What Would Harry Potter Do?

"No, Ginny! You're too young to play with us."

Ginny hated her brothers. All six of them. They wouldn't let her play Quidditch with them, and she was mad about it. Mad as only a six year old girl can be.

They all thought she was too young, too small, or too stupid to play with them. But she just knew that she'd be good at Quidditch, if they'd give her a chance. But they never gave her so much as a second glance.

"Ron, can I please play with you?"

"No, Ginny, you're too young."

"Fred, tell Ron I can play!"

"Ginny, Mum needs some help in the kitchen."

"George! Tell them I can play with you!"

"Fred's right, Ginny. I'd let you play, but you have to help Mum."

"Why don't you help her?"

"Because you're the girl, and it's your job."

"Charlie! Ron and Fred and George are being mean to me!"

"Sorry, Ginny, can't talk now. I have to go kick Fred and George's butt in Quidditch."

She'd show them. Ginny would show them all.

One night, she snuck out of the house. It was dark, and she was a little scared. But she told herself that she had to do this. It was laughably easy to sneak out, as her family would never suspect that innocent little Ginny would ever leave the house, especially when it was dark and scary.

What would Harry Potter do?

She asked herself that every time she felt frightened. It had become a sort of slogan for her, ever since she could remember. Would Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, go back inside and hide under his covers? No! He'd march right out to the broom shed, take a broom, and fly it to his heart's content.

It never occurred to her that Harry Potter might be bad at Quidditch. He couldn't be, she told herself, he was Harry Potter. He had saved the world when he was only a baby, he would definitely be able to play Quidditch.

Harry Potter was brave, because he defeated You-Know-Who. Ginny never thought that he might not really be brave, and that it was an accident that he killed the evil wizard. He was Harry Potter, he had to be brave.

So Ginny marched right out to the broom shed, telling herself to be brave like Harry Potter. She opened the door of the broom shed, and stopped cold in her tracks. It was dark in there. There were funny shapes that looked like people. There might be ghosts waiting for her, or goblins that ate little girls. She couldn't possibly go in there, it was like walking into sudden death. Her skin got all creepy-crawly just standing at the door.

What would Harry Potter do?

Ginny took a deep breath and walked into the shed. She was relieved to find that the menacing dark shapes were just broomsticks, and the creepy-crawly feeling went away as her eyes adjusted to the dark. She grabbed a broomstick at random and hurried out of the shed.

Ginny almost turned back again as she walked to the grove of trees that the boys used as a Quidditch pitch. There were dark shadows under the trees, much too dark to be just the tree shadows. Some evil thing lay in wait for her, just out of sight. She had heard about lethifolds, strange shadow creatures that ate people. There were probably some under the trees, and they were going to eat her!

What would Harry Potter do?

Ginny took a deep breath and kept walking, keeping her gaze straight ahead. There was nothing under the trees, she told herself. Just her imagination playing tricks on her. Stupid imagination.

She reached the Quidditch pitch without being viciously mauled by a scary creature. She mounted her broom, or rather, she mounted Fred's broom. She took a deep breath to steady herself. This was not a good idea.

Ginny decided that she should get right off that broom and go back inside. What if she got caught? What would Mum and Dad think if they knew that she had snuck out of the house? She was going to be in so much trouble. She hastily dismounted from the broomstick.

What would Harry Potter do?

Harry Potter would fly the broomstick. He wouldn't let his overbearing big brothers run his life. He'd do whatever he pleased, and wouldn't let anyone stop him. She just knew that he would.

So Ginny clambered back onto the broomstick, and took off before she could change her mind.

Wow! This was fun! The rush, the sweep, the whoosh. She couldn't think why she hadn't done this sooner. She soared through the sky, her vivid hair streaming out behind her. She did twirls, flips, and loops through the air.

Why, Ginny was a natural. She didn't ever want to get down off this broomstick. She wanted to stay on here, flying through the wild blue yonder forever. She wanted soar through the sky, and let everyone else eat her dust.

Ginny created her own imaginary world, in which she was flying on the fastest racing broom there was. She heard the announcer call, "I give you...Weasley!" She heard the roar of the crowd as she soared through the air, carrying the Quaffle to the other team's hoops.

Ginny dodged an imaginary bludger, and narrowly avoided a collision with a member of the other team. She was flying closer and closer to the goal posts...she had left the other team far behind...she threw the Quaffle with easy skill...it flew past the defending keeper...she scored!

Ginny continued to fly until the sky turned faintly pink. She sat on her broomstick, high in the air, and watched the sun rise over the hills. Her family would be up in a few hours, so she flew back down to the ground.

As she walked down to the broom shed, she noticed that there was nothing under the trees. She put the broomstick back into the shed, and saw that there were no goblins in it. She trooped back up to the house, promising herself that she'd have to fly again, and soon!

Ginny snuck back up to her bedroom and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over her. As she fell asleep, her last thought made her smile.

Harry Potter would have been proud of her.

--------------------

Nine years later, fifteen year old Ginny Weasley soared past Malcolm Baddock on her broomstick. It wasn't the fastest broomstick in the world, but it suited her needs.

