Over the next two weeks Delilah barely managed to get all her homework done on top of the DA meetings and her Prefect duties.
To make matters worse the first Quidditch match was approaching, so they couldn't do the DA meetings. On the other hand, Delilah was able to spend more time with Daphne since both of their boyfriends were busy with Quidditch.
Everyone seemed occupied with the forthcoming game.
The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were taking a lively interest in the outcome, for they, of course, would be playing both teams over the coming year; and the Heads of House of the competing teams, though they attempted to disguise it under a decent pretense of sportsmanship, were determined to see their side's victory. Delilah realized how much Professor McGonagall cared about it when she begrudgingly let them off of homework, which was mainly because she had let the Gryffindors off and was a fair teacher.
Snape was not. He had booked the Quidditch pitch for Slytherin practice so often that the Gryffindors must have had difficulty getting on it to play. He was also turning a deaf ear to the many reports of Slytherin attempts to hex Gryffindor players in the corridors, even when there were over fourteen eyewitnesses. Honestly... he was such a crappy teacher that could teach so much but didn't....
Draco was dealing with the pressure not by hexing the Gryffindor team, but by being rude to them. Most of the Slytherins adopted this tactic after McGonagall took fifty points from Miles Bletchley, the keeper, when he jinxed Alicia Spinnet, a Gryffindor chaser, while she was working in the library.
It only seemed to affect Ron, who apparently had never endured a relentless campaign of insults, jeers, and intimidation. So, when a group of bulky seventh years asked, "Got your bed booked in the hospital wing, Weasley?" he did not laugh, but turned a delicate shade of green. So of course, they started targeting Ron, since he was the easiest target. Even Draco did it, imitating Ron dropping a quaffle. Honestly, they all could be prats.
To make matters worse, Draco started making a song to throw Ron off his guard even more. Delilah ignored it, there was no possible way it would actually come to life. She realized how wrong she had been the night before the match.
When Delilah got back late from dinner because she was talking to Sprout about what effect different plants had on potions, Draco had convinced some of the Slytherins to start singing his song and was conducting them. He also enchanted some badges to say, "Weasley is Our King," which was the title of his song.
She tried to be mad at him, but he looked so adorable and nerdy that she couldn't. So instead Delilah started working on her homework.
"Stop, stop, stop," he ordered after a particularly bad chorus. "I know it's a new song, but it's not that hard. Pansy, you sound like a dying whale! Crabbe, you can sing lower and louder, I've heard you in the shower." Oh yes, that wasn't creepy at all. "We can do this, but we need to actually try. Now let's go again...."
That last bit would have been encouraging, if they weren't trying to sabotage the Gryffindor team. Delilah rolled her eyes and tried to ignore them.
Finally Draco decided that Pansy should conduct, since someone would need to do it while he was playing and she sounded the worst. Surprisingly they actually sounded quite nice once Pansy stopped singing.
Finally Draco told them to go to bed to rest their lungs and Delilah cornered him.
"You better not be serious about this."
Draco shrugged.
"Why not? I thought you didn't like Weasley."
"I don't, but it will distract the whole team, and you know how they feel about exploiting people's weaknesses."
"That it's a smart, useful tactic?"
"No, that it's vile and cruel."
"So? They are Gryffindors, they always overreact."
Delilah frowned, how did she phrase this?
"Well," she started. "The teachers might see it as targeting and bullying, and while Snape and Umbridge might ignore it, the other teachers don't."
Draco's lips twitched.
"So you just don't want me to get in trouble?"
Delilah huffed.
"No, well, yes. I guess that is what I'm trying to say. Just... don't do anything that you'll regret, ok?"
He nodded, smiling softly.
"I won't. Goodnight, I'll see you tomorrow."
The next morning, to say the least, tense. Delilah got to the Great Hall before the Gryffindor and Slytherin quidditch teams. The Slytherin team, Draco had told her, was doing a last minute strategy meeting, and the Gryffindors were probably caught in the flood of students that started coming in.
Delilah didn't see any Gryffindors yet, but the Slytherin team was there. When they entered the Slytherin table burst into applause. Draco sat down beside her, looking paler than normal.
"You alright?" she asked.
He nodded as the Gryffindor table exploded with noise.
Delilah looked up and saw Harry enter the hall. They made eye contact. He saw her Slytherin scarf and looked away to help Ron. He didn't seem surprised, and why would he be? It wasn't like she had ever really supported Gryffindor, only Harry. Which she still did, kind of.
She pushed away her thoughts and turned to Draco, noticing his badge for the first time. She groaned.
"You're really going to wear that?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, it's not like Weasley will see it."
Delilah had a sinking suspicion that he would, whether it was before or after the match. Draco ate a little at Delilah's insistence before he had to go with the rest of the team to see the conditions and whatnot.
When it was time to go, she joined the crowds headed to the stadium.
Delilah somehow managed to find Lyra in the crowd, but she was busy with her other friends, so instead she sat next to Daphne, who thankfully hadn't agreed to sing "Weasley is Our King."
