Author's note: Here is lovely chapter eleven. A big thank you goes to DivergentFanCat, Ern Estine 13624 and adenoide. I always love getting reviews! I think I'll have this story done by the end of next week. Then I shall be off to The Chamber of Secrets! In case some of you didn't know soccer is called football in Europe. I personally think it make more sense . As always I hope you enjoy!

Ch.11: I Believe I can Fly

On thursday at lunch the Gryffindor table was having a very heated argument. It all started over Ron and Dean Thomas fighting over football.

"That sounds like bloody rubbish! How can one ball on the ground be any fun!" Ron yelled at Dean.

"You're just saying that because you never played before!" Dean argued back.

"Well you've never played Quidditch! Hollie help me out here! Tell him Quidditch is the best." Ron brought me into the debate.

I looked up at him wide eyed, "Haha. Um. Welllll.. I um. Actually Ron, I really like football and I kind of agree with Dean on this on."

I heard several people yell out, "WHAT?"

I threw my hands up, "Whoa! Hey now! Everyone is allowed to have their own opinion."

"Not if your opinion is wrong!" Draco chimed in. I forgot he was eating lunch with me today.

Dean gave me a high five,

"Finally someone else here has good taste!"

"Good tastes! I think you're both nutters!" Seamus added in his thick irish accent.

The table burst into disagreement once again.

Hermione was blabbering about statistics. Lavender wouldn't shut up about how cute her favorite Quidditch Keeper was. Ron and Dean looked like they were ready to fist fight, with Draco egging them on.

"Okay everyone quiet down!" I yelled.

"Hey no need to yell mate." Ron joked, "We're right here."

I glared at him before going on, "Anyway, we should come up with some sort of test or bet to decide once and for all which is better."

"That doesn't sound to bad actually." Dean said and the others murmured in agreement.

"Great. Okay now lets come up with something we can all agree for it."

"We could play a game of Quidditch?" Ron suggested.

"OR we could play a game of football." Dean yelled over top of Ron.

"I have a different idea actually." Draco said smirking.

"What's your idea?"

"It's more of a bet then a game. Simply pick one person from each side and have a broom race tomorrow afternoon." He suggested.

"That sounds okay, but lets make it interesting." Ron dug out a rock cake he still had in his robes, "I can get one of my brothers to bewitch this and the first person to catch it is the winner."

"Not bad Weasel. Who do we want to participate, I nominate myself simply because my flying is far superior. Did you know, once I almost flew into a jet. My amazing ski-"

"Yes Draco you've told us. Twelve times now." I cut him off, "Okay so Draco wants to fly for the team for Quidditch. Anyone disagree?"

There were a few grunts of disapproval but no one disagreed.

"I hate to say it but anyone who likes football has never been flying. Your team doesn't stand a chance." Hermione interjected.

"Oh yes we do, because we've got Hollie Potter on our team. She's going to beat Malfoy!" Dean excitedly announced.

"I'm what?" I looked at him, "Dean you know I've never even touched a broom before right?"

"Neither have I. Listen none of us on the football side have. You're our best chance. Come on Hollie say you'll do it." He begged me.

"Fine but when we lose, don't try to hex me alright!" I ran a hand through my hair nervously.

"Cheer up Hollie! I'm sure you'll learn all you need to know after todays flying lesson." Draco teased, "But don't think because you're a newbie that I going to go easy on you. I'm not."

"Good because I'm going to beat you fair and square Draco." I grinned.

We all shook hands for the bet and ran off to flying lessons with Madam Hooch.

The two most noticeable features of Madam Hooch was her short grey hair and hawklike yellow eyes.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she barked, "Everyone stand by a broomstick come on, hurry up."

We all rushed over to the two rows of brooms. Ron stood beside me and Draco's in the other row facing me. My broom has definitely seen better days, it's old and some of the twigs stick out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," Madam Hooch called, "And say UP!"

"UP!" we all shouted.

My broom was the first to fly into my hand. Hermione Grangers simply rolled over. I finally found something she didn't beat me at. Draco got his the second time. Ron's flew up after his fourth call. Neville's broom refused to move. Madam Hooch showed us how to mount the broom without sliding off the end. She traveled up the rows and correcting our grips.

She was just going to have us kick off and land back down, when Neville's broom had another ideas. He kicked off too hard and just rose up like a cork shot out of a bottle. He rose about twenty feet before falling off his broom. He fell with a nasty cracking sound. Madam Hooch carted him off to the healer muttering about a broken wrist. Before she left she looked at us all and said,

"If I see one broom in the air the one riding it will be out of here before they can say Quidditch."

I threw my broom down and laid in the grass. Ron looked down at me,

"What cha doing down there for?"

"Ugh. I'm so tired." I whined.

"Why? We didn't have class until eleven today."

"Yeah, well I keep having these weird nightmares."

"Weird nightmares?"

"Yeah. They are all the same. I'm being chased by Professor Quirrell's turban."

"Maybe your afraid of bald people."

"Thats probably it." I said sitting up yawning.

Draco and I started talking about how we were going to beat each other. He seemed very confident, I don't blame him I would too if I the person I was flying against has yet to fly at all. After about twenty minutes Madam Hooch returned to resume our flying lessons. When she blew her whistle, I kicked off. Even though I was only in the air a few moments, it felt amazing. She had us repeat going up and coming down several times before she let us spend some time in the air. I rose up eager to feel the rush I felt the first time. I leaned forward, gaining speed. I turned and twisted effortlessly, spinning higher and higher. I've never been graceful even after seven horrible years of ballet. But in this moment I felt weightless and perfect. I even started to sing the chorus of I believe I can fly as I flew.

"MISS POTTER!" Madam Hooch yelled out, "Get down here this instant!"

Reluctantly, I slowly descended down agin, my feet lightly skimmed the grass. Only now on the ground again, I could see the stares of my classmates.

"Just because you've spent your whole life on a broomstick does not mean you get to show off." she chewed me out.

"But. . . . Today was my first time being on a broom. I've never been on one before." I told her.

Her eyebrows shot up and chatter broke out among the students.

"Well then bravo. You're a natural I guess." she said looking impressed.

"Thank you." I said.

I looked over at Draco, he seem shocked at my newly found skill. Oh, he is so going down tomorrow.