Hmm… What to place here? Aack! I'm starting to run out of sequence! What should happen? Okay… On to Chapter 12! Oh yeah, Harry's Quidditch Captain now! Yay!
Title: The Future is Waiting
Chapter 12: Seekers and Dates
"You do not know her, Harry," said Claire. Harry had dreamt of it again.
"What do you mean I don't know?" asked Harry.
"You still don't know who she really is…"
"Harry! Harry!" Ron's voice said. Harry opened his eyes and saw Ron peering over him. He was still in bed. "Quidditch today, Harry!"
"Quidditch? What Quidditch?" mumbled Harry, feeling the bedside table for his glasses.
"What 'What Quidditch?'! Don't give me that drama, Harry! Get up, or we'll be late for the team introduction!"
Harry's thoughts seemed to organize as he dressed himself. He was back in the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, after being banned the previous year by Dolores Umbridge, Harry's least favorite teacher, aside from Snape. It seemed late, as they were already in the middle of the schoolyear, to organize the Interhouse Quidditch Tournament, but he was still grateful that he was able to play.
Harry and Ron dashed to the dining hall. The plates and food had vanished, so did the hundreds of circular dining tables. Eight enormous circular tables stood, each occupied by seven people. Harry found Malfoy in one of the tables, and recalled the events of last night; Draco Malfoy was now on their side. Though, Harry knew he would still have to hang out with his friends. And besides, who would want him around when he always accused Harry of trying to steal Rose from him. In one of the tables, Harry spotted, and was surprised to see, Rose sitting with six other people. Rose had never mentioned that she played Quidditch. Harry wondered whether she was a Seeker like him. He also found Iris Lair in one of the other tables, and suspected that she became a player out of jealousy with Rose, in the same way that Malfoy had been, back in theirsecond year, out of jealousy with Harry.
Harry and Ron sat down with Ginny, Dennis and Colin Creevey, the new Gryffindor Chasers, and Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper, last year's temporary Beaters who became permanent since they had improved over the summer. Ron had been retained as Keeper, and Harry was still Seeker, and was now the Gryffindor Quidditch Team Captain.
"Good morning, everyone!" said a blonde, longhaired guy who had walked to the front. "I am Alex Yu, the team captain of Windanaer."
"Team captain of what?" Ron hissed in Harry's ear. Harry shrugged, and Alex Yu spoke again.
"Windanaer is one of the four elemental teams of Bridgework. It represents water," said Yu. "Flamma Leoht is the fire team. Eorthe is the earth team. And Hydoris is the water team…"
On Alex Yu went about Bridgework Quidditch. Harry was rather surprised to find himself bored, when the talk was about Quidditch. I just want to get on my broom and play, he thought to himself. At the end of the talk, Harry and Ron marched up to Rose and sort of confronted her.
"How come you never told us you played Quidditch?" Ron attacked.
"Yeah, you never mentioned it!" supported Harry.
"Well, we never got around the topic," said Rose.
"And what are you doing, Potter," drawled Malfoy. Harry wheeled around and saw Malfoy give him a hinting look, as though telling him to ride along. "What are you confronting Rose for?"
"We were just asking her about Quidditch, Malfoy, so back off," replied Harry pointedly as well.
"Let's go," Malfoy said to his Slytherin gang, and they all swept away, Malfoy glancing a smirk at Harry, Ron, and Rose as he passed.
"He's a rather good actor, isn't he?" said Ron.
"What team are you in?" Harry asked Rose.
"Hydoris, the water team," Rose replied.
"You've got cool names for your teams," said Ron.
"Hydoris means water and ice. I can't remember if it's Greek or Latin. All the team names came from that. Flamma Leoht means flame and light. Windanaer, wind and air. Eorthe simply means earth."
"What team is Lair on?" Harry asked.
"Eorthe," Rose replied shortly. Harry had the feeling his suspicion earlier was quite right. "So, tell me about Hogwarts Quidditch. Your team's – Gryffindor?"
"Yeah – Hey, wait. What's your position in Hydoris?" said Ron.
"I'm Seeker. So is Lair in Eorthe. What's Draco's position? And yours?"
"I'm Seeker. Ron's Keeper. Draco's – I mean, Malfoy's Seeker in Slytherin," replied Harry.
Harry, Ron, and Rose ate lunch together. Hermione, who had finished her lunch when they finished their Quidditch talk, did not join them. After eating, they made their way back to the sixth years' common room, where Hermione waited accompanied by –
"What're you doing here?" blurted Ron.
"Trust me, Weasley, I do not enjoy your company," sneered Malfoy.
"I asked him to come with us," Hermione said, standing between Ron and Malfoy.
"What! Hermione? How could you do this?"
"Ron, please!" said Hermione, so Ron's expression became mild again.
"Hermione, why – " Harry began.
"I wouldn't go with you if not for this beautiful lady's plea," said Malfoy, waving a hand at Hermione, as though presenting her. Hermione blushed. Ron scowled. He obviously has not forgotten the days when Malfoy regarded Hermione as an "ugly Muggle."
"Skip the drama and tell us what you're after, will you?" Ron said.
