money from it, so please Mrs. Rowling if you read this
don’t sue me. A comment or two would be welcome
though.
Please, if you read, take two minutes to review.
Chapter 10: Bungie Jumping with Dragons
The warm sun of late summer filtered through the leaves of the trees that lined the path in front of Harry and Ginny. As they drew closer to the rock wall and gated stone arch of the Hogwart’s cemetery, the trees fell back from the path letting the fullness of the sun shine down on the grave markers that stretched far into the distance. They followed the path around to the back of the cemetery and up a small hill to where the Forbidden Forest was attempting to push its way back into the graveyard. Spotting Ron and Hermione already sitting in front of the simple stone that marked Bridgette’s grave, they walked up and joined them.
The attacks of Voldemort and his followers had continued after those of July 31st. The ferocity and frequency had increased, but the effectiveness had not been any better than those that had been unleashed on the DA members and their families. The populace, emboldened by the success of children, was fighting back. Even so, all of the funerals for the fallen DA members had occurred in secret; so as not to present to great a target for Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Still, the DA members had only been able to attend the
ceremony at the school for their friends. The only burial they had actually been able to be present for, was Bridgette’s.
The Creevey brothers and their parents, along with Seamus and his parents had all been buried in family plots at different cemeteries around the country. Neville’s grandmother rested next to her husband in the cemetery behind his family’s old manor house. Luna and her father had had their ashes mixed and then spread at sea joining his wife and her mother. But Bridgette had been placed in the school cemetery. Her parents had wanted her friends to be able to visit her grave. After the attacks, there was no place safe other than the school for that to happen. Two other stones, on either side of Bridgette’s, marked the plots that her parents now held for themselves.
“Alright you two?” Harry asked as he and Ginny sat down in the grass with them. Hermione and Ron turned to look at them. They each had a smile on their face that was both happy and sad, and Hermione had a few tears on her cheeks.
“Yeah, we’re ok,” Ron replied reaching out to wipe a tear from Hermione’s face with his thumb.
“What were you talking about?” Ginny asked them. Hermione smiled, and Ron blushed slightly.
“We were just thinking about the Valentine’s Day Ball,” Hermione replied smiling again with new tears forming in her eyes. “And that ridiculous performance you and Bridgette put on that night,” she said to Harry. Ginny laughed at the memory.
“She slapped you really hard, Potter,” Ginny said. Harry smiled at the memory of Bridgette’s hand striking his face.
“Much harder, and she might have knocked me out,” Harry replied. “I wish she was here to do it again,” he added sadly. It was quiet for a few minutes before Ginny snorted in laughter again.
“What’s so funny, Gin?” Ron asked. Ginny looked at him, her eyes dancing mischievously.
“I was just trying to figure out whether it was you or Hermione, whose eyes bugged out of their head the most when she kissed you, Ron,” she replied. Ron’s ears turned pink as Harry, Hermione and Ginny started laughing at him.
“I think it was Hermione, Gin,” Harry said as he tried to stop laughing.
“What went through your mind when she did that, Hermione?” Ginny asked. Hermione got control of herself, and thought about Ginny’s question for a second.
“Honestly, I was so shocked that I didn’t really think anything until afterwards when she said she wanted to try again,” Hermione replied.
“Well, we all know what you thought about that,” Harry said, giving her a shove.
“Yeah we do, don’t we?” Ginny added, picking on Hermione some more.
“I can’t believe how much I miss her; do you think she is really waiting for us?” Ron asked softly, after it had gone quiet again.
“Yes, Ron, I do. I know she is,” Ginny answered, pulling his head to her shoulder.
“How?” Hermione whispered.
“Don’t you remember from the wedding?” Ginny asked.
“No,” Ron and Hermione replied confusion on their faces. Ginny grinned at them.
“When I spent all that time in the hospital last spring,” she said, “my spirit was in the chamber at the Ministry of Magic. I spent that whole time in front of the arch that Sirius fell through. I heard voices behind it and Harry’s mum, Lily, came to me. Every time I went close to the veil, she would come to me and stop me. When Tom had you all, she was the one who opened the door for me to leave the chamber.” Hermione and Ron looked at Ginny, the expression on their faces, somewhere between confusion, fascination, denial and belief.
“I’ve been there too,” Harry said quietly. “The short time I was unconscious after fighting Voldemort, my spirit was there. My mum, dad and Sirius came to me as I stepped close to the veil.
