Catch Me If You Can

Harry Potter circled the Quidditch pitch on his broomstick as he watched his teammates fly below him, scrimmaging against their reserve team. This was supposed to be the last practice before their last match of the year, which was against Ravenclaw.

As it stood, Gryffindor was in second place by thirty points with one match left. Slytherin had taken a commanding lead earlier in the year by handing Ravenclaw one of their worst defeats ever, but then had been flattened by the powerful Hufflepuffs in their last match. Now, all Gryffindor had to do was win by forty points, as Ron Weasley, their Captain, had reminded them constantly for the last few weeks. Oliver Wood would have been proud, Harry thought to himself in amusement as he remembered Wood doing the exact same thing before the last match of Harry's third year.

Harry was brought out of his reverie as Ginny Weasley, the team's star Chaser, rolled out of the path of an oncoming reserve player before drop kicking a sharp pass forward to Gryffindor's other Chasers, Michael Stonewall and Martha McKinnon. Brilliant move, Harry thought, watching Ginny shoot forward to block an opposing Chaser from tackling Stonewall, who had taken the pass and was now soaring toward the scoring area. McKinnon was out ahead of Stonewall, blocking...and arguing with him most likely.

Harry shook his head. Those two are going to kill one another someday, he thought, watching them yell back and forth. He smirked. Either that or they'll wind up dating. Harry laughed as he suddenly thought of Ron and Hermione.

****

Ginny Weasley rolled out of the reserve Chaser's path as she rocketed across the Quidditch pitch. Nice try, she thought, grinning slyly. She spotted Stonewall and McKinnon up ahead and stood up on her broom's stirrups so that she could kick the Quaffle to them. She dropped the Quaffle and kicked it as hard as she could. The ball soared over the other reserve Chasers' heads and landed in Stonewall's hands. He shot forward, angling toward the goalposts.

Ginny saw the opposing Chaser who she narrowly avoided earlier now closing in on Stonewall. She gripped her broomstick tighter and shot forward. She easily caught up to the Chaser and cut into her path. Ginny's ploy worked, as Stonewall fired the Quaffle unhindered through the leftmost goal. "Nice try Alice," Ginny grinned at the reserve Chaser. Alice Green shook her head and flew toward the other side of the pitch.

Ginny frowned as she turned toward McKinnon and Stonewall who were still arguing. Honestly! If they don't kill one another, I'll do it for them, she thought. She was about to go and tell them so when her brother's voice boomed from the other end of the pitch.

"OY MATES! BRING IT IN!" he yelled.

Ginny glared after Stonewall and McKinnon as they passed by, still arguing. She sighed in exasperation and looked up in the sky. She was surprised to find that Harry was still there, and not heading toward Ron with the rest of the team. She flew up to join him.

Harry was smiling to himself and seemed lost in thought. He didn't seem to see her as she approached from the side. "You okay?" Ginny asked in concern as she pulled up next to him.

Harry finally noticed her and his smile broadened. This caught her off guard slightly, as he rarely smiled these days. "Still arguing are they?" he asked as if continuing a conversation they had been having all along.

"Sorry?" Ginny asked in confusion.

"McKinnon and Stonewall," replied Harry, still grinning.

"Yeah, and it's getting bloody annoying!" said Ginny darkly. "If they cost us the match," she began.

"They'll do fine," said Harry confidently, thinking again of Ron and Hermione. If those two could quit arguing and work as well together as they did, then anyone could.

"What makes you so sure?" Ginny asked in curiosity.

Harry laughed. "Well, for one thing, I don't think Ron would let them," he said.

It was Ginny's turn to laugh now. "Yes, he has become rather controlling hasn't he?" she said in amusement. "Is that why you're still up here?" she asked.

Harry nodded. "If I have to listen to his speech one more time I'll go mad," he said. He looked over at Ginny in amusement. "He's been practicing it you know," he began, "when he thinks no one is watching."

Ginny shook her head. "Was Wood ever this unbearable?" she asked. "I know Fred and George used to complain about him constantly," she said wistfully, thinking of her brothers.

