Nineteen: Atop the Astronomy Tower

The Quidditch Cup, impossibly, continued. After weeks of training and Ginny suppressing the urge to hex McLaggen every time he opened his big fat mouth and began blabbering about strategies that made no sense, the first game of the season was there. Of course, it was Gryffindor versus Slytherin. It felt almost wrong to fly onto the pitch in front of the roaring audience, like life was normal still.

"McLaggen! Peakes! Coote! Robins! Weasley! Bell! Aaaaand Thomas!" Smith cried out, his loyalty to the D.A. clearly warring with his disdain for the Gryffindor team in his voice.

Most of the stands were waving gold and red, the Slytherins beleaguered as always. Ginny raised a fist to greet the noise. She'd feel guilty about playing Quidditch while a war was going on, but Merlin, she deserved this. The thought of flying again had spurred her on during her recovery and today she'd show the whole world just how much better she was. Her right hand still trembled, but that wouldn't stop her from putting a hundred Quaffles past the Slytherin Keeper.

As added incentive, the new Slytherin Quidditch team had seemingly gone out of its way to provoke her, fielding not just Crabbe and Goyle, as Beaters, but also Nott as Chaser and Harper as Seeker. Malfoy had begged off for reasons no one really understood, but it gave Ginny hope for the match. Dean wasn't a bad seeker, but she knew perfectly well that Malfoy was better. Harper on the other hand, she was quite sure he could beat him to the Snitch. Katie hadn't been able to hide her grin as she announced the news, a winless season suddenly looking far less likely.

"Let's destroy them," Demelza whispered next to her, clearly having similar thoughts.

"Three hundred to nil," Ginny said.

"Three hundred to ten. Wouldn't want McLaggen to be too proud of himself," Demelza countered. Like the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, she wore a black armband. A futile gesture perhaps, but a gesture nonetheless.

A whistle later, the game was off and Ginny was the first to the Quaffle, snatching it away just from under Nott's nose. She whooped as she sped upwards, swerving past a Bludger and Urquhart before tossing it to Demelza. Demelza ducked just in time to avoid the second Bludger and hurled it past the Slytherin keeper. Ten – Nil, fifteen seconds in.

It only got better from thereon out, especially when Ginny learned to filter out McLaggen's 'suggestions'. Rebuilding year or not, she, Katie and Demelza left the Slytherin chasers gasping for air.

"Just like Ireland – Bulgaria!" Demelza yelled as she tossed another Quaffle through the left ring, leaving the score one hundred twenty to forty. She was still smiling when Crabbe hit a Bludger towards her that nearly knocked her off her broom.

Ginny was next to her and held her arm as she lolled on her broom, even as Hooch whistled and shouted furiously at Crabbe.

"Bastard, she'd already tossed the Quaffle when he knocked it her way," Katie said as she floated over. "You all right, Demelza?"

"Fine," she wheezed, eyes unfocused. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. "Just bit my tongue."

Blood drips from Dolohov's mouth, a shard from what has to be Pluto lodged in his shoulder.

Hooch whistle snapped her out of it as she awarded a penalty to Gryffindor.

"Mind taking it, Ginny? I need another second," Demelza panted, wiping away the blood and grinning. Ginny nodded, caught the Quaffle that Hooch tossed her way and floated towards the rings.

Only she and the Keeper existed. The crowd's roar faded into the distance, as did her teammates and the other Slytherin players. Just her and the Keeper. She studied his grip, trying to see what way he'd swerve. Looked like right. She arced her arm back.

Dolohov plucks the shard from his arm, as if only now noticing it, and casually tosses it aside. Ginny doesn't watch it land, her eyes fixed on his wand as he slowly comes closer, the only noise the sand running down the hourglasses and the ticking of clocks. Her back is to the wall and she's lost her friends. She's trapped and alone.

Her scars burned. Her right hand shook as she tossed the Quaffle and the Keeper easily plucked it from the sky. A groan rose from the crowd even as she cursed herself and flew back to the other side of the pitch to stop the Slytherin counterattack.

