Chapter 9: Save A Broom, Ride A Quidditch Player
School is school and at the end of the day, the concept doesn't change. Well at least for me it doesn't. After Gryffindor took the Charms quiz, the rest of the day just whizzed by. The biggest homework assignment I received was probably the essay McGonagall had given to all the 6th years and it was due next Monday so there was no need to rush. I still had quite a bit of homework left but the Quidditch tryouts weren't until 6:00 pm and I wasn't gonna pretend I didn't have time to watch so I got to work. Of course, Hermione was doing the same. About two hours later, I finished most of my homework except for starting a plan on McGonagall's essay. I put my quill away in my bag and took a seat on the couch.
"So, are you gonna meet them down in the Pitch soon?" I asked her.
Hermione shrugged. "Maybe. I was thinking of checking out the Gobstones Club this year. I think you should, though. Ginny will probably be trying out. I think she wants to be one of the Chasers. Go with her," Hermione replied.
"I don't know..."
Hermione looked up from her paper for the first time. "What's wrong?"
I sighed. Oh, joy. < !! now you've done it !!>
I pushed a strand of hair out of my face. "You can keep a secret, right?"
Hemione's eyebrows shot up like a pair of firecrackers.
"I knew it!" she said. "That's why you looked so tired this morning."
I rolled my eyes, now half regretting I said anything. "Thank you, Hermione. For being so caring and considerate."
"It's just---I'm sorry," she apologized.
"Yeah, whatever. No big deal. So what do I do? None of this makes any sense and I'm afraid something's gonna go wrong if I go."
Hermione shrugged. "You're worrying about nothing, Bay. Just go to that tryout. And don't let it bother you. We'll see what happens after. Ron will probably be with Harry the whole time anyway."
"If you say so," I said as I took off my robes, grabbed my wand, and shuffled out of the Gryffindor common room.
"Like you said: it's no big deal," Hermione called after me before the Fat Lady swung the portrait entrance closed.
"I hope you won't be sneaking in and out tonight too," the Fat Lady said to me as she swung her frame against the wall. "I would've figured 16-year-olds would be smarter not to do so at times like this."
I glared at her.
"Just giving you some advice..." she said as she pulled out her wine glass and prepared to sing a few bars.
"Merlin, I was having an okay day. Don't ruin it by forcing me to take extra precautions with my eardrums," I retorted.
The Fat Lady returned the icy glare then returned to polishing her glass.
At this time of day, many people were roaming about in the hallways. Occasionally, I spotted someone I knew from Gryffindor, but most of which I didn't recognize. I was just about to exit the castle and walk through the courtyard towards the quidditch pitch when I heard someone singing cruelly in the distance. The tune sounded similar to that of O, Christmas Tree.
They think they're smart and witty!
Oh, Ravenclaws! Oh, Ravenclaws!
In reality they're shitty---
"Peeves!" one girl shouted angrily. "Go act stupid somewhere else."
"I turned around and Peeves laughed again, flying purposefully through the irritable girl and stopped in front of me.
"Peeves," I said dully, acknowledging his existence...nonexistence is more like it.
"Bailey," he replied, also acknowledging mine.
Peeves only knew me because of an unfortunate accident in fourth year during the Triwizard Tournament. He nearly landed me a nice spot in the Hospital Wing right next to Fred and George, and as you can imagine, I have developed as much distaste of him as the next.
"Whatcha doin'? Not up to something bad are you, Bailey?" Peeves asked in a mock tone.
"None of your business," I said, annoyed.
"Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets are for everyone!" Peeves exclaimed, zooming around the corridor and swinging back and forth on the crystal chandelier above, shaking dust onto my head.
"Peeves! You bloody idiot," I said, brushing the dust off my shoulders and out of my hair.
He blew a loud raspberry then glided off, continuing his obnoxious humming.
I reached the Entrance Hall when Alyson found me on her way out and stopped to talk.
"Hey," she said, "What's with the singing ghost?"
I shook my head disapprovingly. "Nice asset to the school, right? He's the reason why we have Filch...And pretty much all the rest of the problems in the halls..."
"Ohh," Alyson replied. "So, I was just about to head to the Quidditch Pitch for Gryffindor tryouts and I don't wanna be late. See you later!"
I nodded. "All right, bye." I let her traipse off before me because there was no point in catching up. She'd probably end up forcing me onto a broom with her then take off after I was only halfway on.
