When You Wasn't Famous

By: Sam Lincoln

Disclaimer: The characters from Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling and are used here without permission.

"When you're a famous boy/it's gets really easy to get girls/It's all so easy you get a bit spoiled/but when you try to pull a girl who is also famous too/It Feels Just Like When You Wasn't Famous

-When You Wasn't Famous, The Streets

Chapter 8: I'm Not Trying to Pull You

That same night, on the other side of the city, Ginny walked into her kitchen and found Hermione making herself a cup of tea. "Hermione? What are you doing here?" Ginny asked. "Not that I mind, but I thought you and Ron would be hard at work baby making."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't be so crude Ginny. Ron is currently off on what he so eloquently described as 'bloke business.' So I decided to pop over here while he was out."

"In that case put away that tea," Ginny said to her friend.

"Oh no, I am not drinking with you. That always ends badly for me."

Ginny walked over to her modern-looking steel refrigerator and withdrew two cans of cider. "That's too bad, because I want to have a drink, and I do not drink alone." She placed one of the cans in front of Hermione, who grudgingly opened it and took a sip. "Thank-you," Ginny said as she opened her own can and took a healthy drink.

"So how has training been going?" Hermione asked.

Ginny shrugged. "It's Quidditch. Cabbock is demanding, but that's to be expected considering his system. Shetley and Westerman are amazing. They have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome, which is wonderful."

"That's good to hear, but not who I was talking about," Hermione said. "How's Harry?"

Ginny stared balefully at Hermione. "He's off doing Seeker things. I don't think we've even said a word to each other since the roster was announced."

"You're joking, not even a hello?"

"We're far too busy getting ready for the tournament. I doubt I've had a conversation with either of the Beaters either. Are you going to act outraged about that?"

"You also never dated Colbourn or Prentiss." Hermione fell silent a moment. "You haven't right?"

"Hermione!" Ginny said in a faux-outraged tone. "How dare you make such accusations about your employer."

"Accuse, speak truth to power. It's all one and the same really," Hermione said to Ginny before daintily sipping from her can.

"I am not some common slag," Ginny said. "I am an uncommon slag," she added, cutting off Hermione before she had a chance to speak. "I have standards, and neither Colbourn or Prentiss match them."

"Though Prentiss does have the right hair colour," Hermione said.

"It's too curly," Ginny said. "And he's married. For that matter so are all the other blokes on the team. Besides you know I don't mess around with teammates."

"Of course not, you play for the Harpies, so unless there's something you haven't told me about your preferences you don't have many options there."

"Oh haha, you know damn well I've played with plenty of blokes. Name one I've shagged."

Hermione leaned back in her chair. "Harry Potter."

Ginny slapped the countertop. "There, you see, you're wrong, because we never shagged."

Hermione bit back a snort. "Ginny, you know I love you like the sister I never had, but please don't lie to me. You two definitely shagged. It was obvious to everyone. What else were all those 'special training sessions' for?" Hermione watched in amazement as Ginny's face turned a brilliant shade of pink.

"Everyone thought we were shagging?"

"You mean you weren't?"

"Of course we weren't! We had to get ready for the next year," Ginny said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So all that time you could have been revising for your OWLs you were practicing Quidditch plays?"

Ginny reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand. "Hermione, for me that was my revising. Think about it, what would have prepared me more for all this: revising for History of Magic with you, or doing Quidditch drills with Harry? And don't lie, even though I know you want to."

Hermione sighed. "All right fine, the drills with Harry."

Ginny patted Hermione's hand. "Was that so hard? The fact of the matter is we were both so obsessed with making it into the league that it was all either of us thought about. Shagging wasn't on the menu, and you have a horrid, dirty mind for thinking otherwise."

Hermione gave Ginny a long, hard stare. "I don't believe you," she finally said before taking another sip of her cider.

Ginny downed the rest of her can and banged it noisily on the countertop. "Merlin, what is do difficult about this?"

"Because I remember how the pair of you acted around each other when you were dating," Hermione said as gently as she could. "I've never seen a better matched couple than the two of you."

Ginny pushed herself away form the counter and fetched herself another cider from the ice box. She cracked open the can and took a drink before speaking. "And that's why I'll never tell you if we did or didn't shag. You'd read far too much into it, like you always do."

Hermione sighed. "I'm not saying you should get back together with Harry, just that it's unhealthy that the two of you haven't even spoken. And I don't care how awkward you think it might be. The Ginny Weasley I know doesn't shy away from anything just because it might be hard."

