Second Year:
Chapter One
After Harry saved Ginny from Voldemort, she remembered panicking about his bleeding arm which contained Basilisk venom. She had been more concerned about his life than she had her own. Her attraction to him scared her a little. It was so strong, so powerful, and it was her biggest weakness. Voldemort had seen that, and used it against her to get to Harry. She couldn't do it. He wouldn't use her again, she had promised this to herself. And the only way to do that was to stay far away from Harry. Ignore him completely and never think twice about him, try to get over him for once and for all.
However it was tougher than she had ever imagined! He was there all the time. It was like she couldn't escape him. Now that he had saved her, she felt like it was a connection they shared that no-one else could understand. Harry often asked her how she was, how her day had been, and it was now as if he had noticed she was an actual person and not just Ron's little sister. He was giving her the attention she had craved which was making it that much harder to avoid him.
Rebecca and Julia, who had joined her at Hogwarts, also commented on the change in Harry's attitude towards her on a regular basis. One day during lunch, when they were eating at the Gryffindor table, Harry had come and sat with Ginny while he waited for Ron and Hermione, who were running late. Ginny had felt a bit embarrassed around her friends at first, but once they got talking about their chances of winning the next Quidditch match against Slytherin, her confidence issues disappeared. He wasn't so thrilled that Angelina couldn't play due to a bludger injury in the previous game and then Harry asked her suddenly, "Could you be chaser Ginny? I've seen you play! You're good!" Ginny felt a familiar blush creep up on her face and she smiled shyly, "I can play Harry, but I don't know how Ron, Fred and George would feel about it." Harry rolled his eyes and replied, "Oh don't mind them. I'll keep them in check for you!" She smiled nervously and said quietly; avoiding his gaze, "Alright then, if you really want me to..." she trailed off and looked up at him to find his eyes on her. She tentatively chanced a glance into his emerald eyes. Not a good idea. The blush brightened.
Harry grinned at her and said happily, "Great then!" and she heard Ron's voice behind her so it was his queue to leave. She told him quickly, "I want a trial run first though. If I'm not good enough, I don't want to decrease your chances." Ron's laughter halted mid laugh and he stared at Ginny in amazement, "What's this about Ginny? You're playing Quidditch?!" he asked dumbfounded.
Ginny glanced at Harry as he explained patiently to Ron, "I've asked Ginny to play Angelina's subsitute for Saturday's match Ron." Ginny watched as Ron's face quickly became red, "What? Harry are you out of your mind? I mean yeah she's good, but what if something happens to her? Mum would kill you!" He nearly exploded in Harry's face. Hermione rolled her eyes and stepped in front of him, "Oh for heaven's sake Ron, stop treating Ginny like a child!" Ginny smiled her thanks to Hermione, who returned her smile in acknowledgment and Harry nodded in agreement, "Hermione's right Ron. And we need a chaser urgently! Plus, if something happens to her, you can blame it on me, alright?" Ron gave Ginny one more annoyed glare and then turned on his heel towards the other end of the Gryffindor table. Hermione nodded goodbye and Harry smiled at her gratefully, "Thanks so much Gin! I can't wait to play with you on Friday!" Ginny nodded and replied, "No problem Harry," as he joined his friends further along the table.
That's when Julia announced bitterly, "Well, Harry's certainly changed his tune about you Ginny! Defending you to Ron, that's a biiiiig step! Maybe we all still stand a chance." Ginny shot a look that could kill at her friend who packed up laughing and she rolled her eyes. Ginny couldn't believe that Harry had defended her, but she was secretly relieved. If he hadn't been there, Ron would have lost it in front of the whole hall! After the Chamber of Secrets incident, Fred, George and Ron had become much more elder brotherly towards her and she found herself actually detesting it. It could be incredibly suffocating at times.
As she ate the remainder of her dinner quietly, she heard Julia and Rebecca plotting a scheme about how they could somehow get Harry to notice them. A love potion perhaps? Ginny rolled her eyes because they were wasting their breath. Harry didn't seem to notice anyone except Ron and Hermione. And Ron was a boy and his best friend, so that ruled him out-romantically of course. If he was interested in any girl, it could only be Hermione, but she knew they were just best friends too, so that meant he wasn't interested in anyone. If Ginny could just be friends with Harry, that was more than enough for her. Harry was far too preoccupied with fighting dementors and other things to care about any girl right now.
Halfway through the meal, Ginny felt someone's eyes on her. She looked up the table and noticed Harry staring at her. When she looked his way, he gave her a small and embarrassed smile which she returned. Maybe Harry and her becoming friends was the first step towards what she truly wanted? Maybe...
