Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out; I really didn't have much inspiration. I also had a sort of writers block, but then when I wrote out what I wanted in the chapter during science, it sort of just flowed.

I would like to thank cullenhan, Eeyorebcb, Hannah Brandon 1234321, Mimzii, MinisterKingsley and Shiznat for adding my story to their alert list and to luna-lovegood-fan for adding it to their favourites as well. *thumbs up* :D Also thank you for your reviews on the last chapter :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, so therefore I don't even own Dumbledore's sexy beard :(

Chapter 8

Hogsmeade visit

Harry was walking down the steps of the castle towards Hogsmeade. He, Hermione and Ron were looking forward to getting some butterbeers or firewisky and being able to wander around once again in their favourite shops. The students walking ahead of them and behind them were talking loudly to each other about what they are going to get and do, complaining about homework and teachers.

'Ron and I are going to get wasted.' Harry said, laughing at Ron's expression when using the muggle term.

'Wasted?'

'Don't worry Ron, I won't let that happen, you won't feel well tomorrow.' She threw a glance at Harry. 'And the teacher's will hardly stand for it.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'We're of age Hermione, they can't tell us we cannot drink. Plus, I think we deserve it.' He smiled widely.

'Drink?' Ron smiled. 'Ooooh, I get it now! Sure, let's get wasted.'

'No Ron, you're not!' Hermione reasoned.

Ron began to mumble, muttering under his breath about touchy girlfriends.

Harry chuckled, 'Fine, Ron can miss out, but I'm not missing out on a good drink.' He grinned and opened up the door to the Three Broomsticks, the sound of the already present students engulfed them in a flash of memories of butterbeers and laughing.

Harry surveyed the room, looking for an empty table to sit at, they walked over to an empty one which Harry soon realize was the one which he had given the Tri Wizard Cup re-cap to Rita Skeeter.

Then he had been trying to convince the world that Voldemort was truly back and that Cedric had not dropped dead on his own accord, people thought he was a nutter. Now everyone believed that he had come back and thought Harry was a hero.

Hero.

He couldn't really wrap his head around the fact that Voldemort was now gone and he could continue living his life. He could probably have a toast to his success and a new life's beginning of no more pain.

Hermione got up and went to order their butterbeers, frowning at Harry when he said he wanted a firewhisky, she had said to get it himself. But in the end she did come back with one for him and shockingly one for her and Ron.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her as she sat down, sending the silent question.

'Oh shut up, I think we deserve these.' And with that said she took a big sip and almost spat it back out; obviously she couldn't handle that much.

Harry grinned into his cup as he took as sip. Ron was also smiling at her but sweetly and patting her softly on the back.

Hermione just shook it off and pretended it hadn't happen, taking another drink.

'And you said we weren't going to get wasted?' Harry asked, taking in Hermione's already half empty glass.

'We're not; this is the only drink we're having.' She sneered before taking another sip.

'Well I suppose me and Ron can't really have too much; we have Quidditch trials later on today.' Harry said reasonably, smiling to himself with the thought of once again getting on his broom.

Hermione nodded like he should have already figured that out and that it would of not have been the wisest of decisions to get wasted before the trials.

Harry eventually finished his and after much stalling went to go get another one while Hermione was distracted.

When they finally left The Three Broomsticks, Luna ran into Hermione and handed her a chocolate frog. 'Look at the back of them!' She exclaimed, handing one to Ron and Harry.

Hermione screamed and dropped it, people heads turned all around the village. Harry could now see it visibly on the ground; Hermione with her big bushy hair smiling up at him from the back of one of the boxes. Hermione bent down and picked it back up; looking closely at it like it could be some sort of trick, spinning it and tipping it like it was all just an illusion.

Harry turned over his and was amazed to see Ron with his red hair and freckles on the back of it, Ron Weasley

For aiding Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in destroying the Horcruxes and subsequent defeat of Voldemort.

'Bloody Hell!' Ron gawped, shocked. He looked over at the one in Harry's hand and snatched it; shoving the one in his own hands into Harry's.

