A/N: WoOt! Here's chappie six, like I promised! Oh, and it's like, early July in the story now, whereas it was late June. So it's a few weeks later now.

Chapter 6

Birthday Owl

Harry burst back into Ron's room after he'd had breakfast with Molly and Arthur and shook Ron awake.

"Ron! Ron! Wake up!" Harry said, thumping him sharply on the head.

"S'matter?" Ron asked groggily as he sat up.

"Your parents say me, you, Ginny and Hermione can go into Hogsmeade for the day!" Harry said, pulling on jeans and a short-sleeved shirt.

"D'you ask?" Ron said, swinging his legs off the bed.

"Yeah."

"Are the girls still sleeping?"

"Yeah." Harry answered as he pulled on his socks and shoes.

"Bloody hell, Harry! I'm going back to bed. Wake me up when they're ready to go." Ron said, falling back on his pillows.

"Ron!" Harry said, trying and failing to pull him off the bed. He spun around and a split second later he was standing in Hermione and Ginny's room. Ginny was still sleeping, but Hermione was at the vanity brushing her hair.

"Harry!" She said, startled.

"Sorry. D'you think you could go to Ron's and my room and wake him up? His parents say we can all four go into Hogsmeade for the day. He said that when you were up he'd get up." Harry rambled off. Hermione smiled.

"Sure Harry. Let me get dressed." She said, grabbing her clothes and Apparating to the bathroom. Harry wondered why she didn't walk and he remembered Hermione didn't like people to see her in her nightdress.

"Oops." Harry said aloud to himself. He walked to Ginny's bed and looked down at her delicate figure, a strand of hair on her face was moving as she breathed on it. He pushed her hair away from her face and sat down on the side of her bed, placing a hand on her shoulder.

He was going to shake her awake, but he decided against it. He ran his hand instead down her cheek, bent down and kissed her softly. He was about to pull away when he felt her reach up, put her arms around his neck and turn so he fell into bed beside her.

"Why Mr. Potter! Were you hoping to take a peek at me?" Ginny asked, pretending to be outraged. Harry laughed.

"Actually no, but that's not a bad idea." He said, moving over, straddling Ginny and tickling her mercilessly. Ginny laughed and slapped at his hands. Harry smiled, bent down and kissed her deeply. She again pulled him down and he fell beside her. He rested his head on her breast and she stroked his hair.

"Guess what?" Harry said.

"Hmm?" Ginny asked.

"Me, You, Ron and Hermione are going into Hogsmeade today." Harry told her.

"Ooh! Really? Did mum and dad say it was okay?" She inquired.

"Yep."

"When can we go?"

"Whenever."

"Ooh!" Ginny said again. Harry suddenly had nothing under his head, for Ginny had leapt up to find something to wear. She was only in a tank top and her underwear. Harry couldn't help but grin and stare. Finally she pulled some tight jeans up over her hips and she pulled on a black shirt that said: 'Don't give me your attitude!' on the front and on the back it said, 'I already have one!'

Harry watched Ginny as she brushed out her long hair up into a ponytail and applied a little bit of makeup to her face, and then she slipped on some shoes. "Ready?" She asked Harry, holding out her hand. He stood up, took it, and they headed downstairs so Ginny could eat some sort of breakfast. Mrs. Weasley was bustling around in the kitchen and Mr. Weasley was nowhere to be seen.

Harry and Ginny sat down at the table and Ginny helped herself to some toast and jelly while they waited on Ron and Hermione. They weren't waiting long. Hermione soon came downstairs, closely followed by a disgruntled Ron.

They both grabbed toast and jelly, but Ron also got a handful of bacon and popped it into his mouth, closely followed by pumpkin juice. He hadn't even sat down yet. Ginny looked at him with a funny look on her face. Harry squeezed her knee.

"Are we Apparating or Flooing, then?" Harry asked the three of them.

"Apparating." Hermione and Ron said together just as Ginny voted flooing. She wasn't entirely used to Apparating and therefore didn't like it very much.

"It's okay Ginny, I'll floo with you." Harry said, standing up from the table. She smiled at him gratefully. Ron and Hermione shrugged at them, turned on their heel and disappeared. Ron had still had toast in his mouth. Ginny giggled and she and Harry went towards the fireplace. Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny as they stood in the fireplace, grabbed some floo powder and tossed it down.

"Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes!" He shouted. He held on tight to Ginny as they swirled through fireplace after fireplace, finally coming to a stop at Hogsmeade. They stumbled out at Fred and George's shop and dusted off their clothes.

"Hmm. Where to?" Harry asked.

"I dunno. How bout the Three Broomsticks?" She suggested. Harry agreed to this wholeheartedly. They walked through the busy streets and quickly found the large pub. They stumbled in and started to look for a booth.

