Make Things Better

Harry is rushing through the halls of Hogwarts quickly, scolding himself for sleeping in on the day of a Quidditch match against Slytherin.  He is about to round a corner but skids to a halt when he hears familiar voices around the bend.

"Zat Parker girl is too slow!" Zimmermann is saying angrily.  "She should have stumbled upon zem by now!"

"She has already come close to telling her idiot friends about the deal you forced her into," Snape replies bitterly.  "Why don't we just get rid of her?  With her record, the next foul up will result in expulsion.  Dumbledore can't keep her here if she screws up again!"

Zimmermann hesitates before continuing.  "Ve cannot have her expelled, Severus.  Ve need her to lure Herr Potter into his trap!"

"Sh!" Snape hisses.  "No more talk of this here!"

"Of course, my friend," Zimmermann says.  "Besides, ze Giants should take care of things promptly."

Harry listens to the sound of their footsteps fading away.  He ponders about what to do with his new information as he heads toward the Quidditch Pitch.  He is so lost in his thoughts that he walks right into Cho Chang.  "On your way to the game, Harry?"

"Uh, yeah," Harry stammers.  "You?"

Cho grins.  "Of course, wouldn't miss it.  But you'd better hurry.  You're going to be late."

"Harry Potter!" Angelina shouts shrilly.  She puts her hands on her hips.  "This is one of the biggest matches of the season and you slept in?  Are you mad?"

Harry sees that Daniel is dressed in his Quidditch robes.  Daniel just smiles apologetically.  "She called in to play for you, dude.  But now that you're here, I don't have to."

"Should just let you play anyway," Angelina mutters.  "At least you had the decency to show up on time and it's not even your game.  If we didn't need this win so badly…"

"We don't need it badly," Fred says suddenly.  "Cit him some clack, will you?  He just made a mistake.  Everyone sleeps in every once in a while.  It's no big deal, right?"

Angelina's eyes burn.  "If everyone thought that these games were no big deal, we wouldn't even be here, would we?  This is a serious thing.  I thought you understood that."
            Fred just rolls his eyes.  "You're just still stressed that Johnny's not here to take the beatings for you Chasers anymore."

"Do you want to sit out?" Angelina demands.  "I'm sure your brother wouldn't object to some playing time."

Fred just closes his mouth and raising his hands peacefully.  He looks at Harry.  "Well, come on!  Get dressed.  We've got some Slytherins to pulverize!"

Johnny sneaks toward the Pitch, her ache for anything Quidditch finally getting the best of her.  Hagrid decides not to come along, since he can see the game pretty well from his hut.  Johnny is welcome to join him, if she'd rather avoid the crowd.  But there's too much Quidditch pumping through her veins to just stand around, watching a game from what seems like miles away.  She finishes her work early and dashes toward the Pitch.

On the way, Johnny nearly walks into Hermione.  She frowns and stays a few steps behind her, hoping not to draw any attention to herself.  She has no idea whether Hermione's still mad at her and is in no mood to find out.

Johnny has to stifle a gasp when she sees Ginny waiting for Hermione, with her back in their direction.  Johnny moves quickly to hide.  She certainly doesn't want to see Ginny yet.  Not after all that's happened.

"Hey, Ginny!" Hermione exclaims cheerfully.  "The match's almost started.  You could have gone in without me.  I just wanted to stop by the library for some reading material to get me through the game."

Ginny manages a forced giggle.  "Why even go to the game if you're not going to watch?"

Hermione shrugs.  "I don't know.  Ron asks me to go to every game and I'd feel bad if I didn't."

"Does he ask to go with you?" Ginny asks, genuine interest for the first time in a while creeps into her voice.

"Obviously not," Hermione replies.  She shakes her head.  "He never asks me to go anywhere with him."

Ginny smiles mischievously.  "Do you want him to?"

"Why would I?" Hermione asks, shocked.

Ginny rolls her eyes.  "Never mind, then.  I suppose you're too good for anyone that's not some kind of Quidditch star?"

"You're one to talk," Hermione mutters.

Ginny narrows her eyes.  "I have too much going on in my life to dwell on relationships.  I have studying to do and Quidditch practice so that I'm still fit to play in case they need me for anything… there's no time for anything else."

"Would there have been if she was still in Gryffindor?  Or if she'd been expelled?" Hermione asks.

Johnny sees them start to walk away.  She wants to hear this conversation more than she wants to see the Quidditch match.  She hurries after them, hoping that she doesn't get caught eavesdropping.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it," Ginny mumbles.

"Weren't you the one telling Ron that he should be more open if he wants to feel better?" Hermione asks.  Ginny doesn't respond.  "Don't even worry about it.  She's just a silly American anyway.  Always flying off the handle anytime something didn't go her way."

Ginny glares at Hermione.  "What would you know about that?"

Hermione sighs.  "I'm not trying to cause a fight.  I just think that you could do so much better.  Someone who won't have a temper tantrum when something doesn't go his way…"

"Someone possibly male?" Ginny has to ask.

Hermione looks uncomfortable.  "I didn't say that."

"You might as well," Ginny says.  "You have no idea what it's like, living with all brothers, being the baby, having no one recognize you for anything.  Do you know how empty it is, hearing your mother praise someone else all the time?  When you're there starving for her attention?

And then coming here… I didn't make friends as easily as you three did.  You have each other no matter what stupid fights Ron picks with Harry or when you and Ron are arguing about something ridiculous.  What do I have?"

"Ginny…" Hermione begins.

Ginny holds up a hand.  "Listen to me.  For once, I'm not asking you for answers.  I'm asking you to listen.  When I met Johnny, things changed.  Things started to make a little bit of sense.  That feeling of being alone went away the way it never has with anyone else."

Tears start to fall down Ginny's cheeks.  "And you know what?  She wanted you.  All that tutoring she was getting was her way of being close to you."

Johnny bangs the heel of her hand against her forehead.  She doesn't even think about Hermione anymore.  She just wants Ginny to understand her now.

Hermione just stares at Ginny.  "What?  She couldn't have…"

"You see how great she is in class now that she doesn't see you anymore?" Ginny asks.  "You think that's a mistake?"

"It figures," Hermione says angrily.  "Stupid Americans.  Why do they have to lie to get what they want?  Good old fashioned hard work, indeed.  What a fake."

Johnny watches the girls walk away.  She doesn't want to hear anything else.  She's totally screwed things up.  Her eagerness to see the match gone, Johnny trudges back toward Hogwarts.

Harry passes Daniel on his way to the Pitch.  He ducks his head to whisper to him.  "We need to talk.  It's about Zimmermann…"

"Move it along, Potter!" Angelina shouts.

Harry sighs.  "Meet me here after the match."

Daniel grins.  "Sure thing.  See you then!"