I'll Always Remember You
By Duck Goddess
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters.
basketball15 – Yup. Heirlooms are from The Source and de-Horcruxise is mine.
HarryGinnyfan23 – Thanks!
Joy1 – Thanks! I'm really glad I got the flashback right. I was worried about that. Sandra is just the shop owner. As much as I'd like to get her a significant part in this, I don't.
superspunky7 – LOL, yeah, didn't everyone read that? It's, like, one of the best pre-OOTP H/G fics out there! I didn't read the sequel, actually. It was too sad and I'm not a big fan of sad stories. Ginny's Gift was enough for me. If you like really good D/G fics, you should really read The Source by Luckyducky7, the other story I mentioned last chapter. It's phenomenal and very original.
malfoyismyboo – Yeah, I love happy endings as well, even if they're cliché.
KRB91 – LOL, thanks! I loved the kiss as well; I was squealing when I was writing it. I love little Andromeda…maybe if we see her again, I'll get her to change her hair to blue.
Starfiregirl5671 – Thanks!
neni potter – You'll find out who the blonde guy is in a few chapters (yes, he does have a part!) and Dean…I don't know if he's cute or not. Haven't decided.
5CANDALOUS – Thanks!
BowlingStar – Yay! You're back on the computer! Lucky you…still have my Science textbook. Thanks for reviewing!
GinnyGirlAtHeart – LOL, thanks! I like your penname, btw.
eatingmania – I doubt they'll be snogging anytime soon…I'll mention your birthday when I post on your birthday!
A/N: This chapter's a lot like Chapter Six but I wanted to imply that Ginny and Harry are very alike and think alike.
Chapter Seven – Birthdays, Part Two
Mrs. Weasley didn't get enough of all the parties and decided to hold one for Ginny as well. It was meant to be a surprise as well but Ron ruined it as the birthday girl overheard him talking about it with Harry and Hermione. Now, it was just a normal birthday party.
Now, it was Harry's turn to discuss what to give Ginny with Ron and Hermione. Apparently, none of them knew what to give her either.
"Well, I COULD give Gin her own chess set…" Ron contemplated.
"I doubt she'd want one," Hermione argued, "I can't give her any books either. She's read loads."
"I can't think of anything!" Harry cried, frustrated, "What can you give to the person you have an unrequited infatuation with and possibly love? I mean, Quidditch is too boyish, books are too boring –"
"Hey! I resent that!" Hermione said, glaring at her best friend.
"- and chess sets are just stupid," Harry finished, "No offence, Ron."
"None taken."
"You could give her jewellery," Hermione suggested.
"Doesn't that seem a bit…forward?" Harry asked.
"No, not really…you gave me a necklace with a book on it for my seventeenth birthday," she pointed out.
"Oh."
"Anyways, why don't you get her something from Diagon Alley?" Hermione said.
"But wouldn't jewellery seem a bit similar to the band that she gave me?" Harry asked.
"That has protective properties. This is just ordinary jewellery."
And so, Harry found himself heading towards Gringott's to get some money. He saw Griphook striding towards him.
"Hello, Griphook," said Harry politely.
"Hello, Mr. Potter. I hope you find the contents of the Potter family vault interesting," said Griphook.
Harry's mind flashed back to the time he went to Gringott's when he returned from France. Griphook came to meet him and asked him if he would like to see the contents of the Potter family vault. Harry collected all the things in it and they were currently in the spare bedroom in his flat. However, he hadn't had the time to look at it yet.
"No, I haven't had the time to look at it yet," Harry explained.
"Ah," Griphook merely said, "Do you have the key to your vault?" He took the key out of his pocket and handed it to Griphook. He led him to the carts and they traveled to his vault. Harry filled his money bag with knuts, sickles and galleons and left.
He passed the apothecary's, knowing that Ginny wouldn't appreciate frog livers, Eeylop's Owl Emporium, Ollivander's, Florean Fortescue's, Madam Malkin's, the Magical Menagerie and still didn't see anything that would remotely interest Ginny.
Harry sighed. Buying a birthday gift had never been this hard. He always knew what to get Ron (anything to do with the Chudley Cannons or Quidditch) and Hermione (books). But that's because you're not hopelessly in love with them, Harry reminded himself, shuddering at the thought of being in love with Ron.
He saw Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in the distance and thought that a visit to Fred and George's would be alright. Harry walked in and, like in the summer before his sixth year, it was packed with customers. He saw the same blonde girl called Verity introducing some new devices to excited teenagers.
Harry went to the store room and found Fred and George, each wearing the same magenta staff robes, whispering over a cauldron.
"Harry!" they cried when they saw him, "Good to see you! How are you?"
"Good. So how's my favourite shop going?"
"Business is booming," said Fred proudly.
"We're happy to be a host for our two favourite people for the past two weeks, though," said George.
"Two?" asked Harry, bewildered.
"Oh yeah, you and Gin-Gin," Fred said, smirking as Harry felt a faint blush creep up his neck.
"So, how are you and Ginny? Snogging each others' brains out, yet?" George asked casually.
"I doubt we'd be 'snogging each others' brains out'," Harry said, using air quotes.
"You never know," Fred said, "So what brings you to our shop?"
"I'm actually looking for a birthday gift for Ginny," Harry explained, "Do you know any good jewellery shops here?"
"Jewellery, eh?" George said, eyeing Harry warily, "Don't you think that's a bit forward?"
"That's what I said but Hermione said that I gave her a necklace with a book for her seventeenth birthday."
