Chapter 22 – Lions vs Snakes


HG


It's been a week since the party and things... well things have changed. Katie and the others still had their nearly daily practice, while Hermione spent her time in the library or help Lee finish a product or potions for the twins. But what changed was... Katie, who felt relieved she told Hermione everything, now tried to avoid Angelina as much as possible. She made sure she never had a moment alone with her, even though Angelina tried to talk to her. Angelina even came to Hermione, to ask for her help. But she told the chaser to give her time, that Katie will talk when she's ready. The second thing that changed were the boys and Alicia as they spend a great part of their sparse free time with their 'conquests'. Alicia had been caught by Professor Sprout when she and Gavin where snogging in a cupboard. Good thing that it wasn't Snape otherwise he probably would have used it for Slytherin's advantage for the game. Lee and Lena spend much time together at the library or going on walks around the castle. Then there were the twins. They had met up with the girls from the dance a couple of times to enjoy a good snog, here or there. And then there was Cedric, normally they would study together a few times a week, but every time she had come to the library, Oaklee nearly sat on Cedric's lap as they were sitting in the busy part of the library with her friends. When Hermione walked by to the secluded table in the back, Cedric sends her a smile, which often followed by Oaklee's glare. Hermione rolled her eyes for the millionth time as she strode to the back. It only thing that hasn't changed the past week, was that Blaise still studied at the same table in the back.


HG


Hermione came down alone the morning of the first quidditch match, Gryffindor vs Slytherin. Not only was it the first game that year for the others, but it was also Katie's first game ever and Lee's first time announcing the game. When she woke up, Katie was already gone. She went to look in Angelina and Alicia's room a floor above her, but they were gone too. When she headed down to the common room, she looked up at the boys' staircase as she contemplated if she should go up. She was biting her lip when Ron suddenly came down the steps.

"They are already gone." Ron said when he noticed her standing there. "Oliver wanted them up early to talk strategies. Harry left about an hour ago."

"Oh, okay. Do you-" She started to ask if he wanted to walk together to breakfast, but Ron was already making his way to the portrait hole. "Rude." She scowled as she watched the red head disappear behind the portrait. She turned to the left when she felt eyes on her. Two girls from Harry's year, Lavendar and Parvati? She wasn't sure, where looking at her with interest. She looked at them with a raised eyebrow, the girls quickly turned their heads and Hermione walked out of the common room.

When she appeared through the large doors of the great hall, she looked around the room. The Slytherin table was covered in green; scarfs, hats, pins and much more all plastered on the kids sitting at the table. When her eyes skimmed over the Ravenclaw table, she saw a few red buttons on the clothes of a few witches. Her eyes went over to the Hufflepuff table, and her eyes widened a bit more when she saw a lot more red colours fill the table. Her eyes stopped at Cedric, who was wearing a Gryffindor scarf and hat, Matt and Gavin both wore scarfs in solidarity. Cedric laughed at something Matt had said before he lifted his eyes and found hers. He said something to his friends as he stood up, Matt and Gavin turned in their seats to look at her, they both waved at her and after she waved back the boys turned back. Hermione waited at the entrance of the great hall for Cedric as her eyes scanned the Gryffindor table at last. She saw the Gryffindor team, already fully dressed in their quidditch robes sitting at the table, looking a bit gloom. No one touched their food as they just stared at the table.

"They entered about ten minutes ago, no one has eating anything yet." Cedric said as he stopped next to her, his eyes on the red filled table.

Hermione looked away from the table and turned her head to Cedric. She smiled as she tugged his scarf. "You're a Gryffindor now?"

"I think we all want Gryffindor to win, even a few Ravenclaws are wearing something to support you guys."

Hermione hummed. "I saw. Well, I better get them to eat something. Want to join me? You are already dressed for the occasion." She grinned at him.

"Sure." He mimicked her expression as he followed her to the table. No one looked up when they arrived, only Ron, who sat next to a nearly frozen Harry, his eyes flickered to them for a second before he continued eating.

