China Roses
Puddlemere
/You talk of the break of morning
As you view the new aurora,
Cloud in crimson, the key of heaven,
One love carved in acajou. /
Ginny splashed cold water on her face. Her makeup ruined, she reapplied her lipstick. Groaning, she retied her ponytail. She bit her lip, telling herself not to cry later. Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the washroom and made her way to the Puddlemere United locker rooms.
The air was much friendlier as Ginny walked into the locker room. Once she stepped through the door, she was greeted with a rousing "Hello, Ginny!"
Ginny tried to smile as she observed all the cheery faces that greeted her. There was her brother, Ron, grinning from ear to ear, with his beater's bat. Next to him was Harry, poised and defined, green eyes shining behind his glasses. Dean Thomas, the other beater, waved energetically at her. Alicia Spinnet and two other female chasers, Colleen Melville and May Keys engulfed her in a large group hug.
Last of all was Oliver Wood, Puddlemere's captain. He was leaning on the lockers, obviously interrupted by Ginny's appearance. Smiling, he strode over to her and shook her hand.
"So you're the Ministry rep. No wonder everyone was so restless today," he told her. Turning to face his team, he reprimanded, "And you didn't even tell me!"
Everyone burst out laughing. Ginny felt her vision blurring up, as a lump rose up her throat. She couldn't stop it- she had to let her feelings go. The hot tears flowed down her cheeks, and she sobbed uncontrollably. The pleasant buzz of noise ceased- everyone was stunned.
Ginny just stood there, tears streaming down her face, not knowing how to stop. Even though her vision was blurred, she could see that the team was in shock.
Suddenly, Ginny felt a pair of strong arms engulf her in a warm, comforting hug. She didn't exactly care who it was; she just instinctively buried her face in that person's chest, navy blue Quidditch robes rubbing against her cheek.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
That person was Oliver.
Ginny looked up, as the rest of the team echoed Oliver's query. Before she could dash away, Oliver sat her down firmly on a bench.
"Don't worry, just tell us; if it was something we were doing, we're sorry- there's no need to cry, Ginny," Ron told Ginny comfortingly as he moved over to sit next to her.
"You're- you're just too nice..." Ginny sobbed into Ron's shoulder.
Ron patted her on the back. Ginny brushed away the tears with the back of her hand, and told them what had happened.
The team's reactions were almost the same. Ron inhaled sharply, and Ginny could feel his grip on her arm tighten. Harry said very bad words that he probably would never had said in front of Hermione, and Dean Thomas proceeded to grind the flattened cigarette butt that was lying on the ground into fragments after spitting on it. Alicia, Keys and Melville gave her a large group hug again.
Only Oliver was silent throughout the whole time.
As the noise died down, Oliver looked up and said quietly, "Our next game is with the Cannons."
The team nodded.
"Let's beat them to pulp."
The team erupted into loud cheers at Oliver's statement. Harry repeated his earlier display of profanity against the Cannons again, causing Dean Thomas to nudge him and remind him that there were women in the room.
...
Oliver sat with the bench between his legs, as he observed Ginny performing charms on his broom. The rest of the team had gone out to do some discussion with their agent, leaving Oliver behind to make sure all the brooms were properly checked by Ginny.
He watched Ginny tuck stray strands of her flaming red hair behind her ear, as sweat glistened on her forehead, thinking how beautiful she was. It was a pity she had to get involved with a crook like Kipling. Finally, after she performed the last charm, she looked up at him.
"I'm done, Oliver."
Oliver snapped out of his reverie.
"Oh, um, yeah. Yeah, you're... um done," he stuttered.
Ginny smiled at him.
"So... D'you want to have lunch?" he asked her, glancing at his watch. It was almost seven.
"I've had it already, thanks," Ginny told him. She blushed as her stomach growled.
"What about dinner?"
Ginny started to protest, realizing that she didn't have enough money to pay for it.
Oliver looked straight at her, the corners of his mouth twitching.
"No money?"
Ginny nodded uncomfortably.
Smiling wryly, he lifted her up with ease and slung her over his shoulder, the way someone would sling a bag of potatoes over his shoulder. Ignoring Ginny's distressed cries, he marched all the way down the stairs. Ginny had given up protesting- instead, she was laughing harder than she ever had.
It was all very enjoyable until Oliver ran straight into the rest of the team.
"Just going for dinner," Oliver said guiltily, putting Ginny back down on her feet, his face flushed red. Ginny regained her balance, turning slightly pink.
In normal circumstances, Ron would have put Oliver through a grueling interrogation, but this time, Ron just placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder, saying, "You'd better do her good, Oliver. You'd better."
A/N:
Ah! Another chapter up!! :)
Thanks to:
Neni Potter: Did this chapter help you?
Siverwing: I love those thumbs-up things! Thanks!
Andufeniel: I've already done the WHOLE fic, so I'm just taking my time to mail it to my beta and stuff...
Ravenwise: Thanks!
Claire: Thankie!!
