Chapter Thirty One
The rest of the visit went off without a hitch. Mrs Weasley relaxed her ideas about keeping doors shut but was pleased to find that all such doors were in fact left open. Ginny and Cho hung around in bedrooms, in the lounge or dining room of the house, in the garden, further out of doors and even meandered into the nearby town.
Cho made good on her promise to ensure that Ginny knew just how much Cho had missed her, they didn't take advantage of all the opportunities that they could have made for kissing and making out, they satisfied themselves with just being together, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes. Their reconnection was paramount and Ginny took it upon herself to ensure that Cho was returned to work in the best possible condition, rested, energised and resilient.
In fact, Cho did feel better; refreshed within herself and gratified within her relationship. The thought of leaving Ginny was as unwelcome and unpleasant as both had anticipated, they had long known that this was going to be something they would be faced with for the coming year. Between Ginny's final year at school and Cho's first year at work, and having a job which involved frequent travel to boot, their opportunities for personal contact was always going to be low. But it was only one year.
"Chang?"
"Weasley?"
"I know you weren't being deliberately deceptive in your letters, when you neglected to share how you were feeling about your new job."
"Sorry," Cho said, rubbing her thumb along Ginny's hand.
"I know, I understand. It's just that this next year is going to give us few opportunities to be together, directly. Letters are going to be our most reliable source of communication. I just wanted to say that, if you need me, you need to let me know. What if I can't read between the lines or… You may think that I no longer care and that would be worse…"
"Yes, that's true. It is my responsibility to communicate more clearly, it's just that I didn't really understand my own feelings and I didn't want to worry you,"
"It's okay, it's just that I will be really angry with you if we break up over a miscommunication,"
"Ginny, when you get really angry, are you more like your mother or your father?"
Ginny just laughed and pushed Cho in the shoulder.
A month later, Polly Potlake, the Tutshill Seeker was struck down with a terrible case of Spattergroit and Cho was elevated to actual game time. Ginny received four tickets by Owl for a match that was to be played in London on Friday night, it was arranged that Mr Weasley, George and Ron would go with Ginny to see her girlfriend play in her very first professional Quidditch match!
They were to meet up for dinner beforehand, Ginny begged that they had dinner in Muggle London rather than in Diagon Alley and only Ron could truly have denied Ginny her wish, so three to one they went to a steakhouse. Once Ron had started on his enormous plate of red meat, seafood and several varieties of potato admitted that this dinner was indeed better than any dinner he could have chosen from anywhere on the magical side.
As they lined up outside the venue, the four of them bought everything they possibly could, a program, scares, hats and banners, chips, sweets and huge plastic cups of beer. When they finally got through the doors, they walked around and around until they found their seats and discovered that they were sitting in a corporate box! There were a dozen seats and just before the players were due to run out onto the pitch, the Chang's entered the same box.
"Hello Mr and Mrs Chang," said Ginny, putting out her hand to them immediately, she wasn't sure what to call Cho's Po po, so she simply said,
"It's so good to see you again," she reintroduced her family to the Chang's and Mr Weasley complimented them on the very great honour of their daughter being a professional Quidditch Player. George grabbed Ron and the two of them went out to get more drinks and snacks for themselves and for the Changs, as well.
When Cho's name was finally announced as the replacement player, Ginny and the whole box cheered as one! Cho did a lap on her broomstick waing to all of the Tutshill fans and she paused for a moment above their box, waving at them and grinning from ear to ear.
"She's wanted this since she was six years old," Cho's Po po told Ginny.
"It's a dream come true, isn't it," replied Ginny, When Cho turned to take her place, Ginny saw the CHANG 24, written across the back of her shoulders.
George kept the drinks up to the Changs all night, Mr and Mrs Chang preferred wine but Po po happily chugged a few beers while she cheered for every Tutshill goal. Mr Weasley talked most animatedly to Mr and Mrs Weasley about Quidditch, about the Ministry, about his interest in Muggle inventions. Mr and Mrs Chang resisted Mr Weasley as long as they could, as many people do, put off by his apparent lack of sophistication but eventually they, like everybody else, could no longer resist.
