Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: The reason it took me so long to update is because my computer crashed while I was about to finish writing the chapter! I lost the file completely, and almost threw a fit when I realized it can't be retrieved ;(
Thank god, I wrote some of it as a draft, so I had to change and add some things I did in the computer. Too bad it wasn't exactly as it was before.

For another different matter, while I was stuck without a plotline, I did something else for this fic with Photoshop – a poster! You can view it if you click the link in my profile. If you like it, please tell me what you think in the review of this chapter! Please :)

Nimbirosa: Sorry, had to put that, just to create jealousy. I know it's disgusting, but I can assure you that it will not happen again!

Sabella Black: Thank you, hon! You're the best beta ever :D

Belle of the Known Galaxy: He will stay the bad boy he is, even if he will hook up with Ginny. She will learn to like him as he is. ;)

Somnus Verus: Wait a little longer, it will come soon.

NotThePoke: Thank you! You're so sweet! Try and write something, I'd like to read a fic of yours ;)

Thank you guys for all the reviews! I was really happy when I read them! Keep reviewing, and for the ones who haven't yet, please do :D Love you all!

And now, it's Quidditch time!

Chapter 8 – Quidditch Fever:

It was one Friday evening at end of October when Harry gathered his teammates for the last Quidditch practice before the game against Gryffindor the follow morning.

The team has never been better than this year, and Harry was satisfied and proud to be their Captain.

While he caught the Snitch over and over again, Draco blocked the Quaffle that Blaise and the other two Chasers, Leroy Graham and Ben Jackson tried to throw through the goal posts, and Crabbe and Goyle did an excellent job of blocking Leroy and Ben's attempts by hitting Bludgers at them. Such a fine job, they almost knocked the Chasers off their brooms.

When he called them in for a final talk before practice ended, he opened with a speech, saying that he didn't want them to disappoint him, and told them that there was no reason for them losing the game to the Gryffindors. He dismissed them and walked back to the castle along with Blaise and Draco.

"I think you should promise us the same thing," Blaise said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.

"Well, see," Blaise started. "The Gryffindor Seeker is none other then your current crush, Ms. Weasley. If we lose the game to them, it will be only because you let her catch the Snitch because she fluttered her eyelashes at you, or something like that."

"Oh, not this again!" Harry growled.

"Yeah, I'm getting tired of this, too," Draco said with a yawn.

They just walked up the few stone steps to the castle. Dinner was about to start in the Great Hall, and the sound of hundreds of students could be heard.

"Yeah, listen Blaise," Harry began. "Let's say that hypothetically I do have a crush on her, don't you think I can separate personal feelings and professional business? I won't let her get the Snitch, and I don't care how great a Seeker she is. I have never missed the Snitch and I'm not going to miss it tomorrow. Clear?"

"As a crystal," Blaise responded with a weird smirk on his face. Harry didn't know what he was smirking about until they walked into the entrance hall and saw the same girl they had just talked about, standing near the doors of the Great Hall with her boyfriend.

Harry's eyes locked on her, and suddenly everything seemed to go in a slow motion.

"So, on Sunday, because you have that game tomorrow," Harry heard Dean saying to her.

"I don't know Dean, I really should study. I have loads of homework and it's O.W.L.S. year. I want to have good grades," Ginny replied as an excuse. Her arms were wrapped around couple of books she was holding tight to her chest. She looked a bit uncomfortable around Dean for some strange reason.

"Come on, Ginny! We haven't been on a normal date for a long time now, and I'd really like to take you out. It's Halloween's Hogsmeade weekend, are you really going to study on a holiday?"

"Yes, Dean, I am, and I'm sorry." They had just passed the arguing couple, and Harry saw her shoot him a quick glance before she shifted her eyes back to Dean. She quickly added, "Another time, okay?" And she walked into the Great Hall quickly, leaving Dean alone.

Harry suddenly woke up from his daze when he heard Blaise chuckle and say something to Draco. "Hmm... did you see that?" Blaise said playfully.

