Disclaimer: I EDITED this, bc I wanted to... if I remember I will probably edit a lot of my chapters.
INSPIRED BY THIS TUMBLR AU THING
Cheers drowned the crunch of grass under their feet. Aelin was damned if Gryffindor was going to lose to Slytherin. After this, beating Hufflepuff would be easy- she could almost feel the weight of the Quidditch cup in her hands. The whistle blew and she launched off the grass, zipping towards the already sinking Quaffle. A swoosh behind as a player took flight told her Aedion was trailing her.
She ignored him, focusing on the red ball. Below the ball there was a flash of green on a broom. it only slowed to wrap its pointed hand around the Quaffle, allowing Aelin to catch a glimpse of Manon Blackbeak's sneering face. The sick smile didn't last long, Manon hurled the ball to the other side of the field, giving Aelin the chance to dart forward and intersect it. She grasped the ball in one hand, clenching her teeth as she hurled her broom towards the Slytherin goal posts.
Then Aelin rammed into leather and flesh.
A gasp rumbled through the crowd.
The player she had hit crumbled and they began to fall, Aelin's only free hand shot out and clutched the green hood. She yanked them up to see Elide Lochan- Aelin almost felt bad about running into the sweet girl, but if Elide had been darting for the Snitch it was worth it. She brushed her off, gripping the Quaffle under her arm and launched herself at the goal posts. A Bludger howled as it came at her, feet away, Aedion appeared. Holding the bat with one arm, he knocked it towards the sky. Aedion grinned at her from under his mess of golden hair. She grinned back, before tossing the Quaffle to Ansel on the other side of the court. The Slytherin Keeper's head followed the ball, his broom drifting to the far right post. Aelin swooped closer. Her cousin bursted to center field, firing a rogue Bludger in the Keeper's direction, making him drop several feet to avoid it. The Quaffle was returned to her. She flung the ball at the largest post. There was a flash of movement and then Keeper was there. He spun in the air, barely reaching the ball in time to kick it at Manon.
Aelin cursed under her breath, it had been an open shot.
The Keeper hoisted himself back onto his broom, "You're going to have to do better than that Galathynius."
Aelin stiffened, she hadn't thought he knew her last name- only that she was Aedion's cousin, "Go to hell, Whitethorn."
o-0-o
Aedion shifted his grip on his broom, "Damn, I hate Rowan."
Aelin nodded and shrugged, "He's skilled though."
"Not good enough." Her cousin growled. " I'm better."
She huffed a laugh, looking at him from the corners of her eyes, "Not as Keeper."
His eyes narrowed as they drifted to her, "Maybe. But in everything else, I'm the superior."
"Didn't he get better O-levels than you?"
"Yes," Aedion pursed his lips and looked away, "but I've done better than him in other years."
The moment of silence was filled with a rush of wind, the Slytherin chasers were in their brutal flying formation. Faline moved to the right and Aelin darted between her and Manon- The chaser didn't see her in time to halt her pass, throwing it directly to Aelin.
Ansel was on the in midfield left, she tossed the ball over the chasers' heads. She didn't need to look to know Ansel caught it.
Aedion stopped beside her, "Plus- socially, I am also Rowan's superior."
Aelin rolled her eyes and scoffed, watching as Rowan slammed Ansel's shot away.
"What? You don't believe me? The only person I ever see him with is Salvaterre."
"Just because you have more friends than him doesn't mean you're more popular," She said coyly.
Her cousin's pale eyebrows shot up, "What are you implying?"
Aedion knew exactly what she was implying. Rowan was a smart, sarcastic bastard on the odd occasions he actually opened his mouth- but she had never heard anyone deny he was attractive, not even her cousin. And Aelin would never deny it either- not that she had ever considered anything. Aedion would murder them both.
"Your whole rivalry with him is stupid, cuz."
Aedion ignored her and clucked his tongue, "I'll have you know many would say I also win the attractiveness category."
"Oh God." Aelin scrunched her face together, Get over yourself."
His head shot towards her, his eyes widening in a challenge, "What? Do you disagree?"
