A/N: Once more big sloppy et kisses for my wonderful beta. Who for some unknow reason still IS my beta and does a fantastic job. love ya shy!

Chapter 12: Fight the good fight

Everyone cheered and all the team filed out of the changing room followed by their friends. The snow had eased a little but not by much, and visibility was still minimal. At the tunnel that led onto the pitch the team were bidding their final well wishes as all the groupies hurried off through the snow to find seats. Only Justin, Hannah and Ernie remained. They and Zach stood a little distance behind the team as they waited for Madam Hooch to call them onto the pitch.

"They look scared," Hannah commented to Zach who nodded as they all looked at the white faces of the team as they waited by the tunnel shivering from cold. Some of them, Mary included, looked like they were about to be sick.

"They should be," Zach said in a barely audible voice, "I've pissed Ravenclaw off big time. They aren't going to be showing mercy this match."

"Well we'll make sure Pomfrey gives you the best bed," Ernie joked and Zach smiled weakly.

"We'd better get going, we've still got to find seats," Justin reminded them as he clasped Zach's hand and squeezed his arm, "Good luck mate."

"I appreciate it."

Hannah and Ernie wished him luck too before they all turned into the snow and hurried off towards the Hufflepuff stands.

"Zach!" Justin called back as he reached the wooden steps. Zach turned at the call, "Have you seen Susan?"

"Not since breakfast," Zach called back through the snow that whipped at his face, but at that moment a klaxon sounded and Justin knew that Zach had to go.

"Listen up, team!" Zach called as he hurried towards his team, "We pissed the birdbrains off this morning so they'll want pay back. They'll try to hit hard and as much as they can. They'll try to break our spirit and our bones, and they'll use this weather to their advantage."

"They're tricky little bugger them birds are," Jason said gleefully as he rubbed his hands to stave off the cold.

"They are and that's why we need to concentrate on points. Mary, forget about the Snitch because there's no way you'll see it in this weather. Even Cho will find it damn near impossible," Zach said reassuringly as he gripped Mary's shoulder, "Just mark her, tackle her and keep her out of our way.

"Chasers- points! That's all you need to worry about. Score as many as you can, score them fast, score them quick, and keep them coming, bang, bang, bang. As many as you can." Jason Devlin and Amber McKenna, Hufflepuff's Chasers nodded in agreement.

"Beaters- you know exactly what you need to do. Keep those Bludgers in play but keep them away from our men. We've got other things to worry about besides those skull crushers. Ready?" They all nodded just as Madam Hooch called for them to join her on the pitch.

"Keep up high, the blizzards worse down here but it'll be clearer in the skies. And remember, we're a team so let's think like one," Zach called his last pointers as they walked out onto the frozen field. Some unknown commentator with a voice that could barely be heard over the winds called out their names.

"Players, take up your positions, and captains to me!" Madam Hooch called as the two teams walked onto the pitch and fanned out.

"Captains will shake hands." At this, the usual pre-kick off etiquette, Zach and Roger met in the centre of the field and shook hands. There wasn't any crushing of bones or backbiting comments that were usual with the likes of Slytherin. Both captains, despite Zach's words in the Great Hall, smiled and wished each other good luck before them and the rest of their teams lowered their goggles. Hooch called for them to mount their brooms.

Madam Hooch's whistle blew but its piercing cry hardly carried in the winds. The spectators in the stands only knew that the match had begun when both teams rose into the air and the balls were released. Zach felt a surge of pride at his team mates as they followed his advice and raced up above the snow storm clouds while he and Roger immediately fought for the released Quaffle.

Zach and Roger were the first to come to blows as the fight for who would gain first hold of the Quaffle was always a test of brute force, rather than Quidditch skill. Both captains collided in mid flight as each raced towards the released ball. Arms, hands and legs kicked, punched and grabbed at the opposition as all gentlemanly behaviour and past friendliness instantly faded. Both captains knew that control of the Quaffle was essential and neither was willing to give up on gaining the ball first. Their task was made harder however by the winds and snow that pulled and pushed both captains, and as Rogers elbow collided with Zach's skull, Zach managed to gain the upper hand for a split second and pulled the ball towards him and free from Roger.

Zach lost no time in joining his team mates high above the pitch where, as Zach had promised, the winds were less ferocious making the snow seem less cruel. All of Zach's previous worries and anxieties suddenly faded and the wind blew at him, the feel of his broom suddenly ceased being a lump of bewitched wood and became an extension of his own being. Zach loved this feeling, he loved the freedom and the freshness and exhilaration that flying gave him and he intended to use his new found adrenalin to his advantage.

