Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

Original A/N: Thanks to MaeSilverpaws1, who is beta-ing this story.

Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three

Quidditch Final

"Okay women!"

"And Men!"

"And Men!" Angelina said starting her pep talk before the finial Quidditch match in a similar way their old captain had done. All those on the team before smiled at her, "The big one, the one we've all been waiting for. I don't care if you've been on the team the last time we won the cup or are just joining the team this season, this game will be something you remember for the rest of your life," she added her own flare to the speech. "Let's just make sure it's going to be a good memory!"

Everyone shouted, cheered or reacted positively in some way to the words as they left the changing room and headed to the pitch.

"The good news is all we have to do is win this game," Ron said as they walked.

"No thanks to me," Ginny mumbled.

"Actually, it's no thanks to me," Harry said. "I'm the one that was … sick."

"It's not your fault … either of yours," Ron said to them. "You couldn't control what happen to you Harry, and you hadn't been training as Seeker for long Gin. You were up against Cedric, it helped us a lot that you were able to prevent him from catching the snitch too early."

"Don't worry about what happened in the last game," Angelina said to them. "Think about this game."

Everyone nodded and agreed to that.

Almost immediately after that they reached the pitch and just moments later Harry was in the air. Any worry or nerves he had were left way below him on the ground when he felt the wind in his hair. For this one moment in time, it seemed that he didn't have any worries in the world, which was saying a lot with all that was going on in his life. Playing an actually game was always better than just practicing for one.

He brought his attention back to the game at hand when he saw Madam Hooch opening the trunk with the four balls in it. He watched as she released the Bludger and Snitch and picked up the Quaffle. His eyes, however, remained on the Snitch as long as he could keep it in his slight, and only knew he was able to go after it when he heard the whistle was blown.

He had managed to keep the Snitch in view but as soon as he moved to collect it Cho collided with him, jostling him enough that he lost the tiny golden ball.

"You didn't think I would let you catch it that easily, did you?" she smirked at him and Harry made a face at her.

"I had hoped," Harry said and then started flying off in another direction. He noticed that a few moments later Cho was flying near him. "Marking me again?"

Cho shrugged, "just for now."

Harry shook his head, it didn't matter if she chose to mark him or not, he was going to catch the Snitch and he wasn't going to let her stop him. He knew he could get rid of her with a feint but she would only come back after she figured it out. He scanned the surroundings for any sight of gold, but only noticing the few normal glimpses of watches or bracelets. He continued this pattern as he listened to the game as it continued to progress slowly. They were up by 30 points, seemingly the Ravenclaw Keeper was blocking the goal pretty well and so was Ron. This was Harry's game to win or lose.

Harry took a quick swerve to the right and then dove to the ground with pace. He had expected Cho to follow him but she didn't, she actually moved in the other direction. Harry's heart pounded in his chest … had he miscalculated? Had she spotted the Snitch? He turned quickly to follow Cho's movements looking for the gold he was sure was in front of her …

It wasn't there.

"You think you're the only one that can use a feint?" Cho called after him as she changed direction again.

Harry scowled, he had thought that she was marking him like she has in previous games, but it seemed that that was what she had wanted him to think. His knowledge that he was the better flyer made him overconfident and he took her too lightly. She was a good flyer herself. He was just lucky that his feint hadn't cost him the game.

Now that her trick had been used, Cho's tactics seemed to have changed. She was now looking for the Snitch on her own, as was he, which meant he had to keep his eyes on her as well as look for the Snitch. After a while, Cho came back to mark him. Then she would go off on her own, only to return to marking him minutes later.

She's just trying to distract you, Harry thought to himself, glad that he was no longer as distracted by her as he had been in the past because that added to all this might have done him in.

Harry's heart beat picked up as he saw the glint of gold on the other side of the pitch. He turned and picked up his pace and rushed towards it. Cho, who had been off on her own rushed toward the Snitch as well when she saw Harry's movements. They were coming from opposite direction and Harry wasn't sure who was in the lead, so he flatted himself on the broom and increased his speed by a great deal. He sensed more than saw the Bludger coming for him and he rolled, the high speed making it hard for him to keep his eye of the Snitch but he knew if he lost it now, he would lose the game. He felt nauseous as he stabilized his spin, but his eye had never lost the Snitch and again he pressed himself against his broom to make it fly at maximum speed.

It amazed him how flying so fast made everything seemed to go in slow motion. He could tell that he was going to out strived Cho. He could see the Snitch come closer with each second, its wings flapping quickly, just barely visible to him. He took his hand off the broom as he got closer only to hear the whistling of the approaching Bludger … He leaned to the right towards the Snitch knowing he was going to be hit …

His back felt as if it was on fire as the Bludger grazed him and he was spinning again, though this time he was out of control and heading for the ground. His ears roared as he was moving so fast it was hard to keep conscious but somehow he managed to, and countered his motion so that he was able to slow his pace before he crashed to the ground.

"Harry!" he heard someone call, but he just turned onto his back feeling exhausted and elated.

"Harry?" Ginny was saying as she ran to him, followed by Peaks, Robins, and Summer, the other reserve players on the team who had been on the bench.

Harry held up his arm and opened his hand, watching as the golden Snitch flew out of it. Somehow he had managed to grab it as he was being hit by the Bludger. There was silence before the eruption from the Gryffindors came, first from the crowd and then from his teammates. Then Harry was being surrounded, everyone looking as if they wanted to hug him and celebrate, but they weren't sure if he was injured or not. So Harry sat up, his back groaned in complaint but he knew nothing was broken … just really bruised.

