Welcome to the final chapter. Firstly thank you to csijenniferlynn for checking this chapter. I'm sure all the readers will appreciate the effort.

Thanks for all the support and I hope you enjoy!

Harry rolled onto his side, arm landing on an empty bed. "Ginny," he called out sleepily.

"Right here, Harry," she replied from beside the bed. "I couldn't sleep."

He opened his eyes. Ginny stood wearing her official pale green Harpies blouse; a skirt was still being held in her hands. His gaze travelled along the feminine curves of her body and down towards the long slender legs he loved. His eyes never reached her thigh. "What's that?" he croaked.

She blushed. "Just a present from a friend." She tried to say it calmly, but the strain was evident. She quickly regained her composure and dropped the skirt. Slowly she spun around then strode towards him. The movement allowed him to see every part of her. "Do you like what you see?"

"Um…" he blinked. "Well…" he stuttered.

She gave a mischievous smile. "I'll take that gobsmacked look and hungry eyes as a yes."

"I…" he coughed. "I never thought you'd wear…"

Ginny climbed onto the bed to straddle him. Her face came down towards his. Their lips met tenderly. The kiss had barely begun before she jumped off the bed to pull on the skirt. "I must be off. Gwenog wants us to be early."

Harry groaned as Ginny hurried out of the room. "Reminder to oneself." He ran a hand through his hair. "Don't play against your wife." His head shook vigorously, but the image of Ginny in something so sexy would not fade. He grinned, he'd just have to repay the favour after the game.

He let his feet drop to the floor, but did not stand. Harry remained in that position for a few minutes before he began laughing. For the first time in five seasons his match day routine had changed.

The wireless crackled a sign that the broadcast was about to begin. "Good afternoon, listeners. As you might know, today is the day."

"The day we have been waiting for since the day last year."

"What day is the day you are wondering about on this day?"

"It is of course the Quidditch League Final!"

"I can't believe it is here again, Bobby. Makes my fingers tingle like the day I got my wand all those years ago."

"Even more so, Peter. I'm telling you, listeners, if you haven't got a ticket then Apparate to the Harpies Stadium immediately. The season ticket holders are already inside and the lines outside are growing."

"Why? I hear some of you asking."

"Merlin! If you are asking that question then what are you doing listening to this broadcast. This final has two of the most exciting teams ever. The ruthless Victoria Hughes captains a talented Harpies team that manages to reach a final again after four years. She starts alongside fellow Chaser Katie Bell, who is a real fighter with a few seasons under her belt. One of the trio of Chasers is Angelina Johnson- a wily flier who always catches you by surprise. Their Beaters, Catherine Spinnet and Samantha Evans, might not be the biggest in the league, but their aim is true and their teamwork is matched only by the experience of the Cannons' Beaters. Michelle Urquhart, the Keeper, has had an excellent season, which is something we've come to expect from the woman. The team is rounded off by Ginny Weasley, a young Seeker with a bright future."

"I can almost hear those comments about the young Miss Weasley. What do you say, Bobby?"

"Indeed, she might be inexperienced but that did not stop her from becoming one of only a handful of people to have caught six Snitches in a row. An impressive feat, Peter."

"Let's not forget that she is the first female Seeker to achieve this. Quite remarkable."

"That brings us to her opponent today. Dare we utter his name, Peter? The Man-Who-Killed-You-Know-Who, the catcher of thirty-four consecutive Snitches, the only undefeated player in the league: Harry Potter!"

"That does not even begin to describe the depth of the player. Harry Potter leads a formidable team, even if they are a bit more unsteady than the Harpies. The Cannons saw the loss of their previous Captain and star Keeper, Oliver Wood, earlier this year. What are you thinking, Bobby?"

"You have to remember, listeners, that Wood has one of the all-time best records as a Keeper. His talent has kept the Cannons in touch in many games, thus allowing Potter to make up the difference with his ability to catch the Snitch in time."

"The combination of Potter and Wood has formed the backbone of the Cannons over the past few seasons. It will be interesting to see how their new Keeper performs against the powerful Harpies Chasers who, by all accounts, are the best in the League."

"They are easily the best, and the most consistent."

"Agreed, Bobby. The Cannons will be starting today with their usual three Chasers: Mitchum Spinnet, Jonathon Markam and Mark Greyton. The trio has played together all season, but they have never worked as well together as their coach might have hoped. They will be sitting nervously in the cloak room knowing who they'll be flying against today. The Cannons' strength probably lies in their two Beaters; Patrick Edgecombe and Grant Thompson. The pair works well together and Patrick's years of experience in the League really help to set this duo apart from others. Their attacks are coordinated and the defence of their Chasers is exemplary. They will be asking a lot of questions of the Harpies Beaters today."

"Don't forget the newest addition to the team. The young Keeper, Philip Peterson, has had a good season so far, but the dominance showed by their Chasers and Beaters has kept him mostly out of the games. Today will be different. Hughes and her fellow Chasers will be looking to capitalize on his inexperience."

"Indeed, the game is shaping up to be brutal. Any predictions, Bobby?"

"I've looked at my tea leaves. Stared endlessly into my glass ball. Spoken to the Oracle and even to Professor Trelawny. In the end they all agreed to disagree on the outcome."

"Merlin's beard! This is going to be exiting. When the fates are fighting then you know the game is going to be nail-biting."

"Sorry to interrupt, Peter, but the young Weasley has flown out and into the air above the pitch."

"She looks too calm and collected, though we've come to expect that from the woman."

"Indeed, she does look ready as she hovers above the pitch looking at the crowd filing in."

"Is that Potter coming out?" The radio crackled softly in the silence. "Potter has flown out as well. He's slowly looping his way upwards to where Weasley is hovering."

"The Golden Couple together in the air at last. I can almost see the sparks flying."

"The crowd's pointing and photographers' bulbs are flashing."

Ginny nervously mounted her broom in the long corridor that led out onto the pitch. The wood felt comforting against the palm of her hands. With a gentle push she lifted into the air and out onto the pitch.

The bustling crowd cheered. The fans seemed to like these pre-game appearances. She inhaled deeply, letting the fresh air blow through her hair and caress her face. Unlike during the game when she wore goggles, these flights were like flying at home. If she closed her eyes she only had to imagine her brothers up here with her.

She faced the box where her family was sitting. A laugh escaped her lips; Ron was wearing the Orange match jersey with the long tail Harry had given her to give to her brother. He did, however, wave a green flag around. Ginny felt proud of herself, she had partially converted Ron to her team's side. Hermione stood beside him, she too had trouble deciding who to support. At least she wore a Harpies shirt while holding an Orange flag. Bill and Fleur were fully kitted in Harpies clothes as were Charlie, his girlfriend Susan, and the twins. Her parents and Percy were dressed normally, but they did have Harpies scarves. Percy's wife wore a bright Orange shirt and Ginny knew it was just to mess with him, especially considering the thumbs up the twins were giving her. In all it was a normal family moment. A small element of pride grew within her chest. Her whole family was down there and supporting in their way. Eventually she spun around and began to fly about slowly.