Puddlemere
/You talk of the break of morning
As you view the new aurora,
Cloud in crimson, the key of heaven,
One love carved in acajou. /
Ginny splashed cold water on her face. Her makeup ruined, she reapplied her lipstick. Groaning, she retied her ponytail. She bit her lip, telling herself not to cry later. Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the washroom and made her way to the Puddlemere United locker rooms.
The air was much friendlier as Ginny walked into the locker room. Once she stepped through the door, she was greeted with a rousing "Hello, Ginny!"
Ginny tried to smile as she observed all the cheery faces that greeted her. There was her brother, Ron, grinning from ear to ear, with his beater's bat. Next to him was Harry, poised and defined, green eyes shining behind his glasses. Dean Thomas, the other beater, waved energetically at her. Alicia Spinnet and two other female chasers, Colleen Melville and May Keys engulfed her in a large group hug.
Last of all was Oliver Wood, Puddlemere's captain. He was leaning on the lockers, obviously interrupted by Ginny's appearance. Smiling, he strode over to her and shook her hand.
"So you're the Ministry rep. No wonder everyone was so restless today," he told her. Turning to face his team, he reprimanded, "And you didn't even tell me!"
Everyone burst out laughing. Ginny felt her vision blurring up, as a lump rose up her throat. She couldn't stop it- she had to let her feelings go. The hot tears flowed down her cheeks, and she sobbed uncontrollably. The pleasant buzz of noise ceased- everyone was stunned.
Ginny just stood there, tears streaming down her face, not knowing how to stop. Even though her vision was blurred, she could see that the team was in shock.
Suddenly, Ginny felt a pair of strong arms engulf her in a warm, comforting hug. She didn't exactly care who it was; she just instinctively buried her face in that person's chest, navy blue Quidditch robes rubbing against her cheek.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
That person was Oliver.
Ginny looked up, as the rest of the team echoed Oliver's query. Before she could dash away, Oliver sat her down firmly on a bench.
"Don't worry, just tell us; if it was something we were doing, we're sorry- there's no need to cry, Ginny," Ron told Ginny comfortingly as he moved over to sit next to her.
"You're- you're just too nice..." Ginny sobbed into Ron's shoulder.
Ron patted her on the back. Ginny brushed away the tears with the back of her hand, and told them what had happened.
The team's reactions were almost the same. Ron inhaled sharply, and Ginny could feel his grip on her arm tighten. Harry said very bad words that he probably would never had said in front of Hermione, and Dean Thomas proceeded to grind the flattened cigarette butt that was lying on the ground into fragments after spitting on it. Alicia, Keys and Melville gave her a large group hug again.
Only Oliver was silent throughout the whole time.
As the noise died down, Oliver looked up and said quietly, "Our next game is with the Cannons."
The team nodded.
"Let's beat them to pulp."
The team erupted into loud cheers at Oliver's statement. Harry repeated his earlier display of profanity against the Cannons again, causing Dean Thomas to nudge him and remind him that there were women in the room.
...
Oliver sat with the bench between his legs, as he observed Ginny performing charms on his broom. The rest of the team had gone out to do some discussion with their agent, leaving Oliver behind to make sure all the brooms were properly checked by Ginny.
He watched Ginny tuck stray strands of her flaming red hair behind her ear, as sweat glistened on her forehead, thinking how beautiful she was. It was a pity she had to get involved with a crook like Kipling. Finally, after she performed the last charm, she looked up at him.
"I'm done, Oliver."
Oliver snapped out of his reverie.
"Oh, um, yeah. Yeah, you're... um done," he stuttered.
Ginny smiled at him.
"So... D'you want to have lunch?" he asked her, glancing at his watch. It was almost seven.
"I've had it already, thanks," Ginny told him. She blushed as her stomach growled.
"What about dinner?"
Ginny started to protest, realizing that she didn't have enough money to pay for it.
Oliver looked straight at her, the corners of his mouth twitching.
"No money?"
Ginny nodded uncomfortably.
Smiling wryly, he lifted her up with ease and slung her over his shoulder, the way someone would sling a bag of potatoes over his shoulder. Ignoring Ginny's distressed cries, he marched all the way down the stairs. Ginny had given up protesting- instead, she was laughing harder than she ever had.
It was all very enjoyable until Oliver ran straight into the rest of the team.
"Just going for dinner," Oliver said guiltily, putting Ginny back down on her feet, his face flushed red. Ginny regained her balance, turning slightly pink.
In normal circumstances, Ron would have put Oliver through a grueling interrogation, but this time, Ron just placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder, saying, "You'd better do her good, Oliver. You'd better."
A/N:
Ah! Another chapter up!! :)
Thanks to:
Neni Potter: Did this chapter help you?
Siverwing: I love those thumbs-up things! Thanks!
Andufeniel: I've already done the WHOLE fic, so I'm just taking my time to mail it to my beta and stuff...
Ravenwise: Thanks!
Claire: Thankie!!