"I think it would be worse if I agreed, Aedion." she murmured before darting away.
o-0-o
Aedion watched Aelin closely, the last twenty minutes, even as they had been zipping across the field her eyes had been tracing Whitethorn's movements. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, her lips tugging upwards into a signature Ashryver grin.
Aedion's eyes widened, "Aelin.." he started.
The grin still contorting her features she looked back at Rowan.
"What are you planning?"
Aelin didn't reply before darting across the field.
o-0-o
Rowan flexed his grip, the leather gloves squealing against his broom's handle. He stayed in the range of his middle post- after the trick, at the beginning of the match, the Gryffindors' had played he never abandoned a goal. He took care to keep one eye on Ashryver's little cousin. She was the dangerous one. Wicked fast, and with Aedion constantly protecting her from Bludgers, Rowan was the only line of defense to stop her. Ashryver's cousin, Aelin, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. He would have tested her name on his tongue if he wasn't keenly aware of the crowds dancing eyes. Rowan's attention drifted back to her, only to find her staring back. She was on the opposite end of the field, but he could swear he saw her eyes glint. Heat crept up his skin on the nape of his neck. A wild grin grew on her face before she zipped away and Rowan lost her in the rush of players.
Faline held the Quaffle in one broad hand just at her toes, it was a classic technique that allowed her to do short passes quickly and maneuver the ball away from any opposing chasers who wished to snatch it. Something red flickered against the green plane below him, Rowan shifted to find Aelin looking up at Faline from the ground. Then the girl shot straight up, pulling herself tightly to her broom. Rowan didn't think to warn Faline before Aelin whizzed passed her. When the blur cleared, the Quaffle was gone.
Shit.
He stood on his stirrups, readying to dart in front of any post but couldn't find Aelin. And then he glanced up. Aelin was plummeting right at him, the Quaffle held under her arm- she was falling way too close to the post for her to have a good shot- she was aiming for him. His eyes widened, in the hallways, she always walked an insufferable swagger but anyone who played Quidditch with her knew how pissed and ruthless she could get, kicking, elbowing, punching, and ramming. She had tried to score goals before by just shoving the Keeper aside and flying through the loop.
Rowan only gripped his broom tighter, refusing to move. He didn't move even when she came right at him. Her foot flinched as she activated its break, bringing her broom to a halt in front of him. He didn't know if it was his own delusion or reality, but the stadium went silent. Aelin delicately drifted towards him, until her right side was aligned with his left. He ignored the now undeniable gleam in her eyes and looked down at the Quaffle in her right arm, he was fully blocking her from scoring. He swallowed and looked up, not finding any of the anger he expected in her eyes.
The wind made her cheeks and nose a blistering red and had whipped her hair away from her face. Rowan's eyes darted around her for signs of her intentions but her gaze never left his. Aelin's mouth twitched upwards and she leaned forward, her free hand brushing his. The pounding in his ears got louder, and then completely vanished when her lips brushed his. A low breath escaped him as they parted and Aelin pressed herself closer to him. Her eyes fluttered closed. Her teeth caught his lower lip and his eyes shut, hand darting up to pull her chin closer. Something in his gut fluttered at how soft her lips were. He slid his fingertips into the hair just above her ears. She shifted beside him and a familiar sound echoed across the field. His eyes shot open, Aelin's hand left him and she moved her lips away. He glanced at the ear to ear wicked grin on her face, he glanced down at her hands, now free from the Quaffle she had held. He twisted to see behind him, ignoring the crowd. The scoreboard read the small wooden board:
Gryffindor Slytherin
10 0
Aelin chuckled harshly, "Was that better Rowan Whitethorn?"
Rowan's gut still felt like he was falling but he grit his teeth, "You brat."
She smiled sweetly and kissed the air in front of him before darting away. He watched her leave, his heart still thundering under his leather uniform. The butterflies remained in his stomach- it was the first time in a long time that any kiss had made him feel this weak, he just wished someone would punch him in the stomach- or the face, anything to cover the jittery-ness in his bones and organs.
He looked across the field for that blonde haired demon, instead, finding another. Aedion's stare was a promise of pain and suffering, made extra ominous with the lead-heavy bat he clutched in his white knuckled fist.