A few minutes later Harry came floating out from the grandstand. The crowd roared; fanatics in Orange beside themselves. He gradually made his way towards her.

His pale orange warm up kit did not look half as bad as the bright match kit. He actually looked rather dashing in his khaki shorts. The messy hair was a given. He flew a perfect circle around her before moving close enough for her to be able to see the green in his eyes. She also saw the familiar glint of the platinum ring on his finger. It made her conscious of the two rings on her own finger; thankfully she was too far away for people to see.

He drew near. "What do you see now?" Harry asked with a soft intensity that left her slightly breathless. The words echoed those of the first time they had flown together at this very field.

She smiled, looking right at him and tried to remember the words she'd spoken before. "A shed with strange red paint marks on the roof. White lines on the field. Alternating seats of Harpies green and gold, some broken. A commentator's box with glass windows reflecting the afternoon sun. A dark blue roof, paint chipping at places, covering the main stand. A little shop selling memorabilia with an enchanted witch, dressed in green, on a broom floating above it. I see…"

Harry kept his gaze on her, then spoke. "Crazed fans shouting our names as they try to enter the little shop to buy shirts, scarves, hats and flags. Whole and broken seats alike being filled by witches and wizards wearing orange or green. Officials running about as they ready the field. Commentators talking rapidly as they try to imagine what we're talking about."

"Exactly," Ginny shouted with delight. He grinned, there was a deep element of pride in his expression.

"You've grown so much." He spoke with sudden seriousness. "It's hard, seeing you now, to remember the young woman I met almost a year ago."

She glanced down at her family, her chest swelling with pride once again. Her cheeks, however, turned a bit redder. She did not deserve his praise. "And you manage to be the same. You look as handsome, calm and in control as ever."

"I'm not, Ginny." He whispered just loudly enough to be heard above the fans trying to be heard.

"What changed?" she asked, gripping her broom tightly. "You are here as you've been every year."

"This year I'm happy. This year I have you: the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me." He began to glide away. "Love you, Ginny."

She floated in the opposite direction. "Love you too, Harry."

They gave each other one more parting look before starting to focus on the game.

"Don't know what they were talking about there, Peter. But those looks were smouldering."

"Can't the game begin! Come on officials- we want to see those two have a go at each other in the air. Merlin! I can feel the energy between them."

"They have separated from each other and appear to be going about their business as usual."

"Those patterns indicate two people who are serious about winning the final. I've spoken to the coaches and team members and they are unanimous in saying that despite their relationship the two will be fighting hard today."

"Potter wouldn't like to have his record broken by the girlfriend now would he?"

"Indeed he would not. But think of the young Weasley being able to have one over her guy."

"Makes you wonder about tonight, Peter. They do say that makeup s…"

"Bobby!"

"Um… sorry, Listeners. Yes, well, the shower might get a bit steamy."

"Bobby!"

"Perhaps I'll just keep my mouth shut for a minute while you go through some pre-match things."

"While my fellow commentator regains some sense, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the tickets for the game are sold out. It's horrible seeing all those fans standing outside the gate, but they do not seem to be perturbed as they begin heading towards the nearby hill where they will be able to see whatever parts of the game remain not hidden by the stands."

"They'll still see Potter and Weasley bumping against one another."

"Bobby!"

"Right, silence."

Harry, still dressed in his pale orange shirt, paced before his fellow teammates. "You all know that I'm not as good with this pre-match talk as Wood."

Patrick coughed. "You mean pre-match shout about dying for our honour while upholding the name of all things Chudley Cannon."

Harry nodded and the team laughed. "Right." He waved his hand through the air then gave each player a penetrating look. "I know there are crazed fans out there that are relying on us to bring home that trophy again. They have grown attached to it." He grinned sheepishly. "I've grown rather fond of the thing myself."

"At least you've got Ginny to keep your bed warm these days."

Harry grinned. "A sad truth, though the metal never really got warm at night and it made a horrible cushion." Some of the players roared while others whistled loudly. "Right, getting our minds away from beds and good company."

"Awww!" They team sighed in unison.

Harry cleared his throat. "We are not just playing for our fans. We are playing for ourselves. In a few years from now I want you to look back at this day and remember that you gave it your all. Win or lose. Take pride in that jersey you're going to put on. Take pride in the man beside you. Take pride in yourself as you fly out onto that pitch." The players sat looking at him with wide eyes. He could see the fight begin to grow in their eyes. "Many of you have been here before. You know that level heads and calm execution of set moves is what wins the game."

He faced his beaters. "Grant, Patrick. We will be looking at you to keep us covered. You've been here, and know what needs doing."

"You can count on us, Harry." Patrick and Grant stood as one and psyched themselves up.

"Mitchum, Jonathon, Mark. You guys have had a good season and this is your first final as a trio. Keep the game simple. You've got your moves down to perfection. Just keep a close eye on Hughes and Johnson, they move quickly on intercepts. Katie is more about scoring as she's got the better arm."

"We've got it all under control." Mitchum answered for his fellow Chasers. "We had a few good talks this week."

Harry faced their new keeper. He walked up to him and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Philip. I know what it's like to be alone during the final. It allows your mind to wander." His eyes narrowed. "Don't become distracted. Don't fret if you miss a shot. It happens. I expect your first few saves to be a bit tense. It's only natural."

The young Keeper nodded nervously. "I'll do my best, Harry."

"You've done good this year. Coming in late has been tough, but you've proven yourself to be up to the challenge. Go out there and show them why we have faith in you."

Harry faced the entire team again and shouted. "Are you girls ready?"

"Yes, ma'am!" they shouted in return.

Harry laughed as the team began to chant.

The speech and the cheering left Harry slightly dazed as he stood alone while getting dressed. They had about five minutes before they would need to leave. The atmosphere in the room had changed. It had grown silent except for the creaking of leather as straps were being tightened and the rustle of cloth when a match jersey was being pulled on. There was some tension, but mostly it was the silence of men preparing their minds and bodies. Each man had his own pre-game ritual. They did not disturb each other during these last few minutes.

Harry removed his shirt and shorts. He folded them carefully and placed them on the bench beside him. Next he carefully removed his bright orange match jersey, noticing the embroidered date and name of the opposition. His fingers ran over the slight rise of the thread. He turned the jersey over, on the back stood his name. It made him pause each time as he remembered the parents who would never see him fly. After a minutes silence he pulled the jersey over his head and let it fall, the tail barely reaching the floor behind him. He sat down to put on his leather boots and gloves. Each strap double checked. The last item was his pair of goggles.

"You ready, Harry?" Mark called. "It's almost time."

Harry looked up to see all the players sitting and ready. "Almost." Only then did his eyes lock onto the wand lying beside him. With deliberate slowness he placed the cold wand of Voldemort in its holster on his forearm. The day should be Death Eater free, but you could never be sure.

