Chapter Six.
Confusion.
The weeks passed quickly and before anyone even realised it, it was the first game of the quidditch season. Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. The Gryffindor team sat nervously in the change rooms, Katie Bell pacing in front of them all trying to find her voice.
Harry took a look at his teammates. He believed that this was a good team. They had Ron as Keeper again. Himself as seeker. Two new boys for beaters. Jason Phillips and John Derner. They were good though. They almost were as good as Fred and George. They had both been playing at home as beaters for years. Then there were the chasers. Katie Bell, Ginny and Kyra Welsh. Kyra was a pretty girl. With dark blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Harry had only met her a few weeks ago at the try-outs and he was immediately attracted to her. He had had many debates inside his head about his feelings. He decided that although he said he was in love with Ginny in that letter, maybe he wasn't. All he knew is that whenever he looked at her his heart rate sped up, his voice caught in his throat and he couldn't stop staring. She was dating Dean anyway. But what is love anyway? He had never heard the words "I love you" yet here he was confessing his love to someone whom he hardly knew. Life was confusing.
"We've got a relatively new team here today. There are only a few of us who have played a match together before," the captain, Katie Bell started.
"But we do have good players and we have determination. We will be able to win this match. I have faith that we will. Even though the Ravenclaw's do have a good team, we have a better team. Ok."
Katie looked at each team member individually before starting her speech up again.
"Guys, Im not Oliver Wood. I can't be him. I can't do speeches. All I know is that we have a kick-ass team and we are going to knock their socks off. So lets get out there and milk it for all its worth."
She took off out the door. The other team members looked at each other, puzzled by Katie's speech.
"She's is definitely not Wood." Harry said standing up.
"Come on Guys," he said, walking out the door and onto the Quidditch pitch. He was getting the normal nervous feeling he got when he walked out onto the field.
They all took their positions behind Katie as she shook hands with the Ravenclaw captain Cho Chang.
Madam Hooch walked over to the chest of balls.
"Take your positions." She put a hand on the latch.
"Now a nice clean and fair game is expected." She opened the latch. The balls were released. The players kicked off from the ground. Harry rose up higher then the other players. He felt the wind ruffle his hair as he glided along. He smiled as he started circling the pitch, looking for that golden snitch. He could see the Gryffindor chasers below, passing the Quaffle back and forth at a fantastic speed.
"And here we have Welsh with the quaffle, and she passes to Weasley who ducks a bludger belted at her by the Ravenclaw beater Jenkins. Bell comes behind the goal, speeds through the posts and under the Ravenclaw keeper. Weasley passes to Bell. Bell scores. 10-0 Gryffindor." Lee Jordan was once again commenting on the game.
Harry continued his circling. He knew they were going to win the match. They had 'accidentally' watched the last Ravenclaw practice. The team was falling apart.
'So much for Cho being a good captain' Harry thought, his eyes focused on one particular chaser. He saw the determined look in her eye as she ducked around a bludger. She sped up, going faster and faster towards the goal, ducking around players and balls. She got right in front of the goal, went to throw into the right goal, but at the last minute changed and went left. The keeper went right and she scored.
"Yes, Welsh has scored for Gryffindor. 90-30 Gryffindor."
'Wow,' thought Harry. 'We're going good.'
He began his circling again, noticing that Cho was on his tail. He caught a glimpse of gold and almost went into a dive, when he realised it was just Katie's earring.
Ginny grabbed the Quaffle out of a Phelps' arm and started speeding towards the goal. She passed to Katie, who in return passed to Kyra. Kyra came up besides Ginny and passed the quaffle to her. Ginny sped towards the goal. Katie fell back. It was just Ginny and Kyra now. The keeper flew left, right in front of Ginny. There was no way she could make the goal. Kyra was open, and right beside her. The keeper hadn't noticed. She was about to pass when she remembered the way Harry was looking at her during the practises. Even though she was dating Dean, she was still secretly in love with Harry.
She sighed, and quickly tossed the quaffle to Kyra. Now was not the time for competition with your own team mates.
Harry was looking desperately around for the snitch. They had been playing for 90 minutes and Harry was getting sick of sitting on his firebolt.
He looked over at the Ravenclaw goals. He could see one of their beaters swinging a bludger towards Katie. He saw a glint near his arm. He squinted, trying to see if it was just a watch. He lowered his arm. The glint was still there.
