A/N: The vote is still on, but this chapter was going to happen this way regardless. Make sure you vote! Auroura Borealis you totally scared me! I totally love the Lion King and I thought I made a mistake, but it was Zazu who said it in the song 'Can't Wait to be King.' All right, enough with the trivia.
~Chapter 14~
"That was a great save Emily!" Coop called out. The team had headed to the pitch right after breakfast on this Saturday morning so that they could have the afternoon to themselves. Ron couldn't have been happier with their progress, with every practice that went by the Gryffindors were playing more and more skillfully.
He knew that the team's change was largely in part due to their new captain, Coop. Although Coop had been taken off guard when the team voted him as captain, he quickly took charge. It was in fact Coop's idea to have practice everyday that week so that they could break in their two new Chasers.
He was a terrific captain; he listened to his team's suggestions, but wouldn't let them get by with just doing good enough. He expected his teammates to give their best and with only one week to go until the first game, it seemed that they were happy to comply. Coop was also true to his word and Emily had to hustle a little more to earn her saves.
"You guys have done a complete transformation!" Harry said from his position next to Ron. "And I can't believe how quickly you guys are picking up on the new moves we've been teaching you."
"I agree," said Cho who had volunteered to help out with training the team. "You guys are playing awesome! You'll totally throttle Hufflepuff next week."
"All right gather around guys," Ron called and the team started congregating around their coaches in the air. "Professor Potter and Chang are right. You guys are doing great. You've all thoroughly impressed me with your skill, even the two new players, really amazing." Ron looked at Harry and Cho and gave them a knowing smile, "You think they're ready?"
The Gryffindors looked at each other wondering what their three teachers were up too. Cho gave a little laugh and Harry said, "I think they just might be."
"Splendid," Ron said turning back to the team. "We've arranged a bit of a challenge for you guys." Gryffindors looked around again still not understanding.
"Oy Ron!" came a voice from the ground. Everyone looked down where Professors Granger, Patil, Longbottom, and Weasley stood next to two taller red headed boys. The three redheads were in Quidditch robes with brooms resting on their shoulders. "Are we going to do this?" called one of the tall boys.
"Of course!" Ron called back, "Come on up here." The three hopped on their brooms, while the other teachers headed into the stands and a moment later were all up in the air next to their coaches. "Team, these are my brothers Fred and George but you may all recognize them from—"
"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" Tyler said, "I love that store!"
"Another satisfied customer," Fred said triumphantly.
"Yes well never mind about their store," Ron grumbled. "I thought since you guys had been practicing so hard this week we could have a bit of fun. My siblings and I were all on the Gryffindor team while students here. I invited them today so that we could have a mini Quidditch challenge. You know teachers against students and such."
"Seriously?" Coop asked excited at the prospect of playing the teachers.
"Plus," George said, "we're a chaser short! We're practically debilitated."
Fred laughed, "Yeah, if anything, you've got the advantage here, not us!"
Tyler gave an uneasy laugh and was a bit nervous looking at the powerhouse team in front of him. "Yeah this should be no sweat then."
"All right," Ron said, "Fred and George are the Beaters," the twins started cracking their knuckles and necks causing Tyler to swallow hard. "Ginny and Cho are the Chasers; Harry is of course the Seeker; and I," Ron said straightening up slightly, "will be the Keeper." He turned to his brothers, "For the other team, we have Coop and Tyler as beaters," he said pointing at the players, "Jordan, Tabitha, and Manny are the Chasers; Connie is the Seeker; and Emily is the Keeper."
"Alright Gryffindors, we can take them!" Coop said trying to rally his team. "Now let's take what we've learned this week and win this!" His team started cheering, ready to get the game started. "All right Professor Weasley," Coop said turning back to Ron, "we're ready! And good luck, you're going to need it!"
"Confidant to the end, that one." Fred said.
"Yeah, we'll be sure to put that on his tombstone," George said laughing.
"Let's go then," Harry said. He flew down to the box where the balls were put after practice. He opened it and the Bludgers went soaring into the air followed a moment later by the Golden Snitch. He grabbed the red Quaffle and headed back up to where everyone was getting in his or her position. He blew his whistle and threw the ball in the air. Cho quickly grabbed the Quaffle and began making her way towards the Gryffindor goal posts.
Some students had noticed the activity in the Quidditch pitch and curiously wandered over. When they noticed that their teachers were up in the sky playing Quidditch they headed up into the stands along with Hermione, Neville, and Parvati who were already there. Other students noticed their classmates heading into the pitch and followed behind them. So it wasn't long before the stadium became pretty packed with students watching the match.
Cho was passing the Quaffle to Ginny who zoomed her way to the goals while evading the Bludgers being sent her way. When she got close enough to the goal she threw it in, just past Emily's reach, and scored.