He stood and walked to his team. They stood in silence. Each face was set in concentration and determination. The Harpies would not find this game easy. Harry grinned and felt an unusual pride in the men before him and the orange jerseys they wore. A bell chimed in the distance.

"There's a trophy waiting." Those were the last words Harry said before grabbing his broom and opening the door to the corridor.

On the opposite side of the wide hallway the Harpies emerged from their changing room with Victoria leading. Her determined gaze lingered on Harry, a small smile playing on her lips. Harry swallowed, suddenly nervous. The Harpies looked deadly and graceful. The two Captains angled towards one another; their teams followed in lines behind.

Harry was the first to break the tension. He held out a hand. "All the best, Victoria."

She shook his firmly. "And to you, Harry."

The pair stopped. Harry knew Ginny was behind somewhere, but she had not come out of the changing room before he could see her. He wanted to turn, to smile at her, but his team needed to see him focused on nothing but the job at hand and not the skimpy something she might be wearing beneath her robes. He would be seeing her face to face soon enough and then they'd be too close for comfort. He needed a plan to counter her charm.

The crowd roared outside, eager for the game to begin. The stadium practically vibrated from the intensity of their shouts and cries. In the distance, through the small exit, he could see patches of orange and green. The noise washed over him, surreal in its fervour. Strangely, the beating of his heart remained loudest.

Ginny sat on her usual bench still wearing her pale green shirt. Her attention was being held by Victoria, who paced about in the middle of the room.

"We've come a long way this season." Her eyes moved across each of the women. "We've proven ourselves against every team. They threw everything at us." She stopped walking and faced Ginny. "Not even cursed Bludgers could stop us from winning."

The Captain looked away. "Those boys sitting across the hallway think they have this game won. They're wrong!" She began pacing again. "We play as a team, not as individuals. We remain focused on what needs doing. You've all seen how their Chasers play for the crowd, for their fans. Each one of them likes to steal the glory. In that lies their weakness." She fell silent just as loud whistling and cheering came through the door from the Cannons' changing room. "The fools are celebrating already."

Victoria straightened. "Catherine and Samantha, you know what needs doing: keep those Chasers apart, force them into playing for themselves."

She searched out Katie and Angelina, her fellow Chasers. "We stick together. Keep the formations tight and our eyes on the Quaffle. Catherine and Samantha will keep the Bludger away."

Her attention shifted to the Harpies Keeper. "Michelle, you've been solid this year. Just save one Quaffle at a time and don't get despondent if one slips through. It'll happen at least twenty or thirty times today." The woman nodded. "Just try to keep us 150 points ahead."

Finally Victoria came across to Ginny. "You know your stuff. Your natural flare combined with Harry's training has moulded you into something special. Keep your eyes open and don't let that husband of yours distract you." Her eyes glinted. "He is wily, and he'll use your relationship to his advantage." Ginny nodded knowing well that both Seekers could play that game. "You know how good he is. If you can't get the Snitch make sure he can't either. Whatever you do make sure he does not get that Snitch before our lead stretches beyond 150. Thereafter you're flying for your own pride."

Victoria strode across to her bench where she could see the whole team. "I've got faith in all of you. So let's go out there and play this game the way we like to play it."

The team cheered and in the distance Ginny could faintly make out the Cannons doing the same. Thereafter they room grew silent. An official entered, warning them they had five minutes to get ready.

Every player went about preparing in their own way. Ginny faced the dark green jersey hanging behind her bench. Her fingers reached out to touch the embroidered date and name of the opposition. It made her giddy. She had seen Harry's four final jerseys. Now she had her very own, except it was much prettier than Harry's orange.

She cleared her mind and pulled her warm-up shirt over her head and dropped it onto the bench. Her pants landed on the same heap. She reached out and removed the jersey. It felt heavy in her hands. Turning it around she let out a soft breath. She knew it would be there, but still it came as a surprise. Instead of the usual name, 'Potter' now stood emblazoned on the back above her number.

Time was running out so she pulled on the jersey, the long tail landing on the floor behind her. She sat to put on her leather boots and gloves. She reached into a bag and pulled out a dark green piece of string. She reached out behind her head and quickly tied her hair into a neat ponytail. Last of all she put on her goggles.

"Ready?" Victoria called out to the team.

Ginny nodded as she found her wand to place it in the holster on her forearm. "Ready," she replied together with the others as she grabbed her broom.

A bell chimed in the distance. Victoria opened the door and the team began to file out. Ginny, the youngest, was last to leave the now empty changing room. She emerged into the wide corridor. The Cannons' Keeper stood beside her. She looked down the line to see Harry standing with broom in hand.

Harry, standing next to Victoria, watched as a small boy emerged from a side door. He held a junior broom and wore a bright orange Cannons' match jersey. His name would be on the back. Beside him walked a small girl with bright brown eyes. She too held a broom and was dressed in a Harpies dark green match jersey. Her face, like the boy's, was awash with awe. They were experiencing something that only two people a year could experience.

Harry sank down onto on knee. "Hi, Joshua," Harry greeted the boy. The name and the reasons for him being here had been given earlier. He was an orphan who'd been badly injured during the war.

"Hello, Mr. Potter," the boy greeted shyly. His tiny scarred hands gripped the broom fiercely.

"Nervous?" Harry whispered. Joshua nodded while his eyes darted across to where Victoria was talking to the little girl. She too had lost her family during the war.

Meeting people like them always proved difficult for Harry. On the one hand he was proud that he had managed to save them. On the other he had not done enough to save their parents. The shadow would probably hang over him for the rest of his life.

Harry gripped the boy's shoulder softly. "Stay near to me and you'll be fine." Joshua nodded again and Harry stood while taking hold of the boy's hand.

An official had arrived while the two Captains had been busy with the children. He spoke into his wand. A faint voice spoke back and then the official nodded. The finals were always so different with all the procedures.

Harry squeezed Joshua's hand in reassurance and then mounted his broom. Behind he could hear every other player doing the same. Like each time before, the beating in his chest increased tenfold. The flight he and Ginny had earlier helped little. Finals really messed with emotions and that's why experience counted.

The official flourished his wand. Outside, trumpets blared and crackers fired. Harry motioned his broom forwards, careful not to outfly Joshua while staying alongside Victoria. The bright light outside came closer and then the crowd surrounded them.

Thousands of witches and wizards. All of them cheering loudly. Waves of green and orange. It was about to begin.

Ginny watched as Harry lowered himself to speak to a little boy. A little girl named Melanie was hurrying towards Victoria. She wore a small replica of a Harpies match jersey; a rather unique item as it would be the only non-player jersey made in the official Harpies' dark green.

Ginny did not feel ready, but she knew she was. She stood thinking about how calm and yet nervous all the players appeared. Her thoughts dulled her reactions. She almost didn't realise that everyone was busy mounting their brooms. Clumsily she followed. The action cleared her mind, allowing her to refocus on the game ahead.

