fanfic by volly
harry potter (c) j.k. rowling
...
Title: Quidditch Through The Ages
Theme(s): if only i could make you mine
Notes:
may contain minor au-ness. luna lovegood reflects on quidditch, ginny weasley, and harry potter.
Spoilers: i think all of you should've had time to read the sixth book by now, hmm?
...
Luna went to her first Quidditch game in her second year. And although it had been a long time since then, and although she never was quite fick enough to completely trust her own obscure memory, there were a few very memorable things that happened on that exciting day.
She remembered a very intriguing cloud in the sky that resembled nothing less than a fat crumple-horned snorkack eating a pile of laundry. She remembered a particularly out-of-control bludger that had once hurled itself at the bleachers where she had been sitting, and that Fred Weasley (or was it George?) had dropped down at the very last second to protect his audience, only to pelt it all the way to the other side of the stadium, where it smashed into a pillar supporting the teachers' box.
She remembered Ginny Weasley, who was sitting right next to her. Ginny Weasley cheered at every Chaser's successful goal, crowed at every Keeper's successful block, squeaked in breathless, delighted glee at Harry Potter's successful dive for the Snitch. Gryffindor had won that game, won by a landslide over Ravenclaw herself, but Luna didn't really care. Not when Ginny had leapt on her in a wild hug, ecstatic over the victory, not noticing for a moment that she was even touching "Loony" Lovegood, whom most coherent students wouldn't approach with a ten-foot broomstick. Ginny's arms were warm, and even if the hold around Luna's neck was probably enough to strangle if sustained long enough, she found that she quite liked the hug.
Luna found, also, that she was really looking forwards to a next Quidditch game.
She went to her second Quidditch game two years afterwards, when all the fuss regarding the Triwizard Tournament had died down and all the new pandemonium regarding the High Inspector Professor Umbridge had sprung up. It was a trying and discordant time, especially when Harry Potter's rebelliousness had finally gotten him thrown out of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. But this meant that Ginny Weasley would be flying in his stead, and that was at least one thing that Luna Lovegood rather looked forward to in this era of darkness.
To be succinct, she never really liked to pay attention to the game itself when there were just so many other interesting oddities to engross herself in. In this match, the object of her attention was none other than Ginny Weasley herself. Luna was by no means a Quidditch connoisseur, but she thought that Ginny flew brilliantly.
Ginny's long scarlet hair streamed in the wind. Ginny's cheeks were flushed red with the pure adrenaline of the game. Ginny's small, slim body maneuvered the broomstick nicely, and she darted like a hummingbird around the stadium, sometimes lifting a hand to shade the sun from her eyes when squinting for the Snitch. Ginny seemed free as a bird, wild and somehow bursting with a spirit that Luna never saw her to possess outside Quidditch. Ginny Weasley was, Luna realized rather hazily, beautiful.
Ginny caught the Snitch, and Luna applauded loudly, grinning from ear to ear when she fancied that her Gryffindor friend turned her way. Quick as she could, she stumbled down the bleachers to try and meet Ginny before she disappeared into the castle and, inevitably, to the party that was sure to begin in the Gryffindor common room. She made it just in time, but before she could even open her mouth to say her congratulations, Ginny jumped her and engulfed her in another bonecrushing hug. And then Luna forgot what exactly she was going to say, anyways.
She went to her last Quidditch game just a year afterwards. By another unfortunate chain of events, Harry Potter rendered himself unable, yet again, to play as the Seeker on his Quidditch team. Happily, this meant that Ginny Weasley, yet again, would take his place and hopefully win Gryffindor their second Quidditch Cup. Ginny had been very excited about this, but yet also very stressed about a probable loss. Luna had given her friend a half-hug the morning before the big game and assured her that she'd be watching and that she wished her the best of luck and that she really shouldn't worry so much, she was going to do fine, just fine.
The Gryffindors played like demons that day. Luna saw Dean Thomas launch the Quaffle so hard at the goal it gave the opposing Keeper a bloody nose when he attempted to block it. She saw Ron Weasley save a total of fifteen goals out of the first twenty, which must've been a new record for the "King". She saw Gryffindor supporters bellowing their lungs out on their bleachers, saw them jumping up and down on their chairs and screaming warnings, openings, and other such little tidbits at the players. Such tension was incredible, and she wasn't even on the competing team. Luna felt sympathetic for Ginny; it was no wonder she had been so edgy.
Ginny herself played like there was no tomorrow. She feinted, dodged bludgers, and wound up circling so high in the sky to avoid enemy attacks that you couldn't distinguish her from a vulture. Perhaps such height offered an advantage to finding the Snitch, for after almost an hour of fouls, catcalls, and stretched nerves she pulled into a steep dive towards the very heart of the Quidditch field. Players scattered out of her way as they glimpsed her hurtling down like a falcon from above. Luna leapt out of her seat, trembling as Ginny neared the ground, almost certain that she would crash...
...but Ginny pulled out, toes skimming the grass, right hand extended outwards, with a hint of furiously whirring golden wings between the gloved fingers. The stadium exploded into cheers. Luna slumped back into her seat with relief, then quickly stood back up and began to push through the spectators to the entrance of Hogwarts castle.
She saw Ginny beam and rush forwards. She hurled herself at a black-haired figure standing at the edge of the Quidditch stadium, and Luna realized that it was Harry Potter. She saw Ginny hug him, and him kiss her, and watched them both laugh with utmost mirth until they were crying. And suddenly Luna felt like doing so, too.
She stood alone on the steps to the castle for awhile, then turned and walked inside.