17. Back for Quidditch

So Monday morning I took some flewpowder and appeared in the most cosy house I’d ever seen. “Joan!”
“hi!”
“Joan!” a lot of voices sounded through each other. “hi guys” Fred hugged me and smiled. I sat at the table when the Weasley’s had breakfast. I had to tell Molly at least fifty times I already ate and I was fine. When they were through eating Arthur went to get Harry and Molly was wondering if they should sent an owl to Hermione. “She’ll be bored mum, we’ll all play Quidditch! We have to train!”
“Say Joan…What about the others?”
“I don’t know I guess we’ll have one practise before the game.”
“who’s the contestant?”
“Glioscan, that’s Scotland.”
“and?”
“I think we’re able to beat them” I smiled. “Harry!”
“ah Joan, here already?”
“my father had to work, so I got here early.”
“Say Joan” Ginny interrupted. “How’s Malfoy?”
“Good he’s been to visit me the first week and my father likes him. We though have been missing each other for a week now…”
“haha, you’ll live, right?”
“he’s nice? I guess love can indeed change people.” Ron said.
“did you hear that Fred? Ron is getting something. 6: gets started slowly.”
“o yeah that reminds me of number 7: not unusual to not know things.”
“c’mon guys! Let’s play Quidditch!”
“Yeah!”
We trained for about three hours and then got in to fresh up, we were all exhausted. Then Molly forced us to eat and clearly everyone was hungry, but also so excited they couldn’t eat. After breakfast we went upstairs. Normally in previous year, Fred and George would go to their room, experimenting. Ron and Harry would go up and Hermione would join Ginny. I liked the youngest Weasley very much, but I simply was better friends with the brothers. I wondered what to do when Ginny helped me out. “Oh, I… excuse me.” and she ran back down. She later on told me she wanted to write a letter to her boyfriend. But at least I now could join the boys without any bad feelings. I could see in Harry’s and Ron’s eyes they were about to discus something I should not be hearing, so I followed the twins. In their room they both grinned at me. “you should have seen mum’s face when you kissed Malfoy!” Fred said.
“yeah, don’t like Malfoy and the whole thing, you know that, but it was a very, very long time ago we got her to give an expression like that!” George fell in and he started to laugh by the thought of his mothers face. “lovely” he added. Then we talked about what we had been doing in the vacation. “…and in ten days it is Quidditch.”
“yeah, I still can’t believe that we made our way in!”
“well, Joan trained us well.”
“you’re good players, that’s important!…by the time we’re at Hogwarts again I hadn’t seen Draco in two weeks and two days, it seems so much longer.” I thought out load.
“No details please” George grinned. “By the way about your dad and his vacation and all…are you going home after Quidditch?”
“no, I’m going to stay at Draco’ for a couple of days.”
“a couple of days? After these ten days with us… you have to be away for like eleven days!”
“yeah, but we’re separating them, so we see each other more often.”
“you can come back here to if you want.” I smiled at him saying that. “thanks George…I might be inviting you over as well, my dad is like anxious to meet my friends…I can’t deny mostly Harry, but that’s of no importance.”
“well…can you blame him? I saw your face at the station to you know.” I flushed lightly when I smiled. Well yeah in America he was only a legend, because we haven’t seen him there you know.”
“yea yeah. Tell me, how was your first expression of the rest of us?”
“what?”
“yeah you know what did you thing when you first saw us, Ron, Ginny, Hermione,…Malfoy”
“BOYS, JOAN! DINNER’S READY!” Mrs. Weasley screamed from downstairs. So I was saved from my first expression thing and quickly went down to eat.
“tell me Joan, you must have a special influence on most of the people in this house, how come?”
“I honestly don’t know Mrs. Weasley, but the talent each of the people here has, is in their selves, I don’t put it there.”
“still Wood didn’t succeed in getting us in the World cup.”
“well…yeah, I don’t know.” there was an awkward silence and then the conversation turned to Mr. Weasley’s work, but couldn’t get ride of the look in Molly’s eyes. And I did notice how she still followed me the entire evening. I shared a room with Ginny and slept pretty good. The next few day’s we mostly played Quidditch and wizard chess. And I got letters of Draco everyday, getting more and more desperate. One of the lasted was the sweetest letter I ever had.

