Hermione was already standing in the almost deserted street. Some shop windows had been boarded up, and the shops that had remained open were empty and quiet. Hermione looked around feeling sad. Diagon Alley had always been bustling with life, and made her feel safe, but now it was the kind of place you couldn't walk along without turning back to see if anyone was following you.

"Where should we start?" Hermione asked.

"How about the broom shop?" suggested Ron.

"You just want to look in there for you."

"So?"

"This is for Ginny, Ron. She's been through so much lately she should get to enjoy this."

"Okay, the book shop then. She's been reading a lot lately."

Hermione agreed and they walked silently to the bookshop. As they got nearer the sky seemed to get darker, and the people even fewer. Hermione swallowed hard, she didn't like the feeling she was getting. Suddenly there was a loud noise from behind them and something flew over there heads. Ron screamed and grabbed Hermione. Hermione looked up to see what it was.

"Ron, it was a bird," she said.

"I knew that," he retorted, "I was just testing you."

Hermione raised her eyebrows and continued walking. "Then why are you still holding my hand?" she asked. Ron dropped it and blushed. Hermione kind of wished he hadn't let go, because now she felt scared too, but she wasn't about to tell him that. They got to the book without any more disturbances. Ron bought Ginny a book of spells, and a book of magical creatures, which had always interested Ginny. It cost him most of the money he had saved, but he felt Ginny was worth it.

Then Hermione insisted on going to a clothes shop, and she bought Ginny a purple cloak with gold stitching. Lastly they went to Fred and Georges shop.

"Hi Ron, Hermione, wasn't expecting to see you two until tonight," George said when they walked in. He was filling up the shelves with more magical practical jokes.

"I know, we'd just thought we'd stop buy and say hello, make sure you haven't got Ginny anything dangerous," Hermione said, half-joking, half-serious.

"No worries Hermione. They're already wrapped, but I can assure you that there is nothing dangerous in them," he said.

"So George, how's business been. I mean given the circumstances it must have dropped surely?" asked Ron.

"Not at all," answered Fred, stepping out from the back room, "In fact, if anything, it has risen."

"People will take anything they can get to protect themselves, even if it's just invisibility spells or instant darkness," explained George.

"I can understand that," said Hermione.

"How have your spell practices been going?"

"Actually, we wanted to talk to you about them, but now is not the time. Let's just enjoy tonight and think about tomorrow when it comes." Hermione looked at her watch. "It's getting late. We better go Ron."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "See you tonight at 7 O'clock. Don't be late."

Then they apparated back to the motel.

Harry had prepared the food and music already. Ron and Hermione helped him with the decorations, and after about an hour they stepped back to admire their work. The old ballroom had been completely transformed. The blinds were drawn and there were candles floating around to give a soft light. There was a buffet table piled high with food. There were streamers and balloons hanging from the ceiling and a big sign in lights that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY GINNY. They knew it looked very like a muggle birthday party, but Ginny would love it.

Soon guests started to arrive, and Harry went to find Ginny. He couldn't find her in her room, so he went to look for her downstairs. He found her lying on her back looking up at the starless sky.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked. She shook her head no. He lay down next to her end looked up.

"Some nights when I look up at the sky, everything that has been going on feels so insignificant," Ginny said, "I look up at the sky, which goes on forever, and think that what happens here on earth is so tiny in comparison to the rest of the universe. And for a moment I forget all the things that have happened. But just for a moment."

Harry turned to face her. "Ginny, you think too much. You shouldn't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Worrying only stops you from doing something about the things you can change, and makes you feel worse about the things you can't"

"You're one to talk," Ginny laughed.

"But sometimes you just have to live in the moment. Because you may never have another one like it."

Ginny looked at him with big eyes, and he moved forwards slowly and kissed her lightly.

"Happy birthday, Ginny," he said. So he didn't forget

"That reminds me," He continued, "I have something I want to show you in the ballroom."

He took Ginny's hand and helped her up and together they walked up to the ball room. When they opened the door it was dark and silent, but when Ginny stepped inside suddenly it lit up and everyone yelled:

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GINNY."

Sorry that this chapter took so long, but I just started high school and the homework is insane. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it and have a great weekend. D