After a few minutes the Slytherin team came out to cheers from their house, but boos from everyone else, especially the Gryffindors.
Then the Gryffindor team came out to the cheers of everyone except the Slytherins, who were booing. Delilah politely clapped.
"Captains shake hands," ordered the umpire, Madam Hooch, as Johnson and Montague reached each other. It looked like Montague was trying to crush Angelina's fingers, though she did not wince. "Mount your brooms...."
Madam Hooch placed her whistle in her mouth and blew. The balls were released and the fourteen players shot upward. The keepers zoomed for the goalposts, the chasers started after the quaffle, and the beaters started after the bludgers while Harry and Draco started circling the pitch, looking for the snitch.
"And it's Johnson, Johnson with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I've been saying it for years but she still won't go out with me —"
"JORDAN!" yelled Professor McGonagall.
"Just a fun fact, Professor, adds a bit of interest — and she's ducked Warrington, she's passed Montague, she's — ouch — been hit from behind by a Bludger from Crabbe.... Montague catches the Quaffle, Montague heading back up the pitch and — nice Bludger there from George Weasley, that's a Bludger to the head for Montague, he drops the Quaffle, caught by Katie Bell, Katie Bell of Gryffindor reverse passes to Alicia Spinnet and Spinnet's away —"
Delilah listened to the commentary as she watched the Gryffindor Chasers play. They were very good, no matter what some people said.
"— dodges Warrington, avoids a Bludger — close call, Alicia — and the crowd are loving this, just listen to them, what's that they're singing?"
Delilah listened and her heart sank. They really were singing Draco's song.
Lee paused to listen and the song rose loud and clear from the sea of green and silver in the Slytherin section of the stands:
Weasley cannot save a thing,
He cannot block a single ring,
That's why Slytherins all sing:
Weasley is our King.
Weasley was born in a bin,
He always lets the Quaffle in,
Weasley will make sure we win,
Weasley is our King.
Delilah sighed as Lee Jordan started his commentary again.
"— and Alicia passes back to Angelina!" Lee shouted. "Come on now, Angelina — looks like she's got just the Keeper to beat! — SHE SHOOTS — SHE — aaaah..." B
letchley, the Slytherin Keeper, had saved the goal; he threw the Quaffle to Warrington who sped off with it, zigzagging in between Alicia and Katie; the singing from below grew louder and louder as he drew nearer and nearer Ron —
Weasley is our King,
Weasley is our King,
He always lets the Quaffle in,
Weasley is our King.
Delilah glanced over and saw that Pansy was conducting. It probably was best for all of their ears.
"— and it's Warrington with the Quaffle, Warrington heading for goal, he's out of Bludger range with just the Keeper ahead —" A great swell of song rose from the Slytherin stands:
Weasley cannot save a thing,
He cannot block a single ring...
"— so it's the first test for new Gryffindor Keeper, Weasley, brother of Beaters, Fred and George, and a promising new talent on the team — come on, Ron!"
But the scream of delight came from the Slytherin end: Ron had dived wildly, his arms wide, and the Quaffle had soared between them, straight through Ron's central hoop.
"Slytherin score!" came Lee's voice amid the cheering and booing from the crowds below. "So that's ten-nil to Slytherin — bad luck, Ron..."
They sang even louder:
WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN, HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN...
"— and Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell tanking up the pitch —" cried Lee valiantly, though the singing was now so deafening that he could hardly make himself heard above it.
WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN, WEASLEY IS OUR KING...
Delilah tried to ignore the song, which was now echoing through the stands.
WEASLEY IS OUR KING,
WEASLEY IS OUR KING...
WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN...
"— and it's Warrington again," bellowed Lee, "who passes to Pucey, Pucey's off past Spinnet, come on now Angelina, you can take him — turns out you can't — but nice Bludger from Fred Weasley, I mean, George Weasley, oh who cares, one of them anyway, and Warrington drops the Quaffle and Katie Bell — er — drops it too — so that's Montague with the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Montague takes the Quaffle, and he's off up the pitch, come on now Gryffindor, block him!"
WEASLEY CANNOT SAVE A THING...
"— and Pucey dodged Alicia again, and he's heading straight for goal, stop it, Ron!"
Pucey scored, and Delilah cheered with the rest of the Slytherins, wishing Draco would catch the snitch already.
THAT'S WHY SLYTHERINS ALL SING:
WEASLEY IS OUR KING.
Ron let in two more goals as the group of Slytherins yelled into the stands, somehow still singing in tune.
"— and Katie Bell of Gryffindor dodges Pucey, ducks Montague, nice swerve, Katie, and she throws to Johnson, Angelina Johnson takes the Quaffle, she's past Warrington, she's heading for goal, come on now Angelina — GRYFFINDOR SCORE! It's forty-ten, forty-ten to Slytherin and Pucey has the Quaffle...."
Delilah heard a lion's roar and turned, looking for the source. It was coming from a lion's hat that Luna Lovegood enchanted to roar.
"— Pucey throws to Warrington, Warrington to Montague, Montague back to Pucey — Johnson intervenes, Johnson takes the Quaffle, Johnson to Bell, this looks good — I mean bad — Bell's hit by a Bludger from Goyle of Slytherin and it's Pucey in possession again..."
WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,
HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN,
WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN —
Harry dived, Draco following. Delilah sat up, watching as they moved.
The Snitch skirted the foot of one of the goal hoops and scooted off toward the other side of the stands; its change of direction suited Draco, who was nearer. Harry turned around and flew fast, neck and neck with Draco.
They pulled up feet from the ground, Harry's hand around the snitch.
Finally the singing stopped, replaced by a loud, WHAM!
A Bludger hit Harry squarely in the small of the back and he flew forward off his broom; luckily he was only five or six feet above the ground, having dived so low to catch the Snitch, but he was winded all the same as he landed flat on his back on the frozen pitch.
Delilah relaxed as he sat up with Johnson's help. He was fine, despite Goyle's attempt otherwise.
She stood up and started heading back to the school. Daphne grabbed her arm.
"Wait, look what's happening by the Gryffindors."
Delilah looked down and her stomach sank. Draco landed next to them, furious, but still sneering.
"Thanks for showing me, Daphne."
Daphne nodded sadly.
"Of course."
Delilah tried to push through the crowd to get to them, but she only got close enough to hear.
"We wanted to write another couple of verses!" Draco called, as Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet hugged Harry.
"But we couldn't find rhymes for fat and ugly — we wanted to sing about his mother, see —"
"Talk about sour grapes," said Angelina, casting Draco a disgusted look.
"— we couldn't fit in useless loser either — for his father, you know —"
Fred and George had realized what Draco was talking about. Halfway through shaking Harry's hand they stiffened, looking around at Draco.
"Leave it," said Angelina at once, taking Fred by the arm. "Leave it, Fred, let him yell, he's just sore he lost, the jumped-up little —"
"— but you like the Weasleys, don't you, Potter?" said Draco, sneering. "Spend holidays there and everything, don't you? Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles even the Weasleys' hovel smells okay —"
Harry grabbed hold of George; meanwhile it was taking the combined efforts of all three chasers to stop Fred leaping on him, who was laughing openly. Did the idiot want to get beat up and get detention?
"Or perhaps," said Draco, leering as he backed away, "you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it —"
Delilah took a step back, unaware that Harry had released George, both of them tackling Malfoy.
She faintly heard the chasers scream, Malfoy yelling, George swearing, a whistle blowing, and the bellowing of the crowd. Finally someone yelled, "IMPEDIMENTA!" Madam Hooch had managed to push her way through the crowd.
Draco smirked, but then he met Delilah's gaze, and it faded. She turned around and disappeared into the crowd.
Why had the idiot had to try and provoke Harry and the Weasleys? They were obnoxious sometimes, but everyone was. They still managed to be the nicest family Delilah knew. Honestly the prat....
So Delilah grabbed her school bag, but instead of studying in the Common Room, she went to the library.
After a bit Daphne came to find her.
"Have you heard?"
"That Draco's a prat?"
"No, everyone already knows that. I'm talking about how your brother and the Weasley twins got banned from Quidditch for attacking Draco."
Delilah frowned.
"What? He provoked them, and McGonagall wouldn't-"
"She didn't, it was Umbridge," Daphne said, studying Delilah. "McGonagall tried to give them detention, but Umbridge thought they needed a bigger punishment."
"So she banned them?"
"Yeah, isn't it crazy? We actually have a chance for the Quidditch cup!"
Delilah shook her head.
"Unless they find a good seeker, I know Ginny Weasley will try out and she's pretty good. Beaters will be their main problem."
Daphne nodded.
"Yeah, but that doesn't matter. How are you doing? I know you heard what Draco, um, said."
Delilah nodded, staring at her inkwell, half wishing it would explode so she wouldn't have to talk about it. It only quivered.
"Well I'm mad, of course, since I asked him not to do anything stupid. But not only at him." Delilah looked around, making sure no one was listening and lowered her voice. "Umbridge too. She's a fowl toad. I bet Fudge made a new decree so she can overrule any teacher's punishments?"
Daphne nodded again.
"That's what everyone is saying, so how are you going to deal with Draco?"
Dang it, they were back talking about him.
"I don't know, I need to cool off for a bit, so I'll just be polite until I'm calm enough to talk to him about it."
"You should do it sooner rather than later," Daphne suggested. "You don't want to leave that anger in the air for too long."
"I'll do it soon-ish," Delilah promised. "Maybe during our rounds or something."
However, that night she did not want to talk about it. Luckily he was still in the Hospital wing, so she got to do her rounds alone. As she walked through the corridors, she stopped by a window outlooking the grounds, noticing someone walking towards Hagrid's hut, which now had smoke coming out of the chimney. Hagrid was back.
But as Delilah studied the figure, there was no mistaking the pink clothes. The toad had noticed that Hagrid had returned.