“They were mist really; formed into shapes. I could tell one of them was a woman, and she had green eyes. I asked her if she was my mum, and the eyes flared. I asked one if he was my dad and one of the male shapes moved forward. When I said Sirius’s name the last shape moved forward.
“I asked if I was supposed to come through the veil, and they moved back, the green faded from my mum’s eyes. And then a voice in the chamber told me to go back. Then, I heard Ginny’s voice coming from an open door at the top of the chamber. It was slowly closing. I ran for the door only just getting to it in time. The next thing I knew, I was back in the graveyard with Ginny.”
Hermione had moved close to Harry while he was talking, she now rested with his arm around her, and her head on his shoulder.
“Thank you, both of you, for coming back,” she whispered. It was quiet again for a while before Ron spoke up.
“Do you think we might see her ghost in the castle some time?” he asked. Harry sighed.
“I really hope not, Ron, because if we do that means she will not be waiting when we die.” Ron looked at him along with Ginny. Hermione tried to sit up, but Harry, not wanting her to move away yet, held her tight.
“Please stay, Mione,” he said quietly before explaining himself further. “I spoke with Sir Nicholas after Sirius died. I hoped for the same thing you three did a moment ago. A sorcerer must choose in life, when they die where they will go. Nick chose to stay here; he knows nothing of death, and what is beyond the veil. He has no communication with any of the people he has known who go beyond the veil. His life, if that is what it is, is not one I would choose.
“Bridgette once used a phrase, borrowed from Professor Dumbledore. Death is the next great adventure. I believe she would have chosen to go beyond the veil. I hope so, because if she didn't, then the day I die will be the last time I ever see her.” Hermione had settled back down on Harry’s shoulder again and wrapped her arms around his waist to hold him. Ginny and Ron watched Harry’s face as he spoke.
“Bridgette would choose to go through the veil; we will see her when it is our turn,” Ginny said firmly.
“When I get there,” Ron said, grinning at Hermione, “I’m going to pay her back for that kiss at the ball.”
“You best hope that I never hear about it, Love,” Hermione replied, as she pulled away from Harry and moved towards Ron. “Don’t forget we had the eternity symbol at our wedding. That is a long time to have me angry with you.”
“I love you, Mione,” Ron replied as she settled into his lap. Harry smiled at them as he pulled Ginny to him.
“Harry, did Bridgette ever get you back for that miserable old hag remark?” Hermione asked. Harry smiled and sadly shook his head.
“No, she didn’t Mione.”
“I would be concerned if I were you, Potter, she is going to have a long time to think about it.” Hermione and Ron snorted at Ginny’s comment.
“Thanks a lot, Gin.” The four of them sat there in the quiet calm of the late morning for a long time. Harry eventually stood up and started cleaning the area around the headstones. Ginny joined him a moment later while Ron and Hermione watched. Harry’s mind began to wander.
With school about to start things were changing again. There were a number of DA members who had been at the castle since the attacks, who were finished with school. Normally, they would not be able to stay. Dumbledore had gotten around this with Katie Bell, and Cho Chang. They were going to be assistant teachers this year.
Katie was taking over for Victor Krum as the assistant flying coach. Victor would be the head coach. Madam Hootch had decided to devote herself fully to the Order of the Phoenix until the war was over.
Cho Chang was going to be a second assistant with Tonks to Professor Lupin. Defense Against the Dark Arts was, unfortunately, going to become even more important than ever in their schooling. She was supposed to focus her energies with the students in years one through four.
The rest of the DA members who had finished school, were joining the Order of the Phoenix. They would all be staying at 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry truly feared for them. They would all now be going on missions in the war, their lives becoming even more dangerous than they were on July 31st.
“Harry, what is that?” Harry snapped out of his thoughts. Ginny had stopped, and was pointing to where the cemetery backed up to the forest. Her voice had a slight tinge of alarm in it. Harry followed her hand with his eyes and felt his heart sinking. He walked over to Ginny and wrapped her in his arms. Hermione and Ron joined them; they also had seen what Ginny was pointing at.
“You can see it Gin?” Harry asked quietly.
“We all can, Harry,” Ron replied. Harry closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath.
“That is a thestral,” Harry said to them. “I am truly sorry that you can see it.” Hermione took Ron’s hand and pulled him towards the animal. She reached out to stroke its head, and the animal moved close to her; sniffing her hand. It moved closer and nuzzled her neck with its face.