Harry looked at the back of it to see himself smiling back, his scar visible between the hair on his forehead. Beneath the photo it had the description: Harry Potter

The first wizard to survive the Killing Curse, earning the title "The Boy Who Lived." Most famous for the defeat of the most dangerous dark wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort in 1998.

Harry noticed that the rest of the chocolate frogs that Luna had in her arms all had the three of them on the back, until Harry noticed the odd one out. He plucked it out of the bunch and looked at the face of Neville Longbottom smiling shyly.

He'd never really been a collector of these, Ron himself though had had quite a few, but over the past few years it was just something that eventually faded until they completely forgot about it.

Harry showed Ron Neville's face on the back of the card and he grinned widely. 'I think Neville should see that one.' Harry chuckled.

'And these were in the shop?' Ron asked Luna, looking like he was a kid locked in Honeydukes overnight.

'Yes. They're like on every chocolate frog.'

'This is really . . .' Hermione trailed off, thinking of an appropriate word.

'Brilliant?' Ron said cheerfully.

'More like embarrassing.' Hermione blushed, hiding her face into her hands.

Luna laughed and Harry joined in while Ron questionably looked at Hermione's reaction. She just shook her head and tried to smile away her embarrassment. She couldn't handle being on the back of the collector card so many children would collect. She couldn't stand going through town and have people stare at her.

Harry hoped that Hermione now understood how it felt for him. He smiled inwardly at the thought of that.

'Do you guys want to see the rest of the shop?' Luna asked, smiling tentatively.

'Hell yeah.' Ron exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. It was obvious to Harry that Ron was going to enjoy the attention the moment he walked into the shop.

'I'll um, be wandering around the place.' Harry said, pointing his thumb in the opposite direction and beginning to walk away down the path.

'I'll come with you!' Hermione said quickly, following into step beside him. Harry and Hermione walked down the roads silently, looking into the window of the shops and watching as the younger students ran past with smiles on their faces, their hands full of lollies and mysterious things from the joke shop.

Harry didn't know where he was walking, just that he was taking a familiar road that he knew. He was letting his conscious take him where ever, but the moment he reached the barbed wire fence and Hermione rested a hand on his arm, he finally took in the view.

The shrieking shack stood as still as ever, swaying slightly from the wind but besides that there was no movement, it moaned and creaked when it swayed, causing the place to feel eerie.

Without really thinking of what he was doing he slipped between the fence's wires and began to stride through the grass towards the abandoned house. He was going to face this whether or not he wanted to, even if he wasn't ready. It was no use waiting it off and having it hover above his head every time he went to Hogsmeade.

He opened up the door, it hanging half off its hinges, and walked silently through the dark, tattered house. Harry didn't know if Hermione was following him or not, he couldn't feel her presence; it felt too cold and dead in there, like no one had been there in ages. But to be honest Harry knew that that was a lie.

He walked towards the door frame of the small room and peered in, feeling his breath catch in his throat and nearly choke him. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, hand braced against the door frame, he put one foot inside the room and then another, then turning around as fast as he could and exiting the house altogether.

Harry sat on a rock in the front of the shack; waiting for Hermione to exit. She took a while and Harry hated her for it, because the longer she was in there the longer Harry had to sit there looking at it.

She stood in the door way to the house and took one look at Harry; he knew she was going to make a big thing out of it so he stood up like nothing was wrong, like he was just a friend waiting for her to come out of any ordinary house.

Walking back up the path Harry and Hermione met Ron in Honeydukes. He was looking at the rest of the chocolate frogs, picking up as many as he could and smiling to himself.

'You're going to get a stomach ache from all of those.' Said Hermione smoothly, taking a few out of his hands and putting them back.

'Not if you help me.' He picked them back up and handed them to her, giving her a wink.

Hermione shook her head and smiled.

Ron looked at Harry's face, 'Here.' her said, handing Harry one. 'You could use some cheering up.'

'Thanks?' Harry muttered.

'Bloody . . . Mood . . . swings . . . feelings . . . Ginny.' Ron mumbled incoherently, shuffling around the shop, Hermione in tow.

Hermione rolled her eyes over her shoulder so Harry could see and smiled; she picked up a lollypop and put it in her pile in her arms.

