When You Say You Love Me
Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize, unrecognized names belong to me. Harry Potter and his world come from the oh-so-brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. I am simply meddling with her possessions, no copyright infringement is intended.
Prologue
"Mum," yelled Ginny from the kitchen of the Burrow, "I'm leaving for practice now! New team member tryouts are today, but I'll try to be back in time for dinner."
"Alright, Ginny dear." The simple reply came from her mother, who was somewhere upstairs cleaning, most likely.
Ginny walked out the kitchen door and into the sunny garden towards the family's designated Apparation point. She turned on the spot and deftly landed in front of the women's changing rooms on the Wimborne Wasps' Quidditch team practice field. As she checked her watch, she realized that practice was scheduled to begin in five minutes, giving her only a short amount of time to change into her practice robes.
She'd only been on the team for a little over one year now, and for some reason was just as nervous to be watching the tryouts as she was when she tried out. She knew that there was no need to be nervous, as she'd been informed only yesterday that her position as one of the team's Chasers was secure. She couldn't help but wonder if the security of her position would change if someone who tried out turned out to be much better at Chasing than she was.
"Ginny, stop worrying and get dressed," snapped the annoyed voice of twenty-five year old Alicia Tambledge, the team captain.
"I know, sorry. I'm coming," she answered, shaking her head at the predictability of her facial expressions. "I'm way too easy to read," she said quietly to herself as she slipped her robes over her pony-tailed red hair and walked out onto the field.
As she grabbed her broom, the newest Cleansweep model, she took a quick glance around at the people awaiting a trial. She was amazed at the sheer number of contenders. She couldn't remember there being this many people trying out last year. Taking another quick glance around her before kicking off the ground, she scanned the crowd for familiar faces. To her surprise, she saw several former classmates, and others, both older and younger, who had attended Hogwarts, all of whom she hadn't seen in several years.
"Circle the pitch twice and meet back here, team, and then tryouts can begin!" Alicia yelled, after performing the Sonorous charm.
The team did as instructed, meeting back in the center where they were assigned small groups of the applicants to work with for a period of time. She remembered this part of the process well, as she had been assigned to work with Brian Anderson, an insanely cute, American born member of the team. He had unfortunately taken a Bludger to the head during the most recent game against Puddlemere United and was still unconscious in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies.
Her group was composed of Michael Corner, a former Hogwarts classmate and boyfriend, and three others, two girls whom she didn't recognize at all, and a boy whom she knew was a year older than her, also from Hogwarts. After quick introductions and identification of the positions being tried for, Ginny set her group hard to work. After twenty minutes, Alicia called all the groups back to the center of the pitch.
"We're now going to see individual trials, beginning with Beaters, followed by Keepers, and then Seekers. Tryouts will be held alphabetically by last name, beginning with Jaffrey Abaereth." Alicia announced with an air of authority evident in her voice. Jaffrey visibly started at the sound of his name, as he had been very intently watching the Wasp's very attractive blond haired, blue eyed captain.
The rest of the tryouts went over very well, with only one minor injury occurring involving a Beater's bat to the back of someone's head. Alicia had just announced that results would be posted two days later on each of changing room doors, reminding everyone that there were only three positions available, one Beater, Keeper, and Seeker. As she was calling for dismissal, a man walked part way onto the pitch, his face hidden in the shadows of the changing rooms behind him.
"I'd like to try out for the position of Seeker, if I'm not too late," he stated, shifting his body slightly, but not stepping out of the shadows.
Ginny knew that voice, and although she could not immediately put a name or face to the voice, she knew it held some deeper meaning to her.
"We were about to close up, but I suppose we have time for one more quick trial," Alicia responded, stressing the quick portion of her statement. She was not known as being a very patient person, and was not about to make an exception for someone who wouldn't even show the team the courtesy of showing his face.
"That would be wonderful," he responded. "I will be as quick as I can." With that last comment, the unidentified man walked out of the shadows, clutching his broom, a Firebolt Extreme, the newest model on the market. Astonishment and surprise rippled through the faces of those standing on the field, and those in the stands as they realized who had stepped out of the shadows.
Ginny took one surprised look at the man standing a few feet in front of her, the man she loved, the man she hadn't seen in nearly three years, Harry Potter, and she gasped and crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
A/N Thanks must be given to my wonderful beta MuggleMomma who has helped make this story as close to perfect as possible. I must also thank JD, who is my ever-persistent muse. This wouldn't exist without the two of you!