“You know me, don’t you?” Hermione asked. “You flew me to the Ministry of Magic didn’t you?” The thestral snorted once at Hermione. “Thank you for carrying me,” Hermione whispered to the animal, which nuzzled her neck again and then moved back into the woods.
“They’re kind of horrifying and beautiful at the same time,” Hermione remarked softly.
“Yes, I guess they are,” Harry replied.
“I guess they would have to be, considering what is required to be able to see them,” Ron said, before he pulled Hermione back towards Bridgette’s tombstone. The four of them stood there for a minute before Harry spoke.
“I remember you, Bridgette,” he whispered as he reached out to touch the stone. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione put their hands on the stone also.
“We remember you, Bridgette,” Hermione said.
“We will not forget you, Bridgette,” Ron added
“And we will see you when it is our time to come through the veil,” Ginny said. They stood there for a minute longer before Ginny wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Let’s go to the quidditch field. I talked Cho into at least watching while we play,” Ginny said as she pulled the other three with her.
“So how do you want to do this?” Harry asked the assembled DA members.
“Cho are you going to play?” Katie Bell asked, as she stepped back into the role of quidditch captain. Cho shook her head.
“No, I’ll just watch,” she said quietly. Katie frowned, but didn’t press the issue.
“Well then, I think Harry and Ginny should be captains and Seekers as they are the best at those positions. Harry you will have to give up your Firebolt for a Nimbus 2000, or 2001. After that, we can even out brooms once teams are picked. Oh and Ron cannot play Keeper, he has to be a Chaser or a Beater.”
“Why do I have to give up my broom?” Harry asked. “Ginny is plenty good enough to beat me with it.”
“Because I say so, Potter,” Ginny replied, her eyes flashing at him playfully.
“Fine, I pick McBride, and I get his 2001 while he gets my Firebolt,” Harry replied grinning at Ginny. He had just taken the second best Beater in the bunch, Fred and George may have been better at one point than Kelly and David, but they had not really played in a year. He had also put himself on the second best broom possible and put his Beater on the best broom you could get.
“Brilliant!” David McBride said. “I’ve wanted to try that broom since you put Kelly on it at tryouts last year.” He shoved his broom at Harry and took Harry’s from him.
“I want Kelly and George as Beaters. Kelly keeps her broom, and George gets Cho’s broom. If you don’t mind, Cho?” Ginny replied.
“Go ahead, George, it’s in the broom shed,” Cho answered. George bolted off after the broom, leaving Fred scowling at Ginny.
“What’s wrong with me?” he asked. Harry was trying to figure out what to do. Ginny had taken the best Beater, Kelly, and kept her with the broom she loved. She had also taken George and put him on the best broom possible. He was in trouble already.
“I want Fred, he gets Ron’s broom, and I get Katie, she gets to keep her broom,” Harry replied.
“Hey!” Ron said.
“Hand it over little bro,” Fred said reaching out for Ron’s broom. Ron glared at Harry.
“Thanks a lot, I don’t get to play Keeper, and I have to give up my broom.”
“Sorry, mate.” Harry shrugged at him.
“I’ll take Zacharaias and his broom,” Ginny countered.
“I want Ron, he gets either Fred or George’s broom, and….he gets to play Keeper.”
“Good one, Harry,” Katie remarked from next to him. “We may be down on the brooms, but we still get the best Keeper in the school.” Ginny was scowling at Harry’s choice.
“Only if I get Justin, Ernie, and Anthony, and their brooms,” she said. Harry groaned, Ginny had the top Chaser from Hufflepuff in Zacharaias, Justin and Ernie were backup Chasers from Ravenclaw and Anthony was the backup Keeper from Ravenclaw. Her whole team was very strong, and the worst broom in the bunch was a Nimbus 2000. He on the other hand was going to be stuck with Terry Boot and Michael Corner as two of his chasers, they were not bad, but they like Ron were going to be on Comets.
“Think you can keep them from scoring Ron?” Harry asked as he considered the offer from Ginny.
“What’s the matter Ronnikins?” Ginny teased him. “Can’t play without your Firebolt?” Her challenge sealed it.
“I only wish Ginny was playing Chaser so I could block her shots,” Ron replied to Harry.
“Ok then, let’s get started,” Katie yelled to the group. The people who were going to watch started moving to the top box, discussing the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two sides.
