The weekend came and the Gryffindor atmosphere was enthusiastic and somewhat raucous. Ginny had stayed in the tower the night before. She knew it would look odd when she didn't come downstairs for breakfast. So she had slept rather well in her own bed. She also knew she needed the rest for the game today.
When she was ready, she came downstairs to shouts of "Go go Gryffindor!" Ginny couldn't help but grin like a maniac. Despite the circumstances, people still didn't lack team spirit. There were cheers when she reached the common room and Seamus, Neville and McLaggen surrounded her immediately, "We've got this Ginny! We're going to win today! I know it!" Seamus cawed loudly. The rest of the house clapped loudly, apart from Romilda who was looking sulky in the corner.
Ginny thanked them and she beamed, "I know we will. Let's go and dominate!" They walked into the Great Hall, where the Gryffindor table was covered in banners and posters. Ginny chuckled and she had to say, she missed Luna's roaring lion headdress. It really wasn't complete without her. She wondered why her friend had not yet returned to school. Ginny was going to write to Luna after the match, she decided.
They sat down at the table when the Hufflepuff team walked in. Like she had told her team earlier in the week, the Hufflepuff Beaters' should not be underestimated. Those guys were huge and they were both new members of the team. McLaggen was watching them too and he shook his head, "Don't let them intimidate you Ginny." She nodded and replied confidently, "You know what, you're right. Andrew and Charlotte, I think you both need to try and get the Beater's off their brooms as fast as possible, alright? To limit their chances of them hitting one of us." Andrew grinned happily, "Will do, captain!"
Once everyone was done with practice, they headed to the pitch. They all changed into their gear in the changing room, and when they were done Ginny gave a pep talk, "Now listen, we've beaten Hufflepuff so many times in the last few years. I want you guys to give it your all, because they I know we will win! Then we're one step closer to winning the cup! Let's use that as motivation to win today, alright?"
Demelza stood beside her and nodded in encouragement, "We can do this! I have a good feeling about this match. The weather seems to be slightly windy, but we can push through. There's no reason the weather should stop us from winning. And I think it will actually work in our favor. Those Hufflepuff guys are so muscular that their weight will hopefully slow them down in the wind."
Ginny chuckled and replied, "I hadn't thought about that! See we even have an advantage here." There was some nodding from the team and Ginny put her hand in front of her, "What team?" She shouted loudly. The rest of the team stood up and yelled "Gryffindor!" They each placed their hands in the centre of the circle and Ginny shouted again, "WHAT TEAM?" They all shouted back, "GRYFFINDOR!" They clapped and cheered and Ginny nodded at Demelza, revved to go and she pointed at the doors that lead onto the pitch, "Let's do this!" she yelled and they walked onto the pitch with tumultuous applause. The Gryffindor stand shone in red and gold and the cheers were deafening.
Ginny felt like she was part of a professional league team or something! She felt the thrill of the game in her bones and she went and shook the hands of the Hufflepuff team captain.
Ginny couldn't help but remember Ced whenever she played against Hufflepuff. She truly missed him out there on the pitch and she wished they had played more together. When Madame Hooch blew the whistle, Ginny kicked off the ground and soared high above the stands. She wanted a high vantage point from here. It was a tactic that Harry told her he used all the time.
Ginny scanned the field in search for the tiny golden ball. She then got distracted as she saw a Bludger flying towards her! She swiftly ducked out of its way as it zoomed past, narrowly missing her ear. She glared at the Hufflepuff beater, who was shaking his head in frustration that he hadn't hit his target. Ginny smirked a little and then she heard some yelling from the Hufflepuff stands. The commentator, whom Ginny didn't know, shouted, "TEN points to HUFFLEPUFF! That's the first score of the games, folks!"
She groaned out loud and then watched as Katie and Demelza speedily tossed the ball to each other in two neat rows across the pitch. Ginny clapped for them and yelled encouragingly, "Go KATIE! Go DEMELZA!" She positively beamed when minutes later, the two girls scored.
Ginny punched the air in triumph, and didn't realize that another ball was zooming at her from the bottom of the pitch. It had was going fast and she had to dive in a curve to avoid the line of the Bludger. These Hufflepuff beaters weren't joking around! They were clearly out to get her. Charlotte, who was closer by her, whacked the ball and sent it soaring back to where it came from. The Hufflepuff beater was still watching the balls' progress though, so he ducked out of the way in time.
Charlotte asked Ginny worriedly, "You ok, Ginny?" Ginny nodded and grimaced, "I'm fine, thanks for that. Just try and get them off their brooms as soon as possible, alright? Please pass the message along to Andrew!" Charlotte nodded in understanding and then Ginny soared higher above the ground. She caught a glimpse of the Snitch for a second by the Slytherin stands, and the next thing she knew, it was gone.
Once she reached about as high as she could go, she heard the commentator announce, "And Hufflepuff scores again! Twenty to Hufflepuff, ten to Gryffindor!" The stands went wild. It was common knowledge that Ravenclaw generally supported Hufflepuff, and vice versa, but it seemed that Slytherin were chanting for them now too. The Gryffindor cheers were diminished in the wind.
