Prologue
A confusion of emotion still circled the great hall as McGonagall pulled Molly and Arthur away from the table. Molly gave Ginny's hand a squeeze before leaving. Everyone else was off, taking care of other tasks. The adults. They didn't ask Ginny to do anything. Just sit there. Stare at your food. Tainted food bitter with grief from the night. She wished someone would come here, help her forget the look on Colin's face and the cold limp body of Fred.
Fred. Ginny's heart pounded out a rhythm that picked up in speed. Find Fred, find Fred, find Fred… the demand crept up her neck until it filled her entire mind, pulsing in her ears. Find Fred, find Fred…She couldn't sit there anymore. She had to leave, she had to do something.
Pushing hard and away from the table, Ginny ran out of the Great Hall. People stared and jumped to the side as she streaked down the hall, while sobs fought to surface, increasing her need for oxygen. She took the steps three at a time, her hand pressed against the wall to keep from tripping. The castle flew by in a blur of bricks. "Slow down," one of the portraits called out after she tipped its neighbor over.
Ginny only stopped when she saw the tapestry of Barnabas. Her chest hurt, though she didn't know if it was from running or something like what she felt when she first saw Fred in the lineup. The thought brought out another aching sob. With a shuddering gasp of air Ginny started to pace. A portrait of Fred. One I can talk to. She kept thinking of the portrait, walking back and forth until a door appeared. Her hands trembled as she stepped forward to take the handle. Just an inch from touching the metal another hand grasped her arm and pulled her around.
Without thought, Ginny's pulled her wand out, whipped around, and held it to the chest of the person behind her. Harry. She didn't lower her wand.
Harry didn't move. "Its not safe in there."
"What song did we dance to at Bill's wedding?" Ginny demanded.
Harry looked confused. "Ginny," he said carefully. "We never danced at Fleur and Bill's wedding."
"And don't think I haven't forgotten that, Harry Potter." Her arm fell limp next her while her other hand covered her eyes as she gave into crying once again. Harry's arms enveloped Ginny as she continued to cry.
"It's okay, it'll all be okay now," he whispered, kissing her forehead, her cheeks and anywhere else he could.
Ginny took his face in her hands and took his lips in hers, softly kissing Harry before pulling back to see his green eyes shifting as he looked into hers. "We thought you were—" she couldn't say it, couldn't think it without tears running down her face again.
Harry stroked her cheek. "I'm here. I can't believe it, but I'm here. And I'm not leaving."
After Math
One year had passed. One year without Fred, one year of a sane school, one year of healing—though there were many more before the world could possibly seem right. Ginny didn't know whether it was appropriate to have a Quidditch match on the anniversary of so many lost lives, but there she was, pulling on her gear as she waited for the rest of the team to gather in the girls' locker room.
At the beginning of the year she'd almost refused the position of captain. Last year there was no Quidditch and before that Harry was in charge of Gryffindor's team. It seemed wrong to play without him here. When she tried to decline the position, Headmistress McGonagall called Ginny into her office and started a conversation that Ginny knew lead to things she didn't want to discuss. Namely Fred. So—reluctantly—Ginny built a new team, almost from scratch. The only returning member turned out to be Dean, who was the only Gryffindor from his age group who'd opted to come back for his last year.
"Alright team," Ginny said, knowing she wasn't in the mood to give a pep talk like this. "This game is for it all. Gryffindor has had the school cup for too long to give it up now. Hufflepuff has a strong team this year, stronger than they've been before. They've really come out of the woodwork and it's time for us to show all that hard work we've put into this year." Ginny continued her speech while everyone else messed with parts of their uniform.
Erin—a third year girl and chaser—kept twisting her ponytail back and forth. Dean unlaced his boots and tightened them. The beaters—Mark Felton and William Trujio—tapped their bats against one another like they were in a sword fight. They always did this to get excited for a game. Dennis Creevey, who became the team's keeper, was hunched over rubbing his hands together.
"You can stop talking around what you really want to say," Gretchen Harper, the seeker, interrupted Ginny as she started rambling about winning this one for everyone watching.
Ginny swallowed. "Alright. Don't win this for those out there," she said. "Win it for those in here." She pointed to her heart. "Do it for Colin," she said, hearing her own voice crack. Dennis looked up at her wiping his nose and keeping a firm expression as water filled his eyes. "Do it for Fred and for Dumbledore. Hell, do it for Snape and everyone else from every other house that can't be here today." She'd gone this far, might as well finish it off. "But do more than win it. Enjoy it. Enjoy it for those who can't."
Everyone sat in silence, save Erin, who blew her nose loudly. Dean nodded at Ginny in appreciation. "Come on, let's hit the field."
The gravity of the day seemed to have settled on the crowd in the stands. There was a kind of soberness Ginny never thought she'd see in those bleachers. There was some cheering, but the colors appeared dull. No one got dressed up. Then again there hadn't been much time, seeing as they'd had memorial services that morning. "Alright, Gryffindor. Let's go," Ginny kicked off the ground. Her team followed and the Hufflepuff team also kicked up, facing them in the air.
Madam Hooch stood on the ground, her left arm held next to her. In the battle the prior year she'd been terribly injured. Though her arm would probably never function again, it was in an improved condition. "Ready?" she asked. Both captains nodded.
