Any normal person would have run inside to huddle by the fire by now. Rain soaked the grounds and a wicked wind swept over the Scottish countryside, chilling all living things to the bone. The thing was, Ginny Weasley was far from normal. She was, fortunately, smart enough to stay off her broom in such weather, but it didn’t stop her from sitting stubbornly in the stands without so much as an impervious to protect her from the downpour. As it was, her hooded Cannons sweatshirt (a hand down from Charlie) was pulled over her knees and soaked completely through, making it look nearly black. Her jeans were equally dark and drenched, and the white tee she wore beneath the hoodie was more like a second skin.

Ginny clutched her knees to her chest as the rain continued to pound against her, long red hair plastered to her face, neck, and down into her hoodie. Strands of the slick locks fell in her eyes and she didn’t even bother to remove them. Her mind was elsewhere as she stared at the puddles forming on the Pitch.

How was she going to explain herself to Harry? Who else could she talk to about this? Hermione was out of the question, since she’d probably chastise her for her choice of men, not to mention she was probably still mad about the fireworks. Maybe she could talk to Skyler… But Sky hadn’t even known her long at all. She didn’t know the history between Ginny and Harry. How could she possibly shed any new light on the situation?

For the first time in a long time the youngest Weasley felt truly alone. Her brothers all loved Harry- she couldn’t ask them for unbiased advice. Plus, they’d know Riley’s reputation, too. She sighed and her breath floated as steam in the chilly air. What was she going to do?

Her thoughts were broken by the approach of another figure, and she nearly sobbed when she realized who it was. ”Can you catch the snitch with a cold?” she asked a bit croakily. Harry was quite possibly the last and only person she wanted to see right now. Somehow she’d have to tell him she’d fallen in love. And it wasn’t with him.

Harry didn’t care how hard it was raining, life was stressful and he needed to fly. Besides, they seemed to play in a gale at least once a year so he needed the practice at seeing in these conditions. A whole group of new Seekers meant new challenges and he needed to be on top of his game.

He had the foresight to change into his quidditch things up in the dormitory so that his school robes wouldn’t get soaked through. He stuffed these in his mercifully waterproofed backpack in case it stopped raining and he was able to shower and change after practicing, cast the charm that allowed him to see somewhat in the rain, and was off. The thought of a full training session so that the whole team was experienced in this weather crossed his mind, but he dismissed it. He wasn’t as cruel as Wood. He would fly alone. After dropping his bag off in the changing rooms, he headed over to the pitch.

Luckily for his health and sanity there was a head of flaming red hair off in the stands when he entered, and he made his way over there instead of taking to the skies. “If I can make a catch with my mouth, I can make a catch with a head cold,” he quipped. “Can you grip the quaffle with your hands covered in snot or see while sneezing?”

Now that Harry was up here instead of on the pitch, he wished he had brought an umbrella. He had only been up in the stands once before, and then only for a few minutes with them completely packed. It would have been nice to take in the view without getting soaked to the bone.

Instead he turned his attention back to his star player, who looked like she had already taken on enough water to drown, maybe twice. “So, what brings you out here in this loveliest of weather?”

Ginny sighed, but the sound was swallowed by the pounding rain as it slapped the seat around the two. She didn’t know what to even say to her best friend at the moment, and she wasn’t sure what was even going on with him. It seemed like they hadn’t talked in forever. It had been even longer since she’d actually had a civil conversation with her brother or Hermione. Was she losing touch with all her old friends now that she had befriended Riley and Sky? It sure felt that way… Hell, she’d even spoken with Luna more than her own family members- going so far as to help her deal with some crazy foreigner. This year was proving to be rather difficult and odd, and she hadn’t even thought about OWLs yet.

Staring into bright green eyes, Ginny tried to form words and failed. She closed her eyes against the rain and inhaled deeply before opening her mouth once more, willing herself to speak to the boy who’d never had her so tongue-tied. ”I’m pretty sure I can beat the whole school at chasing with my eyes closed, Harry. A little snot isn’t going to change that…” Her normal enthusiasm was absent as she tried to figure out what else to say. Why was she out here in the rain? Well, she was trying to figure out how to piece everything back together. Somehow it didn’t seem like that easy of an answer, though.

”I don’t know, Harry. I guess I was just thinking. Getting away… What are you doing out here?” she asked, finally noticing his quidditch robes. She glared at the boy as she realized what that meant. ”You are not getting on your broom in this! Harry James Potter, you will get yourself killed like that, and I am not about to find a new best mate. I’m also not about to deal with my brother trying to captain the damn team, and you know that’s what would happen if you offed yourself!”