Her heart pounded loudly as her hands held the handle tightly. Before she could get her mind around what was happening she, along with the entire team, flew out and onto the pitch.

The bright light was harsh at first, but then the world came into view, the flight of earlier helping. Thousands of people cheered; the sound was almost overpowering. Never before had she flown in a game with so many people who were all shouting.

Trying to not be overwhelmed, Ginny searched for Harry. She found him flying calmly up towards the match official who would be releasing the Snitch. Victoria was still beside him. The two captains stopped and while holding the hands of the boy and girl, a photographer took a photo of them.

Ginny slowly made her way towards them. Harry looked sadly after the small boy, but he had to turn back so that they could take another photo of him and Victoria. The flash shone brightly and the Captains shook hands and swapped team pendants, which was a usual final routine. They were quickly banished. When they were done, Victoria turned to nod at Ginny before descending down to the other Chasers and Beaters.

"How are you feeling, Ginny?" Harry asked when she drew near.

"You just worry about getting that Snitch before I do, love," Ginny retorted. She spun around, letting him see the letters of her last name clearly written on her back. She turned back quickly, his mouth hung slightly open.

"Yes, Potter." Harry bowed his head playfully at last. The brief moment of surprise vanished and he really looked calm and confident. It made her nervous.

The official approached, which stopped the banter between them. The man held out the Golden Snitch between two gloved fingers.

"Ready?" the official asked.

Harry and Ginny nodded in unison. Almost immediately the Snitch vanished and the whistle blew. Instead of breaking off in a mad dash towards nothing, they both remained motionless. They stared only into the eyes of the other.

"Thirty one to love, darling?" Harry finally broke the silence.

She shook her head so slightly only Harry would notice. "I prefer to win the only one that matters, Mr. Potter."

He grinned, relishing the challenge. "Good luck, Ginny."

She nodded, seeing a very unusual gleam in his eyes. He was planning something, but what? "Same to you, Harry."

"The teams are about to come out onto the pitch."

"Yes, that crowd is really becoming restless. They want to see their teams."

"I can barely stop myself from jumping up and down."

"Here they come, listeners! Potter and Hughes lead out their teams."

"They do look determined, Peter! Dear me, those Harpies Chasers look like they mean business today."

"A good thing I'm not the Cannons' Keeper. Philip is going to have tough time today."

The radio crackled again. "What is going on behind Weasley? The crowd is going wild."

"Merlin, I've never seen the like before. They are chanting something. Can you hear what, Bobby?"

"It sounds like they are shouting 'Potter'."

"Knowing that they are a couple, perhaps the fans would like a little pre-game kiss."

"I wouldn't be surprised." The voices died down as the static grew a bit louder. "The two Captains have shaken hands and had their picture taken."

"You can feel the tension building around the stadium. I bet even in the comfort of your home your heart is starting to beat just a little bit faster."

"The Keepers have reached their positions and the Chasers are aligning themselves in their opening positions. It looks like the Cannons are going for a much more open game plan while the Harpies Chasers are remaining close together. Hughes is giving her girls one more talk as the Seekers ready themselves before…"

"Oh my… bloody hell… look… look!"

"What are you babbling about now, Peter? Speak sense man!"

"Weasley… I mean… her back!"

"Merlin's beard! Is that? It can't be!"

The static grew loud.

"Listeners. This is hard to say, but the young Miss Weasley appears to have become the young Mrs. Potter!"

Ginny sat watching Harry, still trying to figure out what he was planning. It did not look like he was going anywhere. Her weight barely shifted forwards when Harry reacted with a bold move directly towards her. The smooth polished handle of his broom rammed into hers, blocking the turn she wanted to make. This close she could see the fire in his eyes and the smile deep within. "What?"

"Care to tango?" Harry said in a surprisingly strong voice.

Her mouth dropped open. Surprise must have registered in her gaze because the mirth she'd seen spread to his lips. "What are you playing at? This is a final, Potter."

"All the more reason, Potter." Harry replied as he began to flow forwards. The slight angle of their brooms allowed him to push her backwards, and he did. His eyes never wandered away, the intensity only increased.

They travelled a few meters; Harry glanced to the side and tapped her broom ever so slightly, her head followed. His broom flipped to the side of hers in a rapid blur; the long orange tail of his cloak rippled softly as it lagged behind. He spun her at a right angle to face the direction he'd been looking a moment ago. Her head snapped back towards him; his bright green eyes were waiting.

"Is that how you're playing this?" Harry only grew more intense at her words. She spun to his side, the edge of her Harpies jersey fanning out behind her. Before Harry could blink she floated before him again. The rippling cloth, straining to keep up with her sharp, rapid movements cracked like a whip.

Her eyes narrowed as her handle forcefully slammed against Harry's, the momentum pushing him backwards this time. Not wanting to lose the upper hand, he slipped to the side and tapped her broom. It sent her in a spin. The back of his broom halted the movement with a sudden jerk, and she faced the other way. He began to push, gliding them forwards, neither looking at the other.

"You're not half bad," Ginny whispered fiercely. "I might even let you lead for a while longer."

He slid his broom around, his body a foot away. She could hear his deep breathing and the see the glint in his eyes. Again their handles collided, again Harry drove her backwards, inch by inch. She pushed back, and swung around to his left. Her trailing cloak sounded like thunder as the ripple reached the end. Even before it could settle, she'd backtracked to settle on Harry's right. This time the sound was almost deafening as the large waves worked their way down the entire length of the dark green tail. The crowd roared somewhere in the distance.

Together they drifted, eyes locked together, faces mere inches apart. Harry flicked her around, flew forwards and began to lead her backwards once again. The speed and variance was almost rhythmic.

"You know, Harry, we need to start looking for the Snitch."

"And stop all the fun?"

She pushed against him, they halted, and Harry's green eyes blazed with curiosity. Ginny gave a little bow, winked and shot off into the distance, leaving Harry scratching his head.

"The match seems to be settling down nicely as one might expect. The Harpies are working well as a team, but they are struggling to extend their early lead."

"Yes, Bobby. The Cannons are struggling a bit with their set piece movements, but individual flare from each of their three Chasers is keeping them in the game."

"Let's not forget about the very nervous start from Peterson helped the Harpies settle into a comfortable lead during the first hour of the game.

"He has managed to get over the worst of his nerves. Potter must have whispered something encouraging."

"Which Potter, Bobby?"

"Harry of course. Sorry, Listeners, it's going to take a while to get used to the change."

"Something's happened. Ginny's diving and Harry's shooting after her."

The smooth wooden handle of Harry's broom felt warm in his cold hands. Being this high for more than hour rarely meant a warm afternoon. His attention, however, did not linger on the chill or the fact that his broom was getting old. A small portion of his mind was focused on the small red-haired woman flying along a well thought out pattern. Most of his attention was on trying to find the small, elusive Golden Snitch.

