a/n: sorry about the extra wait. My laptop took longer to set up internet than I thought but hopefully this weekend I will finish putting up this one and get working on the sequel of one shots. I'm also thinking about starting another RWHG story or possibly HPGW this time but I'm not sure which one yet. I'll let you know when I do. So I am finally 16 and going for my permit tomorrow! But I promise I'll try not to forget to update when I actually have a car and a life! lol I'm just kidding I love this story -well I guess it's a series now- and the loyal readers too much to stop now just when we're getting to the end so here we go into the chapter with Ginny's birthday!
Luv yas,
Kylie
One and Only
Chapter Forty
Friday morning Hermione and Ron woke up early and set everything up for Ginny. Hermione decorated and conjured up the table again while Ron went to go get a cake from the house elves. They impatiently waited for Harry and Ginny to show up. There wasn't much time since they did have electives that day. Harry and Ginny tiredly showed up. Ginny started in on the cake and Ron joined her. Hermione and Ron decided to give Ginny the books first. Ginny opened them, looking shocked.
"Where did you get the muggle books?" Ginny asked.
"Same place as I got this." She handed Ginny the wrapped purse. Ginny opened it.
"You went to the city?" Ginny asked, recognizing the bag as a muggle brand. They all nodded.
"We knew you wanted the stuff that we could only get in the city so that's where we went." Ron said. Ginny smiled as Ron handed her the wrapped sunglasses he got her and smiled at Hermione in thanks when Ginny said she loved them. Next she opened Harry's gifts. She went crazy over the earrings but nothing compared of how she acted over the gift card to one of her favorite stores.
"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" Ginny exclaimed; throwing Harry into a hug that nearly knocked him over. She kept kissing him until Hermione and Ron had to cough to get their attention back and because they were getting a little too into it. Ginny looked at the other two and gave them hugs. "So did you check out the furniture in the apartments?" Ginny asked.
"No, we wanted to wait for you to be there too. It wasn't really fair if we got to see when you didn't." Harry said. Ginny smiled him again and kissed him. Hermione looked over at Ron who was finishing the last of Ginny's cake. She chuckled.
Just then the portrait hole swung open and Tonks and Lupin walked in. Lupin was carrying the present and helping Tonks walk. She was now only a month off from having Penny. Madam Pomfrey had been practicing being a midwife because it was easier than having to ship her off to St. Mungo's while she was in labor, especially considering that she couldn't Apparate on Hogwarts grounds and she wasn't allowed to Floo because of the dust.
"Happy Birthday!" Tonks and Lupin exclaimed. Lupin handed her, her present. Ginny opened it. She jumped up and gave both of them a hug when she saw beauty supplies from Madam Sabrina's.
"Tonks thought you would like them." Lupin said. "I wasn't too sure. I hope I get better at this by the time Penny is your age."
"Don't worry. You will." Ginny laughed.
"I hope so." Lupin said. Ginny smiled. After she opened the rest of her gifts she and Ron had to get to the paper office so they left Harry and Hermione when they had to part ways and headed up. When they got inside the lights were off.
"Why is it dark in here?" Ginny asked. "We can't be the first ones here. We're actually pretty late." Ron turned the lights on as the staff of the Herald jumped up, throwing confetti.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They exclaimed. Ginny smiled at them and noticed another cake and a "Happy Birthday" sign. They spent the first portion of the Friday celebrating Ginny's birthday. Then they had to get to work. Ron had to show Colin what he would be doing. Ginny started on her letters and was finished by lunch. When Harry and Hermione came up to get Ginny and Ron, Harry had a picnic basket in his hand. Hermione pulled Ron away and Harry smiled at Ginny, pulling her in for a kiss.
"What's the basket for?" Ginny asked.
"You and I are going to have a picnic outside." Harry said. He took her hand and started to lead her out of the door.
"So what are we having?" Ginny asked.
"It's a surprise." Harry said with a mischievous smile.
"Alright." Ginny smiled as they walked outside.