"So why am I being such a coward about this? Is that what you're getting at?"

Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Interesting choice of words. Is that what you think?"

"I think I'm not going to drink with you anymore if you insist on analysing me every time we do," Ginny said. She crossed her arms across her chest, her annoyance evident.

"You drink too much as it is, so maybe I'm doing it on purpose," Hermione said before taking another sip from her can.

"If I did that then I'd only have one avenue left to blow off steam," Ginny said.

"And there aren't enough Italian blokes in the world to keep up with you if that were the case," Hermione said. Her mouth twitched into a smile as the two friends stared at each other for a moment before breaking into peals of laughter.

"I really should be upset at you for your continued insistence I'm some kind of slag," Ginny said after they had composed themselves.

"Just so you know I don't really think you're a slag, but you could stand to be a little more selective about who you sleep with."

"Well that's a relief, but I'm young, rich and pretty. If I'm not going out and having fun my life is a waste."

Hermione raised her can. "I'll drink to that." The two friends clinked their cans together and Hermione drained the remainder of her cider. "Now though I need to head home and see what sort of damage Ron's gotten into from this 'bloke business' of his."

"Be gentle with him. His heart is mostly in the right place."

Hermione pushed herself off the kitchen stool. "I know, it's just the last time he said he had 'bloke business' to attend to he came home with season tickets to the Cannons. I'm afraid to find out what he's bringing home tonight."

Ginny laughed. "Like I said, he's a bit daft, but he means well. I'll see you tomorrow Hermione."

"Don't forget you have that fan club event at the shop after practice tomorrow, and after that is your team dinner at the Cauldron," Hermione said to Ginny as she walked over to the Floo.

"Yes Hermione I remember," Ginny said, her voice full of mock exasperation.

Hermione tossed a handful of Floo Powder into the fireplace then called out the name of her home. "Oh and Ginny?" Hermione said as she turned and faced her friend. "Stop denying that you and Harry shagged. I stumbled across the two of you one time in the Quidditch changing rooms." Before Ginny could reply, Hermione dove into the Floo and vanished in a burst of green flame.

The next day, after another grueling training session and a lengthly stint signing autographs and posing for pictures with members of her fan club, Ginny pushed her way into a back room of the Leaky Cauldron. As team captain Westerman had set up what was ostensibly a team dinner, but was actually a team drinking outing as an icebreaker. Whatever it was called Ginny was sure that as the "rookie" on the team she would be left with the tab at the end of the night.

By the time Ginny arrived the rest of the team had started without her. Colbourn was already keeping watch over Prentiss to keep him in line and Shetley was telling one of his infamous stories to the delight of the others. She noticed with some interest that Harry was sitting off by himself at a small table in a corner of the room. Ginny was reminded of many nights in the Gryffindor Common Room when she would watch Harry hang back in a corner of the room making jokes with Neville. Despite all his popularity at school, Harry never sought out of the limelight when he wasn't on the pitch. It made for an odd contradiction because while he had very clearly been the leader of his clique, he also was not the most outspoken member of the group. If Ginny was being honest with herself that duality was one of the things that initially attracted her to Harry, and contributed to his status as a heartthrob now. Teen girls always love the brooding hero.

"Ginny!" Shetley called out, interrupting her reverie. "Glad to see you could finally make it. I was just telling the other chaps how I wound up in a Muggle television show. I was just wandering around town when this bloke walked up to me."

Ginny started to tune out Shetley, she had already learned his stories were mostly bollocks, and walked over to the small bar in the side of the room and poured herself a glass of Firewhisky. After a moment's thought she also picked up the bottle and walked over to Harry's table. "Budge over," she said to Harry quietly as she placed the bottle on the table.

Harry glanced around the mostly empty table then back up at Ginny. "I think there's room," he said. "Don't you want to be sociable?" He asked as Ginny sat down next to him.

"Reminds me too much of dinner at the Burrow when I was growing up," Ginny said. "I'd rather not be surrounded by that much machismo."

"Why do I feel vaguely insulted," Harry asked.

"Oh don't let your precious ego get bruised. You're plenty macho after your own fashion, and that's not a bad thing." Ginny said. They then fell into an uncomfortable silence

"So how have you liked being on the team so far?"

Ginny felt her eyebrows arch. "Really, we haven't talked in almost a decade and that's what you start with?"

Harry pounded down the rest of his drink. "I think it's a good thing you brought over the whole bottle," he said then refilled his glass.

