Ginny's New Life
Chapter Eleven
Dealing With Quidditch
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"What were you two doing? What took you so long?" Hermione asked sternly as she eyed Ginny suspiciously.
Harry and Ginny had just walked back out of the castle, hand in hand and found Hermione and Ron waiting for them. The rest of the family had already left, and so had it seemed the rest of the school. Harry and Ginny both appeared very flush but extremely happy. Hermione and Ron continued to looked at them oddly as they started walking towards the front gate.
"We were just checking on Ginny's luggage." Harry said happily.
"Rubbish, you know our bags were sent for us hours ago." Hermione said to Ginny.
"I just wanted to double check." Ginny said as she tossed a smile to Harry.
Ron who was walking behind the rest of them stopped suddenly. "Bloody hell Harry, you have been together for a half an hour and you have already been off snogging. Can't you control yourselves?"
"What the…" Harry started.
"Your shirt is sticking out and Ginny's hair is a mess, I'm not dumb ya know." Ron said.
Harry blushed several shades of red but Ginny just laughed. "Oh no, we have been found out! Whatever shall we do?" Ginny said sarcastically. "Can we all just go home please, I'm ready to get out of this place."
"Yeah, were almost out off the grounds." Hermione said as she started walking again and Harry, Ginny and Ron followed.
Several minutes later they all arrived back at their apartment with loud resounding cracks as the apparated in. As expected all of Hermione and Ginny's belongings were sitting in the middle of the living room. As Hermione walked over to get her trunk one thing caught her eye, the apartment was…clean! It was so clean in fact it almost sparkled. The light shining in from the large window was gleaming off of the white counter tops in the kitchen causing them to shine brightly.
"What happened to this place?" Ginny asked as she noticed what Hermione was staring at.
"Nothing happened to it, what's wrong?" Ron asked.
"It's so…clean, who did you get to do it? Did mum come over and do it?" Ginny asked as she walked around and examined the place.
"No, we did it yesterday. We both took the whole day to clean." Harry said proudly. "Look's nice doesn't it?"
"Yeah, its beautiful but I never thought I'd see the day when Ron would clean something." Ginny laughed.
"Would you two just put your stuff up, we need to go celebrate your return and our new engaged couple!" Ron said as he put an arm around Harry then quickly removing it, apparently remembering why his shirt was un-tucked.
Hermione and Ginny eyed Harry and Ron suspiciously but agreed and pulled their trunks into their rooms. However the moment both of them entered what used to be their joined room they walked back out and smiled. It seemed that Harry and Ron took it upon themselves to go ahead and switch rooms and put the couples in their respected places. Ginny didn't flinch as she took her trunk and headed for the other room where she found the rest of her stuff neatly organized on one side of the room.
Harry followed her into the room and watched her as she tossed her trunk on the bed and opened it to unpack. Harry smiled at Ginny as she happily made herself comfortable in her new room. Harry continued to watch her as he said, "I'm so glad you're here."
Ginny smiled back and said, "Me too Harry."
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It took Hermione and Ginny very little time to get settled back in. That night they came home the four of them celebrated with the rest of the Weasley family at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley cooked up a wonderful meal and they sat around playing various wizarding games including a rather violent round of exploding snaps.
The next morning the four of them got up early and accompanied Harry to Quidditch practice. The first home game of the season was later in the day and Harry got them all tickets. They sat in the stands and watched Harry and the rest of the team practice for about an hour until they left the pitch for the locker rooms. When they left the competing team came out, the Kenmare Kestrels to practice.
Ron who was determined to not watch the Kestrels play turned to Ginny for his first chance to talk to her since she came home. "So Ginny how was Hogwarts?"
Ginny smiled and gave Hermione a small wink. "Honestly, I couldn't be more glad to be home. Women are malicious Ron, don't ever forget that."
"Why, what happened." Ron asked confused.
"Harry didn't tell you? Everyone hated me because of Harry, they thought Harry was too good for me." Ginny replied as she watched the pitch. "But I don't care what they think."
"Good for you Gin, you shouldn't care. You should know crazy Harry has been all year over you."
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.
"I mean besides Quidditch the only thing he has done is work on that house and talk to you. He would rush home from practice and go strait to your house. Then at exactly eight every night he would rush home to meet you on those mirrors. He hardly ever ate, he was constantly writing you letters and thinking of things to send you. I have never seen him like that. Personally I'm glad your back too just so Harry will stop freaking out." Ron said as he looked past Hermione to Ginny.
Ginny smiled sweetly at Ron and turned her attention back to the pitch where the Cannon's were coming back out onto the field to get ready for the game. Ginny hadn't even realized how full the stands were getting as starting time drew closer. Had Harry really been that funny all year? She couldn't possibly live with herself and let Harry continue this way. She had to talk to him about this. After all they had the rest of their lived together, now that Ginny was home they could spend a lot of time with each other.
