Last chapter: Hermione thought for a minute. "Let's try out the flying," she said, to Harry's great surprise.

Coach Simpson nodded and turned her attention to the group who were finishing their stretches on the mats.

"Grant, Emily, Annabel, Sienna, Dustin, and Greg, come here please," she called. The six of them walked over to where Hermione and the coach were standing. Grant smiled at Hermione as he and the others gathered around the coach. Hermione grinned back at him, noticing as she did so he was very good looking.

"Annabel, you and Emily and Sienna are our best flyers, besides working with Hermione on her tumbling, I also want you to show her the Scorpion stunt and how to do it correctly. In about an hour I will come to see how you guys are doing and I'll want all of you to join in on the practice, is that clear?" The seven of them nodded. The coach gave Hermione's shoulder a reassuring pat before walking over to the rest of the team.

"Okay, Hermione, I think your tumbling is pretty good, we just need fine-tune a few things and I want to see you do a walkover, do you remember how to do that?" asked Annabel.

"I think so, but maybe one of you could show me a couple of times and then I'll do it?" Hermione suggested.

"That works. Emily, if you would be so kind," said Annabel. Emily nodded and walked to the edge of the mat. Hermione and Hogwarts watched keenly as she put one leg behind her and her arms up with her other leg in front of her. She inhaled and pushed off with her back leg, turning over in the air. She stood the right way up again and turned to face Hermione.

"Do you want to see it again or do you want to try it?" she asked.

"I'll try it," Hermione said, rolling her shoulders. Harry shifted in his seat, the walkover Emily had performed only seconds ago hadn't looked easy and he was worried about Hermione hurting herself.

"Okay. Grant and Dustin, will you spot her please?" Annabel asked. The two boys nodded and moved to where Emily was standing. Hermione took a couple of deep breaths and got herself into position.

"Hands by your ears, Hermione and bend your elbows a little," said Sienna. She stepped forward and corrected Hermione's arms.

"Whenever you're ready, go for it," said Annabel. Hermione nodded and took one more deep breath. Focusing on her momentum, she pushed off as hard as she could with her back leg and for a moment her legs were above her head as she pushed herself over and up to an upright position. As she landed, she stumbled a little. Grant and Dustin caught her before she overbalanced. Draco gritted his teeth, the feelings of jealousy burning through him like fire.

"Are you alright?" Grant asked. Hermione nodded as she brought her arms down to her sides and turned to face the co-captains.

"That was good Mia, but it could be better. Do you feel dizzy or sick at all?" asked Annabel. Hermione shook her head.

"All right, let's try it a few more times," said Annabel, clapping her hands. Hermione nodded and got ready to go again. She performed the walkover two more, three more, five more times.

"How many more times are they going to make her do this? Miss Granger looks like she's going to fall over at any minute," Professor McGonagall said, watching as Hermione pushed off with her back leg once more. Then the majority of the Hogwarts population gasped as Hermione only got halfway through the walkover before falling over onto her side, Grant and Dustin moving to catch her a second too late.

"Hermione!"

Annabel's shout attracted the attention of the coach and the rest of the squad. As Annabel squatted down next to her cousin, the coach came running over with the rest of the team right behind her. Coach Simpson knelt down on Hermione's other side.

"Hermione, can you hear me?" she asked gently. Hermione nodded; her face was very pale and her eyes glassy.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Team! Push-ups, fifty of them! Annabel, who was spotting Hermione?"

"We were, coach," said Grant, pointing to himself and Dustin.

"Why didn't you catch Hermione before she fell?" Coach Simpson demanded. Hermione tried to roll over but Annabel stopped her.

"Don't move, Hermione," she said. Hermione rolled her eyes at her cousin before turning her attention to the coach.

"Don't blame Grant and Dustin, it's not their fault. I pushed off harder than I should have and I overbalanced. I didn't want to land on my head so I let myself fall to the side. I'm not hurt, just a little dizzy," said Hermione as she carefully pushed herself into a sitting position. The coach nodded before checking her watch.

"Okay everyone, take a lunch break, grab some water," she instructed. Annabel and Emily helped Hermione to her feet as the rest of the team left to go to the locker rooms.

"Hermione, wait a moment please. I just want to make sure you don't have any symptoms of a concussion. Can you balance on one leg?" Hermione nodded and did as the coach asked. Coach Simpson asked her to perform a few more tests before she was satisfied Hermione didn't have any signs of a concussion.

"All right, go get some water and some lunch, ladies," she said finally. Hermione, Annabel, and Emily all left the weight room and walked into the girls' change room.

"Here, Mia," said Annabel, as she opened her locker and handed Hermione a container and a pair of wooden sticks.

"Yes, sushi! We don't have any sushi places near my school," Hermione explained as she sat down next to Emily.

