Quidditch Robes Make a Girl Look Fly
Why is it that there is nothing more tantalizing than a woman drenched in mud carrying a broomstick?
Chapter 1- A Well Founded Addiction
"And the crowd goes wild! Izar Freedmen scores again bringing Gryffindor to 110 points!" Constance McLaggen bellowed from the announcers box, her usually prominent baritone voice lost in an onslaught of cheering from the stands around her. Seconds latter, now more audible as the crowed stilled, she added, "What a brilliant pass! And ladies that's not the only thing Freedmen brilliant at if you know what I mean! Why just last nigh-"
"MCLAGGEN", barked Professor Quibang, the graying Care of Magical Creatures teacher, from the stands.
"Oi Professor, just stating facts here! I mean look at that backside…" McLaggen chortled.
"That is quite enough McLaggen. This is a-" Professor Quibang started but was cut off by a collective gasp and McLaggen yelling, "Merlin's left sock! Quincy J. Ollivander has taken the quaffle and broken away from the fray with a tremendous lead. This is what we have been waiting for all night! Hufflepuff has been playing a solid game but this is stepping it up a notch. I'd be feeling rather nervous if I were Gryffindor keeper, Robert Abbot. And here comes Hufflepuff's Vladimir Gilbert to assist Olivander with the bludgers. He sends one at Abbot who doges it and the second…"
But McLaggen never finished the sentence because a sickeningly dull thud of something hard hitting flesh resonated throughout the pitch. Gilbert hovered for a half second stiff on his broom before his body slackened and shuddered. His shoulder seemed to crumble and Gilbert's good arm came up to brace the aching shoulder as his broom veered to the side dangerously. A sharp whistle blew.
"Injury," came the gruff call of Professor Krum who was already halfway across the pitch to assess the situation at hand. Fellow Hufflepuff beater Jasper Caillat quickly came to help his wounded teammate to the ground as McLaggen began to adamantly shout about the prospects of Hufflepuff's game after such an injury.
The pair of beater had barely touched earth when Madam Barbous the schools mediwitch hurried to their side.
"Oh heavens me, the collarbone is snapped for sure," She spouted, her wand making quick work of getting the injured Gilbert into a hovering stretcher. "I'm taking Gilbert to the hospital wing right way!"
Struggling to right himself, Gilbert winced, "I can still play… I just need I moment, I swear."
"Don't be an idiot Vlad," Jasper argued, "You nearly fell off your broom just now; you need to rest. There is no way you can swing a bat with your shoulder mangled like that."
"But the game-"
"Vlad go lay down, knock back a glass of skelegrow, and get some beauty sleep," Benjamin Branstone Hufflepuff's captain told the beater after one look at Vlad's shoulder. By this time all of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team had surrounded their fallen Conrad, looks of concern evident on each face.
"Rosie has been practicing with us all month in case Stewart couldn't get out of detention she'll do fine," Benjamin Branstone decided.
"But Stewart's a seeker," Vlad protested, "Rosie has not been practicing beating."
"With the number she did not John Hinling last year, after he called her a teachers pet, I imagine she'll do just fine," Nikki Joans the Hufflepuff keeper said encouragingly, "And this time we'll give her a bat. Those blunder don't stand a chance."
Vlad made a second attempt to right himself but the captains restrain him, "Vlad I am serious about this, I need you in fighting shape for our game against the Slytherins. Jasper go fetch Rose from the stands and Nikki grab your spare set of robes from the locker room."
The two Hufflepuff players took off in opposite directions to complete their tasks as Benjamin Branstone explained the roster substitution to Professor Krum. Rose had watched the whole proceedings with avid interest from the stands but when Jasper arrived she visibly paled and shakily clambered onto the broom with the Hufflepuff beater.
"What did Madam Barbous say? Is Vlad going to be all right? Are you sure Will shouldn't be put on instead of me? He is a lot bigger that I am and-" Rose began to question her broom companion. She had a habit of saying too much too fast when she was nervous and the combination of her worry for Vlad and her lack of confidence in her beating skills were not helping the situation.
"Rose Weasley, buck up! You'll be brilliant and once we demolished the Gryffindor's you can visit Vlad and cry at his bedside."
