Christmas holidays passed enjoyably for Harry in spite of the raging blizzard that arrived on the week after the Yule Ball. The snowstorm had kept everyone indoors, but that hadn't stopped Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny from having their fun. It was Harry's first time spending the holidays away from home, but his friends' company kept him from being homesick. It was a nice change from his busy school schedules or his holidays at home where his mum would nag him into 'doing something productive'.

Harry, Ron, Neville, and Ginny always woke up late, taking advantage of the lack of classes to go to. Hermione kept to her usual waking time and would wait for everyone else at the common room with her head buried in a book. They all had their meals together, except for breakfast when someone (mostly Ginny) would decide that sleeping in was more enjoyable than eating, in which case everyone else would go ahead without them but would bring back food if they hadn't caught up after breakfast had ended. Between meals, they spent their time in the warmth of the Gryffindor common room playing Exploding Snap, Wizard's Chess, Gobstones, and anything else they could think of.

Hermione, of course, wasn't satisfied with just playing games and she kept nagging everyone else to do their homework. Nobody really liked doing their written assignments, but Hermione easily convinced everyone to practice with the spells they had learned during the previous term. Ginny had taken an interest to the dueling spells that Harry and Neville learned from their parents. She asked them to demonstrate some of the spells and before the week was up, she, Ron, and Hermione had mastered the Shield Charm and the Stunning Spell. Ginny also decided to learn some of the spells the fourth years were practicing. Harry observed that she was really good with Charms and Defense spells. She even got better than everyone at Summoning Charms and had taken to using the spell every time she wanted to retrieve something. This prompted a summoning competition between her and Harry, which immediately ended when Harry summoned his Firebolt from his dormitory and hit Seamus Finnegan, causing him to trip down the last three steps of the boys' staircase. Fortunately, Seamus did not sustain any injuries and Hermione was not around to tell Harry off.

It was one of the few times when Hermione left them to go to the library—times which Ron loudly pointed out. While this was nothing new in itself, it surprised Harry that she did not force anyone else to go with her. What was even more puzzling were Ginny's teasing smirks at Hermione, and the warning glares Hermione gave her in return. Harry was only too happy at not being nagged to go to the library so he did not read any further into Hermione and Ginny's interaction, brushing it off as one of those 'girl things'. Ron, however, was very interested in Hermione's affairs. He did not stop pestering her until she told everyone that she was going to the library to research about house-elves.

When they were not playing games, practicing spells, or in Hermione's case, researching about house-elves, they spent their time relaxing in front of the fire and talking about everything and nothing in particular. Mostly, their conversations were about Quidditch (which annoyed Hermione), but there were also times when they just talked about themselves. Harry learned a lot of things about his friends which he hadn't known before, even Neville, whom he knew way before they started Hogwarts. Ron and Ginny talked about their childhood, usually telling embarrassing stories about each other, much to everyone else's amusement. Hermione talked about growing up as a Muggle while Neville talked about growing up in a very old-fashioned pureblood family (the Potters and the Weasleys had long ago stopped practicing many of the old Wizarding traditions). Harry, for his part, talked about his 'adventures' while visiting his snotty Muggle relatives, most of which ended with his stuck-up cousin being the victim of Harry's pranks or accidental magic.

The disagreeable weather considerably calmed down on the Saturday before the start of the new term, allowing everyone to enjoy a beautiful day outside of the castle. Harry, Ron, and Neville were relaxing in the courtyard when Fred and George approached them and suggested a pick-up game of Quidditch. Harry and Ron immediately agreed, and Neville decided to go with them to watch. Hermione and Ginny had disappeared to Merlin- knew-where so Harry, who wanted Ginny to join, told the others to go ahead to the Quidditch pitch without him. With the help of the Marauder's Map, he found Hermione and Ginny at the library, chatting about things he was sure he would not understand.

Harry told Ginny about the Quidditch game. She hesitated at first, and he could tell it was because of the fact that her brothers might make a big deal out of it. In the end, however, she decided that her brothers could "stuff it" if they ever objected and she and Harry went to the pitch together. They also convinced Hermione to come with them to enjoy the beautiful afternoon. Hermione agreed, bringing a rather large book about magical beings with her.

When they got to the Quidditch pitch, Harry saw that a lot of people had gotten there ahead of them. It seemed that many students shared the same idea of hanging out at the pitch that afternoon. Several groups of students were sitting on the stands, chatting happily under the winter sun. A group of Ravenclaws were already up in the air, playing a three-on-three Quaffle-only game. Dean, Seamus, and Neville were having a football kick-about on the pitch's ground. They had cleared a portion of the pitch from snow and it was obvious that Dean was teaching the other two boys how to kick a football. Harry glanced sideways at Ginny, remembering that she fancied Dean. She did not seem to be affected by Dean's presence.

