Safety

Harry stood panting heavily after one of the most rigorous practices he had ever had. Well, it was more like a try-out really. Puddlemore United's season had ended two days ago when they claimed the League Championship over the Tornados. He finally managed to get a good look at the scouts who were now conferring in one of the VIP boxes of the stands. He quickly recognized Ron's bright red hair, and instantly knew what his incriminating wink had been about that morning. He chuckled to himself as he ignored their manager's end of practice pep talk. The season was over. He wouldn't need to be pepped at all for the rest of the summer unless he made it on the World Cup team. Then someone else would do the pepping. He watched as the scouts left the box. He couldn't be sure but he thought he saw turn around to get one last look at the team and wink at him again. He vaguely heard the team get dismissed to the locker rooms and his suspicion was confirmed as Wood wrapped an arm around his shoulders and moved him toward the locker room.

"Trying to figure out what they were think too, eh?" he asked as he elbowed Harry in the ribs.

"Yeah, I guess so," Harry said trying to sound non-committal, "I just thought I saw Ron up there is all."

"Yeah, right, I'm sure." He said, releasing his hold on Harry and running toward the locker room to claim his favorite shower.

Harry took his time getting to the locker room and undressing so that when Wood stepped out of the good shower he could get in. It was a finely tuned system that no one on the team messed with. He and Wood had the most seniority on the team, Harry having been with the team for eight years and Wood for ten. Harry was just towel drying his hair when the manager appeared in the locker room.

"Wood, Potter the owner would like to see you both in his office."

Oliver and Harry exchanged excited glances. Harry quickly pulled on his shorts and was tugging his shirt over his still wet hair as they moved though the halls of the stadium.

"We have to have made it, right?" Wood asked over and over again as they made the journey to the owner's office. "I mean, if we didn't they wouldn't have to talk to us at all. But then what if they aren't even here anymore. I mean what if this is about a raise, or what if we're out. We are getting old Harry."

"Oliver," Harry placed a firm hand on his shoulder. He rarely used Olivers first name, so he knew he was serious. "Just calm down, and don't worry. At the very least, we know it's not going to be anything bad. We are the two best players on the team. And besides, we're about to find out in about ten seconds anyway." Harry pointed to the large mahogany door with the name Jackson McDervin on it. "Jack's a good guy, everything is going to be fine." He said as Wood pushed the door open slowly.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't know he had been holding in as he saw the couches and chairs of the spacious office adorned with members of the Sports Department. Ron was beaming at him from a chaise.

"Congratulations boys!" Jack practically yelled in greeting. "How would you like to be on the World Cup team?"

"It would be an honor sir." Harry said, as Wood just beamed in reply. "I think Wood's trying to say yes, he just can't get the words out sir." Wood nodded vehemently.

Jack shook both of their hands before speaking again. "Well gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to the selection committee. Please welcome Head of Committee Michael Sauers, his assistant Leanne Harner, and members Frank Wagner, Joshua Fogarty, and Ronald Weasley." He said each name as the two shook hands in turn. Ron shook Harry's hand with so much vigor that he thought his arm was going to fall off.

"We were all very impressed with your flying out there today." Michael stated. "Now, of course, being on the World Cup team requires a certain amount of responsibility. The team will begin practice Monday morning for two weeks, six days a week. Monday through Thursday you will be practicing two a days. Fridays and Saturdays will be regular practice hours and you will have Sundays off. The starting line-up and the reserves will be announced after the first week of practice. You are expected to be on time to each and every practice and should stay until the fruition of each practice. Once you are on the team you should be committed to the team unless we ask you to leave. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," they said simultaneously.

"Good then. I'm glad to have two top notch players like yourselves on board. Weasley, the paper work please."

Ron withdrew two sets of contracts from his brief case and set them on the table in between the two parties. It took half an hour to review and sign all of the necessary points on the contract, but after it was done Harry Potter and Oliver Wood were officially part of England's World Cup team.

They could hardly contain their excitement until they got out of the office. As soon as Harry closed the door behind him Wood leapt up and punched the air with his fist. "World Cup team baby!" he yelled as he punched Harry in the shoulder. "World Cup!" he yelled again and again as they ran toward the locker room together.

They were met by whoops and cheers. The manager had clearly informed the team as soon as Harry and Oliver had left. They were already popping open bottles of champagne, but Harry had to get home to tell Ginny, and to ask about her exam.

He flooed to the apartment directly from the locker room.

