Part 10! Without any mindless chatter, I'll let you read on!
An owl flew in the window as they were sat in the corner of the common room. After looking around, the pale brown owl landed on Hermione's lap. Surprised, she sat up and grabbed the letter attached to his leg. It read:-
Hermione,
We're really sorry, but due to the illness of Kyleigh, we may need you to work Saturday. I know it was your day off, but we are short staffed. You will be paid double, and can have all of next weekend off. Please reply when you come in tonight,
Suzanna, head librarian.
Harry read it over her shoulder, and looked at her face, which was screwed up in thought.
"Hermione? What do you want to do?" he asked.
"I want to go out with you, but I can't let them down. And I could do with the cash."
"I doesn't matter, you can miss it. We'll rearrange for next weekend." he said, and she smiled, as if to say sorry. But it was a relief to him. He could now hold the Quidditch trials, and restore McGonagall's trust in him! It was funny how things worked out.
She got up and kissed him, then left through the portrait hole, and headed for work.
"Gryffindors, can I have a minute?" Harry shouted when she'd gone. The common room silenced, and so did the people in it. "Can I ask hose of you interested in playing for the house Quidditch team to come to me tonight, and come to a practise tomorrow night, at six? We need to get it sorted before the match against Hufflepuff. Don't be shy! Come forward!" he said, and almost immediately, the Gryffindors started chatting excitedly about the opportunity.
"Umm, Harry? Can I play keeper please?" asked Colin Creevy, not looking him in the eye, but looking at the floor. He was obviously nervous about what Harry would say.
"Yes! I was hoping you would offer, you're brilliant! Make sure you turn up tomorrow on the pitch." said Harry, genuinely excited. Colin really did have a talent, other than following Harry, his idol, around. But he was slowly getting over his obsession, or so it seemed.
"Great!" he said, looking up, but not too much, as Harry wasn't very tall. Even though Colin was a year younger than Harry, he was about the same height, and bigger built. And with all that, he still hero-worshipped Harry, and so did his brother Dennis, who approached the pair.
"I know I'm only a third year, but I really would like to play Beater. I don't mind if you say no..." he said, looking away, exactly like his brother.
"Just turn up tomorrow Dennis. If you're anything like your brother on a broom, then you'll be straight in. We'll try you tomorrow!" Harry said, smiling. Organising a team wasn't that hard, as everyone that wanted to organised themselves! All he would have to do was persuade the very shy Ginny, and hope for the best!
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"Harry?" began Parvati, with Lavender giggling behind her. Harry had never had much patience with them. They were stood outside the Great Hall before breakfast.
"What?"
"We were wondering if we could be Chasers on the team. I've got a Nimbus 2505, and Lavender is getting one for her birthday next week. We're not that bad!" she said. Harry looked puzzled- they had never shown an interest before!
"Sure, just turn up at the practise tonight." he mumbled, and the girls ran away, giggling even more.
"What was that about?" Hermione asked Harry as she approached, knowing full well that Harry couldn't stand her roommates. Come to think about it, neither could she.
"Quidditch. They want to play for the team!" said Harry, still in shock.
"Them! What did you say?"
"Told them to turn up at the practise tonight."
"What practise?" she asked, confused.
"Oh. McGonagall had a go at me before you went last night. She wanted me to cancel our date for a Quidditch practise. I didn't want to, but as you are working, I changed my mind." he said, and turned away.
"You mean, you didn't cancel it for McGonagall? Now I feel dead guilty that I cancelled!" she said, taking his hand.
"Don't." he said, and kissed her cheek softly.
"Potter! Granger! No public displays of affection, or dawdling in the hall!" yelled Snape. "Twenty points from Gryffindor!"
Harry opened his mouth to reply, and Hermione gently put her fingers over his lips. "He's not worth it." she whispered. Snape scowled at her, and she pushed past him to get to the Great Hall, and to breakfast.
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Harry looked at the figures on the Quidditch pitch. "Seven, perfect!" he said to himself, and released the balls, handing a bat to Dennis, who reacted perfectly to the Bludger heading for Ginny, who was stood next to him.
"Who is the other Beater?" he asked, and then realised. He had four Chasers- Ginny, Ron, Parvati, and Lavender.
"Ron, I know you can play Beater as well, so I will have to put you as a Beater. It might not be permanent." he added to the disappointed face of his friend. "Now, mount your brooms!" he said, and the seven figures kicked off. Ron, Ginny and Lavender were all on old brooms, but that didn't seem to affect their style. Almost automatically, the players discovered how well they could play together. It was amazing to watch. After fifteen minutes in the air, Harry called them down.
"That was fabulous! Colin, Dennis, you really do have talent. Ron, if you don't mind, I want to keep you as Beater, as you are easily as good as Fred or George. Ginny, amazing. You are so good at manoeuvring yourself around! And, well, Parvati and Lavender, if you weren't gossiping so much, it would be obvious to anyone that you are great. I think the team is picked, and from now on we will practise Saturdays, and hopefully Wednesdays! That will do for tonight!" he said, and each of them blushed in turn. To have Harry Potter, the best Quidditch player Hogwarts had ever known, tell you that you were brilliant was an honour, and they would never let him down.
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So there you go. Thanks to the floods, for keeping me inside, so I can write. Reviews are welcome!!