"Where do you go to school?" asked one of the girls on the squad as Hermione unscrewed her water bottle.

"Uh oh, how is she going to answer that?" asked Cho as muttering broke out around them. Harry shook his head and drummed his fingers anxiously on his knee as Hermione took a drink from her water bottle before turning to the girl.

"I go to a boarding school in Scotland, I took the train here yesterday," she said smoothly, causing the Hogwarts population to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

"Good save, Hermione," Harry said quietly, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

"Scotland! Wow that's a long way, and you came all the way here to help us out? I'm Jess by the way," said the girl.

"Nice to meet you, Jess. Yeah, I got permission from the headmaster and then my teachers all gave me the homework for a week. Speaking of which, how do you guys do classes and homework? We all have an all-day practice today, how are you guys' not missing classes?" Hermione asked.

"Today is an N.I. day, so Coach Simpson called an extra practice today, we'll practice after school tomorrow and the rest of the week. Coach is a stickler for good grades and hard work both on and off the mats," Annabel explained.

"Yeah, and don't repeat this, but that's part of the reason Felicia got kicked off the squad. Besides being a bully and tearing everyone down, her grades weren't that good. She thought because she's the coach's niece she would get a free pass both in and out of the classroom, but nope. She was actually paying other students to do her homework for her," Emily added, causing Hermione's and Hogwarts' jaws to drop. Just then, Coach Simpson walked in.

"Sorry to interrupt ladies but lunch is over, back in the weight room in 5!" she said before leaving to go tell the boys.

"You ready for this Mia? We have 5 more hours of practice," said Annabel. Hermione nodded as she finished her sushi and put the Tupperware container back into Annabel's locker.

"All right, ladies, let's go!" said Annabel. They headed back into the weight room to where the boys and the Coach were waiting.

"Okay, Hermione, did anyone show you the Scorpion yet?" Coach Simpson asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No, we were working on my walkovers and we didn't get a chance to try it this morning," she responded.

"All right, Knights, warm up and stretch for 10 minutes. I want the six individuals who were working with Hermione to show her the Scorpion. Sienna, you're the flyer. Jess and Emily, you two are front and back spotters. Greg and Annabel, and Dustin and Grant, you're the base. This competition isn't going to win itself, let's move!" the coach barked as the team arranged themselves into a circle and started their warm-ups and stretching.

After ten minutes, the group Coach Simpson had assigned to show Hermione the scorpion got themselves into formation. Sienna took a deep breath as she planted her hands on Jess's shoulders and sank down.

"On three! One, two, three!" Annabel said. As one, the seven bases lifted Sienna into the air. She kept her upper body tight and straight as she stabilized herself.

"Keep a hold on her feet and ankles, don't let go," the coach instructed. Hermione watched as Sienna kept her left leg locked and Greg and Grant slowly pushed her right leg up with Sienna reaching behind her with her right hand to grab her ankle.

"Good, Sienna, keep that tummy tight, and remember to breathe," said Coach Simpson, nodding as she watched Sienna fasten both of her hands around her ankle and lifted her leg until her foot was parallel with her head.

"That's incredible! She must be really strong," gasped Parvati who was sitting behind Harry as gasps of awe and admiration were heard.

"If that's what Miss Granger has to do, I hope she's as flexible as that girl. She's practically bent in half!" Professor McGonagall said to Professor Snape. Up until this point she had been all for seeing Hermione's experiences in the muggle world, but now she had seen some of the movements and stunts involved in cheerleading, she wasn't so sure.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. If she feels she can't do it or doesn't feel comfortable or safe doing it, the coach won't make her. I'd say from what we've seen so far Coach Simpson cares about her team," Professor Snape whispered back reassuringly. They turned their attention back to the screen as Sienna brought her leg down, fell back into the arms that were ready to catch her and lower her safely to the ground.

"Excellent, Sienna, well done. Hermione, are you up for it?" Coach Simpson asked. Hermione nodded.

"Good, I want you to try it on the ground the first few times, just so we can see what your flexibility and balance is like. Captains, you stay and work with her and call the boys and Jess over when she's ready to try it in the air. The rest of you, on the mats," Coach Simpson said. The rest of the team dispersed with the coach following behind.

"Okay Mia, let's just do a few more stretches before we have you try the Scorpion, okay? Have you been keeping up with your yoga and Pilates at school?" asked Annabel. Hermione nodded.

"Yes. What should we start with? A back bend?" Hermione suggested. Her cousin and Emily nodded. The three girls lay down on the ground and put their hands by their ears. Then, slowly, they pushed themselves up until their knees were bent and their stomachs clenched to keep their stability.

"When Hermione comes back, we have to get her to show us how to do that!" Parvati exclaimed eagerly to Katie, Lavender, Padma, Luna and Cho. The five girls nodded enthusiastically as similar conversations broke out around the Hall.

