Chapter 3: Party Time Quidditch

Hermione looked around and smiled. Everyone was having a great time. Fred, George, and Angelina (who was now going steady with George) were talking and laughing with Ginny. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talked with Lupin, Charlie, and Bill in hushed tones about business about the Order. Out of everyone there, Harry looked the happiest. He smiled widely as he talked to Neville, Dean, Ron and Seamus about what they had done so far over the holidays.

As Hermione sat there looking around at all the joy in the yard, she realized it was almost like there was no war going on. Everything seemed like it always had before Voldemort had returned. There was good food, good friends, and most importantly a good time shared by all.

Hermione contentedly sighed as the sun beat down on her face. Suddenly Charlie stood up and spoke.

"Well I see we've got brooms sitting around. Why don't we use them? Anyone up for a game of quidditch?" he asked with a smile. All the boys looked over at him and grinned slyly. It was really a stupid question to ask the group that sat there.

"You got it Charlie. Pick your team." Harry challenged grabbing his Firebolt.

"Hmmm, let me see..." he began fingering his chin in thought. "I'll take Bill, Fred and George. And seeing as Angelina is here with George I'll take her as well. We'll have to play on a few players short but it'll work out fine. And your team Harry?"

"I've got Ginny, Ron, Dean, and Seamus." He knew Hermione didn't like to fly and everyone knew that Neville wasn't very good at it. "You don't mind do you Neville?"

Neville shook his head. " Of course not. You know I can't fly worth a broomstick. But I'll watch with Hermione." He replied with a smile. He didn't mind that he couldn't play, but he really enjoyed watching it. But then who in all of the wizarding world didn't love to watch quidditch?

"Great. Then it's settled. Lets grab our brooms and get at it. Bill and I will get the balls." Charlie said. He and Bill left the table and headed for the shed where the balls were kept. All of the other players and spectators headed for the empty field out past the house. The adults turned there conversation back to matters of the Orders.

But before they got too far, Mrs. Weasley shouted at them. "Don't fly too high and keep an eye out." She said in that mother voice that only mother's receive from their many years of being a mother.

"We will," The twins, Ron, and Ginny shouted back over their shoulders in unison.

Hermione sat with Neville and watched the game progress. Her eyes moved back and forth between the players but mostly stayed on Ron. He looked so good on a broom. She knew he was a natural like his brothers, he just needed practice. She believed he could be just as good as the twins, he just didn't believe in himself.

He never believed in himself. He didn't think he was good in school, or at quidditch or even when it came to talking. Sometimes it fed her up and she just wanted to smack him and tell him he was smart, and a good quidditch player. And she always enjoyed talking to him. Even their arguments were interesting. He was a very stubborn guy, with the determination that fit the color of his hair. But Ron never seemed to believe her when she actually told him.

Suddenly she was knocked back into the present. George had the quaffle and Ron was flying about the makeshift goals waiting to block it. George headed right and Ron followed him but suddenly George went left and threw the quaffle. Ron pushed his broom to the left and jumped to grab the quaffle. He managed to catch it and not completely fall off his broom. He was barely holding on to the broom but with one leg wrapped around it.

Hermione calmed as he righted himself on his broom and threw the quaffle to his sister. "That was a nice save." She said looking over at Neville who lay in the grass next to her. He nodded in agreement as he looked over at her.

"I almost thought he was going to fall off. I would never have been able to do that." Neville replied and they turned backing to the game.

The game continued and the score went back and forth between the teams. At some points it became crazy. The players would do flips, loops, and twirls trying to get the quaffle in to the goals, dodge the bludgers, block a shot, or race after the snitch. It was a close game, but finally it came to an end with Harry catching the snitch. The students had only won by twenty points. It was a good game well played by all.

At around 9 o'clock, Dean, Seamus, and Neville said their goodbyes and left by the Floo network.

"We'll see ya at school mate." Dean said before he stepped into the fireplace.

"Hope the rest of your holiday goes good mate," Seamus said shaking Harry's hand then following after Dean.

"Send me an owl when you guys go to Diagon Alley to get your supplies. Maybe I can convince Gran to let me go the same time and we can meet up." Neville said before he stepped into the flames.

"We will," Hermione said as she waved goodbye.

Ron sat down on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table. At that moment Fred, George, and Angelina came into the room.

"Ronnykins don't put your feet on the table." Fred said in a high pitched voice as he walked around the couch.

"Oh shove it," Ron replied.

"Well we must be off. We have products to test and ideas to make. Happy birthday Harry." George said grabbing a hand full of Floo powder from the jar on the mantle. He threw it into the flames and they turned green. "After you, Angelina," he said bowing slightly like a gentleman would do. Angelina smiled at him, gave him a slight shove then turned to Harry.