"Good morning!" Hermione chirped. The others finally looked up at her, finding her happy and chipper expression weird. "Come on guys! You all should be excited; it's your first game and you've been practicing for weeks." She said as she sat down next to Katie.

"Yeah, you're going to beat Slytherin to a pulp." Cedric chimed in as he flopped down next to Hermione.

Katie's head turned solemnly towards her. "Slytherin has won the cup for years now."

"So?" The others all looked like they swallowed something nasty. "Alright, let's make a bet." Now she had the full attention of the others. "I bet you, you will win the cup." She looked over her shoulder with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Digs."

Cedric just chuckled at her and gestured her to turn around to the others again.

"You really think we can win?" Katie whispered.

"I know it! And-" She looked pointedly at the others. "You all know I'm always right!" That made the others chuckle and the mood lifted. "Now eat! We don't want you falling of your broom later."

"Right." The twins said as they started to load their plates, the others all took something to eat too, but not as much as the Weasley twins.

"Nicely done." Cedric whispered as she turned forward again.

"Sometimes they just need a little push." She smiled. "Where is Oliver anyway?" She asked Harry in front of her.

"He went to check on the pitch, to see if everything is how it's supposed to be."

"And to do his ritual." Angelina said, overhearing the conversation. She elaborated at Hermione's confused look. "He's a bit superstitious. He always needs to fly around each goalpost three times counter clockwise or we won't win."

"Our team captain always has the same breakfast on matchdays." Cedric laughed. At that moment, Oliver arrived and dragged the team out of the great hall as they needed to prepare. Hermione shouted quickly she would come by the changing rooms before the game before the group disappeared from view, leaving her with Cedric, Ron and Lee. Lee slides over on the bench, right up next to her.

"Thanks." He spoke.

"For what?"

"I had been trying to get them to eat something, but they wouldn't listen."

"They're too afraid to say no to miss Granger." Cedric chuckled and Lee joined him. Hermione glared between the two, but a smile slipped through the facade.

"Are you nervous?" Hermione asked as she filled her plate with eggs.

"A bit." Lee shrugged. "Not as bad as the others were, naturally. Want to sit with me at the commentary's box?" He asked the three of them.

"Sure." Hermione and Cedric said.

"I already agreed to sit with Dean and Seamus." Ron mumbled as he stood up and walked out the great hall.

"What's his deal?" Cedric asked with a frown as his eyes followed the youngest Weasley boy.

"He never really talked to me, but ever since the twins asked me to prank him, he's been like that."

"It was a harmless prank." Lee scoffed. "He needs to get over it."


HG


After the three of them finished breakfast, they headed out to the pitch. They made a small detour when they saw the Slytherin changing rooms as they headed to the Gryffindor one. They waited outside the tent as they heard Oliver give his first speech in the changing rooms. Hermione, Lee and Cedric had to supress a chuckle as it sounded like Oliver was preparing them for a war.

It took another five minutes before they all came trickling out. The twins were whispering and laughing as they looked over to their captain. Katie had spotted them first and ran over to them and threw her arms around Hermione. When the others noticed where Katie had gone, they walked over, at a slower pace than Katie that is.

"I'm nervous." She whispered that only she could hear.

"I know." She squeezed her tight. "But you'll do brilliantly."

Katie smiled at her as she pulled back. Lee was the next one to wish her good luck and Angelina and Alicia came over to her. Hermione gave them both a hug as they stopped in front of her.

"Good luck and be safe alright."

"We will." Alicia smiled as she pulled out of the hug. Alicia and Angelina went to stand next to Katie after they hugged Lee.

"What about us." The twins stood in front of her with a pout. "We need good luck wishes too."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the twins, she did it so much, she was surprised they didn't get stuck like that. She stepped closer and pulled them both down in a hug. The twins automatically wrapped their arms around her, pulling her closer. When they parted, she stepped on her toes and kissed them both on the cheek.

