Chapter XVIII - Quidditch and High Emotions

Harry felt much better after he had managed to punch Dean, though his jaw hurt like hell. He grinned to himself, Dean had a good arm.

Ron was still fuming as Harry pulled him out of the room and down into the common room. "How could Dean do something like that? Harry, let me go back up there and punch him … please!"

Harry laughed. "No can do, Ron, sorry. If he doesn't apologize to Ginny and try to put a stop to those rumours, you are more than welcome to punch him, but for now I think he's suffered enough."

Ron grinned. "You just feel dead proud for punching him, don't you?"

Harry grinned back. "Yeah, I do, though my jaw hurts like hell!"

Harry rubbed his hand over his jaw and tasted the blood on his lip just as Ginny and Hermione came into the common room. They both wondered over to Harry and Ron and Ginny stood on her toes to kiss Harry softly. Harry winced and Ginny looked at him suspiciously before pulling him over to one of the few empty chairs left near the fire.

"Harry, why is your lip bleeding?" She asked in what Harry thought was a very Mrs. Weasley-like tone.

"Um … I bit it."

Ginny put her hands on her hips and just glared at him, Harry felt the guilt swirl through his stomach. "Harry, don't lie to me."

Harry sighed. "Alright, Dean punched me in the jaw."

"Why?"

Harry took her hand in his and pulled her down onto his lap. "Because I punched him first."

"Harry! I thought I told you not to go accusing Dean of things without the facts! You deserved that punch!" Ginny exclaimed angrily. "And I don't need you to go off defending my honour!"

Harry grinned and kissed her lips. "But I want to defend your honour, and besides, Dean admitted to starting the rumour. The stupid git, though he did say that the original wasn't as bad."

"Oh really? He really started that rumour about me!" Ginny exclaimed angrily before she hopped off Harry's lap. "Oh, he's in trouble." She stomped out of the room and up to the boys' dormitories with fire in her eyes.

Harry jumped up and quickly followed her, that Weasley temper was a dangerous thing when it was in full swing. She walked into the seventh year boys' dormitory and marched directly across the room over to Dean and slapped him across the face before punching him in the gut. Harry thought she was going to curse him so he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back.

"Ginny! Calm down!"

"Dean, I'm going to kill you! How could you start such a terrible rumour about me? Why did I ever even go out without you, you stupid git! I'm going to curse you until you're —"

Harry put his hand over her mouth as he held her close to his body as she struggled against him. "Ginny, calm down … killing Dean is not going to solve the problem. You hit him, that's enough."

When she stopped struggling against him he let go and she turned around and punched him in the stomach. Harry moaned as she turned and began to yell at him too. "I have every right to hit him if I want to! He started these cursed rumours about me in the first place and if I want to hit him, I will! I don't need you to be defending my honour, Harry! I don't need someone to protect me from the world! I am more than capable of taking care of myself! The next time I tell you to not hit someone, don't!" Ginny declared before she turned around and slapped Dean across the face again before reaching up to kiss Harry's cheek and stomping out of the room.

Dean and Harry just stood in the middle of the room in shock. Harry ran a hand over his aching gut and looked over at Dean, who had two red cheeks and was also holding a hand over his gut. "God, I love her." Harry said out loud as he thought about what she had just done. She had not only managed to tell him off, punch him, and kiss him, but she had also yelled at Dean and smacked him herself.

"You can bloody well have her! Who the hell wants to date anyone with a freakin' temper like that! Damn that hurt!" Dean exclaimed.

Harry grinned. "Like she said, you deserved it. Damn, she's got a good punch." Harry replied, laughing to himself as he headed back downstairs and into the common room. He was pretty proud of her actually. Ginny was sitting in the chair by the fire, still sending sparks that were dancing in her chocolate brown eyes. Harry lifted her up and sat down beneath her, slipping his arms around her waist as she leaned back against him.

"You deserved that, but I'm still sorry I hit you." Ginny murmured as she stayed cuddled against him.

Harry smiled and began to nibble on her ear. "I know I deserved it, you were right. But I want to defend your honour, as you so cleverly put it, I love you, and I want to protect you and keep you safe."

