Chapter 1

It had been an excellent Quidditch match Harry thought to himself, as he finished changing in the Gryffindor locker room. The party in Gryffindor tower, which was sure to already be underway by now, would be one for the books. Harry had caught the snitch ending the game and jumping Gryffindor up an extra 150 points, but, for once, it really hadn't mattered. No if Gryffindor owed this match to anyone it had been Ron. His performance as keeper had been truly spectacular tonight. As such Harry had wanted this particular night to be Ron's. So while everyone else had stampeded up to Gryffindor tower, cheering all the way, Harry had taken his time changing, and was just now stowing away his Firebolt in the equipment tent.

"Amazing what a little confidence can do." He said to himself.

"It sure is" came Ginny Weasley's voice from behind Harry, having just entered the equipment storage herself. Evidently having decided to stow her broom before heading off to the girls changing area. "That is by far the best performance my idiot brother has ever managed. I sure hope that wasn't just a fluke up there. With Wood, Fred, and George all gone Gryffindor's taken quite a hit to our line up the last few years, and wouldn't it just be like Ron to be a one game wonder!"

"Oh come on Ginny" Harry replied "Ron just…"

" Got lucky!" Ginny interrupted "Very lucky if you ask me. But…. I guess I shouldn't worry too much" Ginny continued. Harry could hear the change in her voice it had become much slower almost sickly sweet, "Gryffindor's always got The Chosen One out there don't we?" Harry turned around to let Ginny see him fain a laugh at her ridiculous joke, though not a very funny one in his opinion!

However the instant he'd turned to face her, Harry's brain seemed to turn to mush. Some how without his noticing, Ginny had gotten so close to Harry, that when he'd spun round his noise had passed right over the top of her fiery red hair.

"Ginny ugh…" but Harry couldn't seem to manage a coherent thought let alone a sentence.

What was going on? He thought to himself. Ginny had practically thrown herself at him for years, but Harry had never had the slightest interest in his mates little sister. Actually those first three years or so she'd really made him quite uncomfortable with all the hero worship. He'd never forget Malfoy's insufferable chants of Got yourself a little girlfriend potter, after that ridiculous Valentine she'd sent him in second year.

Harry's mind was snapped back to his present predicament by Ginny, who had reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder leaning in even closer. "After all, has the famous Harry Potter ever really lost a game ?" she whispered

"Well there was that time Cedric beat meet to the snitch in 3rd year" Harry replied nervously, becoming more uncomfortable by the minute.

"True and it only took you falling more then a hundred feet off your broom, after being attacked by nearly as many Dementors, at just the right moment for him to do it." Ginny answered a devilish grin on her face "…and still the boy who lived, lived up to his name. Didn't he?" she breathed in Harry's ear.

There it was again, a haze was coming over him, the same one that had all too often and always so suddenly since the start of term, and always it was accompanied by this particular Weasley's sudden appearance. He could smell Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle polish, it must have rubbed off her broom on to her robes while she had been flying. Harry loved that smell, he had ever since the first time he'd smelt it. It had been upon opening his broom stick servicing kit on his 13th birthday. To this day his all time favorite birthday gift, and it had been from Hermione of all people, who thought about as much of Quidditch as He did of History of Magic.

He couldn't help it now, so close was the top of her head to the tip of Harry's noise that with every breath he was inhaling the wondrous scent of what, Harry figured, must be Ginny's shampoo. It smelled like a mixture of treacle tart and Honeydukes chocolate. Oh If only Hermione could appear now to rescue him from this precarious predicament, Harry wished.

"A hem" came a noise from the opening of the tent. Hermione was standing at the entrance to the equipment tent "sorry" she said blushing profusely; clearly she hadn't expected to walk in on this particular scene. Harry was stunned, had she actually somehow read his thoughts and heard him asking for her? Hermione was about as skilled as legilimency as he was, which was basically not at all. Though in her case, as far as Harry knew, she hadn't taken nearly a semester worth of private lessons on the subject with Professor Snape. If she had she'd have mastered it in about 6 days rather then the 6 months he spent failing at it.

"I just… well everyone's looking for .., well you two" said a crimson faced Hermione. "Seamus and Dean are throwing a bit of a celebration of the match in Gryffindor tower and well apparently Seamus won't let them start till the whole team is up there."

Harry seized the opportunity to separate himself from Ginny. He couldn't remember ever having felt so relieved in his life, and given his experiences over the last 6 years at Hogwarts, that was saying something.

"Right then Hermione." he said, beaming back at his bushy haired best friend "You and I can head back up together, Ginny here, still needs to change I think."

Harry could see Hermione's brow crinkle up as she opened her lips slightly. She clearly wanted to respond but was at a loss for what to say. Harry had always found this particular expression amusing on her. Unfortunately it was so unusual , at least it seemed to Harry, for Hermione not to hold the answer to everything, that he had rarely seen it. A shame he thought to himself, maybe it was the rosiness in her cheeks but something about it was really quite cute on this specific occasion.

Hermione must have realized she was going as red as Ginny's Quiddich robes because all she could say was "Rather chilly out isn't it?" Harry choose to ignore this, making a beeline for the exit and was half way out the door when he prodded,

"Coming Hermione?"

"Oh ah right," she managed "se… see you in the common room then Ginny" and followed Harry out of the tent.