𝓓𝓸𝓾𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓓𝓮𝓿𝓸𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 - [EDITING]

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓢𝓲𝔁𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓷

When we get to the Pitch, the Hufflepuffs are already in their robes and tossing a Quaffle back and forth. I cast a glance towards them, sizing them up, as I make my way to the locker room. The Keeper doesn't look like too big of a threat, I decide. Their Seeker, however, looks good, just like Fred said. In both senses of the word.

I'll just have to score a lot of points and trust Harry to catch the Snitch early on. He's done it plenty of times before, I've watched it, so I know he can, yet jitters pool in a lump in my throat. I've played Quidditch matches galore, but never a real match. Never one with so many spectators, so many hopeful students cheering me on to help take Gryffindor to the house cup. I can't blame Harry for not eating. My dinner taunts me with the threat of a reappearance.

"You're looking Ogg-ly pale." Fred bumps my shoulder with a snicker.

I roll my eyes, not in the mood for the Oggy jokes again. Why can't they just call me Gwen like everyone else? "Yes, well you're looking Fred-fully cocky. Maybe lay off the ego for a match."

George gives me a high five. "Brilliant!"

"You wound me," Fred whines, but I can tell he's secretly proud of my quick-witted banter.

I shake my head and open the door to the locker room for them. A wall separates the girls from the guys, with a sharp turn to prevent anyone from being exposed. I go to the right and leave the boys to go left.

Katie is missing, but Angelina is already there, fastening her shoes. She looks up and smiles to me as I walk in.

"Hey Ang," I say while hanging my school robe in my cubby and shrugging the scarlet Quidditch one on. "How was Hogsmeade last night?"

She shakes her head, shrugging in a false nonchalant manner. "It was fine, why do you ask?"

I pause to give her a knowing look. "Don't be like that! I saw the hand holding. Who is he?"

"Hand holding?" Katie waltzes into the locker room and puts a hand on her chest as if to say 'scandolous.' "Do tell!"

Though the girl is a year younger than Angelina and I, she and the other girl had made a strong bond in their years of Quidditch together. One that I only half fit into.

Angelina shies away, a grin on her face. "His name is Malcolm Lufkin. He's a Hufflepuff and a sixth year."

Katie and I 'oooooh' in sync and abandon our actual purpose for being in the locker room.

"How'd you meet?" Katie asks.

Angelina's smile widens. "Well, he wants to be a Healer, so he was helping Madam Pomfrey when I'd gone up after one of the twins accidentally cut my pinky off in Charms while preforming the Severing Charm and he helped put it back on."

She sighs romantically and hugs her broom to her chest while dancing around the room. I remember the incident in question, but I'd assumed the distant look on her face when she'd returned was due to the trauma of having her finger chopped off. Seems now like snogging might have been a factor as well.

"What does he think about us playing his House? Who's he going to be cheering on?" I ask while struggling to get my thick hair into a ponytail. "Either way it kind of disrupts the whole Hufflepuff loyalty thing."

"Gwen!" Angelina smacks my arm playfully. "Of course he's going to be cheering on his House..."

I wave my hands as if telling her to go on. "And... is there more to that sentence?"

She only giggles in reply, skipping out onto the Pitch.

Katie and I share an amused look, eyebrows raised. I grab my broom with an eyeroll and follow her out, but freeze at the door when I hear my name coming from the boys side of the locker room.

"...knew it was a date?" Oliver asks. "I think she really enjoyed it anyway. Does she fancy anyone?"

"Wait, you're saying you think she likes you? And that was a date?" George's voice says.

"Tough luck, mate," Fred adds. "Gwen doesn't fancy anyone."

"Hate to break it to ya."

"But she certainly doesn't fancy you."

"That why you put her on the team?"

"Cuz you fancy her?"

"Not gonna work."

"Gwen isn't that kind of girl."

"She's not one to fall because of," Fred joins George in for the last bit and they say in sync, "close proximity."

"Oh." Oliver falls silent. "Tough luck for you two, huh?"

I don't stay to listen to anymore.

The moment I step outside, wind harasses me, trying to tug my hair free of its band. A crowd has begun to assemble in the stands, umbrella laden and wrapped up in woolen scarves. Squinting up at the sky, I can see the appeal and pull my scarlet robe tighter around me. My mind whirls in time with the air rushing by.

Not long after, the boys join me and leave me no time to ponder their words. Oliver claps his hands together.

"Alright team!"

Let the pep talk commence.