Quidditch World Cup

This is still a bit slow and follows canon, but it will pick up soon, I promise! I'm going to try to post at least one a week, so we should get to some good stuff soon. I forgot the disclaimer last time, that sadly none of this belongs to me.

It felt to Hermione that they had been climbing forever. The number of stairs they had to climb inside the stadium made Stoatshead Hill seem insignificant, and even the twins were short of breath when they finally reached the top. Hermione was clutching a stitch, gasping as she tried to fill her lungs and ignore her burning legs.

"Surely you could install a lift!" She cried, still bent double. Mr Weasley just looked at her sympathetically before waving the family towards the front row of the box. As soon as Hermione straightened up she forgot about her tiredness, or her aching muscles. The view was – and there was no other word for it – spectacular. They were as high above the pitch as it was possible to go, with only the great arching roof above them. They were seated in the box with no less than the Minister of Magic himself, with such a panoramic view that it made Hermione's knees tremble and she plonked herself quickly into the seat Mr Weasley indicated for her.

She didn't quite know how everybody else could be so comfortable with the heights. Some, like Harry, she knew just didn't feel the fear. For those that grew up around magic perhaps they were so used to cushioning charms and other assorted means to save them that it just wasn't an issue. Hermione filed that thought away into the vast collection of 'how muggleborns view the world differently to those raised as wizards' that she had been building over the last three years.

Her fear diminished as she sat in the comfortable chairs and to distract herself further she picked up the copy of the programme she found tucked under her seat. The teams and players didn't mean much to her, but something soon caught her eye.

"A display from the team mascots will precede the match." She stated, gaining Harry and Ron's attention.

"Oh that is usually worth watching." Mr Weasley commented, going on to say that the teams usually brought some creatures from their own nation.

After a distraction when the Malfoys arrived, sneering down their rather large, pointy noses at her and the Weasleys, they got ready to start the game. The excitement in the crowds was palpable now and Hermione couldn't help but be swept along with it, jiggling her leg as she waited for the game to begin.

At that point a rather large man wearing horrendously garish black and yellow robes stood up, effectively silencing all further discussion. Hermione recognised him as Ludo Bagman, a former quidditch player who had visited their camp fire earlier. She peered through the omnioculars at the crowd, trying to see if she could recognise anyone she knew from Hogwarts. They had met quite a few people earlier in the day but she couldn't pick out any faces she knew from the masses. She turned back towards the pitch when Ludo called the arrival of the Bulgarian mascots. Zooming through the omnioculars, Hermione saw a swarm of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. Their silver blond hair cascaded down their back and their features couldn't be human.

She was about to comment to Harry, when she saw him standing in his seat, one leg resting on the wall and hands coiled. "What are you doing, Harry?"

Harry blinked, seemingly dazed, looking at Hermione with confusion on his face. Ron was similarly poised on the edge of the box in a diving pose, which would have been comedic if it wasn't a gigantic drop on to the crowds below. Mr Weasley commented quietly to Hermione that it was the effect of the Veela – so definitely not human, she thought smugly – whilst he reached out to stop Ron shredding his Ireland hat. Looking around the top box, Hermione noted that most of the adults were unaffected, many having blocked their ears when they saw the Veela emerge. Much to her amusement she saw Draco Malfoy standing, his chest puffed up in a similar pose to one she'd seen Percy do hundreds of times when he was Head Boy. As she watched, Lucius Malfoy pulled his son down and muttered darkly to him. Hermione pulled Harry down into his seat whilst gazing in fascination at the veela, now stalking one end of the pitch, when Ludo announced the Irish mascots.

A wave of green and gold hit the pitch, large gold coins suddenly raining hard on then all as leprechauns soared over the spectators. Ron grabbed some with glee, thrusting them at Harry to pay him for merchandise purchased earlier. Hermione frowned and opened her mouth to tell him that leprechaun gold vanished after a short while, but just then the Bulgarian quidditch team were announced.

Like almost everyone else in the stadium, Hermione wanted to get a glimpse of Krum. She had heard so much about him, mostly from Ron, that she was curious about the talented player. He wasn't conventionally attractive, but there was something in his intense gaze as he flew that she found appealing. She was so focused on the Bulgarian seeker she almost missed the arrival of the Irish players, a blur of green whipping past as they congregated in a huddle near the lines where the leprechauns had seated themselves.

And then, the game was on. Hermione would be the first to admit that her following of Quidditch was basic at best, but even she could tell that this was a game played several levels above anything she had ever seen at Hogwarts. Although if Harry played full time she could see him one day attaining this standard; it made her realise how good her friend really was at the sport.

Plays whizzed past her in a blur and soon Ireland had scored. From there should could barely follow what was happening until, in a moment that took her breath away, the two seekers plummeted towards the ground through the centre of the other players. Even at this level, the game almost stopped as both teams watched their seekers. The speed they were going was incredible and they were getting so close to the ground. "They're going to crash!"

The Irish seeker did, hitting the ground at nearly top speed and seemingly being knocked out. Krum, however, pulled out of the dive at the last possible moment, his toes skimming the surface as he fought the broom back upwards. Hermione kept her eyes focused on the seeker on the ground, being attended by mediwizards who were dosing him with an array of bright potions.

The game only got more intense. The two groups of mascots were increasingly hostile until they were almost at all out war, and the play got dirtier and dirtier. This was especially true of the Bulgarian team, who could not find a way to disrupt the Irish chasers. Lynch and Krum were trying to keep out of the way, until a bludger managed to hit Krum right in the face. The referee at this point was trying to manage the fighting mascots and didn't call a break. The next moment, the seekers were diving again. Harry next to her was shouting "He's seen the snitch!" and sure enough, whilst the Irish seeker went straight into the ground again (this time being trampled by veela for good measure) Krum rose into the air bearing the tiny golden snitch aloft in his hand.

Ludo Bagman was shouting the results – Ireland had won, despite Krum's success. But, as Harry sagely pointed out, the Irish chasers had the game sewn up from the outset and this was the best the Bulgarian team could hope for.

As the teams came up to the Top Box to collect the prize, Hermione got a further chance to study Krum. He was as ungainly on the ground as he was superb in the air, reminding Hermione a bit of a penguin on land. It didn't help that he was still bleeding significantly from what looked like a broken nose due to the bludger. As he came into the box, his eyes swept around the occupants and for the briefest moment connected with hers. His eyes were dark brown, almost appearing black under the glare in the box. The Irish team then crowded in, hoisting the World Cup above their heads and cheering loudly. It was impossible not to be swept up in the jubilation.

She enjoyed the after-match discussion with the whole Weasley family, and she took the opportunity to talk to Bill about his job (more interesting to her than discussing the game after an hour of it). They talked and laughed around the fire, until Ginny let loose a massive yawn and prompted them all to head towards their tents.

Hermione didn't expect to sleep at all, but was exhausted after her early start and soon drifted off in the small tent she shared with Ginny. Her dreams that night were full of seekers and brooms, and of large nosed men who eyes started dark before transitioning to grey-blue…and then she was being shaken awake by a worried Mr Weasley.