Two Can Play At That Game

By: ProngsLivesOn125

Disclaimer: If you really think that I own Harry Potter, you need to schedule an appointment at St. Mungo's. I don't own Harry Potter!

Summary: Post Hogwarts. He's and international quidditch star. She's a Reporter for the Prophet. Can two old friends find love in the midst of a lousy quidditch game? RE-WRITE!

Authors Note: I am terrible sorry that I have not updated for the longest time. School has been so busy and I just haven't had time. Updates won't be regular, however chapters, like this one, will be fairly longer.

Warning: chapter contains brief language.

Chapter 15: Christmas, then Conflict

Christmas approached quickly and soon Ginny and Harry were off to what was sure to be a very loud and interesting Christmas with the Weasleys. When they arrived, Mrs. Weasley was in a right state.

"You're LATE!" Mrs. Weasly said when they arrived.

"Oh, mum, only by five minutes," Ginny said.

"Seven," Mrs. Weasly said and turned around to put the finishing touches on one of her dishes. Seeing as they weren't needed, Ginny took Harry's hand, and went to go see where her other siblings were.

"Hi, Harry, Ginny" Hermione called across the crowded room. Ron was standing with her and they engaged in conversation quite quickly.

"Hey, you two want butterbeers?" Harry asked.

"Oh thanks, Harry." Hermione said.

"Me too, thanks," Ginny said, smiling shyly. Ron and Harry went to go get the drinks inside the kitchen. Ron grabbed two and then started heading back for the girls when he noticed that Harry hadn't picked up a butterbeer and wasn't moving.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked. Harry didn't answer. "Harry?" Ron tried and finally Harry spoke.

"Well, see, I, um, uh, got this, um, this thing for Ginny for Christmas, and, uh, I'm uh, not sure that she'll, uh, like it, I guess" Harry said. He had now stopped pacing and gently pinched his pocket.

In the other room, Ginny and Fred were talking about something that would soon become un-important. For just then, something black and sleek shot through the air like a bullet. It swirled around Ginny's head and kept pecking her in the head.

"Hey! What in the name of Merlin?" She said irritated at this foreign object flying around her head. With her quick reaction skills, Ginny managed to grab the object. It was a Prophet Owl.

"On Christmas?" she wondered aloud. The whole thing was causing quite a scene, so Ginny excused herself and headed to the backyard of the burrow. She untied the parchment and read it to herself. Slowly tears began to form in her eyes. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Why did every time something was going good for her, something else would always come up to ruin it?

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen with Ron, Harry had at last revealed what was troubling him. He slowly produced a little black box and opened it. Ron's eyes became the size of quaffles when he saw what was inside.

"Harry! You must be mental. Are you going to propose to Ginny?" Ron inquired.

"Yeah, um, I was planning to uh, ask her, uh, actually tonight." Harry said.

"Are you serious? Let me see that ring again." Ron said looking at the ring and putting the butterbeers down. "That rock is so damn big! Ginny'll love it, only, don't let Hermione see it, she'll get all worked up."

"Why?"

"It was because of the ring that I gave . . . . BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER! My sister is going to be the Mrs. Potter!" Ron said, doing a weird sort of happy dance. Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"So, when are you gonna ask her. Mum'll be of her rocker!" Ron added happily.

"Um, well, I, uh," Harry said, stuttering for words.

"Don't be nervous," Ron coached him, "Do something nice, like ask to talk to her outside, or in a corner, or somewhere that you don't have five older brothers breathing down your neck and just ask her. It'll be a piece of cauldron cake."

"Says the man who's already done it" Harry said getting nervous again.

Ginny re-entered the Burrow. Everyone was filled with Christmas cheer, and this only made Ginny cry harder. She ran up to her old room and sat on the bed that she used to sleep in when she was younger. She continued to cry and mascara and makeup began to drip down her face. No one had noticed that Ginny had sneaked back into the house except for Hermione and she headed up to Ginny's room to see could be troubling a person on Christmas.

Back inside the Weasley kitchen, Ron was giving Harry a sort of pep-talk. Harry didn't listen to half of this though. His mind was too clouded with images of Ginny saying 'no' and that she never wanted to see him again. Then he saw his empty apartment once again, like how it had been with out Ginny. Then, Ron's words broke though his thoughts, "and what ever you, mate, don't think about her rejecting you."

"Thanks coach, I'll try to remember that." Harry said sarcastically and grabbed two butterbeers. Ron picked up the two he had had in his hands and the two proceeded to head back to the party.

Hermione reached Ginny's room and heard silent sobbing coming through the door. "Ginny?" she asked gently. The door opened up by its self and Hermione walked through the door. She thought she would see a tear stained faced Ginny lying on her bead crying, but in fact Ginny was looking in the mirror and was fixing her shoes.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked completely perplexed by what she had just heard and now seen.