"Ginny!" he called as he wondered though the empty flat. "Gin, where are you? How did your practical go? Did you knock any babies dead?"

He strained his ears to hear a laugh. He heard nothing and made his way dejectedly toward the kitchen to get a glass of water. A note was sitting at the counter.

Harry,

Went to The Burrow for lunch to celebrate the end of school with mum. Meet me when you get done with practice, she's dying to fatten you up after a long season of training.

Love Ginny

Harry sighed and set the note back down on the counter. He had been so excited to tell her. He was dying for some of Mrs. Weasley's cooking though. He quickly swapped his shorts for a pair of jeans and was gone.

As soon as he stepped out of the fire place he was met by the deafening roar of fourteen Weasley's screaming "Congratulations!" at once. Harry beamed up at them all and was quickly surrounded in a large group hug, started by Ginny and Hermione.

"We're just so proud of you, dear!" Mrs. Weasley said holding onto his cheeks. "Come, come, come!" she commanded, guiding him towards the kitchen. "Lunch is ready everyone!" she yelled as she shoved him though the door to the yard first.

Two large tables were festooned with food. Harry sat down in the nearest seat and dug in. Ginny joined him in the seat next to him.

"I knew you could do it Harry! You'll be the starting seeker in no time!"

"I sure hope so. Hey, how did you test go?"

"Well, I didn't kill any babies, and… I passed with flying colors. My examiners said that I did an exceptional job well done! I got the top score in my class!"

"That's wonderful Gin!" he yelled, pulling her into an awkward positioned hug. "One more year and you'll be the top Healer of your graduating class!"

"Don't you know it!" she yelled cockily. "We're just too awesome to be true!" she said with a laugh. "They should be building a shrine outside our flat as we speak."

"Gin, we don't use the front door to our flat, like ever."

"Well, I'll be using it tonight. I called Kyle. He wasn't home but I left him a message letting him know that yours most wonderfully and truly would be at Coopers tonight. So we have to take a muggle taxi home if we leave together."

"You got it Gin." He said, excited for her. She didn't usually stay with muggle men for too long, and Harry was glad that she had found someone that she truly liked.

She beamed at him once more and then turned to talk to Hermione about the details of the evening. Harry occupied himself with stuffing his mouth full of delicious food and talking about quittich.

It was seven when Hermione and Ron arrived at the flat before going to Coopers. Harry was just finishing buttoning up a gray shirt and Ginny was slipping into her red high heels. She looked amazing in her black halter top and white flowing skirt that hit just above the knee. Her hair had been magically curled and was now flowing down her back and over her shoulders in large waves.

The four enjoyed a nice dinner and nursed their cocktails until the pub began to fill with people and was quickly turned into more of a club atmosphere. They left the reserved sign to keep wandering people away when they were all away from the table.

As soon as enough people arrived Harry pulled Ginny out onto the dance floor. Harry had become quite good at his past nemesis, dancing, after a few lessons from Ginny in the safety of the flat. Now that he was good at it he loved it and could spend all night on the dance floor. In fact, whomever he happened to dance with the most throughout the night was most likely to be the girl that he took home with him.

As he spun Ginny around the dance floor she took the opportunity to keep an eye out for Kyle. The fast song was followed by a slow one and Harry pulled Ginny close to him.

"Do you see him anywhere?" he asked.

"No, I don't. Do you?" Harry scanned the room as he turned them in a full circle.

"Nah, I don't see him either. Maybe he's just not here yet."

"Yeah, maybe," she said slowly. "I'm going to go back to the table. I told him that we would have one, so maybe he's looking for me there or has met up with Ron and Hermione."

"Yeah, go ahead. I'm fine here!" He yelled after her as a tall blonde in a turquoise dress moved to join him on the dance floor.

Harry spent almost three hours dancing and drinking with the woman before he brought her over to the table.

"Hey everyone," Harry yelled over the music, holding his pint of beer in the air. "This is Carly. Carly this is Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Kyle. Wait, that's not Kyle. Who's that Gin?" He asked drunkenly as he pointed to the man standing behind Ginny's chair.

"Harry this is Evan, Evan meet my roommate Harry. Kyle didn't show up, and I needed someone to hang out with."

Harry knew what she meant. Kyle hadn't shown up and Harry was practically attached at the hip to Carly. She needed someone to take home to keep away her nightmares; she had gotten too used to not having them. The thought of them scared her more than not being faithful to Kyle. She had been counting on Kyle, and so had Harry. If he had known sooner that he hadn't come he would have spent the night with Ginny himself. But, now he had Carly and she had Evan.

