Kaori's POV

A month had passed since that fateful day on the Hogwarts Express, and Rose, Al, and I were already close enough to have been thought friends for years. It wasn't a shock with Rose, seeing as how we lived together. Al and I hung out in the common room a lot.

I had gotten used to hearing people whisper behind my back- I hardly noticed anymore. They were mostly girls who had it out for me for being friends with Albus so easily. I guess I was some sort of threat to their non-existent relationship with him.

Since that day in Divination, neither Rose nor Al had brought up why they hadn't seen me in any of their classes even though we were in the same year and house, which was good. I wasn't exactly sure I was ready to tell that story just yet.

In a week were quidditch tryouts, so I was spending all of my free time on the pitch. Which wasn't much, because I was one of the top in my class, so balancing homework and practicing for the keeper position wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do.

Currently, I was sitting on my broom above the pitch, idly flying in circles. I was done practicing, but still enjoyed flying just to clear my head. It was very cold out, one of those rare October storms was coming on, but I was too relaxed to really notice that I had no jacket on.

"Do you realize that it's near-freezing out here and you don't even have a coat?"

Al's voice penetrated my thoughts. I looked back into his green eyes, swimming with so much concern. It was nice to have people who really cared for me- not that my parents didn't, but it was difficult, what with them being muggles and all. They didn't really understand me fully, not without having experienced magic.

"Yeah, I was about to come down-" I tried.

"Don't make excuses." Al tossed me a coat- one of his own. I knew he had to have seen me from the tower and come to get me. Did I ever mention that Al was extremely protective of me? Worse than he was with Rose or Lily, and that was saying something.

My hair whipped around my face, even though I had tied it up. I slipped the pull-over jacket on, even though it was too big for me. It made me feel warm, and I really liked the smell... like Al.

Stop it, Kaori.

Alright, I admit that I might have a bit of a crush on Al. Who wouldn't? He was physically attractive, as well as sweet but serious at the same time. But he clearly didn't view me as anything more than a sister, but I was okay with that for now. After all, it was just an itty-bitty crush. It would go with time.

Right?

I had also come out of my shell quite a bit since meeting the Potters and Weasleys. I felt comfortable saying what I was feeling.

So this was what it was like to have friends.

"Come on. I know you'll make the team, so you may as well come back in now."

"I guess..."

Back in the dormitory, I didn't know what to do with myself. I had all of my homework done for the next week, but I wasn't particularly in the mood to socialize in the common room.

James's birthday was coming up. I had a present in mind for him. I settled on thinking about that. I had written a letter to my father about it, so it was just a matter of time before I heard back...

Jirou padded over and sat down on my stomach, for I was lying on my back.

"Hey there, cat," I said to him. "Watashi wa anata o nogashita." I told him I missed him. I often talked to Jirou in Japanese. He represented my Japanese half, while Jameson represented my English half. And I hadn't had much time to spend with either of them since I had begun training for quidditch.

"Have I ever told you that you sound really awesome when you speak Japanese?"

I looked up to see Rose coming into our shared bedroom, kicking off her shoes and throwing herself onto her bed.

"Al seemed upset tonight. What's up?" she asked, before noticing that I was wearing his jacket. "Where did you get that?"

"I was out practicing so I can make the house team, but the temperature dropped and I had no jacket, so..." I trailed off, stroking Jirou as he got up to go back to his basket.

Rose smiled and shook her head. "James is going to owe Fred and me quite a bit of money..."

"What?"

"Nothing," she hurriedly said, casually getting up and getting her sleepwear out of her trunk. Rose began to change- we didn't have problems changing in front of one another, of course. Well, at least she didn't. Not that I was nervous around her, but I just wasn't very comfortable with some of my features...

What I really hoped she wouldn't notice is that I had already changed out of the clothes I had been practicing in, but had kept Al's jacket on anyways.

I drifted off to sleep, his scent lulling me into dream land.

The next Saturday wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend- no, it was farmore important. It was Gryffindor quidditch tryouts. I could feel my heart nearly beating out of my chest as I brought my broom to the pitch, standing in a group of about forty who were all hoping to make some position on the team. I wondered how stiff the competition would be for keeper...

