Our Secret Marriage: First Year

Chapter 14: Liar

My heart jumps in my chest as I watch nervously as Professor Snape gives his most intimidating and angry look at the teams marching out onto the field, the looks being something that even Ron noticed.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione gravely as the players prepared to kick off from the ground. "Look -they're off Ouch!"

Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head and to make it worse, it was Draco. Glaring up at him from my place beside Ron, I clench my fists tightly in an attempt to hold myself back from hitting him with a curse on Neville's behalf.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley didn't see you there." Draco grins broadly at Crabbe and Goyle. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Ron didn't answer but that didn't stop me from retorting, "He's probably going to stay on his broom longer than you can keep your mouth shut."

I hiss sharply when Severus awards Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, squinted fixedly at Harry, who circled the game grounds like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Draco continued loudly a few minutes later, as Severus yet again awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money -- you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy but I placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him from saying anything that could result in a horrible detention from Severus later.

Turning around to meet Draco's grey eyes, I riposte shortly, "At least Neville can tell the difference between being an arse with too much gel in his hair and a coward that hides between two gorillas. Oh no, I just realised that you're one and the same, Draco. No wonder, Neville puts up with someone like you, it's just so pitiful."

Holding back their laughter, both Ron and Neville manage smiles of mirth at the stunned silence emitting from the boys behind us.

"Victoria!" Hermione shouts suddenly, turning my attention to her. "Harry!"

Oh no... I watch as Harry dives into the ground drawing a few gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stands up, her fingers crossed in her mouth, as Harry streaks toward the ground like a bullet.

My eyes follow, Severus as he flies around on his broom, his robes billowing behind him, his black eyes not looking at the game but scanning the crowds, his eyes meet mine for a fraction of a second and a smirk appears on his lips as he zooms around the field.

Why are you smiling? I project to him.

No reason. He responds, returning his eyes to the game before him.

Just in time too as Harry comes up with a fluttering golden ball wrapped tightly in his fists, its wings still beating relentlessly against his fingers. The stands erupt; it had to be a record, there was no way anyone had ever caught the Snitch so quickly.

"Ron! Ron! The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" Hermione shrieks, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front. Harry jumps off his broom, a foot from the ground.

As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, I watched as Severus landed nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped. Spitting bitterly on the ground with not as much spite as I would have thought there'd be but a small smile forms on his lips instead.