Disclaimer: None of the characters that you recognize are mine. They belong to Ms. J K Rowling and not to me.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone that read and/or reviewed this fic! And thanks to Dusty D, my beta reader
Want to Play Catch?
Chapter 4
"Vroooom!"
Little Ron was currently running around the Quidditch pitch with a broom between his legs, making flying noises as he tried to lift off the ground.
"Mr. Weasley! Please come back!" Madam Hooch shouted, chasing behind the six-year-old.
Ron gradually slowed down and looked inquiringly at the flying instructor. "Why?" he asked, his blue eyes huge.
"Wait until the students are here to fly with you," she puffed out, tired from running after him.
"Why do I have to wait?" Draco whined, coming up to the pair. "I know how to fly."
"I'd prefer you all fly with an experienced Quidditch player," Madam Hooch responded. "Now, no more complaints. I'd sick of hearing about how you already know how to fly, Mr. Malfoy. We are all beginners today, okay?"
"Fine," Draco said with an exaggerated sigh.
"Good," Madam Hooch said with a nod and noticed Hermione and Harry standing quietly together, holding their brooms uncertainly.
"Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, please come join us," she yelled, beckoning with her arms. She waited until the two came up to her and smiled at them gently.
"Don't be nervous. Flying is very safe and I assure you that you'll have a great time," Madam Hooch said. "The students I've picked to fly with you are much more skilled in the air than they are with telling time. I was sure I told them to come right – Oh! Here they are!" Madam Hooch waited until Ginny Weasley, Cho Chang, Andrew Kirke, and Jack Sloper met them in the middle of the field.
Ginny stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Ron.
"Ron?" she practically squeaked. "I can't believe it."
"Who are – Ginny?" Ron asked, his look of confusion disappearing. "Wow, you're old."
"And you're a squirt," she said with a smile. "I can't believe it."
"You already said that," Hermione informed Ginny.
Ginny's eyes went from Ron to Hermione to Draco to Harry. "You're all so..so.. little!" she exclaimed.
"Can we fly now?" Draco said, clearly bored with Ginny's wonderment.
"Yes, yes. My, you're an impatient one, Mr. Malfoy," Madam Hooch answered. "Ginny, I suppose you can pair up with Ron. Cho, you go with Hermione. Andrew take Draco and Jack, you're with Harry. I'll be here supervising."
The children, some more eager than others, got on behind their elder and took off.
* * * * *
"Wow, that was amazing!" Little Harry said as he collapsed in a chair in the Gryffindor Common Room. "I wish I could fly all day."
"I told you it was the best," Ron said smugly.
"I didn't think it was the best," Hermione announced.
Harry, Ron, and Draco looked at her like she'd grown a second head.
"I don't mean that it wasn't fun," Hermione explained hastily. "Because it was. But I don't think it's the greatest thing on earth. I'd be just as happy with a copy of Roald Dahl's Matilda and a cup of hot cocoa."
The boys were quiet for a few seconds.
"You're weird," Ron said turning up his nose. "Who wants to read when you can go play outside?" he asked, making a face as he said the word 'read.'
"Those of us who want to go to Oxford and become successful read at every chance we get," Hermione responded, turning her nose up at him.
"What's Oxford?" Ron asked, confused.
Hermione tisked. "Obviously if you don't even know what it is, you won't be going there."
"You don't want to go there, Weasley. It's full of disgusting Muggles," Draco said, venom clearly heard in his voice.
"What's a – " Harry's question was cut off as the Common Room became alive with chatting that stopped once the students got a glimpse of the kids.
"See," Ginny said loudly. "I told you they were little." All her Fifth Year peers were crowding around the youngsters as if they were on exhibit.
"Move out of the way," Seamus yelled as the Sixth Years entered. "Give them some room to breathe. Haven't you people ever seen kids before?"
"Not these kids," a Fifth Year answered. "And what's a Slytherin doing in the Gryffindor Common Room?"
"Madam Hooch said Dumbledore wants them to stay together," Ginny responded.
"Well, it's almost time for dinner," Lavender noted. "Hermione, do you want to come with Parvati and me to get freshened up?"
Hermione looked at Ginny who nodded affirmatively to her. "Okay," Hermione said as she stood up and took Lavender's extended hand. She took one last look at Harry, Ron, and Draco before going up the stairs.
"Do you boys want to get cleaned up before dinner?" Dean offered. By this time, most of the students had gotten over the shock at seeing four midget-sized people at their school that weren't First Years, and had scattered about to their rooms.
The boys looked at one another and collectively said "No," ending all attempts to clean them up.
"Let's play a game!" Ron shouted.
"Like what?" Harry asked quietly. He didn't want to make too much noise to disturb all the people.
"How about a game of Exploding Snap?" Draco lazily asked.
"Sure!" Ron said. "Here, Harry, we'll show you how to play."
Harry smiled. "Okay, thanks." He couldn't believe his good fortune in meeting three new friends today. When the two weeks were up, he worried that he would never want to leave this place to go back to Privet Drive.
~
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