Chapter 75: He Did It

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," Ron told Hermione. "Look, they're off. Ouch!" Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. And it was Malfoy.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley didn't see you there." Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Ron, do you see Phoenix anywhere? I see Harry and your brothers but not her." Hermione asked, oblivious to what was going on between Ron and Malfoy.

"She has to be down there. She is one of the main players on the team. Look at the scarlet dots and find her number."

"I have been looking for her number, Ron, and I don't see her."

"Oh, didn't you hear? Matthews has chickened out. She realized she wasn't good and quit." Hermione glanced up at him, then went back to the game. "Since she is gone, how long Potter will stay on his broom. No one is there to catch him."

Neither Ron nor Hermione answered Malfoy's question. Instead, they kept to the game watching Snape award Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. They were trying to find Phoenix on the field and watching Harry circle the game like a hawk searching its prey, the Snitch.

"She wouldn't do that. She knows she is good." Hermione muttered.

"You know how I think the Gryffindor team chooses their people?" Malfoy said loudly after Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "Its people they feel sorry for. There's Potter, who has no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who has no money. Maybe you should join Longbottom. You've got no brains."

Neville went bright red but turned around in his set to face Malfoy. "I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter.

"You think that's funny? Cause I seem to agree with him," Phoenix said, taking the seat next to Hermione. "So…. why would Gryffindor choose me Malfoy?" she smirked.

Draco eyed her, not sure what to say. Why was she up here in the first place?

When Phoenix could see she wouldn't get an answer, she sat down, looked at Neville and smiled. She could see why the hat put Neville in Gryffindor. She only wished he could see it.

Ron and Hermione sat there fish mouthed she was sitting with them.

"Shouldn't you be out there?" Ron asked, pointing towards the Quidditch field.

The only thing Phoenix felt safe to do was shrug. "Yes, I should, but there was a request from the other team to bench me." She responded, anger still in her voice, apparently not cooled off like she thought she was.

"I'm assuming you were on your way out on the field when Wood told you this?" Hermione said, noticing her friend in her quidditch robes.

"Yeah." She responded.

"He benched you? This is one of the most important games and Wood benched you?" Ron said, glancing at Harry every once in a while.

"YES, Ron, that's what I said." Ron was not allowing Phoenix to forget the situation, and Hermione and Neville both noticed how tense she was.

"Ron, drop it, Phoenix doesn't seem like she wants to talk about it." Hermione said, Neville nodding his head in agreement.

"I just think it's stupid. I mean, if we win this we would be in the lead!"

"You and me both," Phoenix replied, then looked back at Hermione. "I need to talk to you after the game." She whispered. Hermione responded with a small nod, her eyes fixed on Harry.

"Phoenix, Ron look!" Hermione yelled "Harry!"

"What?"

"Where?"

Phoenix looked over to where Hermione was pointing. Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione crossed her fingers and stood up as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.

"You're in luck, Weasley. Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy.

'That's it!'

Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Phoenix was over in her seat, punching him in the nose and knocking him to the ground. Ron, along with Neville, went to take on Crabbe and Goyle.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, not noticing the fight going on behind her.

Phoenix was on top of Malfoy, hitting him left and right, not knowing where she was aiming, Malfoy trying to hit her back.

"Thank you Malfoy! I really needed to relieve some stress! I'm so glad you volunteered!" Phoenix said, getting him in the nose again. She was about to go for it again when she heard the crowd roar with excitement around her. She let Malfoy go, then stood up.

"The game is over! Harry won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" Hermione shrieked, dancing up and down in her seat and hugging Phoenix the moment she popped back up.

Phoenix looked down at the field just as Harry jumped off his broom. Her anger gone and a huge smile crossed her face. He did it. The game was over, and it didn't really last that long.

'I knew he could do it'