Disclaimer: I acknowledge that I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or universe. No offense is meant by the situations portrayed in this or any other fanworks.
A/N: I'm sorry, but I'm terrible at writing Quidditch due to my apathy for it. I probably won't write a decent Quidditch match throughout the entire series, and I'll probably just note them unless I need to describe them. Also, the change in this chapter is explained later, don't worry. Things really speed up after this too.
Also, I don't think I say this enough, but I absolutely treasure every review. It's been a pretty brutal week, and I always save reading my reviews until before I update or if I'm having a bad day. I got a nice heap from Laurenmlbc! Oh goodness, I love AVPM too, and I often listen to the soundtrack while writing! So thanks to all my reviewers (and followers too!), I really appreciate it. And I love seeing everyone's suspicions.

Chapter Ten: The Rogue Bludger

It was the morning of the first Quidditch match. Hattie sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, stuffing her face. She was definitely nervous, but somehow filling her stomach stopped the butterflies from moving around so much.

"Draco looks more nervous than you do," Hermione said. "Never mind, he just sneered at me."

The Quartet hadn't heard anything from Dumbledore, and they decided that it was simply because Dumbledore didn't want them trying to solve any of the problems themselves, which they were highly likely to do regardless of what they promised and who they promised it to. Nonetheless, Rubeus crashed onto their table and tried eating Neville's crusts even though they were still attached to his toast.

"Hey!" Neville said, trying to pull the toast away from Rubeus.

Hermione gently picked off the notes. She handed one to Ginny and one to Hattie. Ginny kept writing to Dudley and received friendly letters in return. Hattie never asked to hear about them, but Ginny often told them anyway. Apparently Dudley enjoyed his school very much, but Hattie knew hers was ten times cooler.

Hattie skimmed the letter and said, "My Aunt found an apartment! And a job, apparently."

"That's great!" Neville said.

Hattie didn't notice Hermione and Ron exchange looks. "Where is it?" Hermione asked.

"Apparently it's quite close to the Burrow," Hattie said. "She didn't want to stray too far from Mrs. Weasley. And she doesn't say what her job is. You don't think she actually took a muggle job at the Ministry, do you?"

"I don't think those even exist," Neville noted.

Hattie continued skimming the letter. Hermione said, "She must have just forgotten to tell you what it was. Write her back and ask."

Hattie asked, rather sheepishly, "Do you happen to have a Lockhart textbook with you? Aunt Petunia reminded me that I keep forgetting to get an autograph."

"I am not giving away another textbook!" Hermione said.

"You know you can have mine in exchange," Hattie said. "I just don't have one on me."

"Then you'll just have to wait," Hermione replied, folding her arms stiffly against her chest.

"Fine, I'll wait," Hattie replied, just as stubbornly. "I better go get ready for the game anyway."

"Should I go with you?" Neville asked.

They also switched their partners. Hattie wasn't sure why or how it happened, but it definitely happened. Originally, Neville didn't seem entirely pleased with the swap, which made Hattie feel terrible. Apparently both of her friends preferred Hermione to her, although she couldn't figure out why. Neville's opinion quickly changed when they played Wizard's Chess together and found themselves evenly matched. Hattie was also relieved to find that Neville was more willing to do homework than Ron, and her work effort greatly improved.

So it wasn't an entirely terrible arrangement, it was just a blow to Hattie's self-confidence. But maybe Ron was right, she thought, maybe she needed to be knocked down a peg or two.

"Only if you want to," Hattie said. "I can head over with the twins."

"Fred said I'd get to sit on the bench if I came with you," Neville added. "Was he just teasing me? Or can I really sit there?"

Hattie shrugged. "You probably can. That way you can walk me back to the Common Room."

"If you're not carried by the rest of the team!" Ginny nearly shouted. "Obviously you're going to make us win!"

"I'm so jealous that you get to sit on the pitch!" Colin said. "Imagine the photos I could get from there. Can I sit on the pitch too, Hattie?"

"Uh, I don't know Colin," Hattie said. "Neville's already been invited and I wouldn't want you to get in the way or anything."

"Besides you'll get better pictures from the bleachers," Ron said, somewhat bitterly. "The game is in the air, remember?"

"Oh," Colin replied. "Right."

"I can take your camera," Neville said, "and take some pictures if you'd like."

"Really? That'd be great, Neville!" Colin said.

Neville added, with a hasty look at Ron, "But it might just be shots of their underbellies. They're more likely to be in the air."

"I haven't got any shots from that angle," Colin said, taking his camera off from around his neck. "It'll be brilliant!"