Gryffindor versus Slytherin, the grudge match of the Quidditch season. To top it off, they were playing for the Quidditch Cup. The rivalry was intense, with Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy opposite each other as seekers. Gryffindor was sadly behind 150 points. They had to score again before Harry could catch the snitch, or they'd tie. They couldn't tie Slytherin for the Cup, it would be humiliating.

Ginny dodged a bludger, sent her way by Crabbe, and looked towards her fellow chaser, Lavender Brown.

"Oi!" Ginny called, and Lavender turned to look at her. Seeing that Ginny was open, Lavender passed her the Quaffle. Ginny took it and tore down the pitch, Crabbe and Goyle on her heels.

"Look out!" Harry called, and Ginny ducked in time to avoid another bludger. She raced down the pitch, fast approaching the Slytherin goal posts.

One of the Slytherin chasers, Blaise Zabini, was blocking her way. If Ginny swerved away, Crabbe and Goyle would catch up to her while she tried to get back on course.

What would Harry Potter do?

Ginny dived under Blaise's broomstick, and Blaise joined Crabbe and Goyle in the fun game called "Eating Ginny's Dust."

Ginny made it to the Slytherin goal posts, and challenged the keeper with her gaze. She feinted left, and the keeper dived. Ginny reversed and threw the Quaffle towards the right hoop, and it sailed through as easily as if it had wings.

"GRYFFINDOR SCORES!" boomed Lee Jordan. "Amazing work by Ginny Weasley, and if Harry Potter can catch the snitch, Gryffindor will win!"

Ginny grinned cheekily at the Slytherin keeper, who glared at her maliciously. She glared right back before turning back to the game. Katie had dropped the Quaffle, and Malcolm Baddock was flying towards the Gryffindor goal posts with it. Ginny sped towards him.

She quickly caught up with him, but trailed slightly behind him as he continued to make his way towards the goal. When he pulled his arm back to throw the Quaffle, she put on an extra spurt of speed and swerved in front of him.

Baddock was so surprised that he dropped the Quaffle. Speeding downwards, Ginny caught the red ball and zoomed in the opposite direction with it. She passed it to Lavender, who passed it to Katie, who headed towards the Slytherin end of the pitch.

A roar from the crowd interrupted her concentration. "It seems that the seekers have seen the snitch!" yelled Lee. "Potter and Malfoy both dive for the snitch, they're neck and neck!"

Ginny turned to where a red blur and a green blur were diving straight down. If she wasn't mistaken, the red blur seemed to be slightly ahead of the green blur.

Forgetting her chaser duties, Ginny hollered along with the crowd.

"COME ON, HARRY!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, unconsciously leaning forward on her broomstick as she urged Harry on.

Harry abruptly pulled out of the dive, his fist held in the air. Ginny let out a triumphant yell as she sped down towards Harry.

"Harry Potter has caught the snitch!" Lee shouted. "GRYFFINDOR WINS THE CUP!"

Ginny hurriedly dismounted from her broom and hugged Harry, along with the rest of the team. The team fell to the ground, still hugging each other, laughing and yelling.

"We won!" Ginny hollered.

"We won!" Harry echoed her.

That night, no one in the Gryffindor common room was doing homework, not even Hermione. They were laughing and having a grand time, exhilarated with their victory. Ginny and her teammates were the stars of the evening, with everyone congratulating them and slapping them on the back.

Ginny was laying contentedly on a sofa by the fire, a butterbeer in her hand, and watching the fireworks that Seamus and Dean had set off.

"Hey," said a low voice in her ear. She turned to see Harry standing behind the sofa. She sat up to make room for him, and he walked around the couch and sat down beside her.

"You did great today," Ginny told him.

"Yeah, I guess," he said. "But we wouldn't have won if you hadn't scored that goal. You were amazing."

She blushed under his praise. "Thanks, Harry."

He smiled at her, before asking, "Have you seen Ron and Hermione?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "They're probably off snogging somewhere."

"Don't remind me," Harry said, shuddering.

Ginny laughed at him. Then she started to chant, "Ron and Her-mi-one are in luuuvvv!"

Harry covered his ears. "La, la, la, I'm not listening!"

Ginny laughed again.

"Well," Harry said, uncovering his ears. "Thanks a lot for that, Weasley. Just what I needed, a mental picture of my two best friends...eurgh..."

"Anytime," Ginny said.

Harry stood up, and Ginny looked up at him. "You did great today, Ginny," he said.

"You too, Harry."

"I'm going to bed. Would you tell Ron and Hermione if they ask?"

"They're too busy snog-ging!" Ginny sang.

"Thanks, Ginny, really," Harry said sarcastically. Then, to Ginny's surprise, he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight, Ginny," he said, and walked away.

Ginny stared after him, a slow smile starting to appear on her face.

What would Harry Potter do?

Ginny abruptly left her seat, following Harry to the stairs. Harry continued walking, unaware of her presence. She cleared her throat. Harry turned to her, and started to speak.

Before he could say anything, she walked up to him and kissed him soundly on the lips. He was surprised, but he quickly recovered and kissed her back.

They broke apart, and Ginny noted with satisfaction that Harry looked a little dazed.

"Goodnight, Harry," she said, and walked back down the stairs.

That's what Harry Potter would do.