Flame || F. WEASLEY

Chapter 23 - Falling

The next quidditch game is later that week. A rainstorm swept through yesterday so the pitch is utterly soaked. At least we won't be flying in the rain.

Grant has been hanging around me more. I'm not sure how I feel about it. He's kind and funny but my heart refuses to skip when I see him waiting outside my class or when he approaches me in the common room. All of my friends like him and they often tease me when he's not around. I know they're hoping I'll get over Fred and honestly, at this point, I am too.

When we drew teams today Grant ended up on my team. I actually got lucky and ended up with a full team, where everyone gets to play in their normal positions. Cedric is our seeker and there's a Slytherin and Durmstrang beater. The other two chasers are younger but still good. We're playing Krum's team, the only one I haven't managed to beat yet.

"Just like old times," Grant bumps my shoulder as we watch the match in front of us. Avianna is playing beater for George's team and I'm a little scared of her. Adora is playing her usual spot on the opposite team and they are having way too much fun trying to knock each other off their brooms.

"Almost," I agree.

A groan from the crowds echoes as Avianna manages to nail one of the other Ravenclaw chasers. She loses her grip on the quaffle and Ginny snatches it, hurtling towards the goalposts. I am grateful not to be a keeper as she expertly dodges bludgers and sends the quaffle sailing past the keeper.

"She scares me a bit," Grant whispers loudly.

"Who? Avianna or Ginny?" I laugh as I look at him.

"Both."

Just then, a cheer ricochets through the stands. Cho is beaming from where she flies on her broom, the golden snitch clutched in her fingers. That officially ends the game and the two teams descend to the pitch.

Grant and I stand and start making our way down, the rest of my team falling in behind us. We pass Fred and his team on the way down, they weren't drawn for either of the first two rounds. He gives me a grin and a thumbs up. I do my best to ignore him.

The other teams are making their way up to take our spots in the stands. I give Avianna a quick high-five and she grins.

"Give them hell out there," she says as she passes.

I nod before descending the final steps down onto the pitch. It doesn't take long for everyone to fall into their positions and before I'm truly ready, the game begins.

The quaffle arcs high into the air. One of the other chasers goes after it. She's young but incredibly fast and nimble on her broom. She easily snatches it before the big Durmstrang chaser even gets close. I shoot before, hurtling towards the goalposts. Our best strategy is to try and score as many points as we can before Krum inevitably catches the snitch. No matter how good our seeker is, they pale in comparison to Krum.

A bludger whizzes past me, barely missing the front of my broom. I glare at the opposite team's beater and out of the corner of my eye, I see the quaffle barreling my way. I pull up, one arm outstretched, and catch the quaffle in the crook of my arm. I speed towards the goalposts, sizing up the keeper.

I pull my broom up in a sharp ascent, climbing almost vertically before plunging back down again. The sun is behind me and the keeper squints as she tries to locate me. She spots me too late as I pitch the quaffle through the center goalpost. Cheers erupt as I pull up to keep from shattering against the ground.

The rest of the game is an interesting back and forth. Krum is having a hard time catching the snitch and his chasers are struggling to get the quaffle past Grant. He grins at me with every blocked goal and cheers with everyone that I score. I do the same whenever he stops a goal attempt.