CH 9: Let's start a club!
Bella POV
After the way those tryouts went, I'm so glad we're getting out of this castle! I mean, I've got as much house pride as the next Gryffindor, but that doesn't mean everyone should play on the team. We had a ridiculous number of people show this time round.
After looking at the crowd that had amassed, Harry decided to hold a timed trial to cut potentials who couldn't make it around the pitch in under a minute… which left us with a much more manageable number of quidditch hopefuls. However, something just screamed 'spectator' about today, so, naturally, everyone who was cut simply laughed it off and joined a growing number of Gryffindors in the stands. Apparently, no one was too gutted about getting the boot… and I suspect many of the girls simply tagged along to sit in the stands with the Cullens, one Cullen in particular.
It hasn't been bad hosting them, in fact, it's been fun to have fresh blood (so to speak) in the Gryffindor common room. Exploding snap and Wizarding chess have never been so fun, mostly because Ron has finally met his match!
All the Cullens were friendly, sometimes overly so… must be an American thing… but sometimes after the raucous laughter of the day wound down, I would catch one or two of them studying me in a sort of sad way.
As we entered the common room that evening I saw Edward was matched against Ron in a particularly brutal game of Wizarding Chess and Forge had convinced Emmett to try a Skiving Snackbox for 'research'… they wanted to see if the potions ingredients would work on Vampires… they don't… mostly.
I'd planned on revising a potions essay with 'Mione and scanned the room for her when I caught Alice just looking at me like I'd stepped on her pygmy puff. It was really unsettling, so I did what any brave Gryffindor would do… gave up ground and headed up to my four-poster. Hermione soon followed me up and since it was the early evening hour of 8:45 pm she called me on my retreat.
She sat down next to me and shook me as I stared at the ceiling. "Bella, what on earth are you doing?! We're due to meet the boys to head to Hagrid's before we visit Rosmerta's."
"I don't know, 'Mione!" I groaned and stood up to begin my pacing. "I feel like Alice looks at me like I've stolen her best friend and Emmett looks at me like he keeps expecting me to do something. And Edward! Don't even get me started on HIM! He is always around! Opening doors and stuff… I'm the one showing HIM around, and here HE is opening doors for me. Also, did you SEE him this morning at tryouts? Could he have been more obvious in trying to attract every skirt in this school? The just tight enough Henley and the sunglasses? I mean we get it, you don't get cold, you don't need a jacket, but come on! Don't be a showoff! Then of all things he goes and tells me off for being too risky during practice! Who the hell does he think he is? I've had it. I don't care how many nights in a row we get potatoes! I'm done being their tour guide! Dumbles needs to swap them out of my classes!"
"hmmm, someone has not been journaling their feelings …" Hermione somehow managed to eek out before bursting into laughter. Which meant that I giggled, and soon we were splayed shoulder to shoulder giggling like fools. Which is exactly how Ginny found us a short 15 minutes later. Quickly, Hermione filled Ginny in on my 'breakdown': "Bella thinks the Cullens are obsessed with her, she thinks Dumbledore is bribing her with various forms of potato at dinner, and she is mad that Edward is fit and doesn't get cold"… and while not technically untrue her summary seemed not to do justice to my rant
However, mischief waits for no one & just like that we were off!
Ginny left first on her broom and Hermione (though she will swear she hates it ) flew with Ron from the tower, but Harry and I had wanted to give Forge's sticky fingers another go. Just as it was the last time, Harry and I got to the ground at the same time (because he cheats), but unlike last time we had an audience. The Cullen 'children' were there waiting for us. Emmett and Jasper were Golf clasping and tipped imaginary caps at us, while Alice practically vibrated with energy next to an unenthused Rosalie, and just as he had done earlier today on the pitch Edward approached me and informed me of how dangerous what I was doing was. I was about to blow a gasket. Really. I felt so smothered by him for no reason. He didn't say anything to Harry, who had arguably done many more stupid things, today, than I had! He didn't say anything to Ginny, who was equally reckless on a broom, and he shouldn't even be here! But I didn't get to say any of that since Harry spoke first—"Mate, I know you beat Ron and all, but don't push your luck."
To which with my quick wit and acumen I replied "Huh?"
Emmett supplied, "Eddie boy beat Ron in chess, and Ron said he would give Edward anything he wanted if he told him how he outmaneuvered him! So our cheery chess champion asked simply for us to tag along your next 'breakout' to get the 'real' Hogwarts experience. Turns out it is tonight!... You guys do go out a lot." He finished.