"I can take care of myself, you know."

Harry grinned. "Yeah, I noticed. Great punch by the way; did you learn that from Bill?"

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, he also taught me where to kick if a guy is giving me some trouble."

Harry winced and she laughed, turning in his arms to give him a long kiss. "I love you, and I am sorry I hit you."

"It's alright, I really did deserve it. But please refrain from smacking me again any time soon. You've got the Weasley temper alright." He took her lips with his and kissed her softly, as her hands slid into his hair. This is what he wanted; just Ginny, nothing else in the world would ever make him as happy as she could by just being in his arms.

It was the second weekend of school and Harry had planned Quidditch try outs for the Saturday morning. With Katie, Angelina, Fred and George gone, the Quidditch team really needed some new flyers; especially after the disaster of last year's Gryffindor Quidditch team. He had try outs for every player; he figured it was only fair for everyone to try out even for their original positions. He let Ron try out first, knowing how self-conscious Ron could be when he was first trying out, but Ron quickly pleased him, and Harry decided on the spot that he would be keeper. Next he did the seeker try outs and he was appalled, other than Ginny, no one else in Gryffindor house seemed to have any talent in seeking. There was a third year named Michael Donnor who had some potential, but not much. He knew Ginny wanted to try out for chaser, so he decided that he could be seeker again; which really was for the safety of the team, though he was also glad that he was still the best because he wasn't so good at any other position, except chaser. Harry remembered the disaster last year when he had been Quidditch captain for the first time. This season was going to be better; he would make sure of it. Ron was keeper to the chasers that were trying out.

Harry was surprised at how many people were actually pretty good. Ginny was incredible and Harry was glad because he thought he might have felt awkward making her a chaser otherwise. It was the beaters that surprised him. Denis and Colin Creevey tried out and they worked amazing together as a team, but tended to laugh a lot when they hit a bludger towards anyone. When try outs were over Harry announced that the results would be up in the common room the following morning. He sat down in the dressing room, going over the lists in his head. There was a lot of potential in many different people.

Ginny came over and sat next to him, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Hey Captain, do you want some time alone to figure out the team?"

Harry grinned. "Yeah, if you don't mind." She smiled. "I don't mind. And if I don't make the team I'll completely understand that you're choosing who is best qualified. So don't feel guilty."

Harry grinned and kissed her softly. "You're only saying that because you know you were awesome, and that I would have to be a complete ass not to put you on the team."

Ginny grinned. "Maybe." She kissed him again and then stood up. "Alright well I'll leave you to it, Captain, see you later." She waved good bye and hurried out of the dressing room.

Harry continued to stare down at the list. He remembered each player carefully as he looked at the names. He had a pretty good idea of who he was going to use. He also decided that he needed a team of reserve players because last year really had been a disaster, especially with him not even being allowed to play in the final match of the season. He began to write up the team with a list of who he had thought played the best, ignoring the positions for now. He studied the list over and over again and within and hour he had come up with this:

Gryffindor Quidditch Team:

Keeper — Ron Weasley

Seeker — Harry Potter

Beater # 1 — Colin Creevey

Beater # 2 — Denis Creevey

Chaser # 1 — Ginny Weasley

Chaser # 2 — Seamus Finnigan

Chaser # 3 — Demelza Robins

Gryffindor Reserve Quidditch Team:

Keeper — Cormac McClaggen

Seeker — Ginny Weasley

Beater # 1 — Jack Sloper

Beater # 2 — Andrew Kirke

Chaser # 1 — Dean Thomas

Chaser # 2 — Euan Abercrombie

Chaser # 3 — Denis Creevey

Harry stood up and stretched before he took the lists that he had just made up and headed back up to the castle. He met Professor McGonagall in the hallway and grinned. "Hey Professor, I was just coming to find you."

Professor McGonagall smiled. "Hello Potter, what can I do for you?"

Harry grinned. "I just finished the list for this year's team." He handed the two pieces of parchment over to McGonagall as he waited for her to look them over.

She adjusted her glasses as she read them and then smiled. "It seems like we've got an excellent team this year, Potter. I like the idea of a reserve team, Gryffindor sure does have its problems. You can post the list in the morning. See you on Monday."

