It's Complicated Chapter 10: Truce?, a harry potter fanfic

Disclaimer: I still do not own HP. Sadly.

A/N: Sorry for the slight delay. I've been going through a rough transition so it's taken me a bit to get back into everything! But I should be updating more consistently now! Since this story is done I'm going to try for twice a week!

Again I'd like to remind everyone that I'm not an English Major so my grammar, punctuation and sometimes my tenses might not be perfect or get messed up. But I write because I enjoy it so please no flames! As always reviews are appreciated! They really do give me incentive to upload on time when I get busy!

-Casper

A week had passed since the incident in the corridor. Thankfully Lily Potter continued to remain unharmed and my reputation remained intact. Desperately needing an escape I threw myself into Quidditch. The Gryffindor match was in a few days and I was determined to come out on top.

The morning of the Quidditch game was clear but brisk, and there was a definite bite to the air. Winter was going to be here soon. I quickly dressed in a pair of comfortable clothes and headed towards the Great Hall. I quickly ate some fruit and yogurt and waited for the rest of my team to show up. Once I had forced everyone to eat something, we all headed down to the Quidditch Pitch. Once we got to the pitch we all ran a few laps in order to warm up our muscles and then we headed into the locker room to stretch and change into our uniforms. The noise from outside had been getting louder so I knew that it was getting close to game time. I finish strapping on my last pad and turn to the team.

"Well, we've been practicing hard for weeks. Gryffindor's tough, but we're tougher. We can beat them fair and square." Upon hearing the groans from the team I laugh. "Come on, you all know that we can beat them without having to cheat. If we win by cheating then everyone will still assume that Gryffindor has a better team than us. I'm not willing to accept that. Are you?"

Most of the team nods along with me their faces now determined. The exception to that was Pucey, I knew I'd have to keep an eye on him. Turning back to the team I finish my speech.

"Let's go out there and show them why Slytherin's are the best!" The team stands up and marches determinedly towards the door. I move to head out with a hand stops me. I look inquisitively at Albus.

"What?"
"Nice speech Captain." He just says with a smirk before walking out the door. I take a deep breath and follow him out.

The game began and I was exceptionally thankful for the extra practice that we had put in. Gryffindor's team was fantastic, it was like they could read each other's minds. Despite the fact that they claimed to hate each other, Fred and Iz were perfectly in sync. The chasers were quick and James Potter made keeping look effortless. You could also never underestimate Rose Weasley as the seeker. She had exceptionally sharp eyes and she rarely missed the snitch.

Despite everything we were winning by a few points and I was feeling good about the direction the game was going. Then I noticed Pucey lurking behind James Potter, so I continued to watch for a moment longer. I was glad I did because suddenly Pucey smirked and hit a bludger towards an unsuspecting Potter's back. Knowing that he wouldn't move because I told him to, I did the only thing I could think of. I dropped as low to my broom as possible and flew straight at Potter. He was so startled that he moved out of the way and the bludger just missed him. I saw him turn to yell at me but I was already calling a timeout and was practically dragging Pucey to the ground. The team landed around us just in time to hear me yell.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF SALAZAR WERE YOU THINKING PUCEY?! I TOLD YOU THAT I WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANY SORT OF CHEATING OR RECKLESS FOUL PLAY!"

"Please, not allowing us to cheat? We're Slytherins. It's what we do. Everyone knows that you can't hack it as Captain and that it should've been me."

Now I was beyond fuming, he was angry at me so he decided to go after other people?! Not on my watch. I walk right up to him and when we're practically nose to nose I begin to say.

"Whether you like it or not Pucey, I AM Captain. You will do as I say."

I took a step back and addressed him in a normal voice.

"Now, as a result of Pucey's recklessness. We will all be running laps next practice. 5 laps for us and 10 for Pucey." I ignore the groans of protest from the team and continue "If anyone does something in order to purposely hurt someone, then it's 5 laps for the team and 10 for the person committing the foul, every time it happens. Think on that before trying something."

I turn and take Pucey's broom from him, I cast a spell on it and place it on the ground.

"Now, when you can grab the broom you are allowed back on the Pitch. I spelled it for 5 minutes."