The scores had grown evenly during the first hour, but some damage had been done in the opening minutes. The Harpies had led a coordinated, brutal assault on the Philip. It had cost Harry's team a hundred points. Two hours later they still trailed by a hundred. The thought was not comforting considering Victoria and her Chasers looked fresher than Harry's boys.

He took a moment to glance down at his team's formation; it was ragged. For a brief moment he let himself be distracted. That moment's wandering of his mind, the curse of being captain, meant he'd taken his mind off the second most important item on the pitch – Ginny.

"Agghh!" He gritted his teeth as her nimble broom dropped. It felt like it took an eternity to turn his broom in her direction, and another decade flew by before his broom gained its maximum speed.

Behind him, the long tail of his orange jersey flapped loudly in the wind. Sometimes he enjoyed the sound, but now it emphasised how hard he needed to push to gain on Ginny who had a decent lead.

Her dark green clothes along with her red ponytail moved about as her body disturbed the air. If possible, he pushed his body and head even closer to the handle of the broom. So close he could smell the oil he'd used to polish it a few days ago.

Any thought that it might have been a deception was quickly abandoned when he too noticed the Snitch. Ginny, sensing a win, was flying fast. Broom and body weaved about while she tried to follow the desperate path the Snitch flew to avoid being caught. Being further behind meant he could fly straighter, faster.

The Snitch was really trying to outrace and out manoeuvre them. Its sudden ninety degree turn almost caught Ginny off guard, but she came round as smoothly as when they were flying at the start of the game. A loud crack echoed across the stadium as her tail whipped round. A second later his jersey softly mimicked the sound of Ginny's. The turn he made was a bit wider and slower as hers, but due to being behind it allowed him to cut the corner. When they straightened he had cut her lead in half.

As they raced at break neck speeds around the edge of the pitch mere feet from the ground Harry kept his eyes on one thing, Ginny's cute backside. The reason was purely Quidditch related, or so he reasoned. If she twitched then he had to be ready to react. Now that he was closing in on her he risked overshooting a turn if the Snitch veered sharply again.

His broom edged closer. The air became unstable as he approached the disturbed angry air of Ginny's slipstream. A small grin formed on his lips. Being so small, she made a tiny void in the air behind her, but it was there. A moment later he felt himself being sucked into the hollow, his speed increased rapidly and the distance between them closed to almost nothing.

Her green cloak fluttered about before him. At the last moment he turned out of her slipstream, the full brunt of air rushing around her body slammed into his face. The extra speed he'd gained helped force him through the barrier of air. Ginny was to his right, andhis body was halfway past hers. More importantly, the Snitch was right before him. He could almost feel the metal in his palm.

As if sensing the imminent threat, the Snitch veered hard to the left, his side. Ginny reacted fractionally faster, her broom cut in front of him, her body pushing hard against him. He tried to turn as sharply, but he his larger build made it impossible.

Ginny's teeth were gritted with effort as their shoulders pressed against one another. The struggle slowed their brooms down and the Snitch fluttered away into the distance.

He pulled out of the chase as did Ginny. The rushing wind died down and the roar of the crowd returned. He was panting from the exertion, as was she.

"Nice flying," he complimented. "Those turns were magnificent."

She studied him. "You're an anomaly on a broom, Harry."

He grinned. Yes, he was faster but he really had trouble when it came to manoeuvrability compared to her, but he was not about to admit that in the middle of a game. "My pleasure, dear."

She shook her head then shot up into the air to return to her grid. He drifted up in the opposite direction. As he did he wiped a few beads of sweat from his forehead. This was not going to be as easy as he had hoped.

"Dear Merlin and all Four Founders that was flying, Peter!"

"Flying like I'd never seen before. We all knew Ginny was a good Seeker, but wow! I didn't think I'd see the day when someone would be able to keep up with Harry."

"Agreed, Peter. But she did have to work hard at the end to keep him away from the Snitch. Though it does seem like she's got that broom of hers under control; those turns were so sharp I thought the gods were striking us down with lighting the thunder was so loud!"

"My ears are still ringing, Bobby. Reminds me of a Muggle film about fighter pilots breaking the sound barrier!"

"Film? Pilots? Sound barrier?"

"Um, never mind, Bobby. But I'm sure our Muggleborn listener's will know what I'm referring to. To me it's Ginny's Maverick to Harry's Ice Man."

"Peter, you are not making any sense."

"Never mind, but it's one hell of a battle down there."

Ginny sat up on her broom. Her back was beginning to ache and her hands were sore from holding onto the dark wood. She let her right hand brush a loose strand of her hair from her face. Even though she kept scanning the world for the Snitch, her mind kept thinking back to the last little duel she'd had with Harry and the training games she'd flown against him a year ago.

She slowly drifted off her grid in a slow deliberate arc. Harry eyed her warily from the far side of the pitch, he knew what she was doing. A new grid pattern formed in her mind and she began working along it.

Something bothered her about Harry's ability. He was faster than her, but not that much faster. He'd cut the corner when the Snitch turned, though he could not have gained that much, as her ability to turn had proven better. He didn't cheat or use magic, so there had to be a logical reason for him to gain so quickly at the end and fly past people. She shook her head, refusing to let her mind become too distracted from the task at hand. Harry's secret kept creeping back though.

She slowly drifted lower to the ground in the hope of seeing something that might not be visible from higher up. It cost her the ability to accelerate in dive, but if she got close enough that might not matter.

Her focus was so absolute on searching for the Snitch that a diving Victoria, rocketing past her went unnoticed until the woman shot by her. The wake buffeted Ginny and she slipped in behind the woman. For a fraction of a second, before Victoria raced away, Ginny's body felt a small tug.

Ginny muttered to herself about being stupid then she floated up again. Being in the middle of a field full of Chasers, Beaters and Bludgers was not a good idea for any Seeker.

Harry had followed her down somewhat. She knew those green eyes kept a close eye on her. He drifted a few feet away as they crossed paths.

"Learn anything interesting down there?" Harry asked.

"Victoria is fast," Ginny replied. "And being amongst them is probably not a good idea."

He laughed then sped away. His words, however, sparked something in her mind. Victoria racing by Ginny, the disturbed air, the tug at her body. Her eyes widened and she thumped a closed fist against her broom. "Of course."

Harry watched in growing frustration as the Harpies continued to extend their lead. The score had slowly evolved; the Harpies were sitting rather comfortably at 460. The Cannons were struggling at 330. The lead was just barely above 150. His search for the Snitch just became very desperate indeed.

Ginny caught sight of the Golden Snitch hovering below Harry on the far side of the pitch. He was flying in the opposite direction. The Harpies stretched their lead by another ten, to 140, as Katie expertly dodged the Cannons' defence to throw the Quaffle through one of the rings. Ginny had to take a deep breath to stop herself from racing after the Snitch. From here Harry would catch it way before she even got close.

