Hidden Riddle

Chapter 41: Gryffindor VS Slytherin

Delphini was still in St Mungo's Hospital with no prospect of leaving anytime soon, as she still hadn't woken up, which meant the promising Gryffindor team she had trained as Captain alongside Harry who she had made Deputy Captain, so carefully since the beginning of the fifth year was one chaser short and it had a captain who had been cursed. Harry had to come up with an idea fast. "Dean" Harry shouted. "Yeah"

"Are you still interested in playing Chaser?"

"Wha...? Omg yes, I'd love to." Dean exclaimed excitedly. "let me go tell Ginny"

"Practise starts at 7, don't be late" Harry ordered as Dean ran out of the room to tell Ginny the great news. Harry looked towards the door, where Dean had just been, and saw Seamus Finnigan leaning against the door frame with a sour look plastered on his face. "Don't look at me like that Seamus, Dean has practised loads for this and dreams to do this" Harry said annoyed. "You can't even make the decisions, you're not the Captain Delphini is!" Seamus replied grumply.

"WELL DELPHINI IS IN A HOSPITAL BED, CURSED, SEAMUS!!!" Harry yelled and soon all attention in the Gryffindor common room was on them. "I'm her best friend on the team, and I'm the deputy Captain. You weren't good enough at try outs last summer, Dean had totally out-flown you!" Harry yelled before slumping down on the sofa next to Ron. Harry could sense Ron's tension. "You don't need to nervous Ron, you'll be great." Harry reassured him. Harry had known all along that Ron was a great player who unfortunately suffered from terrible nerves and lack of confidence. "Cheer up Won Won, you'll be great" Ron's girlfriend Lavender Brown said in a giggly baby voice before snogging him. "Thanks Lavender" Ron replied pulling her into another kiss. Hermione looked disgusted and cleared her throat. "I'm going to go before I throw up."

"Why I always get the feeling that she hates me?" Harry just shrugged his shoulders, he was busy thinking about their next Quidditch game against Slytherin, in a weeks time.

...

A WEEK LATER AT LUNCH:

"Tea? Coffee? Pumpkin juice?" Harry asked. "Anything" Ron replied, moodily probably the nerves, harry thought to himself. Not longer, Hermione arrived. She had been so tired of Ron's recent unpleasant behavior, so she decided to join them later. "How are you feeling Harry?" Hermione asked ignoring Ron's presence. "Good, just worried about losing."

"Don't worry, you'll great."

"Ron, drink up" Harry said. "Do not drink that Ron" Hermione yelled. "Why not?" Ron asked confused. "You put something in his drink, didn't you? Don't lie to me Harry, I saw you." Hermione said still shouting. "I don't know what you're talking." Hermione sighed in disbelief. "I warn you Ron, don't drink it." 

"You're not the boss of me Hermione." Ron yelled grabbing the cup from Harry's hand. "Confunded anyone else yet?" Ron sneered and laughing. Hermione was not amused and immediately stormed off and didn't look back. "Mental that one, I'm telling you." "I was only joking"

"Well Ron, Hermione doesn't take jokes lightly does she?" Harry replied. "Certainly not." He laughed. "Come on we're going to be late." Harry spoke quickly grabbing Ron's arm. "Harry you didn't spike my drink did you?"

"Come on the games going to start, we need to get into our positions."

...

"We know, that not to long ago Delphini was cursed." Harry started, stopping because he had never really gotten over the fact that one of his best friends had actually been cursed and someone had not spoken up. "But we will carry on, and we will win, for her and for ourselves." Ron finished and smiled at Harry. And with that the members of the Griffindor team all put their hands into the circle. "For Delphini" They shouted moving their hands away. "Who cursed her?" Angelina asked, sadly. "If you don't want to talk about it, I get it, It must be hard for you." Angelina spoke softly holding Harry's shoulder. "We're not sure." "Probably a Slytherin." Harry said before walking to his position. "Let's do this for Delphini."

...

"GRIFFINDOR WIN!!!!" Jordan shouted through the microphone. His words were met by the boos from the Slytherin side and cheers from the Gryffindor side. "We won!" Ron shouted walking towards Harry. There was a party in the Gryffindor Common room that night. The room was crowded with people and the music was blasting into everyone's ears. Hermione stood in the corner, still upset about what happened to Delphini, as she knew how excited she was for the final. Hermione heard a squeal from beside her as she turned to face Lavender Brown, Ron's girlfriend. He blood started to boil. Delphini was the only who knew that Hermione had started to have feelings for Ron, just at the beginning of that year.

Lavender ran straight up to Ron who was in the middle of the crowd as they cheered, "Weasley, Weasley, Weasley" and plastered a massive kiss on his lips. Hermione stood in shock and then quickly rushed out of the room and through the corridor where she spotted Blaise. "Hermione, is that you?" Blaise called out. Hermione turned around. "Are you okay?" "You've been crying"

"I'm fine Blaise, I really am" Hermione said wiping her tears away with her cuff. "Your team played really well today" Blaise said smiling slightly before he walked away. Hermione kept walking down the corridor, stairs until she found a secluded area on the last step. There she sat alone, crying. Harry had followed Hermione out, sensing something was wrong. "Hermione... are you okay?" Harry questioned as he climbed down the last few steps until he reached her. Hermione just looked up at him, still crying. "It's okay" Harry said now putting his arm around her. "Do you feel this way when you see Ginny and Dean?" Hermione said now looking into Harry's eyes. "You don't have to answer that.. It's a silly question, anyway" Hermione said wiping away her tears. "All the time" Harry spoke quietly, now patting Hermione's back. "They wont last long" "Lavender and Ron."

There was an eerie silence. "I can't stop thinking about Delphini, and that day" Hermione sniffled. "I've never seen you that mad" Harry said which made Hermione laugh. "She's just my best friend, I've known her since we were four years old."

"She'll be back soon" Harry said pulling Hermione closer. They heard giggling. "Oops Won Won looks like this place is busy, let's go somewhere else" Lavender giggled dragging Ron away. Hermione just huffed and slumped back onto Harry's shoulder.