An Unexpected Love

Quidditch

"Harry!" I watched as he turned, looking for where the voice came from
"Oh, hello."
"I've been looking for you. I need advice."
"I was just about to go to the Quidditch game, Ron tried out this year."
"Did he make it?"
"Yes, actually. Not that I doubted him, it's just the other guy who wanted the same position was a little more than equally matched to him."
"Oh. Do you mind if I walk with you?"
"Not at all. What's wrong?"
"Oh, I just wanted some advice regarding some things."
"Like...?"
"Like Snape. He's just- He's kind of creeping me out."
"How so?"
"Well, I mean there was one incident where I think he was alluding towards some things. Like how he knows my aunt."
"He knows your aunt? But isn't she a mud-blood?"
"I don't like that word and you know it Harry!"
"I mean, isn't she not a witch?" He spoke carefully this time, letting his tongue pronounce and feel every word that left his mouth.
"She is not a witch."
"So why would Snape, someone who is not accepting towards... them, know her?"
"I don't know Harry, but I don't like it. I think he's keeping something from me and I don't want to know what."
"Why not?"
"What if he's knows something awful? What if he's working in some secret organization... like- like his?"
"You mean..."
"Yea."
"I don't know about that Alice... I have to go get ready for the game."
"Yea, thanks for listening."
"No problem, bye." Harry gave me a slight one-armed hug and walked towards the locker room
I walked towards the stands and saw several people that I knew, both in Gryffindor and Slytherin. If I sat with Gryffindor, I'd be with Hermione, Fred, and George. If I sat in Slytherin, I'd be with Draco's friends/acquaintances. I chose the first one and sat down by Hermione.
"Hey Alice." Hermione smiled and moved over slightly so I could sit, Fred and George waved at me since their mouths were filled with confectionaries
"How's the pre-game going?"
"Could be peppier."
"Ha. I'd say that peppy is worst than what we have here."
"You're a Slytherin, you hate all things happy." One of the Weasley twins- probably Fred- added into our conversation
"Oh leave her alone Fred, you boisterous bully." Fred smiled at Hermione, a chocolate frog chewed up and melting in his open mouth, "Gross, cover your mouth!" Fred complied and we all turned our attention to the game as it started

Harry flew up with the quaffle and headed towards the goal posts, he dodged various opponents and went to throw it to another team member when Draco tried to steal it away. He rammed into Harry and attempted to throw him from his broom, Harry held onto his broom and the quaffle. Hermione had a look of outrage etched on her face, watching the game commence as Draco just kept beating on Harry. The Gryffindors were up by two and Ron was doing a fabulous job at defending the goal post from the Slytherins. Well, from us. Draco flew towards the goal and threw the quaffle up to hit with the end of his broom. The quaffle then made a bee-line straight towards Ron. Things seemed to travel in slow motion from then on, the quaffle hit Ron in the chest and sent him spiraling towards the ground. Most of Gryffindor stood up and yelled in outrage, some of Slytherin seemed to snicker and be glad for the fall of Ron. Fred and George had to hold back Hermione so that she didn't jump over the railing and to Ron's rescue. Ron didn't stir but stayed still and unconscious with the quaffle ball lying next to him. The nurse put him on a stretcher and he was brought to the infirmary. Hermione ran down after him- the twins and I followed but at a much slower pace. The game continued and another person was substituted into Ron's place.

"Ron, you bloody imbecile." Hermione was at his bedside, attempting conversation when we came in, "It's about time you decided to stop by!" She yelled at his brothers who just shrugged and gave her goofy smiles
"Leave 'em be." Ron coughed, he still was only half awake and half aware of his whole ordeal.
"Bloody Malfoy." Hermione muttered every so often but mostly it was quiet
"Ron, you played a great game." I spoke up attempting to make this little infirmary visit less awkward and sad
"Thanks." he smiled
"Yea you played great."
"Twas bloody brilliant."
And we relapsed into the little cocoon of quiet we had grown accustomed to.

Harry joined us once the game was over and I took my painful leave when he came. My legs were asleep from sitting in the chairs by Ron's bedside. There really wasn't much to watch or talk about since Ron slept half the time and Hermione was doing calculations in her head. The Weasley twins left a few minutes before I did, those lucky bastards. It's not that I don't want to be by Ron and Hermione, it's just that in this situation they bore me to death. Thankfully Harry came and took my place so I could wake up my legs and then hopefully head back to my common house to relax with a good book or maybe just walk around Hogwarts- something that I had yet to do.

I waved goodbye to Ron, Hermione, and Harry then headed on my way. My first stop was to see how high I could go using the staircases. I loved the staircases to be honest, a lot of students hated them especially when they made them late but I didn't mind. They were beautiful and how they suddenly changed reminded me of life. Never knowing which way or which door the stairs could lead you to, you could spend hours on them. Some of the more experienced with the layout of Hogwarts knew little tricks to get the stairs to go where they wanted to when they wanted to but that ruined the fun. I picked a staircase and just slowly walked up its steps, the foot traffic in the halls had increased greatly with the ending of the Quidditch match- everyone who was anyone was out and about with or without their friends. This made my idea of fun a little more tricky since people would get in my way or I'd be pushed from my place on the stairs by the people who were frantically trying to get off or on at their stop. It took me two attempts but I finally reached the door that I was eyeing from the bottom of the case. Jumping off the stairs and onto the platform as the stairs kept moving was some peoples idea of death or my idea of a fun time. I haven't fallen once which says something- either that I've only been here for a couple of weeks (which I have) or that I'm skilled at nearly killing myself but in the end not killing myself.

I jiggled the knob on the door to find it was locked and rolled my eyes in annoyance. Why would a perfectly good room be locked?