Forbidden Love
Chapter 27
Harry winced as Ginny wobbled dangerously on her broomstick before once again regaining control of the item. Throwing a look to Ron, he noticed the red-haired boy giving his sister a sympathetic shake of the head, before turning and looking at Harry and offering a light shrug. The dark-haired boy sighed.
"Blimey mate," Ron commented, flying over to Harry, "I reckon she won't last much longer on that thing. We're dead if she can't get a better broom for the game."
"I'll take care of it," Harry stated softly, watching as Ginny and the other two Chasers practiced passing the quaffle.
The redhead gave him a surprised look. "Why would you take care of it?"
"Because I said I would."
"Yeah, but that was when you two were dating, now…"
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During the impromptu Quidditch game that they had had at the Burrow this holiday, Ginny's broom had been hit by one of the balls that the twins had enchanted to act as a bludger. The red-haired girl had fallen off of her broom, but luckily Harry had caught her before she hit the ground. His harrowing rescue had gained him a smart peck on the lips from Ginny, a frown from Hermione -due to the kiss -and the distinct honor of being called Mrs. Weasley's hero for the remainder of the day.
However his brilliant save was not extended to the broom as it hurled towards the ground, barley managing to be saved by a quick thinking Mr. Weasley, who had used a simple levitation spell. Though the item had not crashed into the grassy field, the hit from the bludger still caused quite a bit of damage. Resulting in the steering on the broom being completely thrown off so it was now in the habit of veering to the opposite direction of where you were trying to lead it, or wobbling dangerously at random moments. Knowing how strapped the elder Weasley's were for cash, Harry had immediately claimed it as his "boyfriendly duty" to get his, then girlfriend, a new broom. It had taken some serious insisting and persuasion but he had finally gotten Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to agree to let him purchase the item for Ginny.
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Harry threw Ron and annoyed look before once again observing his team. "Look I said I would take care of it and I will. I just so happens that I had already ordered Ginny a new broom before we broke up- Hedwig just delivered it yesterday when Hermione and I were studying in her dorm."
"So you're going to give it to my sister, then?"
"Who else would I give it to?"
"Well… I could always use a ne-" he stop when his mate glared at him. "Or not… are you sure giving her something like that won't give her mixed messages Harry? I mean, my sisters not exactly over you, you know."
Harry sighed, "I know… that's why I was wondering if you would give it to her for me."
"What?!"
"Well, I figure it'll be easier that way," Harry replied with a small grimace.
"Really? And just where am I supposed to I tell her I got the bloomin' thing?" Ron replied looking slightly perturbed.
"I don't know… how about the twins, or your parents?"
He shook his head, "I don't know mate, I-" he was cut off when Harry suddenly flew away from him.
Ron gave his mate and appreciative look when the other boy nimbly caught his sister who had been unceremoniously thrown from her malfunctioning broom.
"Good show mate!" Dean called out from across the pitch.
"Bloody brilliant!" Ron yelled.
"Blimey, that was awesome!" Charlie Buckett, one of the Beaters exclaimed jovially.
The other players shouted out similar expressions to their captain as they one by one touched the ground. Harry blushed under the compliments and waved them away as he joined his teammates on the grass of the pitch.
"It was nothing," he mumbled, looking uncomfortable by all the attention.
"It wasn't nothing Harry," Ginny proclaimed looking up at him with an adoring expression. "It was smashing, I swear Harry you're absolutely tops!"
She leaned forward and gave him a light peck on the lips before hurriedly hopping off of the broom. His teammates guffawed at the uncomfortable look that had crossed their fearless leaders face as Harry did his best to keep from turning the infamous Weasley red from embarrassment.
"Thanks," he said aloud to the younger girl before continuing in a serious tone. "Ginny, you can't use that broom for the game today."
"What? Why not- ok, I know why but, I don't have another one to use."
"I'm sorry Gin, but it looks like you'll just have to use a school broom," Harry stated with a grimace.