They reached the team and black and yellow robes were thrust at Rose, who clambered to put them on.
Overhead McLaggen was narrating the roster alteration, "And in a surprising change of events Hufflepuff's very own Rose Weasley will be replacing Gilbert as beater. Now for those of you who have been living under a rock and don't know Rose Weasley, crack open a history book! Her parents kicked The Dark Lords arse, her uncle's Harry Potter, and her family big enough to populate a small country. How she got into Hufflepuff we'll never know! But Weasley's been on the second string of Hufflepuff's Quidditch team for two years and recently she's been highly favored as Hufflepuff's go to substitute player, though I don't know why. Last match against Ravenclaw she replaced Alfred Beckem as chaser but didn't score a single goal. Let's hope Weasley is less abysmal as a beater if Hufflepuff expects to make up the gap between their 70 points and Gryffindor 110 points."
Rose now adorned in the proper gear was handed a spare bat by Jasper.
"Listen here Rosie," Jasper said as he pulled her aside, "Square up. Being a beater is all about swagger. Take your air space and keep it, doesn't matter it the other guy is bigger so long as you are there first. You got it?"
"Yeah," Rose affirmed but her answer seemed hesitant.
"Alright let's crack some skulls," Jasper hooted, cuffing Rose in the shoulder with such force that it sent her back a few steps. Team members began to mount brooms and take positions.
Rose kicked off the ground and steadied herself, as she got accustomed to the weight of bat in her hand. Sweat greased her palms; she hated the feeling of hundreds of eyes following her and expecting her to perform. She was certain of her flying skill and relished the sensation of pushing her endurance to its limits but she felt such distaste of the stakes of the game. It seemed like however well she did she always came up short. After all her aunt Ginny played on Holyhead Harpies and Rose was just a 4th year who hadn't even gotten a permeate position on the Hufflepuff team.
Rose closed her eyes to calm her nerves and heard the starting whistle blow. Blinking open, the world came into sharp focus, the game speed up around her, and all her insecurities were wiped away with the need to play Quidditch.
Taking off after the closest bludger she cornered it and with a crisp thwack that caused her heart to skip a beat she sent it hurtling towards the Rodger Abbot who had to duck to avoid a collision. She felt the burn of her shoulder muscles, unused to the strenuous swing motion, and the wind in her hair as she maneuvered around a pair of chaser. The roar of the crowds and saucy commentary of McLaggen seemed to drift away and suddenly the only important thing was the fourteen players in the air and four balls.
A half hour later Gryffindor had scored once more but then Hufflepuff racked up two consecutive, well-executed, goals by Quincy and Ben. Once Rose had managed to nearly unseat Marcy Swade one of the Gryffindor chasers who dropped the quaffle in her hast to stay on the broom. Pivoting to survey for the second bludger Rose was startled to find the snitch a meter in front of her. She blink stunned for half a second and then on impulse reached out and nearly touching it before recoiling as she reminder herself that only seekers were aloud to touch the snitch.
"STEWART KEGG!" Rose roared, gesturing franticly to the snitch as it raced away. It took mere moments for Stewart and Gryffindor seeker, Bruce Maddock, to spot the snitch and crouch into a dive.
Rose franticly searched for a bludger to send at Maddock but Jasper was one step ahead. Maddock lost precious seconds swerving to circumvent Jasper's oncoming bludger.
Rose hurtled towards the other bludger as Stewart franticly pursued the Snitch. She was certain that if she could just reach the bludger and send it at Maddock it would give Stewart enough time to catch the snitch. Adrian Lacroix, Gryffindor's beater, swerved ahead of her, his bulk obscuring her view.
Mustering her strength Rose managed to gain speed coming alongside the much larger Adrian Lacroix. They jostled for the lead. Lacroix rammed into Rose's side but after years of competing with her brother she found that Lacroix had clearly misjudged her resolve and she had hardly move off course. She responded by throwing the side of her hip into Lacroix, who surprise by the force, was send scrambling to take control of his broom again.
Rose now had perfect positioning; she squared up ready to send the bludger at Maddock but Stewart's hand closed over the snitch first. Defining cheers came from the Hufflepuff stands. Rose nearly dropped her bat; she was so caught up in her tousle with Lacroix that she was unaware they had just won.
