Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter characters.
Chapter Twenty-three: Getting Reacquainted
She could feel his eyes tracking her as she walked through the med-bay to see to her patient. He never spoke to her, well, not since that first day and even then it was only a brief exchange to satisfy his curiosity.
Apparently, he'd not been apprised of her signing on with the Phoenix Foundation as a resident healer. Neither was he aware that she had been assigned to the Knight Watch Seven installation as a triage medi-witch, having been recommended by Healer Poppy Pomfrey to her brother, Marcus; current Head Healer of Knight Watch Seven.
He was apparently also unaware that Draco Malfoy had been instraumental in retaining her services in a limited capacity for the first year, and a five year full time contract thereafter; once her probationary status was successfully completed.
The first of those questions she'd answered by herself when in passing he asked, "Why are you here?" It sounded rather cool at the time, but in retrospect he was just satisfying his curiosity.
She'd explained about her recommendation after having completed her initial 'healer training' under Poppy Pomfrey's strict tutelage.
By the look of surprise on his face it was rather obvious that he had absolutely no foreknowledge of her even having studied to be a healer, though he'd recovered himself enough to offer a belated "Congratulations".
The second part about Draco having signed her on to their present locale, that he'd found out directly from the source.
She remembered it like it was yesterday, because it was only yesterday.
Draco had sauntered into the med-bay with a smug expression that broadened upon seeing the direction of Harry's attention.
Harry's eyes shifted to Draco, then back to Ginny as she was tending her patient, then back to Draco again-meaningfully.
Now, Ginny couldn't be sure what exactly had happened as her back was turned during their exchange, but somewhere during Draco's explanation of how she had come to be assigned to Knight Watch Seven... Draco had fallen and broken his nose.
At least that's what Harry claimed and Draco was in no condition to refute said claim as he was unconscious at the time.
Jimmie Collins, ( the only other person present who could have witnessed said 'accident') , was unable to offer any help as all he did was laugh uproariously before grabbing his head and groaning in pain, then snickering some more before another wave of pain hit.
"The clumsy git tripped over his own scabbard." was all Harry had offered by way of explanation.
It took two 'Episkey' charms to heal the break and three 'enervates' to finally wake him up. Draco pulled himself groggily to his feet, shot Harry a filthy scowl and then stumbled out of the med-bay without a word of recrimination.
Harry didn't say anything more to her that day, nor did she in return, for that matter. Here she had this whole script she'd been working on and whatever clever conversation she'd planned to utilize went right out the window when, in a fit of trauma induced disorientation, he'd had the enough presence of mind to comment over the color and design of her knickers!
Thankfully, once the laughter had died and she'd finally regained her composure, he'd had the decency to remain unconscious the rest of the day and thereby preserving what little dignity she had left.
Draco did not return again to visit after that second dayt, at least not Harry anyway. He did visit Jimmie Collins and made a point of averting his eyes and giving Harry's bed a wide berth.
Oddly, no one visited Harry those few days that he was in the med-bay recovering from his many wounds.
Even more odd was that Draco was not the only person to suffer a nasal fracture under mysterious circumstances.
It was the third and final day of Harry's convalescence when yet another accident occurred.
She'd been going over Jimmie Collins' discharge information and follow up care recommendations, albeit, a tad flirtatiously. Though he was a bit young for her; Collins was very easy on the eyes and had a boyish charm that was wholly appealing, not that she'd ever seriously consider dating him, of course.
Still a little flirtation was good for the recovery.
She'd no sooner left the Med-Bay to have the nurse finish his discharge, when another 'inexplicable accident' occurred. Somehow Harry's urine bottle ended up colliding with Jimmie Collin's face, fracturing his nose and complicating his post concussion recovery.
Previously...
Healer Weasley had just fended off another of Collins' wandering hands and left the med-bay with a chuckle that clearly hinted she was flattered by the attention.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" Harry ground out irately through clenched teeth.
Collins sighed blissfully as he settled back against his pillows and webbed his hands behind his head, relishing the moment. "I dunno, but whatever it is, I'm doing it right!"
That perhaps was not what Harry expected to hear. In retrospect, Jimmie decided that Harry was perhaps expecting some form of apology or promise to act more appropriately when dealing with his healer in future encounters.
As it was, Harry grabbed the first thing to hand,(his urine bottle), and flung it at Jimmie Collin's unsuspecting head.
"Hey-Owe!" Collins shrieked clutching his shattered nose, trying to staunch the flow of blood.
"The next time it won't be empty!" Harry promised.
Alerted by Collin's scream of alarm, Ginny bolted into the med-bay with a pair of nurses at her heals.
Jimmie was groaning and clutching his nose, his bed sheets covered in blood.
"What in the world...?" Ginny shifted her startled gaze toward Harry's bed, seeking an explanation, to which, Harry only shrugged his own surprise, claiming...
"Said he had to pee and tried to 'accio' my urine bottle and must have put a bit too much behind it?"
Ginny rolled her eyes at that, shooting him an incredulous glare before tending to Collins' new injury.
Now she couldn't be sure, but she could swear she heard Harry stifle a snort or two as she reassuringly tended to Collins.
Present...
"Just where do you think you're going?"
"Not that it's any of your concern, but I have many duties to which I've already neglected for far too long."
Harry pulled on his black Knight Watch tank top that had his surname and rank printed on it, completely unaware of the wide eyed reaction it elicited from the female that was currently admonishing him.
