Title: Falling for You

Author: Evie DuGrey

Chapter Title: Chapter Nine: The match

Disclaimer: I only own this story line, and Tom Felton. :P and Landies. And Lady Pearl. And Sir Jack. Wow! I do own a lot actually! I feel so special J

Summary: Hermione and the gang's 7th year at Hogwarts. Stuff's gonna happen. HG/DM.

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews! I got heaps for my last two chapters and that's REALLY cool!!! I've already written the next chapter but I'm waiting for some more reviews before I upload it.

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"Come on guys! Be confident! I have full faith in all of you!", Hermione said encouragingly to the rest of the Gryffindor cheerleading squad. It was the day of the match and everyone was practically shaking with excitement. "Has everyone got their costumes on?" She looked around at the outfit she and Lavender had designed. It was a deep red midriff tee with a giant gold 'G' on it and gold stripes around the edges of it and a short pleated red and gold skirt. "Okay come on, let's get out there!"

The team ran out with Hermione out front, and the cheerleading squad got a larger applause than the actual soccer team.

The referee went out into the middle of the field and looked at the two soccer captains. "Shake hands please." Harry and Malfoy slowly and grudgingly shook hands and turned back to the ref. "Now you two boys are aware that you are getting marked on your performance so no cheating!" She said, sternly. The boys nodded. "Well then, lets get going!"

The game was full of action, as both teams were quite good, constantly having possession but then having the ball intercepted. By the end of the third quarter, the score was tied, one all.

"Come on guys! You can do it!" Hermione yelled from the sidelines.

"Exactly." Hermione turned to see Malfoy standing in front of her, looking very smug.

"And what's that supposed to mean Malfoy?"

"Guys can do it. Not girls. Football is a guys' sport. That's why you're the cheerleaders and we're the players. Girls-cannot-play-football" He said, accentuating every word of his final sentence.

Hermione smirked. "Oh yeah? How much are you willing to bet on that?"

Malfoy smirked back. "Ten Galleons."

"Deal." Hermione turned to Lavender and told her to take charge and then ran onto the field. She told Harry she was going to play and then ran into position.

Ron took the ball from the centre and kicked to Hermione. She had been playing a lot of football in the park with her neighbour, Oscar, over the Summer and had become quite good. She easily dribbled the ball to the 25-yard line, dodging some Slytherin players on the way. She looked ahead to see Malfoy sprinting towards her, so she kicked backwards a bit and went to run after it but felt herself fall backwards, because Malfoy had tripped her. She grabbed onto something for support but ended up grabbing Malfoy and falling to the ground, with him on top of her.

Malfoy smirked at her. "Brings back the memories, doesn't it?" Hermione blushed a darker red then her shirt and Malfoy put his head down closer to her ear and whispered, "And if I'm not mistaken, Granger, I'd say you were enjoying this position."

Hermione half-laughed and looked him in the eyes. "Well, you mistaken actually. Sorely mistaken. Now if you wouldn't mind getting off me, I've got some serious ass-kicking to do." She smiled innocently at him and he climbed off her.

The referee blew his whistle and called, "Penalty kick to Granger!"

Hermione's heart was thumping as she walked over to the penalty line. The Slytherin team were making a wall near the gall and she could hear the cheering squads chanting. The horn for the end of the match went off in the distance.

She took a run-up and went for it. Blaise Zambini, the goalie, dived for it, but the ball went right over his head and into the goals.

The Gryffindor teams erupted with cheers and Hermione thrust her hands in the air, before doing a couple cartwheels and being lifted up onto the shoulders of the Gryffindor team and carried over to the cheering squad. Hermione jumped off the boys and over to the girls, getting huge hugs from all of them.

When she was done with the cheering squad, she jogged over to Malfoy, who was slumped against the goals, probably sulking.

"Now remind me Malfoy, what were you saying earlier about girls not being able to play football?"

He turned to face her. "It was a fluke."

She smiled. "Well, fluke or no fluke, I got a goal and made Gryffindor win so you owe me ten galleons."

Hermione looked at Malfoy as he got the money out of his back pocket. (AN Okay, just ignore the fact that he has so much money in his pocket, it's convenient!) Was it just her or was there a small smile playing at his lips as he handed her the money?

She smirked at him and began to walk away but Malfoy called after her. "Hermione!" She turned around quickly, not used to hearing her first name coming out of his mouth.

"Yes?"

He jogged up to her and held out his hand. "Truce?"

She was startled by this question. "I beg your pardon?"

"A truce. You know, no more enemies."

Hermione looked into Draco's eyes for some sign of this being a joke but could only see sincerity and hopefulness there.

She smiled and shook his out-stretched hand. "Truce."

He smiled back. "Cool. I'll walk back to the castle with you then."

Hermione looked around the field to see basically everyone else gone. "Sure."

They began to walk back. "Sooo, do you want to talk about anything?" She asked.

"Actually, I have got something to talk to you about. You stole my smirk."

Hermione laughed. "Excuse me?"

"You stole my smirk."

"Did not."

"Did too!"

Hermione laughed again. "Well, I'm sorry. It's my smirk now and you're not getting it back!"

Draco smiled and shook his head. "Thief."

Hermione punched him playfully on the arm and the two of them walked back to the castle, chatting and laughing all the way, like they had been best friends for years.

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