"Shit!" I squeaked as I did a sloth roll to avoid a speeding bludger. I wiped the rain out of my eyes for what seemed the millionth time that day.

It was now towards the end of March, and it seemed like Mother Nature was celebrating by sending us torrential down-pours. It was the second-to-last game of the season, and no one on the field had any idea what they were doing. Even the announcer, whom I had found out only a week ago was Hufflepuff fifth year Tracy Gallagher, was having a hard time keeping track of everything.

"Potter's got the quaff- oh, no, sorry, my mistake, it seems to be Fitzbert. Or maybe it's Harkness," she shouted helplessly.

"Harkness is a Hufflepuff, Gallagher!" Roberts's voice echoed in my own ears.

"I know that! But when their robes are wet, it looks like the same color!" she said helplessly.

I laughed as I scanned for the gold. It was unlikely that I'd find it, though, because I was used to seeing its flash of gold as the sun hit it, and there was no sun today.

Mary came up alongside of me. "Seen it yet, Lin?" she asked as she wrung her hair out.

"You know I can't tell you, Moriarty." I brushed my bangs back from where they were plastered on my forehead.

She sighed. "I haven't seen it, either."

"BENEDETTO!" Jack's voice roared from across the pitch. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

I tried to look for him, but I couldn't see him through the sheets of rain. "How could he even see me?"

Mary shrugged, but drifted away from me. "Dunno. Flettery is giving me a look though. I should go."

I nodded towards her as I sped off to where I though Jack's voice came from. I stopped short, however, when the whistle sounded, signaling a time out. I landed softly and ran towards a crowd of people. Mary turned to face me, laughing. "Trying to cheat, then?"

"Yes, exactly," I said sarcastically, as turned around to run towards the other end of the pitch. I was breathless when I reached them. "What's up?"

"Where were you, Benedetto?" Jack scowled at me as I was included in the circle.

"Well, sorry!" I retorted. "I'm having a hard time seeing!"

"Georgie's figured something out, though!" Jack's annoyance disappeared completely, rubbing a spot on his head. "She thought we should tap our wands to our faces and use the Impervius Charm."

I brightened up. "Oh wow. That's brilliant!" I tapped my face and uttered the incantation, "Impervius."

I could see clearly now, though only for a few feet in front of me. It was still an improvement. A thought struck me and I turned to Jack. "But how did you see me talking with Mary? I can't see well for very far."

"Calry brought binoculars," Jack snarled, annoyance immediately returning. "Benedetto, what the hell-"

I was saved by Master Gerard's whistle, however, and escaped quickly. I flew around with much more ease, and Tracy seemed to notice.

"I have no idea what those Gryffindors did during their time out, but the team is moving much more fluidly. At least, I'm pretty sure it's the Gryffindors, because they flew out from that side of the pitch." She paused. "Well, since we have resumed the match, it's my duty to tell you lot that Hufflepuff is up by 20, leaving the score 60 to 40, and I think a Hufflepuff has the quaffle."

After hearing the score, I tuned her voice out, and flew slowly around the pitch, lapping it twice before I saw the snitch. I flew towards it as fast as I could, but soon Mary and I were neck and neck. And that's when I noticed where exactly the snitch was; 10 feet above James.

I took a deep breath in, and tilted my broom down, sliding up to the edge. Mary slowed down in confusion, and I took the opportunity to jump.

"James!" I screamed as I leapt through the air, catching the snitch at the last possible moment. The whistle sounded to signal the end of the game and I squeezed my eyes, hoping James would remember the quidditch game we had played over a year ago. It seemed like a long shot, but I still had to take it.

I had just started to panic as I landed with a thud inside a very strong pair of arms. "Are you crazy?" James demanded as my eyes flew open. "You could have died."

"I got the snitch, dumb ass." I grinned as I shoved it in his face and repeated the words I had said the first time I had pulled this stunt.

He rolled his eyes but pressed his lips to mine. I responded eagerly, but was unable to take it farther as five different bodies slammed into us, sending us spiraling towards the ground. "Brilliant! Bloody brilliant!" Jack was shouting himself hoarse as we toppled over onto the ground. James and I landed in an awkward position, but we were pinned.

I was still grinning at him as more of our friends left the stands and joined the pile. "You know what this means, right?"

He shook his head, a grin forming on his face that rivaled mine. "What?"

"We're in the lead for both the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup!" I laughed as the pile on top of us slowly disintegrated.

Before I knew what was happening, Jack snatched me from off of James and was hugging me. "That was brilliant!" he said hoarsely. "Merlin, Lin. I could kiss you!"

I turned red and pushed him away. "For the sake of Carly and James, please don't."

He laughed as I was tackled by Marcus and Hugo, sending me flying into Reggie, who twirled me around in the air. Sally giggled as she watched from the safety of Albus's arms. They had finally admitted they were dating after two weeks of secrecy, starting Valentine's Day. Albus had spent the entire day with her, and had coaxed her into saying yes to being his date to Hogsmeade, and the rest was history. I was happy for the both of them, but more so for Sally, because now she was more outgoing, and spent more time with us as a team.

Reggie finally set me down, only to have Marcus and Hugo pick me up and place me on their shoulders. "There were scouts at the match, did you see?" Hugo called up to me.

My eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"Yeah! There were guys from the Holyhead Harpies, Puddlemere, and Wimbourne Wasps!" Marcus said gleefully. "Jane overheard it from Professor McGonagall, and that's why Carly had those binoculars. They were watching the scouts!"

