Chapter 8

"Hufflepuff?" Natalie heard Oliver Wood roar in the Great Hall. "I thought we were playing against Slytherin."

Professor McGonagall sighed and shook her head. "Malfoy is still injured so we had to reschedule yesterday."

Natalie put her head down like she was really interested in the oatmeal she was eating this morning. She felt eyes on her face. She heard George ask the teacher, "Slytherin team knew about this yesterday?"

The head of Gryffindor house responded, "Yes and Professor Snape informed me this morning. Hufflepuff was more than happy to change their schedule around."

Fred scoffed. "That would've been nice to know yesterday when they did."

"I apologize, Mr. Weasley. It is out of my hands."

Marcus was snickering besides Natalie. Penelope turned around to stare at the Gryffindor table. "Fred and George are walking over here." She whispered to her friend.

"Oh great." Natalie sighed still looking at the pale oatmeal that was in her bowl.

"Hey, Slytherin table." Fred smiled cheerfully. "Mind if we steal your chaser?"

"Which one?" Marcus grunted.

"The only one that is worth talking too of course." George smiled calmly.

Her cousin looked at her unsure of what to say. She pushed herself away from the table and walked out to the hallway knowing that the Gryffindors would follow her. Once she was out of the doors, she turned around to stare up at them. "What do you guys want?"

"You knew didn't you." Fred accused her.

Natalie bit her lip. "Yes."

"And you didn't tell us?" George looked hurt. "I thought our friendship was more than Quidditch."

"Then why does it matter so much that I didn't tell you?" Natalie shook her head. "Besides, I couldn't tell you."

"You couldn't or you wouldn't?" Fred crossed his arms across his chest still angry about not being told about the game change.

"I couldn't. Marcus had us sign a hexed parchment to keep us keeping the secret until today. I don't know what would've happened if I broke the vow and I wasn't about to find out." She crossed her arms across her chest mirroring Fred. "I'm sorry, I truly am. Would you guys tell me if Gryffindor switched their schedule?"

The boys looked at each other guiltily. "I suppose we wouldn't…" George admitted looking at his shoes.

"We just… got a little frustrated and we took it out on the wrong person." Fred agreed with his twin.

"Apology accepted." Natalie smiled and squeezed their shoulders showing them that she didn't care. "I'll be there cheering you guys on today. I'll brace the storm."

"I'll loan you a Gryffindor scarf to keep you warm." Fred smiled and winked at her.

Natalie's heart fluttered. She tried to clear her throat. "Sounds great, Fred. Thanks."

He waved his wand and the scarf landed in his hands. "Here, take this."

George chuckled. "I'm going to finish breakfast." He wiggled his eyebrows at his twin before disappearing into the Great Hall again.

"Hey, Natalie?" Fred asked uncharacteristically shy. "Can I ask you something?"

"Didn't you just ask me something?"

He chuckled and shifted his weight onto his other first. "No, something else. Are you weirded out that I helped you fall asleep on Halloween? I worry that I crossed a line between us."

She shook her head. "No. It's not that at all. I'm really grateful for it actually."

Fred smiled at that news. "Really?"

Natalie nodded her head. "I was a wreck that night. You kept me calm. It was… comforting." She felt like the word was accurate and fit the situation. In his arms it really had felt like home.

He smiled down at her. "I'm glad you're going to the match today. Honestly. And… I'm sorry for getting mad. I just think that we have a good…" His eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he tried to think of the right word to say. "Friendship." Fred settled on.

Natalie was surprised that her heart sank at the word he chose. "Yeah. We're good… friends."

Later that day, it was pouring outside. Natalie had dragged Penelope out to the Quidditch pitch. They were under an enchanted umbrella that kept the girls dry. Despite the rain, it was freezing outside. Natalie tucked her nose deeper into the red and yellow scarf to keep it warm. It smelled like cinnamon and vanilla. Like him.

"Those are so not your color. You look much better in green." Penelope sniffed, sticking her nose deep into her own Slytherin scarf.

"Wow. Thanks." Natalie snorted. "You're so kind."

"You just ended up in the right house, I suppose." She stuck a strand of black hair into her green earmuff to keep it out of her face as the wind whipped around them violently. "I don't know how Diggory or Potter can see the snitch in this weather."

"I'm so glad Slytherin isn't playing. I could give Malfoy a kiss on the cheek for faking his arm injury. This weather is absolutely disgusting." Natalie shuddered at the thought of racing on her broomstick in this rain and wind.

Her eyes followed a certain red-headed beater as he flew around the pitch. She inhaled again his scent off of his scarf and wondered what he meant when he said he was happy about their friendship. Fred's awkwardness made Natalie think that he liked her as more than a friend. His words however, made her think a different way.

Before her mind wondered too much, she saw a dementor in the air getting dangerously close to the young Gryffindor seeker. "Do you see that?" She nudged Penelope into the direction where she was looking at just as Harry fell off of his broom.

He was plummeting fast towards the ground. "Oh my god!" Penelope screamed. "He's going to die!"

Everyone in the stands seemed to catch their breath as Dumbledore held out his wand and prevented Harry from falling to his death. The other professors were now moving and getting Harry towards the castle, assuming the hospital wing.

"The match still has to go on. No way Gryffindor wins now that they're out a seeker." Natalie shook her head. "Poor blokes."

Penelope smiled. "Slytherin has a better chance now of winning the cup!"

"Marcus will be thrilled." Natalie laughed as a glimpse of yellow and black streaked by their eyes as Diggory went to catch the snitch.

"Cedric Diggory has caught the snitch! Hufflepuff wins!" Lee Jordan announced over the speaker clearly disappointed but masking it with enthusiasm for the yellow team.

Natalie couldn't help but smile thinking selfishly of her own team and their chance of the cup. Her pale eyes caught a glance of Fred and George in the air. They were clearly disappointed. Her heart did feel bad for her friends as their chance of winning the cup seemed to vanish before them just like their seeker.