The Hufflepuff Princess

Chapter 32: Images and Courses

Rose yawned as she walked towards the quidditch pitch, her eyes blinking in a sleepy stupor and shivered. Today was the day she trained with the team, as she trudged towards the pitch alone she gazed at the sky. She decided to wake up before the team to get some practice and settle her nerves. She sighed loudly before she heard a twig snap behind her, her nerves already fried she hopped on her broom about to fly off. A hand grabbed her, clinging to her and falling onto her broom. However just before she twirled around a scared shout echoed.

"DON'T SPIN! It's me! Draco!" Rose contemplated spinning anyway but fought the urge, hovering in the pitch she turned her head to see a startled Draco. She would have laughed had she not been so eager to know why he decided to follow her and grab her alone. Draco was pale white, his robes rather frumpled and his hair messy from the breeze. Rose stated in a low voice, "Give me one good reason not to fly towards the Whomping willow right now." Draco's head snapped towards her as she held her broom ready to lean forward to shoot at Willow, "Wait! Don't!" Rose positioned herself before Draco shouted at the top of his lungs, "I'M SORRY!" Rose froze in her actions looking at Draco, "What?" Draco seemed to open a valve, spewing every word he seemed to hold back.

"I'm sorry for calling you a mudblood! I shouldn't have been such a complete jerk. You were nothing but kind to me when everyone else hated me. You didn't care about who I was but who I am, I'm sorry." Rose sat in surprise as Draco took a breath and looked at her, "You were nothing but a good friend to me. I pushed you away." Rose lowered her broom to the ground, she looked at Draco before she hugged him, "I forgive you." Draco looked relieved and surprised before returning the hug, "I do want to be your friend." Rose smiled brightly and nodded, "Then we'll always be friends, right?" Draco nodded with a smile before he left but not before he wished her, "Enjoy your practice Rose." Rose watched as he ran off before she flew into the air and released her practice snitch. She began to dart around, catching and releasing the snitch over and over again before someone else grabbed it, "Hello there Rose!" Rose smiled brightly towards Cedric who beamed back, "Trying to take my spot there Park?" Rose laughed as she reached for the snitch, "Better keep sharp Diggory!" Cedric laughed before the team launched into a practice match, Rose teamed with her fellow chasers. The rush of dodging fellow teammates made her soul bloom as she twirled away from them to the hoop. However the keeper flew up and blocked it perfectly resulting in Rose to cheer, "Nice one!" 

"Alright team! I'd say that was excellent practice! Now, all we need to keep in check is spacing between catchers. Rose, you are doing well but make sure you can always throw that quaffle to a teammate. You're flying too far and fast to get out of a tough situation." Rose nodded, listening to Cedric guide the team as she smiled. Cedric had stood out this past week as an excellent leader, even the captain sat on the side as Cedric naturally stepped in. Cedric lightly pushed Rose as he snickered, "Why are you staring at me?" Rose rolled her eyes as she smiled, "Just watching you talk with that thing in your teeth. Good for you on being confident though." Cedric's smile disappeared as he began to feel around with his tongue, causing Rose to laugh and run with her broom. Cedric realized she lied and chased her all the way to the common room, narrowly avoiding running into first years who scattered seeing the lanky Cedric barreling towards what looked like one of them.

Alice leaped out of the way when the two raced around, "What the bloody hell is wrong with you two?!" Rose snickered, "Cedric is cranky because I told him he had something in his teeth." Cedric reached over the couch causing Rose to squeal and rush into her room as Cedric shouted about how she, "Can't stay in there all term!" Alice could be heard asking, "Is there something in your teeth?" Before she burst into laughter as Cedric shouted, "No!" Rose snickered as Cedric began to fuss at Alice for laughing as she only stated, "You care about your looks so much that something in your teeth makes you chase someone from the pitch to the dorm! That's hilarious Cedric!" 

Next week:

Easter Holiday had started, Rose was enjoying some time with Alice and Cedric. The trio were enjoying their small break from the flood of classes, but Rose and Alice had something new to think about. Both of the second years had been given a list of extra classes, and were told to pick at least two from the list. Alice was enjoying asking other students what they thought about them, while Rose decided to research and ask Cedric about his courses. He explained his enjoyment of caring for magical creatures and ancient runes. 

"Have you decided yet, Rose?" Rose sighed as she looked at the long paper, there were tons of courses. She decided to state what she decided not to do, "I'm not going to take Muggle Studies, I mean, I live with my parents, and they are muggles. I certainly don't want Arithmancy, math is horrible in the muggle world, imagine a wizarding world one." Rose sighed before she chose Care of Magical Creatures, "I mean, it would be fascinating to learn about the animals in potions and around the wizard world." Rose was fighting over the choice of Divination or Ancient Runes. Alice flopped into the chair next to Rose as she sighed loudly, "Have you figured what you're going to take Alice?" Alice leaned dramatically against Rose, earning a chuckle from Cedric and Rose, "I have asked so many people. Barely anyone knows what to choose." Rose lightly pushed her off before she looked at her paper, "Divination?" Cedric suddenly groaned loudly, "You believe in that rubbish?" Alice glared at him stating, "It's not rubbish. Besides, from what I learned from everyone else, it's the easiest course to take. What about you Rose?" Rose smiled before she wrote down her final decision, "I'll choose Divination too. At least I'll be with my friend right?" Alice smiled brightly as Cedric wished them luck, "Be ready to second guess everything." Alice rolled her eyes, "Whatever Ced." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello my stars,

I'm sorry for the delay. I just had a friend move away as well as celebrated my grandmother's birthday! I hope everyone is doing well.

I love all of you, thank you for your continued support!

Love,

S.R