A/N: I'm terribly sorry that I haven't updated lately—I've been stressed out about my driver's test, but I passed it today!—and now I'm ready to continue the story! Since yesterday was my 16th birthday, I figured that this would be my special gift to all of you; a birthday special! Enjoy!

April 22. My sixteenth birthday. That morning when I woke up, I almost forgot about it; I mean, I've been in the Harry Potter world for a little over a month and I still haven't told them about it, and I didn't want to. Usually on my birthday back home, I ended up going tout to eat with my Dad and somehow my creepy uncle would show up and would be forced to give me money. Because of this, I've never looked forward to celebrating my birthday, ever, and this feeling won't change anytime soon.

I looked up at the ceiling and sighed, thinking about my family and my friends and how they would give me their wishes and crazy gifts. My eyes grazed over all the other girls in the room and saw that they were still sleeping, so I quietly slipped out of bed and into the clothes I was wearing when I first came here and stepped out of the room.

"Kristin?" I jumped and looked down the stairs to see that Harry was sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace.

"Harry!" I said, making my way down the stairs. "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

"What're you doing up so early?" he asked as I sat down next to him.

"I could ask you the same question."

He looked down at his feet. "Well, I-I was thinking about my parents."

"So was I." I sighed. "I could only imagine what they would be doing right now, especially today—" I stopped talking abruptly as I realized that I slipped about my birthday. Darn my inherited ability to not keep secrets!

"What's today?"

I shook my head.

"What d'you mean 'what's' today'?" The two of us looked up at the sudden new voice and I immediately blushed as I saw Fred standing there at the foot of the stairs.

"I-uh, it's nothing." The redhead pouted and made a puppy-dog face.

"Please, please, please?"

I shook my head and whispered, "It's my birthday."

"What? Why didn't you tell us before?" I looked over at Harry to see that he was unusually excited. "We are going to have the biggest party ever!"

"Harry, calm down! There's no need for you to put a party together! I'm used to not celebrating my birthday."

"All the more reason to have one," Fred piped up. "Just go back up to your dorm and we'll call for you when we're ready." I stood up, walked back to my room, and laid on my bed.

It took awhile, in fact, it was well after all the girls in my dorm had woken up and left for breakfast that I heard my name being called from the common room; I almost didn't hear it because of how deep I was in my thoughts. Once I got up, Hermione rushed into the room and covered my eyes.

"We all want you to be surprised." She carefully led me down the stairs and I felt a large hand envelope mine.

"This is all for you, Kristin." Hermione's handed uncovered my eyes and I gasped.

The whole common room was decorated with purple and green balloons and streamers were thrown just about anywhere they could stick, above the fireplace was a beautiful banner that read 'Happy Birthday, Kristin' in orange script, there was a table full of cupcakes, and, surprisingly, there were a couple of wrapped presents sitting on the couch.

Tears gleamed in my eyes. "This is amazing! Thank you all so much!" I looked around to see that most of the Gryffindor house was surrounding me, as well as Cedric and Luna, who didn't seem out of place at all.

"So you like it?" I whipped my head around and saw that Fred was the one holding my hand; our faces seemed to be just inches apart.

I nodded. "I love it." All of a sudden, George dragged me in the opposite direction of heaven, towards the couch.

"Open your presents! Come on!" I smiled and immediately started opening them as everyone else sat down. I ended up getting a couple of books, some candy from Honeyduke's, a prank guide from Zonko's, and a very beautiful bracelet with peace signs on it.

"Thanks everyone! I love you guys!" All of my friends got busy with the cupcakes as I attempted to put on the bracelet.

"Here let me help you," my heart pounded as my crush clipped it on for me. "Do you like your party, so far?"

"Best birthday ever."