Madam Hooch blew her whistle and everyone was off. Ginny flew under the rest of the team. She realized it put her at some disadvantages, but she couldn't stand the idea of what would happen if any of her teammates fell and were hurt. So she flew below them in hopes she could get to them in time.
The game started simply enough. Gretchen circled the stadium, quick and jittery. Slow down, Ginny thought. Gretchen was a rather anxious seeker. Ginny endlessly reminded her that moving at a more even pace would help her find the snitch more effectively. Still, Gretchen proved to be a gem. She'd only missed the snitch at one game the entire year. "Come on," Ginny cheered on the other Chasers.
Dean cut through, intercepting the quaffle from Hufflepuff, racing down the field. "Pass it, Dean," Ginny said, looking over at Erin who was open. Dean was always trying to prove he was a hero, holding onto the ball and determined to be the one to make the most shots. It got the team into a lot of trouble most of the time. "Pass," Ginny shouted again. He tossed it towards Erin and it was taken back by Hufflepuff.
"Stop telling them what to expect," Dean shouted at her.
"Then play like we trained."
Dean rolled his eyes and was off again, after the quaffle. The battle for the ball went back and forth. The beaters on both teams proved effective as they darted in and out of players, keeping their own safe. No, it was more than just their own players. Ginny couldn't help but notice that all four beaters were keeping the opposite team's members safe as well. Professor McGonagall's call in her speech that morning about all students, regardless of house, uniting to take care of one another had obviously struck them.
Ginny smiled as Erin tossed her the quaffle. She dodged two Hufflepuff Chasers, had to pull to a stop as Mark deflected a bludger. Ginny passed back to Dean. His instincts to hold onto the ball became less prominent as he dropped it down to Erin who swept across the field and sinked the goal. "That's ten- twenty, Hufflepuff in the lead."
"What?" Ginny asked. She'd been paying so much attention to the players that she hadn't noticed the two goals Hufflepuff made. She needed to concentrate. She zoomed up towards Gretchen. "Keep your eyes open." With that, she dived back down steeply, The crowd gasping as she pulled into formation. Harry had taught her that move.
She felt a rush as a bludger skimmed her ear. Another round of gasps. She kept going, though, almost diving into her target. With efforts rewarded she now raced the length of the field with the quaffle under her arm. Dean and Erin were flanking her, keeping up. She gave a short, high whistle and slowed until Erin was in front, then tossed the quaffle. Ginny dropped ten feet and sped up. The three of them started a pattern—Erin whistling next and Dean taking the lead while the others flanked him.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see Gretchen catching up to the Hufflepuff seeker. The snitch had been spotted. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff would tie for the cup unless they made this shot.
Ginny listened for the whistle, but it never came. Just as they were coming up to the posts a bludger smashed into Dean's broom handle. He lost his grip and Ginny felt her heart pound. Dean tried desperately to hold on to both quaffle and broom, but didn't last long. Ginny charged forward, turning and hitting the quaffle with the tail of her broom towards Erin, turning towards Dean and pushing her handle forward until she was in reach.
Dean reached up and Ginny grasped his wrist. His falling body jerked, but Ginny held on and his body swung to steady itself. She felt something rip in her shoulder, but she didn't let go. "Hold on," she said. Attempting to swing him up and onto her broom, she felt her shoulder protest with a burning pain. There were loud shouts and cheers, but Ginny didn't bother to look at what. She lowered Dean down until his feet hit solid ground. Ginny dropped her broom and landed, looking up. "Who won?"
"We did," Dean breathed with a large smile. He turned and tried to pick up Ginny. She grimaced and rubbed her shoulder. "You alright?"
"Yeah fine," she said. She tried to move it but it didn't do much except hurt. "I guess I should get it checked out."
There was no time for that, though, as the other members of the team came around and attacked her with hugs. She ignore the pain as they hoisted her on their shoulders. Dean was the most gentle with her, careful as he supported her up in the air. The moment was worth the injury.
Mingled with the shouts of elation and celebration, Ginny heard a familiar tune.
Weasley is our queen,
Weasley is our queen,
She is the best chaser on her team
Weasley is our queen.
She started to look around and just behind the rest of the crowd there were three heads of red hair in a clump with one bushy-haired brunette. "Let me down, let me down," she said, tapping the hands holding her up. Dean helped her down and watched as she parted the crowd.
"Dad, Mum!" Ginny looked around at the group, hugging each one in turn. "Ron, what are you all doing here?"
Hermione answered. "We tried to find you before the memorial, but we were running late. Then you ran off so fast, but we were already planning to see you play! You were so great!" She was bouncing up and down with excitement.
"What about Harry? Where's he?" Ginny looked around at the others, smiling.
"He had to work," Ron said with a shrug. "He's been busy with Kingsley lately."
"Oh," Ginny replied, forcing a bigger smile. "Wow, well I can't believe you're all here anyway."
"You were brilliant out there," Hermione gushed, giving Ginny a big hug.
Ginny winced then tried to cover it up. Molly wasn't fooled. "To the castle, young lady, now."
"Mum, they're going to be waiting for me in the commons."
"Celebrations can wait, you will go to Madam Pomfrey." To prove her point Molly took Ginny by her good arm and wheeled her around.
"Fine," Ginny sighed. Her family followed her up the slope to the castle. And although she could have done without her mum's hand pushing her along, even being carried by her teammates couldn't compare to being surrounded by this lot.