We all mount our brooms again and then Madame Hooch starts the game. Everything was going smoothly and I see Pucey grab his broom and fly back up to the game. I spend the next couple of minutes watching him and he seems to be doing his job so I turn back to the game. 5 minutes later I look and see him hovering in Potter's blind spots. I see him smirk when a bludger heads his way and at this point I have had enough. I call another time out and fly over to Pucey.

"That's enough. I've had enough of this. Get off this pitch. You're done for the day."

He scoffed at me. "Please, you won't play down a beater against Gryffindor."

I'm about ready to hit him when I realize that would get me kicked out of the game. Instead I smirk. "Really? Watch me. Get off the bloody pitch Pucey." I turn and head to the ground calling out to Madame Hooch as I go "Madame Hooch, Adam Pucey will no longer be playing in this game. Please ensure that he gets off this pitch." I ignored the gasps that come from the crowd at my statement as I continue to fly to the ground.

When I walk out of the locker room the rest of the team is on the ground and Pucey is nowhere to be found.

"Look, we can all talk about this later but right now we need to come up with a strategy. Either we play with 1 beater and 3 chasers or we play with 2 beaters and 2 chasers." I tell them gesturing to the beaters bat I'm holding in my hand. The Wood twins look at each other before simultaneously saying "2 and 2." I see the rest of the team nod their heads in agreement so I consent and continue our quick talk. "Alright, Aaron and I don't have the fluidity that comes from playing together so we'll split beater duties?" I glance at him as I say this, he nods his head in agreement so I continue "So I'll protect our chasers and Aaron will protect Albus. Scorpius, be careful. Agreed?" Everyone nodded their heads so we all mounted our brooms and continued the game.

We held our own, but it was a losing battle. Down a person and me playing a position I haven't ever played in an actual match made for a rough hour. Then Rose dodged the bludger that Aaron hit towards her and caught the snitch.

I flew down to the ground and saw Iz walking towards me but then the entire Slytherin team dropped in front of me. I realized that we needed to deal with what happened and I wasn't going to ignore it any longer.

"Look team, guys. I'm sorry. I know that my decision to try and play as fairly as possible is unusual and I'm sorry for kicking Pucey off during the game. I'm not sorry I did it; however, I'm sorry that it affected you all."

Mira just walked up to me and hugged me, I stiffened for a moment but then relaxed. She stepped back and looked at me. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that I've never been more proud to call you my captain than when you kicked that git off the pitch." When I saw the rest of the team smile in agreement I cautiously spoke again.

"So you're not mad at me?"

Scorpius then chimed in "You're our Captain and we trust your decision. If you say that's the right decision then it's the right decision. We'll back you. But I would've done the same thing. He needed to be taken down a peg, in public." I'm determined not to cry in front of them so I quickly wave my hand at them.

"All right. Well then, back to the common room, there's plenty of alcohol to drown our sorrows with. Just be prepared for a tough week next week."

They all groaned but continued to have smiles on their faces as they walked towards the locker rooms.

Despite what I told the team, I still felt as if the loss was my fault and once the team left I went to sit under the hot water in the showers.

-James' POV -

I'm confused. I just don't understand Katherine Herondale at all. Up until this year she wasn't complicated at all. We're part of the same group of friends but we've never been close. She's a bit icy and distant and I've never really gotten along with her. But then the game happened. The game had just started and I was circling the posts keeping a watch out for any sudden movements by the Slytherin chasers. As much as I hated to admit it, Katherine had done a great job with her fellow chasers (and the rest of the team really). They were quick, dynamic and they pass exceptionally well. Pair those two with Katherine, who is probably the best chaser in the school even as a 5th year, and I needed to be on my toes the entire time. Next thing I know I see Katherine, without a Quaffle, flying as fast as she can towards me. I quickly dart out of the way and I turn to yell at her when I see her calling a timeout and dragging Pucey down to the ground. Once I hear what she's yelling at Pucey I understand what happened; however, this doesn't change the fact that I think she's a bitch for calling Pucey out in public. Her team all looks angry and frustrated and all of the Gryffindors in the stands look terrified of her. This provides more evidence to my 'Katherine is a bitch' theory.

The game starts back up and I'm trying to not be impressed at the magic that she placed on Pucey's broom. I'm watching the game again when once more Katherine calls a timeout and flies towards Pucey. I'm close enough that I can hear their conversation and I'm shocked when she tells him to get off the pitch and then announces it to the entire stadium. A few minutes later the Slytherin team is back on the pitch, minus Pucey, and Katherine had switched from Chaser to Beater.

