I do not own anything from the magical world of Harry Potter and Co.
Teaching Hermione flying
"NO, Harry! I can't do this!" Hermione was floating around 3 feet above the ground while Harry was holding his broom.
"But Hermione, you have to learn how to fly! It may be crucial if we have to run from the Death Eaters on brooms," Harry looked at her pleadingly. They had been through this a lot of times already.
"I know, Harry, but I can't force myself to do something I don't want to."
"Hermione Granger admitting that she can't do something? I thought I'd never see this day."
Harry sighed and turned around. Hermione saw her chance and quickly stumbled down from the broom.
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
Draco was wearing his emerald green Quidditch uniform and holding his Nimbus 2001. Pansy and Blaise were standing close behind him.
"I reserved the pitch for practice today, Potter," he drawled.
"Really? Because I can't see your team anywhere."
Draco looked at him with puzzled expression, "So?"
"Wait, you reserved the whole pitch for yourself?!"
"Yeah. You have a problem with that?"
Harry sighed once more, "Let's go Hermione; we have work to do."
"Oh, you have work to do," Draco mocked with a knowing smirk on his face. Pansy giggled. "Don't be silly, Draco, everyone knows Potter is drooling over the youngest Weasley," she added. Harry blushed, but didn't say anything to prove them wrong.
"Anyway," Draco eyed Harry's broom and a very displeased-looking Hermione, "I see you've been quite unsuccessful in your obviously poor attempts to teach her how to fly, right?"
"Hey, I bet you wouldn't be able to do it either!" Harry defended himself. Hermione, on the other hand, opened her mouth to protest about the insult, but then she chose to let it slip.
Draco's eyes sparkled, "Challenge accepted!"
"Oh, no," Blaise sighed and exchanged looks with Pansy. "Don't do anything stupid, mate."
"When have I ever done something stupid?"
Blaise raised his eyebrows.
"Exactly," Draco nodded, amusement glittering in his grey eyes, "Now, Granger, I think we should start off by..."
"Wait a second," Hermione raised her hands, trying to stop a catastrophe "I never agreed..."
"Hermione, please give it a chance," Harry interfered, "I mean, he is a great flyer, second best in the whole school."
"Why am I always second best?" Draco snorted.
"Well, if he's such a great flyer, how come I've never even seen him catch the snitch? What?" Hermione noticed that the Slytherins were staring at her with stunned (and slightly disgusted) expressions.
"Hermione only watches Gryffindor games," Harry explained.
"Well, then, we need to change this. Our next game is against Ravenclaw, you'd do me a great honour if you attended," Draco bowed his head jokingly, but then he shot her a serious look from under his bangs. Not giving her time to refuse, he continued, starting his flying lesson, " So, the easiest way to... Granger, if you want to learn how to fly, you have to, you know, be close to the broom. Come here, I don't bite," he smirked, "Unless you want me to."
She groaned, "You're disgusting," but she took a few reluctant steps towards him.
"As I was saying, the easiest and most interesting way to learn how to fly is by playing Quidditch."
Hermione almost laughed in disbelief, "You expect me to play Quidditch?"
"Of course not, you have to be naturally talented to do so. And you can't even get on the broom."
"I totally can!"
"Then show me," he challenged.
"Smart move, now she can't refuse," Harry whispered to Blaise.
The same realization dawned on Hermione. She gulped. Draco was holding his broom vertically to the ground and she stepped on one side of the crossbar. She was now standing about 1 foot above the ground and holding onto the broom so hard that her knuckles went white.
"See, we are already making progress. One baby step at the time," Draco stepped with one leg onto the right crossbar while his other leg was still on the ground.
-The important thing is to understand that Quidditch is not only for amusement, it's a need, it's art. Art of making people love what you do and appreciate it.
Hermione cocked an eyebrow at him, but he decided to ignore it.
"People often mistakenly think that seeker also has to be the leader. That is sometimes true, when the seeker thinks only about himself and wants to finish the game as soon as possible," With these words, Draco lightly pushed himself up, eyes still locked with Hermione's , so the two of them were now floating a couple of feet above the ground. Hermione didn't notice, too engrossed in what he was saying. Even her grip on the broom loosened a bit.
"But, in fact," Draco continued, "The seeker has to know his audience and act in the way they like it. It also has a lot to do the circumstances. Today, for example, is beautiful day and the audience would last pretty long before they'd get bored. You must never, ever, allow the audience to get bored. Then the first excitement goes away and they simply want you to just end it already. They're not even happy when you do," Draco was constantly raising them a little higher in the air.
"On the other hand, there are rainy days. If the audience is already soaking wet, you mustn't hesitate and keep them waiting any longer than necessary. They are ready, and all you have to do is lightly touch the snitch and they'll go crazy, fall into ecstasy, and the same will happen to you. You'd be happy because you pleased them, and everyone would come down to congratulate you."
He smiled at her flushed face, "Congrats, Granger, you're flying."
She looked down and her eyes widened. She shrieked and clung onto him, "Get me down, you perverted pig!"
"Hey, I didn't say anything, it's not my fault you have such a dirty mind," he laughed but obeyed her nevertheless. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she ran towards the castle, muttering something to herself.
"You lost the bet, Malfoy, she still doesn't know how to fly," Harry said, wondering what in the world happened up there.
"Who said the lessons were over?"
A/N
Well, I had fun writing this one. Hope you enjoyed it too. Let me know what you think. I'm going on my vacation, so I'll reply to all eventual PMs and reviews when I come back (that would be 29.7.).
27. 12. 2014. (i.e. 2 years later). Finally got around to editing this. *regrets everything*