“Bring it in you lot,” Katie called to the players. “Oy, Lee, come here for a second.”
“What did you want, Katie?” Lee asked her.
“Well you’re commentating, so the deal is we’ll play for two hours. Catching the snitch ends a game, but is only worth thirty-five points. However many games we get in, we get in. All other rules are the same. It will be up to each side’s captain to call fouls.”
“Ok, I guess I better get up in the box then,” Lee said, after the rules were explained.
“Why do I get the feeling the only one I am going to have to call fouls on is my wife?” Harry leaned over and whispered to Ron as he watched Lee run off the pitch.
“You better not let her win Harry; she’ll make you sleep in the bathtub or something if you do,” Ron replied.
Harry mounted his broom. He had never been on a Nimbus 2001, this was going to be interesting, he thought to himself.
Just don’t let her beat us. We don’t want to listen to the screaming alone in the bathtub when the others are out in the sitting area, the voices said to him. Harry watched as the snitch was released, tracking it and then losing it in the distance, the bludgers were released, and then he and Ginny were gone.
Ginny slammed into him almost immediately.
“I’m going to beat you today, Potter,” she yelled at him as they circled up into the air.
“I don’t think so, Gin,” Harry yelled back.
“Care to make a bet, Potter?”
“I think I have enough to worry about with you getting mad if you win, Gin,” Harry replied. Ginny looked disappointed, she slowed down next to him. Harry slowed also.
“No challenges today, Harry, just you me and the snitch and the world does not end if I beat you.” Harry smiled at her.
“I would like that a lot, Ginny.” Ginny’s eyes flashed at him again.
“So if I win, what do I get?” she asked.
“What did you want?”
“Share your mind with me tonight; I get to pick what you show me.” Harry’s hand slipped and he almost fell of his broom.
“You’re trying to get me to throw the match, Gin,” he replied
“No, because if you win, you get to pick what I show you.” Harry grinned at her.
“And if we tie?” he asked.
“I’m sure we can think of something,” Ginny replied, returning his grin.
“I’m not sure what the Seekers are doing up there, probably trying to decide where they’re going to go and snog after the match,” Lee Jordan was saying. “And there goes Bell off with the quaffle, over to Corner, to Boot back to Bell and she’s crushed by a wicked bludger from Weasley, looks like a year off hasn’t hurt him much.
“Potter!” Ginny’s voice exploded in Harry’s mind.
“What, Gin?” Harry replied. He was suddenly overwhelmed by a memory that Ginny let come to the surface. Harry’s mind reeled, and his hand slipped off his broom for the second time that day. Harry shook his head, clearing it to see Ginny spiraling down to the ground.
Why that…That…. the voices screamed at him as Harry wrenched his broom around and down after Ginny.
“And there go the Seekers! At least one of them, looks like Potter….Erm….P1 has forgotten how to fly at the moment. P2 has the snitch in sight.
“Ginny screamed after the snitch trying not to laugh at what she had done to her husband a second ago.
He is going to make us pay for this you know, the voices said to her.
Does it matter? Either way we get to share memories tonight, and we know which one he will pick, Ginny replied as she reached her hand towards the snitch.
“Wow did you see her leave him up there?” Cho asked Hermione
“COME ON GINNY!” Hermione screamed, as Harry raced to catch up to her.
“Ha! Got you!” Ginny said to herself as she plucked the snitch out of the air.
“That was cheating!” Harry yelled at her, as he pulled along side of Ginny. Ginny turned to look at him her eyes dancing with fire.
“So call a foul, Potter,” she said innocently. “Of course, I will demand that you tell them which memory you saw.”
“And what if I do?” Harry replied. He was trying to be angry with her, but it was impossible when she looked at him like that.
“Well I really kind of wanted you to show me this one tonight,” Ginny pushed a thought to Harry.
“And if you take away my win, well, then I guess I’ll have to do without,” she said out loud. Harry followed Ginny down to the ground to meet with the other players for the start of a new match.
“You can have that one Gin, but I’m going to win the rest of them. I promise you that,” Harry whispered, as they touched down.
“Gezz, Harry, what did she do to you up there?” Katie asked a second later.
“Come on, mate, we’re busting our tails down here with below standard brooms, and you’re flying around with your tongue hanging out of your mouth,” Ron said to him.
“Just start another match. She won’t win again,” Harry replied glaring at his wife. Ginny blew him a kiss before she
let the snitch go.