With his senses now heightened his game took on a new form. It was more instincts and gut feelings that told him where his team mates were, and in the space of thirty seconds, since Madam Hooch had released the balls, Hufflepuff had managed to gain the first advantage.

"Smith has control of the Quaffle!" called the voice of Slytherin's Graham Pritchard, who was commentating, as Justin, Ernie and Hannah hurried along the stands towards the rest of Hufflepuff house. All three stopped and forced themselves to the front of the crowd as Terry called Zach's name. Unconsciously all three badgers knew that now the match had started there was very little point in hurrying towards their housemates. Hannah and Justin cheered as they spotted Zach through the falling snow. Ernie however was looking around at the faces of the people standing next to him. He inwardly groaned as he realised that the spot that the three friends had chosen to stop at was swarming with Gryffindors. He tried to avoid eye contact as he noticed that the four nearest to them was Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and a guy that he was almost positive was called Norbert Longbottom.

Justin had noticed too now, but unlike Ernie the mass of Gryffindors didn't faze him. He nodded to Weasley, said hello to Potter and asked Granger how her Runes homework was going. Which Justin instantly wished he hadn't as soon as the words had left his mouth as Granger leaped at the opportunity of showing off and erupted in a tale of how easy the work had been and wondered if he had found it easy too.

Hannah also didn't mind the close proximity of the Gryffindors. She huddled her cloak around herself as she stood next to Longbottom and managed a weak smile, both she and Longbottom felt unnaturally uncomfortable standing next to each other.

The match continued on pretty much the same footing as Zach had started it off on and despite the conditions Pritchard continued to commentate unfalteringly.

"Smith passes the Quaffle to Devlin, Devlin to McKenna. Smiths back in play!"

Zach sped through the air, dodging team mates, Bludgers and oppositions as though they weren't even there. His mind had channelled out the weather, to him the snow was no longer something that hampered his progression, the wind wasn't a resistance, both were forces that aided his efforts. The wind to carry him and to speed his movements, the snow was cover, a protection from the Ravenclaws. Time also seemed different, it was practically none existent. Zach didn't know whether he had been flying for five minutes or for five hours and quite frankly he didn't care. All that mattered was the game, gaining the Quaffle was one thing, scoring was something completely different.

"Smith is in possession as the Hufflepuff team near the Ravenclaw goal hoops, will Smith score? NO! Smith passes back to Devlin! Is he craz- DEVLIN SCORES!"

The sixth years heard their house mates calling over the noise of the winds. Even Ernie forgot about the surrounding Gryffindors as he yelled and waved his house scarf. Justin and Hannah both clapped and even Potter congratulated them on their goal.

"Ravenclaw's in possession! Bradley to Moore, Moore to Davies, he flips it to Bradley. He's fumbled! The Quaffle is out of possession! Smith picks it up and the balls back in play!"

Despite the weather the match moved quickly. Zach and his Chasers seemed unstoppable, they scored goal after goal and even though the Ravenclaws scored a fair few themselves, Hufflepuff was leading. Zach was amazed at how much the Ravenclaws had taken to heart the words he had spoken at breakfast and he couldn't help but laugh out loud at the stupid mistakes that their anger was making them do. Ben Dover, one of Roger's Chasers had fumbled the Quaffle three times in a row and when he finally did get hold of the ball he tossed it with such force to his team mate, Delilah Bigalow, that she was nearly unseated from her broom. Even the Ravenclaw Beaters seemed so enraged by Zach that they had completely forgotten about the other Hufflepuff players and concentrated all their efforts on attacking him. This of course gave Jason and Amber the freedom that they needed and made Kevin Whitby and Wayne Summers, Zach's Beaters, game simple as they knew exactly where their counterparts were.

As the game progressed Zach settled and he became the captain that he had trained himself to be. His eyes scanned the pitch and skies like eagles. He watched the Ravenclaws and his own team as best he could through the snow. He yelled and gesticulated at his Beaters as they did their best to keep the Bludgers in play at the same time as keeping them away from their own team. Through all of this and his own Chaser duties Zach still managed to keep an eye on the youngest member of his team, Mary, as she flew around high above the stadium marking Cho.

"And Devlin's scored again!" Pritchard's voice called out over the noise of the wind and the roar of the Hufflepuffs. "The Puffs are pulling ahead in what looks to be a phenomenal lead!"

