Ginny gasped

Ginny gasped. Then she smiled.

'Of course I will Harry. I'd love to.' She leant forward to hug him. He took the ring from the box and slid it gently onto her finger. A sniffle was heard behind them. They turned to see Mrs Weasley crying.

'I'm so happy!' she sobbed.

'There, there dear.' Mr Weasley patted her on the shoulder.

'To Harry and Ginny,' said Ron, raising his glass 'May they always be happy.' Mr and Mrs Weasley repeated the toast as the newly engaged couple kissed softly.

Hermione was lying back in her hospital bed the next day, with her newborn son lying comfortably in her arms. She heard a noise from the doorway and looked up to see Ron standing there.

'Ron,' she said, quite surprised. She didn't think he'd come 'Come in.' she motioned to the chair sitting beside her bed.

Ron sat, looking at the small baby in Hermione's arms.

'He's lovely.' He smiled.

'Thank you. Would you like a hold?' Ron hastily shook his head. He cleared his throat nervously.

'So, how is everything?' he asked. She looked at him curiously, but smiled all the same.

'Wonderful. How's your job.'

'You know, same old same old.' He laughed very hollowly. The baby stirred slightly, but Hermione soothed him.

'Shhh, my little one,' she whispered, stroking her son's cheek. Ron gazed at her. That should be his son that she held. Not Krum's. How could she do that to him. Hermione looked up to see Ron's face contorted with anger.

'Ron, what's the matter?'

'I think you know.' He said with animosity. Hermione frowned.

'You know how I felt, and yet you're with, with him.' Ron spat that last word out with distaste. Hermione's eyes narrowed with anger.

'I think you know that I never felt that way about you Ron. You were my friend. You are my friend. I love Viktor. I love his child. And I will do for the rest of my life. I think you'd better go.'

'Don't worry, I'm going.' Ron hastily stood up, the chair he sat in being overturned in the process. The baby awoke at the noise and began to cry.

'Get out Ron! Now!' Hermione's eyes flashed angrily, her face was full of anger. Ron started slightly; he'd never seen Hermione this angry.

'Hermione-' he began. She picked up her wand.

'Now.' She didn't have to say another word. Ron left the room, leaving Hermione to soothe her crying son.

Harry dragged his weary body off the Quidditch pitch into the change rooms. He took off his muddy robes and stepped into a hot shower. Almost instantly, he felt his muscles loosen.

'Aah.' He murmured, letting the hot water run down his face. He stood there for at least twenty minutes beofre getting dressed and apparating to Ginny's. She had a hot meal waiting for him.

'Thought you might need this.' She kissed him gently.

'Thanks.' Harry kissed her back, then sat at the table.

'I was talking to Hermione today.' Began Ginny.

'Is she home yet?' asked Harry through a mouthful of pasta.

'Yes. She told me that Ron had been to see her.' Harry sat up.

'Really? I didn't expect that.'

'Neither did she. Anyway, he told her how he felt about her. She kicked him out.' Harry choked on a pasta spirl.

'You mean to tell me, Ron told Hermione he loved her, with her newborn son by another man, in her arms?'

'Uh-huh. Hermione was in such a state. And Viktor! Honestly! I believe he would have gone and throttled Ron if Hermione hadn't stopped him.'

'I don't blame him. I'm thinking of doing the same thing.' Growled Harry.

'Yes, well. Ron left this morning. He's back in Australia.' Ginny sighed and then sat beside Harry.

'What am I going to do with him?' she moaned. Harry rubbed her thigh.

'It's not your fault. Ron's timing was off by, I don't know, six years or so.' Ginny chuckled at this. Harry drew her into his lap.

'He'll be okay.' He murmured, stroking her hair.

'I hope so. He's likely to do something stupid.' Harry gasped in mock surprise.

'Ron? Do something stupid? Never!' Ginny punched him on the arm.

'Stop it!' she laughed 'Just shut up and kiss me.' Harry obeyed.

The day of Harry's first Quidditch match for Puddlemere United dawned fine. They were playing the much fancied Wimbourne Wasps. Harry's stomach was filled with butterflies as he sat in the changeroom, clutching his broom.

'You'll do great.' A hand clapped on his shoulder and Harry looked up to see Coach Dane.

'Thanks, Coach. I appreciate it.' Outside, Harry could hear former Wimbourne Wasp Beater Ludo Bagman gearing up the crowd. The Puddlemere team stood up and crowded near the entrance.

'I give you Jones, Harrison, McArthur, Primus, Franklin, Samuel aaaaaand Potter!' Ludo Bagman's magically amplified voice echoed around the stadium. Harry's heart was racing as he mounted his broom and followed his team mates onto the pitch. Harry made out seven blurred figures wearing the ditinctive black and yellow stripes of the Wimbourne Wasps as well as six other players weaing the navy blue robes with the golden bulrushes that Harry sported. He slowed his broom momentarily to peer at sections of the crowd. Sure enough he saw Ginny and her family with their flaming red hair. Harry even thought he spotted his old headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, but then Harry remembered he followed Puddlemere United.

