Watching Ginny Weasley

Draco Malfoy watched her from across the pitch; she flew gracefully, like a swan, only her pace was less than leisurely. Red, red hair bound tightly in a plait streaming behind her added to the streamlined grace that was Ginny Weasley as she flew, expertly executing a move he hadn't seen a chaser actually pull off since the last Quidditch World Cup game he attended. She was beautiful and he absolutely hated her for it. His mouth snarled into an ugly frown; he was utterly disgusted with himself--pining after a Weasley! The shame of it!

The sun light bounced off her hair once more, catching Draco's attention again. He sighed and decided it would be all right to stay a little while longer--to watch her a little while longer--until the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw match ended. A slight smile touched his lips as he thought of the last Gryffindor/Ravenclaw match, wherein one Virginia Weasley (he assumed that was her name) caught the snitch right out from under Cho Chang's nose; it was a victory he silently celebrated. She was brilliant as a seeker as well as a chaser, though, he admitted to himself and himself alone, it was much better for all considered now that Potter had reclaimed the Gryffindor seeker position; Draco was quite certain he'd never be able to search for the snitch with her as competition.

Scowling again, he reminded himself of just how distracting having her on the pitch at all--broom gripped tightly betwixt her muscled thighs, her vibrant red hair streaming behind her as she zigzagged about, and the brief, glorious expression of pure joy whenever she scored a goal--while he was attempting to find and catch the snitch was going to be. His scowl darkened as he willed his body to not react any further to the images that had just risen in his mind. Slytherin's next quidditch match was going to be a bloody pain in the arse.

In the Ravenclaw section of the quidditch stands, Michael Corner was also brooding as darkly as Malfoy--though, unbeknownst to both boys, over the same redheaded Gryffindor chaser. Michael was cursing his own poor judgment as he watched Ginny Weasley fly across the pitch. She was quite beautiful when she looked so determined. He remembered it as one of the things he had truly loved about her. He also remembered her smiles, her kisses, and just how soft her skin felt. Unintentionally, his eyes sought out the person whose kisses he had been receiving lately.

Cho's raven hued hair was plaited similarly to Ginny's, and shone when the sun caught it as well. She was very much a lovely girl, though, Michael decided, not quite as lovely as Ginny. Or, perhaps, he mused, they were different types of lovely all together. Cho's beauty was classic, refined, and sleek whereas Ginny's stemmed from her good cheer, expressive features, and sense of fair play. Where Ginny's laugh rang harmoniously and clearly, Cho's giggles were high and dainty. It was about comfort versus class, vibrant versus subdued, and really a matter of what one preferred. Michael sighed. At the moment, he quite preferred Ginny's laughing face to Cho's tearful one and Ginny's throaty, approving moans to Cho's squeals whenever he touched her.

He watched Ginny score another goal for Gryffindor and wondered just what he had been thinking when he'd gone to comfort Cho at the end of the last Gryffindor/Ravenclaw match instead of apologizing profusely to one rather livid Ginny Weasley.

In the Gryffindor stands, Dean Thomas' eyes were glued to his girlfriend as she flew recklessly around the pitch. Next to him, Seamus sat mooning over his and Lavender's latest quarrel. However, Dean couldn't be bothered to comfort his best mate while his girl was flying around like a kamikaze pilot. It was the first Gryffindor match of the season and he was very nervous to see the girl he was falling for out there, risking herself just to score a goal.

A bludger flew at her and she was barely able to dodge it. Dean fumed. If one more bludger went her way, he was going to have some rather unpleasant words with those Ravenclaw beaters. She zoomed past the Gryffindor stands and he swore she threw him a saucy wink. He chuckled slightly, nerves still on edge, as she flew towards the Ravenclaw goals once more. As if on some signal, she passed to Katie Bell, who had acquiesced the title of captain--despite seniority--and passed it on, not to Harry, but to the strategy-minded keeper, Ron Weasley. Katie swooped in and scored once more. In seconds, Ravenclaw was in possession of the quaffle and heading for a weathered looking Ron--he'd been hit by no less than three bludgers throughout the course of the already lengthy match.

