FIC--When You Figure Out You, Come Back to Me, chapter three by almond_joyz
For ithinkiamlost
Title: When You Figure Out You, Come Back to Me, chapter three
Author: almond_joyz
Words: 2833
Pairings:Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Zacharias/Ginny
Summary: Accrued vacation time, an injury, and two people who never really got over each other make for an interesting scenario.
Betas: queenb23more and lunalovepotter
The stadium was teeming with excitement, something Harry had missed. He breathed in the smells of the food vendors and aromas of the various blends of Butterbeer and other beverages. The roar of the crowd sped up his heartbeat and he couldn't take his eyes off the groups of people. It felt like the Quidditch World Cup of 1994 all over again. His first thought, once again, was ‘I love magic!’
“Quit your gawking, Harry, and get a move on!” Ron nudged him from behind impatiently. “I would've been happy to sit where I usually do, you know."
Harry knew he was lying. "Shut up, Ron." He paused on the step and turned around, flashing a half-grin at his best friend. "I do know the number of times that I've had to listen to you complain that you couldn't see anything from over there. You can stop complaining now. We're here."
He indicated the row for their seats, noticing the looks he was receiving from people who recognized him.
"How much did these cost you?" Hermione's concern was evident in her voice. "You never spend like this."
He stood aside so his friends could slide into the aisle. "And here I thought you actually wanted to watch Ginny's match."
"Harry Potter!"
"Harry!"
"Mr Potter! A few pictures, please?"
Cameras flashed before him and he was surrounded by reporters all wanting a piece of him. He was suddenly reminded why he didn't go to Quidditch matches any more. It always happened this way. The last straw had been when he'd taken Teddy to a Cannons match and the little boy fell due to the flashes and all the pushing, needing to see a Healer for a cut on his lip and a black eye.
"I have an order from the Minister of Magic for you to stay away from me!" Harry waved a piece of parchment in the air, causing all the reporters to blanch and back away. "Each office should have received one."
Cameras and Quick-Quotes Quills soon disappeared and they left en masse down the steps. With a satisfied smile, Harry slid into his seat and placed his hands behind his head and his feet on the ledge in front of him.
"Sometimes it's really nice to be Harry Potter."
- - - - - - - - - -
Ginny paced nervously in the changing room, blocking out most of her captain's pep talk. She caught bits and pieces of it, most notably remarks and snide comments about her break up with Zacharias. She was embarrassed enough when her teammates thought it would be funny to plaster the cover of that damned magazine all over the changing room walls but then to be reprimanded like a primary schoolgirl for ditching him so close to the match was the last straw. She tuned everything out after that. Her personal life had nothing to do with her performance on the Quidditch pitch.
"...and Weasley!"
Ginny spun around, her robes swirling about her frame. "Yeah?"
"Try not to anger the Beaters."
She sneered at her captain and the giggles her teammates gave her. Why was she the one who had to endure this type of shite from them? She wasn't the only one who had a public break up; she wasn't the only one who had dated another Quidditch player.
Together, the team left the changing room with their brooms on their shoulders. This, Ginny had to admit, was her favourite part of Quidditch. The sound of the crowd always excited her, knowing that they were there to see her...little Ginny Weasley. She glanced to the left, where the 'Ginny Weasley Fan Club' normally gathered. She smiled at the ever-present white banner hanging from the stands that read, 'I'd gladly let Weasley score on me!' It was all in fun and yes, the majority of the 'fan club' were male, but she didn't care. Right next to the banner hung a new one: 'Smith was a pillock anyway. Good riddance.'
They were right. She was better off and couldn't dwell on it. She had a match to play. Mounting her broom, she zoomed off into the air alongside her team and her stomach fluttered in anticipation, the way it always did at the beginning of every match. The announcer below her introduced the referee, a wiry, Indian wizard who had been at the match against Wimbourne. He wasn't much better at officiating than Snape had been, but he always called an equal amount of fouls and never favoured one side or another.
With a whoosh, the Quaffle was released into the air and she zoomed forward, feeling the rush of wind in her air and whipping her robes behind her. She caught the red ball and fell into formation with her fellow Chasers.
"Three!"
Ginny nodded at the lead Chaser and veered to the left, weaving side to side as she flew. The opposing Chasers flew at her, trying to displace her from the broom, but she held tight and did a barrel roll, which garnered a chorus of cheers from the crowd. A few metres from the left goal, she passed the ball behind her back to one of her teammates, who quickly scored.