I turned to Harry, "And we're honoring the git's promises?" and then to Edward "How did you beat him?"
They simultaneously replied, "Didn't get much of a choice" and "I can read minds."
I think Edward was hoping I hadn't heard that, but oh boyo did I hear that! "You can what?! All the time? Everyone's? Does occlumency work against you? Is this just some constant form of legimency? Also, that's cheating!" I rambled off my questions as we walked towards Hogsmead, we had spent too long dallying and would now miss seeing Hagrid before he went out with Fang to the forest.
He answered succinctly and with a little smile while Harry looked on with a stank eye, "Yes, yes, No, Some, No, Yes, yes it is, but I think you four have a few tricks too." And then he smirked! He lifted that perfect left eyebrow and the same side of his mouth and I about fell over. I was hit with a picture of him hopping out the bed of an old red truck and fixing a dent with his hands with that exact same self-satisfied smirk! I was dumbstruck. But Emmett came up and put his arm around me leading me away from Edward and closer to Hogsmead. Asking questions about the magical world that rivaled Mr. Weasley's muggle ones. Those two in a room together would be dangerous.
HPOV
That dick. Edward Cullen is a prick of the highest order, I'm going to start a club.
He knew we were going out tonight and Ron played into his hands. Mind reading, of course! It's convenient, creepy, and fits him perfectly. Apparently, he can't read Bella's or my mind, has trouble with Hermione and Ginny, but no, Ron had to be as clear as an effin howler!
So now, I'm listening to the aforementioned prick chat up Bella as I attempt to burn a hole in his shirt with my eyeballs as we walk towards Hogsmead. Man, I really need a drink. I wonder if Rosemerta has the new dragon scale whisky… I would love to breath fire tonight.
'SHIT MAN!—You're creepy, you know that? You can't just pop up next to people, some of us curse first and ask questions later!"
Edward shrugged and then looked at me with an intensity that made me a bit uncomfortable if I'm being honest.
"Thanks for letting us tag along tonight, I know you don't like me"
"I thought you said you couldn't read my mind"
"Don't need to for that one" he laughed out.
We walked in silence a bit more before he asked, "Can I ask if Bella has dated anyone recently?"
The balls on this bloke! He knows I don't like him and he is asking after my—
my, my Bella. Huh, I'd have to think on that later… maybe use the journal that 'Mione gave me.
I bristled out a short "What's it to you if she has?"
Good job, Potter- aggressive and short!
"I'd like to ask her out, properly, for one of the Hogsmead weekends she mentioned."
He didn't even look to me as he said this. Want's to ask Bella out and checks with ME first about her dating life! Ugh what is with this dude?
"I still don't know why you asked me, but no, she isn't and it's not gonna happen, so leave it. Don't even think about it, no matter how many games you win, Ron won't let you ask her out. If you hadn't noticed there is sort of an embargo on Bella thanks to the Weasleys, yours truly, and Dean. Forget it." I practically growled out the last part.
He stopped walking then, and we turned to each stare down the other. "I think you should let Bella choose her own company." And then the dick ran away.
My name is Harry Potter and I think Edward Cullen is a dick… "Hi Harry."
BPOV
Walking with Emmett was fun! It was like having Fred, George, and Sirius all rolled into one giant person! We laughed about Edward's mind-reading and he taught me a few "anti-Eddie" techniques, but assured me I wouldn't need them. & Then we ran! He told me about their super speed and offered to demonstrate… I didn't think he meant with me but it was amazing! Almost as fun as flying!
I was curious to see how fast he could go without a human sloth attached, so we planned to race his speed against my broom tomorrow! With his super-speed, we got to the pub a bit before even Ron & Hermione.
Emmett and I decided to get cracking and ordered a round of dragon's blood for his family (apparently the warmth and the burn give them the feeling of drinking whisky…that and it makes them all a little euphoric) and a round of the new dragon scale whisky for us humans.
We found a booth and queued up the magical jukebox, but it seemed Emmett was the only one to use his super-speed to get here and before I knew it I was three drinks deep and Emmett was getting even louder than normal attempting to convince the patrons of the pub to participate in his impromptu "Country Roads" karaoke rendition. Before long the patrons proudly partook (say that five times fast) and the pub was rowdier than a Hogsmead weekend!
Poppin pub- check
Boisterous vampire hopped up on dragon blood- check
Tipsy (drunk) Bella- check
Gobsmacked faces of your friends who just walked in during your 'Love Shack' rendition with aforementioned boisterous vampire- check
Rest of said vampire's family- check
Overbearing fit vampire- check, sigh