None of that seemed to matter as he was lifted to his feet. Embraced by Ron … then Ginny … and then the whole team seemed to be there. With the adrenalin and euphoria coursing through him, he didn't think he would be feeling pain for a long time.

O

Harry groaned as he turned to his side on the bed. I should have listened to Hermione, he thought as his body felt stiff and sore. He was right; his back hadn't bothered him at all last night during the Gryffindor celebration of their winning the Quidditch Cup. He had fun drinking, talking, even singing with his teammates and the rest of the Gryffindors late into the night, but now he wished he had gone to Madam Pomfrey so he could have had his back healed.

He heard the door open and someone stumble into the room coming over to his bed. Harry opened his curtain and noticed that it was only six in the morning then he looked at who was coming into the dorm room at this time.

"Ron?"

"Merlin Harry, don't sneak up on a bloke like that," Ron said looking rather startled.

"Sneak up … I'm lying in my bed," Harry said raising his eyebrow.

"Right," Ron chuckled.

"Why are you coming to my bed?" Harry asked his friend.

"Here's a potion for pain," Ron said holding up a vial, "Mione said that you'd need it in the morning."

Harry grabbed the vial out of Ron's hand before he even finished speaking. Drinking the potion in one gulp and not caring that it burned and tasted horrible. It took only moments for his back pain to go way.

"She said you're still going to have to go to the hospital," Ron said, "it's only stopping the pain not healing you."

"Sure, whatever," Harry said, "But for now, I'm going back to sleep."

"Suit yourself," Ron shrugged.

"So why is it you're only coming into the dorm room now?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I'm sure you don't want to know the answer to that," Ron grinned at him. "Just go back to sleep."

O

Harry was still walking on clouds after his victory in the last Quidditch game. Ron had no problem at all talking to him about it, both of them describing the game from their points of view. It didn't seem to matter to them that they had repeated the same thing over and over again, but Hermione had found this to be rather annoying. She had tried to read a book as they talked at first, but she said she couldn't drown out their talk so now she just left them alone. The boys just shrugged, and continue talking.

Ron and Harry were having one of those conversations now as they headed to the library, Hermione being forced to listen to them this time. Harry could see that Hermione was glaring at her boyfriend, who had started the topic of conversation, probably for the very reason of getting Hermione angry with him. Harry was pretty sure he would never understand why they liked to annoying each other so much but his friends seemed to enjoy bantering and it seem like an argument was about to start soon as Hermione opened her mouth to speak.

"Harry," a girl called his name and he turned to beam at Susan.

"I'll see you guys later," Harry said gladly walking away from his friends and the other two seemed to hardly notice his departure. "You really saved me."

"Huh?" Susan questioned.

"Ron and Hermione … they're about to start a fight," Harry explained. "They never seem to mind when I'm in the middle of it."

"You make it sound like they start fights on purpose," Susan frowned.

"They do," Harry said. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. Seeing as Ron's the one starting it, I'm guessing Hermione has been pushing herself too hard in her studies again."

"Oh," was Susan only reply and Harry frowned at her.

He stepped closer to her, going to kiss her but she moved away from him. "Is something wrong?"

"I like you Harry," she answered looking up to meet his eyes.

"I think I got that," Harry said, their study sessions had no longer been only about studying … they had enjoyed a nice Hogsmeade visit … "I like you too."

"I know," Susan said smiling, but she her eyes were still sad.

"So what's wrong?" Harry prompted when she didn't say anything.

"You're never going to tell me your secrets," Susan said.

Harry narrowed is eyes at her.

"Please Harry, don't saying anything," she said before he could snap at her. "I'm not trying to make you tell me anything, it's not about that. It's just … I want more …"

Harry sighed and bowed his head. He walked to the wall and leaned against it and she followed him. "What do you mean by more?"

"I don't know," Susan sighed too, "the more I get to know you the more I want to get to know you."

"It must be frustrating to you than that I don't share thing," Harry grumbled, he was definitely not comfortable with the way this conversation was going.

"I'm sure you share more than you realize, Harry," Susan said.

"You're probably right," he had to admit she seemed to know him better than he would expect.

"I don't think you were looking for a serious relationship," she went on to say.

"No, I wasn't," Harry agreed, when all this started all he really wanted was to have a normal life, with a normal girlfriend, and normal teenage problems. He hadn't expected to care so much about her and he hadn't expect to be hurt when he got to this moment he was in right now.

"I wasn't either," Susan said. "I just thought you were cute. And I had fun talking to you."

"Me too," Harry said. "But you want more now."

"Yes, and I'm afraid that you don't," Susan said.

Harry closed his eyes. He was so very tempted to argue with her, to say that he did want more. He wanted to allow this newfound relationship to progress. His feelings for her have grown over the weeks they had been together …

"I want to know that there's a future in our relationship …" she continued to say and Harry cringed at the word future.

"There's not," he said coldly, he didn't have a future, so they couldn't have a future. She was right to fear having a more serious relationship with him when all it would do was hurt her more in the end.

Susan closed her eyes and bit her lip looking as if she was trying to control herself, "I understand …"

"I'm sorry," Harry said gravely, hating to see the pain that he caused her and moved to hold her.

"No don't," Susan said and Harry let his arms dropped. She gave him a said smile, "I didn't mean that. I mean don't be sorry. I'm not.

"And at least I can always say that I was Harry Potter's first girlfriend," she said with a weak smile that grew stronger with the face that Harry made. She kissed him on the cheek, "I hope in time we'll still be able to be friends."

"I think so," he said, though his heart ached a little at the idea of just being her friend.