Archive of Our Own ^beta

This was it. The last match of the year. The last match of her final year.

Hogwarts felt different this year, quieter, even lonelier. None of her brothers were around, and neither were Hermione or Harry, they had all graduated back in June. The only familiar face that remained from their year was Neville, who had taken to shadowing Professor Sprout to learn more about Herbology. It suited him, really.

And this past month, time had passed in a blur. Everyone was either freaking out about the N.E.W.T.s, or having tense, serious meetings with McGonagall to discuss career options. Or both.

The pressure of the looming exams was almost unbearable, even for Ginny, even though she wasn’t going to take them. So, she spent every free period training on the Quidditch field, flying and pushing her body past its limits. It was the only thing that gave her peace and quieted her mind, the sound of her broom cutting through the air. She wanted to win this match more than anything; it was the final, against Slytherin no less. With Harry out of the team this year, they had been a bit tied with the Slytherins. Not that they were much better without Malfoy, though, but still. There was also the pressure of various recruitment scouts coming over, and while it was exciting, it only made her more anxious. She was hoping one of them was from the Holyhead Harpies.

Everything was great. She was going to do well.

Last year, she had spent a great deal of time practicing with Harry. She was going to substitute him as the Seeker, and that was no small task, so she had to be prepared.

Hours upon hours were spent on the Quidditch pitch, sharpening her reflexes, learning how to read the wind, pushing herself harder. Harry had been patient with her, encouraging, and it had felt natural, comfortable. She had always admired Harry, both on and off the pitch.

But as the months passed and they trained together, something shifted. The more time they spent side by side, the more she began to realize that the spark she had once felt wasn’t quite what she thought it was. There was no rush of butterflies when he smiled at her, no breathless anticipation when their hands brushed. Looking back, she now understands that he was feeling the same way Ginny was. A deep affection between them, but one that friends have. And seeing him with Malfoy now, she sees how Harry Potter is when he’s in love. Those two, though… that’s a topic for another time.

They finally talked about it and came to the realization that they were better as friends. That made her think: had she always been confusing friendship with love? Proper romantic love? Had she been wrong this whole time? Her mind was a mess, thinking about it endlessly. She even began obsessing over it, rethinking everything she did and said, doubting herself.

Until everything became clear. And oh boy, when it did.

They were in the Great Hall having breakfast, the usual morning buzz filling the air, clinking cutlery, distant laughter, the hooting of some owls arriving. She couldn’t even remember who else was there besides Luna and herself. They were talking about something that had happened the night before when Ginny made a snarky comment about it, which made Luna turn to look at her and laugh. She just laughed. Amusement dancing in her clear blue eyes. And wasn’t it an angelic sound? It might sound sappy, but sweet Merlin, Ginny swore she had never heard anything like it. Light and sweet, completely genuine and kind. Can a laugh be kind? She didn’t know, but if some could, Luna was the one. She wanted to bottle it up and keep it forever. How she hadn’t noticed her laughter before was beyond her, truly.

Luna’s eyes sparkled with mirth as her laughter began to fade, but the smile was still there, warm and pure. And suddenly, there was only her in the vast Great Hall; the rest faded into nothing. Ginny couldn’t see or hear anyone else. No one else mattered. Nothing else did.

It might have been two minutes or two hours, Ginny wouldn’t have known. She didn’t come back to her senses until someone softly spoke to her.

‘Ginny’ Someone said, probably Neville, with a frown between his brows. When she finally looked at him, he asked ‘Are you alright?’ He sounded a bit exasperated, as if he had already asked her that.

Ginny felt her face grow hotter, a blush spreading from her neck to her ears. Embarrassing, honestly.

‘Yeah, yeah’ She responded nonchalantly ‘it’s, er…, the fireplace’

‘Sure’ He didn’t seem to believe her, not entirely, but she was not concerned about that at the moment, not when Luna was also looking at her with those dreamy pale blue eyes. She felt the blush deepen in colour so she fled the room with some poor excuse.

This was it. The last match of the year. The last match of her final year.

Once she reached the pitch, she spotted Luna in the front row, sitting with Neville and Smith. These days, she found herself always looking for Luna in the crowded rooms. Luna was wearing one of Ginny’s Gryffindor sweatshirts, with "Weasley" on the back. And that made Ginny feel some type of way. She also had a beanie on, Ginny’s, no doubt. Red and gold really suited her, despite her being a Ravenclaw. It was a mesmerizing sight, so much so that she hadn’t even realized her teammates had started flying around her. Shit. She hopped onto her broom in a flash, wishing she had the guts to ask Luna out.

Half an hour into the match, Ginny grew more nervous by the minute. She still hadn’t spotted the Snitch, and the two teams had almost identical scores. She kept circling the field restlessly, dodging bludgers. At least the Slytherin seeker was just as lost as her, a win is a win.

She was watching Coote clear the bludger when something caught her eye from that side of the pitch, something tiny and golden. Now she had to be careful, Ginny was farther from the Snitch than the Slytherin player, so she had to think of something. Something to distract him. She decided to fly in the opposite direction of her target, hoping to lure him away from the Snitch. And so she did, and she succeeded. The seeker was following her. When they were far enough, she turned to the left and went past two beaters, who closed the path to the slytherin to follow.

Ginny flew toward it as fast as she could, fierce red hair going wild as she cut through the wind. The roar of the crowd faded into the background as she focused solely on reaching the tiny golden ball that meant victory. Gripping her broom tightly with her right hand, she stretched out her left arm toward the Snitch, she could almost brush it with her fingertips, feeling its faint buzzing.

‘Just a bit more and it's mine, just a bit more and it’s done. C’mon.’

And just like that, in the blink of an eye, she got it. Ginny caught the Snitch. She kept staring at the little thing, dumbfounded. She had done it. When she looked up, the crowd had erupted in cheers, but her eyes were only for one person of all of them. And she went to her, without thinking, it came natural to her.

Ginny rushed to Luna, wide-eyed and wearing a dazzling smile. When she reached her side, Luna was also smiling, so bright it could outshine the sun. And Ginny couldn’t take it anymore. With the Snitch still firmly grasped in one hand, she let go of the broom with the other hand and went to cup Luna’s nape and pull her closer, meeting her halfway.

Soft lips collided against hers. Luna tasted like the strawberry and vanilla from her lip balm, Ginny might be addicted to it by the time the kiss is over. As it took her by surprise, Luna stiffened a bit when Ginny kissed her, but once she realized what was happening, she relaxed into the kiss and began moving her lips against Ginny’s. It was sweet, tender and gentle. Better than Ginny had ever dared to dream. When Luna gripped the ginger’s waist, it nearly made her fall off the broom, which both of them took as a clue to break the kiss, dopey smiles plastered on their faces and foreheads touching.

‘Hi’ Whispered Luna, breathy and soft

‘Hi’ Smiled Ginny

‘Everybody is watching’

‘Don’t care,’ Ginny responded, shaking her head ‘let them watch’ leaning forward to kiss Luna again, who was beaming at her.