The cheers from the crowd made her grin widely and she happened to look to her right, near the top of the stands, and her stomach flipped. Black hair, glasses, and green eyes. Their eyes met for a moment and he smiled. Her stomach flipped before she took off in the other direction.
- - - - - - - - - -
He stood, transfixed, as Ginny sped off to continue the match. In that one fleeting moment, Harry knew that whatever he had felt for her was still there, somewhere. Memories rushed back and played inside his brain: kissing her in broom cupboards, touching her idly as they sat in front of the common room fire, the heat of her thigh next to his as they ate dinner in the Great Hall. Then, like a splash of ice cold water, he remembered that she didn't want to be with him, that she was with Zacharias Smith. With a huff, he sunk back into his seat.
"Hey, what's the matter there, mate?" Ron stood towering over him, shielding the sun from his eyes.
"N-nothing. I'm okay." He suddenly wished he hadn't spent the money on the tickets.
Ron looked around anxiously. "I know she saw you and if you didn't stick around, she'd be taking it out on me. And then you'll have to go to my funeral and Hermione'll be a widow. You don't want that to happen, now do you?"
Despite his mood, Harry chuckled. "Fine. But do I have to go to the party at The Burrow afterwards?"
"There isn't one. GO GO....YES!!!" Ron jumped up and pumped his fist into the air. "That's my SISTER!" He spun around and high-fived spectators around him. "Stand up, Harry. I can't talk to you down there."
Harry got to his feet and caught a glimpse of Ginny celebrating what he assumed to be another goal.
"No party? There's always a party." Harry watched as Smith and the other Appleby Beaters batted the Bludgers closer and closer to the Chasers, almost as if they were playing ping pong.
"Mum and Dad are in France. Fleur's popping out another one. Hey! That's a foul!" When no whistle came from the official, Ron swore brilliantly.
"Ronald!"
"Hey, love, gimme a break. I have my best girl, my best friend, and Quidditch. I have everything I could want." He leaned over and kissed his wife deeply, making Harry turn away and blush.
"This is a family atmosphere, keep it clean." Harry nudged him in the ribs and turned his attention back to the players.
The match was speeding along nicely, with both teams exchanging goal for goal. The Snitch was elusive today and even Harry had a difficult keeping an eye on it. Ginny was flying incredibly well and he chastised himself for not attending more matches. She had already scored three goals and dodged more Bludgers than he thought was necessary.
"What does Smith have against Ginny today?" The player in question had aimed every ball at his girlfriend, and Harry didn't like it one bit.
"They broke up."
Well now...
- - - - - - - - -
Ginny gripped the Quaffle tightly and her eyes widened as she saw the Bludger zoom toward her. At the last moment, she turned sharply to the left and dodged the maniacal ball. Gritting her teeth, she just knew that Zach had hit it, like all the other times, right at her. He was being utterly spiteful about their break up, completely contradictory to the way he acted on Sunday afternoon when he left.
She shook the thoughts of Zach out of her head, swooshed to the right, and tossed the ball to one of the other Chasers, who dived to avoid yet another Bludger.
Where the hell are our Beaters?She'd love to see someone on the other team get whacked for a change. Preferably, the Beater with blond hair and wearing the number four.
The Quaffle spun towards her again and she caught it. Taking aim at the far left goal post, she lined up her shot, concentrating on the hoop.
"Weasley!"
"Fuck!" She hated it when she was distracted as she was ready to throw. She spun around on her broom and lost all the air in her lungs. Both Bludgers were speeding toward her at breakneck speed. The Quaffle fell from her hands and she turned back around. The Bludgers were relentless in their pursuit, following her every move.
"Where the hell are the Beaters?" her voice rang out as she passed Gwenog.
"Dunno. They're gonna get their arses kicked that's for sure!" The captain sped off in search of the Snitch.
Lowering her body onto the broom, she took off and just missed intercepting the Quaffle, which regretfully went through the hoops, garnering the Arrows another ten points. The red Quaffle flew through the air at her and she caught it handily, circling around to the other side of the pitch. Right in front of her was Zach, smirking evilly at her. He raised his bat and swung at her arm, trying to dislodge the ball.
"Ooooof!" Pain rushed up her left arm but she managed to hang onto the Quaffle. Another Chaser moved beside her and Ginny gave her the ball, hugging her arm close to her side.
She tried to signal to Gwenog for a time out, but she was chasing after the Golden Snitch. Ginny wanted Gwenog to hurry up and catch that damned ball almost as much as she wanted some analgesic potion. Her eyes were starting to blur from the pain and she just knew that Zach had broken her arm with the swing of that bat. The side of her head throbbed but she continued on, getting into formation with her fellow Chasers.