I saw Albus standing next to James, who was a beater- James must have picked him to help out with try-outs. He smiled at me for just a split second before going back to looking serious. After all, he couldn't show favoritism, could he?

They split us into groups, seeing who could play the best. Each group would play another one in a mock game, and Al and James would observe and see who played best. I was in group four of six, so I got to watch one game before I would have to play and one afterwards.

Neither of the keepers in groups one or two was very impressive. They missed half of the shots thrown, most of which were fairly easy.

I saw Fred discreetly enter the pitch and join Al and James- he was currently a chaser. Come to think of it, those three were the only ones remaining of the seven who had been on the team last year. That left two chasers, a beater, and a keeper left to be filled.

When team two's seeker had finally caught the snitch (although, there wasn't much point trying out, seeing as how Al was still on the team), I took a deep breath, mounted my broom, and took my position in front of our goals.

The game began, so I watched carefully in case a quaffle came my way. One of the group three chasers tossed it at me, but it was very slow and easily caught. I threw it to one of our own chasers before resuming my concentration.

A well-built chaser from group three propelled the quaffle at me at a very quick speed, and so I flipped on my broom, maneuvering it as I came back around so the bristles would thrust the quaffle opposite the hoops. My move was successful, and I heard cheering from other Gryffindor hopefuls as well as those who simply came to observe.

Before I fully regained composure (after all, flips could make one a bit dizzy), I heard Al, Fred, and James scream my name in unison, as well as a few, 'watch out's from the crowd below.

"Kaori!"

I felt a heavy and fast-moving object connect with my ribs, thrusting me back against the pole of the tallest hoop. I felt so much pain, but my grip had been tight enough on my broom that I hadn't fallen.

That was, until the bludger came round a second time and knocked me in the back of the head.

I was falling towards the ground, barely conscious, and I certainly wasn't going to be after I reached the bottom of the pitch. But I never felt myself hit the ground, because somebody had caught me. I didn't get to see who before the world around me faded to blackness.

Albus's POV

I saw the bludger coming for her before she was even complete with her move, but I knew that calling to her while she was in the middle of it could result in her becoming distracted and falling off of her broom. I didn't want that.

While the crowd was cheering for her, I pointed it out to Fred and James, who paled and yelled Kaori's name along with me, but it was too late.

The bludger impacted her full on, not only hitting the front of her, but pitching her against the hard metal of the goalpost. I began racing towards her from the opposite side of the pitch, James and Fred on my tail, as the bludger turned back around, this time connecting with her skull, sending her flying off of her broomstick.

I dove lower as the distance between Kaori and the ground decreased, and caught her just in time. I saw that her eyes were barely opened, which was shocking- most people would have been out cold after being hit that hard. But I couldn't see their blue hue for long before her eyes were shut.

"Somebody help me get her to the hospital wing now!" I yelled. Rose had already dashed onto the pitch, racing to retrieve Kai's broom.

"Here, I'll help you fly her over there," Rose said, mounting the broom. I knew Rose wasn't good at quidditch as a sport, since she had awful aim, but she was a decent flyer to say the least.

"Thanks." I turned back to my cousin and older brother. "Carry on with tryouts- won't do any good to stop at this point. Come to the hospital wing when you finish." The two nodded, the last I saw of them before Rose and I took off, Kaori in tow.

We had been sitting outside of the hospital wing for quite some time before Madame Pomfrey, who hadn't seemed to age a day (at least, according to my mum and dad), finally came to talk to us. The entire crew had already finished with tryouts, and we all leapt to our feet, eager to hear a response.

"She was severely concussed, with several broken ribs as well as a dislocated shoulder, with a few minor cuts and bruises," Madame Pomfrey delivered. "It had only seemed so extreme, what with her prior injuries."

I stared at her. "What prior injuries?" Kaori hadn't mentioned any prior injuries. She would have told us if something had been wrong, right? "None of these injuries will be permanent, will they?"

Madame Pomfrey brought a hand to her lips. "Oh dear, I thought she would have told you... Well, then all I will say is what the injuries were, not how she got them."

We all nodded, desperate for any details we could get.

