Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and characters related to it. Harry Potter and its characters are the intellectual property of the talented J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Scholastic, Raincoats, and Bloomsbury books. Storyline and plot have been developed partially based on the plots, characters, and storylines of the first 5 installments of Harry Potter, The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire, and The Order of the Phoenix.

Author's Note: I noticed that I made a big boo boo in the quidditch part of the story. As I was looking through book 5 to refer to Miss Rowling's writing style, I realised that Katie Bell should still be in Hogwarts during Harry's 6th year. I've therefore made a slight change to chapter 10 when Harry was made team captain. Sorry for the muck up. I did update earlier but I noticed some grammatical errors in this chapter. Just reposted it. Sorry bout that.

Chapter 13

Quidditch was probably the one thing that Harry had been most looking forward to since his return to Hogwarts. Even though Hogwarts had always been, and will probably always be the place he would truly call home, there was a constant weight around him that he couldn't seem to shake off. On this particular evening however, Harry was itching with anticipation as he was practically skipping towards the quidditch pitch with his firebolt in hand. Being the captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team did allow him some privileges, as he had called for a short meeting with the members of the old team just before dinner. Ron and Ginny had said that they would join him on the quidditch pitch later as they were finishing up some homework. Harry knew that he still had quite an amount of homework to complete, but the desire to be in the air again quickly overruled his desire to complete Snape's essay on the Everlasting Sleep potion.

He arrived at the quidditch pitch to see that the Ravenclaw quidditch team had just finished their practice. He could see that the Ravenclaw team did not seem to be lacking any players, which could only mean that they had had tryouts for the team earlier on. He distinctly remembered that the Ravenclaw team had one or two 7th years the previous year, and was bound to have needed some replacements. Padma Patil waved and smiled at Harry as he approached the pitch.

"Can't wait to get back on the pitch can you?" asked Padma cheekily.

"Hi Padma. Yeah well, I was banned last year, remember? How was the practice?" he asked.

"Tiring, Cho's been quite the taskmaster on us. Seems to want to make up for that miss last season," said Padma wearily.

"Oh, Cho's the captain?" asked Harry although he wasn't very surprised. Cho was, after all, a very good seeker.

"Yeah, she's quite a good leader, but I think she's trying to be abit of a perfectionist," said Padma. "I've gotta run, see you Harry," she said as she bade him goodbye to catch up with her team mates who were heading for the Ravenclaw showers.

Harry continued walking towards the pitch, only to see the girl that he had dated (for a short time) the previous year. Cho Chang was still the very pretty girl that Harry had first laid eyes on during his third year, when they had been opponents on the quidditch pitch. Surprising though, Harry's stomach was no longer feeling the same way it did whenever he set eyes on her the previous year. 

"Hello Cho," said Harry as he stood next to her. She seemed to be busy putting away drawings and what had seemed like strategies into her bag.

"Oh hi Harry," she said a little flushed. "I err….didn't see you. Having a team practice?" she asked. Harry could see that she was apparently trying to busy herself with her packing.

"Something like that," he said. "I've really missed this place," he said looking at the quidditch pitch longingly.

Cho looked up at Harry and for the first time their eyes met. "I forgot how much you must have missed quidditch since last year," she said to him.

"Err… Harry is it okay if I talked to you about something?" she asked in low voice.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Well…..." she said. "You know after last year, I was thinking………well……..do you still want to go out sometime?"

Harry was taken slightly aback by this. After all, he was the one who was mustering all his courage to ask Cho Chang out the previous year, and here she was, asking him out.

"I thought you were seeing Michael Corner," he said to her, remembering the conversation he had heard between Ron and Ginny in the train last year, about Ginny leaving Michael Corner and him going off with Cho.

"Well, we're not really seeing each other anymore," she said. "I was thinking if….well….we could try and work things out. Things didn't go all that well for us last year did it?" she asked.

"No…I can't say it did," said Harry. He wasn't too sure if he still wanted to go out with Cho. Sure, he thought she was really pretty and had got along quite well with her during the short time that they had gone out, but it seemed so far away now.

"I don't know Cho, I'm not sure if it would really work out between us," he had said this a little more confidently than he thought he would. Truth be told, he wasn't too sure if he was totally over Cho as he looked at her.

"Oh…," she said sounding a little disappointed. "Is there someone else?" she asked.

"Not at the moment Cho. It's just……….well, I'm not too sure if I want to start something with anyone just yet," he said to her. "Look, I know that we've had some differences in the past, and that we've misunderstood each other. It may not have worked out between us but I really hope that we can still be friends," he added slightly hastily.

"Just friends?" asked Cho.

"Just friends."

Cho still looked a little disappointed at that, but she managed to smile and say, "I can live with that. You're right though, I'm not too sure if it would really work out between us even if we tried."

Harry smiled. "No hard feelings?" he asked.