Harry waved goodbye and headed back up to Gryffindor Tower. When he walked inside, he slipped the parchment into his pocket and hurried up to his dorm to change. He showered and dressed and headed back downstairs where he found Ginny in a chair in front of the fire doing homework from her Muggle Studies class. He lifted her up so that she could sit on his lap and then read what she wrote down. They were discussing muggle electronics.

"Hmm, the invention of electronics eh? Is it interesting?" He asked as he leaned down to nuzzle her neck.

Ginny grinned. "Sure it is. Do you want to help me? I have to write an essay on three types of electronic devices that muggles have and what they are used for. I'm tired of researching though."

Harry laughed. "Sure love. Um let me think … what about a stereo system, a V.C.R., and the T.V. do those work?"

"What's a V.C.R.? I don't remember learning about those." Ginny asked as she wrote down the 3 topics he gave her.

"A V.C.R. is a machine that you hook up to the T.V. and you can put videotapes in there and you get to watch movies. It's neat, I'll get you one."

Ginny laughed. "I'd never get to use it; Dad would be too fascinated." She got back to work and with help from Harry, her essay was done within an hour. "Thanks, that was the last of my homework."

Harry grinned at her. "No problem, want to go somewhere?"

She smiled. "Let's go visit Hagrid."

Harry smiled. "Alright, come on." He helped her put her books away and then they walked hand in hand down to Hagrid's cabin.

They knocked on the door and heard Fang's loud barking coming from inside.

Hagrid pulled the door open and grinned down at them. "Hey, 'Arry, hey, Ginny, c'mon in. I was wondering when you two would get around to visiting." They stepped inside of his hut and took a seat in one of the large chairs in the room, Ginny curled up on Harry's lap.

"Hey Hagrid, how have you been?" Harry asked.

Hagrid shrugged. "Alright I guess. I've been missin' Dumbledore you know, but I'm movin' on. Look at you two, what a pretty sight you two make together. You both just look so happy." He grinned broadly for a moment and then his face turned more serious. "Did Ginny talk to you 'Arry, 'cause I told her you see, I told her she had to tell you."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, she talked to me. And then I punched Dean in the face and then Ginny punched Dean … last night was an interesting evening all in all. Ginny even hit me, said she didn't need anyone defending her honour!"

Hagrid laughed. "Ginny, did you really hit him?"

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, he was making me angry. I felt bad about it afterwards though."

Hagrid grinned. "No reason to feel bad. He deserved it."

Hagrid poured the three of them a cup of tea before he sat down. "'Arry, I miss having you in my class. Two years in a row now."

Harry nodded. "I know, Hagrid. I really like your class, but if I want to be an Auror someday I don't really need it. Besides with of all the extra private lessons I'm taking this year, I don't think I could handle another class."

"He's been working really hard." Ginny said, leaning back against him in the comfortable way that they were always sitting now. "All work and no play."

Hagrid smiled. "Well 'Arry what can I say, life is hard, especially for you."

Harry nodded. "Trust me, I know. Oh! Hagrid, I've been meaning to tell you. In the summer I went to Godric's Hollow with Ron and Hermione to see the house and my parent's graves and all. Well, I had this memory and it was of the night my parents died, but I remembered everything. It was like a seal that just opened in my head. Anyway, I saw my dad trying to get my mum to leave with me, but she wouldn't go and this time I saw what happened after Voldemort tried to kill me. When I was crying and crying and you came in and picked me up, holding me close and telling me it was going to be alright. We went downstairs and we met Sirius who was just … devastated, then he left to go after Pettigrew. I just … when I remembered all that I just wanted to say, thanks."

Tears rolled down Hagrid's cheek. "Aw, thank you." He got up and wrapped Harry in a bone crushing hug as Ginny tried to move out of the way, until Hagrid grabbed her too. "You was just a baby 'Arry, just a lil thing, and your parents were dead. It was so sad."

"But you made me safe, you took me to my aunt and uncle's house and even if it was grudgingly, they did take me in. But it was nice to see that memory, knowing that you were there when I was little." Harry replied as he watched Hagrid cry happy tears.