In a matter of ten minutes, I reached the Quidditch Pitch. And sure enough, even before I actually stepped onto the field, I was trampled by all the excited Gryffindors looking to try-out for Harry's new team---as well as some Slytherins strutting around, probably trying to take note of how well the try-outs were going, which wasn't very at the time. I already saw a few broomsticks flying around in the air so apparently, Harry was trying to test out how well people could fly on brooms, let alone play a game on them. The pitch had never been this swamped before, unless you count two years ago when Dumbledore turned the pitch into a giant maze and a dueling center for the dragons. I was desperately trying to find someone I knew that I could talk with for a little while because I couldn't stand being alone. And then I saw Ginny walk towards the nearest goal posts, just as Hermione predicted.
"Ginny! Over here!" I squeaked.
Apparently Ginny didn't hear me so I called her name out louder and the third time I tried, she heard.
Ginny waved at me and began walking towards me when a fight started between two large, burly boys standing a few feet away from me. Guessing they were both in Gryffindor, and judging by the size of their figures, they looked like 7th years as well. The two guys were yelling at each other but I could barely tell what they were saying when one of them just lost it and started punching the other.
I raised my eyebrow and looked curiously at the two boys. Not daring to make a comment, I slowly backed away when the larger boy that started the fight pushed the second guy. And lucky me, he fell right on top of me.
"Emergency! Can't breathe!" I said, squirming underneath all 10,000 pounds of him. And there was no way in hell I was stronger than whoever I was lying under.
"Cormac, you idiot! Get your arse off Bailey's face!" Ginny said.
I felt the weight shifting.
"Don't you dare fart," I grumbled, impatiently waiting for him to get off of me.
"Are you okay?" Ginny asked me as we started through the pitch again, this time to find Harry.
"Yeah, I'm good. I just got a little dirt on my uniform but that's okay," I replied, brushing myself off. There was probably a red spot on my cheek from being on the ground so long but I was blushing anyway so it wouldn't matter.
Many people had already been up in the air and the next group that went up was worse than the worst you could possibly imagine. There were about five people circling the pitch and one of them crashed into the lower part of a goal post after only being in the air for a few seconds. He or she sent the person next to them hurtling skyward towards the golden hoop of the goal post and right through it, narrowly missing getting hit by the edges. The third flier made it half way across the pitch before getting distracted by how well he thought he was doing. Then without much warning, he ran into one of the colored pillars nearby where the staff sits during the games and fell down onto the sand. The last two made it okay but I guess they could've done better. I laughed to myself as the mental picture of Harry vigorously crossing out those names off the clipboard popped into my mind.
I caught a glimpse of the last few groups getting on their own set of brooms, preparing to take off so Harry and the rest of the team must've been near. It was Ginny who saw him first.
"Hi, Harry! We've been looking all over for you! Look who I've got with me," she said as she dragged me over to the bench he was sitting on.
"Oh, good," he said smiling. "You've decided to try-out, then?" he asked.
I shrugged and gave Harry an apologetic smile. "No. But I thought I'd come down to the Pitch to show some support for you guys..." I trailed off. It would've been useless to continue as I gave the group currently in the air a sideways glance and then looked back at Harry's clipboard. The giant list of names had cross-outs everywhere and was overflowing with notes.
Harry winced sheepishly. "Yeah, I know," he said glumly. "I wish Fred and George were still here. Angelina too."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well, I sure hope you don't pick Cormac, even if he has a lot of skill. He practically sat on Bay's face like three minutes ago!"
My cheeks flushed as Ron tried but failed to stifle his laughter. He was never really good at that.
"Well maybe you could be part of the commentary and take Lee Jordan's old spot?" Harry suggested.
I shrugged. "Maybe. We'll see," I said simply.
"All right, you guys, time out!" Harry bellowed, blowing a whistle for silence. "Time to get the Quaffle out. We'll start with one Bludger as well."
I laughed a little. "Well, I'll leave your team to work. I don't want to delay the try-outs. Am I allowed in the Gryffindor Quidditch tent? I kinda wanna look around."
Harry nodded. "Oh, yeah. Go ahead. Just come back if you need anything. There's a lot of random equipment lying around too."
I grinned. "Cool. Best of luck, Potter."
Harry laughed. "Thanks."
I waved the three of them off and began taking short strides to the other end of the pitch into a big red and gold tent.
