Ever since his little slip up with the pixies, Lockhart had avoided showing them anything that would draw attention to his incompetence. Though Y/N wasn't sure if Lockhart had managed to get his wand back following it being thrown out the window, so that may also be the reason.
He and Hermione had been regularly reporting back to Professor McGonagall with their lessons but so far not a lot of anything had happened, which was both a blessing and a curse. Lockhart had chosen mostly to simply recount his own tales instead of giving the class any real defence advice. He kept reading passages from his own stories and dragging Harry up to the front of the class to re-enact some of the more 'dramatic' moments.
Y/N had begun realising that Lockhart paid little attention to what else was going on in the class whilst doing this, so had been practicing some of the spells from 'Complete Jinxes, Charms and Hexes to bedazzle your friends'. At first, Hermione had been annoyed at this, nudging Y/N to make him pay attention, but after a few lessons of Lockhart doing the same thing she'd relented. And over the last couple, had even joined him in practicing them. It was good that she was, it was very difficult magic to perform and he was grateful for her help.
Their current lesson was much the same. Harry had been called up to the front to act as a werewolf for Lockhart's retelling. The rest of the quartet knew full well he was only agreeing to keep Lockhart happy. Y/N and Hermione were at the back of the class practicing disillusionment charms. The magic was intricate, beyond anything they'd studied so far, but Y/N knew it would be useful. Being able to turn himself invisible would be crucial if the others went skulking around under Harry's cloak.
The most he'd managed so far however was making everything below his waist faintly translucent, as if he was a ghost from the belt down.
'You'll get it,' said Hermione reassuringly as Y/N threw his wand down onto his desk in frustration. 'This is fifth-year magic. It's impressive you've even gotten this far.'
'Not good enough,' grumbled Y/N as the bell rang. Harry slid back through the class towards them.
'What's happened to you?' asked Harry, looking at Y/N's spectral legs.
'Hermione got sick of me not listening to Lockhart, so she killed my legs,' said Y/N. 'They just have unfinished business.' Hermione smacked him.
Harry shook his head. 'Ready?' he muttered.
Hermione nodded. Once the last student had left, she advanced to Lockhart's desk.
'Professor Lockhart,' she said, 'I wanted to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading,' she held out the slip of paper in her hand, 'but the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section, so I need a teacher to sign for it. I'm sure it would help me understand your passage in 'Gadding with Ghouls' about slow-acting venoms.'
'Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!' he said, taking the slip of paper and not even reading it. 'Possibly my favourite book. You enjoyed it?'
'Oh yes,' Hermione lied. 'That last one with the tea strainer. Seems too good to be true-'
'Well I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best witch in the year a little extra help,' and he pulled out a massive, gaudy peacock quill. Ron looked revolted. 'Nice, isn't it?' said Lockhart, clearly misunderstanding the look, 'I usually save it for book signings.'
He signed the note, still without reading, and then handed it back to Hermione.
'So Harry,' said Lockhart as Hermione folded the note away inside her bag, grinning. 'Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin. I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker too.' Y/N snorted, and Lockhart waggled a finger at him.
'I know I may not have the build,' he said smugly, 'but I was one of the best, was even asked to try for the national squad-' Y/N took this opportunity to turn and leave. Ron and Hermione followed after him. They were halfway up the corridor when Harry caught up.
'Thanks for just leaving me with him,' grunted Harry as they headed off in the direction of the library.
'I'm not his special seeking Quidditch star,' shrugged Y/N. 'I don't need to listen to him blow smoke up his own- '
'Y/N!'
They turned to see Oliver Wood jogging up the corridor towards them. He looked stricken.
'What's up Oliver?' he asked as he and Harry turned to face him.
'It's Alicia. One of the Slytherins jinxed her when she was walking past them in the corridor. Madam Pomfrey says she might not be fit for tomorrow's match, apparently she's got fungus and algae growing all over her face. She doesn't want anyone to see her.'
'Guess who's going to become the special Quidditch star,' smirked Harry.
'Still you mate, I'm not the seeker. I'm just another person in red robes with a red ball. I'm also not Harry Potter. Guessing I'm on tomorrow then?' he addressed the last part to Oliver who nodded. 'Good, I was wondering if I'd get a crack at Malfoy.'
'So you'll play?' asked Wood excitedly.