Ginny watched Harry zooming around the field and waving happily to various people who where cheering his name from the stands. He shot Ginny a few glances as he flew over their section of the stands. As Ginny watched Ginny and all the people in the stands she couldn't help but feel small. So many people were cheering for Harry and holding up banners with his name on it, it felt odd to Ginny. Had Harry's fame gotten even bigger over the past year? It sure seemed that way, Ginny even noticed a group of young, attractive women just down the way who were wearing Harry T-shirts and waving at him excitedly. It was like going to a rock concert the way so many people were now chanting for him, and Harry seemed to be enjoying it judging by the way he was flaunting around the pitch and waving. Ginny couldn't help but feel that perhaps Harry had changed because the Harry she knew wouldn't have liked all the attention.
Before long Ginny's wondering thoughts were cut off by the start of the game. The announcers booming voice drowning out the noise of the crowd. Ginny only had her eyes on one person, Harry as he hovered gracefully looking for the snitch. Both teams made several goals, each resulting in loud cheers or catcalls from the opposite supporting crowds. On more than one occasion Ron shot out of his seat and yelled loudly when the cannons chasers scored. Hermione, who didn't really care about Quidditch at all was reading a book and would only look up at the game when some mention of Harry was heard. The announcer would point out the seekers from time to time as they would move and swerve around the pitch. The game seemed to be never-ending when two hours in Ginny realized the snitch hadn't been spotted, not once. Then as though Harry was reading her thoughts he took off flying towards his own goal hoops. Ginny could see it too, the golden snitch was flying around the keepers face as if it was some annoying insect. Harry almost collided with his keeper as he wrapped his hands around the snitch and won the game.
As the crowd was cheering and the Cannons took a victory lap around the pitch the announcer boomed loudly over the noise, "Cannons start their season on a bright note! Way to go! For all you dedicated fans out their get your travel cloaks ready because the Cannons go on the road for two months, their first stop next week in Spain up against the Spanish National Quidditch team! See you there!"
Ginny turned her head towards Hermione who seemed to be reading Ginny's mind. "What? He's going to be gone for two months?" Ginny said loudly to Hermione over the crowd.
"I guess so, that's what the announcer just said." Hermione replied as she shrugged her shoulders.
Almost an hour later the fans in the stands were almost gone except for a few stragglers waiting for autographs. Hermione and Ron had already left for home leaving Ginny sitting in the stands with her arms crossed and cheeks ablaze. Ginny watched as Harry left the locker rooms and came out onto the pitch with his broom and bag in toe. Several girls were on the field with posters and quills for Harry to sign. Ginny snarled as the girls flirted with Harry as he signed their things. Finny after about ten minuets Ginny couldn't watch it anymore and whistled loudly at Harry. Harry looked up and smiled at Ginny, signed one last autograph then hopped on his broom.
Harry landed with a soft thud beside Ginny then sat down. "Hey Gin, how did you like the game?"
"Not as much as those girls down there." Ginny replied nastily.
"What, oh Ginny its all part of the game. Ragmar told me that I should show off a little bit, it helps get the team more attention." Harry said.
"I don't care what your coach told you, don't you care what I think? And why didn't you tell me you were going away for two months?" Ginny said.
"I do care what you think Gin and if it bothers you I'll stop. And I won't be gone that much, I'll just apparate there and back." Harry said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.
"It does upset me Harry because I just spent the past ten months defending you and me over all these giggling, stupid girls, then I come home and its ten times worse! Those girls would have went home and done unspeakable things to you if you let them! They were drooling over you and…oh Harry." Ginny couldn't go on due to the large tears that were now spilling down her face.
Harry sighed and wiped away Ginny's tears. "Ginny, I'll quit if you want me to. I don't need the money or anything I just…" Harry started but was cut off.
"I couldn't ask you to quit something you love! I just don't think you need to let girls act like that. I don't see the other guys acting like you did today." Ginny said.
Harry didn't look at Ginny but instead he looked down at the girls that were still chatting happily on the field with some of the other players. He seemed to be deep thought about what he wanted to say, he wanted to make sure he said it right. "Look Ginny, I don't like any of this and you know that. I was asked to play it up a little, but I'll stop, I promise. But you have to understand that If I'm going to keep doing this that its going to keep happening, the only way to stop it is to quit."
"I don't want you to quit…I just want you to be all mine and nobody else's. Its just strange to think that people have posters of you on their walls." Ginny said with a smile.
"Yeah I know, it creeps me out too." Harry said with a fake shudder.
"I have one more question, Ron was telling me you have kept to yourself while I was in school, why?" Ginny asked as she gave Harry a sad look.
Harry looked down at his feet as if ashamed. "I dunno Gin, I didn't feel much like doing anything without you. Now that your home and done with school we can be together."
Ginny couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for Harry at that moment. All these screaming fans, fawning girls and he spent the last ten months locked in his room with a mirror in hand. But Ginny didn't want Harry to know what she was thinking so she just smiled and kissed Harry sweetly. "That's right Harry, we have a lifetime together."
Harry beamed at Ginny, "Come on Gin, let's go home, I need a shower."
"I know, you stink!" Ginny said as she stood up and tried to shake her thoughts out of her head.
"Well thank you." Harry replied as he put his arm around her and together they vanished from the pitch.