"Healer Pomfrey has yet to discharge you." She cautioned.
"Healer Pomfrey has yet to discharge me from any of my impromptu visits to this torture chamber." He quipped with a derisive snort.
"Still taking both a healers' experience and your own subsequent health for granted, I see?"
Just to dig at her resolve, he twisted and turned causing his unused muscles and tendons to snap and pop from the strain as he worked the kinks out.
"See to your own patient, Healer Weasley." He stressed that last, still avoiding eye contact with her since that second day. "He is your sole responsibility whilst I am not now, nor will I ever be, designated as such." He promised with a note of finality.
Ginny's eyes narrowed to slits from the intended slight, but she held her tongue at seeing the painful reminder of what he'd once suffered in her behalf. There, peaking out beneath the strap of his tank top was the 'Lightning Bolt' scar from the killing curse he'd intercepted in her behalf, though the rest of his torso was pristinely unblemished.
"At least show the good sense to drop your glamours and give your magic a chance to recover and aid in your healing?" she directed with less bite than previously, though not in the pleading voice that her heart wanted her to use at the moment.
For the first time since that second day, his eyes shifted toward hers and her breath caught in her throat at the depth of hurt she saw in his expressive eyes. Despite that, they were still that vibrant, all consuming emerald green that she could easily lose herself in.
"I haven't worn glamours in years." He confided and then left the med-bay without uttering another word, leaving her staring after him with a puzzled, worried expression on her face.
Ginny had discharged her own patient shortly after and used the rest of the day to catch up on familiarizing herself with the medical files of Knight Watch Seven's personnel.
It just happened that she had spent an inordinate amount of time with one file in particular. In her defense, that one file had contained quite a bit of medical information to familiarize herself with.
Ginny's hand went to her mouth to stifle a gasp of dread when she read over that Harry had undergone 'magical scar removal' and, as was inherent in said procedure, he'd suffered greatly from the experience. The only scars he'd not tried to have removed were those from the 'Killing Curse' with a notation that it had not been his, but his healer's adamant refusal to make the attempt.
It had taken the better part of two months to remove the scars in minimum safe intervals of procedure and recovery.
He's had subsequent follow up procedures over the last few years and at this; Ginny closed her eyes mouthing a silent prayer... he was already scheduled for the procedure to address the current wound to his left shoulder from the nundo attack.
Ginny began to tear up; all professional detachment flew out the window. She knew that a client who went through 'magical scar removal' relived the experience that had initially caused said wound and subsequent scarring.
In many cases it was reported as seemingly worse than it was originally.
Once she'd composed herself, resigned to the fact that what was done was done, she perused the rest of his chart.
Interestingly enough, many of Harry's injuries, (of which there were far fewer than she'd expected), were mostly quidditch related. She knew this from personal and professional experience.
There were a few odd notations regarding a classified ongoing diagnosis wherein he had been the subject of many experimental procedures seeking relief of symptoms. The only notation regarding the particular diagnosis and its subsequent treatment was listed as "Healer Pomfrey's eyes only" and whatever privacy spell that was on it was beyond her capability as she tried everything she could think of to nullify it.
Ginny slapped the file closed in frustration, complaining: "What're you hiding, Harry?"
After a morning of being put through her paces by Healer Marcus Pomfrey, Ginny had the rest of the day to catch up with her family, of which, Harry Potter was notably absent.
Ginny did her best to pretend as if she didn't notice his absence, especially in light of the fact that many of their Knight Watch friends and acquaintances were among the dinner crowd.
Even Jimmie Collins was among the guests, though for some odd reason all flirtation between them had stopped and if anything he seemed to be avoiding her like the plaque.
The reason for that was a simple one...
Previous afternoon...
"Is this some sort of relapse?" Draco worried over seeing the raccoon like bruises around his eyes and the bandage across his young charge's nose. "What happened, last time I saw you, you were nearly completely healed and without a mark?"
"Harry happened." Jimmie groused, rubbing his aching temples.
"What, you too?" Draco blurted in surprise. "What'd you do to set him off?"
"That's just it I didn't do anything? One minute I'm chatting up that healer bird and the next Harry's piss bottle is bouncing off my beak!"
"Healer Bird? Do you mean Healer Weasley,... Ginny Weasley?" Draco asked in alarm.
"Well, ..yeah,.. I mean why not? She's not promised to anyone or anything is she? She's not wearing a ring,.. I checked that first thing."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Idiot"
"What?"
"She and Harry have a history, you git."
"Oh,.. er, what kind of history?"
Draco just glared significantly at his young friend.
"OH!" Jimmie exclaimed paling significantly as the significance of that look sank in. "Er.. What should I do? Doya think I should apologize or...?"
"I'd suggest leaving the country, not that it would do you any good." Draco suggested, rubbing his own temples now, feeling a headache coming on.
"Look,.. unless you're serious and by that I mean deadly serious about Ginny Weasley, I suggest you keep a wide berth, got it?"
"What if I am serious?" Jimmie chuffed, not really meaning it, but not liking be told what to do either.
"Serious enough to cross swords with Harry?" Draco asked incredulously, glaring askance at his friend.
"Oh" Jimmie gulped nervously, finally catching on completely. "It's like that then?"
"It's like that." Draco confirmed.
"But he's never said anything about...?"
Draco halted him with another look that clearly stated he was being ignorant.
"Oh,..er,.. right."
