Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this little plot I thought up one day. It is my first Harry Potter fanfic so be easy on me.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, quidditch would be played on flying horses. Just kidding.

Chapter 1: Horses at Hogwarts?

"I've always wanted to learn to ride a horse!" Hermione squealed. The new seventh years sat in the common room looking at their new schedules. Three mornings a week, they had horseback riding lessons with the Slytherins.

"Oh boy," Ron moaned to Harry, "why are we always paired with Malfoy? And look at this! Snape's teaching!"

"Yea, we're going to be dead by the end of the year. Look at Hermione," Harry replied. Both boys looked over at the flushed and grinning face of Hermione Granger. She was talking excitedly to Lavender Brown about their new class.

"Oh boy," Ron sighed, "looks like we've got our hands full with just her!" The next day was the first day of classes so they tried to get to bed early. "Harry, did you see what time these horseback riding lessons are scheduled for? 6 o'clock in the morning! That means we have to get up at 5 o'clock so we can eat breakfast! This is insane." Ron moaned as he pulled his pajama bottoms on.

"Yea, whoever planned these wasn't going to have to get up at 5 o'clock." Harry grumbled.

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Hermione woke at 4 o'clock the next morning and jumped out of bed. "I wonder what we're supposed to wear?" she thought out loud. As if in answer to her question, several large owls with packages flew up to the window. Running over, Hermione opened the window and let the owls in. They dropped a package at each girls' bed and flew back out the window.

Opening her package, Hermione found a black riding helmet, tan riding breeches, black riding boots, black gloves, a red collared shirt, and a gold vest with her name on it. "They're beautiful!" she squealed, waking everyone in the room. Drawing the curtain to her bed, she changed into her new attire.

When she came out, Hermione found that the other girls were busy examining the contents of their packages. It seemed that each girl had received the same things she had. "I must go wake the boys," Hermione said to herself, "we don't want to be late in front of the Slytherins."

Ten minutes later, the common room was filled with a buzz of excitement. No one was allowed to go down and eat before 5 o'clock. The girls had gotten ready in record time since they all had caught the "horse sickness" as Ron called it. Soon the boys could be heard tramping down the stairs. The room fell silent as everyone watched to see what the boys would look like in their new clothes. Ron was unluckily the first one down and caught the first giggles of the girls as they saw him in his ridiculous riding attire. Harry followed and soon the room was once again in an uproar.

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The boys were relieved when 5 o'clock finally came and they were allowed out of the noisy common room. The Great Hall wasn't much better: it seemed that the Slytherin girls had also caught the "horse sickness" and were busy talking loudly amongst themselves.

"Harry," Ron said smugly, "look at Malfoy. He looks miserable! Well, I guess something good can come out of this little adventure." Everyone sat down at their house tables. Plain oatmeal and milk had been provided for breakfast.

"Yuck! What is this?" Harry asked of no one in particular.

"That, Mr. Potter, is a healthy breakfast and one you will be eating every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Get used to it," Snape sneered as he swept into the room. The previously loud room was suddenly transformed into a very quiet one.

"Attention class," Snape said once he had reached the teachers' table, "you must eat your breakfast and meet me out on the quidditch field at 6 o'clock. Your horses will be waiting." With a swish of his cape, Snape left the room.

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At precisely 6 o'clock, the seventh year Gyffindors and Slytherins arrived at the quidditch field. As Snape liked to make dramatic entrances, no one was worried when they didn't see him.

Sure enough, Snape's footsteps were heard coming across the wet morning grass. "Class," he said as he reached them, "sort yourselves by houses and genders into four straight lines." They obeyed.

Snape whistled and soon there was a sound of galloping horses coming nearer and nearer. "They're beautiful," Hermione sighed as she surveyed the black, grey, chestnut, and buckskin horses.

"Now," Snape's voice was heard again over the snorting and pawing of the horses, "do not be afraid because your horse can sense that. Each Slytherin boy will receive a black horse and each girl a grey." As he said this, the black horses and grey horses walked slowly up to their owners.

"Each Gryffindor boy will receive a chestnut horse and each girl a buckskin."

"I love mine!" Hermione squealed as she received her buckskin mare. The mare was a soft golden color with a single white star in the middle of her forehead. Her tail was held high and her profile was dished. "You must be an Arabian," Hermione whispered to her horse. During her spare time at Hogwarts, she had found every book on horses in the library. Now she was quite an expert.

"Class, you must now learn to saddle your horses. Watch me first and then do just as I do." Snape patted his black stallion and then lifted his green and silver saddle pad to the horse's back. Next, the saddle followed and then the girth. Finally, he slipped the bridle over his horse's head.

The class was not nearly as proficient as Snape. They struggled with lifting the English saddles onto their tall horses. Finally, everyone was saddled. Snape showed the class how to mount their horses.

Soon everyone was atop their steeds and the lesson began. Snape was not a fast paced teacher so the entire lesson was ridden at the walk. They learned to sit up straight and control their horses. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, please control your horses."

Since the Gyffindors had all received Arabians, they were all (except Hermione) having trouble controlling the fiery horses. The Slytherins had received Quarter Horses and were laughing heartily at the Gryffindors. Snape reined his Friesian stallion in and silenced them all with a look.

"Class, your lesson is finished but if you unsaddle your horses quickly, I will give a demonstration of what you will be able to do at the end of the year." The class quickly dismounted and unsaddled their horses. "Please find a seat in the audience." Snape said once they had finished.

Once he was satisfied that they were all in appropriate seats, he spurred his horse to a collected trot. Gently, he placed his right leg on his stallion and did a steep half-pass. He placed his new outside leg on the horse and broke into a smooth canter. Going across the diagonal, he made the horse skip in four then three and two and finally one. As an ending flourish, Snape lengthened his horse's stride once around the arena.

"Class dismissed." Snape said as he dismounted.

"I didn't know Professor Snape could ride like that!" Hermione gasped as she and Harry and Ron left the arena.

"Yea. I can't wait for out next lesson. I mean, it was okay." Ron blurted. Hermione laughed and the three walked back to the castle.

Author's Note: Please review and tell me if I should continue this.