"Harry! Ginny!" They heard. They turned and found Neville Longbottom waving at them from a booth. He was sitting next to Luna Lovegood. They smiled and made their way over to their friends. "I haven't seen you two in ages!" Neville said to them.

"Neville, I go to school with you." Ginny said, slightly amused.

"Well, fine, I haven't seen Harry in ages!" Neville said. Harry noticed neither Neville nor Luna had a drink yet.

"I'll go get us some drinks, shall I?" Harry said, standing up.

"Okay." Ginny said, looking at him fondly.

"Ginny?" Luna asked. She looked at her friend.

"Yes?"

"Are you and Harry dating again?" Luna inquired. Ginny smiled.

"Yep."

"That's really nice, Ginny!" Neville said, popping in on the conversation.

"Yes, it really is." Luna agreed in her usual dreamy voice. Harry came back quickly with four chilled butterbeers in hand. He placed one in front of everybody and opened his own, putting his arm closest to Ginny around her.

"Ginny tells us you two are together again." Neville said, trying to make conversation. Harry nodded.

"Yep, we sure are. Suppose you and Luna are as well?" Harry asked. Neville blushed and nodded.

"Yes. We have a very healthy relationship now." Luna said, nodding solemnly. Harry tried his hardest not to laugh.

"That's good." Ginny said, nudging Harry's leg rather hard.

"So—so Neville, you've graduated?" Harry asked.

"Yes! Top marks in Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Care of Magical Creatures. I did okay on everything else. Well, except for History of Magic. I got rather bad marks there." Neville said absentmindedly.

"That's cool. Any idea what your going to do now?" Harry asked Neville. Ginny and Luna seemed to be involved in a conversation about heliopaths.

"Actually, yes. Professor Sprout has asked me to be her assistant Herbology teacher!" Neville said proudly.

"So I suppose Ron, Hermione and I will be seeing you next year." Harry said off-handedly.

"Looks that way. Wait. Whadda you mean?" Neville asked, clearly confused.

"Oh, Ron, Hermione and I are coming back to Hogwarts for our seventh year next year." Harry said. "Oh! Speaking of them. Ginny? Ginny." Harry said.

"They do not!" Ginny was insisting. "What is it, Harry?"

"We were supposed to meet up with Ron and Hermione when we got here. I haven't seen them. Maybe we should look for them?" Harry said to her, stepping lightly on her foot. Her eyes widened.

"Oh yeah! Oops. I'm really sorry guys, we have to go, but we'll try to keep in touch. If not, we'll see you in a little less than two months, okay?" Ginny said, standing up. Harry did the same and slipped his hand into hers.

"Okay." Neville and Luna both said.

"Bye!" Harry and Ginny waved as they walked away.

"Bye." They heard them call back gloomily.

"I'm glad you thought of something." Ginny said gratefully.

"No problem. Oh, there's Hermione and Ron." Harry said, pointing. Indeed Ron and Hermione were coming towards them, walking as close together as they could without tripping one another.

"Ooh, Ginny! I saw the most beautiful dress, come on, I have to show you!" Hermione said, tugging on Ginny's free hand.

"Okay, okay!" Ginny said, giggling. She turned her face to Harry. He leaned down and kissed her softly before Hermione dragged her away. He watched her as she ran off, giggling and talking with Hermione.

"So, what are you going to get her for her birthday?" Ron asked as the two men started walking. Harry stopped abruptly and his stomach dropped. "You forgot it, didn't you?" He said accusingly.

"Dammit!" Harry cursed. "When is it?"

"Don't worry, it's tomorrow."

"TOMORROW?" Harry yelled.

"You have plenty of time." Ron tried to reason.

"I have to think. She told me she wanted something a while back."

"She did?" Ron said, surprised.

"Well, it was a long time ago, the first time we dated. We were here, and she said, she would love…oh…what was it?" Harry asked himself, hitting his own head furiously. Just then a large snowy owl swooped down in front of Harry. Harry stuck out his arm automatically. "Finally!" He said. He pulled the parchment from Hedwig's leg and she hopped to his shoulder while he read.

"Who's that from?" Ron asked curiously.

"Lupin."

"What'd you write to him for?"

"Advice. Oh and he says congrats on the engagement." Harry said, finishing the letter and folding it up.

"Advice on what?"

"When I should make love to Ginny." Harry said, not thinking.

"Ugh!" Ron said.

"Well, you asked." Harry pointed out.

"You mean you haven't? I thought you had?" Ron said uncertainly.

"Well, we haven't had intercourse, but we've done, you know, other stuff." Harry said, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig's neck while he tried to remember what Ginny had wanted.