Ron, Fred, and George were standing at the edge of the pitch, looking sullenly at the flying Ravenclaws. Harry and Ginny approached them while Hermione made her way to the stands.

"They've beaten us to the pitch," Ron, who was holding the Weasleys' Quaffle under his arms, pointed out unnecessarily as Harry and Ginny reached them.

"Why don't we just ask them to share," suggested Ginny, sounding like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it probably was except that Harry or any of her brothers did not really feel like 'asking'. It seemed too familiar.

"You playing too, Gin?" asked Fred, sounding pleasantly surprised.

"Is that a Nimbus you're holding?" asked George, pointing to the broom in Ginny's hand.

"It's Harry's, he loaned it to her," said Ron helpfully.

"You don't say?" exclaimed Fred. Harry wasn't sure if he liked the gleeful smirk spreading across Fred's face.

"What'd you do to get him to loan it to you?" asked George, his grin a perfect copy of his twin's.

"Bribery, maybe?" suggested Fred.

"Nah, Ginny's broke and Harry's got loads of Galleons," George told his twin. For some reason, this made Ron's ears turn red.

"There are other forms of bribery, brother dearest," Fred pointed out.

"True, true—but you don't think Ginny would resort to that, would you?"

"No, I guess not," Fred said, giving his twin an acquiescing nod. "We had the same mother, after all."

"And even if she did, Harry here would be too noble to accept it," said George, heartily clapping Harry's back.

Harry smiled unsurely, feeling that he had long lost the thread of the conversation. Ron was looking as bewildered as he felt but Ginny was glaring daggers at the twins, who did not seem to notice.

"What about blackmail, then?" Fred asked his twin.

"Ah, you could be right, my handsome brother," said George. Fred bowed his head in a perfect imitation of Lucius Malfoy at his twin's compliment. "That does sound like our dearest sister to threaten—"

"Threatening!" exclaimed Fred.

"Ah, of course," George said in comprehension, though it seemed that he was the only who had understood. "You must have used spells on him," he told Ginny. "Or, dare I say—"

"Charms," Fred and George said together, their eyes widening meaningfully—though the meaning was totally lost on Harry.

Ginny's cheeks had flushed with anger and she drew her wand from her pocket, pointing it at the twins.

"Shut it, or I'll demonstrate a particular charm to you," she said, the casualness in her voice belying the threat in her statement. "Or dare I say, hex."

Fred and George smiled slightly. Harry thought that they would either be very brave or very foolish if they continued with their senseless banter. Seconds later, the twins wisely held up their hands in surrender, but Ginny continued to point her wand at them.

"So, are we going to ask the Ravenclaws to share the pitch?" Ron asked after a moment.

Ginny finally pocketed her wand. She glared at Fred and George, obviously deciding whether she still wanted to play with them or not. Harry suddenly felt annoyed at the twins. It would be their fault if Ginny decided not to join.

"I'll go ask them," Ginny said in a calm voice after what seemed like hours.

Fred and George breathed a sigh of relief as Ginny walked to the pitch and hailed one of the Ravenclaws.

"That was close," Ron commented casually.

"Yeah," Fred and George said in unison.

Harry smirked at the twins. "Wish she'd hexed you, though," he admitted. "I haven't seen her Bat-Bogey Hex before."

"And you better avoid it for as long as you can," advised George.

"Although," said Fred, his gleeful smirk returning, "With that Nimbus, she'll probably give you some leeway."

Harry frowned at the twins. He glanced at Ginny. She was still talking to the Ravenclaws.

"I loaned the Nimbus to her because she really loves flying," he told Fred and George seriously. "She didn't ask me for it. And if you've seen her fly, you'll understand why I did it."

"Is she any good?" asked Fred.

"She could play for the team," Harry said surely.

"Really?" said George, sounding as pleasantly surprised as Fred was a while ago. "We know she can ride a broom—but is she really that good?"

"Yes."

"Wait—how'd you know?" asked George.

"They've been flying every Saturday last term," Ron replied with a slight tone of envy in his voice. He hadn't been able to join Harry and Ginny because he either got caught up in detentions or arguments with Hermione—mostly arguments with Hermione.

"Ah, that must be it," George said knowingly.

"Yeah," said Fred, adapting the same tone as his twin. "No wonder."

"Especially after—"

"I know."

"But does she really—?"

"I think so."

"Are you sure?"

"We'll find out soon enough."