"She's the same way about him, so don't get yourself caught up in between whatever you do."
Jimmie nodded his agreement before smirking in understanding. " I can understand her being here and all for her brothers' wedding, but out of all the facilities, seems a bit of a coincidence that she'd signed on to the same facility as Harry's home base, wouldn't you say?"
Draco scowled. "Your nose still looks a bit crooked, what say I re-brake it for you and then you can go see Healer Weasley and she can make it all better? That is,.. before Harry gets wind of it and you have another, even more serious accident? If I were you I'd be..."
"Leaving... What a great idea! See ya later, Dray." at that Jimmie made a startegic withdrawl.
Present...
"So how's it going?" she asked, her eyes shifting across to her companion, trying to gauge her reaction.
"It's not." Ginny answered a bit disheartened.
"Did you think you'd just bat your eyes and he'd lose all conscious thought of anything non-Ginny related?" Hermione countered.
"Well, I certainly didn't think he'd avoid me altogether." Ginny spat back, a hint of her temper showing through.
Hermione smirked at that even though it was most likely a true accounting of Harry's behavior. He'd shown up for the evening meal, greeted a few people, chatted here and there as he worked his way through their many dining guests, but did not remain to enjoy supper with the rest of them.
He did, however, collect Angelina Johnson before leaving the commons. A move that had definitely gotten a reaction out of Ginny, not that anyone noticed, of course.
Hermione had innocently maneuvered Ron into caring for their three children for the evening while she offered to take Ginny on a tour of the grounds.
"So what makes you think he's "avoiding you"?" Hermione drew quotation marks in the air; delighting in the scowl it elicited from her sister in-law.
Ginny dragged a hand through her auburn tresses as she huffed out , "Hello,... does the man never eat that he's yet to sit down for a meal? Granted he's not Ron, but the man must be able to hold his own with a fork, something's gotta be maintaining that physique?"
Hermione chuckled at that, both at her husband's expense and also because Ginny had obviously taken note of Harry's exquisite frame.
"Noticed that have you?" she shot her sister a crooked smile.
Ginny blew out a long breath that was nearly an appreciative whistle. "I thought he was yummy before, but, wow!"
"It must be the quidditch?" Hermione surmised wistfully, thinking about her own husband.
"That isn't just from quidditch" Ginny scoffed.
"Well, it is for, Ron." Hermione complimented, licking her lips suggestively.
Ginny goggled at the display form 'Ms. Prime and Proper'. "Number four's not even here yet and you're already thinking about number five, huh?" Ginny chided, nudging Hermione with her hip.
Hermione colored slightly at the implication, but judging by the gleam in her eye, it wasn't an entirely out of the realm of possibility suggestion.
"Merlin have you got it bad." Ginny mocked, nudging her sister again with a chuckle.
"Oh,.. and you don't?" Hermione countered, nudging Ginny back.
"Well, we'll never know at this rate, will we?" Ginny huffed out in frustration.
"Patience, Rome wasn't built in a day." Hermione quoted.
"But it was built." Ginny countered.
"True, but Harry wasn't the architect now was he?"
"No,.. but I'm sure there was a Potter or two about."
Both women chuckled at that.
After a while Ginny paused and asked what was really bothering her, well, more than the fact that he was off somewhere with Angelina, innocent though that probably was.
"Do you think he's mad? I mean.." at this she patted the sleeves of her Knight Watch uniform drawing attention to her junior officer rank insignia, "we just sprung this all on him without any warning."
"Mad...no." Hermione answered cautiously. "Suspicious...definitely. He's never been one for surprises."
"That's because his sort of surprises were always of the deadly, 'world needs saving' variety." Ginny groaned in understanding.
"Exactly" Hermione agreed. "But that's not what's bothering you, at least not all of it, is it?" Hermione prodded, knowing her younger friend too well.
"No..." Ginny paused then swept her hands outward indicating her surroundings. "It's this,.. all of this?" Ginny splayed her hands outward indicating the entire complex and what it all entailed. "I mean can you imagine the scope of vision for something like this and it's just one of seven such installations! He's doing it, 'Mione. He's actually doing it, he's changing the world!"
"He is." Hermione smiled appreciatively, with no little pride at her best friend's accomplishment.
"Thanks for the self image boost." Ginny groused.
Hermione shot her sister an incredulous glare. "Not that you need one, but just why do you think he's doing all this?"
Ginny shrugged helplessly, not fathoming what Hermione was asking her.
"Has it never occurred to you, in all this time, just why he's doing all this?" Hermione spread her own arms out know for emphasis.
"Well, obviously to make the world a better place for everyone."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "But is he doing it solely for the whole world's benefit?"
"What,.. I don't understand...?" Ginny returned hesitantly.
"Let me spell it out for you, missy." Hermione rounded on her sister, taking her by the arm and glaring into her eyes. "Your father told him that he wouldn't and couldn't consider allowing Harry to court you when the rest of the world needed him so badly."
At this point she clutched both of her arms and held her sister's startled gaze to drive her point home.
"He offered that maybe, maybe if someday the world was a better, safer place...?" Hermione left off seeing the dawning realization in her sister's eyes.
"You don't mean that he... he.. did.. all this...for me?" Ginny squeaked out that last.
Hermione nodded, though added, "Not to burst your bubble, but,.. I don't think first and foremost it was for just you, but I'm sure that some part of him has that notion in the back of his mind,... not that he'd ever admit to it, of course?"