It only got worse from then on. Try as she might, Ginny's arm kept trembling, the scars wrapping themselves tighter and tighter around her. It was a struggle to stay on her broom and steer straight and while her haphazard flying did make it easier to dodge the Bludgers, it definitely hurt her game otherwise. Passes didn't connect, attempts went past and interceptions turned into fumbled affairs. Slowly, Slytherin fought themselves back into the game, Tom applauding each goal in her mind, until the score was one hundred fifty to one hundred ten. And McLaggen's increasingly angry comments didn't help either. She hadn't allowed herself to dream much since June, but on the rare occasions that she had, she'd seen herself in A Holyhead Harpies outfit. Guess that last dream had been crushed too.

Katie was on the verge of calling a time-out when the two Seekers dove down at a breakneck pace. A pass missed Nott who just stared at the chase. Demelza caught it instead, but came to a stop when she saw it as well.

Come on, Dean, Ginny thought. She needed this game to end. She needed him to beat Harper. A neck and neck race unfolded itself before her, both Seekers with only eyes for the Snitch as they streaked down, zipping past the stands. The crowd roared as both extended their hand, mere inches away from the ground. Both pulled up and no one knew who had won. Then Dean pumped his fist and shook a Snitch at the audience, the stands exploding.

The whole team piled on Dean, yelling and screaming. A catch in his first game, the most important game of all. Dean was ecstatic and for once didn't look away when his eyes met Ginny's. In that moment, he didn't see the scars. And in that moment, everything was forgotten. Her tremors. Dolohov. Voldemort. They'd fucking won. It felt like winning the cup all over again.

This one's for you, Ron.

Even without Fred and George supplying illicit goods from Hogsmeade, the party in the common room was a blast. The whole team had ended up with Gryffindor flags tied around their necks and felt invincible as a few seventh years kept handing them shots of firewhisky. Demelza kept hugging her and telling her how amazing she was, a declaration that got louder and more extensive after each shot.

Ginny just enjoyed it, her total collapse during the second part of the game long forgotten. She'd tried to mumble an apology to Katie, but their captain just brushed her off and told her they'd won and that was all that mattered.

Three hundred to one hundred ten. She couldn't stop repeating the numbers to herself and the room at large. Slytherin had gotten annihilated and that made her feel even warmer inside than the firewhisky.

"Did you see Nott's face?" Demelza yelled for the fifth time that night.

"Yes Demelza, I did," Ginny said, gently prising the glass from her hand. "How about a Butterbeer instead?"

"But I don't want a Butterbeer," Demelza pouted as Ginny dragged her away from the centre of the room and its far-too-inviting bar.

"Fine, water then," she said, leaving her friend behind in the sofa.

That was when a very drunk McLaggen blocked her the way, a Gryffindor flag tied around his head like an oversized bandana, two cups of firewhisky in his hand and plenty more down his throat. After the game she'd tried to avoid him, his angry accusations after Quaffle after Quaffle had made its way past him not yet forgotten. She should have know her luck wouldn't hold.

"Good game, Weasley, want a shot?" he offered, handing her one of the two cups.

"No, I think I've had enough," Ginny said, trying to move past him. McLaggen moved with her.

"I've been thinking,'" McLaggen began.

"There's a first," Ginny muttered under her breath, but he either didn't hear, or didn't care.

"We're both in the Slug Club. We're both in Gryffindor. We're both kick-ass Quidditch players," he slurred, his earlier shouts that she couldn't throw to save her life apparently already forgotten. "So, how about it?" he asked, taking a step closer.

"How about what?" she asked, trying to ignore the smell of alcohol wafting from his mouth.

"Us, you know," he said, taking another step closer even as she took one back.

Merlin. She hadn't thought about boys since June. She doubted many had thought about her either. Not that it mattered. Maybe one day she'd forget about Harry, but honestly, she doubted it. And even if she'd ever want to date again, she'd never settle for Cormac McLaggen.

"I'm sorry, Cormac, you're a great guy…" she began.

Liar, Tom hissed and she could feel he was enjoying this.

