End of Camp.
Following Padma and Colin's visit, the training camp for The Cannons got back to the business of quidditch. Harry worked the squad as hard as he could, and with a couple of days of the camp to go, he split the squad into four teams with the intention of having a couple of matches, and then a final.
Despite having kept away from the training sessions as much as possible, Hermione was present for the end of camp matches. In fact Harry had arranged for everyone involved with The Cannons who was at the training camp to watch the matches. The players who weren't playing in the first game, settled down to watch the first match, and then the players from the first match would watch the second match.
The matches were the first opportunity for Hermione to really see the new look Cannons in action, and despite not being a quidditch fan, she totally got into the matches. Ron was playing in the first match, and even though things were still tense between them, Hermione was willing her best friend to do well. She was hoping that if Ron got his game together, tension between them would ease and he would finally fully accept that The Chudley Cannons were now Harry and Hermione's team and they could do what they wanted with the club. Luckily, Ron had a pretty good game and Hermione hoped it was the start of a new future for her best friend. Sadly, Ron's performance wasn't enough for the team he was on to win as the opposition seeker caught the snitch and ended the game.
"Tough luck, Ron," Hermione offered to her friend as the teams changed places and the players who had been playing settled down to watch their colleagues who had been watching them. "You played really well."
"And still lost," Ron mumbled bitterly as he slouched down to watch the action from the second match.
"It's wasn't your fault," Hermione said gently.
"I know that," Ron snapped. "I was stuck playing with all the losers."
Shaking her head at Ron's attitude, Hermione wandered off to watch the action of the second game from elsewhere. It looked like Ron's attitude still wasn't going to be improving any time soon. It also looked like he still felt as though he was entitled to special treatment because of his friendship with Harry and Hermione, or at the very least he felt he could say things that he wouldn't say if anyone else was in charge. After all, would he have been bitching about his teammates to the previous owner of The Cannons? Somehow, Hermione doubted it.
"Is everything okay?" Harry asked Hermione as she settled down next to him.
"Just Ron and his attitude," Hermione answered quietly. "We'll talk about it later. For now let's focus on this match."
The second match featured the team Harry had earmarked to play in the first game of the season, not that any of the squad knew how Harry had sorted the team. On the team Harry was currently thinking about playing for the first game of the season were Angelina, Alicia, Blaise and Draco. Despite doing dual training for the last couple of weeks, Draco was still playing seeker, but Harry had told Hermione that he wanted to wait a few games before playing Draco in his new position.
Like the first match, Hermione got right into the second game and she was thrilled when Draco caught the snitch and won the game for his team. After a short break, the two winning teams went head to head in the final match of the training camp. The third match was longer and more fiercely fought than the previous two games, but finally as the afternoon was turning into early evening, Draco once again caught the snitch and his team were crowned champions.
"Well done everyone," Harry called. "I think we've had a great training camp, and I think we're in good shape for the coming season. But now, I think you all deserve a treat."
"Please say you've laid on dancing girls," Blaise called with a smirk.
"Sorry Blaise, no dancing girls," Harry chuckled. "But we are going to have a bit of a party in the main ballroom at seven."
"And the alcohol ban has been lifted," Theo added. "But just remember not to go mad. Just because you can drink, doesn't mean you have to get steaming drunk."
Fortunately, the squad didn't take the allowance of alcohol as an opportunity to go wild. The end of training camp party was a huge success, and even Ron's mood brightened and he seemed to enjoy himself. As for Hermione, she had a good evening and she even managed a sneaky kiss with Draco before they said goodnight and headed back to their respective rooms for their final night at the hotel.
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The end of training camp meant it was back to business for Harry and Hermione. While the squad had been given a week off before training started, Harry and Hermione were back in the office. While Hermione was catching up on things in the office that she hadn't been able to deal with why she was at the training camp, Harry held a debriefing with Theo and the other coaches in the changing rooms. They started with discussing every player and their abilities, before thinking about teams as a whole.
By the time they were finished their debriefing, and knew where they would be taking training sessions, Harry realised he was close to running late for dinner. Despite it being the first day back, he was expected to dine with the Weasleys and Ginny had already poked her head into the training ground to remind him. As he got ready to leave, Harry noticed the light still on in the office and when he headed into the office, he found Hermione still beavering away at her desk.
"Don't you have a home to go to?" Harry asked with a chuckle.
"Don't you?" Hermione retorted.
"I'm off to dinner at The Burrow," Harry answered. "Do you want to come?"
"No, I'll just grab something at home," Hermione replied. "Besides, it's maybe not the wisest idea for me to be around Ron and Ginny. Ron's still being iffy with me, and given the way the pair of them have behaved over the last couple of days, I'm not sure I trust myself not to say something about their behaviour."
"Tell me about it," Harry said, slumping down into his chair. "I don't want to bring things up in front of the others, but it's going to be hard if they ask about the training camp."
"Why do they have to cause so much trouble?" Hermione sighed. "I mean, is it really that hard to get along with people and accept that the running of the club has nothing to do with them?"
"Not for normal people, but we're talking about Ron and Ginny here," Harry pointed out. "Don't get me wrong, I love them both, but they're both hard work at times. I think we might have made a mistake with signing Ginny and keeping Ron on the books. Maybe it would have been better to keep our business and personal lives separate."
"Yeah, maybe it's not good to mix business with pleasure," Hermione muttered thoughtfully, her mind turning to a certain platinum blond and the complications that could await them.
"I'm just talking about Ron and Ginny, and how difficult they can be," Harry said, scrutinising Hermione. "But something tells me you're not talking about Ron and Ginny. Come on, spill it Hermione, what's on your mind?"