Ginny half staggered, half let Hermione guide her to a nearby bench where she unceremoniously plopped herself down before her wobbly legs went out from under her.
"OMIGOD,OMIGOD,OMIGOD..."
"Breath, Ginny...just breath." Hermione coached.
"How can I ever...? Who does something like that? Nobody does something like this for a...?"
Hermione smiled knowingly enjoying herself too much at her friend's expense as she hit the nail into the coffin. "Something like this for the love of a woman? Is that what you were going to say?"
Ginny nodded dumbly.
"Ever hear of 'Helen of Troy' or Cleopatra?"
Ginny nodded as she gasped, "But those were queens, not just...?"
"They weren't queens to their lovers, they were just the women they happened to desire and for that, they...?"
"Changed the world" Ginny gasped in understanding. "Oh...'Mione,.. how can I possibly...?" she began to hyperventilate again.
"Breath Ginny, just breath. Harry doesn't expect you to be anything, but yourself. There's a lot there to know and like,.. so show him."
"B-But how when he's not even around?" she whined, hating the sound of it herself.
Hermione's knowing smirk returned. "Are you sure? According to Draco there's nothing that happens around here that Harry's not aware of. Can't you feel it?"
"Feel what?" Ginny asked, her head swiveling back and forth trying to figure out what Hermione was referring to.
"His presence." Hermione answered as if it were obvious. "I can feel it here, everywhere. When I first came here I thought it was the warding system, but now I know it for what it is,.. it's Harry. It's like after that time when we all thought he was dead after facing Voldemort, but someone or something was watching over us like a guardian angel. Ron and I used to talk about it, marvel at it really. We thought it was Harry watching over us from the next life. We didn't know, at the time, just how close we were to the mark. It's like that here though. Everyone and everything around us just radiates Harry. It's a feeling of safety and security the like I've never felt anywhere else accept when he's around,.. and he is around ,Ginny,..I can feel it."
"I ..I know he's the empathic one, or at least used to be, but you two are so close,.. can you feel anything from him in return?" Ginny asked hopefully.
Hermione winced slightly at that. "I...can actually. He's frustrated,.. distracted and ...lonely."
"Lonely? But he's got so many friends here?" Ginny cut in.
"With families of their own." Hermione pointed out the difference. "Draco's the only one of the knight's who's married. Rafael is engaged. Kevin is in a serious relationship,.. with Oliver, so I'm told. And Jimmie, well, let's just say that Jimmie likes the life of a bachelor and leave it at that." Hermione raised an expectant eyebrow toward Ginny that brought an embarrassed blush from her friend.
"It was only a bit of flirting." She demurred.
Hermione shook her head wearily. "I'm reliably informed that he suffered from the experience."
"Y-You mean it wasn't an accident?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry was the accident, Ginny."
"Why?" Ginny asked, not catching on.
"And I thought Harry was the thick one? Hmm,.. let me see? Oh, it couldn't be that your were flirting with Jimmie right in front of him could it?" At seeing Ginny's still puzzled expression, she blurted out in exasperation. "Oh, for the love of Merlin... he was jealous, Ginny."
"Harry?"
Hermione glared by way of an answer.
"OH" Ginny fidgeted uncertainly.
"Don't act so innocent, you knew exactly what you were doing and you know it. You're playing with fire, Ginny."
"I was just trying to get him to notice me." Ginny whined.
Hermione rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Well then, congratulations- you succeeded!"
"Well what should I have done if you're such an expert?" Ginny shot back irritably.
"Well,... I overheard that the knight's are planning an early workout and then a cookout with their friends at the pool after. It's one of their infamous 'Getting Reacquainted' socials."
Ginny nodded, acknowledging, "George mentioned it."
"Sounds like the perfect opportunity to try out that emerald colored bikini I saw you sneak into your bag."
Ginny blanched. "What, in broad daylight,... and in front of everybody?"
"Well, you hardly need it for swimming at night." Hermione laughed musically, strolling off while Ginny sputtered at the implications, knowing that Hermione was referring to the time she 'skinny dipped' with Harry in the infamous "Cauldron of Desire" incident.
B-But it was just a dream... wasn't it? She asked herself for the thousandth time over the years.
George and Fred emerged from their shared apartment at six a.m. They didn't actually share an apartment, normally, but , with their mother on base, (though housed in the guest quarters on the other side of the facility), it was too close for comfort as far as they were concerned. Not that their perspective partners minded, especially not with their own families, (mothers), housed nearby as well.
The grumbling, eye rubbing duo emerged to find their youngest sibling waiting for them. All of them wore issue Knight Watch workout garb, only Ginny had made a slight alteration in hers.
Ginny was clad in standard issue, midnight blue running shorts, trainers and cut off black tee that was strategically cut to show a hint of the dark blue sports bra underneath and also displayed a well toned midriff to perfection.
Too perfection being the goal.
They shared an amused look between them.
"Going somewhere, Gin-Gin?" George drawled.
"Thought I'd join you lot for your morning workout,.. if you don't mind?"
"No,.. we don't mind do we, Gred?" Fred snickered, winking at his twin.
"Not at all, but you're, er,.. sure that you're up to it?" George asked uncertainly, while his brother smiled predatorily, unnoticed by his sister.
Ginny rolled her eyes."Puh-lease, I'm a professional athlete and the Harpies maintain a higher standard than you lot."