She pulled a face, "But those things are bloody useless!"
"No, your broom is bloody useless, even though they're slow at least a school broom will let you stay seated." He responded; the rest of the team nodded in agreement.
Ginny sighed and her head fell, to Harry's complete horror when she looked back the redhead looked dangerously close to tears. "Seems like everything's tossing me aside lately," she said so softly that only he heard.
"Ginny-"
"Bugger!" Ron exclaimed interrupting not only the two people involved in the low spoken conversation- but also the people who were trying to listen to it.
"Merlin mate, you gave me a start," Dean grunted giving Ron an annoyed look.
"Sorry," the red haired boy responded with a sheepish expression, "It's just that I just remembered that… uh- my parents got Ginny a new broom. It just got here yesterday," he gave a high-pitched nervous laugh, "I don't know how I could have blanked on that one, er, sorry."
"Mum and dad got me a new broom?" Ginny asked, when her brother nodded she gave him an iffy look. "But if it's for me why would they send it to you?"
"I…er, well…"
"They wanted it to be a surprise," Harry chimed, "-you know for your next game, but since they weren't sure when it would come in… they sent it to Ron instead." The red-haired boy nodded, while the red-haired girl frowned.
"But why woul-"
"So now that that's solved," Harry continued quickly, "what do you say that everyone go and get themselves something to eat… and of course hit the showers, because you lot defiantly smell a bit ripe." He finished sniffing the air and pulling a face; several of the boys sniggered while the girls scoffed. "Make sure to rest up for the game we only have a couple of hours to go and I know you guys want another win as much as I do," he looked at Ron, "when we break, head up to Gryffindor Tower and get Ginny's new broom from Hermione's dorm where you had hidden it, ok?" Ron gave another nod of agreement. "That way Ginny can get in a bit of practice on her new broom before the game."
"Why is it in Herm-"
"So now that that's decided let's hit the shower and then hit the Great Hall," Harry stated briskly once again interrupting Ginny, several of the boys grunted in agreement. Then coming forward he placed his hand in the middle of the circle and the hands of his teammates immediately joined it. "Today the Quidditch game, tomorrow the Quidditch Cup! One -two -three …"
"GO! GO! GRYFFINDOR! ROOOAR!!" the team shouted in unison, bringing up their hands and giving one another hearty claps on the back.
As the team dispersed, Harry noticed Ginny swiftly descending upon Ron, "Oh, uh sorry you guys I have to go. I'll talk to you before the game, go get something to eat." He said to Charlie and Verruca Salt, the other Beater, who had been asking him several questions about strategy.
When they nodded in agreement Harry offered a smile and then turned and raced towards the Weasley siblings.
"-two are talking again, but you're leaving stuff in her room? Ron that's just plain weird," Ginny was saying as he approached. The younger girl was still eyeing her brother critically.
"Why is it weird," Harry commented joining Ron. "Hermione's our best mate and she has a private area so he can be sure that no one's messes with your stuff. I figured you'd be relived to know he had put it up for safe keeping."
"Well I am but-"
"Good, so Ron what do you say we go and get that broom? I have a question for Hermione about our latest Transfiguration project anyway," Harry said grabbing his best mates arm and quickly steering him away from his sister.
"You know, you're the only one she'd let constantly interrupt her like that," Ron stated, throwing a look over his shoulder to his still frowning younger sibling.
"If that's true then you should be glad," Harry responded, glancing back also and offering Ginny a cheerful wave.
"So what am I supposed to do when I come back with the broom? You know she's not just going to let this drop Harry."
The dark-haired boy nodded, "I know, but don't worry just stick to my story. Your parents wanted it to be a surprise so they sent the broom to you instead of her and you stored it in Hermione's room so that no one else would find out about it. If she asks how you got it in there without anyone seeing it then just… I don't know, just tell her it was magic."
"Magic, Harry?" Ron responded with a smirk.
