Chapter 8 – Recharge

Harry walked into the sitting room where Ginny was waiting for him. She smiled as he walked across the room with a glass and two bottles of butterbeer. Ginny asked, "Is he asleep?"

Harry scoffed, "Oh yeah. Fell asleep mid-sentence. One second he was talking about scoring a goal and the next second he was snoring."

Ginny chuckled, "Did you let Andromeda know he's spending the night?"

Harry nodded as he sat down on the couch next to Ginny, "I sent her an owl from Diagon Alley letting her know we were keeping him for a couple of days. Her response was waiting for us when we got home."

Ginny poured her butterbeer into the glass, "Well, what did she say?"

Harry popped the top of his bottle and took a long pull from it, "Teddy needs to be back by Sunday evening for Sunday dinner with the family."

Harry leaned back against the couch and let out a sigh of contentment. Ginny took a sip from her glass and placed it on the coffee table. She leaned up against Harry and placed her head on his chest. Harry slipped his free arm around his wife as he gently kissed her head, "I almost forgot. I got an owl from Professor McGonagall today. She asked me to give a lecture on becoming an auror to a group of students."

Ginny replied, "That's wonderful! When's your lecture?"

Harry smiled, "Next Thursday. I already cleared it with Robards."

He took another pull from his bottle as Ginny sat up and picked up her glass and sipped her drink, "So you heard I took the last loss pretty hard huh?"

Harry replied, "Well, both Allan and Gwen mentioned that you really laid into the team this morning and that got me thinking."

Ginny asked as she raised her eyebrows, "About?"

Harry thought for a moment as he took another pull from his bottle, "I did notice after the last match you were a bit moodier than normal and you brooded over the loss more than you usually do."

Ginny drank from her glass, "You're right. I did take the loss pretty hard."

Harry polished off his drink and set the bottle on the end table, "Is there anything you want to talk about? When I asked you earlier, you said not here."

Ginny dragged her hand through her hair, "I just took the loss personally. I made a few dumb mistakes." She leaned her head on Harry's shoulder, "Like when I made the pass to Ava and it ended up going wide and the Falcons got the quaffle and scored or when I was trying to get open and ended up colliding with Dara, taking her out of the rest of the match by the way, because I wasn't paying attention. There were other things too. I don't think I've ever played that poorly, not even when I was a rookie. I was so mad at myself. Just thinking about it makes me angry all over again."

Harry kissed her head, "It happens. We all have bad days."

Ginny sighed, "I know but it doesn't change the fact that I took my frustration out on the team afterward or that I was just simply horrid." Ginny finished her butterbeer and placed the empty glass on the coffee table. "I mean I was really horrid. After Gwen got done ripping into us, I really laced into the girls. I didn't hold back either. I really lit them up."

Harry waited for her to continue.

Ginny looked down at her hands, "I even said some things that would have made Ron blush."

Harry chuckled lightly, "Really?"

Ginny lightly hit Harry on the arm, "It's not funny!"

Harry nodded, "You're right. I'm sorry. It's just the thought of you swearing so bad that it would make Ron blush, well to me, that's funny."

Ginny smiled and kissed him, "I guess you're right. Anyway, I'm really glad you brought Teddy by today. I love playing with him and I know he loves seeing the girls."

Harry stood up and held up his empty bottle, "Another?" Ginny nodded. Harry left the room to get another round of butterbeers.

Ginny sat up. She felt terrible about things. Ginny had never let a loss bother her so bad before. She couldn't remember the last time she took a loss this personally, not even when she played for Gryffindor at Hogwarts.

Harry walked back into the room and poured Ginny's butterbeer into her glass. He looked at Ginny. He couldn't remember her ever looking so low before. She must have really felt terrible about how she acted. He leaned over to her and kissed her, "Don't worry so much. It's over and done. Did you at least apologize?"

Ginny nodded, "When you took Teddy to the loo, I apologized to the team."

Harry asked, "How did they take it?"