“Come and get me, Potter.” And then she and Harry were gone again.
“What did she do to him?” Katie asked Ron, as the players from both sides watched them fly off again.
“I have an idea, but you don’t want to know,” Ron replied, as he followed the battle going on between Ginny and Harry.
“Look out!” Zacharaias hollered, as Ginny and Harry wove in and out of the giant hoops on the tops of the goal posts. Ginny slammed into Harry pushing him into a post that he just missed hitting with a full head of steam.
“I think I’m just going to stand here and watch this one,” Fred remarked, flinching as Harry sent Ginny into a barrel roll.
“Oy, what he said,” George added.
“Whatever she did to him seems to have made him mad,” Hermione commented to Cho, as they watched the battle in the air above them.
“She’s brutal, isn’t she?” Cho remarked, as she watched Ginny drive an elbow into Harry’s ribs to keep him from getting the snitch.
“E really is a Nutter to ave married er,” Victor remarked from behind both of them.
“When did you get here?” they both asked in surprise.
“Just now,” Victor replied not taking his eyes off of the aerial ballet going on above him. “Why are you not up there, Miss Chang?” he asked after a moment, glancing at Cho. Cho looked away from him.
“I don’t want to fly anymore, Victor,” she replied, her voice trembling.
“Let her be, Victor, she will fly again when she is ready,” Hermione said, wrapping her arm around Cho.
“It vos only a question,” Victor answered, lifting his eyes back to Harry and Ginny.
Harry reached out and grabbed Ginny’s arm.
That elbow was coming at our face! the voices hollered in indignation. Harry held on to Ginny so she could not get away from him. There was not very much difference between the brooms they were on, only a few knots or so in top speeds and maybe the fire bolt could be convinced to turn quicker; if you had the nerve to make it, Ginny did.
Ginny and Harry were both willingly in each others minds, not letting memories through from the other, but taunting each other.
“Is that the best you can do, Potter?”
“I missed on purpose, Gin.”
“You expect me to believe that?” Ginny was laughing at him.
“Believe what you want, Gin.”
There it goes, the voices screamed at Harry. The snitch had finally moved in the direction he wanted it to go. Harry let go of Ginny’s arm and stopped as quickly as he could. Grabbing the tail of Ginny’s broom as she went by, he pulled it to him sending her careening to her left. Harry dove to the right following the snitch to the ground.
“Oh boy!” George remarked, flinching as Ginny went spinning around like a top; then corrected herself and blazed for the ground trying to catch Harry.
“This is bad,” Fred added as the snitch turned towards the group of twelve players who were standing in the middle of the field watching Ginny and Harry. The snitch began zigging and zagging as it hurtled towards them, with Harry trying to follow it through every turn.
“Move!” Katie screamed just before starting to run from the area.
Harry hurtled along behind the snitch, he knew Ginny was coming, and he was going to get creamed for sending her broom around like that on her. He reached his hand out and closed it around the snitch just as Ginny hit him, sending them both out of control and off of their brooms. They tumbled to the ground together landing in a heap at Ron’s feet.
“Ginny!” Cho screamed grabbing hold of Hermione as they watched her and Harry tumble to the ground. Hermione watched the two of them roll to a stop at Ron’s feet, her heart pounding. Every member of the DA who was in the box surged to their feet pushing their way to the railing.
Please don’t let them be hurt, the voices whispered fearfully in Hermione’s head. She wanted to run to the field, but Cho was clinging to her neck as she watched the scene play out in front of them.
Ron looked down at the pile of tangled limbs that was Harry and Ginny.
“My head hurts, Potter,” Ginny groaned, lying on the ground next to him.
“Mine too, Gin.”
“Are you two ok?” Ron asked from above. Harry and Ginny both opened their eyes to see Ron looking down at them from over their heads.
“Why is he upside down?” Ginny asked.
“I don’t know. Ron, why are you upside down?” Harry asked him.
“I think they’re fine,” Fred remarked walking into Harry and Ginny’s view.
“He’s upside down too,” Harry said to Ginny. The two turned their heads to look at each other and broke into fits of laughter.
“Yeah, they’re both just as nuts as they always are,” George added. He picked up Ginny’s broom and gave it to Ron, then gave Harry’s to Michael Corner.
“You two are grounded for the rest of the day,” Ron said, shaking his head at them.
“Says who?” Harry asked sitting up. His head spun in circles. “Wow, kind of like being drunk.”