"What? You act like there's no such thing."
"Of course there is, but it would have to be pretty powerful for my little sister to settle for me just saying something as lame as `It was magic'."
Harry sighed, "Ok, how about this, why don't Hermione, Luna and I come back with you? Then we can all help to buffer the questions."
Ron grinned and nodded his head enthusiastically, "Now that could work."
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Hermione chewed her lip as her boyfriend made another sharp dive. Harry was weaving through the pitch like a sewing needle in a jumper and it was driving her completely barmy. He had spotted the snitch over two minutes ago but the little bugger was leading him and the Hufflepuff seeker Violet Bouregaurd on a hell of a chase. In fact it was going in such odd, haphazard directions that the audience in the stands had to duck several times just to avoid both Seekers. When Harry shot into the sky and then suddenly dropped yet again, she almost had a bloody heart attack. Turning to look away briefly for the sake of her sanity she checked out the status of the other team members.
Hermione gave a hearty cheer when Ron managed to successfully guard Gryffindor goals from two more quaffles. She also clapped when Ginny, Dean and Angela did an intricate pass combo that resulted in another ten points for Gryffindor and giving them a lead of sixty to twenty over Hufflepuff. When Ginny quickly recovered the quaffle and scored another ten points, Hermione smiled. The younger girl really was playing a lot better since Harry had given her that new broom. She chuckled to herself as she recalled the look on Harry's face when she told him that she didn't care about the gift that he had gotten for Ginny.
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They had been studying… well, snogging with their books open, when Hedwig had flown into the open window of Hermione's sitting room. The snow white owl had dropped the large broom shaped parcel on Harry's lap, given an indignant `hoot' and flown right back out of the window, presumably to the Owlery.
"What's that?" Hermione inquired, giving her boyfriend a curious look.
Harry's brows rose, "Er… a broom…"
She rolled her eyes "I know that Harry, what I mean is what is it for? -Is there a problem with your Firebolt?" He shook his head, "Ok, so why do you have another broom then?"
"Well…" Harry blushed and fingered the brown wrapping covering the item, "-it's kind of… well, you remember at Christmas when Ginny's broom got hit by that bludger and I promised to replace it…"
She frowned, "This is a broom for Ginny?"
"Uh, yeah, but… I had ordered it before we broke up. It's not like I went out and got it today Hermione. Or even last week, or two weeks ago- I purchased it right before we came back from break, they would have had it sooner but I sorta had her name engraved on it… not that I was thinking of her or anything, at least in that way… at that time, you know so soon after you and I -er, in fact I may not even give it to her, I-"
"Why wouldn't you give it to her?" Hermione quizzed, interrupting his rambling and giving him a confounded look.
"Well… I don't know, I thought that you might have a problem with it."
"Why?"
"I guess I figured -with Ginny being my ex-girlfriend and all -that you might not be really…er, you know comfortable with me giving her gifts." Harry responded grimacing lightly.
She rolled her eyes once more, "Honestly Harry, that's just silly. You ordered this gift for Ginny right after Christmas, besides even if you hadn't I was there when you promised Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that you would get her a new one, so you would have purchased it anyway, because you hate to break your word. Not to mention the fact that you shouldn't have to. Do you really think I'm so juvenile that I would get jealous over something like this?"
"I -er, well…" he stuttered flushing.
"Oh really Harry, as I explained after your marvelously wank-tastic display of childish jealousy, that type of behavior really isn't necessary. I'm secure enough in our relationship and a mature enough person to be beyond such infantile conduct."
"Wank-tastic?" Harry asked, arching a brow as his lips curved into an amused smile.
She gave a dainty shrug, "What? I figured that the way you acted that day deserved its own word."
He chuckled, "I guess…"
"So, like I said." Hermione continued primly, removing the broom from her lap and picking up the discarded book. "Give Ginny the broom, I'm sure that she still needs it. I'm perfectly fine with you helping her out, after all I think it would be great if you guys could still be friends."