Harry spread a blanket under a tree. And then sat down with Ginny. She took off her cloak and rolled up her sleeves as Harry started to unpack the basket. An assortment of foods ended up on the blanket.
"So you really packed this basket?" Ginny asked, eyeing him. Harry folded under pressure.
"No." He admitted. "Dobby packed it for us. But it was my idea to have a picnic out here."
"Well I love your idea." She pulled the sunglasses that Ron got her, over her eyes and smiled at Harry, popping a grape into her mouth.
"So how does it feel to be 17?" Harry asked.
"Like…" Ginny searched for the word. "Like being 16 but I can use magic outside of school." She finished with a smile. Harry chuckled.
"Alright well anything special you want to do?" Harry asked. Ginny thought for a minute.
"Special when?" She asked. Harry looked at her funny. "What I mean is special today or special later on?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him and giggled; he laughed.
"Why don't you tell me what you want to do today now and we'll do the stuff later on, later on." He winked at her.
"Well this picnic is good for starters." Ginny said, inching closer to him. Harry picked up a strawberry and fed it to Ginny as she slowly inched closer to him. She lifted the sunglasses over her head and met her lips with Harry's.
Later that night after the rest of Harry's electives and a good dinner in the Head Common Room that Ron and Hermione had brought up, they went back up to their room. Harry spun Ginny around, back into her arms and brought her lips into a lip-lock. His arms went around her waist as her arms went around his neck. They weren't for the teasing as much as Ron and Hermione.
"Now, anything special you want to do?" Harry asked.
"I've got something in mind." Ginny said with a giggle. She pulled Harry's face back to hers and moved so that there was no space between the two of them. She liked the feeling of Harry's body against hers.
They backed toward the bed, removing their clothes. Harry was kissing down Ginny's neck. She moaned happily and fell back on the bed. She kissed met her lips with Harry's again as things started to progress…
The next day, Saturday, was Ginny's Apparation test. She had the 3 D's down and Harry coached her through the whole thing, telling her that she would do fine. The sixth years who would be taking the test, would be going into Hogsmede to take the test. Ginny was barely eating anything at breakfast that morning.
"Gin, you really need to eat something." Hermione said. "It'll help you relax." Ginny took a bite of her food although she felt it get caught in her throat because she was having trouble swallowing.
"Are you sure you can't come?" Ginny asked when she managed to get it down with water. Harry shook his head.
"I already asked Dumbledore. He said it might distract you. And besides, Hermione's got me studying for the N.E.W.T.s." Harry said. Ginny managed a half smile and choked down another bite of her food. Lupin and Tonks came to see them.
"How are you feeling?" Tonks asked.
"Eh." Ginny answered, shoving another bite of food in her mouth do she wouldn't have to talk. It didn't work out well because it got caught in her throat again.
"Did you ask Dumbledore if Harry could come? Maybe that would calm your nerves." Lupin suggested. "It would help having someone there."
"He already said no." Harry answered. "He thinks I'll distract her."
"Well I'm not Harry but would it be better if someone was there to cheer you on?" Lupin asked. He was the only person who could leave. Ron, Hermione, or Harry couldn't leave because Dumbledore wouldn't let them and Tonks was too pregnant to go. Ginny looked better than she had a minute ago.
"Yeah, that would be so much better." Ginny said.
"Alright then, well I'll consider it practice for when Penny's your age. I could learn a bit." Lupin said with a chuckle. Ginny managed a real smile. She was happy to have someone coming along. She knew that walking down the Hogsmede streets alone would be nerve-racking but with Lupin there it would be more calming to not have her entire focus on the test.
After breakfast Ginny and Lupin bid them goodbye and started off to Hogsmede while the others went up to the common room to decorate for when Ginny got back and of course to study for the N.E.W.T.s.
Up in the common room they had conjured streamers and balloons around with a congratulations sign. They were around finished, Hermione was gathering the books, Tonks was resting on a couch telling Harry to fix the sign so it would be straight, and Ron was adding a few more streamers. As he was finishing he stepped down and looked at them.
"What happens if she doesn't pass?" Ron asked. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
"Well…" Hermione started, that never crossing her mind.