Cho shook her head and gave him a slight hug which caught him slightly by surprise. "Oops, sorry," she said quickly letting go of him.

"It's okay," said Harry slightly flustered.

"Well I'd better be going then, don't want to be seen talking with the captain of an opposing team," she said as she picked up her bags. "I'll be seeing you around then," she said to him as she turned to leave.

"Yeah, sure thing," said Harry as he waved goodbye.

"Where did I learn to talk to girls like that?" he asked himself. "Must have actually learnt something from Hermione last year," he thought as he looked at the evening skies, the evening breeze seemingly breathing on his face. He closed his eyes and let the moment pass him by, and then swung his leg over his old faithful, and kicked off the ground.

This was what he had been missing for almost a whole year. This was the feeling that he had longed for every waking moment when he thought about Hogwarts. He was zooming across the pitch, circling the grounds at breakneck speed, the wind ruffling his messy hair, flowing through his robes as they flapped behind him. He felt like a bird, a very fast bird, zooming through the air, free from the constraints of the world, as the colours of the grounds and the sky became a complete blur to him. He had forgotten how much he loved to fly.

"Oi Harry," shouted Ron as he came to a halt. Grinning sheepishly, he turned his firebolt back towards the ground and landed in front of his smiling red haired friend.

"Couldn't wait to get up there eh?" asked Ron.

"I've missed it," said Harry.

"Yeah well, thought you would be doing something like this before we got here," said Ron. "There's Ginny," he motioned to his sister approaching the pitch.

"Hi guys. I saw Katie right behind me. I think she had to pass something to Professor McGonogall. Kirke and Sloper are on their way too. I saw them just before I left the common room," she said.

True enough; the remaining members of the team were approaching the quidditch pitch just as Ginny finished saying that. Harry beckoned for them to have a seat on the grass before he started his 'speech'.

"Well then, since we're all here. This is just a short meeting to explain that we will be looking for two new chasers for our team," he said to them. "Katie will be helping me make the decision for the chasers. I'm sorry Ginny that I can't automatically put you as the chaser although you were on the team last year," he said apologetically, looking at Ginny.

"It's alright Harry I understand," said Ginny reassuringly.

"Another thing, I must emphasize that we will have to train extra hard for this coming season. We may be the defending champions but I dare say that the team was a little lucky last year," said Harry.

"Ahem, there was skill involved Harry," argued Ron.

Harry grinned. "No doubt about that Ron, but still, we all agree that the team could become reasonably better," he said as he was answered with nods (especially from Katie, Ron and Ginny). "I'm not expecting the both of you," he said motioning to Kirke and Sloper, "To become as good as Fred and George. With some training though, I'm sure that the both of you could become fairly good beaters," he said to them although he wasn't sure if he meant that. He had seen the both of them play the previous year and needless to say, they had a really long way to go before they could even shadow the twin's abilities.

"Anyway, I needed some suggestions on how we should select the chasers. Seeing as how I wasn't present when you guys had to select new beaters and a seeker last season," he said to them.

"Harry," said Katie Bell, "I was thinking of something like a test match, depending on the number of people that turn up. I think I can manage playing keeper for a few matches," she suggested.

"Excellent. Does anyone have any other suggestions?" they all shook their heads. "Great then, it's settled. We'll have a test match tomorrow, three chasers and a keeper on each side?" he asked Katie as she nodded in response. "What about these two?" he asked, looking at Kike and Sloper.

"Err, Harry," went Andrew Kirke, "I think Jack and I will just hit the bludgers in the directions of all the chasers during the match. If that's fine with you," he suggested.

"Great. I think that'll work. It'll be good practice for the both of you…….that is if you're feeling up to it?" he asked as he was answered with another nodded response.

"So that settles it. The quidditch pitch tomorrow, 10 a.m. sharp. You'd better be up Ron," said Harry nudging his best friend.

"Oh come off it, I'll be awake," said Ron indignantly.

"Oh and Ginny," said Harry, "make sure I'm awake as well," he added sheepishly as the team laughed at their captain.

"Will that be all oh, captain my captain?" asked Ginny cheekily.

"Yeah I think we should make it back to the great hall for dinner. That'll be all," said Harry as he dismissed the team.

"Harry, do you think I'll be okay tomorrow?" asked Ginny as they returned to the Gryffindor common room after dinner that night. "I'm feeling a little nervous about having to play chaser tomorrow," she said a little anxiously.

"Don't worry 'bout it Ginny, you'll do great," he told her reassuringly. "I've seen you fly and I think you're a great flyer."

"Thanks Harry. I think I'd better turn in early for the night. Don't want to be late for the tryout," she said as she bade him goodnight.

"Good night Ginny," he said. "Oh and Ginny," he called to her as she turned around. He had wanted to wish her luck, but he was set back by the sudden amazement at how different she looked compared to her younger years. She really was very attractive with her flaming red hair illuminated softly in the flickering lights of the flame-lit room, her soft features complemented by the attractive figure that had filled out during the summer. Harry seemed to be caught in a slight daze.