Ginny pushed a piece of hair out of her face angrily. The mist that was starting to descend on the stadium made it really difficult for her to see. The next thing she knew, another Bludger was sent her way and Ginny swerved like crazy to dodge it. She ended up taking quite a dive and she yelled as her broom sped to the ground. She managed to regain control of it as they were several feet from the ground. She breathed a sigh of relief and then she heard the commentator, "And another goal to HUFFLEPUFF!" Now Ginny was becoming determined to find that Snitch. She was beginning to feel like this match depended on it.
There mist was thickening and Ginny could barely see a thing. She was now floating just above the ground when the whistle blew. She frowned…it wasn't half-time yet! They gathered around Madame Hooch and she said, "I'm calling time-out so everyone can go and put their goggles on. This weather is getting dangerous. Please be careful and on alert."
They thanked Madame Hooch before retreating to the locker room and putting on their goggles. Charlotte muttered angrily, "Those Hufflepuff beaters are huge! I'm having a hard time keeping the Bludger away from everyone. It's like the second I think they've stopped aiming for us, they come back with a freaking vengeance!" Ginny turned to Charlotte and Andrew. They looked fed up already and Andrew said softly, "She's right, Gin. It feels somewhat impossible to keep up with them."
Ginny groaned and shook her head, "No no guys! We can't have a defeatist attitude about this! If we do…we won't achieve." There was silence and she couldn't believe they were so…subdued. Doubt was lingering in the air and the tension was palpable. Ginny stared at them all in disbelief. She had never seen them so de-motivated as of right now. Then an idea came to her and she asked Katie, "Katie…would you let Harry see you look so defeated?"
Katie glanced up from the floor and she said firmly, "No. Harry wouldn't have this." Ginny nodded in agreement, "And neither will I. Let's go and kick butt. If you're not going to do it for me, go and do it for Harry, Ron and Hermione. Make them proud!" There was a silence and then Andrew stood up and grinned, "For Harry!" The rest of the team slowly stood up too and then McGonagall walked in looking anxious, "Miss Weasley, it shouldn't take so long to find your goggles. They're waiting for you!"
Ginny thanked the professor and turned back to her team, "FOR HARRY!" she boomed. The rest of the team raised their brooms and shouted, "FOR HARRY!" As they were leaving, McGonagall asked her, "What's all this about Miss Wesaley?" Ginny shrugged and grinned, "Just a little team motivation, Professor." McGonagall smiled encouragingly at Ginny and then they headed back onto the pitch.
XXX
An hour later, the team walked out of the match defeated. It was the first time Hufflepuff had won against Gryffindor since Harry's arrival on the team. They trenched back into the castle feeling forlorn and bleak. Ginny didn't even go to the common room. She instead went to go and shower and then she retreated to the Room of Requirment. Then she visited Charlotte, whom was in the hospital wing after being knocked off her broom. She was still unconscious even though Madame Pomfrey said she would be able to leave in the morning.
Once Ginny arrived in the Room of Requirement, she noticed several Gryffindor's were there already, using it as an escape. Neville hugged Ginny when she walked in and offered her a Butterbeer. She couldn't help but laugh, "Thanks Neville. I can't believe the room provides these." He gave her a big bear hug and then whispered, "You'll just have to beat Slytherin now." Ginny nodded gloomily, "Yeah, and try and make sure we're a eighty points ahead during the match before I start catching the Snitch." Seamus patted her on the back, "You can do it though. You can do anything you put your mind to." Ginny smiled at him gratefully and hugged Seamus too.
She sighed and then turned to McLaggen, who was still in his Quidditch clothes and sitting by the fire and drinking Butterbeer moodily. She sat down beside him and said genuinely, "Thank you for defending so well. If it weren't for that…we would have been beaten to a pulp." McLaggen laughed dryly, "I thought that's what just happened. No-one could have seen that coming. Not even Potter." His comment stung and Ginny felt fire burn to the surface as she spat, "You don't need to be such an asshole about it!"
McLaggen glanced at her and he forced a smile, "Told you it would take you time to realize why people don't like me." Ginny stared at him in disbelief. He was acting like a sulky child who didn't get his way. How dare he bring Harry into this! He was basically insinuating that Harry could have done better. Ginny knew he probably wasn't wrong, but this knowledge only fuelled her fire more. She turned away from him, trying not to let him see how much he had hurt her.
Ginny retreated to the little study to do some unfinished homework but found she couldn't concentrate, and it wasn't because of the noise. She had cast Muffiliato. She felt like if they couldn't beat Hufflepuff…what were the odds of them beating Slytherin? And then she realized that she would have to compete against Draco in the next match…although since he had hardly been at school to practice, it gave her a bit of an advantage. Ginny just needed some time alone to brood and get over their loss.
At that moment, there was a pop in the room and Ginny lifted her head up off the desk to find the source of the noise. It was Dobby.
A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who is continuing to follow this story, and most specifically to all the newcomers who are reading! I've had a load of new people recently and it's really so great so see the followers number rising! It puts a massive smile on my face!
I haven't done shout-outs in a while so thank you very much to: topofthemuffin, Starrya47, PartDarcy, and Lina for commenting! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!
To Benjy: In the movie Cho betrayed the D.A…but in the book it was Marietta.