Okay, here is the game plan. I have a tentative outline till chapter ten, I just have to type it up and work in all the details. As far as when I'm going to update, I plan on updating on the weekends. Probably on Saturdays or Sundays. The other series will be updated whenever I have time during the week to give you something to read while your waiting. This one doesn't have anything really important, except the development of Hermione and Ron and some other things. Starting from next chapter, things will get more involved with the Order and junk. Read and enjoy. REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED!

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Chapter Five: The Set of Keys

The next few days after the wedding, everyone was still in high spirits. The lawn was still littered with rice and birdseed and the huppah still stood there. Ginny and Harry were still not together. And that pissed Hermione. She knew that every time they were left alone together they were snogging or canoodling. And yet, she seemed to be the only one in the whole Weasly house who knew it. Amazing. And she still hadn't figured out her feelings for Ron was yet.

"Honestly, boys and Ginny can go to hell and back again!" she muttered irritably under her breath as she gathered all the wilting flowers throughout the house.

"Aw, man, come on Hermione, I'm not that bad" Ginny's voice teased as she came into the room.

Hermione did not answer for a moment when Ginny took her by the shoulders and sat her down. Concerned, Ginny asked "Hermione, what's wrong dearest?"

When she did not look at her, Ginny sighed and threatened, "If you don't tell me what's bothering you, then I'll tell you all about the situation between me and Harry is"

Hermione seemed to brighten up considerably at this. "Well…it concerns Ron" she began.

"Oh, of course." Ginny said understandingly.

Hermione gave her a wry smile and Ginny made a motion for her to continue. "I don't know, towards the end of term last year, we definitely became closer. I mean, yes we've been best mates for almost seven years, and we have our skirmishes, and we both ride on a high horse, but now he's driving me barking mad!" Hermione said in a rush.

"Go on" was all Ginny said.

"I mean, he couldn't take his eyes off me during the wedding, and we even danced. And I know Ron is not too fond of dancing. And….I don't know, Ginny, I would really want to become an 'us'." Hermione finished somewhat wistfully.

"Hermione, listen to me. Ron's been in love with you ever since he realized that he missed his opportunity at the Yule Ball. He only dated that slag Lavender because we got in a row and I told him that he hadn't kissed anyone. He was just using her to prove to me that he could kiss anyone. You weren't here last Christmas; but when he opened Lavender's gift; he almost threw up. You do remember that Lavender thought that he was seeing you, thus they broke up? That you were the reason?" Ginny said fiercely.

"I was?" Hermione asked looking highly delighted.

"Damn right you were. Ever notice how every time you do something, whether it be common or something out of this world, he says 'brilliant'? Or that he teases you the most because he doesn't exactly know how to talk to you about his feelings probably? Hermione, every time your name is mentioned in some way, his ears turn red nowadays? He likes you, he really, really likes you" Ginny concluded.

"You think?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"I don't think" Ginny said strongly, Hermione's face fell. Then Ginny finished "I know!"

"Damn Ginny, Harry must be rubbing off you, you do have a way with words" Hermione said gratefully.

"Ha!" Ginny scoffed as she rose. "Please, Harry hasn't rubbed off me, I should think that I've rubbed off on him!"

"WHAT." Ron said flatly when he barged into the room followed by Harry.

"Hello boys" Ginny said clearly enjoying seeing Ron turning purple.

"If you and Harry have done anything---" Ron said hotly.

"Please, it's not like we're together anymore" Ginny said catching Harry's eyes. His face suggested otherwise.

"Oh yeah? That's not what it looks like" Ron said suspiciously.

"Yeah, well, anyways, what do want?" Ginny asked changing the subject.

"What? Can't two guys come in a room to see two girls?" Ron asked offended.

"Right. When one's your sister…. sure" Ginny said sarcastically.

Harry felt very entertained watching Ron and Ginny argue with each other. It's almost as good as seeing that rat bastard Malfoy being turned into a bouncing ferret. Hermione was chuckling amused as well. But what Ginny had said was right. They weren't together anymore. Technically.