Harry dove down, and flew right around Katie as she headed towards the goal. He sped past Ginny who let out a shriek as he past. He raised his hand, leant forward and wrapt his fingers around the fluttering snitch.
He smiled as most of the crowed started cheering, drowning out the boo's from few Ravenclaws and most of the Slytherins.
"And Harry Potter has the snitch. Gryffindor wins. 270 – 90."
Hours later the Gryffindor common room was filled with people. Fifths years and above. There was a wireless radio, that had been bewitched to work at Hogwarts, filling the room with the weird sisters. A lot of people were dancing and drinking butterbeer. Everyone was having a nice time.
The quidditch team was over in front of the fire, with Hermione, Lavender, Parvati, Dean, Neville and Seamus. Ron had an empty bottle of butterbeer in his hand and Ginny was grinning mischievously at it.
"Hey guys. How many of you have heard of spin the bottle?"
Everyone had except for Dean, Lavender and Neville who had grown up in pure wizard families.
"Ok, well this is how it goes. Everyone sits in a circle and one person takes an empty bottle." She grabbed the bottle from Ron.
"The place it in the middle of the circle and spin it. If it lands on someone from your own sex then you spin again, if it lands on someone who is of the opposite sex then you have to pash him or her. After the kiss you pass the bottle to the person on your right. Understood. Good. Who's playing?"
All the people that were sitting by the fire ended up sitting around the circle. Although Neville, Harry and Hermione needed a bit of convincing. It must have been the small amount of alcohol from the butterbeers that got them all to play.
"Ok, who wants the bottle first." Ginny said, waving the bottle around.
"Hmm, no takers. Ok fine. I'll pick."
She turned to Harry who was on her left. She passed him the bottle.
"Congrats seeker, you got the snitch, now you get first turn."
Harry blushed a brilliant shade of red.
"Um, no. Here Katie. You take it."
With a quiet fine, Katie grabbed the bottle from him. She placed it in the middle, and with a nervous grin spun it. It stopped, neck of the bottle pointing towards Dean.
Ginny looked at him with her eyebrows raised.
Dean looked at her, with a uncertain look on his face.
"Ok, you can pash her, but don't complain when I'm snogging with your best mate ok?"
Seamus blushed at this.
Dean leant across the circle uncertainly. Katie grabbed his face and pulled him in for a pash.
There were wolf whistles from all around the room.
Dean pulled out, looking exceptionally red and passed the bottle to Ginny.
Ginny silently crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping that she could pash Harry.
She spun the bottle. It slowed down, and landed… right next to Harry to Neville.
Neville looked about ready to faint. All the colour drained out of his face.
"Ok come here Nev."
After the pash, he passed the bottle to Harry.
Harry sighed. He was going to end up pashing one of his best friends.
He placed it in the middle of the circle, his heart beating in his chest. He screwed up his face as he remembered his last kiss with Cho.
'I wonder what it'll be like kissing a girl that's not crying.'
He watched the bottle as it went slower and slower. It pulled up at Kyra.
They locked eyes. Each had wanted to do this since tryouts. Harry shrugged.
"The hell with it." He said, causing everyone, but Ginny to laugh.
They leant it, her face inching closer to his. They were so close now. He could actually smell her beautiful hair. He picked up a hand and placed it on the back of her head, pulling her in for the kiss.
He could feel the eyes of the whole room on him as his eyes closed and their lips touched. He felt her tongue on his lips, begging for them to open. He parted them letting her tongue slip into his mouth. She brought her hand up to his hair and ran her fingers through it. Sending shivers down his back.
They heard someone cough, and they parted. Each a shade of red from embarrassment and lack of oxygen.
Kyra passed the bottle to Hermione.
After blushing a shade of red Hermione placed the bottle in the middle of the circle, spinning it softly.
It landed on Ron.
They leant in, Hermione's cheeks as red as Ron's ears. They were mere inches apart.
"What in Merlin's name is going on here."
The whole group jumped as Professor McGonagall rounded in on the.
"Honestly. And from the Quidditch captain and two prefects as well. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Off to bed. The lot of you. Oh yes, and 50 points from Gryffindor."
The room quietly and quickly emptied out.
Up in the dorm the sixth year boys silently hopped into bed. Dean, Neville and Harry each happier then before. And Ron not so happy.
They all fell asleep rather quickly. Each hoping to dream about the girls they liked.