I was touched by the letter. It all was great fun at the Weasleys though. On the 24th Mrs. And Mr. Weasley took us to the station. I didn’t see Draco and decided to just get on the train with the others, we found a big compartment and shared it. After half an hour a blonde guy opened the door and looked in “hi” he said and everyone looked up, but immediately away again when I jumped and putted my arms round his neck. I pressed myself to him, held him as close as I could and then kissed him.
“I’ve missed you”
“I missed you to.” We removed ourselves from the others and stayed together the whole time. Hugging, kissing, touching, no need to speak, we just looked in each others eyes.

When arriving at Hogwarts, I joined the twins and Lee again. We all went back in the great hall and it felt as if school has started over again. “Dear, dear students, as you all know, were are gathered here on the 24th July, not for school, but for Quidditch!” there was a lot of cheering, before Dumbledore continued. “Now I have some stuff to explain, but I guess you just want to eat now, so…attack.” and after finishing dinner, with lots of laughter, mostly because of the twins and Hermione’s face, Dumbledore spoke again.
“ I’m very pleased to see you’re all here, the team will get a bit of time soon to practise a bit, I suggest you then go to sleep and kick ass in Scotland!”
“two times a bit, is it enough?” Ned smiled. “to kick ass, it sure is” I smiled while shaking my head, strange boy.
The team left the Great hall, one by one to get ready and come to the pitch. “ok guys, most of you I haven’t seen for nearly a month. I hope, and I truly do, that you guys have been practising. I know the entire first play except Ned has, so you can practise at the pitches there, the other guys, stay here and we’ll see what you make off it.”
Practise however went unexpectedly well. So after a long shower and a Draco’s goodnight kiss I went to bed.
The next day I woke up early out of pure excitement. Quidditch today! I almost screamed it as I realised, instead I got dressed and hurried down. Seeing the rest of the team being up early as well. “morning guys!”
“hey morning Joan!”
“let’s go and eat.”
“uhm we were waiting for…”
“it’s not school yet, they’re not overloaded with stress, it may take a while.”
“yeah you’re right.”
“good boy!” so we went down to breakfast and as I expected all Quidditch players were at the tables already and a few early students as well, but the teachers table wasn’t fully loaded as well. “what time is it anyway?” I asked, getting to feel strange about it.
“half past six.” Fred looked to see my reaction. “What? Damn, we got a whole lot of time left!”
“that’s good, right?”
“uh..guess.”
“hey love.” a sweet voice sounded from behind me and two hands softly rested on shoulders, followed by Draco’ chin.
“morning” I answered. He kissed my cheek and followed us to the Gryffindor table.
We sat down at ate, Draco however had already eaten and to the disgust off my friends he stroke my cheek. “I’ve missed you…I’ve missed you so much.” he whispered in my ear. I could see the twins, Harry and Ron were glad when we stood up and went to the pitch. I made them do some simple, not to hard exercises. And after a shower we got back inside. Hermione and Lee sat at the table, it was kind of a funny sight though. They looked up and greeted us. Because of the large amount of students and teachers Draco walked to the Slytherin table and we joined Hermione and Lee, who were still eating, Fred and George however, went for a second breakfast, as did Ron.
“hi”
“trained already?”
“uhu”
“wow!”
“yeah we were up at six thirty so..”
“wow, that‘s…”
“yeah well, Hermione we’re kind of stressed here!” when they finished eating we went up in the common room. I gestured Harry and Ron to come with me and the twins and Ginny got Ned. “ok guys… second match today, but it doesn’t need to be harder! Because it’s still the same level as last time. we’ll have to play each of this teams and the winner will go further on, so losing might be not so fatal to…I know I said this before, but I’ve got a lot of faith in you guys…I think we can do this, we deserve at least a second round.”
“but…it’s the WC!” this was the first time I heard Ned speak uncertain.
“yes Ned, it is…but not every headmaster handles like Dumbledore, at Hogwarts you need to be very, very good to get in…we’ll manage you know.”
“uem… miss Dhanes are you in here?” McGonagall’s voice sounded through the common room.
“yes?” I stood up and looked at her.
“could you follow me please?”
