Ford didn't really understand Mama's tactic of bringing Grace into the middle of the conversation about Quidditch — if Noble was not willing to pull his weight here, he was sure that Grace wasn't going to be any more up to the task, so really they ought to just leave this to Verity. Lestrange was already answering Verity's question, though, so maybe Grace wouldn't be called upon to say anything at all and they could just let the whole thing slide on unnoticed. Or maybe Grace could get away with just a smile and a nod at whatever Lestrange said next, and that would be good enough to carry them through until the next topic. It wasn't that Ford didn't want Grace to participate — he wanted her to feel comfortable talking to people more than anything. He knew that she was clever and funny and sweet and kind, and he wished that other people saw that, too, rather than just seeing Graceless Greengrass. He just didn't think Quidditch was the right topic; they'd steer back towards something in a minute that she would have a little stabler footing on, and then she'd have a chance again.

But then the most unexpected thing happened: Lestrange made a joke in Grace's direction, and she giggled. Ford couldn't help but stare, for a moment forgetting about whatever was going on with Noble and his gratitude towards Verity for finding it in herself to compliment Quidditch and his confusion with Mama's strategy for this dinner. Grace had just giggled, and Ford had never seen her that comfortable talking to a gentleman, never. And yes, maybe she called the Cannons the orange team, and yes, she had just asked Lestrange if he knew any World Cup players when he had been in the World Cup, and yes, Verity was probably quietly losing her mind about Grace having asked such a stupid question, but still. This was the most Grace had ever said to a stranger, as far as Ford knew, and she looked so like herself all of the sudden, in a way she seldom did whenever anyone outside the family was around.

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, which was rude he supposed, but he was too eager not to let this moment slip away to care. He needed to catch this momentum and keep it building, so he had to jump in. Verity might have derailed Grace entirely, with just an offhand comment or a withering look. Lestrange might have entirely crushed her, too, without even meaning to — for all that he had been a saint all through dinner so far, he probably didn't really understand how fragile Grace could be. And Noble — was not going to be any help at the moment, clearly.

"Mr. Lestrange played in the World Cup match against Morocco," he said helpfully, to Grace. With a hopeful glance at Lestrange, he continued, "I'm sure he'd love to tell you about it."

Well, some parts of it, anyway. Hopefully he left out the bit about the woman dying in the stands.