"Don't worry Harry, I won't bite, unless you want me to." She elbowed him in the ribs to emphasise her point.

"Ginny!" Prentiss said from across the room. "What are you doing letting Harry monopolise your time? Come over here and have a shot with me."

Ginny glanced over at Colbourn who discretely shook his head no. "Thanks for the offer mate, but I'm still working on my first." She held up her glass for Prentiss to see. "Besides, somebody has to keep Harry company."

Prentiss shrugged. "Your loss, though I don't understand why Harry's sitting over there in the first place. I thought we were all equals here."

"Ease up there Prents," Colbourn said, placing an arm on the taller Beater's shoulder. "You don't want to say anything you'll regret tomorrow."

Ginny glanced over at Harry and saw the muscles in his jaws tighten. Knowing that look meant trouble she started to reach for her wand. If spells were about to start flying she want to be prepared.

"What? Merlin no, nothing like that," Prentiss said with hurt evident in his voice. "It's just we've played how many caps together and he still sits off by himself? Harry you're a mate, but come on be a member of the team for once." Ginny saw Harry's jaw unclench and she inwardly let out a sigh of relief.

"Hell Prents, I do the same with the blokes on the Tornados, and I like them," Harry said. The room fell silent for a long moment before a smile crept onto his face and the team burst into laughter.

"You're an arse Harry," Prentiss said with a chuckle. "A right arse."

Harry raised his glass to Prentiss. "Just keep the Bludgers off me and you can call me whatever you want."

"I'll drink to that," Prentiss said then tipped back his glass.

The tension in the room deflated and the team fell into small talk. Given their profession it mostly revolved around Quidditch and the upcoming championship until Westerman pulled out his watch and glanced at the time. "Unfortunately, I need to be shoving off. I've booked the room for the whole night, but we have practice tomorrow so I 'suggest' that none of you close the pub down. Also Ginny, you'll settle up the tab won't you?" He tossed her a slip of parchment.

Ginny scanned the contents of the parchment. "You had to buy that many bottles of Ogdens?" she asked.

Shetley walked over to Ginny and clapped her on the back. "Welcome to the team!" He cackled in delight before Disapparating out of the room. The other members of the squad said their goodbyes until just Harry and Ginny remained.

Ginny looked over at the unopened bottles of Firewhisky. "Looks like I won't be lacking for drink anytime soon," she said.

"You're taking it home?"

"Of course I am, I'm paying for it after all."

"If you want we can split the bill," Harry said.

"I'm not some rookie with nothing wages," Ginny said. She tried and failed to keep the annoyance out of her voice. "I can pay the bill."

Harry held up his hands defensively. "I know you can, I just think sticking the junior member of the squad with the bill is a mean trick."

"You always were a noble git," Ginny said.

"Well don't go spreading that around. I wouldn't want to ruin my image," Harry said.

"So how is your family doing?" Ginny asked in attempt to find something to talk about. By all rights she knew she should have left with the others, but her conversation with Hermione was still stuck in her head and Ginny was determined to prove she was capable of being around Harry. For his part Harry leapt at the chance to talk about such a safe topic, and the pair soon lapsed into swapping stories about their family's exploits.

"Say when was the last time we were like this?" Harry asked in a lull in the conversation.

"Like what?"

"The two of use by ourselves chatting."

Ginny looked thoughtful for a moment. "I believe it was when you were telling me that you valued Quidditch over our relationship."

At that Harry's face fell and he looked away from Ginny. "You don't, ah, hate me for that, do you?" He asked. "I know it won't affect your Quidditch performance, but it really will be a brilliant time on the island, and I hope your experience won't be ruined because you have to put up with manky old me."

Ginny reached over and placed a hand on Harry's arm. "Is that why you've been avoiding me? I won't lie, I wasn't your biggest fan that summer, but when I saw how hard you worked the next year, well, I understood. So no Harry, I don't hate you."

"In that case, your place or mine?" Harry asked before smiling at Ginny rakishly. He braced himself in anticipation of one of Ginny's infamous Bat-Bogey Hexes.

Ginny stared at Harry. She knew by the tone of his voice, and the way he was flinching, that he intended the invitation as a joke, but the same instinct that ruled her all those years ago in the Gryffindor Common Room took over once again. "Yours," She said before grabbing Harry by his lapels and pulling him in for a kiss.

Author's Notes: So okay, I'm going to step back and hope people don't throw heavy things at my head. Thanks for reading.

-sam