Ginny, in what could be construed as anything from sibling solidarity to just plain insanity, rushed the Ravenclaw chaser holding the quaffle. She swung into him, hard. Despite their clearly unequal size (Ginny being obviously smaller than her opponent), the Ravenclaw chaser wavered and his grip on the quaffle was loosened. She swung wider and harder into him and the quaffle bounced from his hands into the waiting ones of the team's newest addition, Natalie MacDonald, who zoomed back towards the Ravenclaw goals.

Dean, who had been out of his seat and screaming obscenities at his girlfriend, plopped back down on the bench, resolving to have a few words with Ginny after the match. If she ever scared him that bloody bad again, he was going to...well, it sure as hell would be pretty, that was for sure.

Another Gryffindor watched the progress of the youngest Weasley around the pitch with an interest that was decidedly less than brotherly as well as being less than professional and hinted on increasingly fascinated. Instead of hunting relentlessly for the snitch, Harry Potter couldn't keep his eyes off Ginny Weasley. It was this summer that he finally noticed Ginny as more than just another Weasley. She and Hermione had gone shopping in some muggle boutiques for Ginny's birthday, which was in early August, and had come back with two slightly risqué bikinis. Ginny and Hermione had snickered and giggled and outright guffawed as the boys goggled at the two of them; the former wearing a loud purple, blue, and green bikini that had more strings than it did stretches of fabric and the latter in an understated black two-piece suit.

Harry shook his head to clear it of the image; picturing Ginny in that was most definitely not what he needed during a quidditch match, especially if he planned to stay on the broom, let alone catch the snitch. He tore his eyes away from her and searched about for the snitch. As his eyes flit about for the elusive, winged ball, he heard a loud thwack! and the crack of bones breaking below him. The crowd groaned loudly and he could swear he heard Dean Thomas shouting about murdering the Ravenclaw beaters. His eyes widened; he was quite certain Dean hadn't been that upset all three times Ron had been hit by a bludger and could hardly imagine his reaction being for anyone other than Ginny. He looked down and saw that his deduction was correct; Ginny Weasley had been hit by a bludger and was gasping in pain as she was levitated onto a floating stretcher by Madam Pomfrey.

Ron seemed torn between forfeiting the match so he could follow Ginny to the hospital wing and continuing play. He nodded to Harry and called a time out. Harry flew down to him. The team huddled together and it was decided that they should continue, with Harry trying his damnedest to find the snitch as quickly as possible so as to end the match. Once play resumed, it was only a matter of minutes before the Gryffindor seeker caught the snitch right out from underneath Cho Chang's nose.

Neville Longbottom was, surprisingly, one of the first to reach Ginny in the hospital wing. He was followed closely by Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Colin Creevy, Hermione Granger, and Luna Lovegood, who had shone an extraordinary reaction time for one as...mellow as she. Neville stood back with the rest as Madam Pomfrey portioned off the area around Ginny's bed. They waited patiently for Madam Pomfrey to heal Ginny and, once they were allowed to see her, all rushed to her. They were all more than a little disappointed as they realized she was out cold. Hermione questioned her and Madam Pomfrey explained that she had given Ginny a sleeping draught so she would not be conscious while her bones slowly healed themselves. Neville winced, remembering his broken wrist in his first year.

Just as the group was preparing to leave, the rest of the Gryffindor quidditch team came barreling into the hospital wing, concern written clearly on all their faces. Harry and Ron immediately began to bombard Hermione and Madam Pomfrey with questions. As soon as they had their answers, the two joined Dean, who had opted to stay and sit with his girlfriend for a bit while she recovered. Scowling in reproach yet still acquiescing to their requests, Madam Pomfrey conjured two more chairs for the extra boys. Neville stared longingly at Ginny's sleeping form for a minute or two before a hand slipped into the bend of his elbow. Startled, he turned to face the owner of the hand. Luna's protuberant grey eyes stared back at him.

"The cat has already found her mouse, Neville."

She said, cryptically and tugged him out of the hospital wing. Neville found himself not entirely minding the hand she kept on his arm, though his heart still sat in the hospital wing with Ginerva Molly Weasley (he knew this was her real name as they had discussed names once or twice before) and the three other Gryffindors who kept vigil over her healing body.