Ernie grumbled to himself at Pritchard's words and was thankful that Susan wasn't with them as he could only imagine her teasing. Hannah and Longbottom were deep in conversation and seemed to have forgotten all about the match. Justin cheered Jason's goal as Granger tried once more to strike up a conversation that was homework related. He prayed that the match wouldn't last any longer as Granger had been buzzing unceasingly about Runes and Arithmancy ever since the six year badgers had arrived. Weasley was glaring at him with murderous eyes and Justin was sure that if he stood still for too long parts of his anatomy that was much loved would begin to freeze.

But it wasn't just the spectators that felt the cruelness of the cold. Zach, despite his exhaustions was also freezing. His nose and ears stung with the onslaught of the snow and winds and Zach was sure that his feet were slowly getting frost bitten.

"SMITH!" Jason called as both players neared each other as they followed behind Amber who had the Quaffle. "I'm freezing my man bits off here! We can't go on in this weather for much longer."

"DON'T BE A WUSS!" Zach called as Amber passed the Quaffle back to him and Zach and Jason took up lead position as Amber fell behind in reserve. But before Zach could say anything else one of the Ravenclaw Beaters had seen their opportunity to send Zach a lethal present. The Bludger struck Zach full on in his chest; he choked and gasped for breath as his head swam between blackness and the world around him. But still he fought on. He threw the Quaffle towards Jason as he slung low onto the front of his broom while the others raced off towards the goal hoops. Slowly Zach felt his wind coming back to him as he gulped down air and he heard a cry far above him. At first he thought it was only the wind but as he looked and the cry came again he realised that it was the call of another player, but not just any. It was Mary.

Zach didn't wait to hear the cry again. He forced his broom into the wind and headed towards the direction he thought he heard the call coming from, all thoughts of the game pushed firmly out of his head. The higher he climbed the clearer the skies became but the winds were more turbulent and colder. Zach shivered in his robes as his gloved hands slipped slightly on his wet broom handle. He could see Mary now, not too far above him, maybe fifty yards, Zach guessed as he struggled to force his broom forwards through the on coming winds.

"HELP!" Mary cried as she saw Zach approach. Mary was clutching desperately at the head of her broom as she struggled to keep the brooms head vertical.

"What's happened?" Zach called as he kicked his broom forward and grabbed hold of Mary's broom's head. But his question was answered as soon as his hands took hold of the cold wood and he realised that the head of Mary's broom was covered in thick ice. Zach didn't need to be told what had happened; his mind worked that out quickly enough. The freezing temperatures above the snow clouds had quickly turned the water on Mary's broom into an icicle making the broom too heavy for Mary to control.

"Try to hold your broom as still as you can!" Zach called as he immediately reached for his wand. "I'm going to melt the ice. Don't worry you'll be fine." Zach smiled his most cocksure grin and winked. Mary nodded tears streaming from her eyes, she was terrified. Zach cursed Susan for involving the poor cub in her crazy plans and all that Zach could say to reassure Mary was to tell her not to worry. But as Zach pulled his wand free from his robes a strong gust of wind blew the two brooms together. Mary screamed as her broom bucked and she grabbed hold of Zach's arm knocking his wand free.

"Bloody hell!" Zach cursed to himself as he watched his wand spiralling into the clouds below as Mary clung to him.

"Hold on!" Zach called as his broom bucked when another blast of air hit them. The brooms suddenly pulled apart and as Zach's broom bucked upwards, Mary's broom began a nose dive. Mary clutched desperately to Zach as her broom fell into a corkscrew and followed the descent of Zach's wand. But as Zach tried to pull Mary onto his broom he could feel his gloved hands slipping on her sleeve. No matter how hard he tried Zach couldn't get any grip. He stared in disbelief as the scene before him played out in slow motion. He saw Mary's arm slipping further and further through his grip, he could hear the ripping of her sleeve but yet there was nothing he could do to save her. Finally Mary's sleeve gave way and she too fell plummeting into the clouds below.

Zach wasted no time as he immediately kicked his broom into action and pointed its head into a steep dive following after Mary's screams. The wind whipped at him and stung his cheeks. He crashed through the clouds as they hit him hard like undergrowth and he felt their pull on this robes and hoped that they had slowed Mary's fall slightly. Zach tried to concentrate his thoughts as he felt bile rising from his stomach while desperate thoughts ran through his head. He cursed Susan and he cursed Dumbledore for his lack of presence at this match after he had always been there when Potter needed saving. But the most prominent was the fact that Zach knew the limitations of his broom and that without his wand Mary's chances looked slim.