"There's a scar, extremely deep, running from her right shoulder-blade, across her back, across her stomach, around her waist, and ending at her left hip." I heard Rose gasp behind me, and noticed that Fred and James were completely silent. I could barely stand to listen to what Madame Pomfrey was saying, as she continued with, "She has previously broken her right leg, and three ribs- the same three that were broken this time." I clenched my fist tighter still. "Ms. Travers is going to be in a great deal of pain for a while, so I suggest you all hold your questions for her until after she feels a bit better." And with that she left.

We all stood silently for a moment, before Rose finally spoke up. "That explains why she never changes without drawing the curtains on her four-poster..."

I looked at her. "You knew something was up?"

She held up her hands. "You know how girls are! I just figured she was insecure about her weight, no matter how many times I assured her that she's just fine where she's at. How could I have known?"

I sighed, defeated. "You couldn't have."

Fred, leaning against the wall now, shook his head in utter disbelief. "How does one sustain injuries like that? And survive, no less."

James pursed his lips and patted me on the shoulder. "At least we know she'll be okay now."

I could feel myself freaking out. Not just sort of freaking out, but hyperventilating, wide-eyed, mental breakdown freaking out.

"James, how could she not tell us about this? Really, honestly, how did she never expect us to find out? And what caused that scar? Honestly! I wouldn't have let her try out for the team if I would have known, there's no way you can let her on, James! No way! Will she even be okay to play?"

"Al, she was the best. And practices don't actually start until Wednesday, and games don't for another month. Do you want to know why she'll be in so much pain when she wakes up?" James asked me. I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to know, but I nodded anyways. "When you break a bone, it mends itself stronger than it was before. If she re-broke them, then hell, she must have gotten hit pretty hard. Either way, there was nothing that would have stopped her getting hurt by that bludger, with or without former injuries."

Madame Pomfrey opened the doors once more. "She's not quite conscious yet, but you can come in and visit her. Just let me know if anything happens."

I rushed inside and took the first seat by her bed, grasping her limp hand gently. Everybody else wasn't far behind, but I couldn't focus on anything but Kai right now. I just wanted her to open her eyes, but at the same time, I knew she would be in pain when she did, so I hoped she would stay unconscious for as long as she needed.

"She looks so... helpless..." Rose murmured, her hand on the one I wasn't holding.

Sure, Kaori had been really sweet and shy when she had first met us, and she was still sweet, but turned out to be very outspoken and opinionated. But she had never been helpless before. At least until now. I felt tears pricking at the back of my eyes.

That's right- Albus Severus Potter, son of the boy who lived, was nearly driven to tears.

Sure, I didn't exactly hold only friendly feelings towards Kaori, but that was really beside the point.

The hours came and went, and after a while, even Rose had taken her leave to go shower, eat, and sleep. I remained as long as Pomfrey would allow me, and she didn't seem to be kicking me out any time soon.

"Hey Kai, I don't know if you can hear me, but I feel like I need to talk to you," I said, not feeling stupid or ridiculous in the slightest. "I wish you would have told me that you had been injured before, or at least told Rose about your scar. Though, you're probably going to tell me that you didn't want to worry us." I laughed dryly, going on to say, "Sometimes you should let people worry about you a little, Kai. It can't hurt you. And I know someday you'll tell us what's going on with you and how you got hurt so badly, but for now I just want you to know that we're all here for you- James and Fred and Rose and I, and the rest of our family too." She stirred a bit, pulling her hand out of my grasp as she writhed, her face distorting in pain before her eyes fluttered open.

Merlin, she has beautiful eyes.

Erm, I mean... gods, I need to get Madame Pomfrey!

"Madame Pomfrey!" I called into the darkened wing, "Kaori's woken up!"

I heard the clicking of her footsteps coming towards us, but before she reached us, Kaori croaked hoarsely,

"Did I get the spot?"

"Pardon?"

"Am I Keeper?" She asked hopefully, tears of both pain and desperation swimming in her eyes.

"Yeah, Kai," I smiled down to her. "You're Keeper."

"You'll let me, right?"

I looked down at her curiously. Was she really asking me for permission to be on the team? Why would she think that she needed to ask- I take that back. I was, after all, the one who had gotten upset with her for flying without a jacket. And now she was severely injured. She was right to think I was worried about her; I had already talked to James.