Neville took the camera from Colin. "All right, we'll see you guys after," Neville said.

"At the celebration," Ginny noted.

"Of course," Neville said.

Dean and Seamus, who had only been eavesdropping until this point, suddenly cut in. Seamus shouted a "Good luck" whereas Dean yelled a "Break a leg."

"Thanks!" Hattie said, starting to walk off.

Then Ginny and Colin stumbled over themselves trying to say "Good Luck" until the twins dragged Hattie and Neville out of the Great Hall. Oliver Wood did not know about Fred's promise to Neville, so Wood gave Neville a Lion's head that Lee Jordan made and was given an old (girl's) uniform to wear. "He can be our mascot for the time being," Wood said.

"Do I have to dance around or anything?" Neville asked.

"Yes," Fred said. "Oh please yes."

"Might be best just to sit or stand on the bench," Wood said. "I wouldn't want you to be too distracting to the players. We're not used to mascots."

"No he needs to dance around," George said. "Moral support, Wood."

After they got Neville's dancing situation figured out – Neville could only dance if Gryffindor scored a goal or make rude gestures if Slytherin scored a goal – Wood gave his speech. Hattie spaced out during it, trying to remember the tips the twins gave her over the summer. Practice at Hogwarts with Wood was great, but he was a bit too serious for Hattie. There was more to Hogwarts than Quidditch, at least there was for Hattie anyway. Maybe she didn't get interested in it early enough.

The game started simple enough. Hattie and Draco didn't exchange threats, merely distant, dirty looks, trying to pretend the other didn't exist. Hattie felt great to be back in the air, even if it was starting to rain. She tried to ignore the crowds and concentrate on finding the snitch. A Bludger came in her direction, but Fred shot it away and gave Hattie a thumbs-up.

Hattie was briefly distracted by Neville dancing on the bench. Fred hit the Bludger cheerful away again, and this time Hattie gave a thumbs-up. She tried to spot Hermione, Ron, and the rest in the bleachers. She couldn't find the former two, but Ginny, Colin, Dean, Seamus, Hagrid, and a blonde girl that Hattie didn't know sat together cheering.

When she went back skimming for the snitch, the Bludger came back. Fred hit it away again, but this time Hattie notice it swerve back towards her. Hattie flew close to Fred as he hit back the Bludger again. "Go back to the game," Hattie said, "I'll concentrate and avoid this Bludger."

"No way," Fred said. "What if it hits you? George has got the rest of them, I'll focus on you."

"Wood's going to kill you," Hattie said.

"And this bludger is going to kill you," Fred said. "I'll hit it away, just get the snitch before Slytherin takes too much of a lead, and before this rain gets too heavy to see."

Hattie nodded, trying to blink raindrops out of her eyes. "All right," she said. "I'll be fast."

She skimmed the field quickly, keeping an eye on Malfoy to see if he dove after anything. She heard Fred curse. He shouted something at her, but she couldn't hear it over the wind and rain. She turned to see Fred, but she got a face first of Bludger instead. She heard a snap and she lost her grip on her broom.

She screamed. And she hated that she screamed like a little girl, but she couldn't stop. She could taste the blood in her mouth. And then something flew in to clog up her mouth. She choked in the air, grabbing her throat.

Fred caught her in the air, and they landed quickly. She grabbed onto the grass and coughed. She tried breathing through her nose but only inhaled blood. "She's choking," Fred shouted. "Don't we have a spell for that?"

Lockhart was quick onto the scene. "We do!" he said, pulling out his wand. "Let me handle-"

There was an explosion. "Get away from her you incompetent nancy," Snape shouted over the rain. He had blown up the rogue Bludger.

Both Lockhart and Fred stepped back, startled by Snape's voice and figure in the rain. He leaned over her and with a quick wave of his wand, the Snitch dislodged itself from her throat. On instinct, Hattie reached up and grabbed it. Snape rolled his eyes at her determination.

"Great job, Hattie!" George said.

"Talk about taking Wood's advice of 'Die trying' too seriously," Fred said.

"I can fix her nose," Lockhart piped up. "Let me fix up her nose, at least."

"I'm fine," Hattie said to Lockhart, covering her nose. "I'll go see Madam Pomfrey."

Neville came charging up, holding the Lion's head beside him. "I'll take her," he said, out of breath. "This counts, right Professor Snape? She caught it, fair and square."

"I suppose if that ball had beaten her to a pulp, you'd want a rematch," Snape replied, dryly.

Nonetheless, Madam Hooch counted her catch as valid and Hattie went off to the Hospital Wing with Neville. "I bet Snape's furious," Neville said. "You know him and Professor McGonagall are very competitive when it comes to Quidditch. And he helped you win! I bet she'll never let him live that one down."

