17 – Auditions

Hermione looked over her shoulder and saw Lee falling behind from the rest of the group as they walked to the pitch for the auditions. She looked back to the people next to her. Alicia and Angelina had their quidditch robes on and brooms over their shoulder, just like the twins, Charlie and Oliver. Astrix didn't want to join the friendly match, so Katie had been asked to step in, much to the delight of her best friend.

Hermione slowed her pace until she reached Lee in the back of the group. "Nervous?"

Lee looked up from the ground to the others in front of them. The quidditch players all talked excitedly with each other as they walked the grounds. "Yeah... I thought with Fred, George and the girls coming to play, I would be less nervous but... they will all be listening."

"No, they won't. You know how they get with quidditch. They won't think of anything else." Hermione chuckled. "Hey." She gently pulled on his sleeve, making him look at her. "How long have you wanted this?"

"Since I saw my first quidditch match, I was about 6 years old, so half my life." He chuckled nervously.

"And how long have you been practicing?"

"About the same."

"Then you will do great. And I'll be there right beside you." Hermione said, smiling up at him. Lee wrapped an arm around her shoulder, giving her a side hug.

"Thanks, Hermione."

Hermione started to laugh when they reached the pitch, still tucked under his arm.

"What?" Lee asked surprised, looking down.

"I just have a picture in my head. Of you, in front of a mirror holding a toothbrush, commentating on an imaginary match."

"That's where your wrong, little Granger." Fred said as the twins enclosed them.

"It was his mother's hairbrush." George added, both grinning.

"You're all wrong. It was a handmade microphone." Lee grinned, dropping his arm from Hermione's shoulder as they walked up to the others. Hermione looked around the field and saw the Hufflepuff team already standing there, fully dressed, with their brooms in hand. About five others were auditioning too, with only a few spectators.

"Ah, everyone is here." OJ called as he saw them arrive. "Since this is just a friendly match to see who the new commentator will be next year, there will be no referee, so play nice everyone." OJ looked at the players, before turning to the others. "For you who are auditioning today, each one of you gets 10 minutes, so give it your best. Let's get up to the stands." He waved them over.

"Goodluck mate." The twins clapped his back before walking to the Hufflepuffs'. Angelina, Katie and Alicia came over to wish him luck. Hermione gave her best friend a hug, whispering good luck to her before the girls followed the twins.

"You'll do great, Lee." Charlie smiled, Oliver already heading to the others.

"Thanks, mate. Hermione are you going to come up?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yeah, just for moral support."

"Then of course I'll come up with you." She smiled as they followed OJ and the others to the stand. Suddenly a familiar boy with wavy brown hair walked up next to her. "Hi Cedric. Are you auditioning too?"

"Hi, Hermione, Lee. No, I want to try out for the quidditch team next year, so I've come to watch the game."

"Katie is going to try out next year too, she's filling in for Astrix today. She's trying out for chaser, what about you?"

"Seeker." The boy grinned. "Marvin is graduating this year, so I'm going to try my luck."

"You'll do great, I think." She grinned. "I never actually seen you fly or play, so maybe I'm wrong.

"Oh, you're teasing now? Must've gotten that from the twins." Cedric laughed.

"Yeah, that silent little bookworm is long gone, my friend." Lee laughed. Hermione chuckled at the two boys as they reached the stands. She looked over at the pitch and saw the players already soaring through the air.

HG

"Who wants to go first?" OJ asked looking at the candidates. Hermione glanced around. One first year of Ravenclaw, was nervously pulling his sleeve, next to her, a broad 6th year of Slytherin, who was sticking up his nose to everyone. Two girls from Hufflepuff, looking with lovesick eyes at OJ, then another Gryffindor from 4th year, maybe? And then of course Lee. Hermione gave him a gentle nudge to make him volunteer. Lee puffed his chest and stepped forward, when the others didn't.

"I knew you wouldn't mind going first, Lee." OJ smiled broadly and clapped Lee on the shoulder before leading him to the commentary station.

"Goodluck!" Hermione called over, at the same time as Cedric. Lee smiled a bit nervous before glancing back to OJ. Hermione and Cedric took the front seats as they looked over at the players that had already assembled. Cedric leaned closer after his eyes looked at the others behind them.