'Course I will, I'm reserve aren't I? No point being reserve if I refuse to play. I'll be the one on my Nimbus though.' Wood nodded and jogged away looking significantly less stressed.
The quartet turned and continued their trip towards the library.
'He didn't even look at what book we wanted,' said Y/N, 'could have been anything.'
'That's because he's a brainless git,' said Ron. 'But who cares, we've got what we needed.' The four laughed as they entered the library.
They found Madam Pince and handed her the signed slip of paper.
''Moste Potente Potions'?' she asked suspiciously but they merely nodded. She held the note up to the light as though she thought it was fake, but a few moments later she stalked off and returned carrying a large and very worn old book. Hermione stored it in her bag, and they left the library.
They headed back down to Myrtle's bathroom and pushed their way inside. Y/N hadn't been in before. There was a large, cracked, and spotted mirror and beneath it, a row of chipped and damaged sinks. The room was illuminated by very low, burnt candles and many of the stalls were scratched or completely hanging off their hinges.
Hermione had argued it as being the safest place as no one went in and Y/N could now see why. The room felt so out of place against the rest of the castle, Y/N was surprised it was even still here. He could also hear wailing coming from one of the stalls which he assumed was Myrtle.
Hermione opened the book and they all glanced into it. The book detailed many potions and most of them were the kinds of things people use for torture methods. People turning inside out or growing extra limbs. It was horrible to see.
'Here it is,' said Hermione as she found the page for the potion. It seemed to be covered in illustrations of people half-way through transformation. Hermione's face changed from one of excitement to one of concern.
'This is the most complex potion I've ever seen,' she whispered. 'Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed and knotgrass. They're all easy enough, they're in the student store cupboard. But we've got powdered horn of a bicorn and shredded skin of a boomslang. Don't know where to get those. We'll also need some of whoever we're changing into.'
'Excuse me?' said Ron. 'What d'you mean a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with bits of Crabbe or Goyle in it.'
'We don't have to worry about that yet though, we add those last,' muttered Hermione, ignoring Ron.
'D'you realize how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione? Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if this is a good idea,' said Harry. Y/N rounded on him.
'Alright then, back up to the common room with both of you, but I personally am not prepared to stand here and wait for the heir of Slytherin to set the monster on every Muggleborn in the school. Cause unless you've forgotten,' Y/N pointed at Hermione, 'she's one of them, and I'll be damned if I'm letting any monster touch her.'
Y/N's eyes were locked on Harry, which was lucky for Hermione because it meant he didn't see her face turn scarlet. Ron and Harry looked at each other and then sighed.
'Yeah, you're right, we're in,' said Ron. 'But no toenails okay?'
'We can use anything,' said Y/N. 'It could literally be hair.'
'How long will it take anyway?' asked Harry, looking down at Hermione who was hiding her face behind the book.
'The fluxweed has to be picked at the full moon, and the lacewings have to be stewed for twenty-one days. Probably about a month if we can get everything,' she said, her voice muffled behind the book.
'A month?' said Ron. 'Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggleborns in the school by then- '
'-But it's the best plan we've got so full speed ahead!' he added as Y/N opened his mouth, looking livid.
Hermione went to check that the coast was clear for them to leave and Ron muttered 'just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow, save us the job.' Y/N shook his head, his mind now on his first Quidditch match.
Y/N woke very early the next morning, put on his Quidditch robes and slipped downstairs to the common room. He was hoping that with the short notice, his nerves wouldn't have time to catch up, but instead it felt like he had months' worth of nerves hit him all at once. He could feel his hands shaking and he felt like he was going to throw up. It wasn't pleasant.
'Can't sleep?' came a voice and Y/N saw Harry come walking into the common room and sink into the sofa across.
'First match,' said Y/N, he felt his voice shaking. 'Thought I'd be okay only finding out yesterday but…'
'It doesn't get easier,' said Harry. 'You just get used to it. It ends up working like adrenaline once you're out there. I've seen what you're capable of though mate, you'll do a great job.'
'Just make sure you don't get cursed off this time,' said Y/N. 'I'd rather Malfoy didn't win because you fell. You worried too?'
Harry nodded. 'They're all on Nimbus two-thousand and ones. The only one with a broom to rival them is you.'