"Ugh! Gross! I didn't need to know that! Why'd you tell me that?" Ron demanded, shaking his head violently to get rid of the mental picture.

"You asked." He repeated, turning red. Just then something clicked into his mind just as Hedwig lifted off from his shoulder to head back to the Weasley's. "Owl!" Harry said triumphantly.

"Yeah, mate, that was an owl." Ron said slowly.

"Shut up, Ron! I mean that's what she wanted! An owl!" Harry said. He whooped then headed for the branch of Eeylops Owl Emporium that was in Hogsmeade, Ron trailing along after him. He entered the dim store and saw owl upon owl everywhere. Perched on stands, countertops, fake tree branches, even the backs of chairs.

"Hello." Said a pleasant little witch. She was older, mid-fifties at least and had on long billowy brown and green robes. She had an owl perched on each shoulder and even one on top of her lopsided hat. "How may I help you?"

"Well, um, I'm looking for an owl for my girlfriend. It's her birthday tomorrow you see and that's what I'd like to get her." Harry told the witch. She nodded.

"And have you ever purchased an owl?"

"Erm, I have one, but my friend bought it for me about eight years ago so no, I haven't purchased one myself." Harry said, staring up at all the owls.

"Ah, I see. Tell me about your girlfriend, what's she like?" The witch asked. Harry told her everything he could about Ginny. What she liked to do, where she liked to go, her favourite things, things she hated and pretty much just the kind of person she was. The witch hung on every little word. When he'd finished, she bustled away and came back with two cages. One held a barn owl. She was very pretty.

She had a white heart-shaped face and her white chest was dotted with black spots and wide stripes that were an orange color that faded into white near the legs and neck. The wings were a darker brownish red, as was the head. She also had dark brown, almost black eyes.

The other cage held a Northern Saw-whet Owl. He was rather small with big round eyes and a white face that looked like a sideways 8. He had brownish vertical stripes on his white chest and a brownish gray head with many white dots. His back and wings were mostly grayish brown and had a few white streaks and spots. He had bright yellow eyes. Harry looked at them and then back up at the woman.

"Pick one, then!" She said.

"I don't know!" He said.

"Which one do you like best?" She said like she'd done this hundreds of times.

"Well, I like the barn owl, but—" The cage was stuffed into his arms.

"Then she'll love it." The witch said. Harry paid her for the owl, and then walked outside with it. He found a bit of parchment in his back pocket and bought some ink and a new quill. He wrote a short note to Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley,

This owl is Ginny's birthday present. I hope it didn't drop the cage. I bewitched it to make it light so she could carry it there. Just make sure she stays in Ron's room, please. I'm not sure when we'll be back, but it shouldn't be too much later. Probably late afternoon. Thanks again for hiding the owl!

Love from,

Harry

Harry rolled up the parchment and tied it to the barn owl's leg. "Take this to Molly Weasley at the Burrow. Once you get there she'll take you in. Stay there. Oh, and take this." Harry told the owl. He made the cage feather-light and lifted the handle so the owl could get a grip on it. She swooped down on it, picked it up and flew off into the distance.

"Harry, she is going to love that owl." Ron said, watching after it. "She's always wanted one."

"I hope so." Harry said turning around. Hermione and Ginny stayed gone for a few hours, looking at dresses and shoes for Hermione and Ron's wedding, even though it was a year away. Ron and Harry had to entertain themselves until about 5:00 when they went and found the girls. They got back to the Burrow and an hour later they all sat down to eat dinner.

"What did you boys do while we were off shopping?" Ginny asked Harry as they ate. "Buy anything?" She asked innocently.

"Yeah."

"What?"

"Can't say."

"Oh, Harry, come on!"

"Nope, it's a present."

"Fine." Ginny said, pretending to be angry.

The next morning Harry woke up early. He was going to tie a note to the barn owl's leg and have her go to Ginny's window and wake her up. He hurried over to Ron's desk and scribbled a note.

Dear Ginny,

Happy Birthday! Like your present? What is it? This owl, silly. She's yours. I got her for you yesterday. Do you like her? She hasn't got a name. You'll have to come by Ron's room to get her cage. I hope I'll see you in a bit.

I love you,

Harry

He tied the parchment to the owl's leg and sent her to wake Ginny.

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry I had to stop the chapter. It's 4:40 in the morning and I've been up all night writing! If from when Harry sent Mrs. Weasley the note to the end of this chapter seemed to rush a bit, I'm sorry, I just wanted to be able to leave the chapter off right where I left it, so I had to hurry some. Hope you guys liked this chapter none-the-less! Push the button, my faithful reviewers!