"Wood was worse," Harry replied immediately. "Think Percy, but with a Quidditch obsession," he said, chuckling as Ginny's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Ah. That's why they always complained," she laughed.

Harry kicked himself mentally for mentioning Percy. His actions during the war had never sat well with Ginny or the rest of her family, and had become a point of contention between them. The only noticeable reaction was a slight tightening at the corners of Ginny's mouth. She had laughed at Harry's comment, but the laughter hadn't reached her eyes.

Ginny noticed Harry's concern and patted his hand in reassurance. Nothing needed to be said between them. They could see in each other's eyes that the comment required no forgiveness. Their love for one another was unconditional, and always had been.

They had begun dating the previous year, when Harry had finally realized his feelings for Ginny. More than anyone else, she had helped him recover from his Godfather's death, and had become a source of strength for Harry, especially when things looked the darkest. And vice versa for Ginny, for only those closest to her knew that Tom Riddle still haunted her nightmares. But the nightmares had become less frequent, blocked out by Harry's love for her.

They both suddenly realized that they had been gazing into each other's eyes for several seconds. They looked away in embarrassment. "We should get back," Ginny said finally.

Harry shook his head uncertainly. "I'm not sure I'm ready just yet," he said, giving Ginny a look that made her pulse race.

She smiled mischievously. "What could we possibly do then, all the way up here?" she asked playfully. Harry shrugged. A thought then occurred to her, and she said simply, "Catch me."

"Come again?" asked Harry.

"Catch me, if you can," Ginny grinned.

"What are you going on about?" Harry asked in confusion.

"What? The great and powerful Boy-Who-Lived and his mighty Firebolt aren't up for a little challenge?" Ginny asked playfully.

"You mean a race?" Harry asked in anticipation.

Ginny shook her head. "More like tag," she said. Harry nodded in understanding. "So catch me Harry Potter," she grinned, "if you can!" She took off like a shot, with Harry following closely behind.

****

Harry followed as closely as he could, but every time he closed in on her, she shot off in another direction. Harry nodded in appreciation. She is good, he thought, as she veered off again. But he wasn't yet up to full speed. He was still gauging how fast she was, and he had to admit that he was quite impressed. It would be tough to catch her, even at full speed.

****

They continued their game of cat and mouse, or Seeker and Snitch as Ginny would have preferred, for several more minutes, with Ginny narrowly avoiding Harry's grasp several times. But a strange thing seemed to be happening. Instead of going faster and faster, they were slowing, and falling into a pattern, or more precisely, a rhythm. Ginny had gradually slowed earlier, wanting to be caught by Harry, but Harry had slowed as well. Ginny then slowed even more, thinking that Harry was just being thick, and needed a little nudge to get him going. But she had got caught up in what she now realized was a dance. And from the look on Harry's face, he had realized it as well.

****

Harry was mesmerized by what was occurring. He had always enjoyed flying, but this was a new sensation, an added depth. And he wished it would never end, that he wouldn't have to go back to being the Boy-Who-Lived, the one destined to fight Lord Voldemort. He just wanted to be Harry, just Harry, having a dance with the girl he loved.

He had so much to worry about outside of Quidditch that it sometimes threatened to overwhelm him. He had gladly accepted Ron's appointment to team Captain. Harry didn't need that added responsibility. And besides, nobody deserved to be Captain more than Ron. He knew more about Quidditch than anyone Harry knew after all. But when Dumbledore made Harry Head Boy, Harry hadn't exactly been pleased. But leading Dumbledore's Army for almost three years had been helpful, in that being Head Boy was almost the same thing, except on a larger scale. And even though the Prefects did most of the work, the responsibility still weighed heavily on him. But that weight was temporarily gone as Harry danced through the sky with Ginny. And laughter that he didn't know he still had rang out in the summer sky.

****

Harry and Ginny finally pulled even, and the looks on their faces said it all. It can't end yet! What's next? Harry smiled and climbed atop his broomstick, riding it like an airborne surfboard. Ginny did the same. They then flew as close together as they could, and embraced as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be doing while riding a broomstick. They performed several circuits around the pitch, completely oblivious to everything around them.

