Hullo peoples!

Here's another thrilling addition to HP and the Closure of the Prophecy. I get the nasty feeling you all aren't liking it too much...Hmmm...Should I be worried? I believe so! But anyways, onto the replies! WEE FUN!

Spider-man281: Well, I suppose I can let out one ICKLE spoiler..No, he doesn't boss her around. Harry's too nice for that, plus, he feels sorry for her. Its his Gryffindor complex acting up again. I'll go ask him to get it checked out. And yes! I love getting chapters out fast, too!

Alex20: Yanno, I'm getting the feeling you don't like my story too much. Its not that I mind, you're titled to your opinion. I just get the inkling that you have issues with Harry playing the lapdog, even IF its only for a little bit. Its not like he's LIKING being the ass, he's just got better things to do than brood over Skye...Ever remember Harry going postal on Malfoy all those times in the past when he was being a pain? Exactly. Harry's got his priorities in check and he's just not going to allow Skye to take center stage in his list of concerns. Besides, Skye takes a MAJOR backseat in the next few chapters after this one, so, rest easy my friend.

Gohan00: Thanks! I plan to! Go shonen anime!!!

PinkPixieDust16: I'm glad you did! I can tell a loyal reader when I see one. ::grins and gives Pink a cookie::

Win Some, Lose Some

"SO...Heard you were covered in bruises and could hardly move , had to see for myself of course."

Harry rose his eyes from 'The Auror Light: How to Spotlight a Dark Wizard ' and rested his gaze on a smug smile. With a sigh, he went back to his book," What do you want, Skye?"

"World domination?" She asked cutely as she sat down near Harry's side.

Harry gave a grunt and turned the page.

"Could you give it a rest with the learning thing? Its so not attractive," She complained, poking through a stack of texts and library books on the side table.

"Because being attractive in your terms is what I live for,' He answered dully, flicking his eyes back and forth as he devoured each paragraph.

Skye heaved her shoulders and gazed around the Hospital Wing. Some kid was throwing a temper tantrum while another two cots away was wriggling like a worm on a hook. She couldn't help a little giggle before looking back at the engrossed Gryffindor. She trailed her eyes over him, examining each bit. His wild hair that hung haphazardly past his ears, his brilliant green eyes that kept ignoring her in the most irritating way, his strong hands that still held cuts, bruises and what looked to be a clear outline of someone's teeth as he turned page after page. Her gaze wandered down to what lay hidden underneath the sheets and she felt an odd stirring in her gut, making her look sharply back up. To her horror, the obnoxious brunette had his eyes locked on her with an eyebrow raised in the most mocking way.

"What?!" She snapped a bit too rashly.

His other eyebrow arched now.

"WHAT!?" She screeched, thoroughly angered that she got caught in the middle of checking him out.

"Nothing. Are you done?" He inquired simply.

"Done? Done with what?" She asked hotly.

"Done bothering me so I can get back to reading," He replied curtly.

Skye let a low growl escape her throat. She never knew why, and she'd be damned if it ever got out, but this Harry Potter character seemed to ignite a fire in her every single time they interacted. It was as if she were hydrogen and Potter was a match. He didn't even have to speak to her, just SEEING him was enough to start a flaming...SOMETHING inside her, making her mind reel in abstract and inane ways. She hated it, thoroughly hated feeling so out of control of herself. And she despised him for doing it to her.

"Oh, please. Like you have better things to do. Loafing take up too much of your time?"

It was Harry's turn to growl as he whisked his eyes back to hers. She gave a satisfied smile and crossed her legs in triumph.

"Now, onto more pressing arrangements. I've never been one to go back on my word, so, in regards to our bet-"

"Just forget it."

Skye peered at him as if he had just insulted her," What?"

"Forget it. The last thing I need right now is some Slytherin following me around, making my life even more chaotic than it already is. Besides, it was a stupid bet to begin with." He answered, marking his page by folding the corner then closed the book and set it upon the others.

"I beg your pardon, but I NEVER back out of a bet, no matter HOW stupid it is," She put in angrily.

"I don't care, just drop it, alright? It wasn't as if the match would've counted anyways," Harry said, his shoulders slumping at the thought.

Skye had to smile," As a matter of fact, it did. Honestly, don't you listen to ANY of the gossip?"

Harry frowned a little in confusion," No...But what do you mean it counted?"

"Dumbledork and all the Heads of Houses decided that they'd give GryffinDUH the game, since Gurtrude went batty and nearly killed you and all...Such a shame she didn't though."

Harry gave her a sarcastic look and folded his arms," So, we actually won.That's good news."

"I suppose. Lucky game is all," She replied, somehow wanting to spark an indignation in Potter's deep emerald eyes, liking how the fire of his anger flickered behind all the green.

"Luck had NOTHING to do with it," He answered sharply." Gryffindor was just well trained and much more competent than Slytherin, even IF Malfoy's Captain...You just can't teach skills."

Skye beamed on the inside at the liveliness of the brunette's eyes," Is that supposed to IMPLY something?"

The haughty Slytherin felt her stomach flutter and her cheeks almost turn rosy at the smirk Potter gave her. She quickly disposed of such nonsense.

"Simply that your team lacks skill. With the exception of Malfoy, you're all a bunch of sacks of flour on pricey broomsticks," He replied with a smile of satisfaction.

She knew she should be offended, it was obvious, but the truth was she was finding it hard to get mad at him. Everything in her told her that she had to be mad, she HAD to be. It wouldn't do if she wasn't mad. They'd be angry. Very angry. They all would. She shouldn't be doing this. Shouldn't be... Skye tried to conjure up some rage, but it continuously fell flat at the look on his face. So cocky and proud. So genuine and sincere. So good and pure... So...so...

