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 13: Both Teams Played Hard
"Harry, Harry!" Gordon Deesel, the lead writer for Quidditch Weekly, shouted out. "Have any comments about the big win today?"
Harry was sitting at a dais in front of the assembled British Quidditch press. A glass of water rested in front of him and a towel was draped across his neck. The two goals the French scored at the start of the match turned out to be the only points they could muster. Now Harry had to do the least favorite part of his job, answering the press' questions.
"It was a good win against a dangerous side," Harry said. "Obviously with a tournament like this you can't take anyone for granted. Both teams played hard and deserved the win today, we just happened to be the team that came out on top."
"Come now Harry, with the French dealt with you can tell us the truth," Nicholas Decarno, one of the Prophet's Quidditch writers, said. Out of all the reporters who covered the sport, Harry least liked the group from the Prophet. Beyond his running feud with Don Shackleton, Harry felt that the Prophet was only after the most salacious story they could find, not the most accurate one, and they always delighted in creating controversy.
"Both teams played hard," Harry said again, then turned his attention away from Decarno.
"Harry," Don Shackleton said. "Do you have any comments about the play of Ginny Weasley today?"
Harry took a sip of water to collect his thoughts before speaking . "As you might imagine I spent the match focused on finding the Snitch, not watching our Chasers play."
"I only ask because it seemed to me like she had a rough go of things at the start of the match."
"Did she?" Harry asked, cutting off the rest of the question. "Like I said, I was focused on the Snitch, but Ginny's a veteran, and a damned good one. If she got off to a shaky start I'm sure she turned things around."
"She did, after the two of you had a little chat. Care to tell us what you talked about?"
"Honestly I don't really remember, but it probably had something to do with how unique the pitch was, or how pretty the sea looked from our vantage point."
"You expect us to believe that?"
Harry gave Shackleton a bright smile. "Yes, next question please."
Shackleton however was not about to give up. "We both know you've got the sharpest Quidditch mind on the team, and should be captain of this side. Don't you think it should've been Westerman's job to settle Weasley down?"
Harry debated ignoring the follow-up, but decided it would be better to meet the question head on. "Steve is a tremendous captain, and is far better in the role than I am. If he thought Ginny needed someone to steady her I'm sure he would have. But she didn't need that because I said earlier, Ginny is a veteran. She's one of the best in the world in fact. She's perfectly capable of rising to the moment without my, or anyone else's, help." Harry knew he shouldn't keep speaking, but he couldn't help him himself. "I am impressed with you Don. I thought you didn't want me on the squad at all, and now you're saying I should be captain? Let me be perfectly clear. This is one of the tightest locker rooms I've ever had the privilege of being in. To a person we are all committed towards one goal, winning the cup. I'm sorry if that won't sell papers, but there is no dissension to be found. So stop trying to create it. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get ready for Spain." Harry stood up and walked off the dais. He knew the team's media relations people would yell at him for not answering enough questions, and that his tantrum would overshadow what turned out to be a highly impressive win. However, dressing down Don Shackleton had felt good, and he was Harry Potter. It's not like he was going to be sent home for not filling his allotted media availability time after all.
Several hours, and a few thousand Galleons, later Harry found himself seated in a VIP section of a club called The Lonely Mermaid that the English Ministry had effectively taken over for the duration of the competition. Neville and the others had yet to arrive so Harry was, for the moment, drinking alone.
"So Harry," Shetley said as he and Westerman sat down at the table. "I hear you had a bit of an adventure at your press conference today."
Harry sighed and sat down his glass of Firewhisky. "I let Shackleton get the better of me. He was trying to stir up noise that I wanted to be the team's captain."
"We've all been there," Shetley said then clapped Harry on the shoulder. "I couldn't even being to say how many times I thought I could be a better captain than Steve."
"I should retire just for you even thinking that," Westerman said. "We'll see how you like when you have to actually do the job."
"How do you know I wouldn't like it?" Shetley leaned around Harry to stare at Westerman.
"Because there's an additional meeting you have to attend each week, and you're required to speak with the press after every fixture."
Shetley fell back in his seat. "Nuts to that, you can keep the job."
"So what was the damage?" Westerman asked Harry.
Harry swirled the drink in his glass. "Two thousand Galleons and a stern talking to from the media people about not ending press sessions early."
Shetley winced. "That seems a bit steep."
