A/N:
Not good at writing action stuff.
"Delacour-Granger passes the quaffle to Weasley, back to D-G, D-G's going all the way! SHE SCORES!" Vincent Jordan screamed into the megaphone as the Gryffindors went wild. The quidditch match had been going for only 20 minutes, but it the first game of the season was shaping up to be intense.
Victoire blew celebratory kisses to the Gryffindor fans as Hufflepuff's keeper retrieved the quaffle. She had been working on her throwing and it paid off.
Roxanne came up and clapped her on the back, and Louis smiled while twirling his bat. He was still getting used to his new haircut, having lost the three-on-three game earlier in the month. However, he liked it slicked back and out of his eyes; he was able to see the bludgers now, at least.
The game resumed, and James eagerly searched for the snitch. The chasers were getting faster, testing the keeper's skills. A chaser from Hufflepuff had the quaffle, and made a daring attempt to go the entire way without passing, but the other Gryffindor beater hit a bludger in front of them, and they dropped the quaffle into Roxanne's waiting arms.
"And that is a prime example of why there is no 'I' in team. I thought Hufflepuffs were meant to be loyal," Vincent remarked as Roxanne avoided the yellow beaters as best as she could. Louis bolted forward to protect his teammate, and saw out of the corner of his eye that James had found the snitch.
"Don't catch it yet, Jim," Victoire thought, having also seen the eldest Potter find the golden ball.
"Fritz with the quaffle, getting past Delacour-Granger, he passes to Smith, Smith all the way, Smith scores!"
The Hufflepuff supporters cheered as they were catching up to Gryffindor. The scoreboard read 40-20, Gryffindor's way.
"Guys! Focus!" Roxanne yelled at her teammate. Louis nodded, and flew higher to keep an eye on James.
Victoire caught sight of Teddy in the Gryffindor stand, waving a small flag. He had changed his hair colour to crimson and gold to show his support. Victoire smiled at him, then got in position to catch the quaffle. She locked eyes with the Hufflepuff beater who was getting ready to send a bludger her way, but the flame ignited inside of Victoire's stomach. She shot the boy a look, her eyes glowing that same icy blue, and the beater dropped his bat as she sped off, quaffle under her arm.
"Seems like someone forgot how to beat," Vincent chuckled. Victoire ducked to avoid the Hufflepuff players, and even jumped off of her broom as the other beater whacked a bludger her way. She landed back on her broom and sped forward. The crowd went wild as she passed the quaffel to Roxanne. Shaking her head, she felt the flame die inside of her, then got into another position.
"What is happening?" she thought to herself as Roxanne scored.
"We really should be at the quidditch match, Dom," Pandora sighed, moving her long, golden hair behind her ear.
The brunette shrugged. "I don't care for quidditch, it's not my thing."
"But it's Vic and Lou's thing," Pandora shifted the books in her arms while Dominique stood on a small ladder to get a book from one of the library's higher shelves.
"So, just because they are my siblings, that means I have to mindlessly love quidditch too?"
"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Pandora snapped back. Dom had inherited both of her parent's stubbornness, and even though Pandora had known the tattooed Ravenclaw for a long time, she still struggled with the middle child.
Dominique sighed and rested her head against the shelf.
"I know you didn't…I'm just…"
"Don't say it, I get it," Pandora grinned, moving her weight onto her right hip.
"It's the same with Loc and Ly. People think they share my love of Astronomy, but really Loc can't get enough of Potions and Ly is a die-hard tinkerer."
"A what?" Dom turned back to her friend once she jumped down from the ladder with a large, dusty book in her grip.
Pandora sighed, "Ly has this fascination with muggle engineering, he's obsessed with all things aerial at the moment."
"Mum probably knows about it," The brunette shrugged as the two made their way back to their desk.
They studied for some time, and then they heard the cheering from the quidditch pitch. Pandora sighed and closed the book on divination.
"I think I'm going to go catch the last bit of the match, Dom. Fresh air can help me understand this nonsense some more," the blonde voiced, but her fellow Ravenclaw wasn't listening as her headphones were on.
With a huff of frustration, Pandora magically increased the volume on the MP3 player, making Dom jump and tear the headphones away.
"Merde! What the hell was that for?!" Dom hissed, pausing the song and meeting Pandora's glare.
"I said I'm going to watch the game. I'll study with you tomorrow, okay?" she repeated whilst packing up her things. Dominique took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, she didn't mind.