The fire was back in her eyes as she jumped to her feet and nearly pushed the boy before reining herself in. She was so tempted to just take her confusion and anger and worry all out on some innocent other person that she nearly managed to hurt her best friend, and it made her actually let out a frustrated sob. Luckily it didn’t sound so much like a sob as a groan and cough mixed together and the tears weren’t visible with all the rain, so Ginny was safe from Harry noticing her falling apart.

”Dammit, I don’t know what to do anymore. I haven’t had a civil conversation with Ron in I don’t even know how long. Hermione’s like a stranger to me this year. I’ve been gaining new bruises with a guy who I haven’t even introduced to my best friends and I’m closer to a new Slytherin than I am to the lions I’ve spent my whole school career with! It just seems so… wrong somehow. I don’t know. And we’re doubting the people we’ve always trusted and trusting the people we’ve always doubted and Malfoy seems like a nice guy now! I’m so confused… And I’m cold. And wet.” She frowned as her lower lip trembled a bit. She hoped Harry would have some wisdom to impart, cause Ginny was fresh out and at the end of her rope. When did everything get so damned confusing anyway?

Whatever was going on with Ginny, it seemed to be really bothering her. It was funny how alike they were, hiding their inability to face how stupendously difficult this year was becoming behind false bravado and Quidditch. Still, it was obvious that there was something that Ginny needed to talk about, either with a friend in general or with Harry specifically, and he wasn’t going to give up until she felt better about whatever it was.

Harry winced as another thing they shared in common came roaring at him. He had no idea where his tendency to shout his problems away came from, but it was clear where it did from the little spitfire in front of him. It was suddenly like a younger, much more attractive version of Mrs. Weasley was coming after him at full force, and Harry couldn’t help but shrink away from her a little before he defended himself. “I won’t fly, I promise. I just wanted some stress relief but I realize now it’s not worth the risk.”

To prove his lack of desire to take to the skies, Harry collapsed into the seat next to the one that the redhead had just vacated, thinking carefully about what she was saying. He knew exactly what she was saying about all of it, but no idea what to say to her to make it better. They were in the same exact boat.

Harry took a deep breath. It was hard to be the unquestioned leader, especially when the unquestioned part meant everyone but yourself. Harry seemed to question his ability to lead at least every other day lately. Still, Ginny was one of his best friends and probably the one that he trusted the most right now. He needed to make this okay.

“I understand,” he began finally. “When I talk to Ron and Hermione lately it feels more like business meetings than it does hanging out with my best mate and my sister like it used to. Half of the school seems to want to slip me a love potion so I’ll be theirs forever and the Headmaster seems convinced that I’m gonna join forces with Sky and take over the world. I trust a whole list of Snakes more than I trust some of the guys sleeping in my own dormitory. The world is completely upside down.”

He paused, took another deep breath, inhaled too much falling water, and sputtered, which caused him to laugh. “I think we can make sense of this, but I think we need to be warm and dry to do it,” Harry said, when the laughing had fallen away to a wishful smile. “Meet me in the Room of Requirement in half an hour?”

Harry seemed determined to convince her that he wasn’t about to be stupid enough to take flight, which was at least a bit reassuring. The fact that he suggested they move out of the rain, Ginny was even more convinced. It seemed her attempt at drowning would be cut short if her friend had his way, and the youngest Weasley couldn’t say she really minded it. She was getting cold and she really did need to talk more with Harry. He seemed just as confused about life in general as she was.

It was strange to see them both so distraught that they were willing to sit in the quidditch stands in the pouring rain, yet it was oddly comforting to know that someone else had the same weird habits as she did. Ginny found herself torn as to whether or not she wanted to actually go inside where she’d feel better or stay in the stands where she could dwell on her frustration.

Alas, when she looked into Harry’s eyes, all she could do was nod her affirmative. ”Of course. I’ll see you there,” she said, planning on drying herself with a simple spell and spending most of the time before their meeting figuring out what the hell she wanted to actually say to the boy. Somehow she didn’t think the ‘in love’ spiel would go over so well, yet she really needed to talk to him about her feelings for Riley and the development of their relationship…

This was exactly why Ginny hated anything termed ‘girly’. Things like that always ended up causing drama and sent her into a spiral that ended with things like sitting in the rain on the quidditch pitch. Or in the stands. Either way…

The redhead peeled herself out of the seat and shot Harry a semi-pained grin. ”See you soon…” With that, she walked slowly away through the pouring rain, hoping that she wasn’t about to ruin the one friendship that meant everything to her.