"Draco."
"Draco?" Harry repeated with a slight smirk. "I wasn't aware you were mixing business and pleasure with Draco."
"We kissed during the training camp," Hermione confided.
"Nice," Harry said with a low whistle.
"It was," Hermione replied. "But what if it's a mistake? Given what's going on with Ron and Ginny, I have to wonder if it's the best thing to get involved with one of the players."
"Firstly, Draco isn't like Ron and Ginny," Harry said.
"I know," Hermione replied. "But it's still a complicated situation. What will people say when they find out about us? I don't want people thinking he's only with me to get a place on the squad."
"As if he needs to bed the boss to get a place on the team," Harry snorted. "And if he did have to sleep his way onto the team, you wouldn't be the one to sleep with."
"I get it, you're after him yourself," Hermione laughed.
"He's not really my type," Harry retorted with a grin. "But, you don't think that's why he's with you, do you?"
"Of course not," Hermione replied with a shake of her head. "As you said, he doesn't need to sleep with me to get a place on the team."
"So then you ignore what ignorant people might say, and live your life," Harry told his partner. "If you like Draco, go for it."
"You don't think it will be complicated?" Hermione asked.
"It'll only be as complicated as you let it," Harry replied. "But when you think about it, the fact you own half the club he plays for shouldn't really matter. You'll not have a lot to do with the day to day running of the club, so you could possibly go months without having to deal with each other in a professional capacity."
"You're right," Hermione said with another nod.
"Of course I am," Harry said as he got to his feet. "You have fun with Draco. Now are you sure you don't want to come with me tonight?"
"No," Hermione answered as she also got to her feet. "I've got a date to organise."
"That's my girl," Harry said with a grin.
Giving Hermione a quick hug, Harry left the office and headed home to get ready for dinner. Fortunately, dinner at The Burrow wasn't anything fancy so all Harry had to do was quickly change his clothes and floo to the childhood home of his girlfriend. When Harry arrived at The Burrow, he found both Ron and Ginny had already arrived and they were settled at the kitchen table, chatting to Molly, who was finishing off making dinner.
"Ah, Harry," Molly called, smiling over at the wizard who would hopefully one day become her son-in-law. "I bet you're glad to be back."
"It is nice to be home," Harry admitted.
"I'd imagine it is, especially with the couple of weeks you've just endured," Molly said sympathetically.
"I don't understand," Harry frowned. "The training camp was a huge success."
"Really?" Molly shot her son and daughter a perplexed look. "I was under the impression the entire thing was a disaster."
"We didn't say disaster," Ginny said quickly.
"Then what did you say?" Harry demanded.
"We just pointed out there was a few teething problems," Ron said with a shrug. "Like the disaster with the new logos and uniforms."
"What disaster?" Harry asked.
"You have to admit, they're a bit garish," Molly said. Ron had brought his training shirts over to be washed, so she'd seen the new uniforms.
"They're lovely compared to the horrid ones of previous years," Harry replied with a snort. "And aside from Ron, they went down well. Everyone loves the new uniform and logo."
"That's what they say to your face," Ron snorted. "It's a different story when you're not around."
"Really?" Harry raised a sceptical eyebrow at his friend, convinced that Ron was lying to him. "I guess I'll just have to ask around. I'm sure Angelina and Alicia will tell me what people really think of the new uniforms."
"Let's not argue over a horrid uniform," Molly urged.
"Yes, let's just move on and forget about the camp," Ginny agreed.
"Of course we can, sweetheart," Molly said soothingly. "You don't want to be reminded of everything you've been through."
"Again, I'm missing something," Harry said with a frown. "Just what has Ginny been through?"
"All the fuss the Malfoy boy made about playing with her," Molly supplied. "I just think it's terrible of him trying to get Ginny in trouble."
"And just how did Draco try and get you into trouble?" Harry sharply asked his girlfriend.
"It doesn't matter," Ginny muttered, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
"Ginny," Harry pressed, eager to hear how his girlfriend had twisted events of the training camp.
However, before he got an answer, the back door opened and the twins walked into the kitchen, with Alicia and Angelina. Ginny used the opportunity to mutter an excuse about needing the bathroom and hurry from the room. Harry watched her go with a shake of his head, before he turned to Alicia and Angelina.
"How did you guys enjoy the training camp?" Harry asked.
"We loved it," Angelina gushed.
"Yeah, when's the next one?" Alicia asked.
"You enjoyed it," Molly repeated with a puzzled frown. "It wasn't awful? Full of fighting and backstabbing?"
"Hell no, it was amazing," Angelina replied. "We all had a great time."
"And we've got a great squad of players," Alicia said, deciding not to mention the only person who wasn't fun to play with was Ginny herself.
"And the Malfoy boy? What he was like?" Molly questioned.
"Draco was great," Alicia answered. "He's a good chaser, and he's a good laugh."
"Yeah, both him and Blaise are fun," Angelina added with a grin.
Harry smirked slightly as Alicia and Angelina blew Ron and Ginny's complaints out of the water. Ron and Ginny may have come back from the training camp in a bad mood, but not everyone had. The majority of people had enjoyed the camp, and Harry was already considering it for something they could do on a regular basis. He rather liked the idea of having a training camp every year, and he made a mental note to talk about it with Hermione the following day. He definitely saw a future in yearly training camps, and if Ron and Ginny didn't like it, then it was tough. He was the boss and in his opinion it would only help strengthen the team and aid them in their attempts to become quidditch champions.