Harry quickly jerked back with a gasp, eyes widened in shock. His heart was beating madly right out of his throat as he shifted away from the girl at his bedside.

Skye narrowed her eyes, rage refilling her soul. With one foul swoop, she whacked all of Harry's books, parchments, quill and ink right onto the cobble floor before stampeding out.

Indignation. Fury. Blinding, white, fury. How dare he! How DARE he! Stupid little twit! She screamed to herself. Dirty spiteful RAT! I should've known! GOD I'm dumb!
" Filthy, worthless GIT!" She hissed as she stormed right out of the room and tore through several unsuspecting students, knocking them right onto their bums.

Harry blinked as the door banged against the wall from the force of Skye's shove. Looking down at his spilt things, he slowly recovered from the sudden experience. He scooted off the bed and knelt down to start gathering his supplies and piling them messily onto his table. He paused and ,with unsure fingers, pressed his fingertips against his lips, still moist from Skye's kiss.

//-------

"No no no. You have to go up, THEN down and THEN to the right. Now try again."

Ron sat down on the grass and took a swig of his butterbeer. After getting a hearty smack on the chest, he quickly pulled out a second from his uniform, handing it to Ginny.

The two redheads watched as Harry, now restricted to crutches since his bones hadn't totally solidified yet, was in the process of coaching Travis a new technique for dodging Bludgers, which the rest of them had got down the first time Harry explained it.

Somehow, the message had gotten lost on the way to Travis' brain. Very lost.

"NO no no! Agh, Travis. You're not even listening!" Harry said frustratingly, wobbling a bit on his crutches.

"Harry, sit down already! You're going to break something again!" Ginny called out to him.

"Yeah, mate, come have a sit," Ron added in, holding up his butterbeer.

"I can't. It was Travis who wanted me to teach you all new ways to dodge Bludgers, so he's GOING to learn these or I'll launch a Bludger at him myself," Harry stated, eyeing the brunette in an irritated sort of way.

Travis didn't seem to take to this idea. Not at all. In fact, he didn't take to any of it. None of it anymore. After what he had seen the Bludgers and a nutty Slytherin do to Harry Potter, a CAPTAIN and one of the best Quidditch players he'd seen since Viktor Krum, there was no way now that he'd go back out on that field.

"Harry, I...I can't do this.."

Harry looked back up at his hovering player with a frown," With practice, you will. Thats all you need, practice."

"N-no,Harry...No...I don't need practice. I don't need any of this..." Travis said with a waiver in his voice. "I'm already swamped with class work I'm behind on and I'm stressed out about our next game so I can never concentrate and...The truth is...I don't want to become a pancake, Harry. I'm not like you... I'm scared of dying."

Harry blinked.

"And also, my Mum wrote me and said she'd prefer I don't continue to play anymore, seeing as its so dangerous now," Travis continued, touching down on the ground and refusing to meet anyone's eye, particularly Harry's." So...I'm sorry...I quit."

Harry and the others watched in shock as Travis Burken walked away from them, broom dragging on the ground. Harry's heart plummeted, knowing his quitting was all his fault. He WAS reckless, dangerously so...but...Was he really not afraid of death?

"Oh, don't let it bum you out, Harry. We got a month until our next game, I'm sure we'll find a replacement by then. And a good one," Ron attempted, getting up from his spot on the grass and walked over to his disappointed friend.

"Yeah, someone who can actually PLAY Quidditch and not run from it like a baby," Andrew added on spitefully.

Harry looked to the ground, not knowing if he should feel comforted or not. Indeed, Travis was a second rate player, but he was HIS player. And it was Harry's job as Captain to make sure his players were the best they could be so they could go out on the pitch and give it their all proudly. But he had failed...miserably.

"I'm a horrid Captain, Ron," Harry muttered.

Ron slung an arm around his shoulders, careful not to bump into any sore muscles," Codswallop. You're the BEST bloody Captain a team could ask for. You're in love with the game AND your players, it all evens out. You care about us, Harry. And it shows. It makes us believe in ourselves. Even when we got ruddy players to pick from-"

"Oy!" Seamus shouted indignantly.

"Oh, shut up Seamus. You know you'd stink up to high heaven if it wasn't for Harry coaching you night and day," Ron called to the ruffled blonde.

Seamus' silence and visible flush made Ron grin, tugging a tiny smile at Harry's lips as well.

"See? So none of this 'I'm a horrid Captain, Ron. Pity me whilst I brood'. You're the blooming best in my book," Ron said a little softer, giving Harry a tender squeeze.

"And in mine," Ginny stated with a grin.

"And mine."

"Mine too."

"Mine as well."

Harry couldn't help the smile, blushing at his team's loyalty." Aw, guuuuuuys..."

The six Gryffindors burst into laughter, smoothing over a rather rough rivet in their aim for the Quidditch Cup. As his team mates made for the castle, Harry lingered, pondering over what Travis had bared to point out that even he, Harry, had dared to roll over in his mind. Was what he said true? Harry asked his thoughts.
"Am I fearless of Death?"

Hearing no answer except the tweet of nearby birds and the occasional grunt from Grawp deep within the Forbidden Forest, Harry headed after his team mates,not knowing that this small itch in his mind was nothing compared to what he was about to embark on in the days to come. A new adventure he'd yet imagined.. A new path he didn't even know was there.