Blood on Her Broom
"TAKE THAT!"
Twelve-year-old Ginny hurled the makeshift Quaffle at the hoop. George, the Keeper for the other team, reached out and the cantaloupe grazed his fingers and fell through the hoop.
"YES!" Ginny whooped, pumping her fist in the air. "Fifty-ten to us! We win!"
She high-fived Ron, who was defending the other goal post, while Fred and George looked sour.
"Whatever," said Fred, scowling, with a flip of his hand. "Let's just go inside."
"Sore loser much?" Ginny teased, flying in a circle around him and George. "Come on, Ron, winners get the coldest pumpkin juice!"
They landed in the soft grass of the apple orchard and dismounted their brooms.
"Hey, Ginny," said George slowly, "why is there blood on your broom?"
Ginny looked down. There was a smear of dark red on her broom...right where she had been sitting.
"I'm getting Mum," said Fred, and he ran inside, tossing his broom in the broom shed.
"Are you hurt?" said Ron in a low voice.
"No," said Ginny, confused. "I feel fine."
"What's going on?" came Molly's sharp voice. Fred was leading her into the orchard, and she made a beeline toward Ginny. "What happened?"
She glanced at Ginny's broom and then back to Ginny's face, her eyes lighting up with comprehension. "Oh, my darling's growing up!" she squealed, throwing her arms around Ginny.
All four of them realised it at the same time.
"Ewww," the boys chorused, wrinkling their noses, and Ginny threw them a deadly look over Molly's shoulder. They gulped and went quiet.
"My sweetheart's a woman now!" Molly gushed.
"Mum," Ginny protested, her face turning red. "I'm twelve."
"My grown-up little girl," said Molly, squeezing Ginny tightly, and Ginny scowled.
"I'm going inside," she decided, stalking past Molly.
Her brothers grinned at her as she passed.
"Our little sister –" said Fred, pretending to wipe away a tear.
"All grown up!" finished George, and they went into peals of laughter.
"Shut up," said Ginny, glaring at them.
"Aw, Gin," said Ron, grinning, "take a joke! After all, you're a woman now – eurgh!"
Ginny had pulled out her wand, and with a flick of her wrist the boys were fending off gigantic bat-bogeys.
"Gerroffme!" Ron shouted.
"Ginny!" cried Fred. "Get them off! Get them off!"
"I think one's gone in my ear –"
"There's something in my pant leg!"
Ginny grinned, folding her arms. After all, she was a woman now – and women played dirty.