More than Friends | (Fred Weasley x reader)

Chapter 43: Quiddich Ban

Y/n's POV:
A week passed since the Azkaban breakout. Hogwarts has had high security in case the criminals are spotted. Today was a quidditch match. Gryffindor vs Slytherin. Ron had been made the keeper, and Fred and George had been surprisingly nice to him about it.

The morning of the match dawned bright and cold. I sat down next to Fred. Both he and George looked nervous. At that moment Harry and Ron walked in. Ron looked as though he could he sick.

"You all right?"  I said.

Ron nodded but did not speak. Harry was reminded forcibly of the time Ron had accidentally put a Slug-vomiting Charm on himself; he looked just as pale and sweaty as he had done then, not to mention as reluctant to open his mouth.

"You just need some breakfast," Harry said bracingly. "C'mon."

The Great Hall was filling up fast when we arrived, the talk louder and the mood more exuberant than usual. As we passed the Slytherin table there was an upsurge of noise. I looked round and saw that, in addition to the usual green and silver scarves and hats, every one of them was wearing a silver badge in the shape of what seemed to be a crown. For some reason many of them waved at Ron, laughing uproariously. I tried to see what was written on the badges as we walked by.

Fred, George, Ron and Harry all received a rousing welcome at the Gryffindor table, where everyone was wearing red and gold, but far from raising Ron's spirits the cheers seemed to sap the last of his morale; he collapsed on to the nearest bench looking as though he were facing his final meal.

"I must've been mental to do this," he said in a croaky whisper. "Mental."

"Don't be thick," said Harry firmly, passing him a choice of cereals, "you're going to be fine. It's normal to be nervous."

"I'm rubbish," croaked Ron. "I'm lousy. I can't play to save my life. What was I thinking?"

"Get a grip,"said Harry sternly

"Look at that save you made with your foot the other day, even Fred and George said it was brilliant." I said pointing at the twins.

Ron turned a tortured face to Harry and me.

"That was an accident," he whispered miserably. "I didn't mean to do it   —   I slipped off my broom when none of you were looking and when I was trying to get back on I kicked the Quaffle by accident."

"Well," said Harry, recovering quickly from this unpleasant surprise, "a few more accidents like that and the game's in the bag, isn't it?"

Hermione and Ginny sat down opposite us wearing red and gold scarves, gloves and rosettes.

"How're you feeling?" Ginny asked Ron, who was now staring into the dregs of milk at the bottom of his empty cereal bowl as though seriously considering attempting to drown himself in them.

"He's just nervous," said Harry.

"Well, that's a good sign, I never feel you perform as well in exams if you're not a bit nervous," said Hermione heartily.

"Hello," said a vague and dreamy voice from behind them. I looked up: Luna Lovegood had drifted over from the Ravenclaw table. Many people were staring at her and a few were openly laughing and pointing; she had managed to procure a hat shaped like a life-size lion's head, which was perched precariously on her head.

"I'm supporting Gryffindor," said Luna, pointing unnecessarily at her hat. "Look what it does ..."

She reached up and tapped the hat with her wand. It opened its mouth wide and gave an extremely realistic roar that made everyone in the vicinity jump.