"What do you think the chances are of asking Granger to show us how to do some of that stuff?" Pansy Parkinson whispered to Daphne Greengrass.

"Well, considering the whole house of Slytherin have never been nice to her or to anyone in this entire school, probably slim to none. I think if we were to ask her, we would have to make a real effort to change the way the school sees us. We've always had a bad reputation, the minute we're sorted into Slytherin we are written off and judged as no good people who are into the Dark Arts and are likely to join You-Know-Who and his followers, even if he's not around anymore. If we want to show Hermione and the rest of the school we are not like what everyone has made us out to be," Daphne said. Pansy nodded, thinking over her friend's words as she turned her attention back to the screen.

Hermione was now lying on her stomach with her knees bent and her hands holding her ankles, along with Emily and Annabel.

"Okay girls, cat and cow and then you'll try the Scorpion, Mia," said Annabel, as she released her ankles and pushed herself into a kneeling position, hands under her shoulders. In perfect synchronicity, the three girls dropped their bellies towards the ground. After a few minutes, they pushed themselves into a half-kneeling position before standing up.

"All right, Hermione, let's see your Scorpion," said Emily. Hermione nodded and lifted her left leg to bend at the knee, balancing on her right leg. Slowly, carefully, she mimicked the movement she had seen Sienna perform earlier and lifted her leg higher, clasping both hands around her ankle and pulling until her foot was parallel with her head.

"Perfect, Hermione! Well done!" said Annabel, causing the coach and the rest of the team to look around and start clapping. Hermione grinned as she released her ankle and carefully brought her leg back to the ground.

"Hermione, are you comfortable with doing that two more times and then we'll try it in the air?" Coach Simpson asked. Hermione nodded and got into position again. She repeated the Scorpion two more times as the coach had asked.

"All right, take a few minutes and catch your breath, and then we'll try the stunt in the air. Boys and Jess, you're base and Emily you can spot for her," the coach decided. Grant, Greg, Dustin and Jess all came over to where Hermione was standing with Emily. Annabel left her cousin's side and went to stand next to the coach.

"She was a good pick, Annabel. You were right, she learns quickly and works hard," whispered Coach Simpson. Annabel grinned at her before turning her attention to her cousin.

"I'm ready now," said Hermione. Emily and Jess and the boys assembled themselves around Hermione.

"Hang on, we need one more person to go in front," Jess said as she placed her hands on Hermione's waist.

"I'll do it," volunteered Sienna, walking over to stand in front of Hermione. Hermione took a deep breath and placed her hands on Sienna's shoulders, now that she was about to try the stunt in the air, she felt nervous.

"Relax, Hermione, we've got you. We won't let you fall, okay? Bend your knees, that's it," Sienna instructed as she and the rest of the group sank with Hermione.

"One, two, three," counted Emily as they all rose up, the boys and Jess lifting Hermione into the air. Hermione took a couple of deep breaths.

"That's it, Hermione, nice and easy. When you're ready, lift your leg slowly. Boys, Jess, hang onto her. Emily, Sienna, be ready," said the coach. Hermione closed her eyes and focused on keeping her core tight and her breathing even. The weight room and the Great Hall were dead silent; you could have heard a pin drop. Harry started drumming his fingers on his knees, if he was nervous when Hermione was practicing the walkovers, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. He felt terrified for Hermione. I have no doubt the boys and Emily and Jess will keep her safe, but I have this sick feeling in my stomach. Falling on ground level is one thing, falling from the air is another. Granted she's not fifty feet above the ground, but still! I wish I could jump through that screen and be there with her for moral support, I wish-I wish, Harry's internal monologue was interrupted by the feeling of fingers lacing themselves through his own. He looked over and saw Cho had reached over and grabbed his hand.

"She's okay, Harry. She's not going to get hurt," she said softly, giving his hand a squeeze. Harry squeezed her hand back and turned his attention back to his best friend, who was slowly lifting her leg into the air.

Okay, Hermione. You did this on the ground and you didn't struggle with it. You're fine; there are people in front of, beneath and behind you to catch if you fall. Don't doubt yourself, you can do this! She thought as she reached behind her to grab her ankle, she could feel the boys and Jess hanging onto her other foot and ankle with all their might. She kept her breathing even and soft as she reached the other hand back to wrap around her ankle and lifted her leg higher. The coach nodded in approval. Hermione held the stunt for a few seconds longer, then slowly released her ankle and lowered her leg back down.

The base gently tossed her in the air and caught her, lowering her back to the ground. The Great Hall and the weight room exploded into cheers and applause. The entire time Hermione had been in the air, people had had their hands over their mouths, or like Cho and Harry had grabbed hands with their neighbors. Daphne and Pansy were holding each other's hands, but were also holding the hands of a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw, respectively.

