Ginevra, What Were You Thinking?

Chapter 7: The New Team and . . . Lunch?

Uhhh! This is crazy, Gin!

I know, but I can't sleep--especially not with you making so much racket inside my head.

Why don't you just go down there, and get it over with?

I told you. He's not posted the results yet. It's only two in the morning.

Well, you can consider this payback. What are you so worried about, anyway? You know you made the team.

I do not know that, either.

Ginny argued with herself on and off for the next couple of hours, and she finally drifted off at around four-thirty.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," began Harry warily, "but you didn't make the team."

At her stunned look, Harry explained further. "McGonagall and Katie wanted to have you on the team, but I just don't think it would be a good idea."

"Why not?" Ginny asked, anger rising within.

"Well, I figured . . ." Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "Look, it's just not smart. Everyone'll think that you only got on the team because you're my girlfriend."

Did he just call me his girlfriend? That prat. He drops me from the team, and then he has the nerve to call me his girlfriend.

"Oh," replied Ginny heatedly, "when did you decide that I was your girlfriend? You'd think I'd have been privy to information of that sort. Besides, since when do you care what people think? I'm a good player; I know it; the fans know it, and you know it, Harry Potter."

"Well, Malfoy--"

"Malfoy?! Harry, that ferret was the one who started that awful song about Ron last year, and we won the Quidditch Cup! Or did you forget? I guess it's not truly a win unless the great and powerful Harry Potter is at the head of it. You just can't stand to have the attention off of yourself for one second, can you?"

Ginny stared hard at Harry, willing him to say that it was a joke, that she'd made the team, after all. Unfortunately, Harry didn't. Instead, his face began to transform--like he was using a polyjuice potion, and the hour was up.

Ginny blinked her eyes and saw Hermione standing beside her, along with Ginny's fellow fifth years. "Ginny?" Hermione tried for the dozenth time. "Ginny, are you okay? You were hollering. You woke the girls up, and I could hear you yelling from my room."

"What?" Ginny glared at her clock, which now read 6:15. She had been dreaming. "I'm okay; it was just a dream, I guess."

"What kind of dream would provoke you to such spectacular yelling?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I--I don't remember," lied Ginny.

"Well, go back to sleep, then. It's too early to be up."

Ginny apologized to everyone, and when they were gone, she slid back under the covers, pondering her dream.

Why did you lie to Hermione?

I didn't want to tell her about my dream.

You mean, you didn't want to tell her what you really think of Harry.

What do you mean? You know I like Harry.

Well, your dream would suggest otherwise. Why else would you yell at Harry about wanting all the attention? You know perfectly well that he's never wanted any attention. Besides, your dream-Harry seemed like a bit of a jerk.

So, it's your turn to psychoanalyze, is it? I don't need you in there telling me what I think of Harry. I bloody well know what I think of him.

The subconscious is a powerful thing, Ginevra.

Ginny's argument did nothing for her good humor. In fact, by the time she was ready to go downstairs, she was too busy being ill at herself to notice the throng of people gathered around the message board. Instead, she opened the portrait hole and headed towards the infirmary, for the pounding inside her head was only becoming more intense.

By the time she reached Madam Pomfrey, the incessant drumming had calmed slightly, but Ginny still wanted to get some kind of headache potion, and a dreamless sleep potion wouldn't hurt, either.

Madam Pomfrey took one look at Ginny and told her to lie in the bed in the far corner of the ward. When the healer brought Ginny's potions, Ginny requested that she be allowed to sleep and have no visitors. Madam Pomfrey obliged and conjured some curtains to block Ginny's bed.

***

It was early afternoon before Ginny woke up to a grumbling stomach. If she hurried, she'd still make it to the Great Hall in time to grab a bite to eat.

Unfortunately, Ginny didn't make it that far before a throng of Gryffindors came running up to her.

"Ginny!" called a voice from its midst.

"Harry?" Ginny recognized that voice.

Looking around, she finally spotted Harry, and he was grinning from ear to ear. "Hey, Harry. What's everyone so excited about?"

Harry gave her an odd look before answering. "I just posted the new Quidditch team roster for Gryffindor. You didn't forget, did you?"

"Actually, yeah, I did." Ginny's curiosity got the best of her, so she dismissed her dream of that morning from her conscious. "So, what's the verdict?"

"Er--how about I just show you? We'll take a walk up to the Tower; surely the common room's cleared out by now."

"Okay." The growling in her stomach forgotten, Ginny accompanied Harry back up towards the common room.

Upon arriving, Harry grabbed her wrist before letting her get close to the message board.

"Now, Ginny," he started, "don't be angry with me."

Ginny didn't notice the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and she tensed before responding sweetly in her best impersonation of Umbridge, "What would I have to get mad about?"

"I'm not sure if you'll like my choices; that's all."

Swallowing back a scathing remark that strongly resembled her biting comments from her dream, Ginny wordlessly walked towards the post.

She squealed when she saw what was written there, and without thinking, she spun and threw her arms around Harry. He didn't stiffen, but Ginny swiftly dropped her arms when she realized what she was doing.

Something akin to amusement danced through Harry's eyes as Ginny turned a delicate shade of pink.

What are you blushing for?

Um . . . I just hugged Harry.

Since when do you turn red after hugging a boy?

I don't know.

Well, you need to explain yourself to him, then.

"I figured you'd be pleased," Harry said before Ginny had a chance to make good on the command from her conscience.

"What was that about me being angry, then?"

"I was teasing, Ginny," Harry explained. "So, what do you think of your teammates?"

"All girl Chasers. Continuing the tradition, eh?"

"Something like that, anyway," Harry grinned. "I decided to keep Sloper and Kirke--they have more experience, and they seem to have practiced over the summer."

The pair started towards a fireside sofa to discuss the new team, but they were interrupted when Ginny's stomach made a loud grumbling sound.

Harry raised his eyebrows and asked, "Hungry?"

"I guess so, but it's too late for lunch now."

"Not to worry," said Harry. "Follow me."

Ginny wasn't sure, but she suspected the place they might be going. She knew where the kitchens were; Fred and George had shown her during a lucid moment in her first year, and she made periodic trips down there to nick some treats.

When they came to the passage that would lead them towards the kitchens, however, Harry kept walking. A little skeptical now, Ginny continued to follow Harry as he led her to the third floor.

When they arrived outside the Room of Requirement, Harry stopped. "Harry, what are we doing up here?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Well, Hermione would flay me if I ever snuck down to the kitchens, and since I have a witness this time, I figured I'd better not chance it. So, we'll eat in here. With everyone hounding me all morning, I haven't gotten a chance to eat, either."

Ginny didn't speak as Harry turned to walk past the door three times.

This is so cool. Harry and me. Me and Harry. Alone.

Yeah, well, you'll figure out a way to screw it up.

A candlelit dinner. Wouldn't that be nice?

No! Do you think he'd wish for a candlelit dinner after what you did back in the common room?

Harry finished his pacing and moved to open the door. When he did, however, he didn't go in. Instead, he just stood staring into the room. Ginny, wondering what was wrong, moved to have a look. What she saw stopped her in her tracks, too.