Her muscles tensed while drifting along her search pattern. She didn't even alter her path lazily to try and distract Harry. She wouldn't risk alerting him of anything.

He still flew steadily along towards her. Down below the game was becoming heated as the Cannons' Chasers and Beaters sensed the urgency. Two more goals and Harry would be unable to win them the game.

The crowd was growing very loud. The game had already reached its fourth hour, the longest a final had gone in recent years. No one would be able to argue that they didn't get their Galleons' worth today.

Then Harry did something to make her heart sink. He performed one of those blasted routine turns; he was facing the Snitch. She followed, flying carefully to align herself along a parallel path with him towards the Snitch.

"Stay calm, Ginny," she said to herself. Then Harry moved. "Great!" she shouted while angling her broom towards Harry and the Snitch, which still hovered oblivious to the Seekers coming after it.

She thanked the Four Founders that she had managed to get herself just that little bit closer to the golden ball than Harry, but he was edging closer once again. The crowd, having sensed the impending duel, held their breaths. Perhaps it was just the rushing wind that silenced them in her mind.

They drew closer to one another, their paths converging on the little piece of space the Snitch occupied. Her eyes narrowed, studying the ball. It would move, and when it did the direction would be random.

She realised, by the sound of his flapping cloak that Harry had drawn up alongside her. Slowly, inch by inch, the point of her handle began to edge towards the ball. She begged the Snitch to move, it had to move.

Her wish was granted as the golden ball dove and rocketed beneath them. Harry reacted a bit faster this time, but her tighter loop brought her out in front of him. The Snitch loomed ahead. Harry was behind, but for how long?

Pushing her small frame against the broom she raced in an ever descending path down. Her body bludgeoned its way through the air. It tugged at exposed skin and her ponytail flapped about, slamming against her back almost painfully. She willed the Snitch to come closer. She wanted to weave about a bit, knowing now what Harry's little trick was, but that would slow her down. There remained hope that she would reach the Snitch before he could pass her.

That hope dwindled at the horrible sound of another Seeker on her tail. Harry had managed to get into her slipstream again. The Snitch was so close. Harry brushed by, his bright orange jersey blinding in her frustration.

The moment he edged by she dove into the void formed by his large form. Her smaller body fitted comfortably. The reduction in drag sucked her along, and then accelerated her. Harry's orange tail flapped a mere inch from her nose. The handle of her broom almost brushed against the back of his. Then, like a spell cast from a wand, Ginny launched herself out and around.

Her body shook violently as she fought the disturbed air racing over Harry's body. Her hand reached out, drawing closer to the Snitch. His hand was stretched out as well. Their shoulders touched, rubbing against one another as they battled. The golden ball was so close; her fingers could feel the tiny fluttering of its wings. Then it vanished behind a closed fist belonging to Harry bloody Potter.

"It's a draw! A draw! The scores are tied at 480 apiece! Harry catches the Snitch moments after Victoria managed to score an incredible goal of pure desperation. The woman hurled the Quaffle from almost halfway across the pitch. The action caught the Keeper completely off guard."

"I don't think we have ever seen the likes in a final before, Bobby. A normal league game would see both teams share the points for the victory, while the team who caught the Snitch would gain the extra point. Knock out games or the final are different. A clear winner needs to be chosen."

"Indeed, Peter. This moves the game into the first of two formats. The first being a twenty minute battle between the Chasers. The first to score wins the game. If no one scores then we move into a short ten minute duel between the two Seekers. If neither manage to catch the Snitch then the game goes to the team who caught the Snitch during normal play."

"I still can't believe this. After all the amazing flying we've seen all day I find it hard to imagine that it is still not over."

"The pressure will, however, be on the Harpies as they need to win either one of these next two sudden death games."

"That would mean the pressure is on Victoria and her fellow two Chasers. They've been dominating the game so far and the next twenty minutes will probably be their best chance at taking the cup."

"Wait, there seems to be some activity down at the Harpies camp. Bell seems to be having some difficulty standing."

"Good effort, Ginny," Victoria slapped her on the back.

"I failed," Ginny replied, feeling angry with herself. "I was so close."

Angelina joined them. "Wow, Ginny! You got so close. Amazing!"

"I lost!" Ginny said angrily.

"No," Gwenog shook her head. "You stopped Harry the first time and you kept him busy just long enough for Victoria to get the scores even. The rest is easy. We score one simple goal before them and the trophy is ours."

Victoria grinned. "We've got this one coach. Those boys are knackered. Their Keeper's demoralised and for twenty minutes Ginny's hubby is out of the game."

It was then that the players noticed that one of them had still not joined the group. "Where's Katie?" Gwenog asked.

Victoria looked surprised. "She was right beside me. She proved a good decoy at the end."

They all looked up to see a rather shaky looking Katie drift down towards them. Ginny felt her hopes vanish. Blood covered their Chaser's face and her eyes looked dazed.

The woman landed then collapsed. "Are you alright, Katie?" The Healer was already running onto the pitch and pushed the other players aside. "What happened?" Gwenog looked worried, not about the cup, but her player.

The Healer shook her head at them. "While everyone was watching the Quaffle sail through the air and then Harry snatch the snitch, a bludger slammed into Katie's forehead. It's a blessing she didn't fall off her broom."

"Will she be able to fly?" Victoria asked.

The Healer waved her wand over the Chaser lying on the floor. Some of the blood cleared away. There was a deep cut on her forehead.

"That doesn't look good," Ginny muttered.

The Healer seemed to agree. "There is no way she is flying, let alone throwing a Quaffle about."

Gwenog cursed. The team dropped their heads. "I can fly."

Victoria glanced at her. "What was that, Ginny?"

Ginny stood a bit straighter. "I can play Chaser. The rules allow for a change due to injury."

Their coach nodded thoughtfully. "Can you throw a Quaffle?"

Ginny remembered her flight with Harry above their home. "Better than Harry."

A small smile formed on Gwenog's lips. "Right. You can fly fast and you move about well, as we already know and saw a few minutes ago."

Victoria looked deep in thought. "We can use that speed of yours."

The players huddled together and discussed what they were going to do.

Harry watched as Katie landed then dropped to the ground. He noticed how Ginny straightened and the resolute expression forming on Gwenog's face.

"We've got them now, Harry. Katie is out. That leaves them with two Chasers."

Harry shook his head. "I think Ginny's going to take her position. The laws clearly state the Seeker can fly as Chaser in the event of injury."

"But she's a Seeker. They'll use her as a decoy of sort. We just need to keep an eye on her while focusing on containing Angelina and Victoria."

"Perhaps, but Ginny's got a good throwing arm. She grew up with six brothers and played a lot of games with them in the garden. I would not underestimate her."

"Come on, Harry. She's an amateur, what can she possibly do?" Markham said arrogantly. The other two Chasers agreed.

Harry narrowed his eyes angrily at them. "She is also the same amateur that has caught six Snitches in a row in her debut season. The first woman to ever do that. Only the second person after me to do so at all in a debut year!" His voice rose. "Do not underestimate her flying abilities. She's a natural at all things Quidditch."