His curiosity, his merriment, his interest in others, his kindness, his good qualities drew people to him. He was one aptly described as one to give the coat off his back, to give his final coins to one in need. His humour was based on drawing people together never at the expense of someone else, he neither gossiped nor dobbed on others, finding his best comfort in those he loved and tinkering with muggle tools, toys and artifacts.
Ron and George were passing Ron's omnioculars back and forth, discussing the details of the match and reciting various statistics. There was very little legitimate Seeker action due to the absence of the Golden Snitch, but there was some action - it appeared that the Chudley Cannons Seeker, Oreon Miller, appeared to be trying to intimidate the newest seeker on the roster.
Miller was bumping Cho, she would take two or three bumps and then reposition herself, Miller would follow her and bump her again. They weren't very hard bumps, but as they were ineffective in drawing from Chang the desired effect, Miller tried a new tactic. He was kicking out at the back end of her broom, he would sidel up, kick once or twice, Cho would move away, eventually the Match Referee stopped play, spoke to the Cannon's Captain and gave Miller a warning.
Tutshill fans went crazy, cheering, relieved to get justice for their new Seeker, Miller became angry at what he perceived to be unfair treatment and obvious favouritism. In his anger he began feinting, Cho kept moving away from him, she would circle methodically above the play and then finding a gap in the play would sink down below. Miller not wanting to be left behind followed Cho but in his haste interrupted the game play and got a yelling off from both teams, he ducked and avoided a Bludger.
"I've had a gut full of him already," said Po po to Ginny, who burst out laughing. Cho did not lose concentration, she had a job to do, her team were counting on her, and that's where her quiet confidence, her authority came from. Her determination to play her own game, like she had advised Ginny to do so long ago, play your own game, play to your own strengths, don't let another player drag you out of your game play.
"And you hope to play as well?" Po po asked Ginny.
"Yes, I hope to," answered Ginny, they chattered on, neither of their eyes leaving Cho.
"You will make it, I have every confidence,"
"Well I can only try my best,"
"I know these things," Po po said nodding with conviction.
It was only a very few moments later when Cho leaned forward, in the pose that Ginny knew so well, she was not feinting, she had seen the Snitch! But before she had got started, she was rolled. Miller had inadvertently tucked his foot up underneath Cho's stirrup and as she went to take off, he whipped out his foot putting her into a roll, he took off in her place.
Po po and Ginny grabbed each other's arm, the whole crowd had stood up as one in anticipation as Cho leaned forward, but when the first timer was rolled, they all booed, even the home team could not refrain from the shameful, unethical play by Miller. Thousands of people booed and hissed.
Rather than pause to retrieve her equilibrium Cho completed the roll and shot out of it at top speed, rather than going for the Snitch she aimed the front of her broomstick for the front of his. She snaked her hands inches from the front of her broom, she compressed every part of her body tightly to the broomstick. She had no hope of beating Miller to the Snitch, the only chance she had to remain in the competition was to impede Miller from reaching the Snitch.
Cho was gaining on Miller, but slowly, too benefit she had over Miller was that for him to beat her, he had to catch the snitch, however for her to beat Miller, she only needed to get him off line, even if only a little. She pushed herself into the broom, closed her eyes and forced her broom to maximum speed, Cho was unaware that she was holding her breath until she felt the contact.
She felt the crack more than she heard it, her eyes sprang open and saw Miller glance over at her with a flash of anger, she didn't wait, Cho lowered her broom, creeped back along toward the front of her broom. It was like a dream, like a film, she knew she had the Snitch before she even reached out her hand, when she finally did so it was more like wish fulfillment than a working effort.
Cho peeled her fingers from the top of her broom and reached out, she collected the Snitch from out of the thin cool air, and as was her trademark move, she swung the hand over her head showing the Snitch to all and claiming the win. The box went up as one, "Cho!" "Woo hoo," "Amazing!"
The referee blew her whistle, she recorded the final score, the result was made official. Miller was furious and went straight to the match referee, claiming deliberate contact with his broom, but she was having none of it, she turned her back on him and when he flew around to get in her face, she turned again. Tutshill fans screamed with relief and joy, appreciating the mettle of their brand new Seeker, overcoming a more experienced Seeker in her very first game.