"You hear that Gred, she's a professional athlete!"
"No Kidding?" Her brother goggled excitedly. "Could you give us some pointers? I'm sure you professional athletes must have very rigorous training programs?"George fawned dramatically.
"I'm sure there's quite a bit I could teach you bunch of slackers. Just try and keep up won't you?" she returned sarcastically.
"Thanks,.. thanks so much for giving us a chance." Fred gushed. "Maybe after we could get an autograph?"
"Maybe" Ginny drawled.
Four Hours Later...
"Comeon, professional athlete, up and at-em." Fred prompted, pulling his sister from the weight bench she was spending the last half an hour sprawled across, napping on instead of actually lifting weights as was its design.
"Just five more minutes..please?" Ginny grumbled piteously, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth and off the vinyl bench she'd had her face glued to.
"What is she taking another break?" George barked in surprise.
"Yeah,.. it's a good thing that she's a professional athlete, or she'd have been in a coma already." Fred exclaimed sarcastically.
Ginny shook off his hand pulling at her growling out.. "Right, like you lot really do this everyday... you set me up!"
Katie and Alicia wandered over from the stations that they were working at, intrigued by the coming meltdown.
"You set yourself up."Fred spat back.
"We do, do this every day." George added, stressing his sincerity.
"Right..." Ginny drawled skeptically. "Even Potter doesn't put in this kind of effort, not that he even bothered to show up. What'd you do, use pepper ups and a few healing charms to put on the show? Try to make me look like a lazy git, huh?"
Alicia and Katie shared an amused look before offering... "Why don't you come with us a sec, Ginny? I think there's something you ought to see?" Alicia suggested.
"What, another con job for the newbie's benefit?" she retorted sarcastically.
"Yeah, something like that, just humor your future sister's in-law, would you?" Katie played the family card to get her moving.
Ginny harrumphed, but grudgingly followed along, somewhat stiffly, with the occasional groan of discomfort.
Ginny followed the two ladies down a hallway to a waiting elevator.
"Normally we'd take the stairs, but you seem a little worse for wear, so..?" Katie ushered Ginny into an elevator and they proceeded to the top floor of the complex they were in.
They emerged in lengthy sitting area facing panoramic windows that looked down into a portion of the training complex that Ginny had never viewed before.
Katie and Alicia beckoned Ginny over to the observation area. Ginny looked in and gasped in wide eyed shock. Two stories below; Harry and his fellow knights were in a pitched battle against a host of dark wizards and creatures, in a torrential downpour on a rocky landscape.
"We call this the Hazard Room, or the Hell Cell for short. It's based on the Room of Requirement form Hogwarts only on a broader, more realistic approach in that the safe controls can be altered from 100% down to zero." Alicia explained.
Katie followed up with..."The occupants below cannot see or hear us while we observe. This serves the dual purpose of impartiality by evaluators and to not distract the room's occupants, though Harry argued that point as in battle there are many distractions."
Ginny startled in surprise when one of the dark creatures, the occupants had been fighting, splattered against the observation window they were standing in front of.
She was equally surprised in that neither Katie nor Alicia showed the least startle at this and just moved away from the soiled window to a clearer port of view.
"The knight s are training below with two knight candidates or squires." Alicia tapped her wand casually against one of the colored panels below the observation window. A digital time counter showed that one hour and forty-seven minutes had elapsed and counting.
Ginny goggled at the readout as the men inside were fighting for their very lives with every weapon conceivable and no matter how many foes they dispatched the room just kept creating an endless horde.
"But that... that's not... they couldn't, not for almost two hours straight?" Ginny stammered in disbelief.
Both women stared blankly at Ginny by way of an answer, while Ginny's gaze swiveled uncertainly back toward the window and the battle raging below their vantage point.
Alicia stepped up beside her on one side, Katie on the other.
"Harry was alone for hours against not one, but two nundus only days ago." Katie reminded her.
"Did you think they afforded him an occasional break just to be sporting?" Alicia asked sarcastically.
"Perhaps a spot of lunch and a nice kip after?" Katie threw in.
"H-How...?" Ginny gasped in stunned disbelief.
The two witches shared a significant look in that their point was sinking in.
"A lot of hard work, training and dedication." Katie surmised. "They've already done a workout similar to the one we put you through this morning, though at a higher and more intense level. The knights follow their conditioning with live training sessions that simulate battle conditions, both singly and as a group. When their through in here, they'll be having one of their infamous 'Getting Reacquainted' brouhahas." The inflection in Katie's voice hinted that it wasn't your average party atmosphere.
At seeing Ginny's puzzled expression, Alicia reminded her. "Remember each has in turn trained the other, thus forming a bond between them. They are brothers in life and in death. That sentiment is a sacred bond between only them that only they know the full depth and meaning of. One could easily take it to mean that they will simply stand or fall as one in battle. But, I assure you that it is far more than that, although that is an essential element."
"What else?" Ginny asked curiously regarding their 'getting reacquainted' activities.
Katie quirked a half smile as Alicia averted her eyes trying not to blush in embarrassment.
"As I said, when they get reacquainted with one another, things sometimes get a little out of hand. On one such occasion, Alicia here.."
"Shut Up!" Alicia demanded in near panic, cutting Katie off.
"What, I was only going to mention the drinking duel you joined in that first year...Not the other thing?"
Alicia's relief turned to a panicked expression at the mention of 'the other thing'.