Harry still remembered how it felt like to have Ginny's cool lips pressed against his. It was said that kisses were warm, wet, arousing and comforting. But her kisses were like fire. Sometime teenage hormones got the better of him. But Ginny always managed to have the upper hand. She was the master, a master armed with fiery kisses and quick fingers. Not wanting to live on the memories anymore, Harry had finally made up his mind about what to do about her. And he felt quite proud of it as well.

"Well me and Ron have finished arguing now, feel free to speak now" Ginny announced.

Ron rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath. Ginny caught Harry's eye and mouthed, 'let's go'. Harry gave the tiniest jerk of a nod and left the room followed by Ginny. Hermione had a very good idea about what they were going to, but then was suddenly self-conscious about herself. She and Ron were left together in an empty room. Not that is was their first time, it just that things were different.

"Hey, where'd Harry and Ginny go off to?" Ron asked trying very had to noticed that Hermione was standing rather close to him.

"Oh you know…. somewhere, probably talking about things." Hermione said awkwardly.

"Right…. well….let's go to my room" Ron said all of a sudden.

Hermione widened her eyes and Ron blushed furiously. "I mean, let's just sit on the beds and stare out the windows….and plan to give Harry and Ginny the third degree" he said quickly.

With her spirits sinking past her heart, she nodded. "Yeah, those two…" she said laughing weakly.

So they headed up to Ron's room. And they sat there for a moment or two in silence. Finally, feeling like she was going to go crazy, Hermione sat on Ron's bed with him. Ron gave her a sidelong glance and Hermione gave him a tiny smile. He let out a breath and also smiled.

"Are you scared?" Hermione asked suddenly and rather randomly.

Alarmed, Ron raised his eyebrows at this. "I mean, are you scared about what's going to happen?" Hermione elaborated.

Ron knitted his eyebrows and stared down at the floor. Finally, he said "Yeah, I'm pretty scared."

"Good." Hermione said quietly.

"Good? What? Why?" Ron asked utterly confused.

"It's just nice to know that someone else is feeling scared along with me too" Hermione half whispered.

"Hermione, I'm probably the most scared out of the four of us. Harry is so strong and he's got this damn near impossible mission and Ginny is a fighter. She's got such a fiery passion to her that's she's nearly invincible….but me. I'm nothing special, I was just there with Harry at the times. I have no magical powers, I'm okay in studies….I'm just an ordinary teenager." Ron said dejectedly.

Hermione wanted to fling her arms around Ron's body when he had finished. She almost felt like crying when he stopped talking. And she did. It scared the hell out of Ron, but he didn't mind. He buried his head in the crook of her shoulder and she bent her own head close to his. Ron placed his arms around her waist and clung to her like a lost child. They stayed like that for a long moment. Finally Ron picked up his head and met her warm brown eyes.

"You're not just an ordinary teenager Ron. You're Harry's best mate, my best mate. Harry did not win the giant chess game back in our first year, you did. You helped in the Department of Mysteries and on the attacks last June as well. It takes an immense amount of strength to be able to go with Harry" Hermione told him seriously.

His ears turned red and he smiled. Hermione felt a little bit more confident and continued to talk, "But you know what? I think we're going to make it out okay. Instead of worrying myself sick over the future, I believe that all four of us and everyone else will stand together, we're going to be okay."

"How do you know? How can you be so sure?" Ron asked restlessly.

"I know because we only have to take one day at a time" Hermione answered with a small smile on her face.

"So you believe that Harry's going to make it through?" he asked curiously.

She sighed and then looked out the window. "Yes, I do believe that Harry's going to make it through. He's strong and determined, he'll do alright," she said strongly.

"Hermione, promise me something" Ron began.

"Anything" she replied still staring out the window.

"Promise me that you're going to be here, after everything is through. If it's the one thing that stays the same, please promise me that you're going to be here, with a book in your hand" He said whispering the last part.

Hermione looked directly into his light blue eyes and studied him carefully. "I promise" she answered at last.