I felt as if I could faint, but thankfully I didn't have to walk back to Gryffindor Tower, seeing as the team carried me there themselves. When we got there, all hell broke loose. Professor Longbottom had agreed to letting us having a party if we won, and, by the time we arrived, it appeared as if it was in full swing.

Marcus and Hugo dumped me unceremoniously on one of the couches and ran off to get some butterbeer. I stayed on back, staring at the ceiling as I processed the information. Scouts. At the game. Seeing me dive off a broom. "Jesus Christ and Merlin," I swore.

James popped his head over the back of the sofa. "Something wrong, darling?"

"There were scouts at the game," I answered, still staring at the ceiling. "They saw me dive off a broom."

James chuckled and jumped over the back of the sofa, carefully landing next to me. He propped his head up with his hand and chuckled. "Yes, I know. Carly said their eyes almost popped out of their heads when you did it."

I blushed and turned to face him. "I looked like an idiot."

He smiled softly and brushed my bangs back from my face. "You are an idiot if you think that. You looked brilliant, Lin." He paused, the smile turning into a roughish grin. "And, of course, you made me look brilliant as well by having me catch you."

I bit my lip to hide my grin. "You think this means we'll be taken seriously when we send in our applications?"

"If we even have to send in applications." James's eyes twinkled mischievously. "They may just offer us jobs on the spot next game."

I blushed again and sat up. "You're so egotistical," I scolded gently. "We'll be lucky to get positions. Especially together. Quidditch teams don't like their players to date each other."

He frowned and sat up, too, at that. "We'll make it work."

"LINNY! JAMESEY!" Jack bellowed and fell onto the couch next to us. "HEROES!"

I snatched the cup he was holding out of his hand and sniffed it. Firewhiskey. "Jack, how do get drunk so quickly?"

He ignored my question and slung an arm over me. "You're my herooo, Linny," he slurred. "Brill move. But we'll say it's been a plan aalllll along, mkay?" He hiccupped. "Call it the Benedetto Drop, or somethin."

"Benedetto Bomb would sound better." James winked at me. I blushed yet again and took a swig of James's firewhiskey. I almost choked.

"Jack, this has vodka in it!" I smacked him upside the head. "Where's Carly? I told her she can't let you do things like this!"

"Calm your arse, I'm right here!" Carly giggled as she swept the invisibility cloak off of herself, Georgie, and Jane.

James's eyes bugged out. "Where did you get that?"

"Al gave it to us when we told him what we had planned." Jane shrugged and grabbed the cup out of my hand. She sipped it and made a face. "Ugh, Lin, what is this?"

I shoved Jack to the side and stood. "It's firewhiskey and vodka," I explained, taking the cup from her.

Carly giggled and grabbed the cup, emptying the contents. "My favorite!"

Georgie grabbed her and Jack, hauling him up onto his feet. "Show me where the bottle is right now or I'm telling Professor Longbottom," she demanded, going into full on Prefect mode. They stalked away, and I was left grinning at Jane.

"So, you knew scouts were at the game?" I asked excitedly.

She nodded. "Sorry I didn't tell you, but we only found out on our way to the stands. I had Al and Carly run back to the dorms so they could get the binoculars and cloak. I sat by the scouts the whole time and listened in on their conversations!"

James stood up next to me and pushed her down onto the couch. "What did they say?"

"Rude." She huffed. "They were pretty amazed at how well you guys managed to get yourselves together at the end there. But they were astounded at the stunt Lin pulled. The Puddlemere and Harpies scouts almost got into a shouting match right then and there." She turned to me. "The Harpies want you bad."

"What about James?" I asked worriedly. James's expression was blank.

"The Puddlemere and Wasps scouts were commenting on how well you feint when going for goals during the game, but it was hard to see, so they weren't too impressed. But, Merlin, James, the way you caught her, the scouts looked at you like Dumbledore himself had blessed you. Of course," she added, "you know how the Harpies are, but that woman looked like she was going to cry because she said you two would probably want to be signed as a pair."

James and I nodded simultaneously. I suddenly felt exhausted. James looked like he was about to pass out, too. Jane noticed and leapt to her feet. "Look, you two are soaking wet and are probably really tired, so go on up to bed. It's a lot to take in."

I nodded and stumbled towards the staircases. James grabbed my waist and tugged me towards the boys' stairs. I tried to push him off. "James."

"Lin." He countered. "Stay with me, please. It is my birthday tomorrow, and I won't do anything, I swear."

I blushed. "You swear?"

"I just said that." He smiled and tugged me up the stairs and into his room. He gave me some quidditch robes. "They're from last year," he explained as he shoved me to the bathroom so I could change into dry clothes. I did so hastily, only realizing how cold I was when handed warm clothes. They were several sizes too big, but they were comfortable.

I walked into the bedroom and saw James's shirtless chest in the process of pulling on pajama bottoms. He smiled at me as I entered. I blushed and covered my eyes. "I should have knocked, sorry."

He uncovered my eyes. "I was going to sleep like this, actually. All my other shirts are dirty. Do you mind?"

I frowned at him suspiciously, but shrugged. "No."

He smiled and pulled me down with him as he lay down. I pulled the blankets up and over us, and snuggled into his chest. He wrapped an arm around me and kissed my head. "Goodnight, Lin."

I was asleep instantly.