"I agree," Patrick Edgecombe said after Harry's voice died down. "That woman knows how to handle a broom. And if she can throw a Quaffle well enough to pass then she is a real threat out there. Victoria and Angelina are no slouches and they will know how to make up for any deficiencies." He pointed at the Harpies huddled in a tight circle. Their dark green jerseys blended seamlessly into one another. "They're planning while we're trying to laugh off a threat."

"Screw your heads back on boys," Harry said firmly. "One slip and the game is lost."

The three Chasers nodded. "Now let's plan what we're going to do."

Ten minutes later Harry watched as his three Chasers, two Beaters and Keeper flew up into the air. They had twenty minutes to either win or keep the Harpies from scoring. Harry's one hand ran through his messy hair and the other was between his teeth as he chewed on a nail.

The Harpies shouted, and then mounted their brooms to fly up into the sky. Ginny, looking smaller than ever, followed Angelina and Victoria. He walked around to where Gwenog and Katie were sitting.

"You alright, Katie?" Harry asked.

The girl winced slightly as she nodded. "I'll be fine in a day or two."

"Sorry about the Bludger."

The woman waved her hand dismissively, but her expression hinted at frustration. "I wasn't paying attention. The shot at goal from Victoria was too important."

He nodded and then looked up into the air as the battle began again.

Ginny had not been so nervous since her very first game for the Harpies. Usually she would be high above this congested space filled with Chasers and Beaters. Her competition was usually a fellow Seeker and her objective a singular elusive Snitch. Now her mind would need to focus on a few more items.

A whistle blew and the Quaffle flew into the air. She gave a burst of speed and snatched the ball out of thin air before the Cannons' Chasers players could blink.

Patrick, however, was more alert and quickly sent a Bludger in her direction. Performing a quick corkscrew dive, Ginny evaded the Bludger. It cost her momentum. With limited options she hurled the ball across to Victoria who caught it deftly with one hand before racing across the pitch.

The players merged into swirling oranges and greens as they ducked and dove around one another. Victoria and Angelina were working well together, but a slow reacting Ginny resulted in Jonathon stealing the Quaffle.

Samantha and Catherine, who had been ready for this, rallied quickly. Their combined efforts slowed the Cannons' advance, allowing the three Harpies Chasers to get ahead of the Quaffle.

To Ginny the game was slowly coming into focus. The blinding speed of the two best Chaser teams in the league quickly humbled Ginny. But she knew that she could keep up, it would just take a different type of flying. Less pure speed, more deft manoeuvring. She also began to take in more than just the Quaffle and Bludger. A part of her mind analysed the relative positions of the opposing Chasers, their speed and direction. It was a matter of predicting.

The minutes ticked by quickly. A magical board showed that there were only five minutes left before she would need to take to the sky again against Harry. Deep down she knew it would be over if they did not score.

Ginny watched as Jonathon lifted his arm to pass to Mitchum. Below and to the side she noticed Mark easing closer. As Jonathon made to pass to Mitchum, Ginny bolted into the space between Jonathon and Mark. It was a feint and the Quaffle soared through the air and into Ginny's waiting hand. The large ball felt unfamiliar in her palm, but she quickly tucked it safely between her body and arm as she wrestled her broom across the pitch with one hand.

The air was open between her and the three goals. Her speed would not allow them to catch. This was what she had been waiting for, what Victoria had wanted. Ginny bit down on her lip and let her broom do its work. She glanced back quickly, Angelina was high above, Victoria raced down below.

The Cannons' Chasers who had all been flying towards the Harpies goal posts had fallen way behind as they had needed to turn. The real problem lay with Patrick and Grant. Their experience and keen eyes had kept them close. The Bludger flew rapidly between them. Then with an almighty smash from Grant it came flying straight towards her.

She faced forwards, uncurled her arm to free the Quaffle for a throw, and continued to race towards the Keeper. The plan was still working. His eyes were locked onto the Quaffle, his body rising up with her as she flew towards the highest hoop.

Ginny let her arm pull back and threw. Except the Quaffle did not fly forwards, instead it dropped like stone. Immediately, Ginny yanked the handle of her broom upwards. The Bludger grazed her feet. Her broom was still pointed up into the clear blue sky when the crowd erupted.

Harry stood tensely as he watched the unfolding play. He could sense the danger a mile away. Beside him Gwenog clapped her hands together in anticipation, a sign that did not bode well for the Cannons.

Grant whirled his arm and the horrible sound of Bludger racing towards Chaser washed over him. A part of Harry wanted the horrible ball to distract Ginny, the other part stared on in wander as she began an outright race with the flying ball. A race he knew she would lose.

It was then that he noticed what would be the end of a four year winning streak. Ginny was the decoy. Philip was falling right into a trap as he drifted away from the centre hoop towards the top one where Ginny was aiming at. He was not looking at the speeding form of Victoria coming up from behind or the silhouette of Angelina above.

"Get down!" Harry shouted. "Get down you fool!"

"It's no use, Harry," Gwenog said excitedly.

Ginny made as if to throw and then the Quaffle dropped. Her broom rocketed into the air in a death defying stunt as the Bludger missed her by a hair's breadth or less. It took a moment for him to pull his gaze away from Ginny trying to slow her broom down and towards Victoria who plucked the Quaffle out of the air to swiftly deposit it neatly into the third hoop without a Keeper in sight. Philip sat staring in horror two hoops away as the final was lost.

The stadium erupted. Gwenog was jumping up and down. Harry did the only thing possible, he dropped to the ground while trying to comprehend the idea of losing. His head dropped into his hands. They'd lost, really lost.

The Cannons' fans had all slumped into their seats and were sitting in identical postures to Harry. He did manage to stand, however. The people needed him to remain strong and in control. There would always be another season.

Ginny dove down towards her teammates. Angelina already had arms around Victoria. Ginny landed beside them.

"Come here you little upstart!" Victoria shouted as she practically crushed Ginny in a hug. "Perfect, just perfect!"

Ginny blushed at the compliment. Angelina replaced Victoria. "You had those boys fooled the entire time."

Catherine and Samantha landed and the team huddle grew. Michelle arrived along with Gwenog and a slightly woozy Katie. One thing they all had in common were huge grins and bright eyes. Photographers were running circles around them as they tried to snap pictures.

While being embraced by Michelle, Ginny noticed a somewhat dejected looking Harry. His broom lay beside him as he spoke to his team. She could tell he was trying his best to motivate them, which was an impossible task. Defeat stung, but then again she had yet to feel that at this level.

Her attention was diverted by Gwenog who lifted Ginny off her feet. "Girl, you really are something." She clapped Ginny's shoulder. "Couldn't have asked any better of any one of my Chasers."

