CHAPTER XXV:
ginger's birthday

( March 1995 )

      GINGER AWOKE IN HER DORM WITH THE SOUNDS OF CHEERS AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY'S ON HER SPECIAL DAY. Cedric and Alex had both invaded her room to wake her up before the school began to wake to give her their gifts to her. Glitter had been thrown on her by the boys and was left everywhere but she had no care for it, two of her favorite people were going to be spending their Saturday with her and that was all that mattered.

Sitting up in bed, the two sat beside her legs while she gained her senses from waking up. "I still don't see why the two of you always insist on waking me up so early," she yawned.

      "You do it to us every year so we have to return the favor," Alex shrugged shoving the box in front of her.

      "That's fair." She untied the royal blue ribbon that had been tied into a neat bow at the top of her gift, as she lifted the top of the gift, her eyes sparkled at the sight of what the boy had so carefully chosen. "You got the sweater!" she exclaimed holding up the silver and blue knitted sweater. "But how? It was so expensive when we saw it in Hogsmeade," she furrowed her eyebrows at the boy.

      "That's a secret for me and the money from my parent's vault that 'mysteriously' disappeared." He smiled at her blissful expression while she tightly embraced him.

      Moving Alexander aside, Cedric made himself known after being silent during their exchange, "Alright, alright, I let you have your moment, now it's my turn." He handed her a larger more heavy box with an excited grin.

Opening the box, after taking the glittery ribbon off, Ginger's eyes twinkled in delight at the objects Cedric had collected. Alexander peered in and gave a pout, "I thought you said you were only getting her one thing?"

Cedric smirked, "I lied."

THE BRIGHT SATURDAY MORNING HAD BEEN TREATING GINGER WELL. Cedric and Alexander had treated her to breakfast in Hogsmeade and they got the workers in the Hogshead to sing her happy birthday and give her birthday pancakes.

      She had also been wearing relatively nice clothes for her special day; black pleated skirt that hung just above her knees, royal blue knitted long sweater since there was a bit of a breeze, platformed shoes, a blue headband to match her sweater, and nice jewelry her mother had sent her from overseas. Her hair hadn't been done very special though, only two buns that hung low on her head.

Upon their journey of heading back to school, the trio ran into another trio. Lee, Fred, and George.

      "Hello boys," Ginger smiled at them. All three of them took notice of her moon being even happier than she usually was.

      "Well don't you look nice?" Fred smiled.

      "What's the special occasion?" George joked.

      As if a lightbulb in Lees mind went off, he reached into his coat and brought out a small gray box with a blue ribbon on it. "Almost forgot, happy birthday."

      The eyes of the two redheads widened tremendously at the two words when Ginger smiled at the little box.

"Mate, you knew it was her birthday?" Fred gaped while Alex snickered beside Ginger.

"Of course I did."

"And you didn't tell either one of us?" George now spoke.

Lee put up a finger pointing at the twins, "Um, don't turn this around on me, I assumed you knew."

"And how would we know?" Fred furrowed his brows at his darker friend.

"You two spend more time with her than I do!" He raised his voice in defence while Cedric, Ginger, and Alex watched amused.

"This is unacceptable. We need to get to planning." Fred shook his head beginning to walk away.

Furrowing her neatly plucked brows, Ginger spoke, "planning for what exactly?"

"Your party of course! Miss Moon can't have a day all about her and not expect a party!" George followed his twin with a wink while Lee followed them both.

"We'll get you when we're ready!" Lee shouted over his back and then they were gone.

      Ginger stood with pink cheeks at the boys while Cedric and Alex stood confusedly. "Did they just do our jobs for us?" Alex questioned turning to the two sixth years.

      Cedric nodded slowly, "I think they did."

"WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK THEY COULD BE DOING?" Alex sat in the Great Hall eating snacks with his friends. Cedric shrugged while Ginger, with her chin in her hand, stared off with a dreamy grin as the bracelet Lee made and gifted to her hung around her wrist. Alex waved his hand in front of her face, "hello?"

She blinked, "sorry, what?"

