A/N: I'm really excited at all the reviews. Thanks everyone! : ) This is turning out be really fun to write, which is why I've been posting more chapters than usual (that and the fact that I'm still avoiding my homework). So here's another chapter, and this is totally in Harry's POV which is really fun to write in.
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Harry watched as the blur of red shot past the other two Chasers, heading straight for Ron. He dived, but the Quaffle was hurtling past him, right into the hoop.
"She's good," Harry told the twins, unable to wipe the satisfied grin off his face. Both of their eyes narrowed at him, but Harry ignored them. "A great flyer."
"Anyone is a great flyer on a Firebolt, Harry." George frowned at him. "And why were you suddenly so eager for her to get on the team? You didn't even blink when she strode over here. In fact," George continued in a strange tone, "I'd almost say that you weren't even surprised, which would've made no sense since no one knew of her identity. Right?" His voiced ended on a high note.
Harry swallowed nervously, thinking fast, looking from one identical face to the other. "Come off it you two, you'd have to be blind to miss how good she's gotten over the past few years. We've all played Quidditch at The Burrow for days on end each summer." Why just this past summer they had a staged a Weasley Quidditch Tournament with Harry being made an honorary Weasley (Fred and George both turned his hair red) so he could play. Bill and Ron were the Keepers, Harry and Charlie were the Seekers, and both Percy and Ginny were the Chasers. It was really quite close, but Harry's team of Ron, Fred and Percy won, since Charlie re-hurt an old injury he'd received from work. The Weasley Cup, it turned out was nothing more than an old chipped goblet that Ginny and Hermione had charmed to make it glow a bright red.
Harry quickly turned the conversation back to Ginny and away from himself. "She's got excellent timing, you have to admit. And that's something you either have or you don't," he added firmly looking up again at the sky as he saw the red blur toss the Quaffle to Alicia and roll over in mid air as she came around to catch it from Angelina.
Fred sighed wearily. "Mum's gonna have a fit at us all." He then chuckled, "Which is all the more reason. Ok, Harry you're right. Ginny is rather good, although I must say that she learned it all from her older brothers." Both Harry and Hermione snickered at that last bit.
Harry wondered if this would be a good opportunity to push his luck. "You know, though, she can't do too much on that ancient Shooting Star. She's gotta have something decent to fly on. Don't you too have enough savings from the sales of the Wizard Wheezes to get her something better?" he asked the two. Fred and George had started a black market at Hogwarts of the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, which of course had taken the school by storm and caused more than one teacher great distress and discomfort, Snape in the lead.
The twins seemed to mull over this for a second. "You're right again," Fred agreed, "We'll check Which Broomstick and see if we can owl order something a bit better."
Harry allowed himself to grin. As easy as taking candy from a baby, he thought.
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Harry's grin stayed plastered to his face as he watched Ginny get smothered by her brothers, each one of them giving her what must have been a bone crushing hug. She was really very pretty standing there, hair wind blown, cheeks flushed from her exercise, brown eyes alight with happiness. He'd noticed her last night, watching her with Hermione. She appeared to be nervous about something, she was constantly biting her lip, her eyes darting back and forth from Ron to Hermione. It was that moment that Harry realized that she might be the new Chaser. It would make perfect sense as to why the identity was kept secret, Ginny knew her hot tempered brothers would act this way. It was almost comical, once Harry thought about it, since he was actually going to suggest to the twins to let her tryout; Harry had seen her fly enough times to know she could be really good once she was trained up properly.
Harry couldn't explain why he suddenly wanted her on the team so badly. Only that he planned to do anything to get her on it, including manipulate her older brothers. Maybe it was the fact that he really wanted his team to win the House Cup, maybe it was that she was really beautiful when she flew, with her red hair flying out behind her, a banner waving to tease his senses. Or it simply could be that Harry could appreciate a good Quidditch player when he saw one, and Harry knew he was looking at one. Whatever the reason, Harry was glad she made it and never looked so forward to starting the Quidditch season as he did the upcoming one. Or practicing late in the evenings. Or having to walk back to the castle with her.
Harry mentally shook his head at the thoughts he was starting to have. Then he caught his stomach fluttering like he had swallowed a thousand Golden Snitches when she mouthed that "thank you" at him and threw him back the Firebolt. He caught it and smiled.
Later on, once the rest of the Gryffindor's had left the stands, each one promising on the sword of Godric Gryffindor not to let out the secret of the new Chaser, only the team and Hermione were left. Harry noticed how Hermione was wearing her 'I told you so' expression, beaming with pride each time she looked over at Ginny, who was chatting with Angelina and Alicia.
"This is going to be just great," Alicia gushed excitedly. "I can almost feel the Cup in my hands as we speak."
Ginny laughed. "I'm glad no one's pressuring me."
Harry couldn't help himself as he fell back to fall into step with them. "You'll be fine, at least Fred and George aren't nearly as uptight as Oliver Wood was, right?" Alicia and Angelina nodded.
"Huh. You can say that since you aren't related to those two," Ginny grimaced gesturing towards her brothers. "And Ron as well," she added. "Thanks Harry, for loaning me your Firebolt," she said to him.
Harry felt his face redden. Alicia and Angelina both turned to him, eyes wide. "You loaned Ginny your beloved Firebolt?!" Alicia asked stunned. "You barely let dust touch it, let alone another person."
His face turned a deeper shade of red. "I've let other people fly it before," he told her exasperated with the expression Alicia and Angelina both wore. "Ron rode it when I first got it, didn't he?"
"Only because he wouldn't shut up about it," Angelina said, her eyes alight with humor. "I don't think I've so much as held it before. You must be sooooo lucky, Ginny."
Harry wondered how long it would take for them to find a replacement for
Angelina if he killed her. Ginny was
very quiet. Alicia and Angelina shot each
other knowing looks and quickened their pace, catching up with the others
ahead.
"You were really great, Ginny," Harry said, needing to find
something to break the tension that had fallen between them. "Really great."
"I'm not going to be too great once I get on this old thing again," she said
bitterly, glancing down at the broom in her hand.
"Don't worry about that. I think Fred and George are planning on something," he replied, hoping to cheer her up. He chuckled, winking at her as he said, "Besides, I might be persuaded to loan you my beloved Firebolt again."
She burst out laughing, "And that Harry Potter, is a great honor indeed to be held in such high esteem. You must tell me what I did to be the recipient of such unfounded generosity."
Harry thought that if Ginny would keep on laughing and smiling at him like that, he'd give her an entire fleet of Firebolts.