Harry quickly found that the evenings of Quidditch practice had become the highlights of his week. They were the only time he could spend quality time with Ginny away from the rest of the school, from the rest of his infuriated teachers and away from his constant fear of Ron's possible and even probable reaction to his badly-disguised feelings for Ginny. The initial crush he'd had on her had developed and intensified with every night's Quidditch training. While the rest of the team went about their normal maneuvers and tactics, Harry helped Ginny develop her natural flying skills with many laughs and a lot of friendly chatting. By the end of the final training session before the Gryffindor-Slytherin match, Harry knew he loved her, though he hadn't the faintest clue what he was going to do about it. He had originally planned just to tell her on the off-chance she shared his feelings, but something held him back. First of all, he'd never been in this situation before, and secondly, he noted, with some bitterness, that the angelic smiles that cost him his marks at school were not unique to him - he'd spotted Ginny giving an almost identical grin to Colin Creevey, who was in her class. Harry was very put out by this and, apart from being a lot colder towards Colin from then on, decided it was pointless to spill the beans to her.
Harry was also astounded that Ron hadn't noticed anything fishy about his new attitude towards Ginny. The drastic increase in Harry's feelings for her meant his schoolwork was at an all-time low and he lost more points for Gryffindor than Neville ever had. The Hogwarts teachers were furious with him and he'd been given several detentions. His love for Ginny was so blindingly obvious; Ron would have had to be an idiot not notice it. Unless he was so wrapped up in the tremendous work-load the fifth-years had been given in preparation for their O.W.L's, but Harry didn't think so somehow. Ron was never much of a hard worker when it came to schoolwork.

The night before the match against Slytherin, Harry flopped onto his bed, exhausted from his hardest training session yet, and stared at the canopy above his four-poster bed, his mind full of thoughts about Ginny. He remembered the pained look in her eyes when McGonagall presented her with her new broomstick - a Cleansweep Three, which very obviously did not fulfill her undying affection for flying. Professor McGonagall explained that in light of Voldemort's return, Hogwarts was under pressure, financially, too, apparently, and could not afford to keep buying Nimbuses or Firebolts. Ginny had then forced a smile, thanked Professor McGonagall very much and returned to the Quidditch practice, her shoulders slightly hunched. Harry vowed that if anything ever happened between him and Ginny, he'd buy her a decent broom. As sleep softly settled upon him, Harry's thoughts blended together into yet another wonderful dream about the imaginary loving relationship he and Ginny shared in his mind, and in the Mirror of Erised.

The following morning, Harry sat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast, all nerves about the coming match forgotten, with his elbow in his porridge staring dreamily at Ginny, who was chatting to a friend of hers further down the table. Ron, who was sitting next to him, raised an eyebrow as Harry absent-mindedly began pouring ketchup onto the table, missing his sausages by several inches.
"Harry, you okay?" Ron asked with concern.
"Mmmm?" Harry replied semiconsciously.
"I asked if you were okay."
"Oh." Harry continued to stare across the table at Ginny, who was laughing at something her friend had whispered to her. Her laugh made Harry's heart give a huge jolt and leap several inches into his throat.
"And are you?" Ron continued
"Am I what?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine, why d'you ask?" Harry replied in his flat tone, unable to remove his gaze from her face.
"Because you've just spilled pumpkin juice all over your porridge and you don't seem to mind very much," said Ron with a small but concerned laugh.
"Oh, right," Harry droned, still gazing over at Ginny.
Ron frowned and followed Harry's gaze.
"Harry, are you staring at GINNY?" Ron exclaimed. Harry froze and returned to his senses instantly.
"Wh-What?"
"Why were you staring at Ginny like that?" Ron repeated, his frown deepening. Harry didn't know what to say. He'd been dreading this conversation ever since he gave Ginny her first flying lesson.
"It's okay, Harry," said Hermione, who was sitting on Ron's other side. "You don't need to explain."
"Yes, he does," said Ron, who looked thoroughly put out by this. "That's my sister he's staring at! He never looked at anyone like that apart from that Ravenclaw Seeker, what's her face? Chang..."
Harry bit his lip nervously. He couldn't see how he was going to untangle himself from this one.
"Leave him alone, Ron," said Hermione soothingly, placing a hand on his arm with remarkable fondness. "He's entitled to love anyone he wants..." Harry stared at her and she gave him a knowing wink. "Just as you're entitled to love me and I'm entitled to love you."
Harry stared at Ron, who went bright red and avoided his eyes.
"Yeah, well, we WERE going to tell you, don't think we weren't, it's just that well, Hermione and I have got this thing, we're..."
"We're going out," Hermione smiled at Harry, squeezing Ron's arm affectionately.
Ron, still red as beetroot, mumbled, "you don't mind, do you, Harry?"
Harry grinned. He should have known something of this sort would have been responsible for Ron's ignorance of Harry's changed feelings for Ginny until now. He slapped Ron on the back and said, " Congratulations, mate! Both of you," he added, smiling at Hermione.
"So - so you don't mind?" Ron asked quickly.
Harry shook his head. "As long as you don't mind me, um...well, liking Ginny...?"
"Harry, if you're going to tell her your feelings, you'd better get a move on," said Hermione, suddenly serious. " before you get any serious competition."
She indicated Ginny who had just given Colin a warm smile. Harry growled, but didn't have time to brood on it, because next second, George walked over and said, "Oy, captain! Haven't we got a game in fifteen minutes? The Slytherin team has already left."
"Oh right!" Harry leapt to his feet, spilling porridge down his front as he did.