When the Quaffle was back in play Jordan was able to grab it first. And headed toward the other goals. Fred noticed his move and moved behind a Bludger and hit it in Jordan's direction. Jordan noticed it at the last second and tried to pull up to avoid it. He was too late and the Bludger hit him in the side causing him to drop the Quaffle. Cho zipped down to pick it up and crossed over to score for her team.
Hermione was keeping score and was surprised to see the stands filling with so many students. Franklin and the Abbott triplets came and sat next to the teacher and promptly began cheering on Emily and the Gryffindors.
"Who are the Beaters on the teacher's team?" Rodney Fairfield, a sixth year Ravenclaw asked.
"That's Fred and George Weasley," Hermione answered him.
"I love their store!" he said before asking, "Do you mind if I do some commentary?"
"Not at all," Hermione replied.
"All right Quidditch fans, Rodney Fairfield here to give you the play by play action! Right now the teachers are in the lead with 20 points, but the Gryffindor team doesn't seem to be giving up as newcomer Tabitha Simpson heads off toward the teacher's goal."
Harry sat on the edge of the pitch with an eye out for the snitch amused by the turn of their impromptu game. Students were still filing into the stands to watch the game and they even had a commentator.
"And Tabitha scores! 10 points to Gryffindor!" Harry eyes snapped to his teams goal post, wondering how she managed to get the Quaffle past Ron. "Amazing play," Rodney was saying, "the two Beaters hit the Bludger at the same moment causing it to hurtle toward Professor Weasly, hitting the tail of his broom and making him spin out of control." Ron got control of his broom and headed back up to the goal with a look on his face that said that would be the last time.
Maybe Harry had underestimated these Gryffindors after all.
"Professor Chang is making her way to the Gryffindor side, she throws . . . Brilliant save by Emily Creevey!"
Franklin started clapping wildly in his seat, "Go Emily!""
Jordan was in control of the ball again. Manny was flying just a little to his right as they bore down on Ron. Ron moved over to the goal post on Jordan's side to keep him from scoring. At the last second he tossed the ball over to Manny who managed to score before Ron could get to the other side.
"Another 10 points to Gryffindor!" Rodney said. The student's in the stands began cheering wildly, "The game is tied 20 to 20!"
As the game continued and the teacher's quickly took control and the lead. 40 – 20. 50 – 20. 90 – 30. 110 – 50. Things weren't looking good for the Gryffindors. Connie was keeping her eye out for the Snitch. If she could just find it before Potter then her team could win. Professor Potter seemed busy watching the others play so she used this opportunity to search for the snitch.
'Oh no!' she thought when she saw that it was hovering slightly above Harry's head. She thought quickly of how to get her teacher away from it as quickly as possible. A moment later she began a swift dive toward the bottom of the pitch.
Harry's attention was caught by Connie's dive. He quickly dove to follow her, chastising himself for paying more attention to what they other students were doing than in looking for the snitch. His eyes darted around as he neared the ground looking for where the snitch was. "What the—"
Connie swiftly pulled up and headed back up. Harry quickly stopped and looked up seeing the snitch a little higher than where he'd just been. He smiled at Connie's uses of the Wronski Feint. She caught on quickly, he had to give her that. Gripping his broom he followed her back up.
She was reaching out on her broom trying to grab the snitch. Harry came up next to her and used himself as a ram to push her away from the snitch. Connie apparently wasn't going to have any of that and pushed against Harry trying to knock him off course. The snitch changed course and started heading back toward them. Just before it reached where they were it dove below them. Connie thought quickly and with her legs wrapped around her broom and one hand holding on for support, she swung herself upside down on her broom and grabbed the snitch before it completely passed her.
"Connie Wright has caught the Golden Snitch!" Rodney called out. "Gryffindors win 200 to 130!" The students went wild in the stands.
The two teams touched back down in the center of the field. "Good job!" Ginny was telling them as the students landed around her. "You guys played a great game.
"Awesome job," Coop was telling his team. Tyler was jumping up and down, "We won, we won!" The teammates were all cheering and hugging each other. Harry knew that he'd get no sleep that night with the celebrating Gryffindors just down the hall.
Ron touched down next to them all. "Great going guys. Didn't think you'd actually pull that off."
"Come on Ron, you're just mad because they managed to score on you!" George teased.
"Half off our merchandise to the Gryffindor team for scoring on our brother!" Fred called out to the kids, which caused them to cheer even louder than just a moment before.
"Ha ha, very funny," Ron said.
~~~
The students were all leaving the stadium not long after the match was over. Hermione, Neville, and Parvati came to join the others on the field.
"The kids did a great job," Hermione said standing next to Ron.
"Of course they did," Ron said, "I trained them didn't I."
The other Weasley's shook their heads at their brother. "Don't listen to him," Fred said, "he's just going to use that as an excuse since they beat us. Knew it had to be a fluke that he ended up on the National Team."