"She'll pass." Harry assured him. "I stopped down the last time she had a practice and saw her. She was doing good. Made it halfway to the other side of the room and back without spilinching, 5 times. Better than anybody else did." Ron looked assured then walked over to the couch where Hermione was setting out books to study with.
"Alright, since we have Tonks here we can go over Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione said picking up a book, eager to study.
xxx
Ginny and Lupin walked onto the streets of Hogsmede. Ginny was nervous, trying to recall the 3 D's witch coincidently slipped her mind at the moment.
"Don't worry." Lupin said. "You'll do fine. It's just like practice." Ginny wasn't too reassured. Lupin saw this and remembered something that James had told him and Sirius after he had taken his test. "Think about it this way." Lupin started. "After you pass the test you'll be Apparating all the time and it won't bother you then so just ignore everything and everybody else and you'll do fine." He smiled as he remembered James saying those words to him and Sirius. Just pretend your Apparating to your new flat or something." Ginny considered what he was saying and actually thought it made sense.
"I guess that does make sense." Ginny said as she was thinking. "I think people only get freaked out about it because they know if they don't make it they won't pass but it is just like every other time. Except this time if I do good I'll be able to do it whenever." Ginny said, realization hitting her. It wasn't too bad, just like any other time. Like Apparating to the other side of the Great Hall or Apparating to her flat, it wasn't going to be hard at all. She was taken out of her reverie when a poke in the side shocked her. Fred and George came up next to her and Lupin.
"How's it going?" Fred asked.
"What's new?" George asked at the same time. Lupin and Ginny responded.
"Nervous any?" Fred asked.
"Eh, not so much anymore." She smiled at Lupin, glad that he had offered to come along. He was like an uncle figure to her and Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Fred and George wanted to tease Ginny about failing the test but they knew that it would freak her out and she could possibly fail and they didn't want to do that to her, they had grown out of that stage.
"Good there's not much to be worried about." George said. Lupin gave them a nod to let them know they did the right thing.
"Do you want us to come watch?" Fred asked.
"Sure." Ginny agreed. "The more the merrier." They walked to where they were supposed to meet the rest of the people. Ginny took a deep breath when her name was called but then she remembered what Lupin said.
"Just like any other time." She muttered to herself.
"Now focus on the spot 10 ft in front of you and go." The instructor said. Ginny shut her eyes with a picture of that spot in her head. She concentrated on the three D's and went for it. When she opened her eyes again she was standing in the spot 10 ft from where she previously was. She smiled but then put her hands to her face and looked down to make sure everything was intact. "Congratulations Miss Weasley. You've passed!" The instructor said. Ginny was ecstatic as she ran to Fred, George, and Lupin and gave them all hugs.
"I just focused and I did it just like it was any other time!" She exclaimed.
"You did great Ginny." Lupin said.
"Our little sister passed." Fred said in a mocking tone.
"We're so proud." George said in a sardonic tone. They hadn't completely changed and now that she was done they could take the mickey out of her.
"Oh yeah?" Ginny took out her wand and held it in front of Fred and George. "You better watch yourself now. I'm seventeen and you just might happen to fall victim to my bat-bogey hex." Ginny said, giving them the evil eye. Fred and George backed off and walked them to the end of the street. From there Lupin and Ginny went back up to the castle and then the Head Common Room.
"CONGRATULATIONS!" was screamed when the portrait swung open. Ginny smiled brightly at them.
"How did you know I passed?" She asked.
"We didn't we just kind of hoped you would or this would have been a big mistake." Ron said. Ginny laughed as she ran up to Harry and hugged him.
"Well it was simple. I just concentrated and pretended it was just like practice." Ginny said, smiling at Lupin. She told them what she did and how she managed to pass with Lupin's words of wisdom and when Lupin and Tonks left they all made plans to go into the city and check out their apartments the next time they were in Hogsmede.
Yay she passed! Hope that I pass my permit test too! Oh and I didn't know too much about taking an Apparation test so please understand that I'm just guessing on what happens.
Kylie