Harry gave a shrug and grabbed the package, giving his girlfriend one last look and a light shake of the head he moved to place it against the wall.
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Hermione shook her head. `Boys,' they were so overdramatic. He had really been expecting her to have an eppy just because he got Ginny a silly broom.
She was brought back to the game at hand when the Gryffindor stands erupted in another set of cheers, looking over she noticed that Ginny had just made another score. Wow, looked like having a new broom really did make a difference. Ginny had been playing like a pro today -this was her fifth score. Turning her head once more, Hermione scanned the partially cloudy skies for Harry. Not seeing him above her, she leaned over the railing to see if he was below. As she did she was startled by a set of light and dark blurs as Harry and Violet shot back into the sky, still chasing the snitch. Hermione let out an excited yell when Harry surged a foot above Violet only to halt a moment later with his hand outstretched. He had done it -he had caught the snitch. The Gryffindor stands went wild.
Harry circled the pitch briefly still holding the small golden ball, as he passed in front of her he gave Hermione a roughish grin and a wink. After slapping hands and congratulating the Puffs on a good game the Gryffindor team touched down on the grassy knoll. Hermione smiled as the Gyffs high-fived one another and clapped each other on the backs. However her smile faltered when Ginny Weasley launched herself at Harry and placed a light kiss directly on the older boys lips, before pulling away and launching herself at Ron in much the same manner… suspiciously minus the kiss.
Hermione fumed, `How dare she?! Right in the middle of an open pitch, to run up and just kiss Harry without even a by-your-leave! That two-bit huss-'
Her mutinous thoughts were cut off as Harry's worried green eyes flew to her. Hermione gave a shrug, a wave and a -somewhat strained -smile to her boyfriend. There was no way she was going to let him know that little display had affected her in anyway, she would never live it down. No, she was just going to pretend that she didn't care and make sure to have a little talk with Ginny later about how unattractive desperate women were. With that decision made and a quick thumbs up to both Ron and Harry, who were now looking up at her, Hermione made her way out of the stands and to the Gryffindor common room to await the Quidditch team.
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The common room was abuzz with activity as everyone talked excitedly about the great game that had just happened. Even though Gryffindor had blown Hufflepuff soundly out of the water, beating them two-hundred and thirty to fifty, every person still agreed that it had been a very electrifying game. As everyone continued to chatter enthusiastically Hermione couldn't help but notice that although the other students spoke of how strong the team played as a whole, Harry's catch of the snitch and Ginny's multiple scores with the quaffle were the main subtopics of conversation.
Speaking of Harry… Hermione chuckled as the dark-haired boy attempted to field questions from his adoring public about just where the snitch had lead him and Violet on their ten minute chase while simultaneously trying to extricate himself for the conversation and make his way back to her with their drinks. When Dean stepped in to comment on some of the Chaser strategies, Harry gave the other boy an appreciative smile and quietly slipped away from the small crowd.
"Thanks for your help," he muttered sarcastically as he joined her.
"Anytime," Hermione replied with an impish smile. "Oh Harry, my ice is half melted… can you go and get me another drink?" He threw her a disgruntled look. "No?" she laughed, "that's ok." She placed her wand to the top of her cup and quickly refroze her cubes before pointing at his cup and doing the same.
"Gee thanks," he commented with a scoff before taking a drink.
"What? You don't appreciate it when I'm considerate?" she inquired with a frown.
"If you were considerate you would have rescued me ten minutes ago," he answered dryly.
She chuckled, "Well maybe next time, I will," she leaned forward and continued in a low sensual tone. "That is if you're nice to me."
Harry smiled, "Really… how nice?"
Hermione arched a brow and stepped a bit closer to him, "Very nice."
His grin turned down right wicked, "I think I can-"
"Harry!" Ron called, interrupting them as he quickly made his way over. "We have a spot of trouble mate," he finished as soon as he reached them.
