A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Its been a crazy few weeks. I hope that this chapter is satisfactory! I really tried to keep with the real story line, such as the first game, and the timing. I really tried. Enjoy! -Bookworm

The twins were focused more than ever on the upcoming Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff match. What was worse, the houses seemed a bit cold toward each other. The third years had quite a few classes with the Hufflepuffs, which made things difficult when they wouldn't properly work together during classes. Hermione found this extremely frustrating, though everyone seemed to enjoy the rivalry between the houses. She knew that it was only until after the match, but she couldn't help but feel sour about it all.

Hermione and Lee stopped going to the practices, they just stayed out too late, and with the midterm finals approaching in just over a month, Hermione blatantly refused to stay out in the freezing cold when she could be inside studying. Lee didn't spend nearly as much time as her studying, but he claimed that since the other boys were busy playing quidditch he got lonely, so Hermione would let him sit with her and work out new pranks for the twins and himself to do. Occasionally she would pull him into doing homework, and they would also read over whatever homework the twins had done, making sure that they wouldn't fail their classes.

It was on one of these nights that the Weasley twins had climbed into the common room, covered in mud and rainwater, and had found Hermione slumped over a table covered with various papers, asleep. George and Fred glanced at each other then back at the sleeping girl. Fred shook his head, he saw Lee's bag but he didn't see the other boy at the table. He felt George nudge his side, and followed where he was pointing to see a sleeping Lee in an armchair by the fireplace. He shook his head and walked over to Hermione while George made his way to Lee.

"Hermione." He said, when she didn't respond he placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her lightly. She sat poker straight, eyes wide.

"Sorry, just dozed." She said, shuffling some papers around. Fred chuckled and shook is head.

"Hermione, you should head to bed." He said softly, and she shook her head.

"We didn't finish looking over George's potions essay." She said, her searching became more frantic. "Where is it?" She hissed under her breath, and Fred looked up as Lee and George approached the table, Lee was in mid yawn when Fred spotted the long piece of parchment in his hand.

"Is that it?" He asked, nodding toward the paper Lee held, she snapped her head to the side and when she spotted it, she snatched it from him. She began to read it over when Lee placed a hand over it.

"I finished it Herm. We should all really head to bed, it's late." He stated, Hermione glanced at her watch and sighed when she started to gather up her books. Fred helped her stack her papers together, and she gave him a thankful smile before pushing them into her bag. She hitched it up onto her shoulder and they all walked together to the back of the common room. She paused before heading up the stairs, she glanced at her friends and gave them a smile.

" 'Night then." She said, and she was met with a chorus of goodnights and promises to see her in the morning. She climbed the stairs and entered her dormitory, she was met with the heavy breathing of slumbering girls, and she silently set down her bag before climbing into bed, thankful that tomorrow was Saturday.

The Great Hall was bustling with students carrying flags, all the same two colors. Of course, Slytherin would support Hufflepuff today, but Ravenclaw students seemed to be quite devided. Some sported the gold and crimson of Gryffindor, some held the yellow and black of Hufflepuff. The Gryffindor team were all sitting together in their freshly laundered robes, Hermione had just come down to breakfast, and stood, slightly lost on where to seat herself. She usually sat with the twins, but she felt odd about approaching them while they sat with the team. She glanced up and down the table and was about to make her way over to where Ron and Ginny were sitting, but before she could, she heard her name being called. She glanced toward the twins, she knew it had been Fred who called her name, he was standing and waving her over. She stared at him, nervous. He grinned, leaned down and spoke to his teammates quickly.

"Hermione, get over here, Fred and George saved you a seat." Katie Bell said, meeting Hermione's eyes. Hermione grinned and made her way to the empty seat next to Fred. She sat down and George proceeded to reach across Fred and put a plate loaded with food in front of her.

"So, you ready to finally see us in real action?" Katie said to her as she picked up a buttered roll, and Hermione grinned. The team had gotten to know Hermione very well, and had welcomed her to come to practices whenever she wanted. Oliver had stated that it was because the boys were gits if she wasn't around, and the rest of the team had been fast to agree.

"Yeah, I am." She said with a grin, and she really was. This was the first time that she hadn't dreaded the first match. Normally, it would have caused jinxes and curses to be thrown In the hallways. Normally, the first match of the season would have been against Slytherin, though this year they had requested not to be in the first match since Malfoy had been injured. Instead, Hermione was excited for her friends, she knew how much they loved the sport, even if she wasn't a fan.

The match was filled with excitement, though it didn't last long. The dementors had made sure of that. Hermione had rushed down the stands, Harry had fallen from his broom, and even though she was worried about him she was more worried about her two best friends that had been in the air at the same time as he had.

She had rushed down to the pitch, shoving her way past students. She got caught in the throng, and wasn't able to make it to where the team was. They were surrounding Dumbledore, who had Harry floating in front of him as though on a stretcher. She knew they were going to the hospital wing, so she slowed her steps to match the students making there way to the castle. When she finally was able to break from everyone around her, she jogged to the hospital wing and quickly found the crowd of players still in their crimson robes. She made her way to them silently, glad to see Fred and George standing. She sighed with relief when she got to them, they looked fine. Fred looked to the side at her, and grinned in greeting, though he still looked worried.

"Is he alright?" She said in a hushed tone, and Fred nodded.

"His brooms not though." She heard George say, and Ron turned to see who was talking. That was when she saw the bundle in his arms. She might not have known much about Quidditch, but she knew enough to know that was a shattered broomstick.

"What happened to it?" She asked with a gasp, her hands jumping to cover her mouth.

"Whomping Willow." Ron said, and Hermione's eyes grew wide.

"Oh dear." She said softly, and Fred put his arm around her.

"It'll be fine." He said, pulling her into a side hug. Hermione blushed slightly and shook her head.

"That's his broom.. He won't be able to fly if he doesn't get a new one." She said, and Fred bit his lip for a moment.

"Naw, he can use a school one." He said brightly, and Hermione gave him an incredulous glance.

"A school broom? Really Fred?" She asked, and Fred glanced at Harry before shrugging.

"It'll have to do." He said, and Hermione sighed at the exact moment that Harry began to stir.