'Yours does,' said Y/N. 'The enchantments aren't that different, no matter what magazines and stuff may say. But I can see what you mean. Like Hermione said though, Malfoy bought his way onto the team. You're the youngest Quidditch player in a century. The brooms can only carry them so far. They still need to have some form of talent to beat us.'
'Should we head down?' asked Harry and Y/N nodded and flipped open his journal.
'Heading down to breakfast.'
He'd just scooped up his and Harry's broom from their dorm when he felt a thrum. He tucked them in the same hand and pulled out his journal.
'Be in the common room in 5.'
Y/N headed back down and threw Harry's broom to him. 'Wait here for 5, 'Mione's coming with us.'
Sure enough, a few moments later, a very sleepy but otherwise cheerful Hermione appeared and together the three of them headed down. The rest of the Gryffindor team were already there, huddled up and not really speaking. Y/N, Hermione and Harry slunk in next to them and they managed smiles but not much else.
Eleven o'clock crept slowly closer and the entire school began making its way down towards the pitch. It was a muggy day and it felt like a storm was on the horizon. Ron hurried over to wish them good luck as they arrived at the locker rooms as Hermione hugged Harry then Y/N before kissing him on the cheek.
'Crush Malfoy for me yeah?' she whispered.
'With pleasure,' Y/N growled as he hugged her back. He was too worried to be embarrassed. Ron and Hermione departed and with a nod to each other, he and Harry stepped into the changing rooms. The rest of the team was sitting around waiting for Wood's pre-match pep talk. Harry said he always tried to make them inspirational. Y/N was kind of looking forward to it.
'Slytherin has better brooms than most of us,' Wood began, 'no point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. Even with having to pull in a reserve,' and he glared at Y/N with a kind of fierce pride. 'He's done us proud and stepped up when we needed him. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers, and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team.'
'Damn right we will,' growled Y/N. His fear was slipping and beginning to be replaced by a drive. They had to win, he had to crush Malfoy.
'It'll be down to you Harry,' Wood continued, turning to look at him. 'You have to show them that a seeker is more than just having a rich father. Get that snitch before Malfoy or die trying. We've got to win today, we've got to.'
'No pressure Harry,' said Fred, winking at him.
They headed out onto the pitch and the barrage of noise crashed over them. The Slytherin team were already out, looking smug, but their faces fell when they saw Y/N and the broom he was carrying. Y/N's eyes, however, were locked onto Malfoy.
They reached the Slytherin team and Hooch told Wood to shake hands with Marcus Flint. They were definitely trying to crush each other's hands. Y/N swung a leg over his broom, not taking his eyes off the pale face.
'On my whistle,' said Madam Hooch. 'Three, two, one.'
The crowd roared as they kicked off into the air. Y/N watched Wood, Harry and the twins shoot off in different directions as Angelina and Katie rose alongside him. The three exchanged a nod as the balls flew into the air.
Y/N sped forward straight past the quaffle and pulled his broom into a drift straight in front of the three Slytherin chasers who all backed up instinctively, allowing Katie to swoop up and scoop up. With a sneer to rival Snape, Y/N span his broom around and chased his fellow chaser up the pitch towards the Slytherin keeper. Katie saw him catching up and threw the quaffle to him. Y/N sped forward, pushing his broom as fast as he felt comfortable with and watched as the speck that was Miles Bletchley got larger and larger.
A moment later however and something collided with the side of him. Marcus Flint had just crashed into the side of his broom sending him spiralling to the left. A moment later and Adrian Pucey swept in knocking him back towards Marcus. The two closed in.
Y/N got an idea and pushed his broom forward, looking straight at Miles. The keeper's eyes grew wider and wider as the two chasers were now almost crushing Y/N. And he pushed his broom down.
Much as he had used in his tryout versus Angelina, he span into a loop-de-loop and Angelina swept up next to him. He passed her the ball and she pulled away. Miles was too focused on Y/N and the other two had had to pull their brooms off course to stop themselves crashing into the goal posts. Angelina swept by and-
A bludger flew just past her head. Angelina lost focus and her shot went wide. The groans from the stadium were deafening. Y/N looked around wildly. Where were Fred and George? That should have been stopped. But both Fred and George were above him, flying around the other bludger that seemed to be giving Harry some trouble.
