Harry eyed his best friends grouchily. They both managed to look half ashamed of themselves.
"He-"
"She-"
The pair started talking at the same time. It was a mess no one wanted to deal with.
"FINE!" Harry shouted. "Out! Both of you! It's been great, really, but Hermione, go home, read a book, work out a new law about house elf rights or something. Ron, I will see you at the Quidditch game at the Weasley's this afternoon. Leave."
Thankfully, both Ron and Hermione were grown up enough to leave his apartment intact. They did so rather huffily. Harry sighed and went upstairs to take a shower himself. He groaned, remembering the last person that was in the shower and quickly switched the water on cold. Bloody hell, he was playing against her brothers today...
All the Weasley's, Harry, and a good chunk of the old Gryffindor quidditch team lined up along the broad field out behind the improbably structured house. In the distance, they could see the rebuilt Lovegood house, just as many odd plants as ever.
Charlie and Bill, being the oldest, stepped up to grab players. Bill was up first.
"Harry."
"Obviously, as you haven't got a Seeker otherwise." Charlie growled, looking around. "Oliver."
It went on and on, Bill eventually reluctantly choosing Ron, as Charlie had already put in a claim on the preferred keeper. He got him back by picking Katie, well known for her ability to score on Wood.
Things kicked off quickly, Ron turning purple as he straddled his broom. Harry quickly swallowed a laugh, catching George's eye. The ginger grinned back mercilessly as he deliberately positioned the bludgers to make his youngest brother swerve.
Ron grit his teeth. Charlie caught on.
Suddenly, the opposite team had a new strategy. Ron was forced to fly wide zigzags in order to effectively protect the hoops. His sister took particular delight in making him lurch from one goal to the next before slamming him hard with the ball, laughing as he rocked on his broom.
Harry winced in sympathy. Some places just shouldn't be attacked. Ginny, being a girl, was taking far too much glee in what she was doing. Thankfully, Bill called a time out.
"Gin, you mind? He's a sensitive bloke."
Ginny scowled. "My brother hasn't got the sensitivity of a tree stump."
Harry watched Ron limp his way over towards them. Ginny's team was on the other side of the field. "I think he's feeling quite sensitive right now."
Bill crossed his arms, apparently forgetting his sister was not on their team. "Man up, Ron! Merlin's balls, you're playing like Auntie Muriel today."
Ginny laughed. Harry kept a straight face, chalking another one up to friendship. Ron turned an ugly shade of red.
"I'll have you know I'm doing the best I can! They keep bloody well taking advantage of ...things."
"He's in a tight spot," Harry said, trying to sound like he was on Ron's side. He cringed a bit once he'd realized what he'd said.
Katie piped up. "What's the matter, Ron? I can try to block them out -"
Ron shook his head as quickly as he could, but Ginny elected to explain. Loudly.
Katie blushed and backed up and Ron charged in.
"You don't need to tell everyone, Ginny, or I'll make it very clear where I found you this morning!"
Ginny and Ron dissolved into incoherent fighting. Harry glanced dryly over at Bill, making sure the rest of the team could hear him as well.
"Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?"
Katie laughed. "Bloody hell, Potter, you almost sound like a grown up instead of a bespectacled midget."
"It's been known to happen." Harry glanced across the field where Charlie was awaiting his Chaser somewhat impatiently. He'd been keeping an eye on Charlie's whereabouts all game, unsure how much the hulking Weasley remembered about the night they went drinking.
Finally Ginny managed to get the last word in. "I bet Krum didn't wait for anything before telling Hermione. He'd probably act like a man right now. I bet anyone but you would have straight up told her!"
Ron threw his hands in the air, blank with the rage he was feeling at Ginny right now. "You – You-"
He disapparated.