The Waltz

"Budge up McKinnon," yelled Michael Stonewall as he swerved his broomstick toward the goalpost, "you're in me way again!"

"I was trying to block for you!" replied Martha McKinnon as she shot an angry glare back at him.

"Go faster then!" Stonewall said, bringing the Quaffle back and firing it at the leftmost goal. McKinnon veered to the right, barely avoiding the shot, which sailed through the goalpost, just out of the reserve Gryffindor Keeper's reach.

McKinnon and Stonewall slowed and hovered in midair as a loud voice boomed from the other side of the Quidditch pitch.

"OY MATES! BRING IT IN!" yelled their Captain.

They turned and joined their teammates on the ground around their waiting Captain.

"Nice shot Stonewall," grinned Ron Weasley, the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He then looked at the pair and pleaded, "But will you please stop arguing with McKinnon? Just long enough for us to beat Ravenclaw, that's all I ask."

"You'd do better wishing for Slytherin to concede their points lead," Jack Sloper, one of Gryffindor's beaters joked. The others laughed.

"Shut it you prats!" glared Ron, rearing himself up to his full height, which was quite intimidating at just under two meters. He then turned back to McKinnon and Stonewall, both fourth year students. "I'm dead serious!" he said desperately. "Gryffindor hasn't lost the Cup since I was a first year, and I'm not about to lose it now!"

"I'll behave if he will!" said McKinnon. She glared at Stonewall, who glared back. They both looked away again.

"Look," continued Ron. "all we have to do is beat Ravenclaw by forty and we win the Cup. Forty points, that's it!" he finished, trying with all his might to will his team to victory.

"No problem Weasley," put in Andrew Kirke confidently, "we've got Potter as Seeker after all!"

Ron suddenly looked around as he noticed that Harry wasn't among them. "Wait...where is Harry?" he asked.

****

He finally spotted Harry with his sister Ginny, Gryffindor's third Chaser and leading scorer; she was also missing from the group. They were still flying high up in the sky, completely oblivious to their surroundings. A confused expression spread across Ron's face as he watched them circle each other and weave in and out of each others paths in a roughly figure eight pattern.

"What's up with those two?" asked Seamus Finnigin, who walked over from the stands where he had been watching with a group of fellow seventh year Gryffindors. "Is that some new secret strategy? he joked as Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Parvati Patil, and Lavender Brown walked up to join them.

"They've finally gone mad I suppose," shrugged Ron as they continued to watch Harry and Ginny weave through the sky.

"Are they chasing each other?" asked Neville in confusion as Harry and Ginny began looping tighter and closer to each other with each pass.

They watched the two flyers soar gracefully but slowly through the air for several minutes before Dean finally shook his head and said, "I don't think so. They're moving too slowly."

"I think they're dancing!" giggled Lavender. She and Parvati then began whispering excitedly to one another while Hermione began studying Harry and Ginny thoughtfully.

"Dancing? During Quidditch?" cried Ron in disbelief. "That's a load of rubbish! Why would Harry and Ginny start dancing in the middle of practice? And on broomsticks no less!" he finished in exasperation. He caught Seamus's eye and they smirked at one another.

"Women, that's all they think about," grinned Seamus.

"I suppose that's why you begged me to go to the Yule Ball last winter Seamus Finnigin," smirked Lavender.

"I didn't beg!" replied Seamus indignantly.

"Look!" laughed Parvati, pointing to the sky. Harry and Ginny had pushed up on their broomsticks and where now riding them like airborne surfboards. They embraced as if dancing to a waltz while their broomsticks carried them in slow circles around the pitch.

"Oh, bloody hell," Ron muttered, "they are dancing!" He tried to appear annoyed, but smiled in spite of himself.

"I think it's sweet," said Hermione, slipping her arm around Ron's waist. Ron surprised her by grabbing hold of her hand and twirling around with her in his arms. "Ron!" she grinned.

"What?" he replied, grinning innocently as Harry and Ginny spun happily overhead, perfectly in time to music only they could hear. Parvati, Lavender, and McKinnon continued to giggle amongst themselves.

"They're all mental," laughed Seamus, "the whole lot of em!"

Their jovial mood did not last however.

"Look out!" Neville yelled as several riders in black-hooded cloaks suddenly streaked towards them. The Gryffindors dove out of the way just in time, narrowly avoiding the black riders.

Ron stood angrily and helped Hermione to her feet. "Malfoy! It's gotta be!" he said as the black riders angled toward Harry and Ginny. "Bloody cheaters!" Ron snarled.

The riders suddenly sped up as they tried to ram Harry and Ginny. Their friends gasped in fear as Harry and Ginny sat back down on their brooms and shot out of their way at the last second.

The black riders then split into two groups. One followed Harry, the other followed Ginny. They twisted and turned in the sky above as the disguised Slytherins tried to follow them. Red sparks flew from the wands of the black riders as they tried to stun Harry and Ginny, who were too quick and agile to be caught.

When they were on opposite ends of the pitch from one another, Harry and Ginny finally turned to face each other and sped forward as fast as they could. The Slytherins followed right on their heels.

The Gryffindors on the ground cried out in fear as Harry and Ginny neared each other at full speed, angling right at one another. They pulled up at the last possible second and in a nearly impossible aerial display, shot straight up into the air, twisting upward in unison. Their friends cheered in awe.

The Slytherins, unable to stop or turn as quickly, slammed into one another. Fortunately for them they were only a few feet above the ground and none were injured too badly. Unfortunately for them, Professor McGonagall was monitoring the practice, and was very upset. They would receive detention for the remainder of the school year.

"You'll pay for that Potter, mark my words!" spat Draco Malfoy, lodged underneath Crabbe and Goyle.

The Gryffindors cheered enthusiastically as Harry and Ginny stood up on the stirrups of their brooms while the brooms were still vertical. They again embraced as if dancing to a waltz, with their broomsticks between them this time; Ginny's broom in Harry's right hand and Harry's in Ginny's left. Harry's other hand rested on the small of Ginny's back, while Ginny's right hand rested gently across Harry's left shoulder and behind his neck. They floated gently to the ground as they finished their dance and landed softly on the grass.

Their friends raced toward them.

"Hey guys," Harry grinned as he stepped onto solid ground. Ginny beamed beside him.

"That...was bloody brilliant!" exclaimed Ron breathlessly as he and Hermione rushed up to Harry and Ginny. Harry and Ginny blushed.

"Wherever did you learn that?" asked Hermione breathlessly.

"We just sort of made it up," Ginny said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, we were just having a bit of fun," Harry put in.

"A bit of fun?" Ron exclaimed in disbelief. He shook his head and grinned, "You two are a little scary sometimes, you know that? Next thing you'll be..."

"Completing each other's sentences," Hermione finished. She blushed as she looked at Ron, who also blushed before they both looked away. Harry and Ginny laughed.

"So, are we going to practice today or not Captain Ron?" Ginny asked, smiling sweetly as she hooked her arm through her brother's.

Ron glanced over at Harry and they both shrugged. "Well, come on then," he said. They walked back over to the others.