Chapter 12: Gryffindor and Ravenclaw
"Just a minute!" Harry yelled back, "I've got to grab something."
Harry searched through his trunk for his invisibility cloak. He and Ron were going to sneak off to the kitchens for a pre-game party and Harry thought they might as well act like it was a big deal. Besides, he hadn't used the cloak all year.
When he finally found it, he yanked it out hurriedly. A piece of paper fell to the floor. Harry picked it up, wondering what it was. BE WARY HARRY POTTER. Harry jumped. He had forgotten all about the letter. He reread it and a light clicked in his mind. Blank stares and dull minds. The family of red. It all fit. He read the last line.
"Beware the day of dreams," he mused, "Has that come yet, or do I have more to look forward to?"
"Oi, Harry!" Ron called.
"Coming!" Harry yelled back.
He put the card inside the trunk, closing it. That would just have to wait.
****
"So, the day's come, you two!" Azar smiled, squeezing both Harry and Cho as she joined them at the table, "Sorry, Harry, but I have to cheer for Ravenclaw this time."
"That doesn't mean you're going to win, though," Harry grinned.
"Oh, is that so? Well, if my cheers don't make us when, our seeker will!"
Harry snorted into his meal.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Cho gasped, pretending to be offended, "I'll have to humiliate you for that one, Seeker boy."
"Good luck trying, Seeker girl."
When Harry walked out onto the field, he was calmer than he had been for any other quidditch game. Somehow, joking around with Azar and Cho had made it seem less important. The crowd was a sea of red and blue. Harry waved merrily at Cho as the teams prepared to go off. Madam Hooch blew the whistle.
Harry pushed off, the wind blowing back his hair and robes. It felt wonderful. He raced around a while, then came to a stop high above the action, searching for the snitch. Cho soon joined him.
"Looking for the snitch?" she said in a singsong, joking voice.
"Yep."
"Is it ha-ard?"
"I dunno, maybe you should try it."
Cho gasped, pointing at something behind Harry. "Look, Harry! A diversion!"
Harry couldn't contain his grin. "Very smooth. Almost had me there."
"Gryffindor scores!!! 70-10!" came Lee Jordan's voice.
"Oh, looks like your team isn't doing so well."
"Why do they need to do well when they have a seeker like me?" she cried, diving under him and then back up.
"Hey, stop talking," he said, though not too seriously, "I need to concentrate on looking for the snitch."
Cho was silent for the next while and Harry glared down at the field, hoping for a glint of gold. Then Cho popped her head in his view, hanging upside down on her broom.
"Hi-ee!" she called.
Harry jumped and quickly clutched to his broom. "You almost made me fall! No wonder you've never won a game! You don't take it seriously!" he cried without thinking.
Cho was truly offended this time. She gave him a glare, then sped off to the other side of the field. Harry turned back to looking around for the snitch, but couldn't help but glance Cho's way every so often. Sighing, he flew over to her.
"Hey, Cho. I'm sorry, 'kay?"
Cho didn't answer. She was looking down at the field intently.
"I didn't mean it," Harry went on, "You've won plenty of games. Will you forgive me?"
Suddenly Cho looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.
"You're forgiven," she said, then suddenly started in a straight dive for the ground.
Harry soon spotted what she had seen, the snitch. In a fury, Harry flattened his broom and started diving at full speed. He was gradually catching up to the girl. The whole crowd was screaming their cheers and Lee was near a frenzy. Harry knew right away that he wouldn't be neck and neck with Cho, just a little short.
Working his mind hard, he realized something. They were coming up to the snitch; he was just a few inches behind Cho. Harry reached out his arm. To his joy, he was right; his arm was longer than Cho's. He and Cho both put on a final burst of speed. Harry strained his arm as far as he could and when the moment was right…snatch! He had the snitch!
It took him only a moment to realize, however, that he only had one wing. As he and Cho pulled to a halt, they realized each of them had caught the snitch, Harry by the right wing and Cho by the left. The crowd was silent, wondering who had caught it. Madam Hooch flew over to the two seekers.
"Which of you caught it first?" she asked.
Harry and Cho looked at each other, astonished. "We don't know…" Harry answered.
Madam Hooch shook her head, laughing slightly, then made a signal up to the announcer's table. Lee broke the silence. "The seekers caught it at the same time… Oh my gosh, this has never happened before. The seekers caught it at the same time! Gryffindor wins it, 220-180!!!"
The whole crowd erupted. They rushed onto the field, practically attacking the two seekers when they descended. For a long while, Harry was lost in a mess of bodies and smiling faces. Gradually, though, people starting filing back to the castle and Harry was able to pick out his friends.
"Harry, you are so lucky!" Azar exclaimed, rushing up to him, "If Cho weren't so short, she would have had that snitch clean before you."
"Yeah, I'm lucky I'm so tall," Harry said, smiling sarcastically.
The whole group started for the castle, laughing and joking. Suddenly, Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Cho.
"Want to take a walk?" she asked shyly.
Harry's heart gave a leap. "Sure," he answered, almost as quietly as she had asked.
They set off alone, walking toward the lake. Harry tried to control his breathing. A full moon was out and its reflection was dancing playfully on the glass-like surface.
"You played a wonderful game, Harry," Cho said, fiddling with a gold bracelet on her wrist.
"You, too, Cho," he replied softly, "It was a close one."
Harry, surprised at his own bravery, reached out and held Cho's hand. She looked a little startled at first, then smiled back. They continued walking, staring at the dark sky and its pinpricks of stars.
"Hey, Harry?" Cho asked softly.
"Hm?" Harry replied, looking up.
To his great surprise, Cho wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. Harry suddenly felt very light. The whole world felt as if it was just rushing by and he and Cho were all there was. Just the two seekers. It all felt so wonderful and so strange…and yet…so familiar…
~*~*~
A/N: Well, well, well. Think what you want. ^-^
Boy, I can't stop updating, can I? Well, I'll have to. I have 2 ½ more days of school left.
Oh well.
Thank you all for your reviews!!!
This fanfic is turning out a lot shorter than I expected. The end is near, indeed.
-Ady