"That guy from Slytherin can't even create a full sentence, so he won't be a problem. The two girls from my house, Louisa and Emma, just have a huge crush on OJ, so that's going to be funny." He chuckled slightly, Hermione joining in. "The first year from Ravenclaw is too nervous, poor thing. That leaves the fourth year from your house."

"Michael. Don't know him, but Lee is nervous about him." Hermione said as she looked over her shoulder to the boy in question, who had his gaze fixed on the players.

"Good afternoon, everyone!" Lee called through the microphone. His voice carried long past the empty pitch. "Welcome to our first friendly match, Gryffindor against Hufflepuff." Lee started confidently as he named the players of both teams. "Let the match begin!"

The players stood there hovering, waiting for the usuals sound of a whistle. Hermione rolled her eyes as she stood up. She put two fingers in her mouth and blew, letting out a high-pitched whistle sound. When it reached the players, they started flying. Lee started calling all the passes and manoeuvres, not missing a single thing. The ten minutes were over before anyone knew it, and OJ called the first year Ravenclaw to his side as they switched places with Lee. Lee came over and sat down, grinning, next to Hermione.

"You did great!" Hermione yelled excitingly, giving him a hug.

"Thanks, Granger." He smiled, patting her bag. "Nice going with the whistle."

"Ha, yeah, thanks. They looked a bit lost." Hermione chuckled. She glanced over to the first year, who was poorly stumbling over his words. OJ patted the boy's shoulder and guided him away after only a few minutes.

"He's just too nervous. He knew all the plays but -" Lee said as his eyes followed the boy.

"Maybe when he's older." Cedric said as he too looked over at the boy. "Oh, it's that git from Slytherin."

Lee watched in silence as the others tried their hand in commentary. The bloke from Slytherin, never finished his sentences and you always had to look at twice at the players to know what had happened. The two Hufflepuffs giggled every time they glanced at OJ and even commentated on how he good looked instead of the game. Hermione and Cedric looked over at each other, both biting their lips, holding in their laugh. Last came Michael from Gryffindor, he did great, he said all the right things, but one thing was different then with Lee.

"Shit! I hoped he would choke or something." Lee grumbled, his head falling in his hands.

"Lee... Yes, Michael did great but there is one big difference."

"What?" Lee asked, lifting his head a bit so he could look sideways at her.

"Enthusiasm. Michael said everything really monotone, you were very excited and fun to listen to."

"I hope OJ sees it that way."

"He'll be mad if he didn't." Hermione said reassuringly.

"I'm with Hermione on this one, mate." Cedric agreed. "If OJ-"

"Thanks for playing guys." OJ called through the microphone. "You can continue this match but I'm going to announce the new commentator."

Hermione saw a blur of yellow and red flying down to the stands, all the players sitting down on the stands with them to find out who will be chosen.

"Alright then." OJ said stepping away from the microphone. "It was a close call." He started. Hermione felt Lee's knee nervously bouncing up and down. She reached over and grabbed his hand in hers. Lee looked at her in surprise, she gave him a reassuring squeeze and smiled. Lee smiled in gratitude before looking back to OJ. "But the one who will be taking over is ... Lee Jordan!"

The whole Gryffindor team jumped up and the twins started chanting. Hermione and Lee jumped up at the same time and hugged each other.

"Told you." She whispered in his ear, before pulling back.

"You did." He grinned. "Oi!" He called over to the singing twins. "You know what this means right?"

"Yes, we do." They called in unison, already climbing their broom.

Hermione turned back to Lee, laughing. "I'm guessing they are going to raid the kitchens?"

Lee squinted and tapped the side of his nose, grinning. Hermione chuckled and turned to Cedric when OJ came over to Lee.

"This was fun. But I better get back to studying."

"Maybe I'll see you later." Hermione said as they started to descend the stairs. "There will a party later in the common room, so if it's too crowded..."

"Then you're always welcome at my table."

HG

It was an hour after dinner and the party in the common room was already in full swing. Hermione was sipping for her pumpkin juice as she glanced around the loud, full room. Fred and George had just hoisted Lee up from a chair and were chanting loudly. Katie was talking excitedly about the match to anyone who would listen. Suddenly she was pulled from her chair by Angelina who dragged her across the room to Alicia and started dancing. Hermione looked wide-eyed at the dancing girls, not sure what to do.