Ginny leaned her head back on Harry's shoulder, "Pretty good for the most part. Abagail called me a bitch, which I deserved."

Harry leaned over and kissed Ginny, "Why don't you take a hot bath and relax. Ok?"

A small smile came across Ginny's face, "That sounds like a good idea."

Ginny got a change of clothes on the way to the bathroom to draw her bath. As she drew her bath, Ginny waved her wand and bubbles materialized in the water. Talking to Harry about the loss and the mistakes she made helped her mood but she still felt terrible. Knowing that Harry would listen and still love and support her was a major point to Ginny. She knew Harry's opinion of her wouldn't sway just because of a mistake. Playing with Teddy also helped her and helped raise the entire team's morale. Ginny got undressed and pinned her hair up. She looked at herself in the mirror. All she could do was shake her head. 'Sometimes I can really be a bitch' she thought to herself. 'Harry was right, we all have bad days but why do I have to be so dam competitive?' was her next thought.

Once the tub was full, Ginny slipped into the warm, bubble laced, water and instantly relaxed. She leaned back and thought to herself, 'This feels so good. This is what I really needed.' As the hot water relaxed her body, Ginny leaned back further and rested her head on the side of the tub. As she let the bubbles and water do their work, Ginny closed her eyes and cleared her mind. After about thirty minutes, Ginny heard a soft knock on the door.

Ginny opened one eye, "Come in Love."

Harry walked in the bathroom with a smile, "Feeling better?"

Ginny smiled back, "Yes I am."

Harry walked over and sat on the floor next to the tub, "Good."

Ginny leaned over and kissed Harry, "Thank you."

Harry smiled, "You're welcome." Harry kissed Ginny back, "I wouldn't worry too much about the last match. I know that your profession is based on results, but cut yourself some slack. Everybody has a bad day. You're one of the best quidditch players in the game today. You've made team MVP three times, and Gwen says you should get the award again this year. You've made the all-star team every year since your rookie season. Let's not forget how many times you've lifted the Championship Cup either. You are a talented quidditch player and an amazing wife. Do you know what the best thing about you is?"

Ginny was grinning from ear to ear listening to Harry praise her. Her heart was getting larger with each word he said, but for the life of her, she couldn't think of anything else. Ginny just shook her head, "No. What?"

Harry's smile got wider, "Teddy adores you and worships you and the girls. You are that little boy's all-time favorite quidditch player and probably always will be. He's always excited when I tell him we're going to see you. You saw him at the pitch today. He got so excited, he hopped the wall and sprinted straight for you, just you. Nobody else mattered to him."

Ginny smiled again, "I really do love that little boy. Bringing him today was the best thing you could have done. Not just for me but the entire team. He really raised morale for us. Teddy reminded us why we play the game."

Harry stood up, "I bet he did, but it's not just Teddy. It's all the fans. Everybody loves you. You take the time to talk to them, you pose for photos with them, and you sign autographs for them all with a smile. You're one of the most popular and most loved players today. You never leave until you've talked to everyone. I've watched it happen. The fans, they all line up to see you. I see it every time I make it to a match. The crowds that gather around you are larger than any other player's. Those fans you meet after the match and talk with and take a photo with and sign an autograph for aren't going to remember the bad pass or whatever else you may have done wrong, they're going to remember the time you took to meet with them. That's what they'll take away from it all."

Ginny stood up and got out of the tub while Harry turned around. She grabbed her towel, "You're right. I do enjoy meeting with the fans, especially the kids. It's so much fun. I talked to Gwen after I apologized to everybody. Since they all love Teddy so much, we're going to take a special team photo with Teddy." Ginny wrapped herself up in her towel, "She thought it was a great idea for the team's biggest fan."

Harry kissed and hugged Ginny, "He's going to love it!"

Ginny bit her bottom lip and looked at Harry through her eyelashes. She smiled ever so slightly, "Thank you."

Harry held Ginny close, "What for?"

Ginny kissed him gently, "For being you."

She then kissed her husband like it was the last time she was ever going to kiss him.

4