A/N: Sorry it's been so long, but there's this pesky little thing called school that is always taking my time. Well, that and I've been going to see GoF every chance I get... Hope you like!
Chapter 4- We Might As Well Be Strangers
The whole school had fallen into a routine- breakfast, class, lunch, class, supper, homework. Wash, rinse, repeat. - within a week. It was another two before first years could get to all their classes without getting lost.
Potions was a drag, as always. Since Harry had moved into number 12 Grimmauld Place and forbade Snape from setting foot on the property except in extreme emergencies, Potions had been interesting to say the least. Snape picked on Harry even more than usual, and Harry bit back, being as cheeky as could be, calling him Severus in class and using the classic Marauders' insults. Surprisingly, Harry had passed every assignment with O's and was never given detention.
Transfiguration was a little more difficult than previous years. Professor McGonnagall seemed to enjoy that Snape had been taken down a peg and by a student, no less. Her lessons were interesting and sometimes fun, like transfiguring your partner into an animal. Harry, pretending to be aiming at Ron, fired over Ron's shoulder, hitting Malfoy in the back of the head and turning him into a ferret.
"Constant Vigilance, Malfoy!" Ron laughed as Malfoy scurried around the classroom, eventually being saved by Professor McGonnagall.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for irresponsible magic. And ten points will be awarded to Gryffindor for an extremely well performed spell."
"Ron, have you noticed something about the teachers?" Harry said, putting his wand away at the end of class. "And Hermione."
"What about them?"
"They haven't taken any points from Gryffindor, and when they have, they've found an excuse to give them back."
"Why are you complaining about that?"
"I'm not. It's just strange. Hermione said that she should have taken points for that party, but didn't. Snape could have had me expelled by now, and I was just awarded ten points for turning Malfoy into a ferret."
"Now that you mention it…"
They met up with Hermione on their way to Defence Against The Dark Arts. "How was Transfiguration?"
"Harry turned Malfoy into a ferret."
"Oh, Harry, you didn't! McGonnagall gave you detention, didn't she?"
"No. She just took ten points from Gryffindor for irresponsible magic, and then re-awarded them for a well performed spell."
"He thinks it's part of a conspiracy," Ron said.
"Conspiracy? You're being ridiculous." Hermione dropped her book bag on a desk in the front row and sat down between Harry and Ron.
"Good Afternoon, class," Tonks said, walking in. She still had the long, black hair.
"Good Afternoon, Professor Tonks," the class chanted. As Tonks surveyed the class, she changed her hair to the spiky, bubblegum pink.
"Whoa. How'd you do that?"
"I'm a metamorphmagus. Be warned, I can and will change my appearance at any time. You won't always recognize me." She saw Harry in the front row and winked. "Now, I know most of you think Defense Against The Dark Arts is obsolete now that Voldemort-" most of the class shuddered collectively- "oh, come on now! He's dead. You're not honestly afraid of a dead guy? Anyway, even though he is dead, you still need to be prepared. There are still Death Eaters out there, and even though the worst are gone, there are still some pretty powerful ones like Bellatrix Lestrange, who still do their master's bidding.
"Most of you know many useful spells and can perform them quite well. However, that is not enough. An old friend of mine has a saying: Constant Vigilance!" Harry and Ron laughed. "And that's what it takes. You can't just know the curse, you have to be the curse. Think of what you want it to do and just picture it happening. Sometimes, if you concentrate hard enough, it'll happen without a wand." She looked at Harry.
"It was an accident," he said reflexively, not sure which "accident" he had meant, whether it was letting the snake loose at the zoo, or blowing up Aunt Marge, or any of the other things he destroyed.
"I know," Tonks said, returning her attention to the class and continuing her lecture about the importance of concentration when defended oneself.
At the end of class, she asked Harry, Ron and Hermione to stay behind. "How'd I do?"
"Brilliant," Ron said. "You made Harry feel guilty about blowing up his Aunt."
"Shut up."
**
Quidditch season was starting. Harry had booked the pitch for tryouts Friday evening. Ron and Ginny were arguing over who was better- The Cannons or the Tornadoes. The Creeveys said Puddlemere was the best. And every so often, Ginny's monogrammed Snitch could be seen flitting about the common room.
Half an hour before tryouts were to start, Harry, Ron and Ginny headed for the pitch.
"There better be someone who can play like a Weasley, or we're screwed," Harry said in the changing room.
