Author's Note

Yes, this next chapter is short... But it didn't fit well with those before and after it...

Well, what do you care, you want more story, right? Here you go:

Chapter Twenty Nine: Quidditch Homecoming

Harry awoke several hours before sunrise, and quickly dressed. Today was the

Quidditch Homecoming game -- a chance to gain double points for the House Cup, to once

again taste victory, and... He sighed. Dumbledore had called him and Ron into his office a

week before, just after Lucius Malfoy's surprise appearance, and the headmaster had

formulated a plan. Now all they could do was wait... and hope.

He splashed some water on her face, and headed to the Gryffindor common room,

where the rest of the team, save Ginny, who was now a Chaser, was waiting. Once she had

arrived, a couple of minutes later, they headed downstairs. The team skipped breakfast,

and strode to the Quidditch field as the first rays of sunshine crept over the horizon. It

looked to be the beginning of a beautiful day, with not a single cloud in the sky.

Once in the locker room, Harry looked at the team, and launched into a pep-talk,

Oliver-Wood style.

"Jesus, Harry, you're starting to sound just like everyone says Oliver used to," said

Ron.

"Yeah, I just hope she doesn't become obsessed like him," replied Ginny.

Lavender Brown nodded in agreement. The two girls, in addition to Sally-Anne

Perks, were chasers on the team.

"You guys, I'm serious. I just want everyone to go out there and do their best…"

Harry sighed as he peeked through the door out onto the field. Students had started

filing in, anxious to see the new teams, as they had been kept a secret. He saw Draco

Malfoy headed for one of the locker rooms, after having walked with Hermione, apparently.

"What's the matter, Harry?" asked Dean Thomas, who was now a Beater on the

team, along with Seamus Finnigan.

"Just thinking… You guys, they're calling us onto the field," said Harry.

Clad in green and silver, the Slytherins strutted onto the field first, and as Seeker

Draco walked in, he again looked up at the stands, anxiously scanning them. He could not

have possible been more anxious than he was. The Gryffindors were then announced once

all the Slytherins had walked onto the field.

He saw Potter and Weasley come out onto the field, and both nodded to him. So,

the plan would proceed. The players mounted their brooms, and the whistle blew. They

were off.

Collin Creevey was commentator for this game, a year younger than Harry et al, and

he took the job not much more seriously than his predecessor.

"And Slytherin has the Quaffle… It's Zabini with it, and oh, he can't get it into the

goal post… Gryffindor Keeper Ronald Weasley has it, passes it to Ginevra Weasley. My, I

must say she's looking nice today --"

"Creevey!" came the voice of McGonagall.

"Oh, right, sorry, Professor, won't happen again. Gryffindor scores!"

The Gryffindors erupted in cheers, and then hushed. Harry and Draco were both

diving.

"Seekers Potter and Malfoy are diving. Is that the snitch?"

Just then, a Bludger came towards Harry. He veered off course, taking Draco with

him.

"That was a dirty trick, Potter," he sneered, but then looked serious. "No sign of my

father yet?" he asked. Harry shook his head, and with that, he flew off, looking for the

snitch once more.

"Don't worry, Harry, I've got it," called Dean, as he launched the Bludger back at the

sender.

"…Warrington has the Quaffle again, and REJECTED! Weasley passes it to Brown…"

Before an hour of play, Gryffindor had scored one hundred ninety points, and the

Slytherins had a meager forty. Gryffindor's chasers were efficient, passing the Quaffle

constantly to confuse the Slytherins, and the Keeper was good, too, blocking nearly every

shot at the goals, with help from the beaters, launching Bludgers every chance they got.

"Slytherin beaters Crabbe and Goyle seem intent on knocking the Gryffindor Keeper

off his brooms, but they miss, and… they miss again!"

Madame Hooch started yelling. "You know you don't launch Bludgers at the Keeper

unless there is a scoring attempt, and the Quaffle is at the other side of the field!"

Frustrated, they decided to focus their energies on the Chasers, instead

"…Zabini intercepts. He's trying for a goal again, and REJECTED… Only two goals

for her this game... Jeeze, I hope all the guys don't treat her that way… Just kidding,

Professor… Weasley passes to Perks, Brown has it now… Intercepted by Montague, WHO

NEARLY KNOCKS HER OFF HER BROOM… WHY THAT DIRTY… Watch out for that Bludger,

Montague… OH YEAH! Nice shot Dean Thomas!! Taken from him by Brown, and she

SCORES! TWO HUNDRED TO FORTY, TAKE THAT SLYTHERIN SCUMBAGS!!"

Just then, Harry and Draco flew towards the Gryffindor goalposts, at breakneck

speed, each trying to outstrip the other. Everyone looked on, and the action on the field

ceased. They were going fast, like two blurs of red and green.

Harry reached forward, as he had many times before, but Draco was ahead of him

this time. Both crashed to the ground, and the blond Slytherin held a closed fist up high.

"What the?! MALFOY HAS THE SNITCH!? Erm... FINAL SCORE IS ONE

HUNDRED NINETY TO TWO HUNDRED, GRYFFINDOR WINS! SLYTHERIN GOT THE SNITCH,

BUT GRYFFINDOR WINS!!"

Up in the stands, Hermione turned to Pavarti Patil, who had been sitting next to her.

"Why did Malfoy get the Snitch, if he knew they were so far behind?" the girl with

her hair in a long plait asked.

Hermione sighed. "He wanted to end it on his terms. I don't think he really cared

who won, as long as he was able to prove that he could beat Harry..." she stopped, as

something moving across the lawns caught her eye. Looking up, there was a blond figure

approaching the field. She squinted, trying to get a better look. Her eyes then opened

wide; she could have recognized that person anywhere.

Hermione abruptly got up from her seat, running down to the field along the

bleachers, he actions not going unnoticed by two professors sitting in the Slytherin stands

across from her. It was time...

Author's Note

Yay!! Okay... tried to please everyone with that... Two chapters more 'till this

story's over... Please review and let me know what you think so far... Thanks for your

time.

E. Caddy Compson (persephoneia)