In light of these changes, we should've dominated. However, Slytherin's scrappy and Katherine was a surprisingly good beater. When the game finally ended and the congratulations had ceased, I decided that no matter my opinion of Katherine, I needed to thank her for saving me. I walk over towards her and see her surrounded by her team. I get closer in order to listen and I hear her say.

Mira Thomas walked up to her and hugged her, I see her stiffen for a moment but then relax. Mira steps back and looks at Katherine.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say that I've never been more proud to call you my captain than when you kicked that git off the pitch."

"So you're not mad at me?"

Scorpius then chimed in "You're our Captain and we trust your decision. If you say that's the right decision than it's the right decision. We'll back you. But I would've done the same thing. He needed to be taken down a peg, in public."

"All right. Well then, back to the common room, there's plenty of alcohol to drown our sorrows with. Just be prepared for a tough week next week."

They all groan but continue to have smiles on their faces as they walk towards the locker rooms.

Instead of following her at that moment, I sat down on the pitch to think. I was interrupted by Iz walking up to me.

"Are you okay? I saw you by the Slytherin team. What's the matter?"

"I went up to thank her for saving my life but I decided to listen to how she interacted with the team. I was expecting the team to yell and argue with her because she's the Ice Queen and don't they all hate her? But instead I saw a team devoted to their captain. They follow her lead not because of fear, but because of respect. Maybe I've had some things wrong, maybe there's a reason that sometimes Slytherins act coldly and maybe how Katherine has handled herself over the last few months isn't because she's a bitch. Perhaps it's quite the opposite."

By this point in my rant I'm looking at the ground. I found my Gryffindor courage and looked up at Iz to see a great big smile on her face.

"Well, you're right for the most part. Kat can be an actual bitch sometimes and it's not an act. But, she generally means well. You just have to accept that she's different than us and she handles things differently. But that doesn't mean that she's a bad person." I don't respond, I just continued to think and I barely acknowledge her when she says she'll see me later.

- Kat's POV -

I was in the process of drowning myself in the showers when I heard the door to the locker room open.

"Katherine?"

I'm shocked to hear James's voice coming from the inside of the Slytherin locker room, but I'm too lazy to care so I just call out to him.

"In the showers. You can come over, I'm dressed."

He poked his head into the showers and takes in my bedraggled appearance and soaked clothes and then he raised an eyebrow.

"You know there are easier ways to drown yourself."

Despite myself I let out a short laugh.

"Why are you here James?"

"I wanted to thank you. For saving me today and for saving Lily a few weeks back. I was just so angry with how you've been acting. You were being such a bitch, acting like you didn't care about Lily and such. I've been watching you since then…"

"Ah, I knew you'd finally confess your undying love for me one of these days." I joked to which he smiled at me.

"Funny, but even into this game and throughout the whole Pucey incident I was firmly on the side of 'Katherine's a bitch.' But, I heard your team talk to you after the game and maybe I was wrong. So I'm sorry."

I just cocked my head and looked at him. He did look apologetic so I decided to be nice. "Well you're welcome. But I have to tell you. I am sometimes a bitch."

"Your sister said as much to me."

I gasped in mock hurt "That traitor!"
He just smiled and looked at me.
"So are you going to get out of the shower?"

"Nah, this is my only spare set of clothes here so I'll just hang out here for a while."

"But you'll miss the Gryffindor after party. I mean I know you always have an unofficial invite but here I am, officially inviting you."

"Were you not listening? I don't have any other clothes."

"So if I find you clothes you'll get out of the shower?"

I knew that this was a trap, but I really did want warm clothes so I replied "Fine. Yes."

He smirked "Here's a towel, actually shower and I'll be back in a few minutes."

A few minutes later I'm drying off when I hear him come back in. He reached around the stall and handed me a pair of clothes. I quickly put them on frowning when I realized they're his.

"James? Why am I wearing your clothes?"

He looked at me and I suddenly feel very self-conscious wearing his clothes. He walked over and rolls up the sleeves so that they actually fit me. It took everything in me to not fidget as he did so.

"Because your sister's spare set is gone and I always have an extra spare set hidden in the locker room. You never know when you'll need an extra set of clothes."

"Well let's get going right? We don't want all the good stuff to be gone." I quickly said and I turn towards the exit trying to figure out why I felt like blushing.