Harry was about to ask the twins what they were going on about when Ginny walked back to them. She shot Fred and George a dirty look before speaking.

"They've agreed to let us use that half," she said, pointing to the northern part of the Quidditch pitch. Harry could see that the Ravenclaws were already flying just over the southern half. "I suggested a five-on-six game but they weren't too keen on it. Just as well, a Quaffle-only game with that many players would be too boring. And we don't have Bludgers or a Snitch," she added with a smirk at Harry.

Harry knew what she was thinking about. During their 'Accio competition', Ginny had successfully summoned his Golden Snitch. He had summoned it from her, but instead of flying into his outstretched hand, the small golden ball had flown right past him and into the crackling fire.

"Okay," said Ron. "How're we going to divide the teams? Two-on-three? Or should someone sit it out?"

"I can sit it out," Harry hastily volunteered. He would not put it past Ginny's brothers to make her sit the game out. He was pretty sure that she would not be too happy about it, especially as she had been the one who asked the Ravenclaws to let them use one half of the pitch.

"Don't be silly," said Ginny. "If anyone should sit it out, it should be one of you," she added, looking at the twins. She was clearly still annoyed with them for whatever it was they were talking about.

"Not a chance Gin," George said easily. "We're the ones who suggested this in the first place."

Ginny started to open her mouth but Ron cut her off.

"We can just play two-on-three," he suggested in a rare effort to keep the peace.

"Or…" said Fred, and he whipped around and marched towards the stands.

"Where's he going?" Ron asked incredulously. "Is he actually volunteering to sit this out?"

"Duh," said George. "Use your eyes, would you?"

George pointed towards the group of students that his twin had approached. Harry saw that the group consisted of some of the twins' classmates. Fred was talking to Angelina Johnson, obviously trying to convince her to join the game. A moment later, Fred ran back to retrieve his broom, mounted it, and sped towards Gryffindor tower. He came back after a few minutes with Angelina's broom. Only then did Angelina leave her classmates and joined Harry and the others.

They divided themselves with Harry, Ron, and Ginny on one team and Fred, George, and Angelina on another. George then suggested that their group play with no shirts on so that "they could identify their teammates". This earned him a thumbs-up from Fred, after which Angelina smacked the twins sharply on the back of the head.

After a quick discussion about the rules and point system, all six of them mounted their brooms and kicked off towards their half of the Quidditch pitch. A couple of minutes later, Ginny succeeded in putting gobsmacked expressions on her brothers' faces as she demonstrated her talent on a broom. She flew as well as everyone, maybe even better than some, and her goal-scoring was matched only by Angelina. Fred, George, and even Ron, who already knew about Ginny's skills through Harry, kept exclaiming their surprise and amazement. It was pretty obvious that they were quite proud of their little sister, especially Fred and George, both of whom looked like their birthdays had come early. Harry had a feeling that they were proud of Ginny not only for her remarkable flying skills, but also for the fact that she had kept it from them for so long.

Ginny couldn't quite keep a smug grin from spreading across her face at her brothers' reactions. And even though she feigned annoyance whenever the twins exclaimed "We are not worthy!" every time she made a goal, Harry could tell that she was pleased that her brothers were proud, and not angry, of the fact that she could fly as well as they could. It was clear that she was immensely enjoying the game, and Harry suddenly realized why. Even though she had been flying since she was a kid, and even though she and Harry went flying every Saturday during the previous term, this was the very first time that Ginny had played in a competitive Quidditch game. Her brothers had never invited her to play with them before, a fact which puzzled (and slightly irritated) Harry now that he came to think of it. Judging from the Weasley boys' reactions, however, Harry was sure that they had no intentions of leaving her out in future pick-up matches.

Harry thought that inviting Ginny to join them was the best thing he had done that Christmas. He felt oddly proud as he watched her maneuver around the pitch and fly circles around Fred and George. He had never doubted her abilities in handling the Quaffle, but seeing Ginny now in an actual game, Harry realized that he had never seen how brilliant she truly was.

"Why am I suddenly fearing for my position on the team?" Angelina had commented good-naturedly as Ginny made her tenth goal, tying the two teams' scores.

Harry grinned proudly at Ginny and gave her a thumbs-up. She flushed, probably due to Angelina's comment, returned Harry's grin, and sped after George as he caught the Quaffle his twin had just passed him.

It was an evenly paced game, and the teams were reasonably well-matched. Fred, George, and Angelina had more experience working together (they'd been on the Gryffindor team since their second year), but Harry's team made up for it through his unmatched flying skills, Ginny's innovative Quaffle tricks which even Angelina didn't know of, and Ron's uncanny knack of being right in front of the goal hoops every time the other team tried to make a goal.