He tried unsuccessfully to convince himself that he had done this sort of thing a thousand times before. Catching heavy falling objects was what Zach did best but this was ridiculous. Zach knew it was, Mary wasn't a Quaffle and her weight pulled her earth bound faster then a magically enchanted red ball. Zach emerged from the clouds, still driving his broom earth bound as he looked about for Mary. Below the clouds the snow was still falling thick and fierce, the winds were strong and Zach was scared that Mary had been blown too far out of his reach. But as soon as this thought entered Zach's head he saw her not too far below and he urged his broom on, begging for it to move faster and faster. Zach could now hear the crowds cheering and yelling but their yells turned to screams and gasps as they saw Mary fall but there was nothing they could do but watch.

"NO!" Hannah gasped as she clung to Neville in fear as she and the others saw Mary emerge out of the clouds. Justin and Ernie rushed to front of the stand and stared helplessly as Mary plummeted downwards.

"Somebody help her!" Hannah yelled tears welling up in her eyes. "Somebody do something please!" Justin had instinctively grabbed hold of wand but as he was racking his brains trying to find a spell that could help Mary Ernie yelled and pointed.

"IT'S ZACH!" Ernie cried as he practically jumped for joy and pointed at his friend as he watched Zach desperately trying to reach Mary.

"He isn't going to make it!" Hannah screamed as she clutched tightly to Neville's arm.

"Oh yes he is!" Justin yelled as he pointed his wand at Mary and yelled, "Dissendo!"

Zach's ears filled with the screams of the students in the stands, part of him wished that he had never tried to save Mary. He didn't think he could live with the consequences if the worst did happen. Zach once more urged his broom downwards and cursed his father for not buying him latest model when he had asked. But just as the ground was looming up on Mary, Zach found himself moving closer and closer, almost as if Mary was slowing down. The closer she came to the ground within seconds Zach was upon her. He grabbed at Mary's robes and pulled her close, gripping her tightly about the waist.

They were feet from the ground, Zach tried to pull his broom upwards but with only one free arm and their combined weight Zach only managed to lift the broom's nose slightly. Zach kicked his feet free from his brooms stirrups and dived left off his broom pulling Mary with him. They both landed heavily on the ground, Mary falling on top of Zach as the pair rolled across the ground while Zach's broom ploughed deeply into the soil. The broom dug a deep trench into the pitch and Zach groaned as finally he and Mary ceased cart-wheeling across the grounds. Mary was still crying as Zach painfully pulled himself out from under her. His ribs hurt like they were on fire, his hand that had gripped hold of Mary was sore, and every appendage felt frostbitten.

"Y-You saved me!" Mary sobbed as she turned and hugged Zach causing him to wince in pain while cries of 'what happened?' reached his ears and his team rushed towards them. Madam Hooch was calling for someone to fetch madam Pomfrey as she too rushed towards Zach and Mary.

"What happened? Who's winning?" Zach called as he saw Jason and Amber running towards them.

"Sorry mate," Jason said sadly as he helped Zach to his feet, Mary still desperately clinging onto his neck, "Cho caught the snitch, they beat us 210 to 160"

"Oh," was all that Zach said as he nodded slowly. His neck felt painful and his head swam. Even breathing hurt and he shuddered with each breath as pain shot throughout his body and darkness descended.

"What happened to him?" Zach heard voices saying as he slowly started to come round. He could feel the warmth of soft sheet surrounding him and his head, bruised and bandaged, was still tender.

"Apparently he fainted," Zach heard Jason's voice say, immediately Zach's eyes shot wide open.

"I didn't faint," Zach protested angrily, immediately wishing he hadn't when the pain in his head returned and his whole body protested at his movements as he struggled to sit up. "I- I passed out through-through manly exhaustion."

"Manly exhaustion!" Jason laughed throwing his head back as he did so. Busty Lana Love was there too and as Zach looked around he could see all his team, Justin, Hannah and Ernie as well as most of Hufflepuff house.

"Faint is the proper medical term, Mr Smith," Madam Pomfrey said tartly as she approached and poured a thick black liquid onto a spoon before proceeding to force it down Zach's throat making him gag at its foul taste. "Now if you all don't mind you can see that your friend has regained his faculties. You can all retire to your house and leave him to recoup in peace."

All the Badgers nodded and proceeded to leave. Justin, Hannah and Ernie quickly said their goodbyes and together they all headed towards their common room. Mary was the last to leave.

"Thank you," she said timidly as she stood by the foot of Zach's bed looking extremely nervous. "I'm so sorry I kicked you in the head when we fell." Zach smiled, thinking it was more than his head that she had kicked in and his ribs felt as though a horse had fallen on him. But despite this he was glad that Mary wasn't hurt.

"You're welcome," Zach said, "I'm just glad you're ok." Zach threw Mary one of his more charming grins and winked. At this Mary's face shot into a full smile and turned an unsightly shade of red as she rushed out of the room giggling. Zach sighed and knew that Mary was now another full fledged member of his pre-teen fan club, and cursed himself for encouraging it.