Cedric smirked, "she's probably thinking about Georgie!" he singsonged the twin's name while her face began to heat up.

"Am not!" she defended.

"You definitely were, and it's obvious you've got a little crush on him." Cedric poked her side to which she harshly slapped his hand away.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Alex rolled his eyes, "Gin, you asked him to the ball."

"So? It was as friends." She shrugged.

Cedric scoffed. "Who asks someone to a ball as a friend?"

"Me!" Her cheeks grew warmer and warmer as the conversation continued on. "George and I went to the ball as friends. That's it."

"And when he gave you his sweater?" Cedric raised a brow. Alex looked between the two as if asking for confirmation if this was true, which it was.

"I was left without a towel and he was being a caring friend."

Alex groaned and hit his hands on the table, "you are so unbelievably blind it isn't even funny. Maybe you should go for an eye exam to get yourself a pair of glasses, maybe then you'd be able to see how bad of a crush he's got for you."

      Before Ginger could retaliate, a pair of freckled hands fell over her eyes deeming her sightless. "Guess who?" the voice beckoned with a smirk evident in his tone.

      "George?" she giggled.

      "Sorry, Miss Lovely, wrong twin for the first time. I'm afraid you've broken your streak." He uncovered her eyes to reveal himself.

      "In my defense, I couldn't see you so it doesn't count." She turned in her seat. He only shrugged and took her hand in his leaving Cedric and Alex to assume they should follow.

"So where exactly are you taking me?" she questioned as he let go of her hand and walked beside her. Only then did she realize the high difference she had between her and the twins. It wasn't too drastic, but it was a good seven-inch difference and enough for them to look down at her.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Lovely." He smirked down at her.

Going up the passage of the moving stairs, they finally arrived at their destination, Gryffindor Tower. Fred's hands slipped over her eyes just as they did before while they stepped through the talking painting. The warm smell of the Gryffindor common room delighted the girl's senses as it smelled like firewood, vanilla, and cinnamon.

"Keep your eyes closed," Fred told her as he lifted his hands. Whispers around the girl while someone counted down from three and one the last number.

"Happy birthday!" multiple people exclaimed throwing their hands up in the air with confetti being thrown in the air on and around her.

Her heart swelled at the sight as an enormous grin formed on her face with laughs escaping while music had been played. George had been front and center with his twin and Lee. A box in hand as he approached her with a black box with golden ribbon tied into a fancy bow as her entrance marked the beginning of the party. "Happy birthday to the best moon I could have," he cheekily said while her cheeks began to hurt from how wide her smile had been. The gift remained in his hands as she untied the bow and opened the gift.

In the box revealed a book, lavender hardcover and silver lettering spelling out The Lovers Under The Moon. The second book of The Lovers Under The Stars. Her eyes glistened at the sight of the book while she picked it up running her hand over the cover. "Figured I'd get you the second book so you could finally find out what happens after he yells and makes her cry." He grinned making his eyes turn into crescents while wrinkles formed around them.

She jumped to the tips of her toes to embrace him tightly with her arms wrapped around his neck. He nearly lost his balance at the sudden action but caught himself with a step back and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Thank you," she mumbled into the crook of his neck. She could feel his smile grow as he nodded.

      The party continued on with multiple games being played with everyone who attended, near the end the twins had sat her down at a table and turned out all the lights. Cedric and Alex stood near her as a cake was brought out with lit candles. George placed the cake in front of her as she gazed at the bright letters with her name scribbled in icing on it. "Well, don't just stare at it, make a wish," Alex stated in a duh tone.

She rolled her eyes looking up at the five boys in front of her that made the entire day spectacular just for her. Closing her eyes, she inhaled then exhaled blowing out the candles wishing nothing would change and that she could stay in that moment forever.

NOTE. that was 1640 words for you mfs 🧍🏽‍♀️ you better enjoy it since it took me 22 hours to write 😭 but ig take this as an apology for what's coming during the next like solid 6 chapters 🤲🏽 hope you enjoyed happy ginger 😋 cause you wont see her for a while 😋