"I'll see you at dinner, then?" she asked her roommate, who nodded.
"Yeah, take it easy," Pandora grinned at her friend, before walking out of the library. Dom couldn't help by grin at the silvery substance that was on the back of the blonde's robes.
"Probably nargle repellant," she thought, then put her headphones back on and lowered the volume.
"Weasley with the quaffle, still Weasl- OH! Intercepted by a bludger courtesy of Jackon!"
"Lou! Hugo! Protect the freaking chasers, dammit!" the Gryffindor keeper yelled at the beaters, who nodded. He was right, they were too busy defending James but in reality, the chasers were the ones who needed the protection.
Hugo swooped down and batted a bludger away from the other Gryffindor chaser, Mitchell Keelthorpe. Louis tailed his sister, and noticed a familiar black ball come hurtling towards her. The youngest Delacour-Granger sped forward and made to whack the bludger away, but Victoire had seen it and attempted to swat it with her broom tail.
What happened next made every single occupant of the spectator stands howl.
Victoire had swatted Louis in the face with her broom tail, catching her brother off guard. The bludger then made a u-turn and whacked Louis in the chest, shooting him into the Ravenclaw stand, completely winded. He lost his balance for a split second, but managed to stay on his broom. He coughed violently, leaning against the top of his broom to catch his breath.
"That HAS to hurt! The D-G siblings seemed to have a miscommunication," Vincent groaned as Louis forced his torso into an upright position.
"You okay?"
Louis recognised the airy voice, and looked up to see Pandora Lovegood peering at him with curious silver eyes.
"Yeah," he wheezed, then shook his head and steadied his broom.
"Be careful," her caution made the two-toned boy grin. With a nod he headed back towards the pitch, twirling his bat with a blush.
Time had slipped from the middle Decalour-Granger's mind as she sat in her regular spot in the library. The sun's rays on her left shoulder had intensified, so Dominique guessed it was just after 2. Her vision blurred as she tried to make out the notes she had taken on the grey-scale star positions. Taking off her glasses, Dominique sighed and rubbed her forehead, having forgotten the last time she had taken a break. Biting her cheek, the brunette looked out at the quidditch pitch. The game was still going, but she hadn't heard anything because of her music.
Dominique never forgot the joy she had felt when she opened her Christmas present two years ago; her parents bought her a wizarding MP3. It was silver with small purple knobs, yet had a muggle USB port to download her favourite muggle music to from her computer. To get music by bands in the wizarding world, she could either visit Dominic Maestro's in Hogsmeade, or purchase albums straight to the device by tapping her wand and voicing the album, then pay by putting the galleons on top of the MP3, which would absorb it in exchange for the music. Dominique did miss her record player at home, where she had countless vinyls in her bedroom, but when at school, the MP3 player was her most prized possession.
Dominique had been so absorbed in her own thoughts and music, that she hadn't heard or seen the person standing over her.
"Excuse me?" the voice called multiple times, but it was only when the figure had lightly tapped her shoulder, that Dominique jumped up with a slight yelp.
The tattooed witch was ready to draw her wand, until she recognized who it was from the black hair and lip piercing.
"I'm sorry!" the girl apologised quickly, but Dom waved it away like a cloud of mist as she regained control of her heart beat.
"It's okay, Bernadette…" she had a good look at the Slytherin girl. Her emerald eyes flickered as she smiled, her lip piercing glinting in the sun.
"What can I do for you?" Dom asked, nervously gesturing to the seat opposite her to sit down. Bernadette tucked her hair behind her ear, and the Ravenclaw noticed the pierced lobes.
"Well," Bernadette started to say as she took a seat. Her robed were tied around her waist.
"I was wondering if you wanted some company."
Dom blinked in shock. Company? When was the last time someone other than her siblings and Pandora offered to sit with her. Moving her glasses onto the top of her head, the Ravenclaw student shrugged awkwardly.
"Um, sure…I guess," she mumbled, and Bernadette let a small grin form on her face.
"I noticed you're not at the quidditch match," she started as Dominique paused her MP3.
"Well, it's Gryffindor playing Hufflepuff. I'm not in either house, so…"
"Even though your siblings are playing?" The Slytherin raised an eyebrow, and the Ravenclaw let out a sigh.
"I'm that sibling who doesn't give two red cap shits about quidditch, to be brutally honest," her voice was curt, and Bernadette's brows furrowed.
"Sorry," Dominique muttered, and Bernadette sighed and looked down.