“Someone help me get these two up in the box where Hermione can keep an eye on them,” Ron said, a second later.
“Why aren’t they helping them?” Cho asked desperately as she watched Fred and George walk up next to Ron, all of them were just standing there looking down at Harry and Ginny. Hermione watched as Victor ran across the field towards them. She saw George bend down and take both of Harry and Ginny’s brooms. Then both Harry and Ginny sat up, Ron appeared to be talking to them.
“Thank Merlin,” Cho gasped, finally releasing her death grip on Hermione. “I’m going to kill both of them,” she hissed a second later.
“Get in line, Cho,” Hermione replied as the group moved back to their seats.
Ron and Victor herded Harry and Ginny up the stairs to the box; the two of them protesting all the way that they wanted to keep playing.
“Sit down, or I’ll put you in a binding curse,” Ron yelled at them. Ginny rounded on him, her hands on her hips, her chin stuck out defiantly.
“You just try it, Ronald Weasley,” she snapped.
“Yeah, mate, try it,” Harry replied, standing just behind Ginny.
“What is the matter with you two? Don’t you think I suffered enough waiting for you to wake up the first time?” Cho lit into them. Harry and Ginny snapped their heads around to look at Cho. Tears streamed from her eyes as she continued to rant at them.
“You beg me to come watch, knowing that I’m scared to death of being here and then you behave like total idiots!”
Harry and Ginny’s faces both turned white. Cho continued to glare at the two of them.
“WELL?” she thundered a second later causing everyone in the box to jump. Ginny recovered first.
“I’m sorry, Cho, Harry and I were just playing, and got carried away.”
“Well maybe you should think about it a bit more next time,” Cho replied angrily.
“Cho,” Neville said quietly, as he moved next to her, placing his hand on her back, “they’re ok sweetheart. You know there is only one way to play Seeker.”
“No, Neville,” Harry said. Finally recovering from his shock at Cho’s temper, “she’s right, we didn’t need to play like that today. I think Ron is right Gin, maybe you and I should sit out the rest of the day.”
“That’s right you will,” Ron said, mounting his broom. “Make sure they behave, Victor.” He then flew off to join the game again.
“You both scared us half to death, I hope you’re satisfied,” Hermione said to Harry and Ginny.
“We’re sorry; we were just playing to win,” Harry answered looking at the ground.
“I know you were,” Cho said quietly. “I’ve just had too much happen to me lately to have seen both of you tumble like that,” Ginny and Harry walked over and hugged Cho.
“Cho, you need to fly again,” Ginny whispered in her ear. “I don’t want to be the reason you gave up what you love.”
“I’m not ready yet, Ginny,” Cho replied.
“Let me know when you are, I want to watch you,” Ginny answered her.
“Thank you, Gin.”
Harry and Ginny took a seat in the back of the box, watching the rest of the match. Ron had been forced to give up the Nimbus 2001 Harry had been riding, and things were pretty even. Harry was just starting to get into the game a little, listening to Lee Jordan’s commentary, when Ginny pulled his face around to look at him.
“Potter, take me flying,” she thought to him.
“You must have hit your head harder than you thought Gin, or did you forget they took away our brooms?” Harry replied. Ginny smiled at him coyly.
“They’ll kill us,” Harry said to her when the image came into his head.
“Not if they can’t see us,” Ginny replied, pulling her wand subtly out of her pocket.
“I love you, Ginevra Potter,” Harry answered her as she cast the spell over them.
Harry and Ginny stood up and moved through the curtains at the back of the box. Harry stepped over the rail onto the narrow ledge. Ginny joined him a second later standing with her back pressed against the rail, Harry stepped in front of her pressing his back up against her stomach, reaching back on either side of Ginny to hold the railing. His toes just dangling over the edge of the landing, Harry looked out over the open expanse in front of them; the ground over a two-hundred feet below.
Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry’s neck stretching up to kiss him. She bit gently at his neck, reveling in the shudder she caused to go through him. Harry leaned back into her as hard as he could and let go of the railing, holding his arms straight out to the side. He and Ginny began to fall forward in the fashion of Muggle bungee jumpers.
“What happened to Harry and Ginny?” Neville asked. Hermione turned around and gasped as an image came into her mind.
Harry plummeted towards the ground with Ginny on his back changing shape as he fell, his neck elongating, his body growing. Powerful wings spread into the air catching them as they fell, arresting their descent mere feet above the ground and then propelling them both forward and back up high into the sky.
