The Raven and the Ginger

Chapter 3

I pull off my covers and slip out of the creaking bed. I head over the dresser and pull out a pair of shorts and a blue t-shirt. I quietly open the door and sneak down the stairs, to the backyard.

I see two figures waiting at the pitch talking and laughing with each other. I shake my head and grab my broom and head over to the two boys.

"Bloody hell, that took you long enough!"

"Shut it Georgie, you don't share a room with your sister that you need to sneak past. She's a very light sleeper you know."

"Believe me I would rather be sleeping right now than helping you two try to best each other over a little accident."

"I'll have you know-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, get on with it." Fred cuts in, annoyed as he kicks off over to the center of the field and I follow in suit.

I face him and he gives me a quick smirk. I return the look and then stick out my tongue. It distracts him as he chuckles and George throws the quaffle, allowing me to duck beneath Fred and zip quickly to the ring on his end. It should be quite simple without a seeker, but unfortunately we agreed to bewitch the brooms to lose control within a certain area near the goal posts, so aim wasn't my friend at the moment.

I get about 50 meters from the post when my broom starts really jerking off its course. I almost lose my balance at the sudden loss of control and drop the Quaffle as I regain my balance. Unfortunately that means my opponent was able to easily regain control. He sped off towards the other side, Quaffle tucked safely under his harm. As least that's what he thought.

With one burst of speed and a poke from behind, the ball fell right into my arms once again. And this time I was prepared and managed to score a pretty good goal.

"Yes!" I shout and swoop over to give George a high-five as I pass him. I look over at a frowning Fred and give him a wink.

He rolls his eyes as he goes to retrieve the ball.

We continue for another twenty-five minutes, or so, the score forty to forty and it has reacently started raining. Hard. I have control of the quaffle, squinting and gripping my handle, I'm zipping towards the post. As I get close, my broom starts lurching harder than normal. I drop the quaffle and as I reach down to grab it and my hand slips. The broom is stick jerking and I manage to get both hands back on, but now my feet are hanging underneath me. I call for Fred or George but there was no way they could hear me though the wind, and no way they could see me through the rain. I realize I couldn't see them either. In fact, I couldn't see three feet in front of me anymore. With the way my broom was acting I wasn't even sure if I was still on the Weasley's property.

Suddenly I feel my leg twist as is forcefully runs into the ground that I thought I was still 20 feet above. I let out a shrill cry as I finally let go and tumbled into a tree. My hair out of its once tight ponytail and stuck to my face from the rain.

After a few minutes of me not being able to stand because of my now ankle injury, thanks to the tree that I flew full-force into, the wind and rain died down and I heard two deep voices calling out my name frantically.

"Adola!"

"Ads!"

I breath a sigh of relief and Stand the best I could and try to hobble coser to their voices. "Freddie! George!" It grabs their attention and they head over near me, battling their why threw the thick grass.

"For Merlin's sake O'Clery! Don't do that ever agin!" George says examining my cuts, and I wince as he accidentally knees my foot.

"Oh yeah, George, this was all part of my plan," I reply and roll my eyes.

He notices my wince at the pressure on my knee and calls down his brother who also looks as, if not more, worried. He doesn't say anything, just scoops me up and starts walking back to their house.

They get inside and he places me down on the couch. He puts two pillows under my hurt leg and goes to get some ice.

"Everyone's still sleeping. You'll have to be quiet if you don't want Mum to find out." George whispers.

"Have a lot of experience with this, do you boys?"

"To much." Responds Fred.

"Well it looks like Fred's got this all undercontrol." George says winking as he heads upstairs, "Don't get up to too much trouble now. I don't want to be kept up all night and I expect Fred to be in his own bed in the morning."

Fred throws the wet cloth he had in his hands at him, "What the hell man? I'm just helping her because she's injured you slimy git."

"Yup. For sure, let's go with that, eh?" George makes that last quick remark before blasting up the stairs before Fred could throw something more life-threatening at him.

"Merlin Fred, just ignore him. He does this all the time." I argue with him.

"I know, I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable." He says softly.

"Fred, you guys make me feel safer than I could be at Hogwarts."

"But, you've nearly died there multi-"

"Exactly. Now get on with whatever you were doing, I have better things to be doing than talking to you, you know." I say teasing him.

"Oh yes, like gossiping with my sister and 'Mione about my flowing red locks." He says running his hand through his hair and grinning.

I smack his arm once again and try to ignore the small cluster of butterflys in my stomach as my cheeks glow red. Thank Godric it's dark in here.

He sits next to me and we sit there in scilence for a few moments.

I jump a bit as I feel his hand on my lower leg and I look over to see his head leaned on the back of the couch, his hair in his face. I could hear his soft snores as he drifts off to sleep and I follow soon after.