A feeling of jubilation fell over Rose. They had won! Hufflepuff beat Gryffindor for the first time in three years.
McLaggen, a Gryffindor true to from, begrudgingly summed up the match, "Well Gryffindor had a magnificent lead before Kegg managed to grab the snitch. Hufflepuff 240, Gryffindor 140. It was a valiant fight up until the end."
Rose didn't care that somehow Gryffindor snuck in two goals while the snitch distracted Hufflepuff. Pride swelled in her chest. She had helped in this victory. She had only played in a handful of proper games and this was her first win. Now she understood what euphoria felt like.
She turned to look for fellow teammates on the pitch to congratulate but instead she found Lacroix by her shoulder.
"Well played," Lacroix affirmed.
"Thank you," Rose said caught off guard, "You Gryffindors are tough competition."
"I underestimated you," Lacroix informed Rose in a tone that bordered on respect, "It's been a while since anyone has been able to throw me off balance."
Rose grinned. Playing Quidditch felt bloody brilliant.
That night Hufflepuff had paraded their champions into the common room. Rose, who had never before part of these victors, was red in the face all night from the unexpected attention she received. When the celebrations had died down the Hufflepuff team escaped to the 7th year boy's dorm where Ben and Jasper resided.
It had not been her first time to go to one of these gatherings. In fact Rose had been to nearly every one since she joined the team in 3rd year but because she rarely had the chance to play up, until now, she had always felt uncomfortable with the intimate throng of Hufflepuff teammates. Now though it all seemed natural; she was no longer self-conscious about saying something foolish.
"Trying to take my spot as beater?" Jasper accused Rose his giddy tone clearly indicating his joking manor.
"Oh you know," Rose managed to put in almost smoothly.
"I liked that move you put on Lacroix at the end of the game," Jasper continued, "Next week I'll show you how to add a little more power to your swing."
"I'd like that."
"I do believe we'll make a beater out of you yet!" Jasper hooted.
This was the beginning of a very dangerous addiction.
"Well Shite, Rose Weasley, when did you become a women?" Came a smirking good-natured drawl from behind her.
Twisting to get a better look at her commenter through the crowd at platform 9 and 3/4 Rose's jaw dropped when she spotted her old Quidditch pall Jasper. She cuffed him on the shoulder before pulling him into a proper hug.
"Jasper what are you doing here! You graduated ages ago!"
"My sister, Lydia a first year. Thought I'd see her off," he explained.
"Well I'll be. It's like your all grown up and responsible. Weren't you the one who threw me in the great lake for letting a bludger escape during our final match in 4th year?"
"Oi! You're one to talk," Jasper chuckled, "You've grown a good foot and look at those shoulders. I'd never though I'd say it but you almost look intimidating."
Indeed Rose had changed a great deal in the three years that had elapsed since her first win. Now a 7th year her awkward shyness was replaced with a confident presence. She had broadened from years of playing beater and at some point in 5th year curves had set in. She had gained some of the grace that her aunt Ginny was so well known for, but was built much more solidly than any of the women in her family. She looked, as her cousin Albus Potter, perhaps untactful, put it utterly unremarkable practical. Her curly red hair was tamed into a braid and she wore a comfortable old set of Quidditch robes that did very little for her figure.
"Well sir," Rose responded irreverently playing along with his mock insult, "I'll have you know one look for me and the firsties scatter."
"Rose it's been too long," Jasper sighed. "Well I've got to make sure Lydia is all set, do keep an eye out for her wont you."
"No problem. Send me a owl some time eh," Rose responded as she let throng of parents and students push her onto the train.
Albus was in the corridor as she entered already in his school robes a head boy badge gleaming on his chest next to his red and gold tie. He seemed to be holding in a breath of air so that everyone could have a better look at his new badge.
"Congratulations on the head boy appointment," Rose told her cousin.
"Thank you, thank you," He beamed, "By the way Scorpius was looking for you earlier! Said something about returning your bottle of mermaid tears. He when that way."
Rose headed in the direction indicated by her cousin but only made it half way down the corridor before she was dragged into a packed compartment. Eight or so Hufflepuff Qudditch team members occupied the confined space and Vlad who had pulled her in scooted to the far side of the bench so that she would have room to sit.