"Come on, Hermione. Dance with us!" Alicia called over the music, swaying her arms over her head.

"I can't dance."

"Sure you can. You can't be worse dance Oliver." Angelina laughed as she pointed to the keeper. Hermione turned as saw Oliver dancing like a robot, still holding his glass of fire whiskey. "That boy shouldn't be drinking."

Hermione chuckled as she looked back at the laughing girls, and she slowly but surely started to dance on the beat of the music. Angelina took her hand and twirled her in circles, Hermione did the same, but Angelina had to duck to get under her arm. Katie soon joined as she saw the others dance, she grabbed Hermione's hands and started to twirl each other around.
They danced for half an hour before Hermione had to sit down and relax. She grabbed a new drink before dropping down on a seat in the corner. To her far-left Charlie was sleeping in an armchair, his head hanging to the side, mouth slightly open, still a glass of fire whiskey in his hand. She saw the twins sneak up on him, trying to take the glass from his hand without waking him up.

"Rusty! George! You better not be doing what I think you're doing?" She yelled over, the twins stiffened and quickly turned around, their hands shoved in their front pockets, trying to look innocent.

"We aren't doing anything!" They called back. Hermione's eyebrow shot up and grinned.

"Is that what you tell your mum when she catches you?" She laughed as she rose from her seat. The twins just grinned at her, confirming her suspicions. "That's what I thought. You two surely aren't thinking about drinking fire whiskey, are you? You're thirteen!" She asked stern as she passed the twins and crouched down next to Charlie.

"We were just going to try it, just a sip, little Granger."

"Like you haven't tried it before?" She huffed ad she shook Charlie's shoulder. "Charlie... wake up."

"No, mum. It's a weekend." Charlie mumbled. Hermione rolled her eyes as she looked over at the twins.

"Do you all talk in your sleep?"

"Bill doesn't, I don't think." George said, tapping his chin as he is thinking. "Ginny just snores, loudly but you've figured that out."

"Ron talks too, and Percy..." Fred looked around the common room, to see if his older brother was close before continuing. "He sleeps like a dead person, I think it's because of all the studying, he doesn't move, snore, talk. He barely even breathes, it's very unnerving." Fred finished with a shudder.

"Oookay then." Hermione said chuckling. "And why do you all think I'm your mum, when I try to wake you?"

"I dunno." George shrugged. "Maybe because she's the one who always wakes us up." George said, looking over to Fred. "Are you going to wake him, like you did me?" George said already holding his arm. "I think I still have the bruise from that time you woke me."

"Oh, you big baby! And yes." She grinned devilishly, looking back to the older Weasley and pinched his arm. "Charlie!"

"What!?" Charlie jumped up, making Hermione fall on her bum. "Merlin! I think something bit me!" Charlie cried as he rubbed his arm. "Oh, Hermione. What are you doing down there?"

"Nothing bit you." George said as he pulled Hermione from the ground. "Hermione here pinched you, since you didn't wake up. That's how she wakes us up."

"Then you need to find another way! For such a small person, you sure have a lot of strength." Charlie said, still rubbing his arm.

"It's the only way to wake my uncle up, and George." She said as she nudged the younger twin's side. "Why don't you go to bed, Charlie. You've been working hard the last weeks, with quidditch, prefect duties and your newts."

"You're starting to sound like our mum." Charlie chugged his drink, the twins sighed disappointed.

"Well, somebody has to keep you Weasleys in check. Now off to bed you!"

"Yes, mum." Charlie mumbled, but Hermione heard it and when he reached the stairs, she sends a jinx at him, making him yelp and run up the stairs.

"Hermione Granger, jinxing a prefect!" George said in mock shock.

"It's just Charlie." Hermione grinned as she rolled her eyes. "You two better not try to steal some fire whiskey, or I'll jinx you too." She said as she grabbed her bag from her previous seat.

"Where are you going?" Fred asked as she walked to the portrait hole.

"I going to try to get at least an hour of studying done, before the library closes up."

"Don't work too hard, Granger -" George called out as the portrait flew open.

"Or you'll end up sleeping like a death person, just like Percy!"

"WHAT?!" Hermione heard Percy yell before the portrait closed again, she snickered as she bounded down the stairs.