The three weeks between the trip to Diagon Alley and September first went by quickly. Harry and Ginny had become almost inseparable. Ron had been jealous at first, but after a very stern telling off by his mother, he relented and became more understanding. Ron was still Harry's best mate, but Ginny was becoming more than either one of them really knew or understood. Fred and George tried to prank them, but only succeeded in getting Ron. For some reason Harry and Ginny seemed to sense the pranks before they were sprung, like they could sense the small amount of magic used for each prank. However, Harry and Ginny were able to prank Fred and George on two separate occasions, much to their befuddlement and the rest of the family's amusement. Even Mrs. Weasley had laughed when Fred and George had come down to dinner with their skin a sickly green and violent purple.
Harry had disappeared the day before Ginny's birthday. Ginny had come down to breakfast expecting to see Harry and her father, but they weren't there. When Harry had arrived back at the Burrow shortly before lunch, Ginny had been upset until he said he had to shop for her birthday. Ginny had sheepishly apologized for being angry with him. The next night at Ginny's birthday party Harry had handed her his gift with a shy smile. It was actually two gifts. One was a gift certificate to get her own wand from Ollivander's. The second was a locket with a stylized "GW" on the front. Ginny was almost in tears when she saw the gold locket.
The next morning, they had gone to Diagon Alley to get Ginny's wand. Harry had also paid for a new wand for Ron. Mrs. Weasley had started to refuse until Harry made the argument about doing better in school with the right wand. Mrs. Weasley caved at that, but asked Harry not to spend all of his money on them. Harry had to assure her that was not going to happen by showing her a statement from his bank account.
On the morning of September first, the Weasleys and Harry set out for King's Cross in London to catch the Hogwarts Express. For once they were only running slightly behind. They reached the station with fifteen minutes to spare. They quickly loaded their trunks and pets onto the train and went back to the platform to say their farewells to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. As Harry, Ginny, and Ron approached them, Harry and Ron heard their names being called as a bushy brown-haired girl ran toward them.
"Hermione!" Ron called. Harry and Ginny didn't miss the smile on Ron's face as he called out to her. They looked at each other with a knowing smile.
"Hi, Ron," Hermione said as she hugged him quickly, then pulled away with a slight blush. "Harry!" Hermione shouted as she hugged him as well. "I was so worried! Why didn't you write me all summer?" she scolded.
"Long story," Harry said with a sigh. "You two haven't been properly introduced, Hermione Granger, this is Ron's sister, Ginny. Ginny, this is Hermione."
"Oh, the smart one you two were always talking about!" Ginny said. Hermione blushed slightly again. "Nice to meet you," she said extending her hand.
"A pleasure," Hermione smiled shaking her hand. After dropping her hand, Hermione noticed that Ginny took hold of Harry's hand as they walked toward Ron and Ginny's parents. She looked at Ron with a questioning look.
"Another long story," Ron groaned. "Maybe after we get on the train, we'll tell you about it."
After a quick round of hugs and introducing Hermione to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, they all boarded the train just before it started to move. Percy went to the prefects' car, Fred and George went in search of their friend Lee Jordon. Harry, Ginny, and Ron led Hermione to the compartment they had claimed earlier and sat down for the long ride to Hogsmeade. Ginny sat next to Harry quickly, she was unsure of the other girl's feelings for Harry and didn't want to be very far away from him. Harry noticed Hermione giving him a strange smile. He raised an eyebrow to her in questioning. She pointedly looked between him and Ginny. Harry only smiled. Before she could ask, the compartment door slid open to reveal Fred and George.
