Title: Broom Race

Rating: T

Pairing(s)/Character(s): Alice Longbottom/Frank Longbottom, Marlene McKinnon/Sirius Black

Warnings: None

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.

Word Count: 655

Summary: Alice and Marlene have a broom race, but something terrifying happens.

Notes:

All Those Characters Challenge: Character Used: Alice Longbottom

Marauder Era Completion: Round 1 – Alice Longbottom has a near death experience

Twister Challenge: Round 11 – Write about a competition

Represent the Character II

The Year Long Story Count Competition

Procrastinators United Competition III

Anything You Can

Feedback: Yes

Alice and Marlene wave at the boys as they walk up to them.

"Are you two going to really do this?" Frank asks.

Alice happily nods. "Marlene and I are the two best female fliers in Hogwarts. It's about time we find out which one of us is the better one."

"And you two will still be friends afterwards?" Sirius asks incredulously.

"Don't worry, Sirius." Marlene lightly touches her boyfriend's arm. "We already said no hard feelings. Whoever wins, wins."

"And it's not too bad being second best," Alice adds.

"Right, so stand back boys and watch us in action," Marlene orders.

Frank and Sirius exchange looks, but they dutifully step away, both of them holding their own brooms.

Alice and Marlene get in the ready position and push off of the ground. Alice looks at her best friend. "Ready."

Marlene says, "Set."

And simultaneously, they say, "Go!"

And they're off. Marlene and Alice had already decided that 15 laps around the Quidditch pitch would be a sufficient race.

Alice smiles, hunching as close to the broom as she can. She feels it picking up speed as she makes herself as flat as possible. The wind whips her long, brown strands around her. Her earrings dangle as she looks behind her, seeing Marlene following slightly behind.

She faces forward again, not wanted her lack of concentration to be the reason she loses.

Quickly, Alice realizes a lack of concentration won't be the reason for her loss. It'll be because her broom goes haywire. It starts shaking and jolting. Alice screams and holds on tight. She squeezes her legs around the handle, trying to keep it from bucking her off of it.

Marlene stops next to her. "Take my hand." She reaches out.

Alice tries to do as she's told, but the broom is making it impossible to slide to Marlene's broom that's floating right next to her. "I can't," she says, holding back tears.

"Frank, Sirius! Help!" Marlene screams.

She can hear two more brooms coming closer, but after a couple of more jolts, the broom goes still. Alice breathes a sigh of relief, thinking that whatever was going on with her broom is over. Her shoulders slump and she smiles at Marlene.

As fast the smile appears on her face, is the speed it's wiped off of it when the broom tilts downward and goes into a nosedive for the ground.

Alice screams, trying to tilt her broom handle up, but it's completely resistant. The ground gets closer and closer to her, and she closes her eyes, waiting for the hard impact.

I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, she repeats over and over in her head.

Strong arms wrap around her and yank her up off the broom. She's held in the air and watches the broom crash into the ground, splintering.

Alice looks over her shoulder to thank her savior. "Frank," she breathes.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

Alice nods.

Frank slides back slightly, and puts her on the broom in front of him, her legs hanging over the side. "What was wrong with your broom?"

She brushes some bangs out of her eyes. "I have no idea." She looks down at her lap, feeling the heat in her cheeks. She shyly looks up into Frank's kind eyes. "Thank you for saving me."

"It was nothing." Franks scratches the back of his head. "Um, I kind have been meaning to ask you something."

"What is it?" She holds her breath, hoping this is what she thinks it is.

"Would you like to go out with me on our next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"I thought you'd never ask." She smiles and kisses his cheek. "I can't wait."

His fingers brush along her cheekbone. "I can't either."

She hears Marlene's exclamation of "Oh, My Goodness" and Sirius's of "About damn time," but both of them are ignored.