The Quidditch pitch is buzzing with activity. Magical candles are floating above our heads filling the pitch with light; mugs with hot chocolate are being given to every single student who's still here, which, by the way, is a lot. You wouldn't think this many students would still be here, fiercely cheering for their house after all this time. But they were. We were. And, to be honest, no one would leave before the very end, before the cup had been given.
At this point, the main audience were Gryffindor and Slytherin students, although I could spot some familiar faces from other houses still watching the match.
Never, in all Hogwarts history, something like this had happened...
After almost an entire day playing, the seekers still haven't found the snitch.
If this was a regular Quidditch match, the teachers might have called it off and we could all have been back to our dorms by now. The thing is, this wasn't a regular Quidditch match. This was the final for the Quidditch House Cup. The final that was being disputed by Gryffindor and Slytherin.
Madam Hooch had asked both captains if they wanted to drop out. She had asked Harry and Malfoy if they wanted to drop out, for Merlin's sake! They, of course, refused.
Both teams are absolutely exhausted at this point, but not a single player accepts being replaced.
I can't help but roll my eyes at this though. If you ask me, I think it's simply idiotic to keep on playing when you can't even stay awake for a couple of minutes anymore.
I focus my attention back to the match unfolding before my eyes, trying not to listen to the incredibly confusing comments of Luna that are related to possibly everything but the match.
As I watch the players ride their brooms at full speed through the night sky, I let my mind wander off for some brief moments.
All of a sudden I see myself talking with Harry in the Burrow's back yard, broom in hand and an expectant look on my face. I bite back a smile as the memory starts to grow clearer in my mind.
"Oh, Harry, please!" I whisper, letting out a tired sigh escape my lips "I never asked you to do anything for me, so would you, please, just teach me?"
"Hermione, you wouldn't even come near a broom if someone paid you to! Why the sudden interest?" he asks, a confused look plastered on his face. "You have been afraid of flying since forever, remember?"
"I know that, Harry... But precisely because I'm afraid of flying is that I should learn how to do it! Plus, what harm could it possibly make to just try?" I look at him pleadingly.
I've never wanted anything as badly as I want this.
To be honest, it's not that I was afraid of flying or that I didn't like it... I had just always thought I would make a complete fool of myself if I tried. And that... Well, that I couldn't possibly bear.
Hermione Granger, Gryffindor resident know-it-all and best at everything she does, failing at something like riding a piece of wood through the skies? I could never live for the embarrassment, so, I just took the easy way out. Not even trying at all.
But now? Now, Voldemort is organizing his troupes and becoming stronger by the minute... I could even be dead before the school year starts!
How could I die knowing I had never learnt how to fly? Knowing that even Malfoy knew how to do it and I didn't?
That's right, I couldn't. I won't!
I give Harry one last hopeless look before watching him sigh with defeat.
"Fine! I'll teach you how to fly! But please, don't ask me to teach you how to play Quidditch too... It's already rather strange as it is, we don't need anything else added to that pile, do we?"
I throw my arms around him and hug him happily, not able to hide the huge grin that starts to grow on my lips.
I take a sip of hot chocolate, enjoying its bitter taste, enjoying its warmth spreading through my body. A small amused smile covers my face as another thought hits me. Despite what Harry had said that morning at the Burrow, he did end up teaching me how to play Quidditch. In all honesty, it took me awhile to finally be able to fly properly but once I got the hang of it... Well, let's just say, I'm not as bad as everyone thinks.
BOOM!
I feel the mug I had been holding slip from my suddenly sweaty fingers and crash onto the floor, my eyes wide open with dumb surprise as I frantically try to understand the source of the noise.
"Oh, is that Ginny down there? That looks like it hurt..." Luna's dreamy voice echoed through the air.
"Merlin... Is she bleeding?" Lavender's high pitched and absolutely terrified voice sends chills down my spine.
And then, all of a sudden, chaos spread across the pitch.
Professor McGonagall is running towards Ginny's body lying on the ground, her legs spread in a very unnatural angle. Harry just landed roughly on the floor and is now moving menacingly towards one of the Slytherin beaters, wand in hand, obviously about to hex him. Demelza seems like she's about to punch Malfoy on the face, wasn't it for Dean, who's clearly trying to prevent her from moving. I can hear insults being thrown and, before I can even blink, an awful lot of hexes start to make its way towards the Slytherin side of the pitch.