"Hello to you too, Ron," Hermione commented sarcastically, before taking a sip of her drink.
The redhead gave her a distracted wave. "Did you hear me Harry, I said we have a problem."
"I heard you, but what's the problem?" Harry responded, placing a hand on his mates shoulder to calm him down a bit.
"She knows."
"Who knows?"
"Ginny, she knows…"
Harry frowned for a minute before his eyes widened "You mean about the broom?" The other boy nodded somberly "How?"
Ron winced "Well… you see, she kind of ambushed me. I was walking back from Ravenclaw after saying goodnight to Luna and she was waiting for me around the corner. I tell you mate she hit me with so many questions that by the time she finished I was completely done over. I couldn't remember what I had and what I hadn't told her, and I damn sure couldn't remember what you had told her."
Harry sighed and ran an agitated hand trough his hair.
"So how did she find out?" Hermione interjected, at his confused expression she expounded. "What did you say that implanted your foot firmly into your mouth?"
Ron gave her an irritated look, "I did not have my foot-"
"Just get on with it Ronald," she interrupted impatiently.
He gave her an angry look but continued anyway. "Well, she asked how mum and dad could afford a brand new Firebolt, especially so soon after Christmas. She then asked me if I perhaps I had gotten confused about my facts and if I wasn't sure that it was from Fred and George instead… well -when she said that I saw it as a way out-"
"It wasn't a way out, it was a bloody trap you git," Hermione commented.
Ron threw her a disgruntled look, "Ok, see this is why we couldn't date," he looked at Harry. "Either she leaves or I do. I can't get through this with her interrupting me every two sodding seconds."
The dark-haired boy sighed and gave Hermione a pleading look.
She frowned, "Fine, but I want to know what happened."
When Harry nodded in agreement she gave Ron a disappointed shake of the head, turned and walked away. It was about five minutes later when she was talking to Verruca Salt, a foot or so away from Ron and Harry, that she saw Ginny Weasley enter the portrait to Gryffindor tower. When the redheaded girl paused at the threshold to scan the area; Hermione knew that she was looking for Harry. When Ginny spotted him her face lit up and she launched towards the dark-haired boy, just like she had after the game.
"Harry!" Ginny called out as she neared Hermione, giving a wave and an excited grin when his gaze flew to her.
From the look on her face and the twinkle in her eyes, Hermione discerned that as soon as the redhead reached Harry, she was going to kiss him just like she had at the Quidditch pitch. Next thing she knew Ginny flew past her, her long red hair trailing behind, and before Hermione realized it, her hand had reached out and grabbed the shiny tresses. Giving a firm yank she hauled the younger girl backwards, she landed on the ground just next to the brunette with a jarring `thud' and emitted a loud scream.
Hermione's eyes widened as she realized what she had just done, looking up she noticed that she wasn't the only one surprised by her actions as the startled gazes of every Gryffindor fixated on the Head Girl who had just de-scalped the star Quidditch Chaser.
"Spider!" Hermione yelled, quickly shaking her hands and jumping onto the nearest couch. "Huge spider… I think a tarantula got into your hair… you know, like the size that hang out in the Forbidden Forest!"
Her proclamation was followed by a flurry of screams, including another one from Ginny as students hopped on various peaces for furniture looking for the "huge" spider.
"Ahhhhh!" a voiced bellowed, everyone quickly turned to see Ron Weasley hopping around. "Get it off me! Get it off me!! I hate spiders, get it off me!!! It's under my robes!!! BLOODY SODDING HELL!!! SOMEONE HELP ME!!"
Hermione watched in shock as her ex-boyfriend allowed himself to be beaten my Dean, Seamus and Neville in an attempt to get the non-existent spider out of his robes. She was pulled out of her stupor when a hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her, pulling her towards the back of the room. Looking up she noticed the back of Harry's head as he quickly and nimbly lead her out of the common area and into her private one.