Harry thought that if he was going to be here in the shop he might as well get something, it would be a while before they could go again. So he went wandering around the shop, looking at sweets and people looking too. The smiles on the little kid's faces made Harry smile himself, he felt kind of odd being the only one in there that didn't have a smile on their face.

XX

'Come on Ron! Even if you don't have to try out again, I still need you there!' Harry demanded, chucking a book at Ron who was sitting on the couch in the common room. Hermione frowned at Harry's choice of weapon on Ron.

'No, I'm staying here with Hermione.' Ron said matter-of-factly.

'Ron get off you're lazy ass and just go okay? You couldn't possibly make more a fool out of yourself than you usually do.' Ginny appeared at the top of the stairs to the boys dormitories, her broomstick in one hand and Ron's in the other.

'Point towards Ginny.' Harry said smiling as Ron rolled his eyes.

'Ron, if it makes you feel any better I'll be in the stands for you?' Hermione said reassuringly.

'Fine.' Ron exasperated, moving his arm from behind Hermione and standing up. He helped Hermione up and gave Ginny a cold stare as he walked past her towards the portrait hole. She thrust his broom towards him and he snatched it from her, in return she flipped him the bird.

Hermione gave Ginny a stern look and then climbed through the hole, Harry following behind her, with his own broom in his hands.

Ginny came through and Harry thought she needed help, so he offered her his hand, Harry thought she would reject it, but to his surprise Ginny grasped it firmly and smiled thanks.

'You nervous?' Harry asked, sparing Ginny a glance as they walked a couple of steps behind Ron and Hermione.

'Not really.' Ginny said nonchalantly.

'Mhmm, that's what everyone says. Really, on the inside, they're shitting themselves.' Harry smirked.

'What is there to be nervous about? I know you won't cut me.' Ginny said logically, smiling. 'You nervous?' Ginny asked, repeating Harry's previous words.

'Me?' Harry said in disbelief. 'What's there to be nervous about?'

Ginny walked ahead and spun around; walking backwards, 'After the try outs.' she flash him a grin before running down the corridor and out of sight.

'What's happening after the try outs?' Harry asked Hermione, coming into pace with her and Ron again.

'After?' Ron said, looking at Harry in confusion.

'Yeah, Ginny said I should be nervous.'

'I don't know about anything happening after the try outs.' Ron replied, 'Do you know anything Hermione?'

'No.' Hermione's short reply gave Harry the suspicion that she did know something about it, she just wasn't telling him.

They reached the Quidditch pitch and Hermione gave Ron a peck on the cheek and a soft pat on the chest before walking towards the stands to get a seat.

Harry towed his broom into the Gryffindor locker room and began to take off his shirt to replace it with his red and gold Quidditch robes. Oh how he just loved those two colours together, they made him feel like everything was normal. And the truth was; everything was normal.

XX

Walking back out onto the middle of the pitch and telling people that they had not made the team made Harry feel a bit guilty. To be honest, he thought they had all be bloody fantastic! But seeing as there were only five positions available, it was a bit difficult.

He knew deep down that Ginny had been right and that he couldn't cut her from the team; she was just so . . . sexy? No. Harry thought I didn't keep her on the team because I like her. I kept her on the team because she is the best out there.

He knew she had seen it coming though when he said her name, announcing that she was still on the team as Chaser. What had shocked Harry was when Liam had turned up and gotten the other position for Chaser. The remaining two beater positions filled in by Jack Hopser and Robert Hawkes, the last Chaser position given to a fourth year named Hannah Pike.

'Alright, um, great try out and I hope you don't all bloody screw this up and make me regret this.' Harry joked lightly. Liam had walked past and play punched Harry in the shoulder, 'It's alright Harry,' He grinned widely, 'We got this!'

Harry watched as Liam ran out of the locker room.

'I should have just stayed in the common room. It would have been a lot cooler and a lot more relaxing. It's the bloody weekend for crying out loud!' Ron said irritably, walking past Harry and over to Hermione who hugged him and walked away. Obviously they had better things to do than wait for him.

'Meet you in the common room?' Harry yelled.

Ron raised his thumb above his head, signalling Harry the okay.

