Ginny was in the Holyhead Harpies locker room, taking her time in polishing her broom, as she had already changed into her Quidditch gear.
Screwing on the cap to the broomstick polish and casting a quick-drying charm to her now freshly-polished broom, she took in the distinct smell of "Quidditch" around her. From the fruity aroma of the lacquer polish, to the woodsy smell of the broomsticks surrounding her, or the leathery scent of their uniforms, a wave of nostalgia for the days when she had played with the Gryffindor Quidditch team came over her.
Of course, the seats and the brooms alike were much more high-end compared to the Hogwarts locker room and school brooms, and their uniforms were not quite as tattered as back then, but the feeling and camaraderie of being on a team would always remain the same.
Staring at the glossy shine of her silver-colored Comet 320, S Edition, she reflected on what a luxury this was, and how far she had come, to be playing with such an excellent broom on what was literally an internationally-recognized Quidditch team. The broom had been gifted to her by her captain, Gwenog Jones, as a congratulations for completing her first official year on the team. The S Edition was known as one of the fastest, sleekest brooms available on the market, with a well-known fact being that the S not only stood for silver, but also stood for speed.
Just a couple years ago, Ginny had been riding with nothing but a hand-me-down Cleansweep, although even the Cleansweeps had come pretty far in the past few years in terms of adopting more advanced broom technology. She was so grateful for the opportunities that came her way that allowed herself to be a member of this team, and she would never forget that.
"Hey Ginny, are you ready to absolutely pulverize Puddlemere United?" Ginny turned to her teammate, Alicia Spinnet, who had just finished putting her gear on and had sat down on the bench next to her. Alicia played as Chaser along with Ginny, and since they were both the two newest members of the team, having both joined after the war, they had grown rather close over the past year and a half.
"Am I?" chuckled Ginny, putting her broom polish and brushes back into her kit.
"Of course you are!" responded Alicia, as she genially put her arm over Ginny's shoulder. "You're the best thing to happen to this team in two years, and you should know it!"
"Hey, I know you're just saying that because you joined the team two years ago!" exclaimed Ginny, catching Alicia's attempt at slyness, shaking her head but continuing to laugh all the same.
"You know it!" Alicia confirmed, standing up to take both her and Ginny's broomstick servicing kits back in the team supplies locker. Acknowledging Ginny's thanks, as she turned back, she offered Ginny her arm upon hearing Gwenog's announcement that they had just a few minutes left to be on the field, and the two girls walked together, each of them firmly holding their broomsticks in their opposite hand as they confidently strolled through the locker room door to the team lobby.
The lobby was decorated with golden stars over their heads and glistening green curtains gently blowing over the windows. Ginny had always appreciated the calming atmosphere of this room, as it had always calmed her nerves and made her feel even more prepared, calm, and confident in her ability to play some good Quidditch.
She and her teammates chatted about how the other team looked, sharing last-minute advice about strategies that would be smart to use against certain team members on Puddlemere United, and once again confirming the plays the chasers and beaters would utilize on the field.
Gwenog made some affirming words of motivation for the team, and together they stood, arranging themselves in their positions for the standard team alignment. Alicia and the other Chaser, Inaya Rehman, stood in front of Ginny, as they all patiently waited for the announcer to begin calling their names for them to walk out onto the field.
"I am sure you are excited to hear, folks, that here is the moment you all have been waiting for! I am proud to welcome the team which placed third in national rankings just last year, ranked twenty-first in the world by the renowned Seeker Weekly, the one and only, HOLYHEAD HARPIES!" bellowed Lee Jordan, who had taken up a career in professional Quidditch announcing after the war. The audience screamed their cheers of support, sounds which only made Ginny and the others feel more confident in the game which was about to begin.
"Please give a warm welcome to, six-year team captain, widely acclaimed for her not just her talent but also her excellent broom surfing abilities, GWENOG JONES!" Lee announced, as the team began to walk out single-file. Ginny gripped her hand tighter around her broom as she readied herself to walk out, when her name was announced.
"Now introducing the freshest player on the team, and the second Gryffindor Quidditch team alumni here! Welcomed just last year as Chaser, GINNY WEASLEY!" She marched confidently through the fluttering curtains, and relished the feeling of the wind on her hair, taking in the sight of the Quidditch stands in front of her, and the sounds of the people all around her.
They reached the middle of the field, after which the members of Puddlemere United were announced and walked out onto the field as well. They all shook each other's hands, Ginny and Alicia both giving a warm greeting to Cho Chang, who was another fellow Hogwarts alumni who had made it onto the team this year, having played reserve the year prior.
The game was about to begin. Ginny took her stance over her broom, and looked toward the goal posts in anticipation. She found herself looking toward the sidelines, where all the reserve players were sat, and caught the eye of none other than Draco Malfoy.
After the war, Malfoy had stood trial just like all others involved or even suspected of having been involved with the wrong side, but thanks to Snape's memories which were presented as evidence, in addition to Harry's testimony that Malfoy had played a small but substantial role in their victory (by hiding his recognition of Harry when they had been caught and taken to Malfoy Manor, in addition to tossing him his wand at the Final Battle), Malfoy was proclaimed not guilty - although he had been obligated to complete community service both at St. Mungos in the aftermath of the war, and in the reconstruction and renovation of Hogwarts, and according to the rumor mill at the time, he would be actively monitored for at least one year after the sentencing.