It was quiet in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey was busy in her office and as Zach sat in his bed listening to the falling snow his eye lids began to feel heavy. Just as he was dozing, the sound of the infirmary door opening woke him. Zach stared in astonishment as Pansy Parkinson entered the ward.

"Oh, hi," Pansy said sounding slightly nervous, "I-I thought you'd be asleep by now I didn't want to disturb you, but I thought you'd want this back." Pansy walked towards Zach's bed and held out his broom, it was in perfect condition. Zach loved his broom and even though he did secretly believe that it held more magical powers than usual, there was no way that it could have survived hitting the ground with the force that it had and coming out unscathed.

"I-errr- I found this too," Pansy said as she retrieved from her robes pocket Zach's wand, "You'll be needing it soon."

"Thanks!" Zach said, still slightly confused at who his visitor was, but he smiled nonetheless and as he took his wand his had brushed against Pansy's. Pansy withdrew her hand quickly as though she had just received an electric shock and looked at Zach with eyes that almost seemed to plead with him to say something.

"Thanks," Zach uttered again and gave his bedside table a few sharp whacks with his wand for good measure. "Thanks for this."

"Well-err-goodnight," Pansy said hurriedly before she left. Leaving Zach feeling terribly confused as to what had just happened.

Justin, Hannah, Ernie and the rest of Hufflepuff house made their way back to their common room all of them was discussing the match and Zach's save of Mary. Everyone was praising Zach and Jason and his girlfriend Lana were planning a party in Zach's honour.

"You should tell them," Ernie hissed to Justin, "Zach would never have caught her if you hadn't cast that spell to slow Mary's descent."

"Yes, but Justin didn't catch her," Hannah hissed back.

"So," Ernie said indifferently, "if it was me, I'd be boasting it. You deserve some of the credit too, you know."

"Maybe," Justin said amicably, "But Zach did the hard work. Besides, for the pain he's going through he earned the credit, not me."

"Well said," Hannah said smiling as she and the other sixth years finally entered the common room.

"Where have you been!" Justin called angrily across the common room as he spotted Susan sitting on her pink inflatable chair. She was pretending to read a copy of Advanced Potions but Justin instantly knew that the book was just to hide the fact that she was grinning like mad.

"I've been here all the time," Susan said blissfully, "Didn't much like the idea of going outside today. Too cold you see." She pretended to shiver as if to show the others how cold she thought it was.

"We were worried!" Justin continued his rage as he hurried across towards Susan.

"No, you were worried," Ernie corrected and added slyly, "I bet she was having it away with some young pup or other."

"Don't tease," Hannah hissed tartly as they too joined Susan and Justin at their usual seats.

"So, where have you been?" Justin asked again, this time with a better hold on his temper.

"Around," said Susan evasively as she grinned, "Working up a sweat if you must know." At this Ernie practically cackled with laughter as Justin and Hannah shared confused looks. "So how did we do?" Susan asked as she quickly changed the subject.

"If you really cared you'd have been there," Justin spat, "but we lost. Again! And Zach and Mary were nearly killed."

"What?" gasped Susan, her grin finally faded as she looked about the common room spotting Mary but not Zach. "Where is he? Is he ok?"

"He'll be fine," Hannah reassured her, "Pomfrey's keeping him in over night. She said he's broken a few ribs and hit his head hard but he'll mend."

"Zach always does. He's built to last," Ernie said grinning.

As the following day was a Sunday the merry making in the Hufflepuff common room lasted well into the small hours. Many of the seventh years goaded the younger badgers into running a supply train from the kitchens, that was until Professor Sprout caught them and gave them all detentions. She also gave Ernie another lecture on how to keep the younger years in line.

It was well past two in the morning when Hannah and Susan retired to their room. Susan was still wearing her stupid grin and Hannah had finally grown tired of it.

"Why didn't you come to see the match?" Hannah asked as both girls prepared for bed.

"I told you. I just didn't feel like leaving the castle," Susan said still grinning and added under her breath, "I had other incentives." Not understanding Susan wasn't something new to Hannah, she shrugged, just like she usually did and gave up trying to fathom out her friend.

"Goodnight. Sweet dreams. Don't let the bed bugs bite," Hannah called as both girls snuggled deep into their beds, both grateful for the warmth. At Hannah's words Susan smiled to herself. Zach wasn't the only one, who had had an exhausting day. And as Susan smiled she knew that tonight she needn't be dreaming about Snape fantasies any longer.