"It's your decision, Kai."

"You're like the big brother I never got to have, Al. If it makes you unhappy, I won't do it," Kaori told me, as Pomfrey got closer.

Brother? Friendzone level 1,000,000 right there.

I messed up her hair. "Tch, why wouldn't I want you to be on the team with me. The other Keeper hopefuls sucked- we'd lose every game without you," I assured her. She winced, and then I remembered that she had hit her head.

"Shit, Kaori! I'm sorry!" I retracted my hand immediately, but she smiled at me tiredly, clearly trying to make me feel better. Typical Kai.

"Language, Mr. Potter!" Madame Pomfrey stopped beside me. "Nice to see you awake, dear. Does it still hurt?"

"Not really, I think I'll be-"

"She's lying, Madame Pomfrey," I said, cutting Kaori off. Honestly, was she really going to try to play this off like she was all fine? "I just ruffled her hair and it hurt her. I can't even imagine what her ribs must feel like."

Madame Pomfrey simply looked between Kai and me, before pulling up a clipboard. "I'll give you something for the pain. For the meanwhile, it looks like you're bones are mending nicely and should be fine by tomorrow. You should be okay for classes on Monday, but I think I'll hold you then just in case." She ordered Kai to drink some horrid-looking liquid, and then left, heavily implying that I should leave as well. It was Saturday night- I had no obligations for the next day.

Kaori stared at me, before practically whispering, "You don't have to stay, Al."

"I do."

"You don't-"

"I do," I insisted, reaching for her hand again, which was startlingly cold. "Sleep or something, you must be exhausted." Kaori let her eyes droop shut, before she murmured something.

"Thanks Al. For not pushing for details."

"I know you'll tell me when you're ready," I assured her.

"I promise..." And that was the last thing she said before she dozed off.

By Monday, Kai assured me that she was feeling fine, but Pomfrey insisted that she stay in for another day, not wanting to take any risks.

I was forced to sit in Divination by myself, seeing as how my partner was absent. I could have gone to sit with Rose and Scor, but I honestly wasn't in the mood to be stuck in the middle of their sexual frustration. Honestly, they should just find a broom closet and snog already.

Not that I wanted that, per se. Rose was still my cousin, after all.

So I took a nap. I knew that if Kai knew that she would disapprove, but honestly, how did she expect me to stay awake in this class without her? She was the only reason I found this class even the slightest bit tolerable.

A large packet of papers was placed in front of each student- two for me, since Kai wasn't here. I idly flipped through it, still regaining my composure from having just woken up.

"Tea and Dream studies?" I heard somebody ask from two tables over.

"Yes," Trelawny said in her dreamy voice. "It has recently been proposed that tea leaves and dreams often go hand in hand, so I have changed the Hogwarts curriculum and it is now a unit that will last from now through the month following the winter holidays." A gleam came to her eye, as though changing Divination curriculum was some incredible accomplishment.

Bloody terrific.

Potions was lonely too. Kai and I were partners there as well, so I was forced to do today's potion thing that it was my worst subject, huh?

The Babbling Beverage that I was currently brewing began to bubble and turn orange. I looked frantically to my textbook, which told me that the liquid should, at this point be rippling and pink.

Pink, of all colours. You've gotto be kidding me.

Maybe I didn't add enough dragon scales?

I picked up my measuring spoon and dropped a couple more scales into the cauldron, hoping to salvage what was left of my assignment. It started bubbling even worse, turning bright red now.

Well, red wasn't too far from pink, right?

"Uh, professor-" I began, raising my hand to try to get the attention of my teacher who was on the other side of the class, admiring the perfect work of Rose and her partner, who seemed to be in Ravenclaw. Figures.

I wasn't able to keep my hand up for long, because the potion exploded, literally. I was blasted backwards, against the wall next to the door. Kai and I tended to sit towards the back.

"Mr. Potter! Are you alright?" Slughorn rushed over, looking me up and down. "We should really get you to the hospital wing- too many dragon scales can start burning your flesh right off..."

How reassuring.

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~ToTrulyBe