"How many people are trying out?" Ron asked, emerging tousle-haired from the neck of his Quidditch robes.
"Ten signed up. Where are those bloody Creevey brothers?"
"Speak of the Devil," Ginny said as the Creeveys walked in.
"Hermione's in the stands," Colin said, tossing his bat onto a bench. "I think she wants to talk to you, Ron."
Ron went out onto the pitch. He mounted his broom and flew over to Hermione. "You wanted to see me?" He smiled. His hair was still messy.
"I just wanted to wish you good luck." She kissed him quite passionately. A little too passionately for someone sitting on a broomstick.
"Don't do that when I'm on my broom, it makes it very difficult to fly." Hermione seemed pleased with herself.
"How long do you think this is going to take?"
"An hour, maybe two. Why, do you have something better to do?"
"Actually…"
"Don't tell me it's homework. I'll die if you'd rather be doing homework."
"I was just kidding… I think they're waiting for you." She pointed at Harry and Ginny, hovering on their brooms at the far end of the pitch.
**
"It's not the broomstick, it's the player," Ginny was saying as Ron flew over.
"It's the broomstick. My Firebolt can fly circles around your Nimbus 2002."
"Wanna bet?"
"Where are our Chasers?" Ron said. The rest of the team- Colin, Dennis, and Justin- were tossing the quaffle back and forth.
A group of students walked onto the pitch, each one of them with a school broom.
"This could be a problem," Harry said. The school brooms were outdated and uncared for. He made a mental note to spend some of his vast fortune on some inexpensive, but good quality brooms for the school.
Harry dove very quickly and executed a perfect Wronksy Feint, stopping two feet from the prospective Chasers. "Glad you all showed up. As you know, Gryffindor has won the cup for the majority of the past seven years. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are good, but they're going to have almost all new players. Slytherin is probably the most pathetic team I've ever seen, and they're going to be worse this year, since that prat, Malfoy is captain.
"What we need is talent, confidence, and attitude. If you don’t have any of those three factors, please leave." No one left. "Good. Ginny! Justin!" Harry called the Chasers over. "These are our two Chasers. They're going to do some drills with you and then we're going to see what you all can do." He turned to his Chasers. "Give it all you got. I want the best and we can't accept anything else."
Colin and Dennis had been hitting a Bludger back and forth while Ron threw golf balls at Harry for him to practice. In the stands, Hermione had started reading Hogwarts: A History for the umpteenth time.
A loud WHACK indicated that a Creevey had been knocked off his broom. Colin dove to the ground and took Dennis to the hospital wing.
"I guess that means we should start practice," Ron said. Harry nodded he flew over to the Chasers.
"How are they?"
"No one's fumbled yet, at least not majorly," Ginny said.
"They're all pretty good. They can carry on a conversation without dropping the Quaffle," Justin confirmed. "And that's pretty hard to do."
"Ron's in position. Choose a couple Chasers and test 'em out. I want a Weasley," Harry said. Ginny nodded. Justin looked confused.
"A Weasley?"
"This team has relied on the Weasleys for years. We need someone with the same talent and attitude as any of them- except Percy- and you two need to find them."
"Aye Aye Cap'n," Ginny said, saluting Harry. She chose two Chasers and told the rest to stand off to the side. It took them hours to choose the Chaser.
"So?" Harry asked as Ginny landed smoothly beside him.
"I think Marty's our best bet. He's a little rough, but he'll be fine after a couple practices."
"He's got the Weasley talent?"
"He'll be fine after a couple practices," Ginny repeated, at little less confidently.
"They didn't look that bad from here."
"Maybe you should get your glasses checked."
Hermione had fallen asleep in the stands- Quidditch wasn't really her thing. The team changed and walked back up to the castle. Ron had gone up to the stands to get Hermione, and Harry and Ginny had taken their sweet time in the change rooms.
**
Harry was sitting in the common room late Friday night, or rather early Saturday morning. He had stayed up to finish a potions essay- heckling Snape was good for morale, but doing the homework was good for your health. Dropping his quill on the parchment after hours of dreadfully boring work, Harry laid back on the couch and fell asleep.
"Harry?…Harry."
Harry blinked and opened his eyes. "Ginny. What time is it?"
"Nearly three," she yawned.
"What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep. I've never been this worried before a match." Ginny sat beside Harry on the couch and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I have. Only once. My first match. Right before we walk out onto the pitch, Oliver tells me what happened to him during his first match."