“uhm…yeah sure. I saw my friends looking worried and confused, expressing with their faces what I felt, but I walked on confident, chin held up trying to comfort my team this way. I followed McGonagall, but not to her office. In an empty corridor she stopped and turned around. “Joan…the head of the team you’ll be playing against in a couple of hours is here…so we’re going to see him and his captain, ok?”
“what? Uh professor, why …I mean…what?”
“can’t help, sorry, now come on.” astonished I followed her up into Dumbledore’s office.

“ha Minerva, thank you” Dumbledore seemed somehow very excited, then again he nearly always was. “Joan, I’d like you to meet professor Andraste and Keiran, the captain of the team you’ll be playing against this afternoon.” I nodded and shook both men hands.
“the game is still in Scotland, right?” I just had to ask. Dumbledore smiled and nodded. “let’s say our friends like to do this professional.” I was surprised and began to doubt of my own pep talking.
“I’ve understood you’ve got a total reserving team?”
“uhm yes that’s right” I answered searching for my nearly found confidence.
“ok, very good.”
“uhm…I’m very sorry, but what exactly…”
“ahhh of course, yes, I’m sorry dear. I just think It’s all the best way if the captains had met before, I know out off experience this is best to avoid conflicts.” he smiled at me as if I was a little child and I got a bit mad. “Well, we won’t make conflicts.” I mumbled shrugging. Keiran grinned at me and gestured to the chair next of him. I sat down. “so hi, Keiran?” he nodded, “indeed…Joan.” he smiled and I felt uncomfortable, he was to cute and he acted to nice. “looking forward.” he nodded, smiling. “ok” I whispered and looked at Dumbledore, but he was talking to Andraste. He moved a bit closer and I flashed my eyes, warning, but he appeared to ignore it. “I must say…” he said softly. “…not a lot of girls become team captain in the WC.”
“What’s that suppose to mean?”
“you must be pretty good then.”
“girls are just as good as boys in Quidditch!”
“you think? Think closely you’ll see, I’m right.” he grabbed my knee and was very close to me. “Good at Quidditch and beautiful as well. What a combination, to bad you’re not Scottish.” he winked, scaring me a bit. And then back of and stood up. The to men said goodbye and stepped in the fire.
“he’s a bit scary isn’t he?” Dumbledore smiled. I nodded. “he’s trying to intimidate you Joan, don’t give in and kick some ass.” he winked and then McGonagall brought me back to the common room. I felt she was worried, but couldn’t say it. So I smiled and thanked her when we arrived and it seemed to please her.
“What’s wrong?” Harry asked faster then the others could.
“nothing really, it was just the headmaster and captain of the Scotland’s team to see me or something.” I said, knowing it sounded as weird as I thought it was.
“What?”
“don’t ask and get your things, we’re leaving after dinner.”
“ok then” they answered a bit hurt. We all got our things and went down to the great hall to eat a bit. Then Dumbledore raised his voice. “Dear students, today we’re going to see or very own Quidditch team play it’s second match in the world cup for juniors!!!” the cheering that followed was overwhelming and I smiled at the twins, who both smiled back. “I noticed that moving the entire school doesn’t only impress our contestants, but also takes a long time and it isn’t handy at all. So I’ve given professor Hagrid the special assignment to get us all there efficient. Hagrid.“ he nodded and the half giant carefully stepped forwards, nodded and started explaining, nervous. “we’ll be making use of some nice animals, who’re very lovingly. They’re a sort of special horses, but can apparate, funny story thought, but I’ve managed to get a few and train them, the team will take the last ride, the teachers will go first.” he nodded and stepped back, I didn’t believe lots of people understanding him, but it soon would be clear. And indeed half an hour later the entire school stood outside, surrounding fifteen beautiful white horses. They were over six and a half feet tall and had long, long manes. Hagrid easily jumped one the tallest, which clearly was a proud stallion. Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall, Trelawney, Flitwick, Sprout, Snape, Hooch and Sinistra al climbed up, using a crutch. But except for Dumbledore and Hagrid, who sat comfortable, the teachers looked uncomfortable at the high horses. Sixteen seventh year students climbed on and one first year climbed on each horse, except on Hagrid’s. “ok, ready? C’mon!” Hargid said, he stimulated his horse and the others followed, galloping and then they suddenly disappeared. Some students were shocked, probably they hadn’t listened to Hagrid carefully, who got back pretty fast. After half an hour all students were transferred and all members of the team climbed on a horse, the movements of their galloping bodies were very strong and I was happy to realise we were there. Only for a minute thought because Keiran had spotted me and had spread his arms. “Joan!” he said. I smiled awkwardly and tried to shake hands but he putted my arm around me and pulled me with him, “this, Joan, is my team.” I looked at all tall guys, not one girl in fourteen players. “as you see Joan, we’re a boys school.” he whispered. And stroke my neck. I pulled away, not to subtle and answered. “Well we’re a mixed school and this is my team.” I said, nodding towards my team. And I saw Keiran appalled a bit, seeing the twins’s and Draco’s face. He nodded, “well see you later, Joan” he smiled uncomfortable and took off.
