Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus

''What did you expect?'', Ginny asked when Hermione had finished telling her about the trial. ''Change of mind or not, it's still Malfoy we're talking about. Did you honestly believe that he'd thank you on his knees?"

- ''He did thank us, at least", Harry said. That had already been more than he'd hoped for. They were sitting at dinner at the Burrow and it was the evening after the trial, a sunny friday. George and Ginny had just returned from the store which they'd been repairing piece by piece during the last weeks and were now wolfing down Molly's chicken greedily. The first match of the Quidditch World Cup was on the radio, England played against Transsilvania.

''I don't know'', Hermione said frustrated. ''What was he expecting of you, that you'd just give back his wand?''

Harry shrugged. The hawthorne wand was lieing in the top drawer of his bedside table at Grimmauld Place, because he hadn't used it since he had his own one back.

''I actually don't really need it'', he said. ''But I'll be damned if I give it back to Malfoy.''

- ''Dammit'', Ron swore loudly, for England had just received a goal. ''That keeper's completely useless!''

George started to hum 'Weasley is our King' quietly. Harry smiled. Things with George had improved slowly these past weeks. Ginny thought that working at the store seemed to occupy him so much that he didn't have to think about what had happened. Of course he often was still very quiet and sad, like all of them, but from time to time, he made a few jokes.

''Not everybody's as good as you, Ron'', Ginny said. ''What's more, we're fifty points ahead, so calm down.''

- ''Frasier's not gonna catch that snitch anyway'', George said darkly. ''Harry's got more talent in his left backside than this fool.''

- ''Er, thanks'', Harry said.

''Have you ever thought about becoming a professional, Harry?'', George asked. ''The Cannons would take you for sure- Olsson only caught a single snitch last season.''

Harry scratched his scar. He had never really thought about it - it just wouldn't have made any sense when Voldemort was dominating his life.

''Er, no.''

- ''Maybe you should'', George said. ''Fred and me have been to a couple of games last-''

He stopped and they all turned quiet, as always, when someone mentioned Fred.

''These two are busy enough at the ministry for now'', Hermione finally said. ''And Harry's got enough publicity as it is.''

- ''Perhaps you should-''

Ron broke off, because the commentator started to scream loudly and then moaned which made everybody apart from Hermione moan as well, for it could mean only one thing: Transsilvania's seeker had caught the snitch.

''Munteanu catches it, Transsilvania win 210-90-''

- ''Bullocks'', Ron said and turned off the radio. ''That bloody-''

- ''Pardon me?'', his father asked, who was just returning from work.

''Er, nothing, Dad.''

- ''What kept you there so long, Arthur?'', Molly asked.

''Malfoy'', Arthur sighed and sat down looking exhausted. ''We've been questioning him for hours.''

- ''When do the trials start?'', George asked.

''In two weeks at the earliest'', Arthur said. ''We want to collect more proof first.''

- ''It doesn't surprise me at all, Flint being a Death Eater'', George grumbled. ''If I only think about that bloke, he gives me the creeps.''

Arthur started eating his soup and then looked at the radio in confusion.

''Why aren't you lot listening to the game?- Oh.''

- ''Yep'', Ginny said. ''We lost. 90-210.'

- ''Well, at least they seem to have fared well apart from Frasier.''

- ''That's the most stupid thing about Quidditch'', Hermione said thougtfully. ''Every team has seven players, but all you need to win is a good seeker.''

The others stared at her.

''What?!'', Ron asked horrified.

''Well, it's true'', she said. ''All the chasers, beaters and keepers are useless, if you think about it. At the end, almost always the team wins that catches the snitch.''

She was challenged immediately.

''The beaters do protect the seeker!'', George called.

''Bulgaria lost the last final nonetheless!'', Harry roared.

''Only looking at the seekers all the time'd be boring!'', Ginny said.

Hermione turned pink, but didn't give in. ''The beaters are there for the bludgers, and without those, the seekers wouldn't need protection. About Bulgaria, that's the best example! They only had Viktor and they'd nearly won, although Ireland had the better team! And about it being boring-''

- ''Quidditch is sacred'', Ron said hotly. Her mentioning Krum didn't seem to have improved his mood.

Hermione shrugged. ''All I'm saying is that-''

- ''Hermione'', Ginny said pointedly. ''Stop it. You just don't understand Quiddtch, okay?''

- ''But-''

- ''I think you should all go to bed and calm down before things run out of control'', Molly said loudly. ''Harry, Hermione, it's quite late, don't you want to stay the night?''

- ''No, I need to go, Mum and Dad would worry'', Hermione said.

''Quidditch-Haters aren't allowed in my room anyways'', Ginny said darkly, but she smiled.

''I'll stay'', Harry said happily.