"What?"
"Hit in the head by a bludger. Spent two weeks in the hospital wing."
"Some confidence booster."
"Marty'll be fine."
"It's not Marty I'm worried about. It's the Creeveys."
"Maybe they'll both take a bludger to the head…"
"That's awful, Harry!"
"I know, but it's our best chance of winning."
"What were you doing up?" Ginny decided to change the subject.
"Potions essay. It'll be easier to play Quidditch without worrying about Snape."
"We're playing Slytherin."
"Thanks." He said sarcastically.
"No problem. You should probably go to sleep, Harry. You'll be no good to me if you're sleeping on your broom." Harry nodded and yawned.
"Night, Gin." He kissed her on the cheek and went to bed.
**
It was the shortest match in Hogwarts' History. Within two minutes, Harry had caught the Snitch. Unfortunately, that wasn't all that happened.
At the same time Harry's fingers closed over the Snitch, Ginny took a bludger to the head, courtesy of Malfoy, and fell fifty feet to the ground.
"GINNY!" Harry dove to catch her, but he was too late. She hit the ground with an echoing crash. "Ginny!" He fell to the ground beside her, forcing himself not to cry.
Ron appeared at Harry's side. "Ginny…" he whispered.
By now, Dumbledore, Professor McGonnagall, and Madam Pomfrey were on the pitch. Ginny was taken to the hospital wing, where Harry, Ron, and Hermione refused to leave her side.
"Visiting hours are over!" Madam Pomfrey said sternly. "You must return to your dormitories!"
"I'm not leaving her," Harry said defiantly. "What if she wakes up and no one's around?"
"Alright, you can stay. But you two," she turned to Ron and Hermione, "have to go."
"If Harry stays, I stay," Ron said. His eyes were red a swollen from crying, even though he wouldn't admit it.
"Come on, Ron," Hermione said. "You look like you could use some rest."
"No. I'm her brother. I should be the one to stay."
"Ron…" Ginny was stirring.
"There you have it," Ron said. "I'm staying." He rushed over to Ginny's side.
"What happened?" She asked.
"You were knocked off your broom. How d'you feel?"
"Okay, I guess… where am I?"
"Hogwarts, where else?"
"Hogwarts?" Ginny asked. "What's that?"
"It's our school, Gin, remember?"
"No…" Ron's jaw dropped. Harry heard this and joined Ron by the bed.
"Ginny, do you remember me?" He asked.
Ginny looked at him, scanning his body and searching his eyes. "No. Who are you?" She asked politely. Harry felt his eyes fill with tears. Everything they had, their friendship, their relationship, their secrets, everything, was gone because of Malfoy.
"I'm Harry," he said, blinking away the tears.
"It's nice to meet you Harry." That was too much for him. He stormed out of the hospital wing in search of Malfoy, Hermione pleading with him not to do anything stupid.
**
Malfoy was standing just outside the castle, leaning casually on his broom and recounting the game to Crabbe and Goyle, making himself sound like a hero. Harry marched up to him, fuming.
It was over in seconds, Malfoy laying in a crumpled heap, covering his nose, and Harry standing over him. "If you ever come near Ginny again, I'll kill you." And with one last kick in the stomach, he marched right back up to the hospital wing.
"What did you do, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Nothing out of the ordinary." Five minutes later, Crabbe and Goyle dragged Malfoy in. "He deserved it," Harry said, defending himself.
"I don't believe you! That was extremely childish, Harry!"
"Made me feel better, though."
"Couldn’t you have taken your anger out on a bludger or something a little more humane?"
"More humane? Hermione, the most humane thing anyone can do is destroy that twitchy little ferret!"
Hermione sighed. "He has made our lives hell," she agreed, "but you can't just wave your wand and ki-" She stopped herself, knowing very well that you could just wave your wand and kill someone, and in Harry's case, he might not even need a wand. "Just keep your temper in check." She gave Harry a hug and left.
Harry went over to Ginny's bed and sat down. "How do you feel?"
"My head hurts, but other than that…" she trailed off. Ginny always was an optimist.
"Mum and Dad should be here soon. Dumbledore sent them an owl." Ron's voice was monotonous. He was resting his chin on his hands and staring at a speck of dust by the window.
"I'll stay with Ginny if you want to meet them."
"No, I think I'll stay," Ron answered, still focusing on the dust. Harry nodded. He understood that Ron wouldn't want to leave her side, just as he didn't.
