A/N hey folks...here's the finished chapter, sorry for the wait...part of the next chapter is written...you may luck out and see the next chapter before Sunday night...
Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny-the Great Hall buzzed with anticipation for the first day of unofficial Quidditch play.
"Are you guys going to come down to watch Quidditch?" Ginny asked Luna and Padma.
"Maybe later…" replied Luna.
"We'll probably be playing around one…" said Hermione.
Hermione looked at her watch and then stood from the table. She cleared her throat and then pointed her wand at her throat said "Sonorus!"
"All students wishing to play Quidditch please meet on the pitch by ten a.m.-thank you," she announced.
A roar erupted from the students around her-even some of the Slytherins were smiling.
Hermione pointed her wand at her throat again and muttered "Quietus."
She reached for Ginny's hand as Fred, George, Harry, Angelina and Katie also stood to follow her from the Great Hall.
"We're going to play the fourth match if you guys can help me form the teams?" she asked them.
They all nodded in response.
She handed out four parchments.
"Angelina if you and Ginny can deal with the Chasers. Harry, you've got the Seekers. Fred, George if you can handle the Beaters and Katie, would you mind dealing with the Keepers?" they had all nodded in acknowledgement as Hermione had said their names, "I'll stay at the entrance until ten.
"We'll get two teams playing right away and I'll explain the modified rules when everyone gets here," she smiled at her new teammates. "You'll notice on the other side of the parchments I gave you is the name of the position you'll be dealing with...just get everyone to fill out their information on the parchment. I'll send the stragglers over to as they arrive-and uh, thanks for your help guys."
"Are you kidding Hermione?" said Katie. "I can't believe how much thought you've put into this."
"Ginny?" said Angelina who waited for Ginny to look at her before continuing, "Is that a Purpleheart Wood broom?"
"It is," Ginny replied, smiling. "Hermione got it for me for my birthday...hers is a Purpleheart Wood broom too...only don't tell anyone."
"Almost doesn't seem fair-two Purpleheart wood brooms and a Firebolt on one team," remarked Angelina.
"That's why, if they show their faces, we'll be playing the Slytherins...they've got Nimbuses, they should be almost able to keep up," Hermione informed them.
When they reached the pitch the were surprised to find almost fifty students already waiting for them. After Hermione had again magically amplified her voice she directed the players into their groups them went to stand by the entrance to direct the latecomers, and as the time approached ten a.m. she noticed the Slytherin team walking towards the stadium, Malfoy in the lead.
Once everyone was grouped by the position they wanted to play, Hermione again amplified her voice and addressed them: "Welcome! Before we start I'd like to take a vote-we can have mixed teams or house teams, or as close to house teams as we can...raise your hands for house teams."
She took a quick count and then announced; "House teams it is," she smiled. "Games will be every other weekend with time for practices on the off weekends...I will have a schedule posted by Wednesday with play being suspended from December to the beginning of February when the actual tournament begins. There will be two divisions-the junior division for players third year and under. And the Senior division for players fourth year and above.
"Games played until the Christmas break are meant for teams to learn how to play together. Starting in February the round robin tournament will begin with the final games on the second to last weekend in May. Games will also be postponed if they happen to land on a Triwizard task weekend. If you don't make it on to a team today, please stick around-you may yet get a chance to play.
"Now…as for the modified rules-games will end when one of three conditions is met: the Snitch is caught, either team reaches one hundred and fifty points or and hour and half has passed. If we run out of time today any remaining games will take place tomorrow.
"Madam Hooch has graciously agreed to referee our games-any player who intentionally hurts another player will be suspended from play for time equal to the severity of the foul. For example: a Bludger to the head gets you sat out for the rest of the day-that's where the reserve players come in. Any questions?"
"Just one," said Katie Bell. "Will the visiting students be allowed to play?"
"If they want to...yes," replied Hermione. "Anything else?" She looked around, surprised to see Fred with his hand in the air.
"Three cheers for Hermione-hip hip!" he screamed.
"Hooray!" the rest of the players, except for Ron and the Slytherins, cheered.
"Hip hip!"
"Hooray!"
"Hip hip!"
"Hooray!"
Hermione blushed deeply but continued anyways; "We'll announce the first two teams and then figure out the rest as we go. The first two teams will have fifteen minutes to warm up-" she smiled broadly. "As the other teams are announced you're welcome to practice and warm-up-we'll call you when it's your turn to play. Everyone not playing in the first game please take a seat in the stands," she paused and did a quick headcount. "It looks like we have enough players for four teams in each division-you'll all been given jerseys before you play, please drop them off before you leave. We'll have food and drink set up in the north stands for everyone...we'll be breaking for dinner at six. Thanks for showing up everyone-Good luck and have fun!"
Hermione pointed her wand at her throat again and said, "Quietus," and then motioned her team over.
"Have we got our first two teams?" she asked them.
"Yeah-junior Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws," answered Katie.