"What the hell were you thinking Hermione?! Were you thinking?!" He exclaimed, rounding on her as soon as they entered her sitting room.
"Harry I-"
"Perhaps you should be locked up, bleedin mental you are! I can't believe that you would put everything in jeopardy like that… I mean even Ron was catching on!" Harry continued cutting her off, she opened her mouth to respond and then snapped it closed and settled him with an annoyed glare. ""Honestly Hermione, you should be secure enough in our relationship and a mature enough person to be beyond such infantile conduct." She threw a pillow at him; Harry shook his head and gave her a look of mock reproach, "Perhaps it is my duty to explain… you know after your marvelously blood-gitten wank-tastic display of childish jealousy, that type of behavior really isn't necessary."
She huffed and bestowed him with a disgruntled look, "blood-gitten?"
He shrugged, "What? You got to make up a word for me, and it was the best I could come up with on such short notice."
"Ok fine, but you also used my word-"
"I know, but since you're little display of …er what was it, "childish jealousy" took place in front of the entire house as opposed to just Ron and Zach… I figured you deserved both," he finished with a smirk, dodging another pillow. "I mean honestly Hermione -a huge spider?"
She blushed and looked down at her hands, "Well it was the first thing I could think of."
"Why? Why did you do it anyway?"
"She was going to kiss you again."
"So," he replied, when she looked up he gave her a teasing grin. "I'm sure it would have been quite chastite."
"Harry," Hermione said giving him a look of warning.
He laughed and approached her pulling her into a loose hug, "Don't begrudge me this moment Luv, not after all of the snooty gloating I had to put up with."
She let out another huff, "You don't have to rub it in you know."
"Why not, you do?" Harry responded cheekily, giving her a light peck on the lips when she glowered up at him. "Look Hermione, it doesn't matter if any other girl fancies me, because there's only one girl I want to be with and she's in my arms right now. So it doesn't matter if Ginny, or another bird does or tries to kiss me -they won't have a chance because I only want you."
Hermione frowned at him, "She had a chance earlier."
"Well…. she caught me off guard earlier," Harry responded with an uneasy smile, quickly deciding that it was best not to mention what had happened at practice to his girlfriend.
"Well, she better not catch you off guard again," she finished testily.
He gave a boyish grin, "Don't worry Luv, she won't."
"Good."
"One more thing," Harry added, when Hermione gave him a questioning look he continued, "You need to realize that there is no one that I have ever loved or wanted more than you Hermione Jean Granger. So there is not need to act like a bleedin' headcase every time a bird says she fancies me or tries to kiss me, ok?"
She glowered for a moment, before shaking her head and giving him an amused look. "I don't know if I should hit you for being such a sodding prat, or kiss you for actually listening to and remembering everything that I said to you."
Harry laughed quietly, "I'd like to go for the kissing if you don't mind."
Hermione grinned and pulled his head down, giving him a long slow kiss.
"Mmm," she murmured when he pulled back.
"Mmm, indeed," he responded giving her a lazy smile for a moment before frowning. "You know what I just realized?" She shook her head, "It's bloody unfair."
"What?"
"I'm not allowed to maim, dismember or even disfigure any bloke who touches you, but you're allowed to scalp any girl who touches me."
Hermione released and indignant growl and Harry quickly ran, dodging various books and pillows that his girlfriend was throwing at him. After a moment he ran into her bedroom and she was in hot pursuit -a few minutes later the door closed with a soft `click' and Hermione's growls became anything but indignant.
A.N. That's it for this chapter, I guess Hermione should have kept those stones to herself ne? Did you notice my other movie reference in there… it's from one of my most favorite movies of all time -the original version that is, not the remake (even if the remake WAS closer to the book) Just call me a Gene Wilder fan girl ^.^. (grin) Stay tuned to see what happens next and PLEASE REVIEW!! Ja ne!
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