Cursing under his breath, Y/N span his broom around and took back to the main body of the pitch. The match proceeded fairly poorly from there. Gryffindor had found its momentum early and whilst a few more tricks from Y/N's Nimbus netted them a few goals, they had lost it following the incident from the bludger. Not least of all because Fred and George weren't coming back for it. They were circling Harry constantly, trying to keep the other one off him.
The rain began falling. Heavily. Y/N was glad for it, it helped keep him calm in an odd way. It was his first match and they were losing.
'Slytherin lead Sixty points to twenty,' called Lee from the commentators booth.
Not long later, Y/N and Katie were passing the quaffle back and forth, trying their best to dodge around the Slytherin chasers whilst Angelina waited closer to the goals to take another shot, when the whistle for a time out sounded and Wood went tearing off towards the two beaters and Harry who had now landed.
Y/N turned his attention to the stands looking around. Where… where…?
A flash of red sparks appeared from the back row and he turned his eyes on them. There she was, beaming up at him through the sea of rain. He could see her face red, no doubt from the cheering and shouting and he felt a burst of energy. Hermione still believed. She still thought they could do it.
Madam Hooch took the quaffle from him and he, Katie and Angelina sped down to join the rest of the team.
'Fred, George, where were you when that bludger stopped Angelina scoring?' Wood was asking as the three chasers joined the group.
'We were twenty feet above her stopping the other bludger from murdering Harry, Oliver,' said George, he looked angry. 'Someone's fixed it, it won't leave Harry alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it.'
'But the bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then…' said Wood anxiously.
'Listen,' said Harry, talking quickly, 'with you two flying around me all the time, the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Help the rest of the team, let me deal with the rogue one.'
'Don't be thick,' said Fred. 'It'll take your head off.'
'Harry,' said Y/N and the team turned to look at him, 'are you absolutely sure that's what you want to do?' Harry nodded. 'Trust him guys,' said Y/N, turning to look at the others. 'I know him well enough to know you aren't changing his mind.'
'If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit,' said Harry, 'and we're not losing to Slytherin over one bludger.'
'This is all your fault,' said George, turning on Wood. ''Get the Snitch or die trying', what a stupid thing to tell him-'
But he was interrupted as Madam Hooch appeared behind Y/N and Angelina.
'Ready to resume play?' she asked Wood. He looked at Harry and then sighed.
'Fred, George. You heard Harry and Y/N, leave him alone and let him deal with the bludger.'
They remounted their brooms, returned to the neutral positions, and play resumed. The break had revitalised Y/N, as had seeing Hermione. He watched as Adrian caught the quaffle and tried to speed off towards Wood, but Y/N pulled up above him. He clasped his legs against his broom and swung so he was hanging upside down. He reached down and snatched it straight out of Pucey's arms.
He looked left and right completely confused as Y/N used his thighs to turn his broom before spinning back up into position. It was a good thing this broom was so receptive to his touch, or that definitely wouldn't have worked.
Y/N was doing his best to avoid watching Harry. He trusted him, knew that Harry wouldn't let it go, but he also knew what bludgers were capable of. He managed to score another goal for Gryffindor as did Angelina. They were beginning to find their stride again with the twins back. They felt defended. Y/N was streaking towards the goals once again when a whistle sounded. He halted suddenly and span around to see the scoreboard flashing.
Gryffindor 190 – 60 Slytherin.
Harry had done it. He looked around for his friend but couldn't see him anywhere. His eyes turned downwards and he saw the rest of the team streaking towards the floor of the pitch, he followed.
Harry was lying on the floor of the pitch his eyes half open and unfocused. Y/N staggered off his broom and crouched down next to him.
'Of course. Moment I'd have use of Episkey and I haven't even perfected it yet,' he muttered as he checked Harry's arm. 'Ferula' he added and Harry's arm sprung into a makeshift bandage. He began checking over the rest of his body as Harry blinked and his eyes refocused.
'Y/N?' he muttered, staring at him with unfocused eyes.
'You did it mate, we won,' said Y/N quickly, still inspecting the rest of Harry. Sadly he was so distracted with his check-up that he didn't see who had arrived. Or hear Harry's reaction to the man.
Harry attempted to sit up and Y/N refocused to everyone else present. Which meant the voice of Gilderoy Lockhart now registered as the man spoke.
'Lie back, Harry. It's a simple charm, I've used it countless charms.'