"Okay-thanks for your help guys. If you could just hand out the jerseys and then we'll sort out of the rest of the teams," Hermione said, smiling again.
She took Ginny's hand and made her way to the stands with Harry.
"Well done, babe," said Ginny as they sat.
Hermione smiled and kissed her briefly before looking at the parchments in her hand.
"Noticed Ron in with the Keepers...pity we already have a great Keeper," joked Harry.
"Fred?" said Hermione. "Can you go talk to Ron for me? Tell him I'll try to find him a spot but our team is already set," she paused a moment; "And ask him, to at least, apologize to your parents?"
The rest of their new Gryffindor team came to sit with them as Fred went to speak with Ron.
Half an hour into the first game they had organized the other six teams- Ron lucking out as the Senior Hufflepuff team was short a Keeper.
Fred came back and sat down behind Ginny and Hermione.
"He said he was planning to write to them tonight," he told them.
"Really?" they replied together.
Fred nodded.
"It's a start," sighed Hermione, "Go tell him he can play with the Hufflepuffs."
The first game ended at it's time limit-the Junior Ravenclaws winning by twenty points. The next game pitted the Senior Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws-the game ending after half an hour when Cedric Diggory caught the Snitch, winning the game for his team, one hundred and eighty to one hundred and forty.
Next up were the Junior Slytherins and Gryffindors-the Senior teams leaving at the one hour mark to warm up.
They returned to pitch and began their match a few minutes later. Hermione watched Katie, Angelina and Ginny with fascination as the three of them dominated the Quaffle-they scored thirteen times before the Slytherins finely gained possession and began streaking down the pitch towards her.
The Slytherin Chaser had just released the Quaffle when Madam Hooch blew the whistle signaling the end of the match. Hermione caught the Quaffle and then looked around to find Harry grinning broadly and holding the struggling Snitch. A loud cheer issued from the crowd that had been steadily growing throughout the day.
Both teams flew down to the pitch and landed in front of the other watching players. In all four games not a single foul was called. Hermione smiled broadly and again magically amplified her voice.
"Thank you everyone for making today such a resounding success," she smiled. "A big round of applause for Madam Hooch!" she said. "In four games not a single foul was committed...thanks for respecting the rules...oh, I forgot, the final games in May will be usual Quidditch rules-I will have schedules and teams posted by Wednesday...thanks again everyone!"
The players and spectators began slowing filing out of the stadium and were climbing the hill back towards the castle. Ginny had just taken Hermione's hand when they were approached by the whole Senior Slytherin team.
"Um, Hermione?" said Malfoy, tentatively. "We wanted to thank you for setting this up."
"You're all welcome, Draco…" Hermione replied, stunned. Malfoy had never addressed her by her first name and never so politely.
Malfoy nodded and he and his team turned to return to the castle.
"Hermione?" came a tentative voice behind them-their surprise growing when they turned to find that it had been Ron who had spoken. "Thanks for finding me a spot to play," he said then looked to Harry. "Can I talk to you a moment, um, alone?"
"Unless you're ready to apologize to Ginny, Hermione and Luna-I have nothing to say to you," Harry answered.
Ron looked ready to turn and walk away when Hermione stopped him; "I'd be happy with a lack of open hostility and name calling."
Ron looked at Hermione a moment before answering; "I think I can do that."
They watched as Harry and Ron walked away.
"You were awesome, Gin, you all were…" said Luna as she came to join them.
"It was a good day," Hermione commented. "Ron is going to apologize to his parents, agreed to no more name calling and even thanked me for finding him a spot to play-even Draco thanked me," she said, shaking her head slightly.
"I'd call that pretty close to miraculous…" said Padma.
"Witness the power of Quidditch!" joked Ginny.
…
The days and weekends took on a routine after that. Ginny and Luna had answered many questions during the first week as to how exactly they had managed to skip a grade by their new classmates. Most questions were answered, however, when their classmates realised that, not only were Ginny and Luna equal to them in their studies, they were able to master just about any spell, potion or other task they were given with very little difficulty.
Ron had kept his word and written to his parents. Unfortunately they weren't satisfied with his apology and told him as much in a Howler he received a few days later after breakfast. He had tried to run out of the Great Hall with it but it had started yelling at him before he reached the Entrance Hall, informing him, and everyone else in earshot of the Howler, that he had a lot of nerve to ask them for anything when he had yet to apologize to the two girls.
Every Saturday, Ginny and Hermione could be found playing Quidditch. Sunday mornings the three of them would take the puppies running through the forest and tried to learn more about being a wolf.
They were doing very well at 'faking it' and making sure that no one found out about their gifts or how advanced they really were until Professor Moody announced one day that he would be putting them under the Imperius Curse so he could demonstrate it's power and to see whether they could resist it's effects.
"But - but you said it's illegal, Professor," said Hermione, trying to dissuade Moody from performing the curse on them. "You said - to use it against another human was -"
"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Moody, his magical eye swiveling onto Hermione and fixing her with an eerie, unblinking stare. "If you'd rather learn the hard way - when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely - fine by me. You're excused. Off you go."
