*Shoot, I forgot this on the last chapter! XD Anyways, this is a DISCLAIMER that I don't own Harry Potter or anything related therein, and it is simply out of admiration for the series and its characters that I write this.*
Harry slumped down in front of his locker in the Dragons' locker room after yet another training session. They were two days away from their tough season opener against the Harpies and Simon was determined to get them up to speed.
"They're a tricky side, and especially since they beat us to signing Angelina Johnson." The three ex-Gryffindors exchanged looks. "But still! We have an amazing team and we'll give them a run for their money! Rest up tomorrow and you're to be here noon sharp to get ready to receive the Harpies."
With that, everybody separated to go shower and change. Harry stood under the warm downpour and closed his eyes. He pictured walking out the tunnel and onto the pitch of the legendary Everlast Stadium, home to the Dragons. He heard the crowd chanting his name, images flashing through his head of the upcoming game.
He shook himself out of his reverie and finished up his shower, changing back into a Dragons t-shirt and jeans.
When he came out into the changing room once more to pack up his things, he was alone. He hung his broom on the hooks in his locker, grabbing a magically enlarged duffel bag and throwing his training gear and pyjamas (it was an early practice) in, closing his locker and spinning the lock away from the final number. He grabbed his wand and spun on the spot, apparating onto the doorstep of Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
Upon his arrival, Kreacher launched himself at Harry, offering to make him the usual post-practice meal.
"Thanks, but no," he said, shocking the elf. "I'll handle things. You take the day off."
Kreacher looked baffled at this request, until Harry gave him a Galleon: "Just go do what you've always wanted to! But be sure to be back at a respectable hour!"
He nodded and vanished, leaving Harry to himself. He fixed himself a (surprisingly) good version of what Kreacher would have made him. As he sat at the empty table, an owl flew in and landed in front of him, offering him its letter, which he opened.
"Dear Harry,
If you ever wanted to reach me, or stop by for a visit, my address is 77C Busby Way. It's the flat I've just bought. Reply with your information.
Katie"
Harry flipped the sheet over and replied with the address and stated that he'd floo by at around 7 p.m. and sent it off with the owl.
Not long after, the owl returned with a fresh sheet of parchment.
"Just apparate. The former tenant had white carpets installed around the fireplace, so hold off on the floo until I get them removed. But 7 p.m.'s good. See you then!
Katie"
Harry looked at his watch and saw that it was 4 o'clock, so he took his time finishing his meal and trudged up the stairs to Sirius's old room, grabbing an old tennis ball and bouncing it off the ground, then the door and back to him. He repeated this with his back to the bed and sitting on the ground. He did this a lot when he was thinking.
Why had he agreed to Katie's scheme so easily? Normally, that wasn't the sort of thing he'd agree to, but for some reason, he had suddenly found himself agreeing to it!
His thoughts carried away all sense of time and he suddenly broke out of his thoughts to find that he had half an hour before he went to go meet Katie.
He bolted to the washroom, enchanting a razor to remove his stubble, a comb to tame his hair and set to furiously brushing his teeth. Within minutes, he deemed himself presentable and took to sitting in one of the library armchairs with twenty minutes to go.
Harry was now puzzling over this sudden grooming. Katie had seen him this morning messy-haired and scruffy-bearded. He shook his head and left the house, donning a leather jacket on his way out. He always wore this jacket in memory of Sirius, its previous owner. It was originally baggy on Harry until he shrunk it to fit him as it had Sirius.
In the inside left pocket, right above his heart, was a photo of Sirius and James laughing and enjoying themselves at Harry's parents' wedding.
Once outside in Grimmauld Place, Harry turned up the collar against the downpour, taking one look around to be sure of no muggles before turning on the spot, all the while thinking 77C Busby Way.
He stumbled on his landing in the downtown Manchester flat that belonged to Katie, looking around for the blonde.
A voice drifted over from deeper in the flat: "Hello? Harry? Is that you?" It was Katie, alright.
"Yeah, it's me! Where are you?" He called out.
"In the bath! Just, erm, have a seat in the living room, I'll be right with you!"
Harry cautiously ventured into the flat, quickly locating the living room and sitting on the couch, patiently awaiting his host. She came in shortly after, towelling off her damp hair and wearing a red tank top and jeans.
He was suddenly struck by something: "Erm, did you dye your hair?"
She was now drying brunette hair, instead of the blonde he was accustomed to.
"Nope, washed out the dye. I'm naturally a brunette. I just had it blonde while I was at Hogwarts and kept it for a bit. I decided I was sick of the blonde."
Harry whipped out his wand and cast a drying spell on her hair. She blushed, embarrassed: "Thanks. Dunno why I didn't think of that."
Harry waved it away: "Not a problem, luv."
She beamed at this: "So? What do you think?" she asked, twirling in a circle.
"Definitely more... you," he said, trying to find the right word.
Her hand went to her hips, which she cocked, and her eyebrows went up: "Are you saying that I was ugly as a blonde?"
Harry backtracked quickly: "No, no, no, no! You look great no matter the hair colour, it's just that your natural hair colour suits you better."
