And after Gaby said that Vanessa and Jade wouldn't be this patient, and she
was prone to the slightest frostbite, they left the balcony down the narrow
staircase, Smith holding her hand behind him.
"You know," he said," your hair isn't that bad- I dunno why you say so half the time."
"You try combing it out once, I'll bend every comb you got."
"Grizzly Bears," they said to the fat Lady. "Oh, did you see Missis Shield and Silver come in here?" Gaby asked her before she swung open. "Yes, w good while ago, but I believe the long one said she was going to bed and the long plaited one agreed with her out of frustration."
"Thanks!"
"Anything for you dear," she yawned. And Gaby must have imagined a curious spark in her pastel eyes despite her sleepiness, when she looked at them. The Common Room was deserted.
Gaby hugged him goodnight at the foot of the stairs and then they went their separate ways... The door to her dorm creaked as she slipped inside. It was dark as she crossed the room to her four-poster, half expecting accusing bright lights to flick on and to hear Vanessa's shrill 'Hold it right there Shortstuffs' but it didn't happen and when she drew the hangings around her bed a loud snore from her direction assured her safely until morn. She lay awake enough to feel very grateful for her best friends and the quality of their friendship, even if they went to frankly 'unusual' measures. They had been there for her and she wouldn't ever remove herself from their side. And she dreamt freely that night even after she thought of how much sleepless nights Smith suffered through, even when she was there partnering him to blow up experiments.
It was Saturday morning and Gaby tumbled down the stairs in the Entrance hall, but not for breakfast. She had to find Smith. There he was sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table- she could see his quill quivering over the tabletop as he petted Tower. She almost ran to him, and dropped all her books down in the space beside him. He looked up.
"I-I've got a Potions Test on Goblin Rebellions today and- I don't know what I'm doing!" she breathed, her voice breaking but not stopping to think about the nonsense she was spilling," the exams are only months away and I think I'm forgetting everything I learned from five- I don't know what the last dragon outrage was!" she said, flinging her hands up into the air and pacing the floor. "I tried doing Banishing Charm this morning and Teddy won't come to me! I didn't learn half the dates in Transfiguration! I'm sprouting scales instead of feathers for Charms- I feel like I could break licorice! And I dreamt about a Theastral!" Smith was still looking at her- she fixed her gaze on the floor, now thoroughly confused.
"Good morning to you too."
"Sorry," she said softly, brushing her un-brushed hair from her face.
"Have a seat," he said calmly.
She pulled out a chair beside him and sat down, breathing sharply, feeling nauseated at the mound of work in front of her. She wavered slightly and he held her shoulders, "Gaby look at me." She looked up. "Breathe." She sneezed. "Sorry again." "No harm done."
"Now, sleep well?"
"Think so, but I jumped out if it this morning thinking it was Monday...or is it still Friday?" she felt highly embarrassed about letting go on him but he was just calm like he always was, and when Gaby inquired about it he merely shrugged. "You probably noticed it was a guy thing by now, but we do get freaked out sometimes."
She sniffled.
"Why don't you... paint your nailed like some other girls do?"
"Cuz I eat them when I lose my head!"
"Well- technically- if you lost your head you won't be able to eat-"
She punched him and he laughed. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"
"No, but I know you're just afraid and there's nothing to be afraid of-"
"But -"
He held up a hand to silence her, "I've seem you brave things I would never have dared Flame, funny finals freak you out."
"It'd rather rodeo a dragon than go through this," she muttered.
"Oh, careful, that may not be many people's first choice. I'll help you come on. We've done this before and we can crack this again- just like we do every year. Hm?"
Gaby nodded, eyes still full of fear. Tower stared at her- his amber eyes getting larger than it already was- he hooted as if in concern and Gaby giggled.
"There, it's gonna be OK, they're just exams."
"Life defining exams," Gaby added.
"Hate to spoil the moment."
Both Gaby and Smith jumped and turned around.
"Sorry sis, but I'm due for allowance."
"You spend more than me Sam!" Gaby said to her round-eyed eleven ear old sister.
"But I'm due!" she said, poking Gaby in the ribs.
"OK! But I'm going to have to receive Mum's letter first before I give you anything- She'll tell me."
Sam scowled.
"Oh- Gosh I forgot to post Uncle Miser," Smith said. He leapt out of his chair but stopped suddenly, turning back to Gaby.
"Stop worrying, be right back," he said bending to hug her. "I love you." The he lofted Tower from the table and ran from the Great Hall but it was Sam who made Gaby realize what he had just said.
"I love you too sis," she mocked dramatically. Gaby threw a book through her hysterical giggles, just as Vanessa and Jade came pelting into the Hall (Oh no...)