"Yes Harry?"

"Err…….good luck tomorrow," he said coming out of the slight daze that he was in, and he couldn't help but realise that his face was heating up a little when he said that. Why was that happening? He wondered.

"Thanks Harry. Good night," she said to him with a smile as he watched her disappear into the girl's dormitory, still trying very hard not to blush.

"Yeah I think I'll be going off too mate," said Ron indifferent to his best friend's discomfort. "Night Harry," he said as he walked up to the boy's dormitory.

Harry sat down on one of the couches in front of the fire as Hermione plopped down beside him. "Do I sense a little discomfort when it comes to talking to a certain Weasley?" she asked him with a mischievous grin.

"What are you talking about Hermione?" asked Harry trying to sound surprised. In truth, he was very surprised that Hermione noticed that he had been trying not to blush when he bade Ginny goodnight.

"Well then, are you trying to say that you haven't noticed our little Ginny grow up all this while?" asked Hermione in a sort of giggly tone.

Harry hadn't really thought about that. It's true that he had been shocked by Ginny's appearance when he first saw her during the summer at Grimmauld Place. But he had always thought of Ginny as Ron's little sister, the youngest Weasley, the little girl who had to try hard not to blush when he was in the same room as her. Or did he?

"Err….," was all that Harry managed to say.

Hermione giggled. "It's okay Harry, I won't tell Ron," she said to him.

"But Hermione I'm not……" he couldn't finish his sentence though. He wasn't interested in Ginny Weasley. Was he? He really didn't know. One thing he did know though, he was starting to feel different whenever Ginny was in the same room as he was. It wasn't something he felt he could explain, just that he felt light-hearted whenever he heard her giggle, and he didn't seem to lose his temper that much anymore, especially when Ginny was around.

"Still not too sure about it Harry?" asked Hermione. She had stopped giggling and had asked him rather seriously, she was still wearing a grin on her face.

"Well, I'm really not sure about it Hermione. I mean, there's still so much I don't know about her," he said, which was true. He still didn't truly know Ginny even though they had known each other for so many years, they never really got a chance to sit down and get to know each other, with all the things that were going on. "And then there's Cho," he added.

"What about Cho?" asked Hermione. "Do you still have feelings for her?" she asked curiously.

"Err…..not really. At least I don't think I do," said Harry. "I did run into her though, just now at the quidditch pitch. She asked me if I still wanted to go out sometime. She's not with Michael Corner anymore."

"And do you want to go out with her?" asked Hermione.

"Well…….. I told her that all I wanted to be was friends. That I thought it wouldn't work out between us. Do you think I hurt her feelings or something?" asked Harry.

"Oh……..was she upset when you told her that?" she asked.

"She seemed a little at first. But she smiled later and gave me a hug," he said.

"Well, I don't think you upset her too much. Maybe she was a little disappointed that things weren't going to work out between you, but she should be fine," said Hermione dismissively. "Does this mean that you're no longer interested in Cho?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think of her as much though these days. I don't even see her in the same way as I did last year," said Harry.

"Well, you probably need some time to sort out your feelings Harry," said Hermione. "If you want to get to know Ginny though, it would help if you asked her out. Even if it's just as friends," she added.

Harry wasn't too sure how to respond to this. He simply stared at the fireplace and wondered, was the reason why he didn't feel as strongly for Cho as he did the last year have anything to do with Ginny? Was he just feeling that way because he had seen her during the summer? Or was it just because she had become a seemingly different person over the past 2 years? One thing though, he was glad that he was able to talk to Hermione about all this.

"I'll see how it goes Hermione. Who knows? I might just ask Ginny Weasley out on a date in the near future," he said with a slight grin. "Thanks Hermione. I've really got to start coming to you for girl advice," he said.

"No problem Harry," said Hermione with a smile. "It's good to see that you've developed some kind of understanding towards girls," she grinned. "Not like some people I know."

It was getting late, and Hermione mentioned that they should be getting to bed. Harry bade her goodnight and retired into his own room. Before he went to sleep though, the image of a red-headed girl with short hair appeared in his head. Smiling to himself, he made it a point that he should get to know Ginny Weasley a little better in the near future.

"I just hope I don't start blushing every time she's in the same room. Now that would be really funny," he thought as he closed his eyes and his mind drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Author's Note: I did mention that I don't intend for Harry and Ginny to go into a full-fledged romance just yet. I know some of you might be disappointed as to how slow this is taking (especially when it comes to Ginny and Harry) but I have to say I still haven't worked out how the sparks would really fly between them. After all, J.K. Rowling didn't give me much reference for writing the romance part of the book. It will all (most of) have to be made up thinking from the perspective of a 16 year old I guess. Sorry Loony Lovegood's still not in the story. She'll be there soon.