“who was that?” George asked, still following him with his eyes.
“the captain of our contestants.”
“doesn’t seem like he sees it that way.” Fred groaned.
“he’s a bit strange isn’t he?”
“strange? Pff come to close and I’ll… how was it George?” Draco asked while putting his arm around me, protecting.
“I’ll track him down” George said.
“rip his arms out.” Fred meant.
“brake his legs.” Draco said, while looking in his eyes.
“I’ll cut off every toe he has.” George now enthusiastically said.
“and I’ll make him run a circle…how did you come up with that anyway?” Fred asked his brother who shrugged.
“I’ll cut off his hair.” Draco said, clearly with hatred.
“and I…” George started.
“nope, I’ll finally brake his neck.” Draco interrupted.
“ok, but before you do, I want to pink his fingernails.” George grinned.
“oe yeah and I’ll put him in a dress.” Fred continued.
“yeah, so when you have broken his neck….”
“we can give him a grave caption saying: here lies Keira_ from Scotland…”
“the one body fallen in the mischief’s of the Weasley twins and a Malfoy boy.”
“yeah something like that.”
“uhm…yeah well…let’s go” I said, touched by this protecting. And I saw the twins last interrupting had calmed Draco a bit to. We walked into the school building, where I introduced my team. Seeing Keiran look strange when the twins and Draco got up the stage. Then he introduced his team to the students, containing fourteen strong, tall and broad shouldered guys. “ok, students, the teacher will now guide you all to the pitch, please follow quietly.” professor Andraste said. And slowly all students got out. Then we were guided to the dress rooms. “ok, same people on, as always, but I want you guys to know, I don’t like these people, we really need to kick ass…Ginny…be careful.”
“what?”
“boy school.”
“ow”
“if I have to I’ll put on an entire boys team, mark my words.”
“how?”
“we have no three male chasers. But the other players can if they have to.”
“ok Joan, but it’s time now.” Ron interrupted. I nodded and we flew in the pitch. This time we weren’t surprised by the sudden start and managed to get the first ball. We were a lot faster then the tall, big Scots. And we played 40-0 in ten minutes. Keiran yelled lots of thing to his team, then happened what I had feared. Other then me there was one girl: Ginny. The moment that followed I felt useless and in fact I was, I watched, but couldn’t do anything. One of the beaters aimed the bludger straight to Ginny, but the Quaffle wasn’t in Ginny’s hand’s, no-one saw it coming. “GINNY!” I yelled, to late she dived but the bludger hit her arm. I saw her falling, the arbiter had already signed to hold the game and I dived to catch her. We softly landed and she moaned off pain. A nurse came out to take her inside. I called for one of my beaters, refusing to bring a girl in the pitch now. I knew the twins were furious, the others too, but they were the most dangerous. Ned took a penalty as did I and then Ned did a second. Knowing the beater wouldn’t be as good as us. Three out off three scores. The audience cheered, but in the pitch anger raised. The game got rough. Fred and George were quicker and tougher then ever, but the other beater gave their selves as well. Their chasers smashed ours, but as our temper raised we got rougher then anyone thought for possible. After an half hour off smashes and with no goals, because off the constant fight. George had to dive away when two bludgers speeded up at him, one off them got to Fred, who smashed it to the Scot, in position of the Quaflle. But the other bludger went to the one player who didn’t saw it: Harry. A choir of “Harry’s” sounded, but again, to late and the bludger smacked Harry’s leg. The game was hold again, but Ned clearly was in panic. The twins breathed loudly and were tired, Ron looked scared and Kevin looked more unconfident any minute, they didn’t look good, but as I glared to the Scots, I smiled and asked a time-out. “ok guys” I said, with confidence, which made Ned interrupt me already.
