The Cupboard Series 4: The Fourth School

Chapter 17

A green and gold blur shot past where Hermione was sitting high in the quidditch stands, causing her to smile softly to herself. Harry'd missed this. Not that he'd ever complained or even hinted at anything of the like, but she'd known nonetheless. Flying was one thing, being up there, chasing that infernal tiny golden ball with friends, was another.

Perhaps, she mused, I should suggest to Dobby the idea of putting in some hoops somewhere in the valley. Maybe not a full-sized pitch, a small one should be good enough.

"Hermione?" Su Li asked, touching her lightly on her arm.

"Sorry, got a bit distracted there," she replied, focussing back on the girls surrounding her.

They'd been waiting just to the side of the hovercraft that morning. When Hermione and the others had emerged, they'd found most of their old study group, or at least the ones that hadn't come with them to Diricawl Academy, well the girls, anyway – Megan, Sally-Anne, Lisa and Su.

They'd breakfasted together in the Great Hall as they had done so many times the year before, only this time, Harry had been with them instead of being lost somewhere where they had no clue about. Before the meal had ended, the old Gryffindor Quidditch Team had descended and scooped Harry up before laughing and joking their way towards the pitch, joined as they were along the way by others who were interested in playing a pick-up game.

It hadn't taken much for the girls to follow along. And now, here they were, sitting high above the pitch, trading stories about what life was like in their respective schools.

"Distracted, huh?" Sally-Anne asked with a knowing smile. "I wonder what by?"

"Oh, you know Hermione," Hannah replied airily, "there's only ever been one thing that can distract her."

"How bad has she got it?" Lisa asked, leaning forward to so that she could talk past the girl in question.

"You remember what she used to be like?" Tracey asked, then, at the answering nods, "double it."

"Just double? I'd say a lot more than that," Susan argued.

"Yeah, easily ten times that much," Daphne nodded. "You should see what it's like around Potter Haven."

"What are you all talking about?" Hermione interrupted, looking backwards and forwards between the girls to either side of her.

"Just how much you're in love with Harry," Lil stated simply.

Hermione's mouth opened and closed with no sound coming out.

"But, I don't ..."she began.

"Sure you do, Hermione. It's so obvious," Tracey countered.

"What about Harry?" Megan asked.

"Oh, he's just as in love with her," Daphne replied with a wave of her hand, drawing attention to the green-eyed seeker flying past them at that moment.

Hermione could only smile as she saw a laughing Harry whiz past, only slowing slightly to wave at them as he did.

"See? He's only got eyes for her," Lil pointed out. "I doubt he even realised the rest of us were here."

"Judging by the way Hermione's still looking bewildered by this conversation; I'm guessing that neither of them have figured it out for themselves yet?" Lisa asked.

"Nope," Susan replied. "Right annoying it is, too, at times."

"But great entertainment value and gossip material," Tracey countered.