'Move,' said Y/N rudely, smacking Lockhart's hand away from the bandages around Harry's arm. 'Not your business right now.' Lockhart glared at him but no one else seemed to notice.
Wood was congratulating Harry on his catch whilst Y/N was finishing up.
'Good news,' he said, 'nowhere else is injured. Definitely going to need to go to the Hospital Wing about that-'
But he stopped as he looked up to see Lockhart finish casting his spell. The bandages he'd placed around Harry's arm fell away to reveal the arm. Or what was left of it. It was limp, hanging and useless. Lockhart had removed all of the bones from it.
'Ah,' came Lockhart's voice. 'Yes, well, sometimes that can happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken-' Lockhart's sentence was interrupted however.
'Petrificus Totalus.'
As his arms and legs snapped together against his body. Lockhart glared at Y/N who glared back.
'Couldn't just leave it well enough alone could you? Had to be the centre of attention again?' he breathed heavily then turned to Angelina. 'Do me a favour and release him once we're gone? Don't want him causing any more damage.' She nodded and he scooped Harry up just as Ron and Hermione appeared.
'Gimme a hand, Ron,' grunted Y/N and together the two of them carried Harry off up towards the castle, Hermione jogging along behind them.
'What the bloody hell did he do?' asked Ron, he was holding the side of Harry supporting the limp ex-arm.
'Removed all of his bones,' grunted Y/N as they heaved Harry out of the pitch who was gingerly testing his feet on the ground. 'Absolute waste of space of a wizard. All it would have taken is Episkey. I just haven't finished learning it yet. He's a teacher, and he can't even-!' the wind was whipping up around them and Y/N's Quidditch robes were beginning to flow dangerously around him.
Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting his increasingly angry rant and Y/N took a shaky breath. The wind died down and Y/N's robes fell back into place.
'Let's just get Harry up to the castle.'
Madam Pomfrey wasn't pleased.
'He should have been brought straight to me!' she said, holding up his limp arm. 'I can mend bones in a second, but growing them back-'
'You will be able to, won't you?' said Harry, looking frightened.
'I'll be able to certainly, but it will be painful,' Madam Pomfrey responded and she threw some pyjamas at Harry. 'You'll have to stay the night.'
Ron stepped in to help Harry change as Y/N and Hermione stepped a little bit away to give them some space.
'You played brilliantly!' said Hermione immediately. 'It was really impressive for your first showing!'
'Thanks,' said Y/N blushing slightly. 'It was a bit rocky at first, but after I caught glimpse of your sparks, I dunno, it's like it lit a fire. Probably a good thing for Slytherin that Harry caught the snitch when he did. I felt ready to take them all on.' Hermione giggled and then stepped forward and hugged him.
Y/N hugged her back running a hand through her hair.
'I know this sounds bad, but I'm so glad it's not you in that bed,' she whispered to him. 'I've seen you in here so many times, I'm getting sick of it. And Quidditch just felt like one more thing I'd have to worry about you doing. Obviously I'm not happy to see Harry in there either. But yeah…' she trailed off loosely and Y/N squeezed her.
'Y/N?' came a voice from one of the nearby beds. He and Hermione turned to see Alicia poking half of her face outside of one of the nearby drawn curtains.
'Alicia!' he said as he and Hermione broke apart. 'How are you doing?'
'Um, okay, I guess. How did the match go?'
Y/N opened his mouth to explain but she interrupted him.
'You know what?' she pulled her curtains open and beckoned him and Hermione into the small area they covered before drawing them closed again.
Her face was indeed covered in a green moss-like substance and small mushrooms. It was patchy and fading, but he could see residue from where it had been before. It looked like it had been bad.
'Just, don't tell anyone. Please?'
'Of course not,' said Y/N as Hermione nodded and he gave Alicia the rundown of the match.
'Glad to hear we won,' said Alicia, sounding relieved as Y/N finished. 'At least something came of that mess. And we don't know what happened to that bludger?'
'No idea,' said Hermione. 'Last I saw, Fred and George were shoving it back into the box whilst Y/N checked over Harry.
They heard the Hospital Wing doors open and the voices of the other members of the Quidditch team as they wandered across to where Harry was staying. However, a moment later and the curtains slid back to reveal Angelina and Katie's faces.
Alicia beamed at the sight of her fellow chasers and beckoned them inside.
