QUIDDITCH
By Lilith True
She sat in the bleachers, thinking, rather than watching the quidditch game that her parents had paid for her to come and see. She had always loved Quidditch… that is, until June of this year. Now, it was too painful to mount her faithful Comet 260, too painful to soar through the air, plummet toward the ground, laughing as her Ravenclaw team mates tried desperately to keep up. Ever since Cedric's death, she felt almost… guilty for having that pleasure. The pleasure that Cedric had understood. The pleasure of the wind in your hair, of the chase…
She had already told Roger that she would not be returning to play next fall. Her parents had never liked the idea of airborne sports anyway. At first, they were concerned with the effect it would have on her studies. Then, after watching her first game, they were afraid of the possibility of injury to their darling only child. Injury! The voice in her head let out a harsh, short laugh. Quidditch may be dangerous, but the real danger was in living. Look what had happened to Cedric.
She was interrupted from her thoughts by a low, foreign voice to her left. "Sorry, is this seat taken?"
Cho waved a hand apathetically. "No, go ahead," she paused, and looked up. There was Viktor Krum, looking at her intently with those dark eyes. Though she was startled to see him, the voice had sounded familiar. Cedric had described Krum as a 'good chap'. Cho knew that he was already a Quidditch phenomena at the age of 18.
Cho had only seen Krum in action once – but that was enough. He was truly inspired, flying as if it were the most natural thing, as if he were born flying, as if he was a bird. And his vision! Even when bloodied and battered, he could spot the elusive snitch faster than anyone in the world. But somehow, Cho, as a fellow seeker, knew that his true talent stemmed from his dedication and love for the game. She smiled briefly.
They watched the game in silence for quite some time, only speaking to cheer or jeer on some move. Haytes managed to sent Shears flying off course with a quick body shove. Cho jumped to her feet. "Foul!" she yelled through cupped hands.
Viktor Krum looked at her as if she had grown another head. "That vos legal."
Cho frowned, "Of course it wasn't! Bodily contact of that sort is not permitted in Quidditch. At least not in England," she added.
"Yes, it is," said Viktor vehemently. "As long as the player doesn't extend his arms, or tries to foul – how do you say… deliberately – it is still legal."
"But that was a blatant shove," retorted Cho.
"It vosn't," cried Viktor, looking exasperated. Several people stared, but the two didn't seem to notice. "Look, if I do this," he stretched out his arms and pretended to shove Cho, "then it is not legal, of course. But if you do this," he leaned his body into Cho's, "it is fine… just part of the game."
Cho blushed slightly as he pulled away. She hadn't been that close to a guy – to anyone – since June. After the funeral, she had quietly closed herself up in her room. Her parents had enticed her out, with offers of vacations and tickets to Quidditch games. Though she hadn't wanted to, she decided to humor them, if only to settle their worries. She hated seeing her parents like this – her mother so worried, forehead wrinkled; her father so old and weak.
If Viktor noticed the rising color in her soft beige complexion, he didn't mention it. Instead he asked softly, "Understand?"
Cho nodded, biting her lip against tears. "Understand."
A moment later, they both spoke…
"I'm sorry – "
Cho laughed a little at this, and Viktor smiled, the first one she'd seen him crack.
"No, really, I'm sorry… I mean you're an expert at this… you're the famous Viktor Krum."
Viktor shook his head, as if to try to dispel this, but at that moment a group of small children came up to him, quills in hand, and bashfully asked for autographs.
When he was done signing, he turned back to her. "No, I am the one who should - apologize." He stumbled over this last word. "I know Cedric vos your – good friend. He spoke of you often. It must be very hard. You must miss him much."
Cho smiled weakly. "Thank you. I do miss him," she whispered.
He looked as if he wanted to say something, but he shook his head and returned to watching the game.
Cho turned back to him, trying to keep up a conversation, the first one she'd had in two months. "So… did you visit Hermione Granger this summer? I heard you two became very close this past school year." An image of the Yule Ball, with Harry Potter trying to avoid her eye at all costs, with Cedric smiling down at her as they danced, flashed painfully through her mind.
Harry was a nice boy. Kind, polite, good at Quidditch… not to mention famous. She had felt badly when she had turned him down. He was a year below her. But that wasn't his problem. The trouble with Harry was that he was just not Cedric.
Cedric was handsome, kind, polite, an excellent seeker also. But something about him. That sweet smile, the way he got so excited when talking about the latest games, describing all the moves, those beautiful grey eyes… Cho's eyes focused on the concerned dark ones in front of her. She remembered that she had just asked Viktor a question.
He smiled again, this time rather painfully. "She did come, for a veek. But she told me that ve can never be more than friends. She cares too much for another."
"Harry?" asked Cho, wide eyed.
"Er, no. She insisted that Potter is only her friend. She vrote quite often to the boy vith the fiery hair. I suspect it is him."
"Ron Weasley…" Cho mused. "Who would've thought."
Viktor merely shrugged. "It vos all right though. She is a good friend to haff. Very smart." He frowned. "But she does not understand much about Quidditch."
Cho bit her lip again, this time to keep from laughing. Viktor was totally in earnest. He hadn't an earthly clue why some one wouldn't care for his favorite sport. Frankly, neither did she. She did love Quidditch, so much that it hurt. Viktor could relate to this. She decided to tell him.
"People who love Quidditch are kindred spirits – er, good friends to have," she restated as she saw a confused look pass over his face. "Cedric understood. I feel guilty that he can't be here to enjoy it." She shuddered slightly. Viktor bowed his head.
"I haven't been back on a broom since June. I haven't even been able to look at one, actually. Every time I do, it hurts."
Krum sighed. "At first," he said, looking into her eyes, "I felt the same. But soon, it just - happened. Quidditch is such a part of me – it is like breathing. Do you understand this?"
But Cho was already nodding. "I feel exactly the same…" she whispered, staring back at him.
He continued. "Cedric did understand. He luffed flying. He vould not haff vanted you to lose that – pleasure. He vould vont you to stay flying. For him."
Cho wiped away the tears that had gathered in the corner of her eye on her robe sleeve.
"Vill you fly again?" he asked.
"Soon. I will."
He smiled, somewhat satisfied. "Good. I vould like to votch you."
Cho blanched. "Oh, no, I really can't fly well…"
At this, his smile broke out into a toothy grin. Viktor Krum had very nice teeth, Cho noted. He looked so much better when he smiled. It was a pity he didn't do it more often.
"All right. Soon."
They turned back to the game, just in time to see Emerson catch the snitch.