Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

*****

Ginny Weasley was walking slowly towards her potion class in the deeper dungeons of Hogwarts. She mumbled under her breath about the injustice of having double potions with Snape for the class of the day on her birthday... At least it wasn't with Slytherins this year. She woudn't have been able to survive through it this year.. last year, she almost didn't pass her O.W.L.S last year in potions. The only way she passed was being threatened by Snape to be tutored by his best student, Draco Malfoy. Just thinking about it made her shivers involuntarily. The nightmare......

A distant bell rang through her thoughts. Ginny looked up, startled, and dashed the rest of the way to Snape's classroom. It was her 6th year and she still missed the bell for the potions class. Just last week, she was late because she started daydreaming about Harry Potter, her brother's best friend. She sighed and shook her head.

"Let's keep it for History magic..." she thought hastily.

Just as she entered the class, Professor Snape looked up from his book and sneered at her. "Well, well, well, Miss Weasley. Glad you decided to appear. Second time in two weeks, you're late. What did I say to last time? 20 points from Gryffindor and detention tonight."

Ginny blanched. She stuttered, "Sir, you c-c-c-can't. Not t-t-tonight. It's my birthday..."

The look he gave her froze her in mid-speech just like a basilisk's glare might do. He stared hard and said:" That is none of my business. You should have thought of that before you were late to my class.. again. Besides it's even better if it's your birthday, it will make you think more than twice about being late yo my class. Anyway with your marks this semester, you cannot afford to slack off, Miss Weasley." With that he turned back to his book and barked to the rest of the class, "Page 300 of your books. The glamour potion... What does it do exactly?"

A few people raise their hands, mostly in the Ravenclaw part class. Professor Snape glared at the Gryffindor portions of the class,which no one had their hand raised, especially at the small red hair in front of him. He turned back and asked the tallest brown hair in Ravenclaw at the back of the class, "It conceals the appearance the drinker by giving him another physical appearance. Almost like a polyjuice potion but instead of giving him or her the appearance of someone else, it gives them an all new appearance."

"That's it Blake. Five points to Ravenclaw. Now get into groups of two and read carefully the instructions. Oh and Miss Weasley, please don't put the basilisk scale before the monkshood. I wouldn't want the same thing happening as last time. Unless you want to come and clean your mess up in addition to your detention tonight."

Ginny turn to her friend Callista Morent sitting beside her and scowled. They both didn't forget what happened last time they tried brewing a potion fast because they had been delayed by Peeves. They were supposed to be brewing antidotes and they put bezoat before the unicorn powdered horn and ended doing a pink dye so long lasting that when it exploded,they had stayed pink for a week.

The rest of the class pass without incident and when Snape pass to check the potions, Ginny and Callista held their breath hoping it was okay. Snape looked at their cauldron, looked at them then back at their cauldron, getting red in the face. Ginny and Callista looked at each other and then saw a little passage at the end of the page saying that he potions so be clear. They both looked at their cauldron and groaned. The potions was a long way to be clear, it was a dark blood red. They both closed their eyes, waiting to be yelled at by Snape.

Suddenly the bell signaling the end of the class rang. The rest of the class filed out and Snape looked at them, loathing openly shown in his eyes, "20 points from Gryffindor each. Meet me here for your detention."

Ginny sighed. What a way to pass your 16th birthday... Detention with Snape... oh Joy... Her brothers are never going to forgive her for not spending her birthday evening with family even for a reason as stupid as this one.

As she made her way to History of Magic, she gave herself a small smile. Finally the reason it was worth going up this morning. No not the History of Magic class in itself but what it consisted of. An entire hour and half of daydream about Harry. She sighed happily. She stopped paying attention to her surroundings because she had already started daydreaming. A sudden jerk caused her return to reality and she noticed that she wasn't standing anymore but seeing the floor alot closer and the ceiling a lot farther away. Actually she couldn't see the ceiling, what she saw was two piercing green eyes topped by unruly black hair that most probably saw better days. She gasped. Harry smiled and lend out his hand to help her get up. Ginny grasped it tightly and pulled herself up.

"So Ginny... what werre you thinking about that made you so out there?" Harry asked smiling.

"I...uh...well..." she stammered.

Suddenly, she stared at the door they just stopped in front of.

"Well, I guess that's your stop then. I'll leave you here and see you tonight. Happy Birthday!!!" Harry said before leaving.

Ginny stared at him and tears welled up in her eyes: "I'm gonna kill Snape. I swear."

As History of magic passed by, she couldn't even concentrate on her favorite pass-time, the only thing she could think of was ways to torture snape without actually using any Unforgivable curses and without it being traced back to her. Finally, luch time came and she shuffle to the Great Hall to wallow in self pity without showing it to her brothers. She must find a reason for them to hold her birthday party another day.

She finally came in the Hall and at the Gryffindor table, her brothers, Hermion and Harry started singing 'Happy birthday' as soon as she came in the Hall. Her eyes filled with tears. She neared the table and as all the people there started taking about the party tonight, she started crying again and ran from the Hall. Ron stared at Harry and Hermione:"What happened?" They both shrugged and Hermione ran after her.