Ginny sighed as she rested her head on Harry's chest. "I never want this to end," she said in contentment.

"Me neither," said Harry, holding her tighter.

A whistling sound suddenly caught his attention. He looked around in curiosity, trying to see what it was. His eyes suddenly narrowed in anger and an all too familiar frown crept back onto his face. "Malfoy!" Harry growled.

They turned in time to see several dark cloaked riders, Malfoy and his cronies from their builds, streaking right at them. Harry and Ginny dropped back down onto their broomsticks before veering out of the way just in the nick of time.

Harry and Ginny hesitated in mid-air as they considered what to do. "Harry?" Ginny asked in alarm, concern etched on her face, not just for their predicament, but also for Harry's suddenly cold demeanor.

Harry noticed her concern, and the icy cold that had spread through his veins suddenly vanished, and was replaced by the warmth of Ginny's love. Harry smiled reassuringly. "I'll meet you in the middle," he replied before taking off like a shot.

Ginny darted off in the opposite direction; sure that she would know what Harry was talking about when she came to it. Several of the disguised Slytherins followed her; the others split off and followed Harry. Flashes of red streaked past her as she raced around the pitch. Nice try, she thought confidently, but you'll never catch me this day!

Harry, on the other hand seemed to be toying with those trying to follow him. He had slowed so suddenly at one point, that when the disguised Slytherins had tried to stun him, they had hit several of their comrades instead when Harry suddenly wasn't there anymore.

Harry finally halted on one end of the pitch, and watched Ginny evade her pursuers. She looped through one of the goalposts on the opposite end of the pitch and sped toward the middle of the field. Harry raced off to meet her.

****

Ginny sped toward the middle of the pitch at full speed. She could see Harry coming toward her from the other end of the pitch. Meet him in the middle? What does that even mean? They continued to speed toward each other, directly at one another. There's no turning back now, she thought as she willed her broomstick to go even faster. What now Harry? What now? She began to panic. Wait, she thought. She smiled in realization. Finish the dance.

****

Harry sped towards Ginny at full speed. Finish the dance Ginny, he thought. Finish it! Would she understand? Harry knew that she would. They had been perfectly in tune all day after all.

****

Harry and Ginny streaked toward one another, closer and closer, until it appeared that it was too late for them to turn. There was no way that they could avoid one another now. They would collide and would be lucky if they weren't killed in the process.

But what happened next, left all those present speechless. Just when their broomsticks should have collided, Harry and Ginny's brooms shot straight up into the air in an impossibly tight climb. The remaining Slytherins slammed into one another and fell to the ground.

****

Ginny held on for dear life as she pulled off the most miraculous maneuver of her entire life. Her stomach had dropped into her shoes and her vision was blurring slightly from the force of the climb, but she continued to hold onto her broom. She chanced a look upward and saw the clouds spinning above her. She looked around for Harry and found him directly in front of her, or beneath her, depending upon your angle. They appeared to be a reflection of one another as their broomsticks and knees were almost touching.

They twisted upward in unison for several more feet as their heads cleared.

Harry finally stood up on the stirrups of his broom while keeping it vertical. "Gin?" he asked in concern. Ginny stood up to join him, so that they were now face to face. Their brooms continued to twist slowly upward. Harry smiled in relief when he saw her. "Shall we finish our dance now?" he asked.

Ginny nodded and Harry slipped his arm around her waist. Ginny placed her arm across Harry's shoulder and gently gripped the back of Harry's neck. They began to float back toward the ground, spinning as if being lowered on a string.

"Thank you for today," Harry whispered softly into Ginny's ear. He felt her smile as she rested her head on his chest. They continued to float slowly to the ground, which loomed closer and closer, signaling the end of their dance. "So, did I win?" Harry asked playfully.

Ginny looked up at Harry and smiled mischievously. "What do you think?" she whispered as she pulled Harry forward into a kiss.