Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, and the last line is from the song 'Running From Lions' by All Time Low. I guess that's the inspiration for this little oneshot. Enjoy!
The Lion and the Snake
"Do you think Wood will let me off training this week?" Bell asked her friend as they walked across the edge of the pitch, along the partition of the stands. Goyle smirked. Unlikely.
"Hopefully," the other one answered, but her tone already seemed flat with defeat. He didn't know her name; he hadn't bothered trying to remember the ones of the other players. Only Katie's repeated in his head, like a continually circulating notion. He stood behind the wall of the changing rooms, listening intently to the conversation brewing just a few metres away from him now. He leant against the solid grey stone, trying to hide his bulky frame whilst still positioning his ear to catch the remnants of the girl's voice as they bounced between the side of the building and the towering face of the Quidditch stands. The crisp, fresh air meant that sound travelled easily to his ear, and the calm of the early morning was broken only by his excited, heavy breathing and the pair conversing at the opposite end of the outbuilding.
"Is it really getting worse?" the other was saying, her tone concerned. Goyle didn't hear a reply from Katie, so he assumed that she had nodded her head in response to her friend's question. "Well don't worry; I'm sure it'll get better after a couple of days. You'll be fine."
Goyle braved a sneak peek around the corner. The friend was squeezing Katie's shoulder comfortingly as she was looked down at the grass under her feet, her dark, wavy hair falling across her cheek and obscuring his view of her face. They were standing only a few metres away, and he watched them with a gleaming interest, like a cheetah eyeing its prey. He didn't care about the other girl; only Katie Bell, his delicious looking meal. The predator comparison suited him- always watching, always waiting, silent in the shadows as he hid behind the rock. He was an eagle, and he had turned his attentive eye to a large prize. Katie certainly counted as that.
She flicked her hair, and the light reflected off her curls and shone into his eyes for a split second. He blinked involuntarily, not wanting to lose sight of her for even an instant.
"Come on, let's head back to the castle," the other said, gripping Katie's arm firmly and turning in Goyle's direction towards Hogwarts. Goyle withdrew his head immediately. Time to fly. He walked, but realising he could not slip around the opposite side of the building, doubled back, just as the Gryffindor's emerged from the shaded pathway. He crashed straight into them, and sent her friend staggering sideways as she took the brunt of his force, whilst Katie herself was shoved roughly backwards and almost collided with the barrier of the stands behind her.
Goyle was not about to apologise, even though there was a gaping opportunity to redeem himself, so the two adversaries simply stared at each other. There they were, the eagle and his prize, the lion and the snake.
"What are you doing?!" Katie croaked angrily, her voice showing signs of sickness now that she raised her volume. She glared up at him with a fuming expression, waiting impatiently for an answer. Goyle didn't give her one, but leered at her with his attempt at a friendly smile. Clearly he had been impersonating Malfoy much too intricately. The truth was, he didn't trust himself to speak, and he very much enjoyed being the centre of Bell's focus, even if looked at in a bad light. She glowered up at him, brave even from over a head below, and let out an exasperated cry. "Get your fat arse out of my way, Goyle," she spat, pushing him potently. Goyle was forced to step backwards, but didn't move out of the way.
"Thought you were strong, Bell," he mocked, sniggering.
"Come on Kay, let's just go," the other one said, tugging on her friend's arm, but Katie refused to budge.
"You can talk, following Lord Malfoy around like a dog. I reckon there's no strength in your bones, just mounds of blubber backing them up."
"Katie, let's go," her friend cut in, pulling her arm more urgently. "He's not worth it."
Goyle stared down at her, taking in her burning scowl and her curved mouth and her arched eyebrows, and began to realise why he had started spying on her two months ago.
"Shut up," he said, feebly at best.
"Make me," she counteracted sharply, her hand flying to the pocket of her robes and whipping out her wand. She aimed it at his forehead, a slight smile curling up her lips for the first time. "Three…two…"
The end of Katie's wand twitched, and Goyle knew he had lost the fight. He stumbled backwards fretfully, raising his hands slightly in an effort to stay her hex. Then he turned on his heel and ran across the grounds towards the castle's entrance, shielding the back of his head in case she decided to fire a curse at him anyway. He swore he could hear her roaring triumphantly behind her. He was a coward, and the snake was slithering away as always. When would he ever be able to talk to her again? Even if she'd jinxed him, he'd probably have had an extra five minutes in her presence.
Running from lions never felt like such a mistake.
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