The weeks prior to the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff match were exciting to say the least. Both Oliver and Erin had put their complete focus with their teams, training harder and longer. Their teammates weren't always happy with that, but they were in superb shape.

Oliver and Erin were still friends and occasionally talked, but as Oliver had predicted, he started to get a little nervous the week before the game and avoided Erin. Erin didn't mind as she needed to focus herself. This would be her first official match as Hufflepuff quidditch captain, so she needed to show her worth. The more she hung out with him, the more her feelings distracted her, so when he didn't say anything to her the last few days before the match, she was a little grateful even.

"Good luck today", she did say when they crossed paths in the Great Hall the day of the match. He gave her a stern look, but she could see the nerves having a party in his head. She'd be glad when all of this was over. If they lost, she knew she'd be bummed about it for at least a couple of days, but as she had promised Oliver, they would remain friends.

"How are you feeling?" Beatrice asked her at breakfast. Erin couldn't get any food down with the match only two hours away. Her hands were shaking and with every fresh roll of thunder, she flinched.

The weather was absolutely terrible. It was raining immensely and dark thunder clouds made it seem as if it was nightfall.

"Incredibly anxious", Erin whispered. Before a game, the entire quidditch team always sat together in the Great Hall to discuss last minute plans, for team spirit and to calm each other's nerves. She didn't want the other members to know just how nervous she was. She needed them as sharp as possible.

"Hey, we'll be okay, you can do this", Beatrice said and laid her hand on Erin's to calm her down.

"Come on, Cap", she said. She was right. She was captain and she needed to shake off these nerves and think. They were going to play in a massive thunderstorm, so what could they do?

"Team, bring your wands to the changing room", she said determined and stuffed a piece of toast in her mouth.

When they finally arrived at their changing rooms, the weather had only gotten worse, but Erin was determined. She needed to show everyone that she was a good quidditch captain and although she was slightly in love with Oliver, she needed to crush him today.

"Oi, listen up!" she said when everyone had finished changing into their canary-yellow robes.

"It's an absolute hell out there and that can cause some trouble. We can prepare, though. All fifth years and above, use the spell Impervius on your cloak, gloves and goggles. They'll repel water. Everyone who hasn't learned the spell yet, get an upperclassman to do it", she said and performed the spell on her own cloak, gloves and goggles. She pulled her hair up into a tight ponytail and went over their tactic one last time. They were going to perform their Hawkshead Spiral Dive and they'd win.

"I'm counting on you, Ced", she said and gave her Seeker an encouraging smile. He needed to catch the snitch in order to win.

When it was finally time to play, Erin was still surprised by the immense cold that hit her when they flew out. Her cloak might have been water repellent, but it definitely wasn't cold repellent. She flew down to where Madame Hooch and Oliver were standing and stepped off her broom. The ground had become a giant mud bath, clinging onto her boots.

"Captains, shake hands", Madame Hooch said, barely audible in the thunderstorm. The stands were packed with students, but Erin couldn't even hear their cheers. All she could hear was rain and rumble.

"Good luck!" She yelled at Oliver whilst shaking his hand. Oliver's jaw seemed locked, as he just gave her an emotionless nod. He was nervous.

"Mount your brooms!" Madame Hooch yelled and so Erin did. She flew back up to the rest of her Chasers and waited for Madame Hooch to release the Quaffle. And then they were off.

To say the weather conditions were not optimal was an understatement. The Quaffle was slippery, their brooms were slippery, they could barely see through the thick rain and it was difficult to distinguish red from yellow in the dark.

It took Erin a while to really get acclimated to the storm, and once she did, they were thirty points behind. She took a deep breath and leaned forward, pushing her broom through the rain. She acquired the quaffle and immediately passed it to Beatrice, avoiding the Bludger that one of the twins had sent her way. Once she had regained control over her broom again, she heard cheers and noticed that Beatrice had scored.

Jonathan was doing absolutely great as well, the Gryffindor chasers were just very strong. He blocked most shots, but the Gryffindors had the Quaffle the majority of the time, which was a problem. They were now fifty points behind and Erin had to call for a time-out to change her plan. She signed Madame Hooch, who stopped the match.

"Huddle up!" she yelled, gathering under the large umbrella near the side of the pitch.

"We need to be more offensive! Beaters, I want you to focus on the Gryffindor Chasers. Distract them as much as possible!" Erin's throat hurt from trying to overpower the immensely loud rain.

"Cedric, you need to find the snitch, okay? Search as if your bloody life depends on it! We can try to get the score even, but they're good today!" They tried to hype each other up for a while until it was time to get into the game. The Quaffle was released again and they were off.