It was no secret that Malfoy was exceedingly grateful for this second chance. He was known to have participated eagerly in all community service, with his knowledge of charms being helpful throughout the reconstruction. He had even sent thought-out gifts and apologized to Professor (now Headmistress) McGonagall, Hagrid, and anyone he had bullied throughout school, including Hermione, Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna, and herself, Ginny, openly stating that he had no expectations of receiving any forgiveness, claiming that he understood the absolute heinousness of the atrocities he had both directly and indirectly been part of.
To Ginny's surprise, Hermione in particular had taken very kindly to these open apologies, acknowledging that it was a really great step for him to take. In the years since, Malfoy had finished school and was now a reserve player for Puddlemere United.
Ginny's eyes shifted back to her teammates, as they smiled at each other before taking off to soaring heights with their brooms. She tossed the Quaffle back and forth, skillfully dodging Bludgers sent at her by the opposite team's Beaters. Ginny, Alicia, and Inaya were all adept at executing the formations they had practiced, scoring goal after goal. However,
Nearly four hours went by, and Ginny wiped sweat off her brow before catching the ball as it was tossed back from the other team's Keeper. The score was still pretty close, and Ginny calculated that their national ranking would remain the same if they didn't win this game. She loved the adrenaline from playing Quidditch, but she didn't love the sore limbs, as she hoped that their Seeker, Noor Megat, would catch the Snitch soon.
This silent wish was well-timed, she thought, as it was just a few minutes later that the two Seekers found themselves in a heartracing chase in pursuit of the little golden ball with fluttering wings. Noor was just a millimeter faster, and she grabbed a hold of the Snitch, as Lee proclaimed victory for the Holyhead Harpies!
The stands erupted with cheers, shouting the Holyhead Harpies fan chant in perfect tune with "Captivating Charms," the latest hit by the Weird Sisters (yes, they're still famous)! Ginny and her fellow teammates couldn't contain their excitement, resulting in Noor broom-surfing over their raised arms as they all cheered and congratulated each other before landing their brooms. Puddlemere United also landed and shared their compliments of a game well-played.
Fireworks were lit in green and gold, the colors of the Holyhead Harpies, and the arena was filled with cheerful sounds and colorful celebration. Players began to head toward the stands to sign some lucky fans' brooms and Quidditch apparel. Throughout all the commotion, Ginny agreed that she would meet Alicia and Noor afterward for a celebration of the win, after which Ginny found herself once again catching the eye of Draco Malfoy as he casually headed over toward her.
"Weasley," he nodded, "looking sharp in Slytherin colors, aren't we?"
"It's green and gold, not green and silver, thank you very much," she grinned, "and I would dare say the same about you and your extremely Ravenclaw uniform!"
"Ravenclaw was blue and bronze, not blue and gold," he smirked in response.
Ginny's eyes twinkled mischievously as she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Hmm, so you're not color blind? You can recognize the difference between gold and other metallic colors?"
Malfoy shook his head and smiled. "I digress. Congratulations on the win. You play well as Chaser."
"Oh my, is it raining hippogriffs all of a sudden," Ginny playfully tilted her head, "or was that a compliment? From Draco Malfoy himself?"
Malfoy rolled his eyes and proclaimed, "Hey, I was serious! You're much better suited to Chaser than Seeker!"
"Why thank you," Ginny declared in response, tipping an imaginary hat in recognition. "Say, how's it going at St. Mungos? I heard you're still volunteering there?"
"Yes, I am. It's going well. I really enjoy the work, even though some of the tasks are pretty menial, the overall work is rather gratifying."
"That's really great to hear," Ginny smiled meaningfully, when the voices of Alicia and Noor calling Ginny to come over for a group photo were heard over the sounds of the crowds.
As Ginny waved goodbye and turned to head toward her teammates, Malfoy quickly stepped forward and put his hand on Ginny's arm, leaning his head down toward her ear as he whispered, "Please meet me outside Rosedragon Cafe as soon as possible. It's important, and under any circumstances please don't tell anyone other than Potter that you're meeting with me." He spoke in a hushed but concerned tone, in sharp contrast with the cool and collected, well-composed tone of voice he normally displayed, conveying the urgency of what he had just said.
As quickly as he had shared these words, he was gone, walking briskly in the opposite direction of Ginny's teammates. Ginny silently pondered upon his words as she posed for photographs with her team-members.
Afterward, she promised Alicia and Noor that she would be at Noor's house soon, claiming that she just had to run a quick errand first. As she walked through the Quidditch chambers and picked up her bag of supplies, magically shrinking it and pocketing it into the depths of her robes, she tightly gripped her wand and focused her thoughts onto the rose colored walls and dragon-themed decor of the cafe she was supposed to meet Malfoy at, visualizing the entrance as her feet turned and body twisted and disappeared with a sharp pop.
Writer's Note: So, it's been four years. :O
I apologize for never completing this story. I had a detailed outline for what this story would be that I was super excited about, but life became busy and I never got around to actually writing it. I was thinking about it and decided on a whim to publish the last chapter I had written before disappearing (Chapter 8), and in the midst of editing, found myself in the mood of writing a completely new chapter (this one, Chapter 9). Disclaimer that I did not create the Harry Potter universe; I am simply utilizing its characters and world for this post-war fan-fiction. Thank you so much for reading. I am shocked that some people even read this during these past four years. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope I did not disappoint you with my mediocre high school writing lol. :) It's been a while, lovely readers, but I want to complete this story. I had fun writing this chapter and could use some creative writing practice. I hope you have a wonderful day! 3