Everyone was out of the change room so Harry began to change into his jeans and top; feeling more comfortable without everyone staring at him and all of his battle scars.

Just as he was doing up the buttons to his shirt, he heard a bang sound; like a locker closing. Harry's head instantly snapped up, his hands dropping from the buttons on his shirt to his wand.

Harry had presumed the place was vacant.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he spun around, his wand against their throat. 'Put the wand away you silly boy.' Ginny giggled, walking lightly over to a locker and opening it, taking out her bag and clothes that were stuffed in it.

She noticed his stare and frowned. 'It's rude to stare you know.'

Harry immediately turned around to face his own locker, embarrassed by getting told off.

Seconds ticked by and Harry was still standing there facing the locker, doing nothing.

'Psst.' Ginny's voice whispered from behind his ear. He turned his head slowly around and got the full impact of her lips as they pressed against his. She started out sweet but it soon turned rough, pressing herself nearer to him. She had him up against the locker until they swapped and he was pressing her against the locker. He could feel every part of her against him, and he couldn't deny that he liked it.

'I love you.' He said between kisses.

'Right back at you.' She grinned.

Their conversation was put on pause as they both began to snog fiercely. Harry hadn't noticed until his hands began to travel up from her waist to her back that she didn't have a shirt on. He paused mid-kiss and regretted looking down at her green bra. 'Um, Ginny?' He said cautiously, trying to avoid looking at her torso.

'Yes?' she pulled away and noticed his averted eyes. 'Oh, sure. Okay.' She peeled herself off the locker and picked up her shirt from the top of her bag. 'Happy Harry?' She put the shirt over her bra.

Harry didn't know how to respond to that. Obviously he had liked what he had seen, but he didn't want to make her feel like they had to rush things. 'I'm happy as long as you're happy.' He said like any other cheesy, cliché boy.

'Ha, ha.' She said, coming closer to him and resting her hands on his chest, going up on her tip-toes and kissing him once on the lips. 'I think I might have to go. Hermione might begin to think I locked you up in a cage.' She giggled and began to pack up her bag.

'Wait? You told Hermione?'

Ginny smiled sweetly before walking out the door, her bag over her shoulder.

'Merlin.' Harry said to himself, running a hand through his hair before actually coming back into reality.

From what Harry could gather as he walked back to the Gryffindor common room was that he and Ginny were finally together again. If that was what that kiss had meant. Shit. He should have probably asked her what it did mean.

Harry climbed through the portrait hole and his eyes scanned the common room for Ron and Hermione. They were both sitting comfortably on the couch together, hands intertwined. Ron was the first to look up, 'What took you so long?'

Harry's eyes flickered towards Hermione for a second, she had a smirk on her face, 'I, um, got caught up talking to someone.'

'Neville?' Ron predicted, 'Merlin, if I hear any more about this African Artega – Artegab – plants! I seriously am going to stupefy him.'

'Ron, no need to be so harsh, he's finally found something he's interested in and no one is really supporting him.' Hermione said.

'Then why don't you support him?' Ron said matter-of-factly.

'I do, but if you hadn't noticed I have classes to attend and I don't always have spare time to go visit him.' She retorted.

Harry sighed and sat down next to Ron on the couch, falling into the pattern of scanning the room for Ginny. She appeared to be in one of the corners sitting next to a brunette fifth year. She must have felt his gaze because she turned and looked at him, giving him a sweet smile before turning back to her friend.

Hermione was giving Harry a sweet stare all through dinner in the Great Hall. Obviously she was in on what was going on between Harry and Ginny.

Woot to me :) another chapter complete, and I thought I wasn't going to get this one finished. Well that just goes to show what can happen if you stick your mind to it ;)

I'm posting this in a sort of a hurry, I really didn't mean to though, I was suppose to have posted this this morning but I ended up having to drop my little sister off at the bus stop and then waiting another 20 minutes there, so by the time I got back to the house I was running late for school :/

School Holidays! So that means I am going to be able to have more time writing more up *both thumbs up, with a MASSIVE grin on face*.

Story of the Week: Albus Potter and the Eagles Watch by Astrea Severin Orion Black. I really enjoyed it, so I hope you do too :D