"Happy birthday and good luck this year. Send me an owl if Gryffindor gets the cup." She said and stepped into the fireplace. George followed behind her waving goodbye to everyone. Fred walked over to Harry and handed him two small pieces of wrapped candy.

"For those times when Snape becomes to much to handle. The orange one will make you continuously throw up until you eat the blue one. Once you've left class you're free to do as you please for the rest of the hour. Or two if the case may be." He said with a wink. "If you like the product and wish to purchase more, please contact Weasley's Wizard Wheezes located at number 93 Diagon Alley, London." He finished sounding like a voice from a radio commercial. With one last birthday wish, he disappeared into the flames.

Harry smiled as he put the brightly wrapped pieces into his pocket and sat down next to Ron. Ginny took a seat on the floor and crossed her legs leaning back on her hands. Hermione sat in the empty chair.

"Did you have a good birthday Harry?" She asked, pulling her hair back out of her face. Ron watched her as she did so. He could see her face better now and his heart sank a little. He knew that she was not doing it for him.

"Yeah, this has been my best birthday ever. Thanks guys!" he said smiling at each one in turn. He lingered for a moment on Ginny and then spoke again. "Thanks for the wonderful cake Ginny. It was really tasty." Ginny blushed at the compliment and stood up.

"I have a little something for you." she said reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small wrapped package.

"Ginny you didn't have to." he said looking up into her eyes.

"I know but I wanted to." she replied blushing even redder. From where Ron and Hermione were sitting they could tell that she still liked Harry. It was quite obvious that Ginny still did but Ron was oblivious to the fact that Harry might like her back. But Hermione noticed she had learned to tell when Harry was interested in a girl from his many years they had been best friends.

Harry opened the package to find a small figurine of a black dog. Ginny noticed that as he looked at it, sadness filled his eyes. But he looked up and put on a small smile.

"Thanks Ginny." He said sincerely as he put the figure on the coffee table in front of him. They both knew that it was suppose to remind him of Sirius and that's exactly what it did. Suddenly Harry didn't feel like being around his friends anymore and made an excuse to leave.

"I think I'll just go up to bed." he said faking a yawn as he stood up and grabbed the figure of the dog. "Thanks again for the party." And with that he headed off up the stairs.

"Why'd you have to go and do that?" Ron asked somewhat spiteful to Ginny. "He was having a good time and now you just put him back in a funk. Nice going." He said crossing his arms.

Ginny looked as if she was almost ready to cry. "I didn't mean to make him sad. I just wanted to give him something meaningful. You know something that he'll have that he can be reminded of Sirius." Ginny said tearfully before she ran off up the stairs.

Hermione scowled. "How could you be so insensitive? She was trying to be nice you twit." she said in a slightly haughty tone.

"Sorry. I was just pointing it out. I didn't mean to make her cry." Ron said with sincerity in his voice.

"I know. You can just be that way sometimes. She was just showing him that she cared." Hermione replied matter-o-factly. She looked over at the abandoned chessboard. "Wanna play a game of chess before bed?"

Ron looked over eyeing her. She never played chess. She always had something better to do like read a book. "Sure. If you really want to." he replied.

And so they played and in the end, Hermione ended up winning.

"Nice game. I didn't know you could play that well." Ron said as they walked up the stairs together.

"Well you haven't really seen me play now have you?" Hermione replied glancing over at him.

"Well you never want to play."

"It's not that I don't want to play, it's just that you assume I don't want to play." she rebutted as they neared the landing where Ron's room was.

"Okay fine. Next time I'll remember to ask you to play." Ron replied, somewhat surrendering. Usually he didn't give up easily but tonight it felt right. After all chess wasn't really that big a deal.

"Good." Hermione said as the door to Ron's room opened. They both expected to see Harry come out but instead they saw Ginny exit and rush off up the stairs to her room.

"Hmm. I wonder what that was about." Ron said suspiciously. He didn't know if he liked the idea of his little sister and best friend being alone together in his room. Especially with the door closed.

"I don't know." Hermione said looking over at him. She could tell he was slightly discomforted about this. "But I'm sure it was nothing. Perhaps she was just apologizing for bringing back memories of Sirius with the dog statue."

"Yeah I guess that could be it." Ron said not really believing a word that came out of his or Hermione's mouth.

"Well I'm off to bed. I'll see you in the morning." Hermione said before continuing up the stairs to the room she shared with Ginny.

"Good night." Ron said forgetting about Ginny and Harry for a moment. "And sweet dreams," he added turning a little pink.

Hermione turned around and smile at him. "You too." she said, her eyes twinkling slightly. Then she continued up the stairs and Ron opened the door to his room.