Ginny's head swiveled back and forth between the two, intrigued by the non verbal byplay.
"The other thing?" she asked curiously.
Katie smirked in triumph. "It's how Allie got her nickname."
"Don't you do it!" Alicia half begged/half threatened.
"Raphael Simone came up with a cute little party game called "Pet the Pu...mmphhh"
Alicia's hand shot out and clamped over Katie's mouth before she could finish her damning sentence.
She pulled her hand tentatively back and Katie blurted out in finishing... "That's how Allie
picked up the nickname: Allie Cat!"
"Urghh!" Allie shrieked in mortification, bolting for the stair exit while Katie and Ginny laughed uproariously.
"What...no bikini?"
"Shut up!" Hermione barked in outrage, surreptitiously hiding her pregnant belly behind the towels she was carrying in front of the modest one piece swimsuit she wore, preserving her self image as best she may.
With an appraising snicker, Harry called out, "Hey George, can I put another fifty galleons on my trifecta bet?"
"Of all the ...?" Hermione began to vent her outrage, but was cut off by George calling back from the other side of the pool where he had a view of her backside.
"Not from where I'm standing!" George called back before he, Harry and many of the other male population nearby, howled in laughter, while Hermione sputtered and stammered in mortification.
Ten minutes and many placating comments later, Harry excused himself from her presence and pulled his fellow, swim clad, knights aside.
"Alright you lot...Here's the deal. I'm calling this one 'Diving for Dollars'. We draw lots and the first up calls the shot and or drink of his choice and then proceeds to perform the dive of his choice off the high board which the rest of us then have to perform as best we may. We put five galleons each in the kitty every round. Our judges will rate each performance and the one with the lowest score doubles the pot. The lowest total score after each series of three dives will have to match the current pot and then's out for the rest of the competition."
"What, that's it?" Jimmie complained incredulously. "That's nothing."
Harry smirked. "Did I forget to mention there would be distractions?"
"What sort of distractions?" Kevin Armstrong, (Knight Three), asked with a curious grin.
"You'll see." Harry returned vaguely while grinning evilly.
"Just to be sporting, I'll go first." Harry offered, quickly ascending the ladder to the high platform before his comrades could protest.
"I call,...Cannon Ball!" Harry yelled down and through himself off the dive platform. He transformed into Ebon on the way down, coming out of his roll at just the right moment.
Excited squeals turned to shrieks of alarm as some five tons of dragon hit the pool water.
Bah-Wooosh!
The entire contents of the pool went rocketing out in all directions. Hermioine and company were drenched and the Twins were washed right off the pool deck- along with the grill they'd been barbecuing on.
"Harry Potter,... of all the asinine, juvenile antics!" A thoroughly drenched Hermione screeched in outrage storming to the edge of the pool where she found Harry sitting in a puddle at the bottom of the nearly empty pool, laughing like a lunatic.
"Oh...He-He... you should've seen your f-faces, oh... this h-hurts..."He was clutching his sides painfully as he struggled to stop laughing.
Seeing that she'd get no satisfaction, Hermione used her foot to angrily swipe a puddle of water in his direction and stormed off fuming and grumbling.
Ginny had just entered the pool area to find a sodden Hermione casting a drying charm on her towel while she muttered angrily to herself.
"I thought you said you weren't going swimming?" Ginny asked innocently curious.
The evil glare her sister in-law leveled at her, had Ginny instantly deciding on spreading her towel on the other side of the pool by her twin brothers and company.
Ginny walked over casually, humming to herself whilst she spread her beach towel. She finally looked up, noticing that Fred was staring vacantly at the empty barbecue fork in his hand while George was trying unsuccessfully to light a soggy barbecue grill with high powered incendios that did little more than fizzle out on hitting the damp coals.
She turned and finally noticed the damp lanky hair of her future sister in- laws where they sat drenched on soaking wet towels.
"Did I miss something?"
The mixed glares she received did little to make her feel anymore welcome than she had over by Hermione.
After dozens of high powered Acqumenti charms, the pool was refilled and the competition continued.
Harry took the first dive, big surprise there. Draco the second with an inspired two and a half gainer that had nice entry and little splash.
They didn't need to appoint judges as the gathering crowd was more than happy to conjure number boards to rate each dive.
After an hour it was down to Harry, Draco and Knight Four, Rafael Simone.
Jimmie Collins had lost out early in the third round when Just prior to launching himself off the platform, Ginny Weasley had innocently pulled off her robe to reveal a tantalizing emerald green bikini that generously displayed her well honed physical attributes to perfection.
His swan dive became a lame duck after that. On a side note,.. Harry had not fared well that round either, even though his dive was three competotors after Jimmie's.
Rafael readied himself for an attempt at a triple when he noticed Harry slinking away from whispering conspiratorially in Alicia Spinnet's ear and her holding a fistful of galleons.
Though blushing like a school girl, Allie called out.. "Hey Rafe...Meowww!"
Rafael Simone stumbled off the dive platform wind milling down into a belly flop that had everyone poolside wincing sympathetically.
Another victim of the 'Pet the Pus-..er,..kitty' drinking game.
Draco eyed his fellow competitor... "That was a low blow."
Harry just shrugged with a falsely innocent expression on his face, accusing back: "And I suppose you had nothing to do with that illusion charm that made the pool water appear like solid ice during Kevin's dive?"