Fury starts to cloud my judgement and before I can even think, I'm running towards the ground.
"Professor... Professor!" I practically shout while running towards the spot where Professor McGonagall, and now Madam Pomfrey, are checking on Ginny's condition "How is she? Is she going to be okay?"
"I'm afraid Miss Weasley suffered a very serious concussion and has both her legs broken..." I gasp loudly, a wave of pure terror spreading through my entire body as I listen to Madam Pomfrey "But, if we take her immediately to the Hospital Wing, she will most definitely survive."
That said, Ginny's body is levitated and the only thing I can hear, before Professor McGonagall's voice echoes through the Quidditch pitch and establishes order once again, are Madam Pomfrey's quick and hurried steps heading back to the castle.
You can feel the tension hovering in the air. I nervously bite my lower lip, glancing quickly to the audience. The same audience who is staring at me with the most confused look I've ever seen on anybody's face.
"Oh Merlin, I can't do this!" I whisper, fear ringing in my voice as the sudden realization of what I'm about to do hits me. I start to turn around when Harry grabs my wrist and pulls me back to the pitch.
"Hermione, this is really not the best moment to back out!" he whispers back, looking straight into my eyes with pure determination.
"I seriously don't know how you talked me into this..." I shake my head slightly, avoiding looking into Harry's eyes.
"Hermione, look at me..." he says, trying to catch my eyes with his. "Look at me, Hermione!" I finally raise my head and stare into his emerald green eyes, doubt consuming me. "You are going to be just fine, okay? You are a good player! Just have a little faith in yourself, will you?"
I nod slightly and give him my best confident smile before heading towards the pitch, holding my head high. In the corner of my eye I can see Harry smile proudly and start to make his way onto the centre of the pitch, where the Slytherin team wait for us.
"Well, well, if it isn't our dearest Granger!" spats Malfoy, his eyes twinkling with amusement as a smirk makes its way onto his lips. "The library is that way." He points up towards the school making his entire team laugh.
Anger starts to boil inside me, my cheeks growing hotter by the second.
"Wow, I'm impressed, library is a big word for you! I'm surprised you even know what it is, Malfoy. By the way, since when do add such difficult words to your oh-so-very long vocabulary?" I ask with the most natural and innocent expression I can pull off, trying not to smile triumphantly once I see the smirk suddenly disappear from his face.
"Oh Granger, "he says, a seductive smile spread across his face as he leans dangerously towards me, "you wouldn't believe me if I told you how many times I've been to the library learning some very, very interesting new words..."
I open my mouth to retaliate but I can't manage to produce a sound, my cheeks burning with embarrassment, my eyes drifting quickly away from his face to the suddenly extremely interesting ground. A wave of an unknown feeling washes through me... Is it...? No, it can't be... It's Malfoy we're talking about, for Merlin's sake! I can't be feeling jealous! This shouldn't be affecting me at all! Why should I care about what Malfoy does, or doesn't do, in the library? After all, it's none of my business.
But, in the end, I can't help but feel a, if I may add, completely irrational twinge of pain.
"Malfoy, please keep the details of your extra-curricular activities to yourself. No-one here is interested in hearing them." I spat, a bit too bitterly, while moving slightly backwards, a comfortable distance appearing once more between the two of us.
Instead of replying, he just throws a somewhat knowing smile in my direction before turning to Harry.
"You already decided that you're going to lose so you choose to replace the Weasel girl for Granger, eh Potter?"
I don't even give Harry a chance to reply.
"Believe me Malfoy, you and the rest of your team won't know what hit them! Gryffindor is going to win this cup, mark my words!" I say, looking at him as defiantly as I can.
"Is that a challenge, Granger?" he asks, his eyebrows raised with a hint of surprise while his face clearly shows how much he's enjoying this whole situation.
And before I can even think straight, before I can even calm myself... I answer what I should have never answered.
"You bet it is!"
Madame Hooch, who had been discussing something with both Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape, is now hurrying towards us.
"Are both teams ready to start?" she asks, to which both Harry and Malfoy give short nods. "Very well then! Let's finish this match!" We all mount our brooms and I can't help but feel slightly uncomfortable under Malfoy's intense stare.
"If we win, you'll do what I want. If you win, I'll do what you want. Deal?" he whispers, looking straight into my eyes as if expecting me to say no. And precisely because of that, I whisper "Deal" in return. A huge, and confident, grin is now plastered on Malfoy's face, to which I can't do more than just roll my eyes.
