The Philosopher's Stone (Hermione Granger x Male Reader)

8~Quidditch

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake was like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows, defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch pitch, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Y/N and Harry would be playing in their first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the House Championship. 

Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow.

It was really lucky that Y/N had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have got through all his homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent him Quidditch through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read. 

Y/N learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert. 

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Y/N, Harry, and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll and she was much nicer for it. The day before Harry and Y/N's first Quidditch match the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during the break, and she had conjured up a bright blue fire which could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Hermione noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry, Ron, Y/N, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway

"What's that you've got there, L/N?"

It was Quidditch through the Ages. Y/N showed him

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Y/N muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

~~~

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Y/N and Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Y/N's Charms homework for them. She would always say she wouldn't let him copy because he wasn't learning anything, but she always relented and let him copy anyways. Harry had gone to get Quidditch through the ages back from Professor Snape, and Ron had been carried off somewhere by Fred and George.

"Did you get it?" Y/N asked as Harry joined him and Hermione. "What's the matter."

In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen in the staff room. 

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him – he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to create a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes were wide. 

"No – he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."