Draco sniggered at that. "He screamed like a girl, just before he hit what he thought was solid ice. He won't admit to it, but I swear his trunks turned yellow just before he hit the water, cleansing away the evidence."
"Double or nothing, winner takes all?" Harry asked, proffering his hand.
"You're on, Potter." Draco took up the challenge, taking his hand in a vice grip that both were trying to crush the other's hand in.
Draco pulled his hand out after a few moments with a grunt of pain, scowling at Harry who pretended he hadn't noticed the slightest strain on his part.
"Fine, let's see how you handle this?" Draco growled, shaking his hand out as he made for the dive platform.
Unbeknownst to him, Harry surreptitiously nodded to Draco's wife, Abby, who nodded her understanding in return.
Draco was just stretching before trying his next dive when Abby called out sweetly. "Draco, luv?"
"In a minute, Luv. I'll be right over after teaching Potter a lesson." He promised.
"But Draco, I really need to tell you something?"
"It'll keep for a minute." He groused back impatiently at the edge of the dive platform.
"But, I'm pregnant!" Abby crowed out excitedly.
"Whaaaaa?"
Sploosh
Draco reemerged coughing and spluttering amidst gales of laughter. "Damn you, Potter!"
"I had nothing to do with the women's condition,..I swear." he declared innocently amidts sniggers and guffaws.
Abigail sauntered over and gave her husband a hand up out of the pool, chuckling evilly as she did so.
"So what did he pay you to mess with my head?" Draco accused swatting away her traitorous hand.
Abby folded her arms across her chest and huffed.. "The entire winnings in a trust for the baby."
Draco's mouth hung open as he gapped stupidly from the pool ladder. "Y-you mean.. you're... a baby, really?"
"Congratulations!" his fellow knights cheered altogether on cue.
Later, Harry dubiously accepted a hamburger from one of the twin chefs, sitting idly poolside considering whether or not it was safe to eat when a hand touched his shoulder hesitantly, drawing his attention.
"May I?" Ginny asked with a hint of nervousness in her voice that both intrigued him and disturbed him in that she should feel nervous around him.
He nodded, rather dumbly, distracted by the outline of her bikini beneath her opaque robe that was left haphazardly tied in front.
Ginny seated herself and attempted to start up a conversation, trying her best to not quail beneath the emerald gaze leveled her way.
"That was a really sweet thing you all did for Draco and Abby. Fun, and sweet." She complimented.
Harry nodded. "They're family" was all he offered by way of an explanation. It was all he needed to say, really.
Ginny nodded her acceptance of that as she clearly understood what that sentiment meant to him and the others.
"They're son is your Godson, I'm told?" She prompted, trying to draw him out.
"He is,... why do you ask?" his tone wary.
"I find it rather curious that you would assume the role for Draco's child but not Hermione's? Little Harry is named for you, after all."
"What's your point?" Harry snapped impatiently, perhaps in a harsher tone than he'd wanted to.
"N-Nothing really, just curious as to why you wouldn't want to accept that honor as it would cement you as part of the family and make it official?"
"So I'm not family as I 'm not Harry's godfather, is it? How very Weasley of you." Harry drawled, his eyes flashing emerald fire.
"Huh-oh" Draco grimaced and nudged Abby, nodding his head meaningfully toward the argument forming across the way.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ginny shot back, her own temper was now beginning to simmer.
"Oh,.. gee, I don't know..." Harry retorted sarcastically. "How about; you're our seventh son, Harry, but that doesn't mean you can date our daughter and make it official."
Ginny's eyes blazed at that. "Oh, get over yourself. What make you think she would've dated you in the first place, let alone make it official?"
"Nothing,... absolutely nothing." He answered coolly. "Even I'm not that arrogant to think I could rate a date with Miss Cover Girl." He struck back sarcastically.
"Cover Girl ?" Ginny shrieked in outrage.
Harry snapped his fingers, instantly summoning a handful of gossip magazines to hand. "Oh look?" He chortled and read the headline. "Witch Weekly caught up with fan favorite Ginny Weasley, star chaser for the Harpies. Ginny's wearing a captivating black sequin gown on the arm of Podmore chaser, Brad Billings."
Harry tossed the magazine aside with a contemptuous sneer and began reading the headline of the next: "Ginny Weasley causes quite a splash on the French Riviera in stunning green bikini that leaves little to the imagination!"
He tossed the offending magazine in front of her place setting and quipped. "I can only assume they're talking about that minty marvel you're currently falling out of?"
Ginny shot to her feet and hissed icily. "While we're seemingly on the subject of vanity; I suppose you didn't get 'magical scar' removal treatment for purely cosmetic reasons?"
Harry's quirked a smug smirk of triumph that took her aback. She was even more unsettled when he answered in a polite and somewhat charming fashion, "Well, of course I did, Ms. Weasley. You see; Cover Girl's don't go for the tragic scarred hero type. They want the Prince Charming, white knight, storybook hero that they can fill their heads with school girl fantasies over and drift off wistfully into dreams of romantic adventure."
Ginny shuddered at that, her face a mix of emotion.
"That's enough, Harry." Abby scolded stepping up to the table, between them. The twins were with her.
Fred and George kindly, but firmly suggested that Harry take a walk to cool down.
Harry did not take the suggestion well. "Another Weasley trying to evict me from my own home, is it?" his eyes were chips if green ice.
George and Fred's faces both fell at that, their eyes saddened by the accusation.
"Fine" Harry grumbled in resignation and stormed off. It was more of an apology in that he left rather than stay and force the issue.