Ginny just nodded. She couldn't remember if she'd said a word so far. The idea of winning was overwhelming. The entire team went silent as a wizard stepped out of the grandstand carrying a large golden trophy. Dark green ribbons hung from the two handles and beneath she knew that the team's name would already be inscribed.

A loud voice, booming over the boisterous crowd, stilled everyone.

"Welcome everyone. Before we hand over the runner up mugs I would like to call on the losing captain, Harry Potter."

The crowd clapped appreciatively. Harry walked up, waving a hand at his supporters to stand alongside Bobby who Ginny now recognised. "Tough day today, Harry."

"A bit more pressure than we would have liked." Harry smiled. "But from the moment I stepped out of the changing room before the game I could sense the level of determination and readiness of the Harpies. During the brief moments staring down at their flying I could see their hard work paying off. Today the Harpies were the better team and along with my fellow team mates I would like to congratulate them." The crowd cheered in response. "Lastly I would like to thank all of our supporters. You are all very dear to us and thank you for coming out to support us. Hopefully we can return the favour."

Harry shook hands with Bobby and then the Cannons team came up to collect their silver mugs. Harry gave her a small grin and lifted his souvenir to her. She winked back at him.

Bobby spoke again. "Now a quick word from the winning Captain, Victoria Hughes."

The home fans roared like never before. Feet were stamping and around her teammates were jumping up and down.

"How does it feel, Victoria? Four years later and you've finally managed."

The Harpies Captain struggled to contain her broad smile. "It feels good." She let out a laugh. "I can understand why Harry's been hogging the trophy." Harry said something which made Victoria laugh even more. "My girls really worked hard this year. We knew the season would be tough, especially the final against the Cannons. They gave us a good fight today and had things worked out slightly differently then Harry would've been standing here now." She took a deep breath. "I would also like to thank the Cannons for playing a fair and clean game, which I am sure the all the fans appreciated today." The crowd made their approval known in a deafening shout. "And then a quick thank you to our loyal Harpies fans. You are the best and thank you for supporting us over the years."

An official motioned them forwards. Ginny followed her teammates as they stepped up onto a small conjured platform. She shook hands with Bobby and a few other officials, the last of which handed a small replica gold plated trophy to her. It struck her as odd that she had never seen Harry's.

Then Peter's voice roared. "I give you this year's League Champions!" An official handed the large trophy over to Victoria who hoisted it up into the air. It was only a matter of time before Ginny had her turn lifting the surprisingly heavy trophy over her head.

The unnaturally loud voice of Bobby roared over the crowd and they stilled. "There are a few more announcements to make people! You know the drill." The crowd laughed, eagerly.

"First it is my pleasure to announce the player of the year." He paused long enough to open a sealed evenlope. "Ginny W… Potter!"

Ginny's eyes widened, but a firm push from Angelina sent her walking across to Bobby. Ginny's head swivelled around and she found Harry clapping and cheering loudly in support. Seeing him truly happy made her relax a bit.

Bobby, not much taller than her, stood smiling before her. "What a season, Ginny."

"It's been something," she replied a bit stiffly.

"Something," Bobby scoffed. "Wasn't this young lady incredible?" The crowd shouted their approval. Ginny imagined hearing Harry shouting the loudest and her cheeks blushed. "Six Snitches and almost beating the legendary Potter tonight. Then you graced us with your skills as a Chaser. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Well I didn't beat him, but it was a fun duel."

"Fun?" Bobby asked. "Going neck to neck at break necks speeds just a few feet from the ground."

Ginny laughed. "Yeah, it's what we live for."

"Dear Merlin," Bobby croaked. "You sound as bad as Harry himself. That brings me to my next question." He twirled his hand. "Could you turn quickly?"

Ginny turned so her back was facing Bobby. "Potter. When did this happen?"

"A week ago." Ginny blushed even more.

Bobby almost dropped his wand. "I think we should get the lucky man up here again."

Harry shuffled free from the reporters and photographers to join her and Bobby. He came to stand next to her, an arm wrapped comfortably around her waist. It was the closest he'd been since he'd caught the Snitch. She leaned against him.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Harry?"

"Just that I am lucky to have this wonderful woman by my side. She's every bit as special a person as a Seeker."

Bobby clapped his hands together. Ginny added, "Well, Harry is much more than meets the eye. He really taught me how to be myself, to truly embrace my talents as person and player."

Harry squeezed her a bit tighter. She looked up to see his face coming down. Their moist, salty lips met. Cameras flashed; it was only natural. The kiss deepened, her arms wrapped themselves around his neck. Self-constraint kept her feet on the ground and not around his hips – barely. She'd missed him after the game.

They eventually managed to break apart. Witches and wizards in the crowd were beside themselves as they cheered and whistled. Harry only held her tighter as they left the podium to join the Harpies.

Harry let his arm drop so that his fingers could intertwine around hers. "I can't tell you how amazing you were this afternoon," he said softly to her.

"Well I wouldn't go calling your performance lousy," she responded. "But I think I managed to catch on to your little trick."

His eyes widened, green sparkling. "Did you now?"

She nodded confidently. "But I'm not saying since it might not be your trick." Her gaze grew mischievous. "Therefore it could be my trick."

"It could be." He tapped his chin ponderously. "So now you want me try figure out your trick?"

"Of course. I've got to keep you guessing."

"Yeah, you did come around me rather quickly. You were just a moment too late." He shook his head. "I know it's my trick."

"Not saying." She sealed her lips. "It might be."

"Argh!" he cried out playfully. "You're killing me. I'll tell if you tell."

"Nope, this is way too much fun!" He lunged at her, fingers attacking her vulnerable sides. Her laughter filled his ears.

"Harry and Ginny Potter!" A loud, very official, voice boomed. It made them pause in the middle of the tickle war he'd started. They looked up to see nine players of various teams already standing on the platform. They were all wearing red shirts of the English National Quidditch team.

Samantha leaned closer. "Harry, you're Seeker and Ginny's reserve."

"What!" Ginny squeaked.

Harry began to laugh. "I guess we're both going to the World Cup this summer. Think of all those training sessions in which to learn my secret from you."

"My secret," she huffed, eyes betraying nothing.

He kissed her cheek then led her onto the platform for the start of yet another journey with the crazy woman he called his wife.

A/N

And so ends the story. I've left it open for the possibility of a sequel. If I decide not write one then I will come back to write an epilogue that I've got floating in my mind. But for now the story of this Harry and Ginny lives on, their fates free for whatever might be.

I really really hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story as a whole. I really loved writing it and immersing myself in their loving relationship. It really did wonders for my spirits as I hope it did yours. Upon finish reading this you have a smile on your face and maybe a slight bounce in your step then I feel that I've achieved what I set out to do.

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews (and for living with my typos and odd horrible cheesy lines). Thanks again to csijenniferlynn for checking this chapter for me and you.

I can't tell you how many times I've been a bit down only to be lifted again by someone's kind words when an unexpected comment arrives in my inbox. So please, if you read this, leave a review even if it is months after this chapter has been posted.