“Joan, we’re playing with a beater instead of a chaser, we’re all tired and on top of that we lost Harry!”
“Yes Ned, thank you. We’re tired, but the Scots are exhausted, their trainings clearly aren’t the same as ours. Malfoy is a good seeker and the Scot-seeker is to busy looking at the game anyway. From now on I want each and every one off you, and I really want you to do this: hear your name, shouted by the others, immediately dive, before you look up, ok?”
“good one” George blew.
“ok heads up, on your brooms.” and so we all got back up. Seeing the Scots being exhausted gave courage, I guess. The game got to 70-30, we were leading when suddenly, finally Draco took a dive, followed by a rather fast Scot, but Draco was faster then ever, probably out of pure anger and hatred. He caught the snitch and the audience was out of bands the Scots began to shout and yell, but then again the players weren’t happy as well. We all got in, on our way to the dress rooms, when a Scottish accent yelled my name: “Joan!” I looked up, to look straight into Keiran’s eyes. I was appalled, I saw he wanted to threat, but an outraged team showed up, behind me. “What?” I asked. He spat. “I don’t like to lose…then again…I underestimated you…being a girl.” I was appalled from the sudden change. “congrats.” he continued and rose his hand. “uh, thanks” I answered startled and took his hand. I should have known he wasn’t so sensitive. He pulled me roughly towards him, against him and now came his threat. I looked in his eyes, in anger, not showing any other emotion. “you feel cool right, ow look I defeated the stupid Scot, well have a guess sis, it was luck, pure dumb luck, you’ll never defeat me again, in anything.”
“is that so? I think you’re team is just a pack off stupid big, but slow losers, you being the biggest one.” he groaned softly by threat, then he once again did something completely unexpected, but rather foolish too. He bowed and pressed his lips roughly against mine. His strong arms not letting me go, I couldn’t escape. He fully kissed me before George pulled him off and Draco hit him in his face. George still holding him, he couldn’t fall backwards, else he would have. Fred looked at me, ‘you ok?” I nodded and he turned towards the Scot. “now you mate…”
“…are very lucky...”
Draco roared.
“I had the intention to rip you arms out.” Keiran looked scared, believing the strong arms that held him, could manage to do it.
“I was going to break you legs.” Fred continued and grabbed his trout, holding it up.
“I was going to cut off every toe you have.” Draco spat, being only inches from Keirans face. He looked scared, feeling the twins’ strength and Draco’s hatred.
“I was going to make you run a circle after that.” George said, he said it as a real threat, but Keiran sure got the feeling of humiliation. “I was going to cut off your hair”
“stab your eyes out and so on, we made a whole list…we like to be prepared.” Fred smiled mean. “but” he continued “ we aren’t so violent and although Joan is like our sister, we think ,after your little intervention, her boyfriend has the right.” Keiran looked afraid, noticing the blonde, real furious boy ahead him, should be him. “b..I..s..I” he stumbled. But Draco smacked his face he hit him three our four times, Keiran fell down and Draco now kicked him. “you should know mate, I’m fucking jealous! You stay off my girl, mate I *kick* mean *kick*it” he said in pieces. “you just *kick* pissed me off!”
“Draco?…Draco…Draco!” he looked up “I think he gets it. He roared and the four off us went to the showers, not giving Keiran another look. He most have stumbled in his dress room, cause no-one spoke off it. His face was blue, but no-one asked. We got back on the horses and then straight to the train. Dumbledore give me a paper off the next matches. We got on the train and I shared a compartment with the twins, Lee and Draco. It was clear I got along with the twins better, but they also excepted Draco better. I did realize they only excepted him because I loved him, but I knew they weren’t that happywith it, though changing. At the station I hugged al my friends and then waved to them as I followed Draco. As soon as we found his parents Narcissa jumped up, hugged her son and then me. Malfoy shook my hand and gave me a kiss on my cheek, and putted his arm around his son and then we left the station, me being totally nervous.