Some hours later, the female contingent found him skipping stones on the surface of Tangren Lake. On closer inspection, they weren't stones, but sugar cookies that the kelpies were eagerly chasing down.
The sun was setting; casting shimmering streaks of orange and purple across the water's surface.
He looked deep in thought, peacefully enjoying one of the simple pleasures of life. he was so deep in thought that he didn't register their approach.
"Harry?"
"Wha..?" he started, surprised that someone had approached without his knowing. He turned abruptly to be even more surprised to find most of the female friends he had in a tight knit group behind him.
Hermione, Fleur, Abby, Katie, Angelina, Allie, all watched him with tense, worried expressions on their faces.
"S-Sorry" he mumbled half meaning it, half because he thought it was what they wanted to hear.
"What are you sorry for?" Abby asked in an understanding, even supportive tone.
"For losing my temper and,... and intentionally hurting Ginny's feelings." He said with more courage than even they thought he had.
"If you're sorry, than you must not have wanted to do it in the first place, so why did you?" Hermione asked next, trying to draw him out.
Harry pulled a face. "L-look, do we have to do this, here, now...?" he nearly begged them to drop it.
"Yes, I think we do, Harry." Allie joined in sympathetically.
He was about to blurt out the first thing he could think of before Hermione cautioned, "Please, be honest?"
"She s-said something that rubbed me the wrong way and I just sort of snapped. All the anger and... hurt... it just came right to the surface and I found myself lashing out over things I thought I was long past and had moved on from."
Katie tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and asked tentatively. "What sort of things?"
"Personal things" he retorted evasively.
Katie flashed a smirk at that, but wouldn't let him off the hook that easily. "We're, all of us, your friends and family. We all love and care about you and we want, more than anything else, for you to be happy. You can trust us, Harry. You can talk to us. We're here for you. Not just now, but always." Katie promised emphatically, the rest nodding their agreement.
"Please talk to us?" Angie pleaded. She was perhaps closer to him than the rest at this particular time as Harry was training her to assume the mantle of a knight. The bond between them was deepening in a way that no friend or lover could ever fully comprehend or appreciate.
Harry's eyes blinked several times, emotions warring across his handsome face. Many of the ladies shared painful grimaces at the pressure they were putting on him but were resolved to their course.
"I.. don't want..."
"You don't want Ginny here?" Hermione assumed disappointedly.
"No,.. yes,.. I don't know?" Harry worried his right hand through his hair as he struggled to find the words.
"I..don't want to be hurt anymore...I can't take it, 'Mione. Please,.. please don't do this to me?" There was such a depth of sorrow and loneliness in his voice and in his eyes. It was heart rending for them and more than one wiped at her eyes.
"Oh, 'Arry..." Fleur cajoled, next to Hermione, who was choked up by his plea. "We, would never hurt you, 'Arry. None of us want to hurt you. We want to elp you,...both of you." She added meaningfully, her counterparts nodding their convictions with that statement.
"Both of us,.. but Ginny's not,.. she's dating and stuff? She wouldn't,.. she'd never...?" he struggled to make himself understood, failing miserably, or so he thought.
"She has dated a few times, yes. She's tried to get by, like someone else we all know and love?" Abby hinted, while the others chuckled their agreement, nodding along.
"But she's hurting too, Harry." Abby empathized. "If she could move on or even wanted to, she would have. The same as you, Harry."
"But, all this time? She could've,.. I've been waiting and hoping, but she never...?"
A surprised and strangely hopeful gasp from the gallery reoriented his wayward thought, hardening his resolve.
"Look,... we couldn't...she couldn't..Nothing's changed. Her family wouldn't...There's still so much to do?" he was arguing with himself as much as he was them.
"Stop being so selfless and start being a little selfish." Hermione snapped, shocking him with its conviction.
"Where is it written that you aren't allowed to be happy? Who told you the entire world comes first and you last? You're not God, Harry. For all your power and courage you're still just a mortal man and like all men, you need and deserve to be happy, to have love and give love. You deserve the comforts of a women's body, sharing your heart and your bed. To know what it is give and receive pleasure on that level of intimacy when she's gasping out your name and writhing... !"
"Whoa,...down girl!" Abby interjected, her cheeks tinged pink, Katie was fanning herself and Allie was trying to avert her eyes. Fleur had a smug look of agreement that held not a hint of embarrassment on her part.
"I think you broke him."
Harry was gapping stupidly across from her. "C-Comfort's of a woman's body...writhing?" he was mumbling to himself.
Hermione grinned, completely satisfied by his reaction.
"Always the quiet, bookish ones." Allie shook her head in wonder, passing a galleon to Katie's waiting palm.
"Gasping you name...?" Harry continued staring blankly.
Abby waved her hand in front of his face. "I don't think he's coming back anytime soon?" she commented, chuckling in amusement at his reaction. Hermione had always delighted in taunting him.
"This one's not much better." Angie added, snapping her fingers in front of Ginny Weasley's face. She'd been hidden conspiratorially from Harry's view, behind the group.
"You're Cyrano de Bergerac idea's a flop." Katie scoffed to Fleur.
Fleur scrutinized Ginny's and Harry's glazed appearances. "Non, it az worked out just fine, I'm zinking."
Hermione nodding her agreement next to her, as she patted her tummy, cooing... "You'll be getting some green eyed extra cousins one of these days, little one."