"Ginny, watch out!" That was Harry's voice.
She began to turn around but the Bludger slammed into the small of her back, sending her off her broom and into the summer air.
- - - - - - - -
Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched with gaping mouths as Ginny tumbled off her broom, helpless to do anything from this distance. Thankfully, the official slowed her progress while the medical team ran onto the pitch with a stretcher.
"Excuse me, Mr Weasley."
Ron turned his ashen face to the stadium official behind him.
"Come with me. Your sister needs a family member as we transport her.”
Ron swallowed, tears threatening to fall. Harry couldn't look away.
"Yeah, yeah. My wife? And...and Harry?" Ron looked pleadingly at Harry, begging him to accompany him to his sister's side.
The man looked at Harry and straightened up, visibly thrilled to have Harry Potter at his pitch.
"Of course. Follow me."
Camera flashes followed them down the stairs and Harry didn't care that they were in violation of the restraining order. His Ginny was hurt, pretty badly he reckoned, and at the moment, he had no energy to fight them on this. Silently, Harry planned on several ways of killing or severely maiming Zacharias Smith and was pretty confident that Ron was doing the same. The blow to her arm was simply mean and aiming the Bludger at her back like that deserved at least some sort of reprimand from the league.
"Ron, what's your reaction to your sister's accident?"
"Is your family going to sue Smith and the Arrows?"
"Do you think Ginny asked for it by tossing him out the way she did?"
The last question stopped Harry in his tracks. He spun and grabbed the reporter by the collar and pulled him even with his eyes.
"No one, I repeat, no one deserves to be hunted down the way she was out there, no matter what goes on in their personal life." With a shove, Harry left the man slumped on the stairs.
Another reporter approached him. "So does that mean you and Gin-Gin are an item? Is that why you're going down there? Are you the reason she chucked him?"
Harry gritted his teeth as he recognised the reporter in question: Romilda Vane. Of all the people in the stands, it had to be her.
"No. I'm a friend of the family and obviously Ron wants me there." He withdrew his wand from its holster and waved it at her. "Incarcerous!" He waved his wand again and a Ministry seal formed on her robes, quickly followed by handcuffs around her wrists. Her note pad and quills sealed themselves inside a large evidence envelope. "And you, Romilda Vane, reporter for Witch Weekly, are in violation of the restraining order and are hereby under arrest. You have the right to remain silent even though I know you can't and have the right to representation which I'm sure your employer will provide. Anything and everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law and I'll make for damned sure you get what's coming to you, you little manipulative bitch! Do you understand these rights or do I have to explain them like I'm talking to a three-year-old?"
Romilda weakly nodded and was soon flanked by two Aurors, who had been summoned once the seal was placed upon her robes.
"And to all you other reporters, I'll need the notes you just took for the investigation. You understand, don't you?" Harry held out his hand and silently Summoned several notepads from their owners which he handed over to his colleagues. "Thank you for your cooperation."
He turned around and smiled as he descended the stairs, catching up with Ron and Hermione a few steps from the bottom. They were led onto the green grass of the pitch and his heart ached as he saw Ginny lying on the crisp white stretcher, silent and unmoving. The medical team was waving wands over her lower body and wore grave looks. Even with his limited medical knowledge, Harry knew things weren't good. That blow to the back had to have done some major damage.
Ron dropped to his sister's side and grabbed her hand, muttering words to encourage her to open her eyes. Hermione knelt beside him and rubbed his back comfortingly. Harry stood statue-like, his memories taking him back to the Chamber of Secrets. He thought that was one of the worst days of his life, but this...this was very nearly as bad.
Her hair, which she wore chin-length now, was splayed over the head of the stretcher and he yearned to touch it, to see if it was as smooth as he remembered it to be. Smudges of dirt were on her cheeks and her goggles were down underneath her chin. There was barely any movement in her chest, and he quickly wondered if she was even breathing.
Finally, she sighed and the tension washed out of his body. Harry watched as her eyes fluttered open and focused first on Ron, who was openly crying, and then on Hermione. Harry couldn't help but fall onto his knees beside his friends. He wanted to reach out, to take Ginny in his arms and comfort her in any way he could but resisted. He was only a friend, and a really bad one at that.
"Gin...Ginny, how're you feeling?" Ron brushed back her hair and watched while the medical team continued their on-field assessment.