"GABY!" They had their brooms with them. "Earl told us to mark the field!"
"What- OH my gosh I completely forgot."
"Quidditch Practice, the second season?"
"We've gotta get there before the Slytherins!" Vanessa pressed."
"Oh!" Gaby slapped her forehead. "I didn't tell Camry!"
"No time!" Vanessa said, grabbing her arm painfully.
"What about my broom?"
"Forget it!" gasped Jade.
"Came I come?"
"NO!" they turned around to tell Sam. Gaby fretted. "Jus- jus take those things upstairs and tag Camry OK? Go now!" she called back to her.
They ran out onto the grounds in the pouring rain. There were no Slytherins in sight. Vanessa pelted in ahead of them but stopped at the entrance to the stadium.
"Come ON!" she yelled at them.
They had already reached center-field soaked in their scarlet Quidditch robes when they were confronted with the full Slytherin team line-up. Prince stepped forward, smirking. "Seems to me like you forgot your lame team Flame."
"We came here first!" Gaby said, stepping forward. "That means we play here....today."
Prince fumed. "Get off the field! You do not have a full team Flame-"
"You're just afraid we whoop you in the finals."
"YOU DON'T KNOW BALLS ABOUT QUIDDITCH MUDBLOOD! So why don't you just get back to that sewer you came from."
"That's IT," Jade fussed beside her. She ripped open her collar, threw aside her tie and broomstick and did something she had never done before- and which was highly unlike her - She charged at Malfoy- wrenching his collar and pushed him back and he fell into a puddle of mud. He was too surprised to react and she lunged at him again. "Stop!"
The heavy downpour blurred everything. The Slytherins on-que burst in on them while Jade scratched away at Malfoy and Gaby was sure she heard and unfamiliar voice yelp when she flung her elbows back and it collided with iron flesh. Sparks flew like mad all around them.
They brought their wands to the pitch!
Gaby couldn't find Vanessa through the tangled mass of burly figures, though she heard her scream in fear. Someone's forearms bolted across Gaby's middle- pinning her arms inward and raising her off the ground. She yelled out (not expecting it would help) but the effect made the captor drop her so suddenly it was as if he was hit from behind by a-
"CAMRY!"
Gaby yelled- recognising his outline- Marc with him- just before she got rammed by another Slytherin much like the way the footballers charge in the games. The force knocked out her breath as she hit the ground and groaned, unable to get up as the fight went on. She saw feet splashing around her, and her insides felt like they were being Bar-B-Qued. She underestimated physical strength and that was always her biggest falter- but it didn't mean she was totally powerless... The mad battle of fist and wand intensified. They were four against seven and Gaby still could not find Vanessa (she heard Prince yell continuously and figured the Kid was doing quite all right).
And then the rest of the Gryffindor team rained on them like a pack of wolves- sought out the attackers and administered justice in the form of jaw-snappers, left hooks, arm wrings and fierce upper-cuts. Gaby was surprised, she never really realized how born witches and wizards were able to learn all this.
Gaby heard Vanessa scream and slipped through the outstretched arms of another captor but, as if expecting her arrival, knuckles like iron collided with her stomach and she was driven to the ground- gasping ungainly... She did not like the sickening sound of colliding forces all around her but her wand was out and she was up again- stunning anything green, managing to make one of them dance- until it was snatched away in the wet confusion. She saw Jade rise high above the crowd- wretched off by a Slytherin- she was flinging water from her hair and struggling in defiance but Gaby kicked up before he could slam her down and the captor tuned to high-pitched opera.
Gaby and Jade found Vanessa at the foot of the fight- she was dodging the feet before she reared up and smashed the jaw of a green-clad figure with the heel of her hand (Sorry!).
How many people of the sixteen were caught in headlocks and still struggling, feet planted in the ground - yelling by the time the whistle shrilled though the stadium- this time not to end or begin a game- but to cease Muggle duelling in a massive group? Most people froze- some fell in exhaustion- they heard splashing footsteps...
Jade, who was on the verge of being thrown again, was landed on the back of a fallen Gryffndor. Gaby who was frozen in her arched position, arms folded behind her in the masoning grip of a burly Slytherin while the sole of her shoe struck out to the chest of the other Slytherin who was advancing to hit her. And Vanessa, locked in tight gear with Merissa's talon-like hails, refused to stop trying to yank a handful of purple hair out of the opponent's head.
"You know," he said," your hair isn't that bad- I dunno why you say so half the time."
"You try combing it out once, I'll bend every comb you got."
"Grizzly Bears," they said to the fat Lady. "Oh, did you see Missis Shield and Silver come in here?" Gaby asked her before she swung open. "Yes, w good while ago, but I believe the long one said she was going to bed and the long plaited one agreed with her out of frustration."