Bagman was casually rattling off statistics of players when Harry heard his own name mentioned.

'…young Potter's first game, although he was an incredible seeker for his Hogwarts team. We'll be watching the boy with interest.'

The umpire walked onto the pitch and released the balls from the crate he carried under his arm. He mounted his broom and blew his whistle to signal the start of the game. Harry concentrated on looking for the snitch and tried to ignore the roars of the crowd as the chasers strutted their stuff.

'The Puddlemere chasers are in the Hawkshead Attacking Formation, Jones has the quaffle and he scores! Ten nil to Puddlemere!' The navy section of the crowd erupted. Harry thought he spotted a flash of gold and zoomed towards it. The Wimbourne seeker was hot on Harry's tail, but an opposing beater suddenly flew straight at Harry, his fist extended before veering slightly off course. Before Harry could get back on course towards the snitch it had disappeared.

'Cunning use of the Transylvanian Tackle against the Puddlemere seeker.' Ludo Bagman's voice echoed through Harry's head. He resumed his search for the snitch. The game was fast paced. Wimbourne were slightly ahead half an hour in after the consistent buzzing of the crowd during Puddlemere penalties had caused McArthur to miss twice. Harry ducked a well aimed bludger and decided to put off the Wimbourne seeker. He put on a sudden burst of speed and hurtled towards the ground. Bagman was shouting loudly, there were loud gasps from the crowd, but Harry concentrated as best he could. He could fell the Wimbourne seeker behind him and a split second before he would have smashed into the turf, Harry pulled his broom up. The Wimbourne seeker was lucky to do the same thing, and almost knocked into one of his own chasers. Harry took the opportuniy to fly to the other end of the pitch. And then, the snitch appeared in almost the exact place Harry had just feinted. He dove towards it, to the crowd it appeared as though he was trying the feint for a second time. Apparently the Wimbourne seeker thought the same thing because he followed Harry, but without the same speed. Harry closed his hand around the snitch millimetres from the ground, and then crashed into it. He vaguely heard the triumphant roars from the Puddlemere fans before he blacked out.

'Harry?' he opened his eyes slightly, but closed them again. There was someone standing over him, but they had a bright light behind them.

'Harry?' they tried again. Harry struggled to raise a hand to his eyes to shield from the light and then opened his eyes again. This time he made out the person. It was Ginny, her face clouded with worry, but she smiled when he opened his eyes. Ginny stroked his cheek slightly as the full extent of Harry's injuries became apparent to him. He felt as though he'd had a collision with a cement truck. He feebly raised his head to see he was lying in the stadium's medical quarters. Two mediwizards were busily mending the broken ribs and leg he'd managed to get.

'Ah, you're awake.' Came the voice of a mediwizard. She handed Ginny a cup of potion which Ginny proceded to pour down Harry's throat. His vision immediately cleared and he was able to sit up.

'Did we win?' he asked 'I'm sure I got the snitch.'

Ginny laughed but hugged him.

'Of course you got the snitch. You won by a hundred and thirty points.' Harry grinned. His first game and he'd won. He felt the fingers of a mediwizard poking him in the ribs.

'Is that necessary?' he asked.

'Yep. Just got to make sure everything's back in place. Right, as soon as you have some more potion you can go to your adoring fans.' She handed Harry another cup of potion which he quickly drank before jumping up from the bed he was lying on and following Ginny out to where his team mates were waiting. They cheered him and slapped him on the back. Harry could see a throng of people behind them.

'Who're they?' he asked Harrison.

'Fans. Now we just have to get to the bus.'

'Can't you apparate?' asked Ginny. Harrison shook his head.

'More fun this way.' He grinned. Ginny raised an eyebrow and then disapparated before giving Harry a quick kiss. He looked over to the bus to see her sitting comfortably with some of the other team supporters. Samuel and Primus grabbed either side of Harry and pushed him through the crowd. The fans were chanting his name, trying to reach him. After about ten minutes weaving through the fans, signing the occasional autograph, the Puddlemere United team finally made it through and boarded their bus. The driver started the engine and pulled away from the curb. With a bang, it was suddenly driving on the road that led to the Puddlemere grounds.

Harry grabbed his bags and broom and jumped off the bus with Ginny.

'How about we drop your stuff off and go to a nice muggle movie?' she asked.

'Sounds great.' Harry put his arm around her shoulder as they disapparated to Ginny's flat. They changed into jeans and headed to the cinema. It was bliss for Harry to be unknown for a few hours. In the wizarding world, not only was he the one who defeated Voldemort, he was now a Quidditch star.