"Your roommate?" Carly and Evan questioned at the same time.

"Don't worry!" Hermione butted in. "They just live together, cause Ginny's too poor to have her own apartment. They're best friends, there's nothing serious between them." She stated waving off their comments. Harry knew her well enough to know that she was trying to stifle a laugh.

"Exactly" Harry and Ginny said at the same time, trying to get Hermione to shut up.

They took two separate cabs home. When Harry and Carly walked through the door they could hear giggling coming from Ginny's room and didn't linger in the living room. Harry gently took her hand and led them straight to his room, closing the heavy wooden door behind them to block out the sound.

"See," he said huskily. "I told you, you had nothing to worry about."

He began to undo his shirt as she reached around and untied the knot at the back of her dress. He stepped closer to her as she pulled the dress over her head. He let his shirt hang open as he closed the gap between them and grabbed her face, kissing her passionately. He ran his hands over her white freckled shoulders. She pushed his shirt off of his shoulders and kissed his chest.

"Mmm, someone was a bad boy as a child." She moaned, as she examined his scars. She ran her hand over them carefully and pushed him back towards the bed. She took control as she rid him of his pants and the rest of their undergarments before straddling him on the bed. Harry wasn't sure if he wanted this or not, but he just closed his eyes and let it happen. He knew that she would stay the night and that's all he needed.

Harry's well trained ears heard Ginny scream in the middle of the night. He knew it wasn't a sexual scream; he could tune that one out. Ginny was having nightmares. Maybe Evan hadn't wanted to spend the night. He quickly threw on his discarded boxers and charged though his door and down the hall to Ginny's room. He burst through the door to find Evan sitting on top of a naked Ginny, roughly trying to pin her down. One hand was covering her mouth. Harry saw her bite down hard.

"Get off of me!" she screamed as he let go. She was rocking her body as hard as she could but her small frame could not throw him off.

Harry didn't think but ran towards the bed and tackled Evan to the floor. He drew his hand back and punched him in the face before wrapping his arms around the man and forcing him out of Ginny's room. He shoved him up against the wall and punched him again in the stomach. He was relieved to see that he was still wearing his boxers. He pulled back to deliver another blow when Evan darted out of the way and sprinted toward the door. He was gone before Harry could even reach the kitchen.

He could hear Ginny's sobs coming from her room, and he stifled the urge to pursue Evan. He darted back into her room and took her in his arms, cradling her and rocking her back and forth trying to sooth her.

"It's okay Ginny." He cooed, smoothing her hair gently. "You're okay, you're safe now. I've got you. Harry's got you." He held her until her sobbing turned into a soft sniffle. Then he got up and handed her the robe hanging on her door. "Come on," he said gently. "Let's have some tea."

She nodded slowly not looking at him. He put an arm around her and helped to lift her from the bed. They walked down the hall and to the kitchen with his arm around her shoulders. Harry pointed his wand at the tea pot and instantly tea filled the glass container. He poured two steaming mugs full and slid one over to Ginny along with a plate of shortbread cookies. She picked up a cookie and nibbled at it.

"Do you want to tell me what happened, Gin?" he asked gently.

There was a moment silence before she nodded reluctantly.

"We um, came home and we were kind of fooling around, having some fun. We didn't have sex, but we did… other things. I guess he must have wanted more though because we fell asleep and the next thing I remember I was naked and he was on top of me and I was scared out of my mind. Thank Merlin you hear me scream. I wasn't sure if you would be able too."

"Of course I did Gin. It sounded like, well it sounded like you were having a nightmare."

Ginny nodded slowly. "It was like a nightmare. Thank you so much Harry," she said touching his arm. Tears came to her eyes. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

Harry stood and moved around the island counter to hold her. "You don't have to think about that. You're safe now."

She nodded into his tear stained shoulder. "Don't tell anyone, please Harry. I know they don't like me going home with random guys and I just don't want to hear about how they were right. I couldn't handle that right now. Please Harry, can we just keep this between us, just for now."

It was Harry's turn to nod reluctantly. "Sure Gin, just between us. For now."

"Thank you, Harry." She said through her tears, wrapping her arms around him.

Harry picked her up in his arms and carried her back to her room. He lay down with her and held her back to his chest.

"Try to get some sleep Gin." He whispered in her ear. "I've got you. I'm not going anywhere."

And suddenly there was no Carly, there was no Evan. It was just two friends keeping away their nightmares.