"Gonna...kill...Zach," she groaned, wincing against the pain. "Why...why can't I feel my legs?"
Title: When You Figure Out You, Come Back to Me, chapter three
Author: almond_joyz
Words: 2833
Pairings:Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Zacharias/Ginny
Summary: Accrued vacation time, an injury, and two people who never really got over each other make for an interesting scenario.
Betas: queenb23more and lunalovepotter
The stadium was teeming with excitement, something Harry had missed. He breathed in the smells of the food vendors and aromas of the various blends of Butterbeer and other beverages. The roar of the crowd sped up his heartbeat and he couldn't take his eyes off the groups of people. It felt like the Quidditch World Cup of 1994 all over again. His first thought, once again, was ‘I love magic!’
“Quit your gawking, Harry, and get a move on!” Ron nudged him from behind impatiently. “I would've been happy to sit where I usually do, you know."
Harry knew he was lying. "Shut up, Ron." He paused on the step and turned around, flashing a half-grin at his best friend. "I do know the number of times that I've had to listen to you complain that you couldn't see anything from over there. You can stop complaining now. We're here."
He indicated the row for their seats, noticing the looks he was receiving from people who recognized him.
"How much did these cost you?" Hermione's concern was evident in her voice. "You never spend like this."
He stood aside so his friends could slide into the aisle. "And here I thought you actually wanted to watch Ginny's match."
"Harry Potter!"
"Harry!"
"Mr Potter! A few pictures, please?"
Cameras flashed before him and he was surrounded by reporters all wanting a piece of him. He was suddenly reminded why he didn't go to Quidditch matches any more. It always happened this way. The last straw had been when he'd taken Teddy to a Cannons match and the little boy fell due to the flashes and all the pushing, needing to see a Healer for a cut on his lip and a black eye.
"I have an order from the Minister of Magic for you to stay away from me!" Harry waved a piece of parchment in the air, causing all the reporters to blanch and back away. "Each office should have received one."
Cameras and Quick-Quotes Quills soon disappeared and they left en masse down the steps. With a satisfied smile, Harry slid into his seat and placed his hands behind his head and his feet on the ledge in front of him.
"Sometimes it's really nice to be Harry Potter."
- - - - - - - - - -
Ginny paced nervously in the changing room, blocking out most of her captain's pep talk. She caught bits and pieces of it, most notably remarks and snide comments about her break up with Zacharias. She was embarrassed enough when her teammates thought it would be funny to plaster the cover of that damned magazine all over the changing room walls but then to be reprimanded like a primary schoolgirl for ditching him so close to the match was the last straw. She tuned everything out after that. Her personal life had nothing to do with her performance on the Quidditch pitch.
"...and Weasley!"
Ginny spun around, her robes swirling about her frame. "Yeah?"
"Try not to anger the Beaters."
She sneered at her captain and the giggles her teammates gave her. Why was she the one who had to endure this type of shite from them? She wasn't the only one who had a public break up; she wasn't the only one who had dated another Quidditch player.
Together, the team left the changing room with their brooms on their shoulders. This, Ginny had to admit, was her favourite part of Quidditch. The sound of the crowd always excited her, knowing that they were there to see her...little Ginny Weasley. She glanced to the left, where the 'Ginny Weasley Fan Club' normally gathered. She smiled at the ever-present white banner hanging from the stands that read, 'I'd gladly let Weasley score on me!' It was all in fun and yes, the majority of the 'fan club' were male, but she didn't care. Right next to the banner hung a new one: 'Smith was a pillock anyway. Good riddance.'
They were right. She was better off and couldn't dwell on it. She had a match to play. Mounting her broom, she zoomed off into the air alongside her team and her stomach fluttered in anticipation, the way it always did at the beginning of every match. The announcer below her introduced the referee, a wiry, Indian wizard who had been at the match against Wimbourne. He wasn't much better at officiating than Snape had been, but he always called an equal amount of fouls and never favoured one side or another.
With a whoosh, the Quaffle was released into the air and she zoomed forward, feeling the rush of wind in her air and whipping her robes behind her. She caught the red ball and fell into formation with her fellow Chasers.
"Three!"
Ginny nodded at the lead Chaser and veered to the left, weaving side to side as she flew. The opposing Chasers flew at her, trying to displace her from the broom, but she held tight and did a barrel roll, which garnered a chorus of cheers from the crowd. A few metres from the left goal, she passed the ball behind her back to one of her teammates, who quickly scored.
