Echo of You

Chapter 22: A Game to Remember

 Being back at Hogwarts wasn't as fun as Lily had hoped it would be. Now that she has seen what it is like to be a part of a wizarding family, she never wanted to leave. Having returned to school everything became droll, the same classes every day, things began slowing down just a bit, mostly reviewing for their end-of-year exams. They reviewed most of what they did in the first two quarters and wouldn't touch new material for another few weeks.

The only thing splitting up the boring routine is the occasional quidditch match. Though the games aren't too entertaining, at least that is until the Gryffindor Ravenclaw game.

Sitting in the library, Lily squeaks as a paper pigeon hits her in the face. Her friends glance at her as it falls onto her book. Reading it she begins packing up all of her things, hugging Draco around his shoulders and passing her bag off to Ari before making her way to the quidditch pitch.

Arriving she sees Harry and the rest of the quidditch team. Harry wanted her to come to watch their practice with his new broom, unaware that the others would be there Lily pauses, nervous about intruding. Harry hugs her and Oliver Wood welcomes her, "We love an audience, don't we team?"

The others agree, Fred and George throw their arms over her shoulders. "Yeah! We need you to tell us which is the better beater." "Well, obviously it's me." "Ha! You wish, it is so me." "Yeah well, I'm taller!" "I'm handsomer!" "Handsomer isn't a word!"

Oliver shoves them towards the pitch, "Take it to the skies boys, knock it off." The red-heads take off into the air and Oliver points out where she could sit in the stands.

Walking up to the stands she sees Ron and Madam Hooch watching the Gryffindor Team take to the skies. Looking up at the approaching girl, Ron's smile melts off his face.

He doesn't glare at her but Lily can tell this isn't an excited expression. Feeling small under his gaze she gestures to the empty seat beside him, "Can I sit here?"

He relents with a nod and she perches with him, careful of his reaction. They do not speak as the Gryffindors begin their practice. Watching Harry zoom all around the pitch, his steep dive has Alicia Spinnet screaming and Lily grabbing Ron's arm, gasping before holding her breath. Ron watches her face as Harry sharply veers back up safely.

He is aware of how warm her hand is on his arm, the way her eyes shine with a worried shien. When she sighs in relief he cannot help but gaze at her parted lips. His ears burn with embarrassment as she releases him. Her quiet apology is unheard as his heart pounds in his ears. Most of all he feels confused, never in his life has he felt this way. He doesn't like it. Rubbing his arm he tries to remove the lingering feeling of her palm.

Lily doesn't see the confused look on his face or the way he glances back and forth between her and the pitch. Wood releases the snitch and she is very drawn to the multiple ways in which Harry catches it.

Harry makes a move that leaves Lily enthralled. "What was that?" She says it out loud but doesn't expect much of an answer.

Ron blinks, taken aback. "Uh, that was a Sloth Grip Roll," he mutters.

Lily nods thoughtfully. "It looked impressive."

Ron's annoyance begins to wane. He always thought that some Slytherin who would be friends with Malfoy wouldn't be very interested in talking to a 'blood traitor' like him. "Yeah, it's a defensive maneuver. Keeps you from getting hit by a Bludger." He pauses, noticing her genuine interest. Maybe, just maybe, this could be a way to bridge the gap between them. His love for Quidditch was boundless, and here was someone who might listen. His family knows so much about it that anytime he tried to tell his parents anything about it one of his brothers had already told them. She doesn't seem to know much about it at all but, she seems to want to.