Fifteen minutes later, Harry, with the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team standing right behind him, faced the new Slytherin squad. Malfoy, the new captain, had recruited some real thickos, Harry thought. Millicent Bulstrode, Crabbe, Goyle and the members of the old team who hadn't left Hogwarts yet all stood facing him scowling. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ginny glance sadly down at her Cleansweep Three again.
"Captains, shake hands," said Madame Hooch briskly.
Harry shook hands with Malfoy, trying to get a harder grip than he had.
"Nice clean game, Slytherin," said Madame Hooch warningly.
"No problem, miss," sniggered Malfoy with a look that said, "Not likely!"
Madame Hooch's whistle blew sharply and the fourteen players shot into the air. Harry saw Ginny streaking towards the Gryffindor goalposts and felt another jolt in his heart. Then he turned and circled the pitch in search of the Snitch, listening particularly sharply to Lee Jordan's commentary in case anyone tried anything funny with Ginny.
"Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell with the Quaffle heading towards the Slytherin goals, punched in the side by Crabbe who grabs the Quaffle off her...come on, Madame Hooch! That was a foul! No? Oh well, the ref missed that so no penalty. Crabbe heading towards the Gryffindor goals, time to see whether Potter's new Keeper's up to the job..."
At these words, Harry turned sharply to watch. Ginny, slightly pale but determined-looking gripped her broom handle tightly as she faced Crabbe. Sneering menacingly, Crabbe flung the Quaffle at the furthest hoop from Ginny, who turned with lightening speed and caught it just before it went through. Cheers arose from the Gryffindors and Harry, who felt he could have kissed her just for that save, caught her eye and winked. He nearly fell off his broom with the smile she returned, but the he remembered Colin Creevey and shook off the semi- consciousness.
"Gryffindor back in possession, nice Bludger work there by Fred (I think it's Fred) Weasley, who sends it pelting towards Goyle. Gryffindor still in possession... Alicia Spinnet scores! Ten- zero to Gryffindor!"
As Harry cheered with the crowd below, he spotted Millicent Bulstrode, the hag-like girl Hermione was supposed to turn into using the Polyjuice Potion in their second year, charging towards the Gryffindor goals for no apparent reason. Clutching her Beater's club, she swung a Bludger towards Ginny, whose broom was too old and slow to avoid it. With the speed only a Firebolt can muster, Harry whizzed forward and kicked the Bludger back towards Bulstrode.
"Penalty to Slytherin!" barked Madame Hooch. "Potter, you know you're not to tamper with the Bludgers, that's the Beaters' job!"
Harry scowled, but Ginny called, "Thank you, Harry!" from behind him and he felt the anger seep out of him immediately.
Goyle charged forward with the Quaffle and waited at the penalty line for the whistle. Ginny shivered slightly. Goyle was a lot bigger than Crabbe and more violent. As Goyle belted the red ball towards the goals, Harry noticed it moved much faster and seemed much heavier. Then he spotted Crabbe, below Goyle, clutching a Quaffle in his hand and realization struck him in time to yell, "Watch out Ginny! That's a Bludger! He's put a colour-changing charm on it!"
At these words, Ginny swerved around the red Bludger and caught it from behind just before it swung through the hoop. Madame Hooch didn't have time to call for a penalty to Gryffindor because, as Harry beamed at Ginny for her excellent Keeping, Ginny suddenly yelled, "Harry! Behind you!"
Whipping around, Harry saw Malfoy tearing up the pitch towards them, a glimmer of gold inches in front of him. Before Harry could accelerate, Ginny had grabbed the red Bludger she was still holding and threw it at Malfoy, who had to break sharply to avoid it and in those few crucial moments, Harry zoomed forward and grabbed the Snitch.
Madame Hooch blew her whistle. The stands below erupted with cheers as he and the rest of the Gryffindor team made their way back towards the grassy pitch. The usual sight greeted them at the bottom, hundreds of Gryffindors slapping them on their backs, Hagrid shaking the stands with his cheers, Ron and Hermione beaming at Harry, Dumbledore congratulating them all, the extra house point to Gryffindor...
Feeling happier and lighter than ever, Harry praised the rest of the team, slapping Fred and George's backs, shaking hands with Alicia, Katie and Angelina, and then, pure joy still coursing through him, Harry turned to the Keeper.
Ginny stood outside the crowd, looking like she really wasn't used to such praise and admiration from the rest of her House. Harry walked up to her and grinned at her.
"Well done, Ginny! You were brilliant!"
Ginny smiled at him, pulling hair out of her eyes. "You did it again, Harry Potter."
"WE did it, Ginny," Harry corrected her. "I couldn't have done it without you, you know."
They held each other's gaze for a moment, then without any warning whatsoever, rushed at each other in a tight hug. Harry held Ginny to him, unable to believe he had her in his arms, then lifted her into the air and smiled up into her face. Her bright orange hair rippled magnificently in a slight breeze.
"I love you, Ginny," he whispered, hardly believing he'd just said it for real.
"Oh!" said Ginny, thoroughly startled.

A/N I think you can expect another chapter, but I'm not really sure. It all depends on feedback.