The inside was dimly lit because the flaps of the tent were closed but it was still bright enough to see clearly. Three polished wooden benches were spaced evenly apart and one large section of the wall was where the team players kept their brooms locked up. A dark brown chest directly below was what I took to be a broom care kit that was shared among the seven players. There was an identical chest across the tent next to a mountainous pile of towels that bared the Gryffindor lion. On the other side of the second chest was a stock of water bottles with a rack full of spare Quidditch robes, gloves, the Beaters' bats, and goggles for stormy weather.
The chest was probably full of more Quidditch equipment so it didn't interest me much. Maybe just another Quaffle or something. The snitch was what interested me the most. Especially since Harry was the team Seeker. I always admired him for his Quidditch skill.
I walked around the tent a little more, running my hand along an old Cleansweep 7 lying carelessly on the ground. The tent was pretty cool for a while but I got bored so I exited the tent and walked back to the try-outs.
The sun was beginning to set and there was a lot less people then there were earlier, but still a fair few to run through. As I approached, I could see Ron and Harry yawning as he checked something off on the clipboard.
I was thinking of just going back inside to Hermione so I could play with Crookshanks or something when I spied yet another chest. But this one was bouncing up and down, as if it was a little kid waiting impatiently for their ice cream sundae. Curious, I stepped closer to open the chest. The lock was easy to get off and when I peered inside all I saw was the extra Bludger that Harry decided not to use for the try-outs. The Quaffle was being tossed around right now and the Golden Snitch was probably with Harry as well. Another bat was lying off to the side.
Guessing Harry was nearly done with Beater try-outs, I hummed to myself as I picked up the bat and examined it closely. I swung it around a couple times. No one was watching me.
I laughed silently. This would be one hell of a lot of fun way to take your anger out on someone.
I looked down at the trapped, restless Bludger and then back at my surroundings. Surely everyone would be so caught up in the try-outs that they wouldn't notice if I let the Bludger out for a few minutes? And being my stupid, curious self, I undid the latch and the Bludger went zooming out of the now overturned chest.
Crap.
Oddly enough, it didn't catch the attention of many. It was when the Bludger starting coming after me when the problem started. I don't know what kind of retard you are if you're a person that has never played Quidditch and all of a sudden a Bludger decides to take aim at your face and you don't scream. I obviously did. And guess where that got me? If you're thinking I got another stupid detention, you're wrong.
But what did happen was that slowly, my screaming and running attracted more and more people's attention. And I wasn't just gonna let the Bludger crack my skull and give me a concussion so I did what anyone with half a brain would normally think to do: swing the bat as hard as I possibly could. Judging from how far the Bludger went, I don't think I would've made that bad of a Beater. But I also learned that aim is definitely something I need to work on.
My eyes widened in fear as the crowd around the bench where Harry was sitting began to part.
"Harry watch out!" I screamed.
I shut my eyes, hoping that Harry's so called "death wish" wouldn't be carried out because of me. I turned my back, knowing that it would be unbearable if I saw the anticipated crash. Hearing it would be just as bad alone.
I heard someone called out a confused sounding "What?" with it most likely being Harry.
He can be such an idiot sometimes. If someone tells you to "watch out", sure you look at what exactly you should be "watching out for", but you're supposed to duck right away, aren't you? Unless you're feel particularly cynical. Then you'd probably force someone in front of you and use their body as a shield from the upcoming destruction---which Harry would obviously never do.
Next I heard an OOF!, a collection of gasps, a person laughing hysterically, metal crashing against something hard, and someone falling to the ground.
I grimaced, praying that whoever fell wouldn't be a certain green-eyed kid we all knew and loved...well most of us, anyway. But I couldn't just stand like that forever so I turned around anyway. And what I saw turned out to be kind of a relief.
I let out a deep breath as the scene of Ginny and Ron nearly lying on top of a flustered-looking Harry greeted my eyes. Cormac was the one who fell---but only to tackle the Bludger and prevent it from doing any real damage. Now, Cormac was wrestling the squirming ball back towards the empty chest where it belonged. And all the while, Draco was standing off to the side, doubled over with laughter.
Yep---this would be a perfect example of one of the times I wonder myself why he's always been the guy that gave me butterflies.
I ignored all the stares and rushed to Harry, Ron, and Ginny. The first thing I did was give Harry a suffocating hug. Ron gave me a weird look but I ignored that too.
"I'm so sorry, Harry!! Oh my gosh, I didn't mean to! I promise you that was entirely by accident!! I was just playing around with one of those bats---and oh, Merlin! It just came zooming in your direction---didn't know how to stop it! Oh, I'm so---"
"Breathe, Bailey!" Ginny exclaimed, tearing me away from Harry.
