Chapter 36

Alice stepped out into the cooling night air and glanced around the grounds. Nobody had seen Frank since he had landed after the game and stormed off. She was worried about him. He had never failed to catch the Snitch before and she couldn't help but wonder what mood he was now in.

She personally didn't understand the attitudes her friends had towards Quidditch. It was only a sport, so what if they had lost their opening game. Of course she had been unable to say anything like that in the common room. It was filled with a tense atmosphere as the house had filled up. The supporters had muttered among themselves as the players had finally turned up.

Alice had watched from beside Joe and Peter as they had trooped in Jaclyn Owen had headed straight over to her friends without lifting her head up. Katherine Wood had winced as she meet some eyes before moving to watch two friends play chess.

Then there were her friends. Amanda had come in silently with her eyes directed straight at the floor. She didn't say a word as she headed straight up to the dorm room. Branwen had shrugged following her up there only to return moments later to say Amanda had crawled into bed.

Sirius and James though had thrown things around in annoyance. They had angrily yelled slurs about the Slytherin team and how they had played dirty. The truth though to Alice's mind was that on the day the Slytherin's were the better team. She would however never say that to anyone.

What had surprised her though was that Frank hadn't returned with the rest of them. In the past the team had always returned together after games. Well almost always, depending if anyone had ended up in the hospital wing! But this wasn't typical of Frank in the least.

So when everyone had started to chat among themselves Alice had slipped out of the common room. It was early afternoon and the bleak sun was just being swallowed by dark clouds. It looked almost like a thunder storm was about to start. The air held that smell anyway.

Looking out at the grounds she could just make out a lump pressed against the oak tree near the lake. Without hesitation she made her way down towards it. As she got closer it became clear that it was indeed Frank. He was sitting with his head in his hands with his elbows resting on his knees. He looked like a little lost boy to her.

"You alright?"

He didn't look up or say a word as he shrugged. Alice dropped down next to him and tried to get him to look at her.

"Frank it's only a game."

"A game! A game! We've won the cup for the last six years in a row. Alright last year we had a rocky go at it. But we've never lost to the Slytherins in the entire time I've been in the school. Now this is my final year and I'm going to lead the team to their first defeat in six years! I'm pathetic."

"But it's just a game!"

Frank slowly picked his head up and shot Alice a look. She almost felt like she should shake under the stare but she gave him a coy smile.

"I'm right Frank. It is a game."

"Yes technically it is. But Quidditch is also life! I mean it's the best thing about this school. Forget learning magic its learning the techniques to make you a great flyer. Quidditch teaches you how to work in a small team with people different to yourself. It also creates competition which is key to life."

"It causes seven people to pout when someone wearing different coloured robes than themselves catches a stupid little Snitch."

"Stupid! The Snitch isn't stupid!"

Alice gave a small chuckle and looked around.

"You sound just like Aaron. He use to get like that whenever I made a comment against Quidditch. He use to tell me that if I didn't have anything nice to say about the sport I should just shut up."

"Your brother was smart then."

Alice made a funny sort of tutting noise in her throat as she slugged Frank in the arm.

"You should all get perspective on it. Nobody died so why act like babies?"

"You don't understand Alice!"

Frank ran his fingers through his hair as he finally looked at her.

"Explain it to me then Frank."

"Everything is changing! People are dying and going missing all the time. Everyone is worried and we just want one thing to remain the same. Quidditch could have been that. It was a way for us to forget everything that's happened for a few hours. And we thought that if we won everything would be fine. But we didn't."

"But it's not the end of the world. You can still beat the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. And if the Slytherins lose or something Gryffindor could still win."

"That's not the point. We wanted to win."

"You always win. It's time you give someone else the chance."

Frank spluttered a laugh and Alice couldn't help but grin. A clasp of thunder sounded over head and seconds later a sheet of lightening brightened the sky. Alice jumped and grabbed Frank burying her head into his shoulder.

"It's only lightening."

"Shut up!"

Frank was grinning as she pulled up. Without really thinking about it she leaned in and took his lips with hers. They were as soft as she remembered them to be. As she began to deepen it enjoying the sensation of Frank's lips another clasp of thunder sounded and she jumped backwards.

A blush flew to her cheeks as she looked around. Raindrops slowly began to fall and she turned to the castle.

"I think we better go back in."

Frank just nodded as he watched her stand up. Alice smiled coyly as she waited for Frank to stand up. Then in silence they began to walk back to the castle. Alice's mind was working over time. She had just kissed Frank. What was she thinking? But she knew the answer, she knew what her heart wanted.

Okay so this is basically a filler chapter. I needed to get Alice and Frank moving closer together. So I thought a pouty Frank after losing Quidditch would be a good opertunity. Umm... but things should be moving along again after this chapter. Got some nice long shocking chapters coming up for you soon.

Kris xx