"I do believe she got uglier," Vlad said impishly to the chaser across from him, William Cadillac, as he inspected Rose.
"Well it's a good thing," Will laughed, "My fist was getting pretty soar last year for hitting all her suitors."
"Oh Shut it you two. I'm of age now and I have no qualms about hexing your ears off."
"Hey! None of that in my compartment I'm a prefect now you know," Lancelot Karbuncle, fellow chaser, said clearly excited to exercise his new power.
"So young and gone so wrong so early," Will lament, "I'm just happy to not see a head girl badge pined on this lady. After Rose's scored decent on exam week I was a bit worried. Though I might have to actually polish up my language around her, act proper, and shite."
"Patty Knott from Ravenclaw is top of the class, she made head girl. I saw her in the hall," Quincy put in.
"Figures."
A knock on the compartment door caused heads to turn. A lanky blond fellow peered in. There was a general sense of refinement in his demeanor that seemed out of place in his current company.
"Ah Weasley, I found you at last," Scorpius Malfoy greeted.
"Hey Scopus," Rose replied friendly, "How was your summer?"
Rose felt Vlad, rather obviously, place an arm around her shoulders and scoffed. The blokes were quite protective of her. This irrational hyper sense of self-entitlement at her wellbeing she found rather hilarious as it often ended in rather ridiculous preverbal pissing competitions.
"Could have been better in the beginning but I had a wonderful time at the Potters with Albus," Scorpius replied shortly, "I came to return the mermaid tears you so graciously let me borrow this summer. Thank you for owling them to me, the apothecary was out of stock and I was in a pinch."
"No problem," Rose said taking the bottle from Scorpius, "You didn't need to go through all the trouble of replacing them I had far more than I could use."
"None the less, I'd rather not take advantage of your kindness."
Scorpius seemed rather uncomfortable with the large number Hufflepuff's staring at him. His eyes averted and seemed to perch on Vlad's arm draped on Rose's shoulder.
"I'll be off. Let's catch up in class," Scorpius said before addressing the rest of the compartments occupant, "Good day lads."
As Scorpius left the compartment Rose stowed the mermaid tears.
"That Scorpius is a rather odd bloke," Quincy remarked, "How do you know him Rose?"
"We're potions partners," She replied offhand, "He's been in nearly half my classes since third year."
"Well I don't like him," William put in, "He's too well kept. You just know he's up to something."
"I find him rather dishy," Flow Wolfbane, the seeker and only other girl on the team piped up, "I'd rather like to take him behind the broom shed and-"
"Holy Hippogryph! You're a bloody 4th year if he so much as lays a finger on you I'll feed him to the giant squid," Vlad growled.
"I'd like him to lay a lot more than a finger on me," Flow egged on Vlad. Jumping out or his seat he was nearly to the door, intent on throttling the unsuspecting Scopus Malfoy, when Rose put a hand on his arm and gave him a look.
"I swear," Vlad pleaded with Rose his hands attempting to strangle a imaginary neck, "I mean she's only a fourth year and-"
"He's a very handsome and will mannered man," Rose finished for him, "Which frankly us Hufflepuff ladies don't get to see much of because you lot are so uncouth. So let the girl dream. It's not Scorpius's fault he wasn't raised by wolfs."
Scorpius, who was still within earshot of the rowdy compartment, stopped abruptly at Roses rebuke; she had called him handsome and well mannered. Could this mean- but no, Rose had never made any indication of such feeling. Still a bloke could hope. Those words had sounded far to perfect on her lips, even if she had only said it to berate her friend. He wanted to hear them again.
It bothered him how she could get under his skin and make him squirm without even meaning to. The way their hands brushed when she took the bottle of mermaid tears still had him feeling slightly flustered. He wished he could muster up the courage to call her by something other than her sir name but it felt to presumptuous and intimate. After all it always seemed like she had some lad in her arm and even though Scorpius knew form Albus that she was unattached she certainly was never that familiar with him.
"Uncouth she says! I'll have you know Rose that I am the height of gentlemanly behavior," Lancelot admonished loud enough to remind Scorpius he was skulking in the corridor. The whole compartment went up in a roar of laughter and Scorpius vacated the corridor in search of his fellow Gryffindors.