"Hermione, did you ask Malfoy to come for us to bond together?" Harry said sarcastically.
"Well, erm…" Hermione blushed a more furious red.
"I can say that's okay for you three boys, seeing as you still have grudges against each other," Rose commented quietly.
"See? She's with me! She thinks it's good too!" said Hermione, beaming.
"Sure, Rose! You think it's a good idea? That's absolutely fine with me!" Malfoy exclaimed. Harry, Ron, and Rose exchanged looks of laughter fit to burst.
"How did you shake Crabbe and Goyle off?" said Harry.
"That was a hard job, mind you. I had to tell them all sorts of things. I had work to do, Prefect stuff. I had something to research. They only realized I was leaving when I said 'I'll go now,' right before I turned and left!" said Malfoy. They all burst out into fits of laughter.
"So, where are we going anyway? Roes?" Ron asked ten minutes later. They were walking slowly across the field to the Bridgework gates.
"We're going to Castlerest," said Rose.
"Castlerest?" asked Harry.
"Isn't that in North – thingy? I remember reading it at the train station," said Ron.
"It's the nearest all-wizard settlement to Bridgework, isn't it?" said Hermione superiorly.
"It's where Rose lives," said Malfoy, his voice sounding even more superior than Hermione's.
"Well, that figures, doesn't it?" said Hermione in an I-already-know-that tone. "I mean, it's the most convenient place to live in if you go to Bridgework. Plus, the rich and famous live there."
"Rich – and famous?" Rose stared feebly at Hermione.
"Yes, and you're the best example, aren't you?"
"She reads everything. She hasn't been stalking you, don't worry," said Ron in an undertone to Rose as Hermione kept talking.
"Would you be alright if the Slytherins see you with Harry?" Rose asked Malfoy. They were sitting in a train compartment, heading for Castlerest, East Dragon.
"They won't mind. I mean, they wouldn't actually believe that I'd made friends with Potter, would they?" said Malfoy.
"Yeah, they'll think you're just sick or something," grinned Harry.
"And if they question me, I can simply say that it was Rose who made me come."
"But won't Rose look bad to the Slytherins then?" said Hermione, sounding worried.
"Who cares about what the Slytherins think?" said Ron. "And that includes you," he said to Malfoy, who scowled.
"I have to go to the bathroom," said Hermione suddenly.
"Oh, I'll go with you," said Rose. So, the two of them got out of the compartment. When the door shut, Harry started.
"But actually, it's not an excuse, Rose. I really just came with Potter to be with you," Harry sneered at Malfoy.
"Shut up, Potter," hissed Malfoy. "It's not funny."
"What's not funny?"
"You…"
"So you liking Rose isn't funny, is it?" Harry pressed on.
"I don't like her," said Malfoy.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah! I – love her," said Malfoy, blushing crimson. Harry burst out laughing again.
"Shut it, Harry. You love Rose too," joined in Ron. It was Malfoy's turn to laugh.
"I wonder what the fun is all about, and whether I could join in too."
Iris Lair was standing in the doorway, Rose and Hermione behind her, wearing faces of depression and annoyance.
"We, er, saw her in the bathroom," said Hermione, resuming her seat beside Ron.
"She – asked where – you two were – Harry and Draco," said Rose uncomfortably, also returning to her seat between Harry and Malfoy.
"Why were you looking for us, Iris?" said Malfoy in an offhand voice. Harry was sure he was not exactly the person Harry wanted to catch Malfoy laughing out loud with himself.
"I wasn't looking for the two of you precisely, Draco. I was looking for you separately. But you're together so less trouble, isn't it?" said Lair, mock happiness in her voice. "But I was just wondering, Draco. Why are you here? I mean, you don't really hang out with Harry," her eyes glinted maliciously.
"I – I asked him to come with us," said Rose.
"Indeed? And how kind of you, Draco," Lair smiled menacingly.
"So – why'd you want to see me, then?" Harry decided to speak.
"I was just going to remind you that tonight is the Halloween Ball at Bridgework – "
"Oh – " said Rose.
"I forgot it was already Halloween!" said Hermione.
"And Ashworth, rumors have been flying around that an awful lot of boys are intending to ask you to go with them. Has anyone asked you yet?" Lair asked.
"None," said Rose shortly.
"Oh… So nobody bothered – I mean, nobody asked you yet, is it?" said Lair. Rose remained silent. "So you don't have a date t o the ball?"
"N – " Rose started.
"Yes, she has," said Harry and Malfoy in unison. They, at the same time, took hold of each of Rose's hands.
"Hm… You've got quite a situation there, Ashworth…" Lair smiled rather a scary smile. "When you've worked out who's gonna go to the Ball with Ashworth, I'll be going with the one that's left, all right?" said Lair, winking at Harry.
Lair swept out of the room.
"I think I need to go to the bathroom again," said Rose. She squeezed her hands out of Harry's and Malfoy's grips and got up. Harry had a glimpse of her blushed face before she slid the compartment door shut.
"So, as I was saying, I've mentioned that you both – "
"Shut up."
"Shut it, Weasley."