"Oh. Well, there IS that shop next door but Ginny gave you something from there, I think. Other than that, I'm not sure," Fred said helpfully.
"Oh," Harry said, disappointed, "Well, thanks anyways."
"Bye, Harry!" the twins called in unison as he left. He walked back onto the street and sighed again. There was no way something ordinary could fit Ginny. She was too…unique (A/N: see how Ginny and Harry are so alike?). She needed something bright, out of the ordinary, personal. Then, he got an idea.
Ginny was up reading in her old room at The Burrow while her mother was preparing all the food and stuff for the party. She offered to help out but Mrs. Weasley quickly declined. 'I don't want you blowing up any blenders again,' she had said.
It was her 18th birthday. She vaguely remembered her 17th that she hadn't celebrated since she was still unfamiliar with the Weasleys and her friends and was undergoing treatment at St. Mungo's. Ginny grinned at the thought of the party. She really wanted to meet some new people who knew her in her Hogwarts days.
Ginny hadn't seen Harry for days now. He was mysteriously cooped up at his flat and apparently, Ron, Hermione and Luna were helping him find something. She remembered Harry's 19th birthday party. What had come over her to kiss him on the cheek?
She subconsciously smiled. Ginny knew that it just felt…right in a way. It somehow seemed so familiar yet so distant. She shook her head. Now was not the time for ponderings about Harry.
"Ginny, people are coming soon! You'd better go to your flat and get dressed!" Mrs. Weasley called.
She quickly Apparated to her flat and looked through her wardrobe. Ginny finally picked out a simple black skirt and a sky blue top and let her crimson waves rest on her shoulders. She walked out of her room to find Luna flicking through a magazine.
"Luna?" Ginny called. She turned around.
"Happy birthday, Gin!" Luna said brightly as she moved forward to hug her friend.
"Thanks! I thought you were at Harry's flat doing some secret thing," said Ginny.
"Oh yeah. We finished with that. Anyways, let's go!" They Disapparated and arrived at The Burrow as Mrs. Weasley was setting mounds of food on the table.
"Everyone should be here soon," she said as the doorbell rang.
Ginny moved to answer it and found that it was Colin Creevey with his wife, Leah Campbell (A/N: Things I'll Never Say readers – she's here!). She knew they were both inher oldclass and smiled.
"Happy Birthday, Ginny!" the couple said in unison, grinning.
"Thanks! Come in!" She ushered them inside as they put their gift on the table. The doorbell rang again and Ginny opened it. It was a sandy-haired man, a black man, a blonde girl and an Indian girl.
"Hi, have we met?" she asked politely. She knew they were at Harry's birthday party but never really met them.
"I'm Seamus Finnigan," said the sandy-haired one, "This is Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. We were at Harry's party." Dean Thomas, Dean Thomas…didn't Harry say that we used to go out?
"Hi! Come on in," Ginny said brightly. She swore that Dean's stare lingered on her for a little longer and saw that Harry, Ron and Hermione had Apparated in.
Soon, everyone had arrived and were eating ravenously (the people who had attended Harry's party were smiling as they ate Molly Weasley's cooking again) and Ginny saw Dean walking towards her.
"Hi, Ginny," he said, smiling.
"Er, hi," she replied.
"Um, listen, I'm really sorry about what happened to you at the end of your sixth year," Dean said.
"That's alright. I've moved on anyways."
"You've changed a lot since I knew you. Did anyone tell you that we used to go out together?" Dean asked, trying to act casual.
"Yes. Harry told me," said Ginny. She knew what he was going to do.
"So…do you want to give it another go?" he asked eagerly.
"Listen, Dean…" Ginny began. She saw Harry and Parvati glaring at them and looked back at him, "You seem like a nice man and all but the truth is, I don't really know you. And, I'm sure that if we broke up, we're not really meant to be together. I'm sure there's a better girl for you because I can see Parvati Patil glaring at me right now."
"Oh. Um, okay then. See you." He went back to Seamus Finnigan and Harry smiled. She smiled back as he moved towards her.
"Since you gave me your birthday present to me in private, I'll give you yours in private," said Harry as he led her towards the garden.
They sat down on the familiar bench and Ginny could see that Harry was clenching something tightly in his hand.
"So…I hope my birthday gift is really, really special," she joked, "I didn't spend a quarter of my money on yours for nothing!"
"Oh, yeah," Harry said, clearly nervous, "Erm, this is something I found at my house. It was in the Potter family vault thing and well, I just wanted you to have it." He held out a silver locket and Ginny opened it. Instead of pictures, words were inscribed inside it.
On one side, it said: From James to Lily: I'll always care for you. On the other side, it said: From Harry to Ginny: I'll always be there for you.
"Oh, Merlin, Harry…I can't accept this!" Ginny said, wide-eyed. She knew how important his parents were to him and…well, she was just Ginny Weasley.
"No, I really want you to have it. I know we're not going out or anything," said Harry, blushing to the roots of his hair, "But, well, you mean a lot to me and you're one of my best friends."
"Oh, thank you, Harry," Ginny said softly, smiling.
"I'll put it on for you," Harry offered. She lifted her thick, shoulder-length hair up and he clasped it around her neck.
Ginny felt a warm, fuzzy feeling envelope her as his lips touched her cheek. For some reason, she wanted it to last forever; none of her past boyfriends were this gentle and tender. Then, it was gone. It was cold again.
We're just friends!
Friends don't make you feel this way, moron.
"Happy birthday, Ginny," Harry said quietly.
A/N: H/G fluff! Hehehe...please review!