Harry stood up, shifting Ginny as she nodded at him, as if she knew exactly what he wanted to say and do. "Hagrid … I love you, you're one of my best friends in the world and I don't know what I would do without you or Ginny or Ron or Hermione or the rest of the Weasleys. I just wanted to say well, er, thanks." He reached around Hagrid to give him a big hug.

"'Arry, that means a lot to me. You're welcome too; I'd do it again if I had too." Hagrid replied as he hugged Harry tight.

Ginny laughed from the chair. "You two are too cute for words!"

"Cute?" Harry said, "Do I want to be cute?"

Hagrid laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. "I dunno. Speaking of Ron and Hermione, where are those two?"

Ginny laughed. "Probably snogging."

Hagrid's eyes widened. "So they finally smartened up, eh? I thought something was up between them when I was at the Burrow for your birthday, 'Arry."

Harry grinned as he pulled Ginny up to her feet. "Yeah, it happened at Bill and Fleur's wedding. Do you mind if we head out, Hagrid, I'd like to spend some time alone with Ginny for a bit?"

Hagrid shook his head, smiling. "No, I don't mind. You two have fun now, ya here?"

"We will, Hagrid, thanks for the tea and for before." Ginny replied as she gave Hagrid a quick hug before they left the hut. "Where are we going?" Ginny asked as they headed over to one of the large oak trees near the lake.

Harry shrugged. "No where in particular. I just thought that we'd sit over here for a bit. It's not time for dinner yet, right?"

Ginny glanced down at her watch. "No, it's only four o'clock." She sat down under the tree with him and snuggled back into his arms. "I could sit like this forever."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, me too."

Ginny turned around in his arms to look up at him, as she climbed into his lap to kiss him softly and her hands rested on his chest. She could feel the firm muscles beneath and she grinned to herself, sexiest wizard alive alright. She giggled at the thought and Harry grinned at her.

"What are you giggling about?"

Ginny grinned and slipped her arms around his neck as she sat on his lap. "I was just thinking that you are most definitely the sexiest wizard alive."

Harry groaned. "Man, don't you get to have some say in what people publish about you? I mean, sexiest wizard, that's ridiculous! There could be lots of good-looking wizards out there."

Ginny laughed. "Yeah, but you're sexy. All this thick black hair that my fingers just itch to touch; these gorgeous green eyes that just … mmm … they make me want to melt every time you look at me. The sexy stubble on your chin, which I really like by the way so I don't think that you should shave it off; and the cute little cleft in your chin, right there that just makes me want to do this." She dipped the tip of her tongue in the little cleft on his chin and then kissed it. "You're lips are so full and I know exactly what those lips feel like on my skin; I ache for your touch. Then your body," She ran her hands up and down his chest, as Harry groaned, her touch was amazing. "You have such a sexy body, all lean muscles and strength. I love everything about you."

Harry grinned at her as her hands continued to stroke up and down his chest. His breathing was getting hard … as well as other parts of his body. He was very hot and her touch was driving him mad. He pulled her closer so he could nibble at her ear. He wondered if she had any idea what she was doing to him. "Ginny," he murmured as he nibbled gently on her earlobe, sucking gently on it as she moaned.

Ginny knew exactly what she was doing to him and she didn't care. She was so desperate for his touch and lately she'd found herself craving for something … something that was just out of her reach. His hands on her, was exactly what she wanted. She wanted his hands everywhere and she was beginning to have some very erotic dreams concerning her and Harry. She didn't know what to do about it however, because she didn't want to rush into a sexual relationship, because really five months had to be too soon … but oh she wanted him. Her lips found his ear and she began to nibble her way down his neck, flicking the buttons open on his shirt and spreading it apart so that her hands could touch his bare skin.