Harry rubbed the back of his head, clearly at a loss for words. "It's---it's okay, Bailey. It wasn't your fault."
My face turned a voilent shade of red. Probably the reddest it had ever been. This was even more embarrassing than curtsying in front of Draco, making a scene at Diagon Alley with Pansy, and getting detention in Potions all put together. So I did the only thing I could think of.
"Sorry. I have to go. I'll see you later, guys," I said simply.
And I left. That's just what anyone would naturally do if they had the shyness of a turtle. I swear, my nervous system would've collapsed right there on the spot if I was any more sensitive than I actually am. It wasn't a big decision, really. Ginny called after me once and asked for me to stay but I could tell either Ron or Harry stopped her.
I passed Draco but didn't stop to say anything to him. One of the reasons being he probably hated me since he figured out I was in Gryffindor. But oh, how I was wrong.
I could hear the sound of Draco's footfall, softened by the grass underneath his shoes. I was confused. Since when did Draco chase after a girl? Let alone a girl who just happens to be a Gryffindor. I turned around and sure enough, I saw him jogging up to me. Apparently today was my lucky-in-love day. I was tempted to stop, but I just quickened my pace in an attempt to save any more accidental embarrassment.
I reached the first staircase near the Great Hall that led to the second floor when Draco finally caught up to me.
"Hey," I heard him say as he touched my arm lightly to catch my attention.
I stopped for a moment, that feeling you both dread and love at the same time returning to my stomach. "What are you doing here?" I asked, as I refused to turn around and kept walking up the steps, more slowly this time.
"I saw what you did to scar-head out there," Draco told me.
Thanks for the update, Captain Obvious, I thought bluntly.
I stopped short. I couldn't help it. "And?" I pressed on impatiently.
Draco smirked. "I thought that was pretty cool that you'd do that. Gryffindor or not."
Of course. What else could I expect from the one and only Draco Malfoy? I shrugged sheepishly, not exactly knowing how to react to what he was telling me. "Um, I didn't exactly---"
"Didn't exactly what?" Draco asked.
I paused. "Nevermind. It just happened...unexpectedly, if you want to put it that way," I said slowly.
Draco nodded. "Well the Pitch will probably be empty soon. You wanna go on a broom ride with me for a little while?"
My heart practically stopped. I felt beyond guilty for being able to look him in the eyes and lie about something that matters a lot...well more like looking him in the nose than the eyes. I was much too nervous for that right now. I continued on up the steps, not knowing how to answer his offer. Draco walked right next to me all the while.
The silence was getting kind of awkward and I hoped that Draco wouldn't get bored of me before our next run-in.
I sighed and was about to tell him that I was probably wanted back in the Gryffindor common room when he stopped me again and said, "Look, I've got to meet Pansy and Goyle in a little bit so you want to do it or not?"
I hesitated. Now was my chance. I should've just said "yes" right away in case he changed his mind but then I said, "Well, won't Pansy get mad?"
Draco cocked an eyebrow. "Doubt it," he said. "And besides, who say she has to find out?"
I couldn't resist his especially mischievous side. It made me go weak at the knees so when I lifted my foot to the last step of the staircase, I missed and toppled backwards. Luckily, Draco took me by surprise and caught my oh-so graceful self.
"S---sorry," I mumbled, ashamed of how klutzy I could be.
Draco chuckled. "Er, don't worry about it," he said. "So how about it? If we start walking back now, by the time we get a broom and go to the Pitch, everyone should be gone."
I shrugged. "Um, sounds great. But, uh, I don't know. I don't really like heights that much..."
"C'mon, Bailey. I promise you can hold on to me as tightly as you want."
That did it.
I took a deep breath then flashed him a half-hearted smile, hoping it looked better than I thought. "All right, sure. Why not?"
Draco nodded. "Okay. I'll meet you back at the south entrance of the Pitch soon. I just have to get my Nimbus 2001. It'll only take a couple minutes."
I agreed then walked on alone. And sure enough, Draco was right. The Quidditch Pitch had cleared pretty quickly. There were still a couple groups of people scattered around the spacious field but most of them looked like they were getting ready to call it quits and leave.
No one asked me what I was doing there so I just wandered around for a couple minutes and Draco showed up with his broom like he promised.
"You ready?" I heard him ask.