"…But I'm not really looking."

"You're making a mistake," he said. Somehow, he was no longer holding cups, instead grabbing her arm. "Come on, we'd be great together. Star couple." He winked.

"The answer is no, Cormac," she said, pulling her arm loose. She could see McLaggen's expression shift.

"Really?" he slurred.

"Really," she repeated.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you," he said, touching her scars. She flinched away and struck him across the face, a loud slap echoing across the room.

"Get out of my sight," she hissed, resisting the urge to curse him then and there.

"Oh come, are you going to keep pining for pathetic Potter the rest of your life? He never even wanted you."

Bang!

She didn't know what spell she'd used. All she knew was that suddenly, she'd seen red and the next second McLaggen's had been sent crashing into one of the tables and was now dripping with butterbeer. That was enough for the party to pause, the whole room now watching their erratic Chaser and Keeper glare at each other. Everyone liked a good show. Ginny tossed her hair back. Perhaps her training so far wasn't enough to handle Death Eaters, but it was definitely enough to handle one drunk oaf.

You're not finished yet. End him, Tom encouraged her.

"You'll regret that, bitch," McLaggen said, getting back up.

"I highly doubt it," Ginny said, turning around and heading for the Portrait. She needed some air.

"Watch out!" someone yelled.

Ginny ducked and turned around, wand in hand and eyes searching for McLaggen as a jinx just missed her head. Tom was screaming for vengeance and Merlin, she agreed. But before she could decide what curse to use, desperately trying to think of anything else than something from the Death Eaters' repertoire, a force wave slammed into McLaggen and sent him flying across the room until he hit a wall.

This time, he stayed down. Demelza grinned at the room, a bit unsteady on her feet but her grip on her wand anything but.

"Oops," she said. "Katie! We're going to need a new Keeper," she announced to the rest of the room.

The rest of the common room just stood there in shock. Then, someone cheered and the rest joined in unisono. The party recommenced, their unfortunate Keeper already forgotten. Demelza draped her arm across Ginny's shoulder and once again she concluded that it really wasn't fair that someone a year her junior was that much taller.

"Got your back Ginny," Demelza said.

"I could have taken him," Ginny protested.

"I know, but I wanted to share in the fun," she said. It was hard to argue with that, really. After training with him for two months, everyone in their team deserved a chance to hex him, really. "So, fresh air?"

"Let me just get the cloak first. I think we're way past curfew."

Somehow, they ended up at the top of the Astronomy tower. The wind was howling and she was sure they'd have a cold in the morning, but so far, the firewhisky kept them warm. So instead of shivering in the dark, they lay on their backs and watched the stars dance before their eyes. Merlin, she'd really had too much to drink.

"McLaggen's an ass," Demelza said.

"I know."

"Don't let him get to you."

"He wasn't entirely wrong though. I was a lot more popular among the boys last year," she said, running her finger across the scars. She didn't need to see to be able to trace them, she'd studied them enough for that.

"Anyone who is put off by that isn't worth it," Demelza said.

"Sure," Ginny said, knowing she sounded dismissive and not caring. "That doesn't mean I don't miss being…" Pretty. Desirable. Unblemished.

"It was a cruel thing Dolohov did to you."

"Better than the alternative," she sighed.

"Your hand was shaking during the second part of the game," Demelza said and Ginny resisted to urge to swear.

"Must have been nerves," she lied.

"Did the curse do that as well?"

"Maybe. Probably," she admitted. "Sometimes it comes out of nowhere. Sometimes, a memory triggers it. And suddenly, I'm a broken thing."

"You're not broken," Demelza said vehemently. Ginny just made a noncommittal noise. "Have you talked to a psychiatrist yet?"

"I'm not crazy," Ginny snapped.

"I didn't say that. But after everything you've been through, it could maybe help."

"I'm fine," Ginny said.

"All right. But if you change your mind, my mum's a psychiatrist."

"I said I'm fine," Ginny snapped, her voice ricocheting across the tower and down the battlements.

