Disclaimer: Harry Potter sadly isn't mine...

"Ro'," Al mumbled through a mouthful of mashed potatoes, "Arg thou koin 'o Quiadach triauts?"

I had no idea what he just said, though I figured it had something to do with Quidditch. "I can't comprehend what you just said, Al."

He swallowed his mouthful and tried again. "Are you going to Quidditch tryouts?" Second year meant being able to play on the Quidditch team, and that meant a very happy Al. It also meant Scorpius Malfoy was going to tryout for the Slytherin team, and that meant either good news or bad news, depending how well he could fly. From the lessons we (besides me, of course) took in first year, he was fairly good. No, scratch that. He was really good.

Merlin, did I just compliment Malfoy?

I shot Al an annoyed look. "No, Al, when will you remember that I hate Quidditch? Not just Quidditch, but flying, in general. I can't fly!" Al always pretended that he didn't know, in hopes of some day persuading me to try the sport. I always told him to give up.

He sighed. "Oh, right, never mind. But do wish me luck?"

"It's obvious you'll get on the team, Al," I stated matter-of-factly. "Oh, hey, Elizabeth, you're trying out too, I assume?"

Elizabeth Wood was a friend I had made not long after returning from Christmas holidays last year. She's the daughter of Oliver Wood, who had been the Quidditch captain in my parents and Uncle Harry's school days.

Al choked suddenly, even though he hadn't been eating anything. Elizabeth smiled at me and said, "Of course! Good luck to you too, Al."

"T-Thanks," Al stuttered. "Rosie, you should at least come watch."

I huffed. "Fine, I'll come, but you owe me."

Thinking about Al owing me reminded me of me owing Malfoy. He still hasn't decided what to do yet, and I was beginning to become irritated. Just what could that prat be planning...? Oh, speak of the devil. "Going to Quidditch tryouts, Potter?"

Pretending that Malfoy wasn't there, Al threw his fork with such a force that it would've hit Malfoy's head if he hadn't caught it in time. "Why, of course I am," Al grinned cheerfully. "Will you mind giving me back my fork, Malfoy? It seemed to have slipped from my fingers by accident!"

"Come on, Scorp," Zabini whined from his side. "Let's go! I wanna get a good seat in the bleachers to watch!"

"See ya, Scorp," I waved at him in Zabini's voice tone.

"Shut up, Weasley," he growled, "If I end up not getting on the Slytherin team, it'll be your fault."

Did I have anything to do with his Quidditch tryouts? Not that I knew of. "Am I that big of a distraction?" I wondered, addressing Al (and pretending that Malfoy didn't exist).

"Oh yes," Al said, "You're the cutest girl here! With curly hair—"

"I told you! My hair's bushy! There's a difference!" I snorted, whacking Al on the arm.

"—a gorgeous smile, extremely smart, trouble-attracting—"

How being trouble-attracting was a good thing, I had no idea. It was strange, Al listing my qualities like that. He was my cousin, for Merlin's sake! Not some random bloke who liked me. "Malfoy's hardly going to see me as a cute, gorgeous, extremely smart and curly-haired girl, is he? N-Not that I'm saying I want him to." I was hardly those things, anyway. I was just ordinary, school-loving, and yes, trouble-attracting. I wasn't one of those super "hot" girls whom all the guys wanted to date sometime in their life. I was only a twelve-year-old.

As Al rambled on ("—kind, caring, helpful—"), Malfoy scoffed and walked away with Zabini clinging onto his arm. I could totally imagine the two of them as a couple when they were a few years older. Not. I was feeling very sarcastic today.

"Al, shut up and let's go," I interrupted him finally, having enough of being praised by my cousin. He nodded assent and took a final sip of Pumpkin Juice (Seriously, my life was surrounded with pumpkins!) before hurrying after me.

I left Al to report to the Gryffindor Quidditch captain (Sid Thomas) and headed towards the bleachers to sit. The houses were having all their tryouts on the same day, which was a new "technique" the previous captains have decided upon. "Sorry, Weasley, you're not welcome here," a high-pitched and very annoying voice interrupted my peaceful thinking.

Huh, it had to be Zabini and a bunch of giggling Slytherin girls. She didn't sound sorry at all and wasn't even paying attention to me. In fact, they were currently in the midst of debating what Malfoy feature was the, erm, sexiest. Just how old were they, exactly? Spare me the pain of listening to the most uncomfortable conversation in my life, please!

"His smirk is so captivating!" One girl sighed dreamily, "You'll be lucky if he does that to you, even once!"

Well, he was constantly smirking at me, and I would gladly have him smirk at anyone else after hearing this awkward comment.

Another objected, "No, no, his voice is! It's so cool and confident and everything a girl can wish for!"

I constantly had to listen to his insults. I wanted to gag as Zabini shot me an annoyed glare. "Go away, Weasley, you're not wanted here."

"Gladly," I managed with a grin before escaping. I found Dominique and Fred sitting together, and sat down to join them. "Slytherins are the weirdest ever. You don't even want to know what I just heard."

Domi blinked at me. "Oh, I certainly don't."

"What did they say?" Fred demanded curiously. "Tell me, Rosie, please?"

"I really don't want to repeat all that," I objected, "it's going to kill me!" But he was Fred, and Fred always could think of something to make you give up. In the end, I did tell him in the most girliest voice I could muster:

"His smirk is so captivating!"

Fred stared at me as if I sprouted wings. "Uh, who's smirk are we talking about?"

"Malfoy's."

He paled; something I could see even in the dim light. "Ugh, please don't continue any further. Your mocking skills are wonderful, Rosie, but spare me the Malfoy compliments. And I would be more than happy for you to promise me that you won't be making any of these compliments in the future."

For the second time, I muttered, "Gladly."

A/n:

They're in second year in this chapter (next chapter will be third year).

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