She held her pose, causing Harry to worry, until she relaxed: "Well played, Potter. Well played."
Harry nervously chuckled his relief.
"So! Where are we off to?" Katie asked, putting on her jacket.
Harry shrugged: "I don't know. I'm not familiar with the area, so I figured we'd walk until we found something to do."
Katie nodded her approval: "Gives me a good chance to get to know the city a little better, seeing as how I'll be living here for the five years I'm on contract, provided I stay with the club."
They descended the stairs and stepped out into the ongoing downpour. Harry cast a protective bubble around them and they were no longer touched by rain.
They found the main road and casually walked down it, with Harry de-activating the bubble and then transfiguring a stick into an umbrella when no-one was around.
After about a quarter of an hour, the two of them agreed on a nice little diner and got their booth. Harry quickly apparated into Diagon Alley and withdrew several Galleons, some of which he converted into muggle money. He apparated back into the bathroom stall he had 'occupied' at the diner and then returned to his and Katie's booth, just in time for the waitress to take their orders.
As they ate, they alternated between small talk and hype about the upcoming game. Harry paid for the meal and they emerged into a subdued drizzle.
"Where's our next stop, Mr. Captain?" Katie asked.
Harry glared at her and huffed: "Enough with the Captain snipes, Bell. I was thinking we could stop by Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and see how they're doing."
"Onward, then!" Katie cried, grabbing Harry's arm as he spun.
As soon as they landed, they opened the door to the joke shop, instantly greeted by the sight of many familiar products that had terrorised many-a-Gryffindor during their testing stages.
"Well, well, well, what's this? Ickle Harry Potter has himself a girlfriend in Katie Bell" a familiar voice asked.
They spun to see George Weasley standing there and rapidly noticing that Katie was still holding on to Harry's arm. They separated just as quickly.
"Ah, the seeds of you romance," George sighed, tapping his nose with a finger. "Now that I'm married, I can see the signs from miles away. I was ecstatic to find out the two of you and Ronniekins made the Dragons, but I'm afraid that I'll have to be cheering for my wife and the Harpies when the game starts."
He had now slung an arm around each of their shoulders.
"So! What can I get you two? Harry, you know your benefactor's discount is 100 % and the same applies for his, ah, 'just friends'," he said, making air quotes at the end. "The newest rage is our newest product, the Tree Moss Tarts! Slip this to someone, their hair; wherever they might have some, turns to, you guessed it, tree moss!"
Harry did a double take as he had unquestioningly taken the aforementioned sweet. The other two roared with laughter as his jet-black hair lightened to a sickly green and took on the texture of moss. His eyebrows soon followed and his stubble show took on a green tint.
Harry gritted his teeth: "How long does it last?"
George hooted with laughter: "It can go on forever unless you get it magically fixed oooooor take a De-moss Drop."
With that, he handed Harry what looked like a lime drop, which he took obligingly, and his hair returned to normal.
"I thought you didn't test products on me!" Harry said.
A sheaf of paper suddenly appeared in George's hand, which he rapidly sifted through.
"Nowhere in the contract does it say that, though Fred and I simply didn't dare before. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to see how well your hair would match your eyes!"
He and Katie once again laughed, and Harry snatched the contract, as well as a quill and furiously scribbled at the end that no products were to be used on him.
Suddenly, ink squirted in his face, with the words he had just written inked on his forehead.
"Whoops! Looks like you picked up one of the Rebound Quills! Sorry, we do need to find a way to differentiate. Poor Verity had the same happen when she tried to fill out an order form the other day!"
He grabbed a cloth and wiped Harry's unimpressed face of the ink, as Katie was doubled over with laughter.
She suddenly sat down on a chair, which decided to eject her some ten feet in the air, until she slowed her descent and touched down lightly.
"Ejector seats!" George roared, this time Harry joining in on his glee.
"Put me in an order for one of those!" Harry hooted. "Might be a riot to put in the other team's dressing room!"
Still giggling with laughter, George filled out a form, only to realize he had used the Rebound Quill. He found the proper quill and again filled out the form, handing it to Harry and muttering about the delivery date.
Harry and Katie exited the shop and apparated to just down the block from Katie's flat, and they walked side by side, hands jammed in their pockets and once again talking about the game against the Harpies.
When they arrived outside of 77 Busby Way, they stopped.
"So, these 'overjoyed celebrations' you speak of... what do you mean?" Harry said, whipping out the napkin on which he had written the 'phases' to the plan to consult it.
"I don't know, hugging, maybe I tackle you off your broom at the end," Katie said non-commitedly.
"Okay, I'll be sure to be at a low altitude," Harry joked, leaning forward and embracing her in a hug.
"Harry, why did you agree to this so easily?" Katie asked.
Harry thought it over and shrugged: "Sometimes I surprise even myself."
"Goodnight, Harry."
"'Night, Katie."
*And there you go! Next chapter's going to be the game (because a day of Harry slothing would be a waste of your time), so I should get that up relatively soon! Anyways, keep the reviews up, let me know how I'm doing, and keep on reading! :D*