Colin Creevey snapped a camera and interrupted her thoughts. His camera light blinded her as she shook herself out of her reverie and she held her hands up to protect her face, "Colin! Careful!" she said slightly irritably. Colin sat down opposite her and grinned, "Sorry Gin, the lighting was just perfect at that moment and I couldn't resist." She smiled. She had a sneaky suspicion that Colin liked her, but the feeling wasn't mutual so she tried to just be friendly towards him. He sat down and told her enthusiastically, "When I go home, I'll develop the prints and give that one to you." She smiled because he was so nice to her and she felt guilty for not paying him much attention. She decided that she should be nicer to him. It wasn't, after all, his fault that Harry didn't like her...
The following Wednesday evening was her tryout with the team. The match was two weeks away and now it was her test to make sure she could play well enough. Harry had suggested to Wood that Ginny be chaser in Angelina's place and Wood had agreed to give her a try out. Ginny was busy walking down to the pitch with Colin chatting excitedly at her side, "You're so lucky! Has Harry seen you play before? He must have, otherwise he wouldn't have recommended you! I wonder if I'd get a shot..." Ginny drowned him out because she knew when Colin rambled like this he didn't often want an answer and it was just fine with her. She was currently trying to keep herself calm by inhaling deep, lengthy breaths as she walked briskly, her broom swung over her shoulder and her hand me down Quidditch robes fluttering behind her.
Eventually she arrived at the pitch and found all of the team mates waiting for her in the centre. Ginny even spotted Angelina with a broken arm hanging to her side and she didn't look too happy about Ginny being her replacement. So she smiled tentatively at the elder girl and Angelina nodded hesitantly but didn't return the smile. Harry greeted her first and enthusiastically, "Gin! I'm so happy you're here! I thought you were going to bail on us." Ginny laughed nervously, "Well I might still Harry, so don't get your hopes up." Fred and George didn't look exceptionally pleased either with the exchange between them. They gave each other meaningful looks and Fred retorted, "As long as you don't get knocked off your broom Gin, we'll support you." Oliver cut in then "Hey! She may be your sister and you can bully her as much as you like off the pitch, but if she's gonna replace Ange, then you two better shut it!" Ginny blushed furiously at the way Oliver had just reacted, but then she realised it was probably to try and keep the peace.
Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "I don't mind...uhhh...captain. I'm used to it." Harry raised his eyebrow but didn't comment to her relief. Wood didn't look impressed, "It doesn't matter Ginny. I want a positive energy on this team. Fight among yourselves off the pitch because then it doesn't affect anyone else." George rolled his eyes, "Oh Oli! We're always teasing our Ginbug..." Ginny felt the usual blush brighten her cheeks at the nickname. Could they be any more embarrassing?!
Ginny shot them an angry glare which she knew would make then shut up. They feared her temper as much as any normal person. Wood nodded in approval at the twins, "Good. Now Ginny I've decided how we're going to test your abilities as a Chaser. We're going to pretend that we're playing an actual game but we're not playing with the snitch or the seeker. It's going to be your job to get us to at least fifty points, which is half the number of points we need in order to stand a chance at winning. In this game, we're playing as if you're the only Gryffindor and everyone else is a Slytherin, so we're aiming to make you lose. It increases the pressure. Do you understand so far?" Ginny nodded and Wood grinned as if he had something up his sleeve. Turned out her suspicion was right when seconds later he announced, "We're even going to dress in their robes to make it more realistic." Ginny grimaced looked at the twins sternly, "As long as they don't aim at me like they would at Draco Malfoy I'm okay I think." Fred and George laughed loudly, "Deal," they said simultaneously and grins broke out on their faces.
Ginny swung her second hand Cleensweap underneath her as Wood nodded and said, "Right. Let's kick off!" Ginny grinned as she found herself angling her broom higher. She didn't want to go too high though and miss the Quaffle. Harry flew beside her and grinned, "I'm going to be Keeper so that Wood can keep an eye on you. Good luck Gin!" He high fived her and it was such an innocent gesture that Ginny couldn't break out into a grin herself. It's like his was infectious.
Wood aimed his wand at the twins and Harry, transforming their robes into Slytherin colours. Fred was higher than her on his broom, with his bat in his hand as he did a perfect impression of Malfoy bragging about their new broomsticks, "You see Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best!" There was a group of girls walking onto the pitch now, probably coming to watch the practise. They were laughing at Fred's imitation and Angelina seemed to be getting embarrassed as she rushed over to her friends and led them to the stands. Behind her were Ron (who had been grumbling about Ginny being suggested for the game and not him) and Hermione who had been trying to keep the peace between the two siblings ever since Harry suggested this.
Ginny felt slightly more nervous now that she knew that she had an audience. She shook her head and decided it didn't matter because she was going to get this position anyway. She wanted to prove to her brother for once and for all that she could play the game just as well as they could! So Ginny narrowed her eyes and watched Wood bring out his whistle and yell, "On the count of three! One, two, three!" He released the Quaffle and a Bludger.
