Authors Notes: Hi there, just a short one today- the next one and this were originally one chapter, but it was far too long, so I split it into a short one and then a nice long one. Hope you enjoy!!!
Thirteen
The upcoming Commemoration Ball was all anyone in the wizarding world could talk about. Harry had believed it to be bad in the lead up to the Yule Ball all those years ago, but that was only Hogwarts students. It seemed like almost the entire adult population of the wizarding world was going to this ball and Harry was sick of the talk.
He had finally agreed to go with Hermione, after much debate. It was her threat that she would go see what Viktor Krum was doing that made him agree.
Ron had started work in the Auror department, and had earned himself the nickname 'Probie'. He was enjoying the work a lot more than he had at the joke shop with George, though he was prone to 'fits of the sullen's', particularly when something reminded him of Monica. He had tried to win her back, but she was refusing to see him or speak to him. Harry had never mentioned what Hermione had said about her lunch with the two muggle girls, and he knew that Hermione would never mention it either.
The only problem with Ron now working in the ministry was that it was very hard for Harry and Hermione to steal moments together. Hermione was still staying at Grimmauld place most nights, but Harry missed her through the day.
The day before the ball, whilst Hermione went shopping for dress robes for both of them (Harry refused to go), Harry went to the Burrow with Ron. George, Bill, Charlie and Percy were all going to be there and Ron said it would be a great chance for them to play a game of Quidditch- Harry couldn't believe how long it had been since he had actually played. So he had apparated with Ron and it was only when he arrived that he remembered, with a sharp pang, that he had lost his Firebolt when the Order had escorted him from Privet Drive- he'd let it go to grab hold of Hedwig, though that hadn't done much good.
'Don't worry about it,' Ron said to him when Harry mentioned this. 'George said that you could borrow Fred's broom.'
This made Harry feel worse. As he climbed onto Fred's broom, he couldn't help but see a flash of images of Fred's dead body, and it took a lot of effort to force the thoughts from his mind.
They played three a side- Bill, Percy and Harry on one team; Charlie, Ron and George on the other. It was quite a fun game- they were playing without Bludgers which made it easier, not having to avoid them. Harry and Charlie were both playing Seeker and Chaser at the same time, which made it very interesting as they were trying to keep an eye on the Quaffle, as well as look for the Snitch.
Charlie beat Harry to the Snitch- he'd been too busy trying to get a goal past Ron, who had lost all the nerves he'd had at Hogwarts and was keeping very well. It was lunchtime by then and they all landed and dismounted and headed back to the house. Mrs Weasley had whipped up a big platter of sandwiches and was in the process of getting ready to leave- the Hogwarts Express was arriving that afternoon with all the students and she was going to pick Ginny up.
Hermione was also there, obviously having finished the shopping, and she was talking earnestly with Fleur. After a lot of persuasion, the boys had managed to convince both girls to come back to the paddock with them and play a quick game with them. Hermione was riding Ron's old Shooting Star, which went hardly faster than walking pace and Fleur was on one of Charlie's old brooms. This time they pulled the bludgers out- Percy and George were to be beaters.
It was an enjoyable game- Hermione would shriek and almost fall off her broom every time the Quaffle came near her, but she looked to be enjoying herself. Harry had seen the snitch several times, but had let it go as he didn't want to end the game yet, and he had a feeling that Charlie was doing the same thing. He had just spotted it again, when from behind him he heard a massive 'crack' as a beaters bat collided with a bludger, and then he heard Hermione scream his name.
But it was too late. He felt the bludger collide with the back of his head and then nothing.
He lay in darkness for a while, before opening his eyes. For some reason, he was expecting to see the ceiling of the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts, and have Oliver Wood and the rest of the Gryffindor team crowded around his bed. Instead, he saw something that he had seen once before, a year ago.
He was back in the place he called Kings Cross, where he had talked to Dumbledore. Looking around, he saw where Voldemort had lain and he shuddered. The last time he was here, he'd believed he was dead after being hit by a killing curse. Had the hit from the bludger been that hard? Was he in limbo between life and death?
'Harry?' he heard a soft voice say and he jumped around and felt like he'd been hit in the head again.
Standing before him, her long hair rippling over her shoulders, her eyes the exact same as Harry's filled with tears… Lily Potter.