firecracker ???

The conversation with Dumbledore might have haunted someone else for weeks.

But Harry Potter was not someone else.

He didn't brood in the common room. He didn't stare pensively out at the lake or pace the Astronomy Tower muttering about destiny. 

Instead, he walked into breakfast the next morning with bedhead, a blinding grin, and a Gryffindor scarf wrapped three times around his neck.

"Game day," he announced to the table.

Ron blinked. "You look possessed."

"I'm in love and I'm on fire," Harry said, snatching a croissant off Hermione's plate. 

"But I don't care-" He added quickly.

Hermione looked at him. "Harry, you're sure you don't care?"

Harry shot her a look.

"Harry, didn't finish his sentence" He sassed.

Ron sniggered. 

"We are winning this match," he said, to the team now. "Or we are shoving them until they cry foul. That includes you, Ronald. Don't laugh yourself off the broom later."

Ron mumbled something suspiciously like Lockhart incarnate and worst Quidditch captain to ever exist. Harry rolled his eyes but continued his dramatic speech like this was his Roman Empire.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," He shot a dirty look at Hermione who smiled innocently.  

"As I was saying," He paused again for dramatic effect. The team groaned in annoyance. 

"Yes, as you were saying, Potter?" Ginny snapped. "Are you going to say it? At this rate you'll still be here repeating yourself when we come back from the match. Stop being a tosser and spit it out." 

Harry went to bicker back but then he caught sight of his girlfriend walking towards them, snapping back into his most innocent expression and charming smile. 

Then he noticed, wait, why was she clapping and not smiling at him, not even looking at him, but at Ginny? 

He was green with envy as she gave her approval to Ginny in the form of patting Ginny's back and then returning to the Slytherin table, not before shooting him a taunting smile. 

Harry's jaw dropped. 

The team laughed. 

Ginny laughed loudest. 

Harry swore Ginny blushed at his girlfriend.

"You were saying?" Ginny teased. 

Harry seethed.

"Before I was rudely interrupted again. I was saying I don't care that my girlfriend is a Slytherin, we'll crush them anyway. I do not care that my girlfriend wishes upon my- our fail and I certainly do not care that she's practically the Slytherin mascot. She didn't even give me a kiss good luck today and I am not about to lose the first game to Draco. You all better go your hardest this game. Any of you mess up and I'll make you fly another fifty laps at practice. I hope you all remember this pep talk. We will win." 

After his rant, Harry stomped off in a way that would've rivalled eleven year old Draco Malfoy.

Ginny and Hermione snickered and made note to tell Lyra.

"What were we supposed to remember again?" Ritchie Coote asked, dramatically turning his head.

Ron laughed awkwardly, feeling the second hand embarrassment creep onto his reddening face. "You heard the lad. Get ready to win, I suppose."