Harry shrugged. "I think they were trying to send a message to the rest of you. If they're willing to fine me that much just think what they'd do to someone who isn't as important."
"I will have you know that I matter rather a lot to the success of this team thank-you very much," Shetley said. He jabbed an index finger into Harry's chest to emphasise his point.
"And yet he assumed you were talking about him," Westerman said to Harry. He smirked into his drink at the fresh round of protestations from Shetley his comment provoked.
"I swear Steve, one of these days I will murder you in your sleep." That threat only caused even bigger peals of laughter from Harry and Westerman and even Shetley joined in. "I'm not joking," he said, his laughter indicating otherwise.
"Don't worry Shetley, you're vital to our plans for winning," Harry said.
"Let me guess, is it because making fun of me helps keep the team loose?"
"I was going to say it's because you're the only Chaser we have to can set up in front of the goals and have a reasonable chance of living. Ginny might be as tough as nails, but she doesn't have your reach. While Steve could be taken out by a stiff breeze, plus he's ancient and would likely break a hip if he tried."
"You're wrong you know," Westerman said.
"I'm sorry mate, but you are that old," Shetley said.
"Not about that, in his press conference today. Harry said he couldn't be a better captain than me. That's not true, he'd do as good a job, if not better."
Harry felt his ears heat. 'That's nice of you to say but."
"Don't argue with me on this. You have the instincts a good captain needs. You know the right moment to talk to someone when they're off their game, and you shield them from the press after the match."
"Good work with Ginny by the way. She was seriously out of sorts at the start of the match," Shetley said.
Harry waved a hand to dismiss the compliment. "She was just pressing because of nerves. I'm sure Steve was about to say something to her as well."
"If I had I wouldn't have been able to pass it off as talking about the weather. Not only did you build her confidence back up, but you did so without embarrassing her. That's the mark of a true captain."
"What did you say to her anyway?" Shetley asked. "I've never seen such a turnaround from one play to the next."
Harry shrugged. "I didn't really say anything special, just reminded her what happened the first time anyone was foolish enough to try and intimidate her on the pitch."
"What did she do?"
"That time? Kicked the git in the bits so hard I still don't think he's walking right."
"That sounds like something Ginny would do," Shetley said.
"What sounds like something I'd do?" Ginny asked as she, Hermione and Luna walked up to the table.
"Kick Marcus Flint in the balls," Harry said. "Pull up a chair. Hermione, Luna it's good to see you both again."
"Hello Harry," Luna said. "Congratulations on winning your game. I'm glad all your exposure to the Snitch hasn't left your brain completely infested with Wrackspurts."
"It's good to see you again too Harry," Hermione said as she sat down at the table.
"Where's Ron at?" Harry asked.
"Off with the twins getting into Merlin knows what kind of trouble," Hermione said. "I would have expected him to be here making sure some foreign wizard doesn't try and get hands with me, but when the twins say jump he still says how high."
"Hermione is married to my brother Ron, who was one of Harry's mates when we were at Hogwarts," Ginny said to Shetley and Westerman. "Speaking of which Harry, where are the rest of those reprobates? Or have you traded up to these two?" She pointed at Shetley and Westerman.
"Are you calling Neville a reprobate?"
"Oh Neville's the best, but those other two? How many of your detentions were the result of one of Seamus's schemes?"
"Well most of them," Harry said.
"That was the difference between the two of you. When you came up with a prank you made sure you weren't caught. Like the time you snuck the ghoul into the Slytherin common room."
"That was you?" Hermione said, looking up in surprise. "Snape ran all the prefects ragged trying to find out who did it, and it turns out it was you? Was Ron involved?"
Harry bit back a laugh. "Merlin no, we knew better than that. There's no way he could keep a secret like that from you."
"So who, how?"
"Hermione, you're asking about a prank that we pulled off over a decade ago, does it really matter?" Harry asked.
"Harry this is Hermione we're talking about, of course it matters," Ginny said. She leaned over and pulled Hermione into a one-armed hug.
"Do you get the sense we're in the middle of one big inside joke mate?" Shetley asked Westerman.
"What I want to know is why those two never dated when they were at Hogwarts," Westerman said and pointed at Ginny and Harry. "The conditions were all there."
"Oh but they did," Luna said.
"Wait, what?" Shetley asked. His head pivoted over to look at Luna.
"Yes they dated for a few months during our Fifth Year. Then Harry dumped Ginny."