Harry had just scored his fourth goal, giving their team a one-point lead, when Ron elbowed him and pointed towards the Ravenclaws playing on the other half of the pitch. Harry turned around and grinned as he realized who had just arrived. He watched as Cho Chang took off on her Comet 260 and joined her friends in the air.

"Well, well, well," said Fred teasingly. "If it isn't the Ravenclaw team's prettiest member."

Harry tore his gaze away from Cho and turned his attention to his friends. It was clear that Ron's actions had not gone unnoticed by the others (subtlety had never been his strongest point). Harry felt a faint blush creep up his cheeks as everyone looked at him with smirks of varying broadness. Fred and George looked like they were preparing to take the mickey, Ron was grinning from ear to ear, and even Angelina, whom Harry was never really close to, was smiling knowingly at him. In fact, the only person who wasn't grinning was Ginny. She was looking at him with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Shall we ask her to join us, Harry?" suggested George, his tone matching the gleeful smirk that was plastered across his face.

"Angie knows her, she can ask her for you," offered Fred.

"Don't spout nonsense, you two," said Ron.

Thank you, Ron.

"Harry wants to join them," continued Ron, his smirk matching the twins'. "Don't you, Harry?"

Or not.

"Why," began Fred, "I think that observation's spot on, Ronniekins."

"And oh, look at that," said George, pointing gleefully at the Ravenclaws. "They're one player short."

"I'd join them—"

"Take the opportunity—"

"Show off my flying talents—"

"Come on, she's going out with Cedric Diggory," Harry finally said, surprising himself by how easily it had come out.

"Ah, but they're not married, are they?" said George.

"Wouldn't stop me," said Fred.

"No, it wouldn't," agreed George.

Harry rolled his eyes at the twins. "Are we going to continue playing, or are you going to tease me all afternoon?" he said. "You're not stalling 'cause we're winning, are you?"

George opened his mouth to retort, and then closed it, apparently changing his mind. "You're learning," he said with a conceding smile, probably referring to Harry's reactions to his and Fred's ribbing.

"And I hardly call being one point ahead 'winning'," Fred pointed out. He passed the Quaffle he'd been holding under his arm to Angelina, and with that, the game continued as though it had never been interrupted.

Despite the casual way he had handled the twins' teasing, however, Harry couldn't quite ignore the fact that Cho was playing right at the other side of the pitch. He had gotten distracted enough that Fred was able to steal the Quaffle from his grip and he had missed a fairly easy shot. He was able to pick up his game towards the end of the match, but Fred, George, and Angelina still won with a three-point advantage.

"Sorry guys," Harry said to Ron and Ginny as they landed right next to where Hermione was sitting.

"S'alright, mate," said Ron. "It was just a game anyway."

"We should make sure to take Cho Chang out first in our next match against Ravenclaw," George suggested to Fred. "Remove the distraction," he added with a teasing smirk in Harry's direction.

"Or, we should place bets on our next game, make sure we play against Harry, and have Cho Chang watch," said Fred.

"Fred, that's devious!" exclaimed George. "Brilliant, but devious."

Fred bowed grandly at his twin. Harry shook his head and tried to ignore the both of them. Unable to help himself, he looked up and watched Cho as she flew with her friends.

"Listen, I'm going back inside," Ginny said with a sigh. "I'll see you guys later."

Harry tore his gaze away from Cho and watched as Ginny turned on her heel and walked away from them. He hadn't seen her face properly, but he thought she didn't look too happy. Or maybe he was just imagining it.

"Was she mad at me?" asked Harry. He was pretty sure it was his fault they had lost. But like Ron had said, it was just a game, and it seemed too trivial a matter for Ginny to get worked up over.

"Dunno," said Ron, shrugging.

Harry turned to look questioningly at Hermione, but she only gave him a stern look over the huge book on her lap. He looked at Fred and George, who were still staring after Ginny's retreating back with uncharacteristically shrewd expressions on their faces.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Gred?" George said after a moment.

"I reckon so, Forge," said Fred.

"Seems like we're right, after all—"

"She's bitten—"

"By the bug—"

"If that wasn't a—"

"Alright, that's enough, you two," said Angelina, sounding thoroughly exasperated and wearing an expression that reminded Harry forcefully of Hermione or Mrs. Weasley. "Quit meddling."

And with that, she stood between the twins and dragged them away by the ears, ignoring their cries of protest.

"What was that about?" asked Harry, feeling, not for the first time that afternoon, that he'd totally lost the thread of Fred and George's conversation.

"Haven't the foggiest," replied Ron.

Betaed by: PadfootProngs7