“See you later, Mione,” Ginny called to her. Hermione’s heart stopped racing as she watched them sailing away.
“I’m going to kill both of you,” she answered, and then as the connection grew faint from the distance between them. “I want to try that.”
Ginny laughed out loud as the last thought from Hermione reached her mind. She hung on tightly to Harry’s long powerful neck as they blazed across the sky. She could feel the muscles in Harry’s back beating his wings up and down between her legs. Ginny had always loved to fly, but this was better than any broom. Her heart raced at the closeness between her and her husband. She had thought she could never trust someone with her life like this after what Tom did to her, but Harry freed her. His love powered through every pain she had ever felt.
Ginny did not care that Tom was coming for her anymore, or that he was after Harry. She lived each day as if it was her last, surrendering to the need to give her love to this man. This man, who loved her with every fiber in his body.
Harry could feel Ginny’s heart beating wildly in her chest against his neck. Her trust in him had been absolute as they plummeted to the ground while he transformed, even as he wondered if he would make it in time. His heart raced with that trust.
It was a trust that he returned blindly, Harry understood that some people cared about him only because he was the equal, but Ginny was not one of them and her love powered him. He had never known anything like it. His love for her had saved him from falling to Voldemort once, because he could not bear to die and leave her to him. But what she gave him in return since caused him to struggle every day to match her.
Harry sometimes felt like they were truly one being when she laid next to him on the floor or in their bed. His heart and breathing would slow down or speed up to match hers. He could stare into her eyes for hours on end, and the slightest glimpse of her flaming red hair could make him suck his breath in. He sometimes thought she had taken his soul with her kiss, as easily as a dementor would, while he stood there on trembling knees trying to recover his senses.
Now he felt her grip on him loosening, she pushed herself up on her knees on his back balancing there. Ginny spread her arms in the air, letting the wind catch her in the chest. This was true freedom she thought, as they raced high over the lake towards the castle. She wanted to battle with him again, feel his strength, make him chase her and chase him in return. Ginny pulled her wand from her pocket and threw herself off of Harry.
Harry’s heart froze as he felt Ginny jump from his back; he dove after her and felt his body shrinking to the size of a phoenix as her spell hit him.
WE CAN’T CATCH HER LIKE THIS! the voices screamed in fear. Harry watched in fascinated horror as Ginny transformed beneath him.
Her wings caught the air and she met him. They tumbled together, dragon and phoenix, struggling with each other as they battled for supremacy. Ginny broke away from him and streaked away.
Harry followed; she was a snitch that moved like light itself. He could never follow this on a broom. The difference between being a creature that flew, and one that rode a flying object could not be described. He finally touched her and spun the other way.
Ginny followed him chasing him through trees, under the bridge that spanned the stream and up to the castle. Together, they blazed around corners and under archways, just missing overhangs and abutments, in a game of tag that would have shattered the nerves of Josef Wronski
Harry led her towards an open window, streaking right through Dumbledore’s office and out the open window on the other side. He just registered the surprise on the Headmaster’s face as papers flew from his desk.
Ginny tagged him, turned and speed towards the Gryffindor tower; blazing through the open window of the common area of their flat, she circled the room once before dashing through the door into hers and Harry’s bedroom. She landed on the bed and transformed, her wand came up and the door to the room slammed shut just behind the dragon that was chasing her. She hit Harry with an Engorgement charm as he transformed, returning him to his full human size and they crashed onto the bed together eyes locked on each other.
“My heart stopped when you jumped,” Harry thought to her, as their lips meet.
“Shut up and kiss me, Harry,” she answered. The two of them collapsed back onto the bed after sharing memories. Harry had never felt closer to Ginny in his life than he did now.
“Husband?” Ginny whispered to him.
“Yes, Gin.” Ginny turned to him and pushed her thought into his mind. Harry could feel her soul crying, aching to be near him. He opened himself to her.
“Me too, Wife,” he whispered as she clutched her hand on his shirt.
“Hold me forever, Harry?”
“I promise, Gin.” Ginny moved into him and they fell asleep desperately clinging to each other.
Author's note:
I changed the points for catching the snitch, because I think it is silly to give that many for catching it. Quidditch is supposed to be a team game. At a hundred and fifty points for catching the snitch, you might as well only use Seekers and get rid of the other players.