"Yeah, I saw that. We're so losing tomorrow's game," Draco replied with the same tone.

Harry could only sigh, now that his friends caught him red-handed, staring at Ginny. He tried to make excuses, but everything he said didn't made any sense, so he finally gave in and admitted that he did fancy her a bit, and he was glad that his friends didn't make a big deal out of his confession.

Harry decided that he wouldn't let his team down. Whatever he felt towards Ginny was to stay behind until the game was be over. He would play fairly and treat her like he treated all the other Seekers he played against in the past.

He didn't forget the talk he had with Snape the day before. After the last Potions class ended, Snape had asked him to stay behind again. Harry had wondered what he had done wrong this time, but instead of getting yelled at, he was surprised to hear Snape wishing him good luck at the game. Of course that wasn't all, and before Harry left the classroom, Snape added in a threatening voice that they better win this match.

So now Harry was in the changing room, giving his team a final pep talk before the game began. "All right, guys! Let's show them what we've got!" he said when he finished talking, and everyone proclaimed their competitive spirit together. One by one, they hopped on their brooms, flew out of the changing room and onto the pitch.

The weather was nice and convenient for a game. The skies were light blue with a shade of the end of October's grey in them. A cloud or two hid the warm sun and a cool breeze blew through their hair, raising everyone's spirits.

"And here's the Slytherin team," called Dennis Creevey, the new commentator. "Potter, Malfoy, Graham, Zabini, Jackson, Crabbe and Goyle!"

They could hear loads of cat calls at them from the three other houses, but all of the Slytherin house cheered them and that was what really mattered.

"And from the other side of the pitch comes the Gryffindor team! Weasley, Slopper, Kirke, Bell, Weasley, Gates and Bennett!"

Now it was totally the opposite. The Slytherins booed and the other three houses cheered with all their might.

Everyone made a few warm up laps around the stadium, before they landed on the pitch, in front on Madam Hooch, who was ready with the Quaffle in her hands. Oddly enough, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall and Remus weren't in the Teachers' stands. Madam Hooch, Hagrid, Flitwick and Sprout were the only adults watching the game.

"Captains, shake hands," Madam Hooch ordered.

Reluctantly, Harry walked a few steps forward as did Ron Weasley. Harry knew the tradition. Every time the Captains shook hands, it was to wish the other Captain bad luck at the game.

Harry extended his hand to Ron, who hesitantly shook it, probably aware of the pain Harry wanted to cause him. Harry pressed his fingers on Ron's lean palm and started to squeeze it hard. It seemed to work, because Ron let out a faint whimper and then pulled his hand back quickly, wrapping it with his other hand, to ease the pain. No, I guess Ron wasn't aware of the 'secret handshake', Harry thought. Oh, well, he does now. He added mentally to himself that this was his payback for the fat lip the Weasel gave him.

Madam Hooch, however, didn't seem to notice what happened, or chose not to, because she was used to it by now. "Ready?" she asked after each Captain went back to his place. "I want a fair game, no funny business, you get it? Mount your brooms," she said and released the three balls that were locked in the box, which was sitting on the ground next to her. She then blew hard on her whistle and threw the Quaffle high into the air as all fourteen players rose from the ground.

They had a good start. Blaise got the Quaffle within two seconds and he was already on his way to the goal posts. He spotted a Gryffindor Chasers coming his way, and threw the ball to Ben, who passed it to Leroy. All three of them ducked as a Bludger almost hit them. Blaise got the possession of the Quaffle again and flew the Gryffindor goal posts. Ron Weasley was ready to block the ball, but missed it when Blaise pretended to aim it to the right loop, but instead shot it to the left one.

"Slytherin scores, ten-zero!" called Dennis Ceevey's voice to the megaphone.

Within only five minutes Slytherin scored four more goals, while Gryffindor was stuck with a zero.