My eyes lit up. Of course, a chance like this made me forget my nausea and squeamishness...well for the most part anyway. All I could do was nod excitedly.
Draco seemed to be chuckling as he mounted the broom and patted the end part, as if it were some horse drawn carriage. I carefully sat on the stick and smiled at him, a little more nervously this time.
How the heck do you stay on this thing? Unless all the Quidditch players have unbelievably small arses then I wonder...
Draco made sure that I gripped his shoulders or waist tightly as he finally turned forward and kicked off the ground. I could practically feel him smirking as we rose off the ground.
Oh, lordy, I thought as I shut my eyes tightly and held on to Draco as if I'd be burnt at the stake if I didn't.
After ten or fifteen minutes of hovering in the air and zooming around the pitch, Draco looked back at me again and said, "Are you having fun?"
I opened one eye out of courtesy and gulped as I looked down. That was when I realized how high we were off the ground.
"Uhh," I began as I tried scooting forward on the broom. "Y-yeah."
"Are you okay?" he asked me.
I nodded, somewhat shakily. "I'm fine. It's just---I've never been this high on a broom before."
Draco did his weird sort of laugh again, which always seemed to entrance me and offered to go back down to the ground. Half of me wanted him to go flying downward vertically, just so I could get off and lie down in my own bed. But the other half was screaming in my head to say 'no' because I finally got some alone time with him.
And let me tell you: trying to make decisions like that isn't fun.
It sucks.
Muggles: they can't see the pretty little bubble [: -->
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment.
"No. I'm fine. I really like riding with you," I replied. 'Riding with you'? Merlin, please kill me. How weird did that sound?
Draco looked satisfied then zoomed around the pitch for a couple more minutes until I started shivering for two reasons. One was obviously because I felt like I was about to get a heart attack. And the other was because I was beyond freezing. The sun was almost completely behind the trees and curfew would probably be in a couple minutes.
"S-sorry. Um, do you think you could bring me back down? I'm getting cold and I think I have to go finish some stuff in the Common Room anyway," I said.
Thankfully, Draco agreed then slowly brought me back down to the south entrance where I was before we took off.
"We should do this again," Draco said, smirking. "And maybe it'll be nicer out so we'll be able to stay out later."
I nodded and smiled at him weakly. "Definitely."
(I kicked myself for that one when I was back in the common room.)
I was beginning to walk out of the pitch and was about to reach the Entrance Hall when something moving in the stretching shadows caught my attention.
I was tired and was about to pass out. "Man, this better be good," I muttered irritably under my breath as I walked to the left to see what was moving.
Hearing more rustling and careless noise, I rocked back and forth and shifted my weight to either foot, getting ready to break into a run in case it was something dangerous.
"Oh, it's just you." Ron popped out of the bushes. Maybe it was just the way the fading sunlight shone on his face, but I could've sworn he was blushing. "What are you doing here? The try outs ended ages ago."
Ron looked down at his feet and looked dying to ask me something. For some reason, I was half expecting him to ask me out on a date...but let's not be too superficial and get carried away now. This is me we're talking about, here. Besides, I was trying to avoid him and saying "yes" to something like that would be more stupid than throwing one of "Witherwings's" old dead ferrets at Snape's head and blaming it on Professor Binns (which I had a strong feeling Alyson would probably try if I told her to).
Then Ron spoke up again, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Oh, right. Er, I just came back for my Potions book and my broom. He held out a copy of Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage and his fairly new Cleansweep Seven.
"Behind a bush?"
"Of course not. I dropped my wand here." Ron fiddled with the wand in his hand and managed to drop it once more.
I nodded slowly. "Okay... well, I better head in. I'm like, dying out here," I said, trying to get away from Ron and near a garbage can as quickly as possible. I began to hurry in.
"Uh, hold on a second, Bay!" Ron called.
I stopped and walked back to him. "Yeah?"
"Um, since I have my broom now, you wanna go for a ride? I know how much you hate heights but my broom's...different..."
Well it wasn't exactly a date, but there you go.
The look on his face was hopeful...and also sort of made him look like he was constipated. I laughed to myself; Ron was never good at making his "poker face."
But I just couldn't do it. I was ready to fall asleep anyway. And if I said no, I'd be going through with what I've been trying to do pretty well.
I shook my head and gave him a half-hearted apologetic look. "Sorry, Ron. I really need to head inside. Maybe some other time.."
Then I headed inside before I did something else to screw up my night---without a single thought that he could have been watching my trip with Draco the entire night.
