Feel

"Scared myself to death, that's why I keep on runnin'. Before I've arrived, I can see myself comin'."-Feel, Robbie Williams.

Harry's first flying lesson went pretty well. A student named Zach Wiltrout managed to hit himself in the face when he told his broom "UP!". The boy ended up with a bloody nose and had to be escorted to Madame Pomfrey. It was hard for Harry not to laugh when he watched the first years get on their brooms. Some, who had never been on a broom, got on uneasily as if they expected the broom to zoom away as soon as they got on. Harry could immediately tell the muggle born because they held the broom as if was something you cleaned with and not a mode of transportation. Still, Harry's students did well enough to begin flying low to the ground. The students and Harry were having so much fun by the end of class, they begged him keep them after class.

"Please Professor Potter! I've never been on a broom before. It's so much fun!" said a girl with golden pigtails.

"Sorry, Emma. You lot need to go to transfiguration. Believe me, Professor McGonagall's first lesson is great. You'll see something amazing." Harry began collecting the brooms and shooing away the students. Most reluctantly began to walk across the pitch back to the castle. A few stayed behind to help Harry collect and put away the brooms. Zach Wiltrout lingered to ask Harry questions about quidditch.

"Sir, you were the seeker for the Gryffindor house team, right? I saw all the quidditch cups your house won while you were here." Zach looked admiringly at Harry and Harry shrugged his shoulders. Harry was uneasy with reminded of his accomplishments. He was no one to be admired; he was just plain old Harry Potter.

"Yeah, I was the seeker. But remember quidditch is about teamwork. My whole team worked to get that cup, not just me." Harry pushed the broom cart into the broom shed and muttered a locking charm. He turned back to Zach, "I reckon you'll be late for transfiguration if you don't get a move on. Ask me about quidditch another time, right now you need to get to class."

Zach nodded and reluctantly began walking back to the castle. Harry remembered that he had another month before quidditch season began. The houses would start their training soon. Dumbledore had asked Harry to watch each team while they practiced and give them pointers. Harry had been a professional quidditch player for a couple of years and had even gone to the World Cup. Although he had been happy to play professional quidditch, Harry still very lonely. He had no wife (not even any prospects) and saw his friends infrequently due to all the travelling the players did. Just as Harry had been about to give up and apply for a job at Fred and George's novelty shop, the offer from Dumbledore had arrived. Harry had considered the offer a great opportunity to help the man he admired and make a difference in lives. The difference would be something he did on his own it would have nothing to do with his scar or his ability to fly. It would be something he would accomplish on his own. Harry smiled to himself and decided to go see Ginny in the library.

Harry had decided that each player should have their own copy of "Quidditch Through the Ages" to read. He figured the players would develop a better understanding of the game they loved to play. So Harry had asked Dumbledore to buy the books and Dumbledore had readily agreed. Dumbledore was under the opinion that his students read far too little and would do anything to encourage them to read. Dumbledore had told Harry that the books had arrived and were being stored in the library by Ginny. Ginny would check the books out to the students. Harry decided to ask Ginny if they were ready to be checked out yet. A few feet before entering the library, Harry stopped and looked in a window's shiny surface to see if he looked all right. He ran his fingers through his hair and checked to make sure he smelled okay. A group of girls passed by as he checked himself and began to giggle. Harry's face flushed red and he went into the library ignoring their whispers.

As soon as Harry entered the library he noticed all the changes Ginny had made. Students were lounging in large overstuffed chairs and whispering in small groups as they did their schoolwork. A couple of students were playing wizard's chess next to another pair who were playing muggle checkers. Book recommendations from the students littered the walls and students had stopped to read and write down a few titles. All in all, the library had become much more of an informal atmosphere. Harry liked the changes Ginny had made. He adjusted the glasses on his face as he looked for Ginny in the crowd of students.

"Looking for someone?" whispered a voice close to his ear. The warm breath tickled his ear and sent shivers down his spine. Harry whirled around to see who it was and found himself face to face with Ginny.

Ginny had a large smile on her face. "Hullo Harry!" she whispered as loudly as she could.

Harry smiled back at her. "You gave me quite a fright there, Gin. I reckon I almost had a heart attack."

Ginny lightly punched Harry on the arm. "I think a big guy like you could handle a scare from someone like me." She quirked an eyebrow at Harry suggestively.

'Is she flirting with me?' Harry wondered. Harry looked to see if she had gone red or seem embarrassed, but she didn't. That was the old Ginny. Teenage Ginny had always blushed and stammered around Harry, which he had always found off-putting. The Ginny that stood before him was confident in herself and showed no signs of embarrassment. "You just snuck up on me like a cat! I dunno Ginny. You seem to have a lot of talents that I didn't know about."

Ginny flushed slightly and Harry enjoyed seeing that. She might still have a bit of a crush on him after all. Ginny cleared her throat and tore her eyes away from Harry's penetrating gaze. "I suppose you're here to check up on the quidditch books?"

Harry nodded and watched as Ginny turned away from him. "Follow me," she whispered. Ginny walked back to the checkout desk where several boxed from Flourish and Blotts sat. Harry noticed that they had been labeled "Harry". Ginny opened one of the boxes and showed Harry the books.

"This is the one you wanted, right?" Ginny looked up at Harry from her kneeling position on the floor.

Harry again nodded and watched as Ginny continued to dig through the boxes, counting them to make sure she had the right number. Ginny's cloak was off and he got a good glimpse of her exposed neck and chest while she worked. Fine red hairs were escaping from the complicated series of twists that Ginny had put her hair up with. They were curling at the nape of her neck and into her eyes. Ginny had said something, which Harry didn't hear. She sat back on the balls of her feet, staring up at him waiting for his answer. Harry watched as Ginny blew a lock of hair from her eyes and spoke. "Hello? Earth to Harry?" she waved a hand in his face. The lock of hair fell again into her eyes and she blew it out of her face again, in annoyance.

"Sorry. I was thinking about the House Cup," Harry lied. Again the lock of hair fell in Ginny's eyes as she looked down into the box of books and discovered some missing library books. Ginny stood up suddenly and began looking through her desk.

"What are you looking for?" Harry asked, a bit sorry he had lost his view.

"A hairpin. That lock of hair is driving me mad! I have a good mind to cut it." Ginny continued to dig through her desk, muttering about the trials of being a woman.

Harry stood in front of her and grabbed her upper arms. "Here," he said and turned her to face him. He tucked the errant lock behind her ear. Ginny's breath caught in her throat at the unexpected closeness. Harry didn't know what had possessed him to do that. For a few seconds, they stared into each other's eyes. Finally, Harry tore his gaze away from Ginny's and stepped back.

"Um, so I'll come back later to help you sort this book mess out. You seem kinda busy now." Harry backed away from Ginny and almost ran out of the library, leaving a dazed Ginny wondering what had just happened.