"Sure," Ginny said in an almost too happy voice, "Ready to go back to the party?"

"Uh" Hermione said but she was whisked away by Ginny grabbing her arm and tugging her down the stairs.

Harry and Ron walked out of the kitchen doors and looked around for their partners. They saw the two standing at the bottom of the stairs. Neither Harry nor Ron knew anything about Ginny's letter of about her crying, and Hermione just didn't know what to think. The two men walked over and handed the girls their drinks.

"Thanks," Ginny said clicking her drink with Harry's as did Hermione with Ron's.

"So," Ron said trying to seem as if everything was normal and his best friend wasn't about to propose to his baby sister. "What happened while we were gone?"

"Well—" Hermione started but Ginny cut her off with "Oh, you know, just talking to people, isn't that right Hermione?"

"Um," Hermione started, "yes, that's right, just talking."

"Ok" Harry said, his voice squeaking.

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked noticing the way he said 'ok'

"Yes, just fine," Harry lied. "Um, Ginny will you come over here with me?"

"Alright" Ginny said and let Harry lead her over to the center of the room. "Harry what are we doing?" Ginny questioned, afraid Harry might want them to dance together or something like that.

"Just wait." Harry said, grabbing her drink and his and setting them down on the end table. He took her hand and got down on one knee.

"Ginerva Weasley, I've know you all my life. I can't imagine a day where we aren't together. You're my best friend, and I don't want to spend a day without you. Will you marry me?" Harry finished and waited. Maybe she wouldn't say no. Maybe he was being stupid. Harry stayed still, down on one knee and waited for the happy cries of 'Yes' and then the long kiss, and everyone would be cheering around them. But none of this came; instead, Harry heard a very angry Ginny Weasley speak, "How dare you Harry Potter? How could you do this to me?" Ginny exploded at him. Suddenly Harry felt a sharp pain shoot through his face. She slapped him. And with that she stormed out of the burrow and started walking towards the front yard. Everyone stared at Harry in shock. Harry himself, in fact, was in shock. Then someone yelled,

"Well don't just stand their lad, go after her!"

Harry's sense kicked and he raced from the ground and chased after the woman he loved.

"Ginny! Ginny!" Harry called, but she wasn't there. "Shit" he said and apparated to his flat where he'd thought she'd be first. No one was there. There was no evidence that someone had been back at the house since the then happy couple had left earlier that evening. Harry checked everywhere else he thought she'd be. It would be 12 midnight by the time Harry got back to his flat. He hadn't found a trace of her anywhere. Harry decided to go back to the burrow to talk to Ron, who was staying there for Christmas. He apparated into the kitchen and found a very worried Mrs. Weasley sat shakily drinking a cup of tea. She looked up at him.

"Mrs. Weasley, I'm sorry, I should have . ." Harry started but was interrupted with.

"Oh Harry." Mrs. Weasley said standing up and giving him one of those motherly hugs. "You can't blame yourself. Ginny's got one of the Weasley tempers. Something was odd with her tonight. She'll turn up soon enough."

Harry wanted to believe her, he really did, but something in the way she looked at him made him quite doubtful.

"Harry, its Christmas, why don't you spend the night here with the rest of us?" Mrs. Weasley offered kindly.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Harry said. "I've got to go find her." He apparated to his flat and sat down on his couch. He needed to think. Then, there was a noise coming from the window sill behind the Christmas tree. Harry walked over and saw her. It was Ginny.

"Ginny?" Harry asked. She turned around and only started crying more. "What's wrong baby?" He said trying to hug her but she pushed

him away.

"Harry just leave me alone, alright?" she demanded and started to walk away.

"No," Harry said, catching her by the wrist, "I won't until you tell me what the hell went on back there."

"I have to leave. I have to leave tomorrow. I've been transferred to Spain, alright? I can't stay here anymore." She said taking her hand away from Harry's.

"Why can't you? Quit your pain in the ass job, and we'll get married and-----" Harry started

"No, Harry you don't get it! Damn you Harry, for giving the interview!" Ginny said.

"What?" Harry said in complete disbelief. "What the hell does the interview have to do with anything?" Harry didn't get a reply, but instead got a piece of parchment shoved in his face. He looked at the thing that had caused a perfect Christmas to go up in smoke.

Dear Ms. Ginerva Weasley,

Congratulations! You have been selected by Quidditch Weekly to be the editor of a new wizarding sports magazine! You're wonders with Harry Potter and other quidditch stars and teams is tremendous. You have been transferred to their office in Barcelona Spain and will be starting your new job in a week. Once again, Congratulations!

Bests,

Sergio Gonzales Somora

Quidditch Weekly

Barcelona, Spain