"Good" Ron said quietly relieved.

They stayed like that, their arms around each other, heads close together. It's only later that they would deeply appreciate moments like these…

While Hermione and Ron were musing about what was going to happen and about each other, Ginny was sitting on Harry's lap in the willow tree.

"Do you think they will ever get together?" Ginny asked Harry.

"Hopefully sometime soon, otherwise….who knows what will happen?" he said dispiritedly.

"Don't talk like that Harry. Listen to yourself!" Ginny said angry.

"What? If they don't get together now, what's going to happen? We're going to go gallivanting around the world!" Harry told her frustrated.

"Harry, you know what I think?" she asked him solemnly.

"What?" He asked still frustrated.

"Look at me Harry," Ginny told his calmly, she placed her slender hands on his face and looked straight into his eyes. "If you want to be able to sleep at night, you have to live one day at a time".

"Just one?" Harry asked her sadly.

"Just one, and life will go on" she told him with a sad smile on her face.

"If I'm supposed to take one day at a time, does that mean I have more time with you?" Harry asked her smiling slightly.

"I suppose so" she replied.

"Good" he said tightening his arms around her waist.

Ginny did not answer but continued to stare out at the garden. Harry noticed this and worked up his confidence and nerve to finally tell her something that had been eating him alive ever since the ending of last term.

"Ginny, look at me" Harry said this time.

She turned her face to him and he caught her lips in a soft kiss at first. He pulled back and searched her face for any emotions. She stared at him blankly. Mentally sighing, he kissed her again, this time a little harder. He continued to kiss her like this, applying more pressure to it until he felt her smile against his lips. Finally he pulled away.

"What was that for?" she asked curiously.

"Me pledging my undying love for you" Harry joked.

She let out a laugh. "No really, what was it for?"

"Just exactly that. You were right, I was wrong, we can be together!" Harry told her earnestly.

He would have gladly paid a million galleons to see the beautiful smile that lit her face with her eyes lit up like that. He grinned at her as well and then was promptly given the most mind-blowing kiss that she had ever bestowed upon him.

Once they had broken apart and caught their breaths, Ginny gave him a tight hug and exclaimed, "I'm so happy, I feel like doing cartwheels!"

Harry burst out laughing and hopped out of the tree carrying Ginny bridal style in his arms. He whirled her around letting her laughter ring throughout the empty backyard. If anyone had spotted them for the first time, they would have thought they were getting married. Ginny's arms around his neck made him feel like the happiest man on earth. It seemed like the burden of defeating Voldemort once and for all seemed to be lessened slightly at the thought of Ginny in his arms smiling that smile.

Ron still had his arms around Hermione, he could feel her soft breasts pressed against his and her cheek against his. He didn't want to pull away. Not yet at least. Ron felt safe and comforted in her arms, something that he hadn't felt in a long time. The ringing of laughter made him shift and to his disappointment she let go of him.

Curious, she walked over and peered out the window giving Ron a very good view of the back of her. They had been having an unusually warm summer, giving them the excuse to be wearing as little clothing as possible while trying to be decent; at least that's what Mrs. Weasly had told them. She was wearing shorts that showed off her long legs and a tee shirt where he could see faint outlines of muscles. The thought of Hermione doing jumping jacks and push up was thoroughly arousing to him. Giving himself an excuse to be close to her, he came up behind her and also peered out the window.

What he saw almost made him pop a vein, Harry whirling his baby sister around the yard. His hands on her body. Ron narrowed his eyes but let out a halfhearted oath. If they were to take life one day at a time, then Harry should at least be able to enjoy one part of his adulthood of falling in love. He couldn't help but feel jealous, seeing Harry and Ginny together. Harry had gotten up the guts to kiss Ginny in the Common Room last term, in front of everyone, and he didn't care. Harry confessed that they could be together again, and he was happy. Ron wished that he was that brave. And the girl he had fallen in love with was standing right in front of him.

"It must be something to be swept off your feet" she murmured.

Ron didn't have anything to say at the moment.

