Chapter 33: Can't We Even Go On a Date in Peace? Part 1

*************************Hogwarts, Quiddich Pitch**************************
March 15, 2006
6:00 pm

As usual for the last few years, when they had actually had Quiddich to play, Gryffindor was going into the final match, which was coming up all too soon, with the chance to once again retain the Quiddich Cup for itself. And for the second year in a row, the last match was up against Slytherin, with all the bad history and outright danger that match implied. Last year, as a capper, that game had included, two fractured ribs, a broken wrist and a dislocated shoulder, and that was just Harry's injury list. Ginny had been knocked from her broom, Ron bludgered, plus the usual dirty play, and all that didn't count the attempted murder against Hermione, by a suspect, most likely Slytherin, and very possibly Pansy. Draco had been cleared of the actual deed by playing and later; he had been cleared by his mind being probed when he crossed over to the light in the cause of his own self-preservation. Even though Draco was now more or less on the good guys side, he couldn't afford to be seen as going soft at all. As to the rest of the Slytherins, they would just be out to injure any Gryffindors they could get their hands on.

So taking all of that into account, Ron had decided that Gryffindor needed extra practice, and had dragged the entire team to the pitch after classes, and made them skip dinner, to practice. The great magical lights had just gone on to light the pitch now that the sun had more or less fallen and the temperature had already started to fall back down to below freezing, not that it had gotten much above it during the day up here in the Highlands.

After almost an hour of freezing their bums off, the girls had landed and two of them, Hermione and Ginny, sat shivering under a heating charm. They were watching amusedly as the third chaser, Pavarti was snarling up at Ron about why the hell they were out in the cold, after dark, practicing for a bloody Quiddich match. Hermione's eyes were tracking Harry as he swooped here and there, theoretically practicing, but she knew he was only flying to fly. Returning a wave to him as he swept by, she muttered to Ginny, "Gin why did I agree to this?"

"Quality time with Harry?" Ginny replied snidely, her lips twitching upward.

"I live with him Ginny," Hermione reminded her smugly, that little, poorly concealed fact was the only real abuse of their positions as head students that either Harry or Hermione undertook. "I used to be scared to death of a broom and now I'm on the house team, that's almost too weird for even this place." Suddenly as a snatch of argument drifted over from Ron and Pavarti, Hermione sniggered.

"What's so funny?" Ginny asked.

"Ron just told Pavarti that since we were up against Slytherin she could consider this DA practice, too, and she would be therefore saving herself time. She replied that she could go get some Death Eaters for him to practice with then." Hermione relayed as above their heads Harry flew inverted through a hoop, while Neville and Seamus batted a bludger back and forth aimlessly. Harry even though he was Co-Captain with Ron, was staying out of this; he was just trying to relax. "Sis?"

"Yeah" Ginny replied distractedly as she considered if the fur of her animagus form would block the wind any better.

At that moment the wind picked up even further, and for just a second even Harry had difficulty with his broom, Hermione's eyes never really leaving Harry. She was obviously weighing something in her mind; she had been withdrawn from almost everyone today, except Harry. Even Ron had tried to pick an argument after Charms but had been ignored. As she watched, silently, Harry waved Neville and Seamus to the ground and flew over to end the discussion between Ron and Pavarti. The argument ended by a third power, Pavarti started heading for the changing rooms, while Ron grounded sullenly, under Harry's weather eye. Hermione turned from Harry, "So...how are you and Neville getting on?" She said quietly, though both of them knew that that had not been what she had been mulling in her head.

"Bloody well smashing Hermione, now, what's wrong, I've known you for six years, I can't read you as well as Harry, but I'd like to think I could read my 'sis', better than my clueless brothers." Ginny replied pointedly. She turned from Harry's discussing with; or rather telling Ron that practice was over for today. Hermione bit her lip as she played with the bristles of her firebolt. Her brown eyes met Ginny's and her lip twitched up for just a second. But she shook her head and turned back to stare at Harry. Ginny glanced back over than at Harry, Ok, she thought, it has something to do with Harry, but I don't think its something that he has done, per say...therefore, I must distract her, into giving me the right answer...I knew that Auror training we get from Moody would come in handy. Ginny finished the thought triumphantly, "So Hermione, you're pregnant."