"I'm just glad he didn't let me choke on the Snitch," Hattie said, holding her nose. "But you make a great mascot, Neville. I'm very impressed."

"Who would have thought I could be a Gryffindor Lion?" Neville asked. "My parents won't believe it for a second."

"I bet you anything Wood asks you to do it again," Hattie said.

She honestly missed most of Neville's performance, but she heard the crowd, and it was nothing like it was last year. "Where was McGonagall anyway?" Neville asked. "I kept looking for her, but I didn't see her. She doesn't usually miss the house games, and she wasn't keeping Lee Jordan in check either."

"We'll ask Madam Pomfrey," Hattie said. "She might know. How are you up on all the Professor gossip, anyway?"

Neville just shrugged. "I like people watching," he said. "I can't believe Snape called Lockhart a nancy. He really hates him. I like it when Snape and me hate the same people. It brings out the best in him."

When they got to the Hospital Wing, they saw Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore already there. When they stepped closer, they found the other two missing people. Ron and Hermione lay down petrified in hospital beds. Hattie gripped onto Neville, her blood staining his sleeve. Neville was too shocked to complain.

"Miss. Potter," Professor McGonagall said, looking a startling white. "Mr. Longbottom."

"Are they all right?" Neville asked. "Please, they're just petrified, right?"

"Yes," Professor McGonagall replied. "Miss. Granger was carrying a mirror. It looks like they took a detour to the Quidditch game. I found them on my way to game."

"Where were they going?" Hattie asked.

"It looks like they were heading to Gryffindor Tower," Professor McGonagall answered.

"It happened before the game?" Neville asked. "And you didn't call to cancel the game?"

"We're trying to decide how to handle the situation," Professor McGonagall replied, looking grimly at Professor Dumbledore. "And the game had already started."

"Show Madam Pomfrey your nose, Hattie," Professor Dumbledore said. "Let's get that patched up first."

Hattie suddenly felt very dizzy, and she was relieved to sit down on a hospital bed. Hermione and Ron's beds had curtains around them to save everyone the sight, Hattie supposed. Neville sat down beside Hattie on the bed, looking sicker than she was, just without all the blood. Madam Pomfrey snapped Hattie's nose back in place and then cast a spell so the bone would heal. She cleaned her face with a cool cloth. She then ran through a few tests to check if Hattie had a concussion from the Bludger impact.

When Madam Pomfrey darted off, Hattie stretched out on the bed, putting her forearm over her eyes. Neville manoeuvred himself so he could stay on the bed. He put her legs across his lap. He lowered his voice, "What do we do now, Hattie?"

"We let Dumbledore handle things," Hattie said, "and we tell everyone to carry mirrors."

"Hattie," Neville said. "How could it get Hermione?"

"It didn't," Hattie said. "She outsmarted it. She'll be back soon."

"Hattie-"

"Neville, my head is throbbing," she said. "What happened to the lion I saw earlier today? You can stay here, but I've got to close my eyes for a few minutes."

"You really don't mind if I stay?" Neville asked.

"I don't mind one bit," Hattie said. "If Madam Pomfrey tries to kick you out, tell her I wanted you stay. If she still tries, wake me up and I'll make a fuss, okay?"

"Okay," Neville said.

Hattie closed her eyes and felt herself drifting, but Neville started talking again. "Hattie," he said. "Are you still awake?"

"I'm still awake," she said, trying not to be frustrated.

Neville hesitated, so Hattie opened her eyes. He started at the curtains that contained Hermione and Ron. She could still see their silhouettes. Neville said, "Hattie, I'm scared."

Hattie squeezed his arm. "It's going to be okay," she said. "Professor Dumbledore will make sure everything is fine."

Neville nodded, but his brown eyes stayed locked on the curtain. He continued, "If we hadn't switched partners, that would have been me. It should have been me. Ron would have been better for you. He's a quicker thinker than I am and you two get along better."

"Come on, you and me get along great. And you think just as fast when you need to. And you know what?" Hattie asked.

Neville shook his head.

"Neville look at me," she said.

He turned his head, his eyes locking onto her.

She continued, "Nothing is going to happen. We're not going to need quick thinkers because Dumbledore will handle everything. No adventures this time, Neville."

Neville swallowed. "You're right," he said.

Hattie nodded and smiled at him. Neville finally returned a soft, somewhat-defeated smile. Hattie let go of Neville's arm to cover her eyes again, and she quickly dropped into a heavy sleep.