Daisy Potter and the Love Triangle at Hogwarts (Book 1, Harry Potter ff)

Chapter 17 - Old Nicky (And The Ball)

"Sorry, Ron." I said. "Terry already asked me."

Harry yelped, "What?!" while Hermione grinned. Ron's face fell, and he muttered something I couldn't hear, but Harry evidentially did.

"If you say one more thing like that about my sister ..." Harry growled. "I will kill you!"

"What did he say?" I asked curiously, smirking slightly.

"He said - he said -" Harry said, spluttering with anger. "He said, 'Damn, I was hoping that I could snog her after the ball!'"

"Sorry, Ron, but that's not happening." I said. "I friendzoned you, remember?"

"Harry, mate, I-" Ron pleaded, but Harry wasn't talking to him.

~~~

It was Quidditch practise. It was really wet and muddy, but Lewis had worked up the courage to ask Kurt to the ball earlier on, and he said yes, so I was really happy.

The Weasley twins and I were dive-bombing each other, and pretending to fall off our brooms, when Oliver yelled, "Will you stop messing around! That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George actually fell off his broom at these words.

The words kept swirling round and round in my mind ... Snape's refereeing ... Snape's refereeing ...

Then the ground rushed up to meet me as several voices yelled all at once.

The next thing I knew, I was in the hospital wing. AGAIN.

"You know, you're going to beat your father's record of being in here at the rate you're going." Madam Pomfrey said as I woke up and blearily looked around. "Alright, off you go."

And the Gryffindor Quidditch team, who had been gathered around my bed, accompanied me up to Gryffindor Tower.

"It's all right, I'll make sure Snape doesn't touch you." Harry said with a fierce look on his face.

At these words, I saw myself go pale in the reflection in one of the windows, and my knees buckled.

"Oh, Harry." Fred said reproachfully as George swept me up into his arms bridal style.

Then Neville came hopping around the corner. His legs were stuck together by the Leg-Locker Curse.

I raised my wand and performed the counter-curse while horizontal. It worked quite well, considering I was draped limply across someone's arms, and Neville's legs sprang apart.

"Thanks." He gasped. "What happened to you?"

"Never mind that, what happened to YOU?" I asked.

"Malfoy." Neville said shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practise that on."

"What?" I said sharply. "Malfoy?"

He nodded.

"Which one?"

"Draco."

"You've got to stand up to him." I said through gritted teeth. "He really is used to walking all over people," I drew in a deep breath, "but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that." Neville choked.

"That's it." I said. "George, put me down."

"But you're-" He protested.

"Now, Gred, please."

He set me gently on my feet.