Raven (Fred x oc)

75. Chiaroscuro

"All right!" I called. "Circle up, team." Everyone did as it began to sprinkle. "Alright, we need to get everyone familiar with the plays. Get in the air and let's go." Not five minutes into practice, I had to blow my whistle, shouting, "No, no! Ginny, you do not interfere with the chasers! And Kirke, you do not hit the bludgers at the keeper unless the Quaffle is in range! Ron, block all three at once, not just two or one! Let's go again!"

It was a nightmare and every five minutes or so I had to stop, criticize, and try again. After an hour had passed, I ordered everyone to land and said, "Just go, all of you!" Covered in mud, they all left for the locker rooms to change. I followed slowly after and hid in the captain's office. After I had changed, I went into the common room to find Harry and Hermione talking to Fred and George.

"You okay, Luv?" Fred asked.

"Nope," I groaned, laying my head on his shoulder.

Giving me a sympathetic look, Hermione asked, "Has Ron saved a goal yet?"

"Well, he can do it if he doesn't think anyone's watching him," Fred said. "So all we have to do is ask the crowd to turn their backs and talk amongst themselves every time the Quaffle goes up his end on Saturday." Rolling my eyes, I lightly hit him. Fred got up, forcing me off his shoulder as he moved over to the window and said, "You know, Quidditch was about the only thing in this place worth staying for."

"You've got exams coming!" Hermione retorted.

"Told you already, we're not fussed about N.E.W.T.s," Fred replied. "The Snackboxes are ready to roll, we found out how to get rid of those boils, just a couple drops of murlap essence sorts them, Lee put us onto it..."

"I dunno if I even want to watch this match," George said. "If Zacarias Smith beats us I might have to kill myself."

"George," I scolded.

"Kill him more like," Fred said grimly.

"Fred," I cried.

"That's the trouble with Quidditch," Hermione said. "It creates all this bad feeling and tension between the houses." I glared at her. Seeing both my glare and the glares of Fred, George, and Harry, she exclaimed, "Well, it does! It's only a game, isn't it?"

"Hermione," Harry sighed, exasperated, "you're good on feelings and stuff, but you just don't understand about Quidditch."

"Maybe not," she replied, "but at least my happiness doesn't depend on Ron's goalkeeping ability." She and Harry disappeared with George upstairs, leaving me alone with Fred.

"Did you mean it?" I asked. "Would you really just leave Hogwarts?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "At this point, there are only two things keeping me here."

"What's that?" I asked, lacing my hand with his as he sat back down next to me.

Wrapping his other arm around me, he said, "Well, George and I aren't sure how much more heartbreak my mum can take, for one. What with You-Know-Who and Percy and all. For another...I wouldn't get to see you as often."

"Fred," I said softly. "You should do what's right for you. Not what's right for me. Not what's right for your mum. Not even what's right for George, but for you. With everything going on, we don't know how long we have. As much as I hate to think about it, for all we know we could be dead tonight. That thought horrifies me, but...I can't avoid it. What's important is that you go and live your life. If you can live it the way you want without the rest of this year, then I say go for it."

"But what about you?" Fred asked.

Cupping his cheek, I replied, "Don't worry about me. I know what I want out of life and I know that I need to stay here to get it, but you? You and George can go out there and bring us a little bit of light in all of this darkness. That's always what you've been good at, babe, and if that's what you want to do, then you have my full sup-" Before I could finish, I felt his lips against mine.

Laying his forehead against mine, he said, "Thank you, Val."

"For what?" I asked, blushing.

"Supporting me," he replied, kissing me gently. "Always being there." Looking me in the eye, he said, "I love you, Valerie, so much."

"I love you too," I replied, smiling wider than I ever had in my life. I chuckled as our lips met again.

......................................................................................

The hope and light bubbling in my chest quickly fizzled out by the end of the game on Saturday. Not only did we lose, I got hit twice with a beater's bat...from my own team. I sat curled up in the captain's office with my head against my knees when someone knocked on the door. "Go away," I groaned. Despite this, the door opened. Looking up, I saw that it was Fred, George, Harry, and Angelina. Standing back up, I sighed, "I told you all to go away."

"Val, this wasn't your fault," Angelina said, giving me a hug.

"She's right. It's ours," Harry said. "If we were still on the team-"

"Harry, stop," I interrupted. "I've already forgiven you three."

"Thank Merlin for Ginny," George said. I nodded in agreement.

Before we could keep talking, Ron appeared at the door and said, "I need to talk to you."

"Give us a minute," I sighed. The others all left and Ron came in. I leaned back against my desk, crossing my arms and stating, "No, you can't resign."

"But Valerie," he retorted. "I'm the worse person on the team! I can't save goals to save my life!"

"Yes you can," I countered. "Ron, I know you can do it. You just have no faith in yourself." He opened his mouth to say more, but I snapped, "No, Ron, you can't quit. I don't care what you say to try and convince me."

Once he left, Fred came back in and asked, "Are you going to join us in the common room?"

"No," I sighed. "I need to go see Dad."

"How've your weekly visits been going?" Fred asked.

"Good," I replied. "I think getting to see someone for a bit does him good. Everyone else just flits in and out."

"Well then I won't keep you," he replied, gently kissing my forehead. "Love you."

"Love you too, babe," I replied. "I'll see you later."

"You too," he said.

"Hey Dad," I said, giving him a hug.

"Hey," he replied. "How was the game?"

Letting out a groan, I huffed, "Don't even get me started."

"You lost then?" he asked, handing me a cup of tea.

"Not by much," I said. "Ten points, but that's only because we have good chasers and a half-decent seeker. Our beaters and keeper are not great. But let's talk about something else. Anything else."

"How about Fred," he replied.

"What about Fred?" I asked, blushing as I lowered my head to hide my face over a curtain of hair.

"Is he treating you well?" Dad asked.

"Yup," I said awkwardly. After a pause, I said quickly, "So, anything more from mum?"

"No," he replied.

"Good."