A/N: Another story for The Houses Competition. Team: Badgers Class: DADA Category: Standard Story Prompt: Quidditch Try-outs Word Count: 1470 Hope you enjoy reading as much as I do writing.

Ron and Harry had actually thought through a plan on their own for once. They knew that this year the Quidditch Try-outs were going to be hard. The fact that Harry was the team captain only made it worse. Almost everyone in the lower years wanted to try out so they could be on a team with The-Boy-Who-Lived. Ron had overheard all the excited chatter at breakfast. They decided they were going to need someone to let the younger years down easy. Someone who wouldn't get upset at the fact that people with very little talent were trying out. Ergo someone who wasn't all that into quidditch, and the only person that they knew that met those criteria was Hermione. They also knew how much Hermione hated flying. She didn't just dislike flying she loathed it. So they knew they had to come up with a way to approach her with it when she was distracted.

Ron's idea had been to ask while they were on prefect rounds. Harry shot that down quickly, saying that if Ron was talking to her during those, she would give him her full attention. Especially since most of the other students had already figured out which nights she was on patrol and avoided breaking curfew on those nights. So there wasn't enough activity then, to keep her mind from focusing on what they were asking.

Harry's idea had been to ask during potions class. Ron shot that down just as quickly saying if they made her mess up a potion, she would kill them. Not to mention whatever Snape would do to them if he caught them distracting her.

So they'd finally settled on when she was doing her homework. They'd not used this on purpose before, but they realized that if they bothered her while she was studying she usually agreed to whatever they said to get them to shut up. Plus while she was studying a volcano could erupt next to her, and she more than likely wouldn't notice it.

Their decision made they approached her table in the library, "Hey Hermione," Harry started, only slightly nervous.

"Hmm?" Was the only response he got.

He watched Ron make a shooing motion to get him to continue. He glared at him before continuing, "Hermione?" He tried again.

"What Harry?" He'd finally gotten a response out of her, but the tone of voice let him know that she was starting to get irritated. Unfortunately, that's just what he wanted.

"Hermione, I need your help. Well, Ron and I both do actually… Well, really more all of Gryffindor needs your help." Hermione had glanced his way briefly before returning to the book. "Well, you see quidditch try-outs are coming up…"

Hermione's hair started to spark with irritation. Harry watched the blue crackles. It almost looked like a static electricity reaction, but he knew it was her magic coming to the front with her emotions. "Now wait... hear me out. I didn't interrupt your study time just to tell you that. You see," Harry slightly hesitated, but decided to just spit it out really quickly to have it over and done with, "we need someone who isn't a fan of quidditch to let down the students who are only trying to join because I'm captain."

It took Hermione a minute to understand what Harry had said, "You want me to help you tell your fans that they aren't on the team?"

Harry nodded, his eyes pleading her to say yes. Hermione huffed, "If I say yes will you shut up so I can study?"

Harry saw Ron grin brightly in his peripherals. "I'll do you one better. If you agree, I'll leave the library entirely." Hermione grumbled but finally capitulated. Ron and Harry quickly left the library after that.

Xxxxxxxxxx Days Later xxxxxxxxxX

Hermione was going to kill them. As soon as she was on the ground and off this bloody broom, she was going to kill them. She already had several ideas in mind. She remembered agreeing to assist with tryouts. She did NOT remember agreeing to be on a bloody broom to do so. However, when she'd got there, Harry had asked her how she planned on knowing who she needed to let down if she couldn't hear his commentary on their skills. She'd been ready to kill him then, but the beseeching look in his eyes had stopped her. She'd never been able to say no to him when he really wanted something. He'd had such a hard time already that when he gave her that look she gave in.

Hermione thoughts stopped and a scream escaped her lips as Harry flew up to join the potential players in the middle of the pitch where they were hovering, waiting for instructions. She only stopped screaming when Harry stopped moving.

"Potential keepers to the posts, I want each of you, in turn, to try and stop a goal. After an attempt is made, you make space for the next person. Chasers, line up at the other end, I want three lines, working in three's, make you way down the line and try to score. After an attempt, go to the back of any of the lines. Beaters, line up on both sides of the pitch, you will be passing bludgers between you trying to hit the chasers as they make their way down towards the goals."

Hermione was happy that she didn't have to look, her eyes squeezed shut as tight as she could. She was sure that Harry had to be struggling to breathe, with how hard she had her arms wrapped around him.

Harry, however, didn't notice, as he was too busy watching the players on the field, "Well Smythe seems to be holding his own as Chaser, but I'm not sure if he'll be able to keep up with Ginny. She'll need someone with a higher skill level. And Harrison is not doing well at all. I think she was one of the ones who only wanted to play because I'm team captain."

Just as he finished commenting, a bludger flew at them. He dodged easily but Hermione screamed again and clutched on even tighter. He thought he might just end up with bruises. He hollered over the wind, "Coote if you can use that aim against the other team as well as us, you might just make a good beater!" He watched Katie Bell closely she'd been on the team before and he thought she was quite a good player. "Good job, Katie. Head on down to the showers you've made the team. You too, Ginny."

Both girls smiled and flew down, landing easily. They headed back to the castle to take their showers. "Coote you go ahead as well. Just use that arm against the other team, alright?" Coote smiled and flew towards the castle without landing.

Harry turned to Hermione, "Harrison, Smythe, Jenkins, Sloper, and Kirke are the ones you'll have to talk to." Hermione nodded furiously, just ready for it to be over and to be back on the ground. Harry turned back to the pitch, "Alright, everyone else can land. I've got a good idea of who will be reserves and who will be on the team now."

After everyone had landed Hermione smacked Harry hard on the back of the head before grabbing the players he wanted her to talk to and storming off. He winced and rubbed the back of his head before turning back to the other players, "Alright. Robbins, you dodged the bludgers really well. You'll be our third chaser. Dean, you were good but not quite at the girls' level. You'll be our reserve. Ron, you're our keeper again. McLaggen, you're still reserve. Peakes, you're our other beater." He looked around. He'd talked to everyone that was left. "Alright, that's everyone. Hit the showers. I want even the reserves at our practices. You miss three practices without reason and you're off the team. The first practice will be posted on the notice board in the common room."

Ron held back to talk to him, "So how dead do you think we are?" He tried to sound calm but it came out a fearful whisper.

Harry shook his head, rubbing the back of it again, "I don't think I'm headed to the common room yet. Hermione knows one too many ways to kill us and make it look like an accident."

Ron gulped and nodded, "Right, think I'll stay with you then."

In the end, both boys had decided to stay out by the lake and enjoy the weather until dinner. By dinner time both of them were fairly confident that she would have calmed down. There was no doubt that Hermione could be just a little scary but she was still their best friend, and they loved her.