The cheers from the crowd made her grin widely and she happened to look to her right, near the top of the stands, and her stomach flipped. Black hair, glasses, and green eyes. Their eyes met for a moment and he smiled. Her stomach flipped before she took off in the other direction.
- - - - - - - - - -
He stood, transfixed, as Ginny sped off to continue the match. In that one fleeting moment, Harry knew that whatever he had felt for her was still there, somewhere. Memories rushed back and played inside his brain: kissing her in broom cupboards, touching her idly as they sat in front of the common room fire, the heat of her thigh next to his as they ate dinner in the Great Hall. Then, like a splash of ice cold water, he remembered that she didn't want to be with him, that she was with Zacharias Smith. With a huff, he sunk back into his seat.
"Hey, what's the matter there, mate?" Ron stood towering over him, shielding the sun from his eyes.
"N-nothing. I'm okay." He suddenly wished he hadn't spent the money on the tickets.
Ron looked around anxiously. "I know she saw you and if you didn't stick around, she'd be taking it out on me. And then you'll have to go to my funeral and Hermione'll be a widow. You don't want that to happen, now do you?"
Despite his mood, Harry chuckled. "Fine. But do I have to go to the party at The Burrow afterwards?"
"There isn't one. GO GO....YES!!!" Ron jumped up and pumped his fist into the air. "That's my SISTER!" He spun around and high-fived spectators around him. "Stand up, Harry. I can't talk to you down there."
Harry got to his feet and caught a glimpse of Ginny celebrating what he assumed to be another goal.
"No party? There's always a party." Harry watched as Smith and the other Appleby Beaters batted the Bludgers closer and closer to the Chasers, almost as if they were playing ping pong.
"Mum and Dad are in France. Fleur's popping out another one. Hey! That's a foul!" When no whistle came from the official, Ron swore brilliantly.
"Ronald!"
"Hey, love, gimme a break. I have my best girl, my best friend, and Quidditch. I have everything I could want." He leaned over and kissed his wife deeply, making Harry turn away and blush.
"This is a family atmosphere, keep it clean." Harry nudged him in the ribs and turned his attention back to the players.
The match was speeding along nicely, with both teams exchanging goal for goal. The Snitch was elusive today and even Harry had a difficult keeping an eye on it. Ginny was flying incredibly well and he chastised himself for not attending more matches. She had already scored three goals and dodged more Bludgers than he thought was necessary.
"What does Smith have against Ginny today?" The player in question had aimed every ball at his girlfriend, and Harry didn't like it one bit.
"They broke up."
Well now...
- - - - - - - - -
Ginny gripped the Quaffle tightly and her eyes widened as she saw the Bludger zoom toward her. At the last moment, she turned sharply to the left and dodged the maniacal ball. Gritting her teeth, she just knew that Zach had hit it, like all the other times, right at her. He was being utterly spiteful about their break up, completely contradictory to the way he acted on Sunday afternoon when he left.
She shook the thoughts of Zach out of her head, swooshed to the right, and tossed the ball to one of the other Chasers, who dived to avoid yet another Bludger.
Where the hell are our Beaters?She'd love to see someone on the other team get whacked for a change. Preferably, the Beater with blond hair and wearing the number four.
The Quaffle spun towards her again and she caught it. Taking aim at the far left goal post, she lined up her shot, concentrating on the hoop.
"Weasley!"
"Fuck!" She hated it when she was distracted as she was ready to throw. She spun around on her broom and lost all the air in her lungs. Both Bludgers were speeding toward her at breakneck speed. The Quaffle fell from her hands and she turned back around. The Bludgers were relentless in their pursuit, following her every move.
"Where the hell are the Beaters?" her voice rang out as she passed Gwenog.
"Dunno. They're gonna get their arses kicked that's for sure!" The captain sped off in search of the Snitch.
Lowering her body onto the broom, she took off and just missed intercepting the Quaffle, which regretfully went through the hoops, garnering the Arrows another ten points. The red Quaffle flew through the air at her and she caught it handily, circling around to the other side of the pitch. Right in front of her was Zach, smirking evilly at her. He raised his bat and swung at her arm, trying to dislodge the ball.
"Ooooof!" Pain rushed up her left arm but she managed to hang onto the Quaffle. Another Chaser moved beside her and Ginny gave her the ball, hugging her arm close to her side.
She tried to signal to Gwenog for a time out, but she was chasing after the Golden Snitch. Ginny wanted Gwenog to hurry up and catch that damned ball almost as much as she wanted some analgesic potion. Her eyes were starting to blur from the pain and she just knew that Zach had broken her arm with the swing of that bat. The side of her head throbbed but she continued on, getting into formation with her fellow Chasers.