"Chang, Chang, Chang!" Cho's team were on her like moths to a flame, she allowed them to hug her and slap her on the back, she continued holding the Snitch aloft as she completed her final lap around the stadium, she paused once again in front of her family and her girlfriends family. She waved one last time and returned to the ground with her team.
"Oh that was fantastic," Mr Weasley breathed, they all just looked at each other, words could not satisfy the moment. They wordlessly began to get their belongings together, they filed out of the box and joined the thronging crowds and squeezed down along the stairs. At the gates to the grounds the two families paused to say goodbye, Mrs Chang and Po po both hugged Ginny and Mr Weasley shook hands all around, George and Ron shook Mr Chang's hand.
The Weasley's all went back to George's flat above the store, where Ron was now living, George offered them all a drink. Ginny looked around the flat, the trendy, neat little flat, a small lounge with a kitchenette and bathroom at one end. At the other end, two doors off the main living room, were the bedrooms she knew, one would be neat and the other would be a smelly hovel, she didn't need to open the doors to know that. There was a red and green flashing neon sign 'BAR' with an outline of a bottle that appeared to move from upright to tilted as though pouring it's contents into a goblet.
"Tutshill," proposed George, raising his glass and they all replied, "Cho!"
"You did well, there, little sis, Cho is awesome."
"Thanks, Georgie," grinned Ginny. Ron took his drink and sort of grumped away to the corner.
"You will be seventeen next month, Ginny, the last Weasley will soon be of age!" said George, "You are almost an old man, Dad," he teased his father.
"That's not news, George, I've been old for many years," smiled Mr Weasley.
"You're not old, Daddy," said Ginny, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the top of his head, "I'm coming of age and Bill and Fleur are having the next generation."
"The next generation," George offered, "Bill and Fleur!" they all toasted.
Ginny noticed that Ron didn't join in the toast, it irked her. What was his problem? A huge steak, free Quidditch tickets, a job, and flat. He is living a life he never even had to try for, he didn't have the right to be sullen and bad tempered.
"What do you want for your birthday, sis?"
"I'd like a pair of omnioculars and I'd like you to accompany me to a Quidditch game of my choosing, this year, that may be Ireland, Scotland or Wales,"
"Done! A particular match or are you reserving the right to withhold the details?"
"I'm reserving it."
"I am at your service," George bowed low, although he was teasing her, he was not without respect.
"Could I have a look in your store?"
"Ron, take your sister on a tour of the store, please?"
"Oh she can go, it's only downstairs, why do I have to go?"
"Because I am your employer and I asked you."
"I'm also off the clock," Ron sat his goblet down heavily and dragged himself up, like escorting his sister downstairs for ten minutes was a most unpleasant burden.
She rolled her eyes at George and followed Ron downstairs, he turned the light on with a heavy hand and propped himself up on the serving desk, with no willingness to show his sister new products, or products of particular interest to her. He took the lid off of a glass canister and took up a handful of candies, Ginny wondered whether his having a mouthful of candy was to save him having to speak to her. She eyed him surreptitiously, and then continued looking at the products fingering the charmed toys, practical joke objects, Witch products like Love Potions, Muggle Magic Tricks and defensive magical objects like shield charms.
Ginny toyed with the idea of speaking to her brother, asking him if he was okay, but she was timid, he could be so abrasive. The thought of Cho and George's struggles with their mental health was the spark that galvanised her into action, "Ron?"
"What,"
"I just wondered how you are?"
"I'm good,"
"Did you know that Hermione is seeing someone?"
"Good for her,"
"You don't care?"
"Nope,"
"Then you won't care that she is going out with Harry Potter?"
"What? You're joking?"
Ginny didn't respond.
"Ha! They deserve each other."
"What does that mean?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Ronald, I am your sister and I care about you. But there is something wrong, you are unhappy and mean."
"Oi, I'm not mean, and there's nothing wrong with me,"
"So you accept that you are unhappy?"
"No, I'm not. Is it true about Harry and Hemione?"
"Do you care?"
Ron slid off the counter and stormed upstairs, he walked though the little lounge, into his bedroom and slammed the door.