How to lose at Quidditch, but win at love (Malec AU)

Chapter 3

Alec stood staring at his best friend for a few moments before finding the strength to approach him.

The girl that was sitting next to him was the same Gryffindor girl Jace had been stalking for some time now. She seemed distressed and for a moment Alec felt bad for her. Who knows what Jace might have said or done?

For all the years that he'd known him, Alec could say that Jace was quite the heartbreaker, girls from all houses pined after him, but he rarely reciprocated their feelings. Or rather, he never found them interesting for long.

Suddenly, the girl burst out in laughter and Alec stopped feeling bad for her. Instead he felt jealous that someone else was laughing at Jace's jokes. And how long had Alec been standing here anyway? Shouldn't they have noticed him by now?

Alec began walking towards them, but he heard a sound and stopped. Turning around he saw Magnus Bane approaching and his heart started beating faster.

"I saw you from the window," Magnus said, his breathing irregular and his cheeks red from running.

"And?" Alec asked. This was what, the third time he was meeting Magnus in a single day? They'd never spoken before and now suddenly in a span of less than 24 hours they have met thrice.

"I thought I might ask you for some advice," Magnus pleaded.

"Advice? You mean for the 'duel'?"

"Yes. The truth is I've never played Quidditch before. I don't have good balance on a broomstick. That's why I greatly prefer apparating."

Alec began to feel sorry for the Slytherin. After all, Jace could be a ruthless player. Alec himself was a Keeper for his team and had seen Jace in action from up close.

"I don't really have any advice for you. Just be careful or you might get injured. Jace is definitely not going to go easy on you."

"Oh," Magnus said and looked disappointed. Alec couldn't blame him as he hadn't been able to help him at all.

"I'm sorry," Alec told Magnus and meant it.

"What for?" Magnus seemed perplexed.

"I wasn't any help. But, wait. I have an idea. I think it might work!" Alec said, full of excitement. He started walking and upon realising that Magnus was not following him, turned around and said, "What are you waiting for? Come on."

***

Magnus ran after Alec wondering where they were going.

As they were walking, Magnus tried to stay close to Alec but not too close just so he could get a view of Alec's body.

The Ravenclaw seemed to have an affinity for sports, especially Wizard Archery,* which had toned his muscles.

"We're here," Alec declared with a smile and Magnus raised his head to see where here was.

There was a pond and a grassy meadow and most importantly, no other soul in sight. Even with the sound of birds chirping, Magnus felt as if he and Alec where all by themselves. Alone. Together.

His heart started beating in his chest and he turned to look at Alec, who was grinning in satisfaction.

"Um," Magnus cleared his throat. "What exactly are we here for? I am a busy wizard and can't be wasting my time."

Of course that wasn't completely true as right at that moment there was nothing he'd rather be doing and that fact scared Magnus.

It wasn't that he was new to this. His talent at magic and charming personality had attracted others to him. But after a few failed relationships that had hurt him deeply, he hadn't felt this way again.

Alec was struggling with something, perhaps thinking he had made a mistake.

"I like this place," Alec eventually said. "I come here to practice or when I want to be alone. I thought I could show you some moves, to help you."

"Oh," was all Magnus could say. He'd never expected something like this.

Frankly, Magnus wasn't used to being offered help with anything. Perhaps it was his abilities, perhaps it was his attitude but even his friends would never think to help him in this way. Not unless he asked it of them.

"Look, I may not be as good at Quidditch as Jace and I can't help you win against him but I think that if I teach you a few things, then you will at least not get injured."

Alec looked at Magnus expectedly. "What do you say?"

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Magnus asked, unsure of what he should say.

"I'm sure," Alec said after a moment, not of hesitation but of thinking. Thinking about the question seriously and answering honestly.

"Alright then," Magnus said, accepting the offer.

Alexander smiled and Magnus's heart stop its frantic beating. It just stopped period and made Magnus wonder whether Alec would be the one to hurt him and not his duel with Jace Herondale.

"Have you set a day for the duel?" Alec asked.

"Yeah. It's a week from now." Magnus felt a pang of uneasiness course through him.

"Great," Alec blurted. "I mean, it gives us time to prepare."

A hint of a blush coloured Alexander's cheeks.

"Uh-huh. So, how are we going to go about it?"

"Hmm. I got it! We'll meet here every day right after classes finish."

Alec seemed pleased with the idea and Magnus wasn't going to object to seeing him every day. After all, hadn't he challenged Jace just to get closer to Alec?

"Should we start?" Alec asked with obvious enthusiasm.

"Right now?"

"Sure. Is there a problem?" Alec asked with a confused expression.

"We don't have any broomsticks," Magnus pointed out.

Alec immediately turned red and muttered to himself, "And I knew I was forgetting something."

Magnus enjoyed Alec's embarrassment for a bit before suggesting they go find some broomsticks and come back.

And so the lessons began.

*Wizard Archery: I thought I should keep Alec's Archery skills in this fic but I don't think the Wizard world would be into muggle things like archery. The way I'm thinking, wizard Archery would be kind of like real Archery but with magical arrows. I don't really know how that would work but it won't affect the story in any way so you can imagine it any way you like.

Author's note: This chapter actually took longer than I was expecting. Also I was going to make the whole chapter from Alec's pov but it kinda switched automatically. Hope it doesn't bother anyone. Next chapter expected to be done next week (On Friday most probably)
(^-^)