Madam Pomfrey appeared at the bedside. "Visiting hours are over, boys."
"But-"
"Come on, Ron," Harry said. "You've been sitting there all day."
"But-"
"Ginny needs to rest and your parents are going to be here to sit with her. We can come back after supper."
"Alright." Ron stood up. He looked at his sister one last time and left with Harry.
**
"Ron, you're not eating," Hermione said, staring at Ron's empty plate. He hadn't touched any of the food, which was exceptionally puzzling considering there was a platter of pork chops right in front of him.
"I'm not hungry."
Harry hadn't eaten anything either, but he knew Hermione would be watching so he just pushed the food around on his plate.
"Harry, are you alright?" Harry looked up from his plate, giving Hermione a look that said, quite plainly, 'leave me alone.' "Right, well, I'm off. Plenty of homework to do." She left the Great Hall.
"How can she think of homework now?" Ron said. Harry shrugged. He was thinking along the same lines as Ron. How could anyone be thinking about anything other than what happened to Ginny? "Where are you going?"
Harry thought that was an odd question. He looked down and realized he had stood up. "Common room, I guess." He left. Maybe distracting himself would help, and he did have a lot of homework, too.
**
Hermione peered over the top of her book at Harry, who was slumped and slowly slipping out of his favourite chair. "Harry?"
"Hm?" He was staring into the fire.
"She'll be fine."
"Hm." He didn't even notice Hedwig fly in through an open window and drop a purple envelope in his lap.
"Aren't you going to open that?"
"Open what?"
"The letter, Harry." She pointed to the envelope.
"Oh." It was from Dumbledore. Of course it was, Harry thought, Dumbledore knows every secret of every student in this school, so he would obviously know how I feel. Damn him. "Dumbledore wants to speak to me."
"Well, aren't you going to go?"
"No." Dumbledore always spoke in riddles, and it wasn't until the last second that Harry would figure it out. What was the point on getting advice that would be useless until someone else had solved the problem?
"Harry, haven't you ever realized that Dumbledore knows just what to say?"
"No." Because he never says anything helpful, he thought.
"Just go, Harry. You aren't doing anything else, so it's not like he's interrupting you."
"Fine."
**
"What do you want?" The gargoyle cackled.
"Shut it," Harry snarled. "Canary Creams." The gargoyle sprang out of the way and revealed a spiral staircase. "Overgrown lawn ornament."
"Oi!" The other gargoyle called after him indignantly.
"Ah, Mr Potter," Dumbledore said serenely.
"Professor."
"How is miss Weasley?"
"Okay, I guess." Harry shrugged. What was he supposed to say? She's great, absolutely fantastic.
"Sarcasm is a great defense mechanism, isn't it, Harry?" He must have heard Harry's thoughts.
"I-I guess."
"Madam Pomfrey tells me that miss Weasley will be out of hospital in about two weeks."
"Good to know," he said bitterly. All he really wanted to do right know was make Ginny remember, not waste time talking to Dumbledore.
"At that time, and if her parents allow it, I believe there is a place you would like to show her?"
"How'd you-?"
"It doesn't take a skilled legilimens to know what your thinking right now, Harry."
Great, I'm an open book. "There isn't much point, is there? She thinks she just met me. We might as well be strangers. She won't trust me enough to go to Grimmauld Place."
"You'd be surprised at what the subconscious can remember, no matter how severe the injury." He stroked Fawkes' feathers. "Goodnight, Harry."
"Goodnight, Professor," Harry said, a little confused. Mainly because, for once, he understood what Dumbledore meant, well, almost understood it. He headed up to the hospital wing to say goodnight to Ginny.
"Five minutes, Potter," Madam Pomfrey said. Harry ignored her and went straight for Ginny's bed.
"Hi."
"Hi… Harry, is it?" Harry nodded. "You're Ron's friend."
"Yeah." He paused, then decided he might as well tell her. "Ginny, I'm more than Ron's friend, I'm your friend, too."
"I don't see why we can't be friends, you seem nice enough."
"No, that's not what I mean. We've known each other for over six years."
"We have?"
"Yes, we have, and…"
"And, what?" She looked up at Harry quizzically. Telling her could be a mistake, he thought.
"And… nothing." He stood up. "Goodnight, Gin."
A/N: I had honestly forgotten what happened in this chapter. Ironic, isn't it?