"But I'm glad that they're back together again. Harry was an idiot to break up with her in the first place" she continued.

"Eh" Ron said shrugging his shoulders.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked amused and turned around.

"She's my baby sister…it's weird" he confessed.

"Ron. Please, Ginny isn't your baby sister anymore, she's a young woman, even though she isn't seventeen yet. But she's been through just as much as we have. She's a fighter definitely, and when's she's mad, she uses it to her advantage. Tell me any child who can do that" Hermione demanded.

Admitting defeat, he threw his arms up, which 'accidentally' brushed the side of her breasts. Hermione blushed and he felt himself turn crimson. "Fine, fine! You win. Harry and Ginny…."

"They're together now. And frankly, you have to be okay with it, even if you're not." She told him sternly.

Merlin, he loved when she got that fire in her brown eyes. The way the room seemed to crackle with electricity whenever she got passionate about something. And with that he suddenly pressed a kiss to her lips for a brief moment. Hermione stood rigid for a moment and then placed a kiss on his lips as well. He blushed a deep crimson and she let out a shaky laugh.

Harry was awoken on a Wednesday morning by the clanging of a wooden spoon beating on a frying pan along with confetti thrown over him. He swore and turned over and pulled his bed sheet over his head. He and Ron were talking spiritedly about the Quidditch World Cup coming soon and then had reminiscence about all the times they've gotten trouble and did go to bed till three in the morning.

"Wake up Harry! Wake up! Guess whose birthday it is!" Ginny announced still beating the spoon on the frying pan.

"The muffin man's?" Harry mumbled from underneath his pillow.

"Nice try, no silly, it's yours, today you are legally and adult! WOOOO!" she replied and jumped on his bed.

Ron narrowed his eyebrows but a warning glance from Hermione made him reconsider. So he sat up and watched amusedly.

"Yea me, now lemme go back to sleep" Harry moaned desperately wanting to catch up on sleep.

"Sorry love, but Dad wants to take you down to the Apparation Center, he says it's essential to have your license now!" Ginny stated shaking his shoulders.

That woke Harry instantly, he sat up and almost yelled for seeing Ginny's face right in front of him, and she sitting on him. His brain immediately flashed the Ron alert and Ron rolled his eyes. Harry grinned at him and then rubbed his eyes and slipped on his glasses.

"So get up, get dressed and eat breakfast and then you're going" Ginny told him.

"Only me?" Harry asked.

"Only you, I'm helping out Fred and George at the shop, and then we'll have birthday celebration." Ginny informed him.

"I see" he replied.

"Yeah, now get dressed" she tossed back giving him a quick kiss.

While Harry and Mr. Weasly were at the Ministry getting his apparition license, Ginny was playing an old record of the Weird Sisters and was stacking up merchandise on shelves. The shop was bustling with customers and they had their hands full. A lot of ex Hogwart students were there, hugging her, chatting with her. Ginny didn't really want to converse with them but talked to them anyways to be polite. She was too busy about what she was going to give Harry for his birthday to really talk with her old friends. She had gotten Hagrid's and Remus's help with most of it, but she still wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not.

Finally around, five, Fred and George let her floo back to the Burrow to join the festivities, shooing her out as they made the last and final touches to his birthday present. Desperatly wanting another shower, she thundered up the stairs and took a quick one and threw on some clothes and turned the house upside down looking for some wrapping paper.

"Bloody hell, where is the damn wrapping paper!" she bellowed in annoyance.

"Ginny!" her mum's voice warned her.

"Sorry"

"Did you check the attic?"

"Yes"

"The parlor?"

"Yes"

"The kitchen?"

"Yes"

"The cloakroom?"

"Yes"

"The bathroom?"

"What?"

"Here it is!" Hermione's voice interrupted them as she tossed Ginny the shimmering blue and silver wrapping paper. Gratefully, Ginny hastily wrapped it and stuck some spellotape on it and stacked it behind the other presents. Harry and Ron came in and Ron sat him down in a chair and Hermione ran to get the cake. Fleur and Bill had dropped by along with Tonks and Remus and finally Hagrid.