Harry wasn't worried about his team and while they played with the Quaffle, he was looking for the Snitch. Too bad it disappeared. Harry saw in the corner of his eye that Ginny was still looking for it as well. Harry did a lap around the pitch, thinking maybe this way he'd have a new perspective and would find it hiding somewhere he didn't bother to look earlier. He looked very carefully at Ginny, to see if she had spotted the Snitch before him.

"Ooh! Gryffindor scores!" Dennis said excitedly. "The score is fifty-ten to Slytherin, but the game can end very differently. Slytherin may be a better team now more than ever, especially since Harry Potter is their new Captain, but Gryffindor's new Seeker, Ginny Weasley, can still save the day and bring them 150 points! And it's Slytherin in possession again –"

Harry blocked Creevey's commentaries from his mind and shot an evil glare at Draco for letting the Gryffindors score. Draco was on the other edge of the stadium protecting the goal loops. He caught Harry's glare, but only shrugged with a sorry look on his face as a response.

The game continued, and again, Blaise had the Quaffle, and he flew to the Gryffindor goal posts. "Hey Zabini," called Katie Bell, who was flying very close to him. "I just saw Pansy Parkinson blowing you a kiss."

Blaise abruptly stopped his broom, and from the force of the halt, almost fell backwards from it. He managed to control it and balanced himself in time, before he slipped. He tossed his head in every possible direction. "What? Where?"

"I don't know," Katie answered and with a swift movement of her hands, she snatched the Quaffle right from his grip and turned around.

It took Blaise a few seconds to realize it was just a diversion, but when he turned around and saw Katie wave her hand at him and calling "thank you." He muttered "bitch!" under his breath, and went back on his pursue after the Quaffle.

The game went on and the Snitch hadn't been found yet. Just then Harry heard a buzzing sound from near by. He looked around carefully, as to not alert Ginny, to see where the Snitch has just been. He found it, now hovering just a few inches above the ground.

Without even thinking, Harry dove toward the little golden ball, hoping it wouldn't disappear again. A quick glance to his left showed him that Ginny did the same thing and now they were on the same level and same distance from the Snitch.

He could hear in the background the crowd's sudden gasp and Creevey's excited commentary.

The fresh green grass came closer and closer by the second and luckily, the Snitch stayed put for a change. He reached out his hand as he drew closer, very aware of the fact that Ginny's body came very close to his. Closer and closer to the ground they flew, and Harry was sure he was going to crash, if not into Ginny, into the ground, but then the Snitch's wings twitched a little, and both Seekers knew what was going to happen next.

Harry felt his feet sweep the grass as he halted his broom for a second and shot up, back into the sky, practically making a ten degree angle with the ground. He picked up speed again as he rose higher into the air. Ginny was just behind him. Determined to catch the ball before him, she forced her broom to reach his level.

Their hands were still stretched out as they chased the little ball. "You must be a really good flier if your Cleansweep can fly as fast as my Firebolt," he yelled to her. The wind blowing on their faces made it almost impossible to hear. Even Dennis Creevey's loud commentary sounded muffled to them. She didn't respond to that, and was still focused on the ball.

Harry suddenly heard a whistle, but it wasn't Madam Hooch's, this one sounded different, unsteady and louder. It was getting stronger and stronger by the minute. A little black dot came into view ahead of them. The Snitch decided to fly to the left, and both of them changed their direction. The black dot wasn't little anymore, and it was coming in their way. As Harry realized what the dot actually was, panic came over him. That was a Bludger, which was going to hit them any second if they didn't stop chasing the Snitch. No Beater was close enough to change its track.

"Pull away!" Harry yelled at Ginny.

"No!" she yelled back. She wasn't afraid at all, and continued chasing the Snitch. She was braver than him, that's why she was in Gryffindor and he wasn't.

Harry remembered his promise. He wouldn't let her get the Snitch, and if it meant he had to chase it and be hit by a Bludger to get it before her, so be it. He forced himself to be brave as well, and focused himself on the tiny ball, the Bludger now closer than ever.