"No, I'm sorry. I really shouldn't stick my nose into other people's business."
"This is only our second encounter and we always seem to be apologising," Dominique looked up and grinned, eliciting a giggle from Bernadette.
"Seems like it," her Irish accent drew Dom in.
"What part of Ireland are you from?" she asked, making the black eyebrows rise.
"Limerick. Me dad's Irish, and mum's English. I was born and raised in Limerick though…What about you?"
"I don't live in Ireland," Dom responded, and Bernadette gave her a look. The Ravenclaw couldn't help but snigger at the response as she lightly raised a hand.
"I live in Lyon with my parents and siblings, but I was born in Much Wenlock. So was my sister, actually. The only one who was born in France was Louis, and Maman, of course."
"Did you know me dad had a thing for your mum?"
"Which one?"
"Delacour," Bernadette felt a bit relieved when Dom grinned. She must ask that a lot. The Ravenclaw sniggered again as she rolled up her parchment.
"There were many people who had a thing for Maman," she responded without looking up.
"What was your dad's name?"
"Seamus."
"I know him," Dom said as she packed her bag. Bernadette looked awkwardly, but Dom shook her head, catching the looks.
"I'm not leaving, just packing stuff up. I've had enough astronomy for one day."
Still seeing the anxiety in the emerald eyes, Dom locked onto them and gave a genuine smile.
"You have my undivided attention now. So, Seamus. Yeah, mum is friends with him, has been for a long time."
The two talked about everything and anything. Their topics had ranged from families to fireworks within the span of half an hour. They both laughed hard at the story of Bernadette's father blowing himself up during a class, and the librarian threatened to throw them out if they didn't stop.
"Hey, Dom?" Bernadette asked once they had caught their breath.
"Yes?"
"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me on the weekend? All of my friends are in detention and I need to get a new quill. Mine's reaching the end of its life."
Dom's heart stopped. No one asked her to go to Hogsmeade with her. No one. She bit her lip, probably thinking it was a joke, but once she saw the anxiety stricken on Bernadette's face, she took a deep breath.
"Sure. I need to visit Dominic Maestro's for more music, anyway," she plastered a grin onto her face, and Bernadette smiled, her eyes lit up.
"Great! I'll meet you at the gate at 11:30?"
"S-sure," Dom stuttered, her blood was running cold as Bernadette looked at her watch.
"Ah, I have to go see professor Longbottom now, but I'll see you soon?"
Dom managed a nod, and Bernadette smiled at her as she got up and turned to head off to the greenhouses. However, The middle Delacour-Granger could have sworn that the daughter of Seamus Finnigan had winked at her.
A blush crept onto her cheeks as Dominique tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. More cheers from the quidditch pitch could be heard in the distance.
James sped after the snitch, but a Hufflepuff chaser intercepted him and the seeker caught up. Louis sent a bludger at the seeker, Morgan Lewiston, and the fourth-year lost his concentration. The snitch disappeared.
"Nice move by Louis Delacour-Granger! He's got his eye on the prize, that one. He's also riding his refurbished broom today, what a gorgeous model it is- HOLY CRICKET THAT HAS TO HURT!"
Before Louis knew it, there was a bludger in the back of his head. He toppled forward, and his nose hit the front of his broom.
"LOUIS!" Victoire screamed as she saw her brother limp on his broom.
"FOWL!" the referee, Benjamin Hillford, boomed at the yellow beater. Victoire kicked her broom around and sped up to the Hufflepuff beater, Michael McMorgan. That fire was back.
"What the hell was that?!" She screamed at the boy, who threw his hands up in defence.
"I didn't mean to hit him that hard! I swear it!"
"Swear it my tits!" Victoire's voice was growing louder and louder and she felt her eyes change colour again. McMorgan blushed, drool forming at the side of his mouth, but Hillford got between them.
"Time out! Both of you get a warning! Now go back to your sides at once! Anymore business from either of you and there will be consequences!"
Victoire tore her gaze from the Hufflepuff as she turned around and headed back to the Gryffindor team. Michael shook his head as Louis was taken to the ground by some staff members.
"Louis D-G is off the field, he'll be replaced by Amanda Green. Vic D-G is given a warning for whatever the hell happened, and so has Michael McMorgans."
Victoire stared at her hands, anxiety building up inside her. She caught Teddy's worried eye. The boy urged her to keep playing with a little wave of his flag.
Something was happening, and Victoire needed to find out.