'Hey Alicia, hey Hermione,' said Katie brightly as she stepped through. 'Brilliant match, Y/N.'
'Thanks,' said Y/N, 'same to both of you, you made those Nimbuses work for it.'
'Not as much as you did,' said Angelina. 'It's a blessing you were there. I feel like we wouldn't have scored as much if you weren't. Gives us that bit more of a lead.'
'We'll leave you guys to it,' said Y/N, moving to leave. 'Hope you get better soon Alicia, the Nimbus is waiting for you when you do.' She beamed and waved them out and they closed the curtain behind them.
Wood, the twins and Ron were still stood around Harry's bed. Y/N and Hermione joined them.
'Brilliant flying Y/N,' said Wood the moment they did. 'Glad we had you in reserve. Really was the best choice.'
'Thanks Wood,' said Y/N, blushing slightly as Wood half glared at him. 'I was a bit rocky at first but-'
'No you weren't,' Wood cut across him. 'We were all off to begin with but we found our stride. We scored four goals that match and three of them were you. I think that's something to be proud of, especially with us winning.' Y/N must not have looked convinced because George clapped him on the back.
'It was your first proper match, Y/N. And we won, can't say much fairer than that. Bad conditions, short notice and a team on the best brooms money can buy. It was enough to make anyone have a bad match. And if that's your bad match, I can't wait to see your good ones.'
'I'm not the one who caught the Snitch though,' said Y/N, trying to redirect the attention off himself.
'I've just been saying,' said George, 'I saw Flint yelling at Malfoy as we left the pitch. Something about having the Snitch right above his ear and not noticing. Malfoy didn't look happy.'
Y/N laughed heartily at this. Now that the adrenaline and anger were fading, he was feeling elated. They'd won, he'd beaten Malfoy. Taken his own broom and used it against him. He remembered Malfoy's face when he'd first appeared on the pitch and his smile got wider.
Fred and George vanished shortly after before reappearing with arms full of pumpkin juice. Angelina and Katie re-joined them, dragging Alicia with them who only seemed to be half struggling. They all settled down talking happily and were just getting started on what looked to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came over and demanded they leave so Harry could heal. They said goodbye to Harry and Alicia then left.
'We continuing in the common room?' asked Fred
'I'd say so,' said Y/N. 'Will be weird without Harry but a wins a win.'
The rest of team moved off with Ron but Y/N felt Hermione tug him backwards so they hung back a bit behind the others.
'What do you think was happening?' she asked quietly.
'Not sure, decent bit of déjà vu though isn't it? Last year Quirrell was trying to curse him off his broom, this year a bludger was cursed to do it instead.'
'You think it was a similar curse?'
'Doubt it,' said Y/N. 'That needs eye contact, a bludger doesn't exactly have eyes, and even then it'd be hard to see through that rain. Can't really say much more than that. I didn't really see it. I was more focused on playing, at least for the first chunk. You got any theories?'
'A couple,' said Hermione slowly, 'but none are solid enough for me to say definitely. Curses, jinxes, creatures, people. I just don't like it. That bludger was out for blood, and it almost got it.'
'That definitely seemed like more than just Quidditch' said Y/N. 'That bludger was trying to kill him, or at least put him out of commission for a while.'
He saw the look of worry on his best friends face. The one he hated seeing on her. He pulled her back a little further as the rest of the team rounded the corner towards the fat ladies portrait and pulled her against her chest.
'Nothing is going to happen. To any of us. I promise,' he said quietly to her. 'I'll defend Harry, I'll defend Ron and I'll defend you.'
She nodded into his chest and then pulled away. She looked torn, as if she wasn't sure on what she was about to say. When she spoke he heard her voice shaking.
'Hey Y/N… I was wondering... just, y'know, if you wanted, don't have to say yes, but if you wanted too, would you-?'
'Are you two coming?' came Ron's voice and Hermione jumped away from him as Ron turned the corner to face them.
'Yeah yeah, two moments,' said Y/N. 'We'll be right there.'
Ron gave them a suspicious look, but then moved back away up the corridor.
'What were you saying?' Y/N asked turning back towards Hermione, but she had gone very pink and wasn't looking at him.
'Nothing don't worry about it. Come on, or we'll miss the party,' she said quickly and she sped away up the corridor and down towards the Fat Ladies portrait.
And a little bit bemused Y/N made his way after her.