"Pull away now and I will do so as well!" He gave her another chance, but she didn't pull away, and neither did he. Harry wasn't sure if he would catch it, but he wasn't about to chicken out. His finger tickled the ball slightly, and as the Bludger hit them both in the shoulder, he managed close his grip on the ball.

The next thing he knew, he was lying sprawled on the ground. He felt an enormous pain in his shoulder, like someone ripped out his arm right out. When he turned to check if his arm was indeed in its proper place, he was relieved to see that it was still attached to his body. He was also surprised to see he wasn't only holding the Snitch, but another hand as well. His eyes widened as he followed the hand he held and saw it belonged to the unconscious Ginny Weasley lying by his side. Her ponytail wasn't so neat and tight like she had before, and it was messed because of the fall. She looked so peaceful when she wasn't conscious.

Harry looked up at the sky, unable to move his upper body. His sight was blurry and he realized then that his glasses had fallen askew on the bridge of his nose. He heard another whistle; this one unmistakably belonged to Madam Hooch.

A group of people suddenly gathered around him in a circle, and he could only see their heads looking down at him.

"All right, Potter, let go of my sister's hand!" Ron Weasley said firmly.

"I can't," Harry said. "I can't move my arm."

"Bullshit –"

"Let's see you move a broken arm after a Bludger hit you in the shoulder!" Harry snapped.

Ron ignored him and bent down to Ginny and unsuccessfully tried to wake her up.

"Who won the game, Madam Hooch?" Katie Bell asked. "They both caught the Snitch."

"I'm not sure. This never happened before. I can only think of two possible options: one, to do a rematch, or two, to announce Slytherin as the winners because they had more points."

"I call a rematch!" Ron said immediately, not even considering the matter.

"There's no way we're doing a rematch!" Harry protested, still lying on the ground.

"Why, are you afraid to lose, Potter?" Ron taunted.

"Weasley, if we do a rematch, not only we beat you sorry asses again, but we'll gain more points!"

While they argued, a little voice spoke up. "We're not doing a rematch." Everyone fell silent as Ginny stirred.

"What?" Ron exclaimed with shock.

"We're not doing a rematch because I caught the Snitch!" she said.

Ron helped her sit up and she tried to pull her hand, holding the Snitch, unaware it was clutched tightly inside Harry's palm. When she gasped with pain, Ron seized her by the shoulders and held her still. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"No, I think I broke my arm." She lay back on her back, taking in her surroundings. She then saw her hand was held with Harry's, who was lying next to her on the ground, looking up.

"Anyway, see, I caught the Snitch." She motioned her hand, ignoring the fact that Harry held the ball too.

"We both caught it," he said quietly, avoiding looking at her face.

"Move aside, coming through!" They could all hear Madam Pomfrey's voice coming from near by. The group of people that gathered around the two Seekers split into two lines, and then they saw Madam Pomfrey emerged from behind. She held her first-aid kit in her hands. She bent down to see what happened, tutting to herself.

"They say they broke their arms," informed her Madam Hooch.

"Yes, I can see that, they turned blue," she replied. "However, I don't have all the potions they need here. We'll take them to the infirmary, but first..."

She suddenly reached out her hands and before Harry could ask what she was doing, he let out a sharp yell, same as Ginny's. Their hands came separated and the Snitch zoomed into the air.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked them, as neither of them got up from the ground.

Draco, who was one of the watchers, helped Harry get up to his feet, and Ron helped Ginny. They all walked out of the pitch, together with the rest of the school, and they were still arguing about who won the game. "Shut up, you lot!" called Madam Hooch. "I'll have a talk with your Heads of Houses and the Headmaster and hopefully we will let you know who won the game by dinner time."

The two teams walked quietly into the hospital wing behind Harry and Ginny, who were still avoiding each other's eyes.

