People Watching.

Chapter Twenty-Four.

On Saturday morning, Harry went down to breakfast with the rest of the boys in his dormitory, all of whom seemed to think the Firebolt deserved a sort of guard of honour. As Harry entered the Great Hall heads turned in the direction of the Firebolt, and there was a good deal of excited muttering. Harry saw, with enormous satisfaction, that the Slytherin team were all looking thunderstruck.

"Did you see his face?" said Ron gleefully, looking back at Draco. "He can't believe it! This is brilliant!"

"Put it here, Harry," Oliver said, laying the broom in the middle of the table and carefully turning it so that its name faced upward. People from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were soon coming over to look. Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Harry on having acquired such a superb replacement for his Nimbus. Penelope, with a complaining (Y/n) in tow, asked if she could hold the Firebolt.

"Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!" said Percy heartily as she examined the Firebolt.

"Penny?" (Y/n) asked, grinning at Penelope.

"Penelope and I have a bet on," Percy told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"

"Yikes, Penny, you have that much confidence in us?" (Y/n) continued. Penelope's eye twitched in annoyance. "Big mistake on your end." Oliver turned his head, trying not to laugh.

"Gosh, (Y/n), I'd expect more team spirit from you," said George. (Y/n) ignored him. "Are you still on this? It's been a week, (Y/n)!"

Penelope put the Firebolt down again, thanked Harry, and went back to her table.
"Wait, Penny!" (Y/n) shouted, jogging after Penelope with her hands clasped together. "Do your shoes need shinning? Penny, my beloved! What about your hands? Do they need holding—" she laughed as Penelope's hands flew over her ears and she went to the opposite end of the table as (Y/n). "We're like siblings." Cho smiled, shaking her head.

"Don't say that. I will cry!" Penelope shouted at (Y/n).

"Can't believe she's still ignoring us," George complained.

"Not me. You guys stay safe, though," Hermione said.

"She hasn't talked to you once this week, Hermione," Harry stated. "In fact, she's really only talked to Ginny and Neville."

"Rightfully so!" Ginny said dignifiedly.

"What's your secret?" Fred asked.

"Huh?" Ginny blinked.

"Why does she talk to you of all people?"

"I'm just... better than you." Ginny shrugged.

At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw teams set off for the locker rooms. The weather couldn't have been more different from their match against Hufflepuff. It was a clear, cool day with a very light breeze; there would be no visibility problems this time. 
(Y/n) slipped into her blue and bronze Ravenclaw jersey and put on her white pants. Then she put on her Quidditch robes that were blue and lined with bronze. She put on her boots and then started getting her arm and leg gear on. She used a red ribbon to tie her hair into a low ponytail.

"Ready?" Cho asked, flipping her head forward and putting her hair into a ponytail.

"As I'll ever be," (Y/n) answered, grabbing her broom. The two walked onto the field, being met with applause as they jogged to join the rest of the team. It was now a matter of the Gryffindors showing up.

"Oh, just have fun," Roger said to his team. "I really think Wood deserves the Cup more. It's his last year."

"Aye-aye, captain," the team chorused. Roger gave them a stink eye and (Y/n) giggled. They soon became distracted with their projection.
Tumultuous applause met the Gryffindors as they walked onto the field. Harry surveyed them. Cho and (Y/n) were the only girls on the team. They were both shorter than him by about a head (Cho was slightly taller). (Y/n) smiled at Harry as the teams faced each other behind their captains. Harry felt a lurch in his stomach and he didn't think it had anything to do with nerves.