"Good luck." She smiled at the two stunned boys in front of her. She looked over her shoulder to Katie before she turned back to the twins, who still looked flustered. "Keep her safe, will you."

"We will." The twins chimed as they came out of their stupor.

"Alright." She padded their chests. "Now, go kick some snakes' ass."

"Here she is again, using bad words." Fred chuckled.

"She is a real bad influence on us, Freddie."

"Right you are, Georgie. Maybe we should write to her parents."

Hermione huffed as she pushed the laughing twins towards the field. As the girls followed the boys up onto the field. "Good luck, Harry." She called after the youngest player. Harry turned and gave her a nervous smile as Oliver slightly pushed him forward.

"I better get up before McGonagall has my head." Lee said, and he sprinted up the wooden stairs in a hurry.

"You're going to make me jealous if you keep kissing other guys." Cedric chuckled as he bumped her shoulder. "I thought I was special." He pouted before a grin appeared on his face.

"You're just as bad as the twins." Hermione laughed, as she bumped him back. "Besides we don't want your girlfriend to get jealous."

"Girlfriend? That's a little strong." Cedric said with a slight frown.

"Oh, what is she then? She's bee glued to you since last week." Hermione chuckled; Cedric rubbed his neck. "Shouldn't you be sitting with her?"

"No, I told her I wanted to watch the game with my friends." He smiled at her. Hermione didn't press the matter any further, but she had a feeling he didn't tell Oaklee which friend.


HG


The three of them had just reached the stand where Lee had a good view of the pitch in front of him. And without a moment of hesitation Lee started talking through the microphone the moment the red and green players stepped on the field. Hermione stood next to Lee as she leaned against the banister for a good view. Hermione had to hold in a laugh when Professor McGonagall scolded Lee about his choice of words, while Cedric just let the laughter bubble out.

Hermione shrieked as a bludger nearly hit Katie in the back, it was only for George's timely safe, it didn't hit her. Her heart was still beating fast when she heard Lee's voice coming over the crowds.

"Come on now, Angelina! Keeper Blechtley dives- misses – GRYFFINDOR SCORES!" Lee yelled through the microphone as the Gryffindors cheered loudly. Hermione saw Fred fly by Harry and say something before he hit a bludger toward Flint. A few moments later Hermione saw Harry dive towards the ground, followed closely by the Slytherins seeker Higgs. They were neck in neck and all the chasers on the field seemingly forgot what they were doing and watched the pair race. Harry was just reaching out to catch the golden snitch when that git Flint purposely blocked him, making Harry's broom spin in circles.

"FOUL!" All the Gryffindors yelled, alongside Lee and Hermione, even Cedric shouted next to her. Madam Hooch flew to the Slytherin and gave him an ear full, granting the Gryffindors a free shot. Lee's anger was bubbling as he spoke through the microphone, having a hard time not to pick sides.

"So, after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating..."

"Jordan!" The professor grumbled next to him.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul..."

"Jordan, I'm warning you!" The professors voice clear with warning.

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue."

George and Fred, again, worked perfect together to keep their teammates safe and let the chaser get a hold on the Quaffle as they all flew fast through the game. Hermione was happy Katie could put her differences with Angelina aside to play the game. If you would see them now, you wouldn't think anything had happened between the two. But who would, no one from their group had seemed to notice, or they decided not to say anything about it.

Suddenly Harry was speeding down the ground and held out his arm to catch the snitch. But the ground was too close, his foot got stuck in the grass and he tumbled forward, with a head roll on the damp grass he stood back up. Hermione frowned as she watched the first-year gag, the snitch popped out of his mouth and landed in his hand.

"Potter caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins!" Lee's voice excited as he jumped up and down with Hermione.

Once out of earshot from Professor McGonagall, Lee leaned to Hermione. "Party in the common room."

"I'll get the things." She nodded and turned to Cedric. "Want to help me out? I need somethings from the kitchen, you can come to the party too, if you want."

"Yeah, great. What do you need from the kitchens?" He asked as they walked down the steps.