Harry was seated by Madam Pomfrey on the closest bed to the door of the infirmary and Ginny in the bed opposite his.

"I got your broom, Harry," said Blaise. "I'll put it back in our dorms, by your bed."

"Thanks," he replied. He turned to all his teammates and whispered so no one else could here, "Hey guys, no one agrees for a rematch, got it?" Everyone nodded.

Madam Pomfrey came back from her office with at least eight different potions in her hands, and shooed everyone (who wasn't Ginny or Harry) out, and then forced her two patients to drink all of the potions. Each potion Pomfrey gave Harry, tasted worse than the one before.

"You tend to get hurt a lot, Mr. Potter."

It wasn't Madam Pomfrey who said it, but Ginny.

Truth be told, all the bruises he suffered from lately happened because of this little redhead. Harry wondered if she was worth the trouble fighting for, because all she did was hurt him.

"Tell me, Ms. Weasley," he said after a few moments of thinking, when Madam Pomfrey finally left the room. "Was it worth risking your life for a victory in a game?"

"Of course," she replied simply.

Harry frowned. "Why? Do you hate your life that much?"

"No, I hate you so much I don't mind ending my life so I won't have to see you again," she said sarcastically.

"Why do you hate me?" He sounded hurt.

"Because you're a git and you're stalking me."

"Oh, you're saying it like it's a bad thing!" he joked, but then turned serious. "I'm not stalking you."

"Then how come wherever I go, I see you there?" she inquired.

"I don't call it stalking, I call it coincidence," he said.

"It could have been coincidence for the first or second time, but now it's like I have a tail with its own name, and its name is Harry Potter."

"Fine. I'm still not stalking you."

"Oh, so you just happened to meet me in the library that day, and sit at my table from all the tables around, doing nothing?"

"Er..." he was caught off guard.

"I thought so," she didn't let him respond. The room was filled with silence full of tension. Finally, she spoke again. "So, did you have a good snog with Parkinson?"

Harry smiled to himself, glad the kiss with Pansy finally paid off and made her jealous. "Oh, I had a great snog with her," he said proudly. "Couple of snogs, actually," he admitted.

"Good for you," Ginny said, trying to sound sincere and like she meant it.

"Hua," he huffed. "Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice?" He was interested to know how much it had affected her.

"You would love that, wouldn't you? I'd drown myself in the lake before I'd be jealous of your new Poodle!"

"You know, I have to agree with you for the first time since we met. She does look like a dog."

Ginny laughed and Harry joined her. They were making jokes about how Pansy would look like if she was wagging a tail. They calmed down after couple of good laughs, and then Ginny turned to him seriously. "So, why did you kiss her?"

Because it drives me mad when I see you kiss Dean, Harry thought to himself. No, she doesn't need to know that. Harry shrugged. "I had a free snog, why would I pass the opportunity?" he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Guys," Ginny rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath.

"So, you're saying you aren't jealous? Not even a little bit?" he pressed.

Ginny shook her head and said innocently, "No, not at all. You know, if I knew better, I'd say you want me to be jealous."

"No, I'm just saying that because you can't judge me for who I go out with or who I kiss, because you kiss your boyfriend in every corner or a broom cupboard in school!" he said defensively.

"Not that I can't do that, because he is my boyfriend after all, unlike you, taking advantage from every girl you see. But I can't blame you; it's obvious you're too scared of commitment. And just for you know, I think you're the one having problem with me snogging my boyfriend, and not the other way around."

Harry was speechless for a second, but then he regained his composure and said, "Who, me? No, not at all."

Madam Pomfrey came back just then and helped them put a plaster on their broken hands.

By dinner time, Harry and Ginny were released from the hospital wing. Harry walked to the common room, to check if Draco and Blaise were there, since he hadn't seen them since lunch, but they weren't anywhere to be found. The common room was deserted.

Harry collapsed on the couch in front of the crackling fire, examining the plaster cast on his arm. A tap on the window got his attention and he looked up and saw a ghost owl waiting at the window sill, a letter at his beak.