"Ginny, watch out!" That was Harry's voice.
She began to turn around but the Bludger slammed into the small of her back, sending her off her broom and into the summer air.
- - - - - - - -
Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched with gaping mouths as Ginny tumbled off her broom, helpless to do anything from this distance. Thankfully, the official slowed her progress while the medical team ran onto the pitch with a stretcher.
"Excuse me, Mr Weasley."
Ron turned his ashen face to the stadium official behind him.
"Come with me. Your sister needs a family member as we transport her.”
Ron swallowed, tears threatening to fall. Harry couldn't look away.
"Yeah, yeah. My wife? And...and Harry?" Ron looked pleadingly at Harry, begging him to accompany him to his sister's side.
The man looked at Harry and straightened up, visibly thrilled to have Harry Potter at his pitch.
"Of course. Follow me."
Camera flashes followed them down the stairs and Harry didn't care that they were in violation of the restraining order. His Ginny was hurt, pretty badly he reckoned, and at the moment, he had no energy to fight them on this. Silently, Harry planned on several ways of killing or severely maiming Zacharias Smith and was pretty confident that Ron was doing the same. The blow to her arm was simply mean and aiming the Bludger at her back like that deserved at least some sort of reprimand from the league.
"Ron, what's your reaction to your sister's accident?"
"Is your family going to sue Smith and the Arrows?"
"Do you think Ginny asked for it by tossing him out the way she did?"
The last question stopped Harry in his tracks. He spun and grabbed the reporter by the collar and pulled him even with his eyes.
"No one, I repeat, no one deserves to be hunted down the way she was out there, no matter what goes on in their personal life." With a shove, Harry left the man slumped on the stairs.
Another reporter approached him. "So does that mean you and Gin-Gin are an item? Is that why you're going down there? Are you the reason she chucked him?"
Harry gritted his teeth as he recognised the reporter in question: Romilda Vane. Of all the people in the stands, it had to be her.
"No. I'm a friend of the family and obviously Ron wants me there." He withdrew his wand from its holster and waved it at her. "Incarcerous!" He waved his wand again and a Ministry seal formed on her robes, quickly followed by handcuffs around her wrists. Her note pad and quills sealed themselves inside a large evidence envelope. "And you, Romilda Vane, reporter for Witch Weekly, are in violation of the restraining order and are hereby under arrest. You have the right to remain silent even though I know you can't and have the right to representation which I'm sure your employer will provide. Anything and everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law and I'll make for damned sure you get what's coming to you, you little manipulative bitch! Do you understand these rights or do I have to explain them like I'm talking to a three-year-old?"
Romilda weakly nodded and was soon flanked by two Aurors, who had been summoned once the seal was placed upon her robes.
"And to all you other reporters, I'll need the notes you just took for the investigation. You understand, don't you?" Harry held out his hand and silently Summoned several notepads from their owners which he handed over to his colleagues. "Thank you for your cooperation."
He turned around and smiled as he descended the stairs, catching up with Ron and Hermione a few steps from the bottom. They were led onto the green grass of the pitch and his heart ached as he saw Ginny lying on the crisp white stretcher, silent and unmoving. The medical team was waving wands over her lower body and wore grave looks. Even with his limited medical knowledge, Harry knew things weren't good. That blow to the back had to have done some major damage.
Ron dropped to his sister's side and grabbed her hand, muttering words to encourage her to open her eyes. Hermione knelt beside him and rubbed his back comfortingly. Harry stood statue-like, his memories taking him back to the Chamber of Secrets. He thought that was one of the worst days of his life, but this...this was very nearly as bad.
Her hair, which she wore chin-length now, was splayed over the head of the stretcher and he yearned to touch it, to see if it was as smooth as he remembered it to be. Smudges of dirt were on her cheeks and her goggles were down underneath her chin. There was barely any movement in her chest, and he quickly wondered if she was even breathing.
Finally, she sighed and the tension washed out of his body. Harry watched as her eyes fluttered open and focused first on Ron, who was openly crying, and then on Hermione. Harry couldn't help but fall onto his knees beside his friends. He wanted to reach out, to take Ginny in his arms and comfort her in any way he could but resisted. He was only a friend, and a really bad one at that.
"Gin...Ginny, how're you feeling?" Ron brushed back her hair and watched while the medical team continued their on-field assessment.
"Gonna...kill...Zach," she groaned, wincing against the pain. "Why...why can't I feel my legs?"