"Well done, Hermione! That was great for your first time!" the coach exclaimed as Annabel bounded over and joined Emily in hugging Hermione. As they released her, Sienna and Jess hugged her too as the boys patted her shoulders. The rest of the team moved to congratulate Hermione, with Ron and Ginny watching with sour looks on their faces. Coach Simpson checked her watch and then clapped her hands.

"Okay, it's 2:30 now! Let's do a cool down and some stretches, and you guys can go home early," she said. Her team turned to look at her with open mouths.

"But Coach, we're supposed to practice until six, and we still have to teach Hermione the routine! The competition is this weekend!" Annabel exclaimed. Harry grinned, Annabel was Hermione's cousin all right, they shared the same personality traits of tenacity and determination to get the job done.

"Which we will do tomorrow, I think all of you have earned a night off. I suggest you take it because the rest of week will be long, hard practices. Stretches and cool down everyone," the coach said in a firm but gentle tone. Her team acquiesced and started stretching. Grant walked over to Hermione.

"Do you need help stretching?" he asked her. She smiled and nodded at him. Draco gritted his teeth and cracked his knuckles, causing Blaise to look over at his friend.

"Careful, mate, you'll get lockjaw. He's just helping her stretch," he said soothingly. Draco turned to glare at him.

"Shut up Blaise," he said through clenched teeth. Blaise held his hands up in the air and turned his attention back to the screen, where Hermione was now laying on her back with one of her legs in the air. Grant had both hands around her ankle and had it braced against his broad shoulder.

"That feels great, Grant, can you just push my leg a bit more towards me? Yeah, just like that, perfect," Hermione said. After a few seconds, she switched legs. Draco's face, no, his body, felt like it was on fire. Blaise nudged Pansy.

"I think we'll have to drop Draco into the lake," he whispered. Pansy bent forward to look past him at Draco.

"Yup, and possibly dump a bucket of ice on him afterwards," she whispered back.

"I can hear the both of you, I'm not deaf," Draco said. Blaise and Pansy made a face at each other before turning their attention back to the screen. The stretching had finished and the team was gathered around their coach.

"Just a quick note before you all leave: bring lots of water and snacks tomorrow, as well as dry set of clothes. We're going to be working hard. Be here at 3:30 sharp and bring your homework. Just because we have a competition this weekend doesn't mean any of you will be falling behind, not on my watch. Enjoy your night off, everyone, and get a good night's sleep. You're going to need it," Coach Simpson dismissed her team.

"So, Hermione, what did you think of your first practice?" asked Emily as they walked to the parking lot.

"It was good, challenging. I'm sore though, I can't wait for a hot tub," Hermione confessed as they reached Emily's car and she climbed into the back seat after Emily had unlocked the vehicle.

"Hot tub comes second, we told Uncle Richard and Auntie Jean to stock the bathrooms," Annabel said as they pulled out of the parking spot.

"What comes first? And stock the bathrooms with what?" Hermione asked apprehensively. The Great Hall had broken out into murmurs again.

"Surely a hot bath is the thing to soothe sore muscles, what in the world can they be talking about?" Lavender wondered.

"I feel like we're about to find out," said Parvati. It was a short drive from the school to Hermione's house, so they didn't have to wait long.

"You've got to be kidding," Hermione said ten minutes later when she was standing in the doorway of her en suite bathroom.

"Nope, 6-8 minutes of that and then we can go get in the hot tub. I'll be in the main bathroom up here and Emily will be in the bathroom downstairs. Trust me, this is the best thing after a practice like we had today, and we'll be doing it every day until the competition. See you in a few minutes," said Annabel before leaving the room. Hermione sighed and looked at the bath tub.

"Well, Hermione, this is what you signed up for when you answered that letter. Blood, sweat, and tears and everything in between," she said aloud as she bent over the bathtub and turned on the water. Once it was filled almost to the top, she turned off the tap and picked up the bag that had been sitting next to the tub. She shook her head as she emptied the bag of ice into the bathtub.

She set the bag down and put her hands on either side of the bathtub, exhaling hard.

"She's not about to get in there is she?" gasped Seamus Finnegan to Dean Thomas. As he said this, Hermione pulled both of her legs up and over and lowered herself into the tub, breathing hard as she came into contact with the bottom of the tub. The watching Hogwarts population collectively winced in sympathy as Hermione checked her watch.

"I just did a Scorpion and walkovers and every gymnastics trick I can think of, I can last for 6-8 minutes in an ice bath," she said before forcing herself to relax.

Author's Note: Haha I love writing jealous Draco. Thirteen chapters in and 136 reviews, you guys are amazing! Till next time, xoxoxo