Hermione blushed slightly and silently hoped that her, Ginny and Luna's acting abilities would be sufficient to not arouse suspicion. As Moody began to call the students forward and placed the curse on them, the girls got more and more nervous as none of their classmates seemed able to fight the curse and performed extraordinary feats they would not normally be capable of.
"Potter," Moody growled, "you next."
Harry moved forward into the middle of the classroom, into the space that Moody had cleared of desks. Moody raised his wand, pointed it at Harry, and said, "Imperio!"
The girls watched as Harry was placed under the curse-he bent his knees, as if preparing to jump, only to stop and then seemed to both try to jump and not jump at the same time resulting in him crashing headlong into a desk.
"Now, that's more like it!" growled Moody's voice. "Look at that, you lot…Potter fought! He fought it, and he damn near beat it! We'll try that again, Potter, and the rest of you, pay attention - watch his eyes, that's where you see it - very good, Potter, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling you!"
Moody then proceeded to put Harry under the curse four more times-each time Harry fighting it off with greater and greater ease.
"Miss Granger-you next," said Moody as he watched her stand and take her place in the middle of the cleared desks. Pointing his wand at her he said, "Imperio."
Hermione stood there, waiting to feel the effects of the curse, but she felt nothing.
"Turn to Ron, drop on one knee, and pledge your undying love and devotion to him," came Moody's voice inside her head. She crossed her arms and looked at him while raising an eyebrow.
If Moody was surprised he covered it well as the voice sounded inside her head again, louder and more forceful this time, "Drop to one knee and pledge your undying love and devotion to Ron Weasley."
Even though Hermione knew she was supposed to play along, there was no way she could bring herself to say those words to Ron. Instead she dropped to one knee, turned to Ginny and said: "I do pledge my undying love and devotion to a Weasley-Ginny Weasley."
Ginny looked down at her smiled slightly while she thought to her, "What happened to faking it?"
"And say those things to Ron? Not on your life," Hermione thought back as she stood and faced a stunned looking Professor Moody who was just staring at her.
"Would you like to try again, Professor?" she asked him innocently.
"I...I...don't see there would be any point Miss Granger-you obviously have nothing to fear from the Imperius Curse," Moody replied, clearly perplexed. "Class dismissed."
Hermione grabbed her backpack and exited the classroom with Ginny, Luna and Harry.
"What just happened?" asked Harry.
"I learned from your example...he wasn't able to make me pledge my undying love and devotion to Ron," replied Hermione simply and then looked to Ginny and Luna, "I need to use the washroom before dinner...come with me?"
They both nodded and followed her into the nearest washroom.
"What the hell, Hermione! What happened to letting him put the curse on you?" asked Luna.
"It just didn't work...I didn't feel anything to let work-I just heard his voice in my head," she replied shaking her head. "We need to talk to my dad right away...we can't let him try to place the curse on you, it won't work...it's amazing enough that Harry was able to fight it, but if the three of us shake it off with no effort…"
"Maybe we're better actresses than you?" teased Ginny.
"And if he tells you to do something you really don't want to do?" countered Hermione. "Give me a sec…" she said and then thought to her father, "We need to talk...sooner rather than later."
"I will meet you in your quarters, now, all three of you," her father replied.
They left the bathroom and found the closest door that would take them to their quarters.
"I'm sorry...okay," she said as she looked to Ginny and Luna, "I just couldn't do it."
Hermione turned as her father entered the room.
"What happened? What's wrong?" he asked concerned.
"Moody...he tried to put the Imperius Curse on me and make me pledge undying love and devotion to Ron...I'm sorry, I know I was supposed to play along...but I just couldn't do it."
"What happened, exactly, when he tried?" Albus asked.
"Nothing...I didn't feel a thing-I just heard his voice telling me what to do."
"Has he tried the curse on you two yet?" he asked.
Ginny and Luna shook their heads.
"I will inform Professor Moody that, due to your ages, you are to be exempt," he smiled and looked at Hermione, "As for you, my dear, you have a ready made excuse...I'm not sure if even the Imperius Curse can overcome the charms placed on your Promise Rings..."
"So you think it wasn't me fighting the curse but the Promise Ring blocking it?" Hermione asked.
"No...it was you," he smiled, his eyes twinkling. "But Alastor need not know that...I believe I can convince him that it was only because of your Promise Ring."
"Um...maybe you could try placing the curse on Ginny and Luna so they know what it feels like in a more controlled environment without any witnesses?" suggested Hermione.
Albus studied his daughter a moment before replying; "Another time...we are already almost running late for dinner," he gave her a hug. "I trust you will try harder to keep up appearances from here on out?"
Hermione nodded and smiled.
"I'm curious, though, if I had tried to do as he asked-would I have been able to?" she asked.
"I do not know," he said, laughing lightly as he continued; "and that is not something I am accustomed to saying…"
"It's nice to know we can still surprise you," teased Ginny.