"Okay," Demelza said, sounding a bit hurt. Ginny probably should have apologised, but she could not find it in her. She was here, wasn't she? Wasn't that enough proof that she was fine?

"Your mum's a Muggle?" Ginny asked instead.

"Muggleborn," Demelza said. Ginny could hear her hesitate and wonder if she should accept the change of topic. "She never really took to the wizarding world. Same for dad. They decided Magical Britain was a madhouse and went full Muggle. At least until their daughter came along," she said, sounding almost bitter. Ginny could hear her think in the darkness and waited as above them, more and more stars revealed themselves to her slowly adjusting night vision.

"They tried to convince me not to come back this year," Demelza said. "Gone Muggle or not, they know what direction the wind is blowing."

"Why didn't you? Your friends didn't come back, you told me as much. Why push on?" Ginny asked, even as she wondered herself what she'd have done in Demelza's place. Would she have gone back to a world that killed children? Or would she have fled into the Muggle world in the hope that the Death Eaters would forget about them?

"Because this is just as much my world as it's Draco Malfoy's. Maybe mum and dad can give it up, but I can't," Demelza said, letting out a hoarse breath. "Magic's my birth right and I love it. I want to conjure whistling birds out of thin air, soar through the sky on a broom and take pictures that move. And I'll fight for it if I have to."

"I can get behind that," Ginny said.

They lay there in companionable silence until the firewhisky slowly left their bodies, replaced by a freezing cold. Ginny was just about to suggest they call it a day when they heard footsteps. She could hear Demelza shift as well.

"Quick, under the cloak," Ginny said, throwing it over them and huddling in a corner. "Probably Filch who can't sleep," she added. If the cantankerous caretaker caught them, they'd have detention for sure. Not to mention, drunk and out and about at night? She'd get Howlers from mum till Christmas.

Only, it wasn't Filch. It was Draco Malfoy. Impossible not to recognise him, that platinum blond hair of his shining even in nothing but the pale moonlight. She and Demelza huddled a bit closer, her mind already racing. Was he up to something after all?

But instead of pulling out his wand and summoning the dark mark, or even doing anything, he just sat down and began to stare at the stars as well, cloak wrapped tightly around him. It was a lonely, forlorn sight, granting him a vulnerability she had never associated with Malfoy before. Out there in the night, all reasons for his silence were laid bare for the world to see. It left her feeling like a voyeur. As much as she hated his father, she couldn't find it in her to hate the son at that moment. Just another broken thing of the war.

She gave Demelza a gentle prod and together they shuffled down the stairs, taking care to make as little noise as possible. She doubted Malfoy would have taken well to being spied upon. So instead they drifted in silence through the castle, past sleeping portraits and empty classrooms. Even the Gryffindor common room had become deserted, though the signs of the party were still there. Spilled drinks and half-empty plastic cups, a few leftover crumbs and snacks and even one snoring seventh year that was in no risk of waking. The table McLaggen had knocked over lay still on its side as well.

"Thanks for tonight, Demelza," Ginny said as she shrugged off the cloak.

"Think nothing off it," Demelza said as she nibbled on a discarded Chocolate Frog. "Do you still need Agrippa?" she asked, holding up the card for her to see.

"I already got him, but thanks."

"Do you think we'll be on a card one day?" she asked, tossing Agrippa back on the table. "You know, the heroic D.A. members who defeated You-Know-Who."

Ginny snorted and shook her head. "I definitely hope not. That would require us to see a lot more action than I'd like. Let someone else do it," she said, leaning against the table and wondering how long it would take before someone put Harry on one.

"As famous Chasers then, the duo that tore up the league," Demelza said. "We'll see. Goodnight Ginny," she said, disappearing up the stairs.

Ginny popped a Berty Bott's Every Flavour Bean in her mouth and quickly washed it down with some pumpkin juice when a taste akin to parchment filled her mouth. Agrippa stared at her from the card and with a sigh, she picked it up and put it in her pocket. Ron never had quite managed to complete his collection.

A/N: This one was rather delayed. Apologies. Life has been hectic (though the good kind of hectic)