Madame Hooch suddenly blows the whistle, the balls are released and we all shoot in the air.
"Oh, the players are up in the air again!" Luna's dreamy, although slightly more focused, voice echoes through the pitch.
I fly after Dean, who already has the Quaffle and is making his way towards the Slytherin goalposts. Demelza is right behind me and I can understand that she just ducked from a Bludger, aimed at her by the same Slytherin beater who knocked Ginny down, because of the loud insults the Gryffindor side of the pitch are shouting.
The minute I set my mind on the game, everything else becomes secondary and I can hardly hear Luna's comments after only a few minutes playing. It seems like she finally decided to actually commentate on the match, and for the little I can catch, she's doing a very nice job.
Dean passes me the Quaffle and I speed towards the Slytherin goalposts, ducking under one of their chasers while another one is speeding up to catch me, making my attempt to score much harder. I raise my arm, ready to throw the Quaffle toward the goalposts when I see Demelza on my right. Quickly, I pass her the Quaffle, confusing both Slytherin chasers and keeper with my movement, giving Demelza the perfect opportunity to score.
"Demelza throws the Quaffle toward the goalposts and... Oh, she scored! Isn't that nice?" Luna asks, her eyes twinkling dreamily. Gold and red flags are waving in the air, a loud roar erupting from our side of the pitch.
We score two more times but everyone is gradually growing impatient; the seekers still haven't found the snitch. The match seems to be far from ending when suddenly...
"Nott catches the Quaffle thrown by Demelza and is now speeding toward... Oh, have you noticed how bright the candles are shining behind the Gryffindor goalposts? Certain creatures are attracted by..." she suddenly looks up, a distant smile spreading across her dreamy face, "It seems like Harry saw something!"
We all stop dead on our tracks, looking up. Harry has definitely seen the snitch! He and Malfoy are now speeding towards the ground, practically side by side, where a tiny and gold snitch seems to wait for them.
The whole pitch goes silent; even Luna doesn't really seem to know what to say at this point. They both stretch out their arms and...
"Oh, Harry caught the snitch! I guess this means Gryffindor wins the cup... Poor Professor Snape though, I think he would like to..." Luna's comments stop being heard as all the Gryffindor students go absolutely crazy.
As I reach the ground I simply run towards Harry, who is displaying the snitch to the enthusiastic crowd, and hug him, laughing with pure happiness once the whole team joins us.
The cup is given and, all of a sudden, the Quidditch field is invaded by loud and cheering Gryffindors. Even Professor McGonagall looks like she has never seen a happier day! I can't help but smile.
I slowly walk away from the crowd and look round, trying to catch a glimpse of Malfoy. Then I see him. He's walking towards me, a small smile playing on his lips. But this one is different. It's not his usual arrogant or superior smile... It looks... Well, it actually looks like a genuine smile. A genuine happy smile. I frown, slightly confused.
"I believe we had a deal, Granger?" he asks, that smile still spread across his lips. He is now extremely close to me. Too close.
I nod, not able to speak a single word, my eyes suddenly locked in his. I don't know why on Earth this is happening to me... I don't understand what's happening with me either! My stomach is twisting; my heart is beating loudly... So loud I'm afraid he can even hear it.
And then it happens.
His lips are suddenly on mine. He's kissing me warm and gently, as if giving me the choice to back away from him if I want to. The problem is, that surely is not what I want. I find myself on the tip of my toes, kissing him back. He gently cups my face, pulling me closer to him, while my hands find their way to his hair, tousling it slightly.
He keeps the kiss gentle and sweet, and when we finally break away I can't avoid the shy smile that makes its way to my lips.
"I thought the deal was for you to do what I wanted?" I ask, enjoying the small, unusual and true smile that he gives me; memorizing it.
He laughs softly before answering, "And I did. I did exactly what you wanted." He stops for a few seconds, seeming to be deep in thought. "To be honest, I think I did exactly what we both wanted."
And I smile, thankful for his answer, because I know that's his way of trying to tell me what he's feeling.
And to know that he cares enough to try... Well, that adds a special taste to this whole moment.
"Thank Merlin Harry caught that snitch, huh?" I ask, my eyes looking at him playfully.
"Thank Merlin indeed".
A/N: I truly hope you liked this. As always, leave a review telling me what you thought of it! :) Oh, and of course, thanks to the awesome caomoyl on HPFF for betaing this!
- Catairly (: