"Hermione!" Said distant voices. They grew louder.
"HERMIONE!"
Hermione whipped out her wand and jumped out of bed. She pointed her wand to two people standing in front of her, their arms raised in surrender.
Hermione put down her wand. "Harry, Ginny! What was that for?"
It was then she noticed that they were dressed in their Quidditch robes.
Hermione looked at her watch and gasped. Ginny gave her a pointed look.
"Change and wash up fast Hermione. Draco, me and Ginny have been trying to wake you up for so long! Hurry, or we'll be late!" Said Harry, dragging Ginny out of the room.
"Is she awake yet?" She heard Draco asking them as they closed the door.
"Yes, give her five minutes and she'll be out." Said Ginny.
Hermione came out fully dressed after five minutes.
"Seven, Granger. You took seven minutes." Said Draco, looking at the time.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Let's get going, or you'll be late!" Said Hermione to the boys as she and Ginny made there way out of the room.
The four of them left the room and met up with Ron as they headed to the grounds.
"Here." Said Ron, handing a basket full of muffins to Hermione to share it with the others for breakfast.
"Oh, thank you so much, Ron!" She said, happily taking a muffin and eating it.
Ron chuckled.
Soon, Hermione left them, wishing them luck, taking her place next to Neville.
The Hogwarts Quidditch team received cheers and wishes, and Professor McGonagall even asked Harry to try and win today's match, which would be against Beauxbatons.
"They are not just Pretty girls and boys, you know." She warned him.
The Hogwarts team walked to their tents to discuss strategy. Draco seemed to be giving a fair share to the other house captains in the team to make decisions too. This seemed to spark gossip amount the players.
"Odd, don't you think?" Whispered Cho to Harry and and Summerby.
Summerby nodded. "I mean, what's he trying to achieve by letting me, you or Weasley girl by asking us our opinions? Respect?"
Harry shook his head. "He's just trying to be a better person, James."
Summerby snorted. "Malfoy? A better person? Malfoy?"
Harry nodded.
Cho looked at Harry sceptically. "Are you sure, Harry? I mean, I appreciate Malfoy giving me some say in the strategy, but do you really think he has no, let's say, ulterior motive?"
Harry looked at Cho angrily. "He's my friend now, Cho. I trust him. He really is trying to change, though he can be a git every now and then."
Cho looked at Summerby, but he shrugged his shoulders. She sighed. "I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean it sound so bad." Then she placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "But know this, Harry. People change, yes. But to try and become a completely new person without out hints of your old self will backfire one day."
Draco and Ginny and were discussing their tactics with Cho, who had just joined them. The three of them laughed and seemed so sure of what they were going to do.
Draco saw Nott and Summerby trying to work out their strategy, talking in an uncomfortable way with each other. He walked up to them and they abruptly stopped talking.
"So, have you two decided what kind of strategy you plan to use?" Draco asked, looking at both of them.
Summerby crossed his arms. "I don't know, why don't you tell us?"
Draco raised his eyebrows. Theodore shook his head. "We can figure this out, Draco. As soon as Summerby decides to coorporate."
"But why don't you give us the strategy, Malfoy? You only said that Harry should be protected while we shoot the buldgers to the opponents and that we need to win. What kind of strategy is that?" Summerby said, coolly.
Draco looked at Summerby closely before speaking. "You know, for a Hufflepuff you don't seem too loyal to your captain."
"That's because he doesn't seem to be giving us a strategy, which is the captains job! Obviously, you're not fit to be our captain!" He shot back.
Draco pursed his lips. "Summerby," he said in a dangerously low voice, one that Theodor knew too well, that if Summerby did not shut up, that'd be the end of him. "I don't know any of the players that are not either Slytherin or Gryffindor, because honestly, Gryffindor have only been the challenging team I ever cared about defeating. So I don't know any of your strengths. But what I do know is that we've got a great team with the aim to WIN! AND I'M SURE THAT IF EACH OF US HAVE OUR OWN UNIQUE STRATEGIES IT COULD DEFEAT THAT STRATEGY OF ONE CAPTAIN WHO KNOWS AND PLAYS ONLY HIS POSITION BEST!" Shouted Draco, his voice getting louder and louder.
The whole team was now staring at Draco, their eyes widened. Some of them even whipped out their wands.
"Draco." Approached Theodore slowly, playing a hand on his shoulder.
Draco shrugged it off.
"What are you all looking at? I hope you all are ready with your strategies." Said Harry calmly at the gaping group.
"And there is no need for your wands put them away. As if he'd attack us, that too before a match!" Said Ginny indigently.
They quickly turned and went back to their own business.
Ginny and Harry went to Draco and Theodor. Ron followed them.
"Not now, Potter." Said Nott coolly.
Harry looked at him. "Maybe it's time for you and Summerby to decide your strategy because we have to share it in less than ten minutes, Nott." Said Harry curtly.
Theodor looked at Harry with a blank expression and a brief glance at Ginny. Then he walked towards Summerby.
"You okay, Draco?" Asked Ginny cautiously.
Draco shrugged. Harry and Ginny exchanged worried glances. This is not how a team should feel, especially their captain, and that too just before a match.
Ginny made Draco sit. She sat next to him.
"It's alright, Draco. People always question authority. Always." She said softly.
Draco sighed. "I know no one actually believes in me, Ginny. It's just you, Harry, Hermione and maybe Ron. That's just about it." He said miserably.
Ron coughed. "I believe you, Malfoy. I just get jealous of you, that's all. " he said.
Draco raised his eyebrows in question.
"But Draco, that doesn't matter now." Said Harry quickly, looking at Ginny.
She had an odd expression on her face. "One would've thought," She said quietly after some time, "That we were enough."
Draco's eyes widened, realizing what he had said. "No, Ginny I didn't mean that-"
Ginny got up.
"Right. Now I believe we have bigger concerns to deal with." She said, coolly and walked to Cho.
Draco's hand ran up to his hair. "I didn't mean it like that, Weaslette!" He called after her but she ignored him.
Draco groaned in frustration.
"It did sound a bit- never mind. Ginny will be fine. You're lucky Hermione isn't here, or she'd probably never speak to you again." Said Harry, getting up.
Ron nodded. "Right now, we need our captain." He said.
Draco looked at the two boys and then got up.
"Okay, Hogwarts team." Draco said, calling for the attention of the team. "I hope you've come up with your strategies. Lest share them real quick so that we make sure it all falls into place."
And then they shared. After a few adjustments, the strategy had the right amount of Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff in it.
"This really is house unity." Said Professor McGonagall as she quietly spied on the team through the the whole thing. She smiled to herself, wondering of how Dumbledore would kill to witnesses this.
As they stepped out, Harry only thought of how much they wanted to win this tournament.
They need to win.
They need to win. . . . .
They need to win.