Shetley turned to face Harry and grabbed him by the lapels. "Are you soft in the head man? Ginny's the perfect woman! Why in Merlin's name would you break up with her?"
Harry gently grabbed Shetley by the wrists and pushed him away. "Because between revising for my NEWTS and preparing for my last year of Quidditch at Hogwarts I didn't have time for a relationship."
"And just so you know, I understood Harry's decision, getting into the league was both our goals and if that's what Harry had to do to make it happen, that's what he had to do," Ginny said.
"Harry, I'm begging your, marry this woman. She is beyond perfect," Shetley said. "Hell if I wasn't married I'd propose to her here and now."
Ginny stuck her tongue out at Shetley. "Harry had his chance and blew it. I might have understood his decision, but that didn't mean I had to like it." Harry did his best to keep the flash of disappointment that stabbed him off his face. He felt a pair of eyes on him and saw Hermione staring at him intently.
"And speaking for both of us, I'd appreciate it if you didn't bring this up to the rest of the team. There are something I'd rather not be the topics of jokes," Harry said. He focused his attention on Shetley since Westerman wasn't the sort to play games with people's personal lives.
"Of course not mate, what kind of an arse do you take me for? I'll do anything to help further the cause of the two of you getting back together."
"Oh you think so too?" Luna said. "That's what I've been telling Ginny ever since the roster was announced." Ginny let her head fall into her hands and Hermione bit back her laughter as Luna and Shetley started to conspire.
"That's okay mate," Harry said. "I appreciate the concern, but Ginny's right. That's all in the past, I had my chance and I let it slip by. Right now I just want to win this tournament with as little drama as possible. And that won't be the case if everyone is making a big deal out of a relationship that ended eleven years ago."
"Don't worry Harry, we won't say anything to the others," Westerman said. He pulled his watch out of his pocket. "And I should be shoving off. I promised Lisa I'd tell the girls a story before they went to bed. Hermione, Luna, it was a pleasure to meet you. Ginny, Harry, good work on the pitch today. Brendan, you're still an arse." Westerman stood up and walked away from the table.
"Kate's probably wondering what trouble I've gotten myself into so I should head back too. Harry remember what I said. Do whatever it takes to get Ginny back. It doesn't have to be right now, but sometime soon. And you Ginny, take the boy back, but make sure he grovels a lot first, yeah?"
"I'll, er, think about it, but I'm not making any promises," Ginny said.
Shetley laughed. "That's the best I can hope for. And since Steve isn't here I'll be the one to say it. Don't forget we have practice tomorrow so don't get too pissed tonight." The group sitting at the table waved as Shetley exited the VIP area.
"Only you two could have an international Quidditch star invested in your love life," Hermione said before bursting into giggles.
"I'm glad my humiliation is amusing to you," Ginny said. She shoved an elbow into Hermione's ribs, nearly sending the older woman tumbling to the floor.
"Your humiliation? What about mine?" Harry asked. "I'm the one who's supposed to be groveling."
Ginny leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. "That part made the most sense I thought. What do you think Hermione?"
Hermione waved her arms frantically. "Oh no, I'm not getting involved in this. You two can sort things out on your own."
Ginny looked at Harry, a sly grin spread across her face. "What do you say Harry, should we go 'sort things out' now?"
"Don't you want to see if Neville and the others show up first?" Harry asked.
"Not especially, and as I recall I owe you a kiss for jinxing you in the locker room this morning."
"That's true, you did promise to kiss where you jinxed me."
"Only if it's still sore," Ginny said.
"Oh it's still sore all right," Harry said with a leer.
Hermione stood up from the table. "And on that note I'll leave you two alone. Luna, let's go see if my husband and his brothers have managed to keep from getting arrested."
Harry watched as Hermione and Luna walked away before he stood up and held his hand out to Ginny. "Well, how about it should we leave now?"
Ginny took Harry's hand and let him pull her to his feet. "Shetley did say we shouldn't get pissed tonight, and if we're too busy shagging we certainly won't get pissed. Let's go."
Author's Notes: The banal ritual of the post-game press conference sort of fascinates me, the press always asks the same dumb questions and the players always have the same dumb answers. Except when they don't, and then it becomes magical. By the way, this will not be the last 'Sheed quote used in this story. The next chapter might be a bit late because of the holidays, or maybe not, we'll see. Thanks for reading!
-sam