Shit. Rowan was in such deep, unending shit.
o-0-o
After the kiss, every time Gryffindor shot they scored. Thirty more minutes in, they were guaranteed the win, still, their seeker catching the snitch didn't hurt. Before Aelin met her cheering team on the ground, she flashed a grin at the silently hovering Slytherin team, earning vulgar gestures from the Blackbeaks.
Aelin was still grinning when her feet hit the grass, she was met with a surge of sweaty, scarlet clad bodies. Above the heads, Aedion was hanging back, glaring at Rowan who had just reached the ground with his team. Rowan turned, his eyes darting across to her, she smirked and kissed her hand, blowing it towards him. He bared his teeth at her, before following his team through the green curtains.
Once the excitement had died down and she was able to emerge from the crowd, Aedion was gone. The Gryffindors marched to the castle, some on a mission to snag food and butterbeer from the kitchens first before they returned to the common room for the celebration. Aelin would have joined them but was still in her gear and she didn't know if she could make it to the dorm with her tired bones, much less the kitchen as well. Her team mates had gone in early to change, leaving the changing room empty and bare. She stripped from the sticky leather and pulled on her Hogwarts robes. Tossing the whole mess into her bag, not bothering to clean her broom- she would do that tomorrow. There was a pound on the wooden door that led to the castle. She jumped, stuffing the last cloth in the bag and zipping it. It was probably Aedion at the door.
She threw the bag over her shoulder, "Come in."
The door opened, revealing a tall athletic silhouette. She squinted against the harsh light from the hallway. The man was only an inch too tall to be Aedion and was made recognizable by the choppy, pale hair that was almost translucent in the light. The straps of his Quidditch gear that she had felt under his cloak were still wrapped around him. Muscled arms were crossed over his broad chest; he stepped into the room, ducking his head under the door frame. Those lips were twisted into a harsh line.
Aelin just smiled. He took another step forward and closed the door behind him.
Aelin crossed her arms, "Yes?"
"What was that?" Rowan's teeth gleamed in the dim light.
Aelin sighed and leaned against the wall, "Strategy."
His hand clenched.
Aelin closed her lips into a small smile and examined her fingernails, "It worked surprisingly well."
The silence was his only prompt to her to speak.
She let her temple rest against the cool wall so she could read his expression fully, "I knew I was good, but not that good."
Rowan's eyes flickered to her smile, "It was unexpected."
She arched an eyebrow, rising higher when a tinge of red reached his high cheeks.
"You get kissed randomly and see how you take it."
Aelin snorted and rolled her eyes, "Well I wouldn't be awestruck for the entire match- and let every shot in."
"Is that so?" his eyebrows flicked upwards.
"Yes."
"Oh?" Rowan stepped closer to her, "So if I were to kiss you, right now, you would just walk away normally?" a rare grin ghosted his features.
"Yes."
"I must warn you I've had lots of practice."
She scoffed, "Didn't seem like it. All you did was sit on your broom in awe" her smile grew, "for the entire game."
Rowan sneered and took another stride towards her, "It was unexpected."
Aelin sighed, Sure.
Rowan stepped close enough she had to tip her head back to meet his eyes, "I assure you," he breathed, "that if I were to kiss you, you would be in awe for the entire night."
Aelin moved so there was only a hairsbreadth between them. Her body buzzing for another brush of his hand on her cheek.
Rowan stooped his neck and Aelin raised herself on her toes to meet him. His breath brushed her lips, she could hear his powerful heartbeat thundering. Rowan's finger brushed over her waist, slowly, he moved closer, their brows now pressed against each other. His eyes were fixated on hers, his pupils darting around her irises in search of something.
Rowan's lips brushed hers. Aelin moved her hands up to feel his chest, but his teeth nipped at her lip as if scolding her, a breath whooshed out of her and she braced her hands back on the wall. It wasn't the hard kiss she wanted, his lips were feather-light, taunting like this was payback. They were the same lips she had kissed an hour before but it was different when she wasn't focusing on not falling off her broom. Aelin's heart skittered, she craned her neck, parting her lips, begging for him to deepen the kiss. Rowan didn't, his fingers tightened at her waist and he drew her away, somehow managing to wink before strutting out the changing room.
Shit.