Harry trudged through the muddy Quidditch pitch, the heavy muck clinging to his shoes and the hems of his robes and the cold, bitter rain pelting at him from every angle. It was times such as this that he most loved to be outside; when the weather made it almost impossible that he not be alone.
He sought refuge in the covered bleachers, and even though the hard wooden seats were cold, he found a certain warmth in being a spectator for once. It mattered very little to him that he was simply watching the rain. He studied the field, following the path that he himself took at the beginning of every game, as though watching himself play.
He started in the locker rooms, exited through the – Hold on a minute, he was exiting out onto the field! Or at least, someone was. The rain and fog were too thick to see them properly, but as the tiny figure mounted its broom, he had no doubt he would get a better look. The movement of the broom easily told him that this was no Slytherin Quidditch player, because no Nimbus brooms turned as slowly as that. The speed of the dives and loops showed the player to be a Seeker, as they were small and light enough to pull out of sharp plummets without even brushing the ground.
As the figure drew closer, he saw that even being soaked with rain, this Seekers robes shone a vibrant blue. He felt a lump rise in his throat, and his face grow hot. It was Cho Chang out there on the field, and he was sitting, stupidly he thought, watching her. He ducked into the stairwell and down to the pitch again, rushing along the edge of the field.
He slipped through the gates of the stadium before Cho had even had a chance to show off for him.