"Our poor ickle Ronniekins! Surprised that he didn't go for the 'Oh, we let them win' approach," George said, "that way it would be like he didn't lose at all."
Ron scowled at his brothers. "Will you guys stay for dinner tonight?" Ginny asked.
"We could be persuaded to stay," George said. He looked over to Fred, "Besides, it would give us time to visit with Filch. I bet he misses us."
Fred laughed, "Oh yes, visiting would be the only polite thing to do." Ginny rolled her eyes as they headed back to the castle.
Harry and Cho were walking a bit behind everyone. "Thanks for all you help this week," Harry said as they walked.
"Oh, you're welcome," she replied. "We haven't had much time to ourselves recently have we."
"I guess not," Harry said.
"So then the first trip to Hogsmeade we should do something…you know just the two of us."
Harry smiled at her, "That would be great."
"Good," Cho said wrapping her hands around Harry's free arm. "I was wondering when I'd be able to get you all to myself!"
Harry was shocked by her admission. He didn't know she wanted to spend time with him so badly. Growing up with the Dursley's had made him feel like he was a burden to everyone and hearing comments like hers caught him by surprise. It also made him feel elated to know that she had been thinking of spending time with him long enough to take matters in her own hands. Harry suddenly couldn't wait until the first Hogsmeade trip.
~~~
Ginny had finished showering and changing when she got his note.
Weasley,
Meet me in the small room next to the great hall.
Although there was no signature Ginny had no difficulty deciphering who the note was from. She figured that this was where Draco would tell her that the night at the lake had been a mistake and that he was no good and so on. She had been expecting this conversation to have happened sooner, but she had been avoiding him. She figured that if she steered clear of him then it wouldn't happen at all and eventually he'd forget about the whole situation.
'This is a relief, at least it will be over' she told herself. But the disappointment that filled her betrayed her sentiment over the matter. She was angry that he could just push his emotions aside so easily. Well, Ginny Weasley was going to make sure he got a piece of her mind in the process.
She stormed out of her room down the stairs and across the foyer to the side room where Draco would be waiting. When she entered the room he looked up from where he sat and smiled at her. She ignored this uncharacteristic move by him and just tore into him. "Look, if you've just called me here to tell me that the other night was wrong or whatever other horrible thing you have to say about it, don't even bother! You don't have to worry, I don't plan on bringing it up to you or anyone else for that matter. There that should cover all the pertinent points. Glad I could save you some time in the matter. I'm just going to say that you can't treat me this way forever. I would at least expect the same courtesy I give you! Or maybe that's where my mistake is. If it is then I won't be making it again." She felt angry tears gathering in her eyes and turned to leave. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her upset.
"Hey!" Draco said crossing the room in three quick strides and grabbing her by the arm. "Not so fast." He turned her to face him but she kept her face down. He tipped her chin up to look at him and was more than a little amazed to see her crying. "What are these for?" he asked wiping her tears away. "I haven't even said anything."
Ginny shook his hands off and angrily wiped her face. "Yeah, but I can pretty much guess the course of the conversation."
"And you'd be wrong."
Ginny raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him. "Right."
"Well, if you had asked me right after I would have said that yes, but I've had a lot of time to think about it and…well, I don't know." He turned and led her back into the room. He sat in his chair again. "What do you think about this?" he asked casually.
She took the chair next to him. "I guess I don't know either."
He took her hand in his hoping his actions came across as relaxed when inside he felt anything but. "Maybe we should just see where it goes then," he said looking at her palm, tracing the lines on it.
She was silent so long that Draco looked up again. "Do you know what you're saying?" she asked. "I don't want you to suggest something you aren't one hundred percent about."
He smiled at her, "Yes, I'm sure."
She smiled back, "Then lets see where it goes."
He stood up pulling her with him into a hug. Leaning back he said, "When you tell your brother make sure that there are no weapons easily accessible to him."
Ginny laughed at him, "Don't worry, you'll have me to protect you. Now why are you thinking of my brother when you should be thinking of me?" she asked him wrapping her arms a little tighter around his neck.
"Consider him forgotten," Draco said and then he leaned down to kiss her.
A/N: He he he, it wasn't the lake this time! I know you were all taken by surprise with that one! So this was the big Quidditch game of the story. I mean there will be more games, but this was the one with most action for reasons you'll all learn about later. I figured that it'd be funner to have them play the teachers instead of other students that no one knows. Plus as an added bonus the Weasley Twins! I thought about having the teachers win, but then I figured, the twins would never let Ron live it down if he lost to a bunch of students so there you go. All right, we're getting to the meat of the story here folks, won't be much longer before the poo hits the fan! Don't forget your votes dictate the direction of the story! Until next time, review if you have time.