A/N: Hehehehe, I'm so behind…SCHOOL. Yes, school. That shall be my excuse.

And I am aware that I took a few liberties with the characters in this one - Jack Sloper was actually a replacement beater for one of the Weasley twins during Umbridge's reign, but I was too lazy to come up with another name. And I actually like this one. Surprise.

Prompt #47: 8/24/17

845 words, according to Google docs.

Rain lashed down in great torrents, skies grey and stormy. Thunder rumbled occasionally but lightening never flared - the eye of the storm was still a fair distance away. Ginny, eyes squinted against the onslaught, tore across the quidditch field to intercept a Slytherin chaser. Grabbing the quaffle in one smooth movement, she nodded briefly to Demelza before racing back towards the Slytherin goalposts. She narrowed her eyes at the keeper hovering near the center hoop and mentally reviewed each step for the Porskoff Ploy before abruptly dropping the ball.

A shout of surprise came from the chaser pursuing her as Katie Bell neatly caught the quaffle and shot it through the hoop. Resounding cheers echoed from the Gryffindor side of the stadium, but the effect was somewhat muffled by the clear, bubble-like apparition encasing the stands. Rain poured off the sides and onto the field - now a veritable swamp.

Grinning at Katie, Ginny did a celebratory flip and high-fived Demelza. They all raced off in geese-formation, dodging bludgers and saturated with water.

"A beautiful goal by Gryffindor chasers," Luna's dreamy voice declared. "Oh! A bludger is sent towards Harry Potter - Gryffindor seeker - but is beaten off by Sloper. He's certainly settling in well - I do believe this is his first year on the team. Oh! - are those Nargles in his hair?"

Professor McGonagall, looking slightly miffed as Luna's commentary drifted towards magical creatures and rain, coughed loudly.

"Erm - Luna - "

"Yes? Oh, right professor." She focused her gaze back to the game. "Slytherin has possession of the quaffle now and are racing towards the Gryffindor goalposts - Ron Weasley is in position. Quite a nice keeper he is, too."

"Get 'em, Ron!" Harry hollered from his spot high above the pitch. Ginny, sweeping in below the Slytherin chaser, caught the ball as Ron batted it away with the tail-end of his broom. Slytherins groaned and cheers erupted from the Gryffindor side.

"Gryffindor keeper saves the ball and his sister catches it - is tossed to Katie Bell followed closely by Demelza. Score is still 80 - 50, Gryffindor."

A sudden clap of thunder was heard right above the stadium - lightning flashed less than a second afterward. As players, distracted by the light, looked up, a bludger hurtled towards the small figure above the stands and struck with a distinctive wet thwack.

"Harry!" Ginny cried.

"It seems that the Gryffindor seeker has been hit by a bludger - oh dear." Her last sentence was drowned out by the uproar from Gryffindor stands. Madame Hooch, who had been watching the game with hawk-like efficiency, immediately whipped out her wand and cast a hovering charm on the falling seeker, levitating him slowly to the ground.

"Timeout!" Madame Hooch called as Harry's body reached the ground. He was mumbling incoherently, twisting and thrashing. Every single player on both sides frowned in confusion - usually, the referee didn't call timeouts. The Gryffindor team rushed to their fallen seeker's side while the Slytherins laughed and high-fived each other. Dirty glances were shot from both sides while teachers poured onto the field.

"Where's Madame Pomfrey?" Professor McGonagall demanded, looking around wildly. "Teachers aren't supposed to heal students on the field unless it's life threatening - "

"She's had a bad case of flu," Professor Sprout supplied. "Caught it from one of the students she was treating, the poor dear. She's still in bed." Hearing this, Professor McGonagall paled.

"Surely Professor Dumbledore could make an exception this time - " It was Demelza who spoke then, wringing her hands nervously.

"I suppose you've got to forfeit, now," Draco drawled, approaching the bedraggled Gryffindor team. "A real pity your seeker is indisposed, though - I was really looking forward to catching the snitch before him." Ron, giving a bellow of rage, had to be restrained by Katie and Jack as he attempted a charge at the Slytherin seeker.

So no one noticed Ginny sidling up to Harry's prone form until it was too late.

Draco's eyes widened comically. "Wait, what - " Ginny tapped his arm once and then his head, muttering a few spells under her breath. Dropping her wand arm and deftly dodging multiple members of the teaching staff and Slytherin team, she smiled brightly through the raindrops.

"I do believe you'll find our seeker able to play," she said cheerfully, sliding her wand back into her sleeve. "Maybe you didn't quite look close enough? - " Snape's eyes narrowed and his mouth opened, but before he could say anything, McGonagall interrupted.

"Well, if that's all?" She stared challengingly at the rest of the teachers, who all shook their heads mutely. "Good." She turned her gaze to Ginny, her expression softening a fraction, before helping Harry up and onto his broom. "Feeling up to a victory today, Potter?" Harry, who was now grinning, nodded vigorously.

"Yes, Professor." He mounted his broom, and as Madame Hooch prepared to blow the whistle again, Draco narrowed his eyes at the youngest Gryffindor chaser.

"Just you wait," he murmured as he brushed past her, lips barely moving. She had gotten away with it this time. But eventually, she'd have to forfeit.