The match hadn't restarted for a minute before her team did what she had asked. Angelina Johnson had the Quaffle and was flying just inches before Erin. Erin couldn't catch up to her in time, but Anthony sent a Bludger towards the back on Angelina's broom. She didn't fall off, but she did drop the Quaffle. Erin could grab it in the air and made a U-turn, heading towards the goal post. One of the twins sent another Bludger her way, so she ducked and almost flew into Katie Bell, so she quickly passed the Quaffle to Tamsin. She sped up again and noticed Tamsin got in trouble, so got ready to take a pass.

This was her moment. The Gryffindor team was not on her tail for one moment and she had practiced the move, so she knew she could do it.

Tamsin passed the Quaffle to her and Erin gripped her broom tightly. When the Quaffle was in reach, she pulled the broom from under her and used it to smack the Quaffle towards the goal post, before jumping back onto it. The speed she could create with a Finbourgh Flick was out of this world, even too fast for Oliver Wood. The Quaffle soared through the left hoop and brought the Hufflepuff team ten points closer to closing the gap.

Another great aim from Michael this time caused the Hufflepuff team to get hold of the Quaffle again. They were now dominating the game and it would sure get them some points. Now all that was left was for Cedric to catch the Golden Snitch. Beatrice shot at the goal, but this time Oliver's reflexes were too sharp, quickly scooping up the Quaffle before it could pass through. He looked angry.

"Time-out!" He yelled at Madame Hooch.

The Hufflepuff team gathered under the umbrella again, but Erin knew what she had to do. The Gryffindor team would up their offense, so they had to play smarter, using little tricks such as their new Hawkshead Spiral Dive.

"It's our time to shine, ladies", Erin said as the match commenced again.

The Gryffindors managed to score the first goal after the time-out, indeed playing more offensive and a little more aggressive, but Tamsin's quick reflexes got her possession of the Quaffle. Beatrice and Erin quickly aligned into their Hawkshead position. Erin took the Quaffle and claimed her middle spot. Beatrice and Tamsin would keep opponents away so she could head straight for the goal. They slowly flew higher, creating enough dropping distance for Erin to perform her Spiral Dive. When they were close enough to the goal posts, it was showtime for Erin. She clenched the Quaffle tightly and pushed her broom downwards, spiraling it to create speed.

When she was level with the goal, she pulled her broom up straight and tried to shoot at the goal, but Angelina was exactly where she needed to be and snatched the Quaffle from Erin's hand before Erin could comprehend what was happening. Erin was baffled. How did she-

"Exactly like Wood had predicted", Angelina laughed as she zoomed past her. Erin didn't know how to act or what to do. Angelina knew exactly where to be, because Wood had predicted it. Oliver had told his team about Erin's move, even though he had promised her he wouldn't.

Erin looked up to see Oliver staring at her, but the rain prevented her from seeing his facial expression. Hers was not difficult to read. She was in complete and utter disbelief.

Luckily, the Snitch was caught just seconds after, because Erin was in no state to do absolutely anything. Her team gathered underneath the umbrella one last time, but there was no sense of victory.

"Erin, we need to ask for a rematch. Harry was attacked by a Dementor", Cedric told her. Erin tried to focus, but her feelings were overwhelming her.

"Come on, Erin", Cedric said, looking at her confused. Erin nodded and tried to shut off her brain, walking towards Madame Hooch.

"I propose a rematch, Madame Hooch. Harry being attacked doesn't make it fair", she said. Her voice sounded weird, as if it wasn't hers. The automatic pilot had taken over.

"Cedric would've caught the Snitch anyway, but I'll ask Wood if you insist", Madame Hooch said and made her way over to Oliver. Erin knew she was supposed to follow her, but she didn't want to be near Oliver at all. They talked for a while and then walked her way. Oliver looked at her, but Erin's look was harsh and emotionless.

"Wood agrees, you've won fair and square, congratulations", Madame Hooch said and walked away.

"Fair, can't be said about both parties", Erin spat at Oliver. She despised him.

"Have fun celebrating your loss", she added and stomped away. She knew rubbing his loss in his face would seriously anger him, but that was exactly what she wanted. He broke her trust and she hated him for it.

They gathered in the changing room and Erin told her team the news, which brought a little joy.

"Well, let's celebrate in the common room!" Beatrice yelled, earning some cheers. Erin was not in the mood to party. She just wanted to curl up into a ball and die.

"Great tactic change, cap", Anthony said and smiled at her, but even his charming smile couldn't distract her. She wanted to hit something, preferably someone. She quickly changed, stored her broom away and grabbed her bag.

She walked out into the rain and was soaked again in minutes. She didn't care much though. Some Hufflepuffs congratulated her on her way to the common room and she pretended to be nice, but she couldn't care less. At least they'd won. She threw her bag on her bed and quickly stripped down, turning on the shower. A long, hot shower would help.

I promise I won't tell them, he had said.