Pros & Cons

5. The Tryouts

Eerie October mist hung around the castle making it vaguely resemble gothic ruins, with the occasional spire or lit up window breaking through the thick fog. Ron and Violet were walking up the grounds from the Quidditch pitch - they had been doing a last practice before the tryouts tomorrow. Ron had asked Violet to help practice because Harry was busy and Hermione had refused to get on a broom ever since first year. Violet was a decent flyer; she was nowhere near the standard of the Gryffindor Quidditch team but she was good enough to help Ron practice.

They were both laden with mud given that the fog had condensed on the pitch making the mud wet and slippery. The pair had occasionally got distracted from their Quidditch practice to race around the pitch and would try to knock each other off their brooms in order to win - hence the state they were now in. Violet was very aware of her soiled Quidditch uniform because it was Ginny's and Violet knew she needed it for the tryouts tomorrow.

"Gin's gonna kill you, you know"

"Merlin, don't say that" Violet said whilst picking some dry mud from the end of her ponytail. "Do you really think she'll be angry?"

"No - course not. I was only kidding" Ron laughed, bashing shoulders with Violet. "Mostly"

"Oh shut up Ronald" Violet playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow, that hurt" he said, rubbing his bicep.

"Hey, Ron. You know dinner ends in fifteen minutes right?"

Ron's face went pale and his eyes widened. "We can't miss dinner!"

"Don't be stupid, we won't. I'll race you to the great hall." and with that Violet shot ahead and Ron chased behind yelling "cheat!" every so often. They ran up the grassy slopes and across the bridge eventually coming to a stop in the entrance hall, Violet hit the stone and declared herself the winner.

"Yeah whatever" Ron smiled. "Come on then - Harry and 'Mione are already sat down" then Ron wandered into the great hall. Violet hung back a few seconds to catch her breath.

"Didn't peg you as a Quidditch player" a snide voice stated behind her, she turned to see Malfoy leaning against the opposite wall . He looked like a shadow in the poorly lit entrance hall, with his suit blending into the darkness.

They hadn't spoken since their detention and he seemed to be avoiding her avidly for the past month; anytime Violet looked in his direction he would quickly avert his gaze or if she were to walk down a corridor he was in he would turn on his heel and leave.

She couldn't work out why he'd been avoiding her. Granted, she did attack him in detention - but she had a feeling it had nothing to do with that.

Plus he started it.

And the jumper. She knew it was his - it couldn't have been anyone else's. She just couldn't fathom why on earth he would have, not only, given her his jumper but also carried her to the table. Violet had pondered these thoughts for the past month, although she knew she would never ask him.

"I'm not a Quidditch player, I was just helping Ron practice" She walked towards where he was leaning.

"Weaslebee's trying out for the Gryffindor team - that'll be a laugh, I might come and watch" Malfoy jeered, raising his eyebrows.

"Don't make fun of him - he's really good. He's going to make the team" Violet frowned.

"Yeah sure, if you say so"

"I'm assuming you're going for seeker this year?" Violet folded her arms over her front.

"Dropped Quidditch this year. I have more important things to do." He looked down at her and they made eye contact for the first time "Anyway..."