Harry recognized the owl as Merrill, his father's owl. He got up from the couch and strode to the window to let Merrill in. The owl dropped the letter in Harry's free hand and waited in the warm room, while Harry read the letter.

Dear Harry,

We heard what happened today at the game from Remus. We hope you are feeling okay now and that you will be able to use your arm again really soon. Sorry we couldn't come visit you, but we were loaded with work.

The handwriting style changed. Harry knew the first paragraph was written by his father, and the rest of the letter, as he saw, was written by his mother.

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, HARRY? Chasing the Snitch when you see a Bludger coming your way! You could have been killed! If you do that again, I swear I'll have you off the team in a second, and I don't care if you are the Captain (and thank you really for telling us they picked you, by the way)! You had to catch your father's Quidditch madness, didn't you?

Anyway, sweetie, have fun and get well soon. We'll see you at Christmas (if not sooner).

Love,

Mum and Dad.

P.S. If you're interested to know, Padfoot is fine and really misses you!

Harry groaned when he folded the letter. Thank god, they haven't come visit me! That could have been so humiliating when Ginny was there! He thought. He gave Merrill a light scratch behind his head and released him to go back home.

His stomach grumbled, and he decided to go meet his friends at the Great Hall.

He walked up to the Slytherin table and sat in the vacant seat Draco had saved for him.

"Hey, you okay?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, better. Thanks." Harry started to load his plate with food. "Did they say anything? You know, about the game?"

"Not yet, but Dumbledore walked in just a few minutes ago, Snape and McGonagall right behind him, so they must have been in a meeting, discussing the matter," Blaise answered.

Harry nodded in understanding as he took the first bite of his roasted chicken.

"So, did you lovebirds do something while no one was around?" Draco asked cheekily, playing with the potatoes on his plate, and separating them from the carrots. He and Blaise sniggered.

"She has a boyfriend," Harry informed him.

"That didn't stop you before."

"Well, I'm starting to let go. She may be pretty, but she's not my type," he said casually.

Suddenly, Dumbledore rose from his seat and the chattering in the Hall died down at once.

"I bet you're all dying to know which house won the game," he started to say. Murmuring could be heard from all four tables, and Dumbledore had to clear his throat to gain silence and attention again. "It was decided the Gryffindor house will get 150 points for catching the Snitch –"

All the students at the Gryffindor table jumped and screamed from happiness at those words, and the Slytherins all objected and rose with anger, including Harry, Draco and Blaise.

"I didn't finish!" Dumbledore cut them off, and they all froze. "But, since the Slytherins caught the Snitch as well, we had to consider the circumstances, and so they should also have 150 points." Harry's face lit up and he felt excited. "Therefore, Slytherin house is in the lead with 40 points more then Gryffindor. Slytherin house is the winner of today's game!"

Harry couldn't believe his ears. He waited all day to hear those words, and now, when all his housemates jumped, screamed and hugged each other joyfully, he just gaped at empty air while everyone clapped him on the back.

They Gryffindors looked disappointed and they all sulked, along with the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs.

Harry saw Ron comforting his team members. He drank a toast of pumpkin juice with all the other Slytherins.

When they walked out of the Great Hall, they met Ron and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team at the exit.

"You are all invited to the great celebration of our victory in our common room," Draco said to them in a high voice. "Oh, sorry, Purebloods only, and Weasels are out," he added and Harry couldn't help but laugh at sight of their grumpy faces, not even slightly caring that Ginny was one of them.

A/N: There is something I forgot to say: I put some clues in the previous chapter, which will be more prominent later on. I'll put more clues in next chapters. Can you guess what the clues were?

Also, I thought it will be more interesting to give the chapter names, so I did. What do you think?

And did you see the poster I made? No? Go check it right now before you review and then post your review because I've been through hell with this chapter, and you better review it, or else... :-p