After All This Time - Book 2

Seventeen

Annalise's POV

The cold November air whipped across my face and blew the ends of my scarf back behind me. I wrapped my coat tighter around me and took off running after Hermione towards the quidditch pitch. A low rumble escaped the dark sky as we fought our way up into the stands to the rest of the Gryffindor house. Most of the students in the stands were wearing some sort of Gryffindor colors, the exceptions being the Slytherin house. I couldn't get a clear view of it, but it seemed like even some of the Slytherins were wearing Gryffindor pins on their jackets though.

Hermione and I found a place in the front of the mass of students where we were both able to have a clear view of the game. The players were already out in the pitch, flying through the air at incredible speeds above us. I happened to catch Draco's eye as he whizzed by on his broom and blew him a kiss before turning and waving to my friends on the Gryffindor team.

The roar of the students in the stands grew increasingly louder as the two teams flew down towards Madam Hooch who was now standing in the center of the field next to a large trunk. With the blow of a whistle the two bludgers flew into the air and the match started. I watched as Draco and Harry slowly flew around the pitch, both of them searching for the golden snitch. It amazed me how either of them could even see the thing. It was so small and flew so quickly I wouldn't have seen if it was an inch from my face. A loud roar emerged from the Slytherin as Ron missed yet another shot. A loud sigh emerged from Hermione whose head was whirling around as she followed the players with her binoculars.

"If Harry doesn't catch the snitch soon we're bound to lose."

"I know Hermione, I hope for Gryffindor's sake he does."

Not even two seconds after I said that another loud roar erupted from the pitch, this time from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Harry had finally caught the snitch and won the game. Hermione grabbed my hand and dragged me down towards the field while the rest of the stands were roaring with cheering. We had just run out onto the field towards the Gryffindor team when I caught a glimpse of Harry and George going at Malfoy.

"STOP" Hermione and I screamed as we ran even faster towards the teams. The shrill sound of Madam Hooch's whistle echoed throughout the pitch and out of the corner of my eye I could see other professors hurridly leaving their places in the stands. Hermione and I grabbed Harry and Draco and pulled them apart and far away from each other. Draco tried fighting against me, yelling insults at Harry as he and George started fighting against Hermione and Ron.

"STOP IT" I yelled at Draco, finally getting his attention away from the Gryffindors. "Whatever it is it's not worth the fight!"

"He started it" Harry yelled from a few feet away. Hermione had finally restrained him and both he and George seemed to have calmed down. "Your bloody git of a boyfriend started it!"

I felt Draco lurch forward towards Harry again but before I could stop him another hand reached out and pulled him backwards. My head whipped back as Snape dragged Draco away from the group and back towards the castle. McGonagall had also left the group at this point with Harry and George running behind her to keep up.

"Come on" Hermione whispered as she grabbed my hand. We took off running towards the castle, not stopping until we were at McGonagall's office.

"You will both be serving a weeks detention" she announced as Hermione and I came running up to the door. We quietly stood outside the room, trying to control our heavy breathing as we listened to McGonagall lecturing the two. The clicking of someone's heels began echoing through the corridor we were standing in and we quickly ducked into McGonagall's classroom. We listened as the clicking gradually grew louder and seconds later it entered the classroom. Hermione and I watched with expressions of horror as Umbridge marched right up to McGonagall and shoved a piece of parchment in her hands before turning to Harry and George. McGonagall quickly scanned the parchment before turning to Umbridge.