As her hands skimmed over the lean muscle, she smiled and replaced her hands with her mouth. Harry moaned; she couldn't know what she was doing to him because it was utter torture … incredible pleasure that was just making him want to grab her and do things to her that she surely wouldn't approve of. When her thumb brushed over his nipple, he pulled her back up to his mouth and dived in. Her taste always sent desire through him and it wasn't doing much to stop him now. He was aching, in a comforting, yet very hot way. His body was on fire but he continued to kiss her passionately as if his life depended on it. When her hands left his chest to fist in his hair, he laid her down on the ground and just kissed her. Sensations wracked his body as he felt her move beneath him and he ached. Her tongue brushed his lips and he moaned. They continued to kiss, holding onto each other tightly as their lips met over and over until —

"Harry! What are you doing on top of my sister?" Ron demanded as Harry looked up to see him standing over the two of them with an angry and very disapproving look on his face. Hermione's arm was around Ron's waist and she was smiling.

"Er, hi," Harry said as he sat up, forgetting that his shirt was untied as he leaned back against the tree. Ginny sat up as well and sat in between Harry's legs, leaning back against him and trying not to jolt when she felt his hardness against her. She had done that, she realized as she snuggled back so that her head could rest against his bare chest.

"I said: what were you doing on top of my sister?" Ron asked again, this time letting his smirk show as he pulled Hermione down to the ground in front of them.

"I was kissing her senseless, what did you think?" Harry replied calmly as he tried to enjoy the feeling of Ginny in his arms and to ignore the pulsing of his body.

Hermione smiled. "Anyway, Ron and I came to tell you that dinner is ready. So come on, let's head back up to the castle."

Harry and Ginny nodded and stood up as Ginny quickly began to help Harry do the buttons back up on his shirt; then they walked back to the castle hand in hand.

Ginny was upstairs in her dormitory getting ready for bed as Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil chatted aimlessly over on the other side of the room. It was Saturday evening and Ginny was silently remembering the wonderful afternoon that she had had with Harry. He wanted her; she had made him want her and she was dead proud of herself about it. Then she heard Lavender call out her name.

"Ginny, you don't have to sit over there by yourself, you know, we know you must feel awkward being in an entire new dormitory again. Come on over here."

Ginny sighed and managed a small smile. "Sure, I'll be right over."

She finished dressing and quickly brushed her long hair before she headed over to the other side of the room and took a seat on Lavender's bed. "Hi."

Lavender grinned at her. "Hi. So we heard a rumour that you punched Dean because he started all those terrible rumours about you? Is it true?"

Ginny laughed, she should have known; it was impossible to have a normal conversation with Lavender and Parvati, mostly because they loved to gossip. Ginny wasn't the world's biggest fan of Lavender in the first place; after all she and Ron had been utterly ridiculous together last year. But once she got past that, Lavender was a really sweet and a friendly person. "Yeah, it's true. Harry punched him first, sorry Lavender, didn't mean to give him a shiner."

Lavender laughed. "Don't worry about it Ginny, just because I'm dating him doesn't mean that I don't realize what a jerk he was. Besides I told him that if he didn't smarten up, he wouldn't get any from me anymore."

Lavender and Parvati laughed, but Ginny felt odd.

"Er … any what?"

They both stopped laughing and stared at Ginny as if in some sort of shock. "Any what? Wow those rumours must have been like totally off." Parvati replied as her and Lavender giggled at each other. "Any sexual things."

"Oh," Ginny said, feeling very stupid. "So you've had sex then?"

Lavender shook her head. "No, I'm not ready for that step yet, well at least not with Dean I'd never surrender my virginity over to a prick like him. I want my first time to be with someone special, you know? No, I just help him out a bit when he gets a little … Parvati what's the word I'm looking for?"

Parvati giggled. "Out of control? Wild? Hard?" They both laughed as Ginny blushed to the roots of her hair.

She really didn't know that much; her mother had barely taught her anything, not wanting to admit that her daughter was old enough to be thinking about these kind of things. Hermione had given her a long lecture on taking the proper potions and such but she still felt … lost. "Oh." Ginny replied again as Lavender and Parvati continued to giggle foolishly.

Lavender sighed and then she swung her arm around Ginny in a friendly, almost motherly fashion. "All right, Patil, we've got a lot to teach this one, we better get started."

Parvati nodded. "I'm afraid you're right. All right Ginny, what do you want to know?"