Ginny angled her broom higher in order to try and reach it. She nearly had reached the Quaffle when Katie darted in front of her and swiped it out of her grasp. She was speeding towards Harry at top notch and Ginny darted after her. She pushed the broom faster than it could actually handle and she felt it shaking beneath her but she sped on. If she could just block Katie from throwing it...She did! She made it and she heard Hermione cheering in the stands and Colin's. She hadn't noticed him go off and sit on the stands to watch her once she had reached the team. Katie tried swerving to the left of Ginny and she managed to throw the ball with much force towards Harry, who was swerving widely in order to trying and catch it. His fingers brushed the ball but it got through by about an inch through the lower left hoop. Katie fist punched the air and grinned enthusiastically at the twins who were cheering her on.
Ginny grimaced as Harry hit the ball into the middle of the field with a bat. It went flying to the other end of the pitch and because Ginny was further behind Katie, she managed to zoom towards the dropping ball faster. She even narrowly missed a Bludger that one of the twins had hit and she reached the ball right before it hit the ground. She then swerved and headed towards the far right side of the pitch in order to have a better aim at the posts and she noticed Katie following her tail.
Ginny sped the broom up as fast as she could and when she was five feet from the posts, she threw the ball with all of her strength. Harry darted towards the middle post because Ginny had decided to take him by surprise and throw it into the there instead of the far right one he was actually guarding. It soared through and Ginny punched a fist firmly into the air and yelled, "YES!" There was applause from the stand and Colin yelled, "GO GINNY!" She couldn't help but grin and feel pleased with herself.
Seven rounds later she had scored another thirty goals and Katie had scored thirty. She just needed one more round to get on the team. Wood was making the match an hour long so if she didn't manage to score within the last fifteen minutes now she wouldn't make the cut. Ginny focused her soul attention on the Quaffle as Wood tossed it into the air. She swung her broom to the far side of the pitch which was where the Quaffle had been heading and she sped after it at lightning speed. So far Fred and George had not scraped her too badly with a Bludger, but she reckoned that was because mum would be furious if she found out. Ginny halted as she saw something golden float past her. It was the snitch! Ginny wondered if this was a trick...a test to see if she would focus on her goal or let herself be distracted by a small flying object.
Instinct inside her made her change direction and swoop after the tiny golden ball. She had never caught a snitch before in her life and she'd always dreamed of it. Literally. She tilted her broom so that she was going upwards at a ninety degree angle. If she lost control now, she would fall to the ground. She focused her vision on the tiny golden ball in front of her and reached out to clasp her hand around it.
Ginny heard Wood's whistle blow loudly and she felt the smoothness of the wings on the ball. She was a little in awe at how beautiful it was. She hadn't expected that!
Ginny let her broom stoop towards the ground and when she landed, she couldn't read Wood's expression. It was stern looking as he asked, "Why did you go after the snitch Ginervra? That wasn't your job." Ginny cringed at the dead-pan voice he used as she swallowed, "Uh...It was just instinct I guess. I've never caught a snitch before and I've always wanted to." His face broke out in a smile, "Excellent! Quidditch is a game of instinct and trusting in yourself. You've just shown you can do that. Well done Ginny! You've made the team."
She grinned like a hyena as she heard the team cheer loudly. Even Fred and George looked impressed. They all patted her on the back in congrats and the team headed to the change room to change. Harry waited for her and enveloped her in a warm hug, "Well done Gin! If I'd known you were that good I would have asked you last year." Ginny grimaced as he pulled away and replied, "I wouldn't have been able to last year. I wasn't...in a good space remember?"
Harry's eyes widened as if he had forgotten and nodded, "Oh yeah, sorry I forgot about that. How are you coping with it?" Ginny bit her lip. She did that when she was nervous and shrugged as they walked back to the changing rooms, "As well as anyone could I guess," she replied, "I just have recurring nightmares about Tom." Harry sighed and shook his head, "I wish we could have known sooner. But I mean the fact that you fought him on your own for nine months is incredible. You're really strong willed Gin." She blushed and whispered, "I'm not. I gave him what he wanted- a way of getting to you." Harry halted mid step right outside the changing room and turned her to face him, "Is that why you've been avoiding me?" Ginny smiled bleakly and answered his question with a question, "You've noticed?" He nodded and she sighed, "I can't let it happen again, Harry. I don't know if you noticed, but last year I had a crush on you and..." at this point Fred and George walked out of the changing room, dressed in everyday clothes. George commented, "Nice game Gin. Are you coming for dinner?" Ginny nodded, "I'll catch up."
She turned to Harry who was staring at her with such a great intensity that she had to look away as she continued, "I told him all about you. I told him how my brothers teased me about you and about how wonderful I thought you were. I was naive. I trusted an inanimate object with my deepest secrets, and that's exactly what he needed to get to you. I've promised myself I won't let it happen again. And that's why I'm keeping my distance. It's for the best." Harry looked away from then and murmured, "If you say so Gin," and he walked into the changing room without another word.