"Hagrid!" Harry let out in surprise and jumped to his feet to give him a hug.

"ello 'arry! Happy Birthday!" the half giant beamed.

"I haven't heard from you in forever!" Harry said.

"I know, sorry 'bout that, but I think you're gonna like your present!" Hagrid replied with his black beetle eyes twinkling.

"It better not be another monster book" Harry teased him.

"Hey! I thought it was rather useful when I sent it!" Hagrid defended.

Harry shook his head and sat down to enjoy a big dinner filled with laughing and talking. Tonks had short pink hair and green eyes today and was telling Ginny and Hermione a funny little incident that occurred a couple of weeks ago. An engagement ring shone on her finger and her face was lit up with happiness. Remus and Mr. Weasly were talking about what was going on in the Ministry and Ron, Charlie were arguing about something about chess. Yes, it was amazing at how life could go on, even when a seriously dark wizard wanted to wipe out half the population of England…

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" Everyone yelled.

"Make a wish Harry!" Ginny told him grinning.

"I don't need too, I already have what I've been wishing for" Harry replied kissing her cheek. She blushed and was rather glad that it dark except for the candles.

"Blow out the candles, before the wax drips on the cake!" Tonks called out.

Harry laughed and then blew out all seventeen candles in one go, which was fairly impressive to Ginny. A knife was handed to him and he cut out the first slice and handed it to Ginny, she then fed him the piece while smiling up at him and then impishly smeared frosting on his nose. Everyone laughed amusedly and Harry quickly cut up the cake making sure everyone got a generous helping.

"Good cake Hermione!" Ginny said enjoying the taste.

"Thanks, it was fun making the cake the old fashion way" Hermione replied.

"Yep" Ron agreed. He and Hermione had a lot of fun throwing flour at each other and smearing frosting on them too.

"Presents!" Tonks announced and pointed the pile of wrapped gifts.

Harry moved towards them and opened the one by one. He had received a huge photo album from Hagrid and Remus filled with more pictures of his parents, Sirius and their friends along with newspaper clippings, old notes and letters and things like that. Though he was still grieving over Sirius, the photo album made him smile and he made a mental note spend a lot of time looking at it. Tonks had given him a mini model of the World Cup Stadium complete with the players that could you could magically enchant to play the opposing team, Mr. And Mrs. Weasly presented him with a Weasly sweater with a big H along with a some chocolate. Hermione gave him very useful books about Defense Against the Dark Arts and a book that included useful hexes from other countries, something that they had never been taught in school. Ron gave him more chocolate along with some joke merchandise from Fred and George's joke shop. Finally, there lay one little present left.

"That's from me" Ginny told him.

"I sort of knew it would be" Harry teased her.

She rolled her eyes and just motioned him to open it. Harry unwrapped it carefully and lifted the lid from the little white box. He curiously lifted a set of keys from it and stared at it strangely. Ginny merely smiled at him.

"Keys" Harry said puzzled.

"Keys" she reiterated.

"To what?" he asked.

"Well…." Ginny plucked the keys from him. "This one is the key to Grimmauld Place, it's yours now of course", she began pointing to a small black key. "This one is the key to your bank account in Gringotts", holding the gold key. "And this one is the key to our house", showing him the big silver key. "And this one is the key to my heart" offering him a tiny red key, "And finally this is the key to something rather nostalgic, and a little cool" she finished handing the key ring back to him.

"What is it?" Harry asked interested.

"Go out into the Front Yard" Ginny told him with a smile.

Harry walked out the door and then let out a "BLOOD HELL!"

Ginny, Hagrid and Remus laughed and also went out into the yard followed by everyone else. Harry was staring dumbstruck at an old motorcycle that gleamed. Tonks let out a gasp and asked to nobody "Is that what I think it is?"

"Indeed!" Ginny replied proudly.

Harry sat on the motorcycle and gripped the handles with a maniac glow to his face.

The motorcycle was Sirius's old flying motorbike.