Seeing Hermione on a broom was like watching an artist at work. Not because she made it look easy, but because it didn't come easy to her. The broom could sense her dislike of flying, her fear of being high up in the air with only a thin stick of wood separating you from the ground. It fought her with every step, and she. Didn't. Give up. She powered through every single limit, every single obstacle before her, because it was who she was. You couldn't tell Hermione she couldn't do something, because she'd find a way to do it anyway.
Malfoy knew he would lose. I could see it on his face. It was a slow, dawning realization, but he figured it out eventually. The thing is, Malfoy's not stupid. He does very well in our classes. He's quite talented academically. His problem is that all his life, everything he wants has been handed to him and he's not yet learned how to adapt to actually facing challenges.
He's like Dudley if he had natural talent. When he does…well, that'll be my problem. But for now, he was smart enough to realize that even if he won, he would lose. Hermione had called him out on his awful behavior and everyone was realizing that by supporting him, they were being awful too. Maybe that wouldn't have been enough in many cases, but right now, the balance of power was on the edge. Even a tiny thing like this would tip it over.
So Malfoy dropped the Remembrall, probably thinking that Hermione would lose her balance getting to it and fall off her broomstick.
She didn't.
Instead, she lunged straight at the ball and caught it before he hit the ground. And in that moment, I could see it on Malfoy's face. He had lost. For the first time ever, he'd lost, and he didn't know what to do. It was beautiful.
And then Professor Sinistra appeared behind us, an unreadable expression on her face. "Miss Granger." Hermione looked at her defiantly. Few people would have notice her hands clasped behind her back to stop them from trembling uncontrollably. "Why?"
"Because it was the right thing to do," Hermione said calmly.
Sinistra's face bore a smile for the barest fraction of a second – so quick I concede I might have imagined it – and then she nodded. "How do you feel about being our team's Seeker?"
Hermione's jaw dropped open. "I…what?! Me?! But I broke the rules! And aren't first years not allowed to be on the team?"
"There is precedent," Sinistra said. "Granted, from the seventeenth century, but precedent is precedent. And technically speaking, the rules say first years are not allowed their own broomsticks."
"But it's not fair!" Malfoy shouted.
Sinistra focused those laser intense eyes on him. "Shall I then conduct a fair investigation of this incident? Including all its involved parties?" Malfoy shrank back and said nothing. "No, I rather thought not. Miss Granger? Your decision?"
"You can't let a mu – Muggleborn onto the team!" Malfoy protested. "She'll lose all our games!"
"Yes!" Hermione shouted, looking as if she regretted the word the instant it came out of her mouth. But it was too late. The die was cast.
Professor Sinistra didn't look remotely surprised. Now a smile definitely graced her lips, though it didn't last too much longer than her last. "Very well. And Miss Granger?" Hermione perked up. "Detention with me tonight."
"What?" Hermione said, looking dumbstruck. "Why?"
"Because you broke the rules," Professor Sinistra said as if Hermione was the dumbest individual in creation. "And it'll teach you a very valuable lesson…no good deed goes unpunished."
So that's the story of how Hermione became the Slytherin Seeker! I'm so happy for her! I'm going to be there for all her games! The Emerald Trio (as people have been calling us) cannot be stopped!
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