"Thanks!"
"Anything for you dear," she yawned. And Gaby must have imagined a curious spark in her pastel eyes despite her sleepiness, when she looked at them. The Common Room was deserted.
Gaby hugged him goodnight at the foot of the stairs and then they went their separate ways... The door to her dorm creaked as she slipped inside. It was dark as she crossed the room to her four-poster, half expecting accusing bright lights to flick on and to hear Vanessa's shrill 'Hold it right there Shortstuffs' but it didn't happen and when she drew the hangings around her bed a loud snore from her direction assured her safely until morn. She lay awake enough to feel very grateful for her best friends and the quality of their friendship, even if they went to frankly 'unusual' measures. They had been there for her and she wouldn't ever remove herself from their side. And she dreamt freely that night even after she thought of how much sleepless nights Smith suffered through, even when she was there partnering him to blow up experiments.
It was Saturday morning and Gaby tumbled down the stairs in the Entrance hall, but not for breakfast. She had to find Smith. There he was sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table- she could see his quill quivering over the tabletop as he petted Tower. She almost ran to him, and dropped all her books down in the space beside him. He looked up.
"I-I've got a Potions Test on Goblin Rebellions today and- I don't know what I'm doing!" she breathed, her voice breaking but not stopping to think about the nonsense she was spilling," the exams are only months away and I think I'm forgetting everything I learned from five- I don't know what the last dragon outrage was!" she said, flinging her hands up into the air and pacing the floor. "I tried doing Banishing Charm this morning and Teddy won't come to me! I didn't learn half the dates in Transfiguration! I'm sprouting scales instead of feathers for Charms- I feel like I could break licorice! And I dreamt about a Theastral!" Smith was still looking at her- she fixed her gaze on the floor, now thoroughly confused.
"Good morning to you too."
"Sorry," she said softly, brushing her un-brushed hair from her face.
"Have a seat," he said calmly.
She pulled out a chair beside him and sat down, breathing sharply, feeling nauseated at the mound of work in front of her. She wavered slightly and he held her shoulders, "Gaby look at me." She looked up. "Breathe." She sneezed. "Sorry again." "No harm done."
"Now, sleep well?"
"Think so, but I jumped out if it this morning thinking it was Monday...or is it still Friday?" she felt highly embarrassed about letting go on him but he was just calm like he always was, and when Gaby inquired about it he merely shrugged. "You probably noticed it was a guy thing by now, but we do get freaked out sometimes."
She sniffled.
"Why don't you... paint your nailed like some other girls do?"
"Cuz I eat them when I lose my head!"
"Well- technically- if you lost your head you won't be able to eat-"
She punched him and he laughed. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"
"No, but I know you're just afraid and there's nothing to be afraid of-"
"But -"
He held up a hand to silence her, "I've seem you brave things I would never have dared Flame, funny finals freak you out."
"It'd rather rodeo a dragon than go through this," she muttered.
"Oh, careful, that may not be many people's first choice. I'll help you come on. We've done this before and we can crack this again- just like we do every year. Hm?"
Gaby nodded, eyes still full of fear. Tower stared at her- his amber eyes getting larger than it already was- he hooted as if in concern and Gaby giggled.
"There, it's gonna be OK, they're just exams."
"Life defining exams," Gaby added.
"Hate to spoil the moment."
Both Gaby and Smith jumped and turned around.
"Sorry sis, but I'm due for allowance."
"You spend more than me Sam!" Gaby said to her round-eyed eleven ear old sister.
"But I'm due!" she said, poking Gaby in the ribs.
"OK! But I'm going to have to receive Mum's letter first before I give you anything- She'll tell me."
Sam scowled.
"Oh- Gosh I forgot to post Uncle Miser," Smith said. He leapt out of his chair but stopped suddenly, turning back to Gaby.
"Stop worrying, be right back," he said bending to hug her. "I love you." The he lofted Tower from the table and ran from the Great Hall but it was Sam who made Gaby realize what he had just said.
"I love you too sis," she mocked dramatically. Gaby threw a book through her hysterical giggles, just as Vanessa and Jade came pelting into the Hall (Oh no...)
"GABY!" They had their brooms with them. "Earl told us to mark the field!"
"What- OH my gosh I completely forgot."
"Quidditch Practice, the second season?"
"We've gotta get there before the Slytherins!" Vanessa pressed."
"Oh!" Gaby slapped her forehead. "I didn't tell Camry!"
"No time!" Vanessa said, grabbing her arm painfully.
"What about my broom?"
"Forget it!" gasped Jade.
"Came I come?"
"NO!" they turned around to tell Sam. Gaby fretted. "Jus- jus take those things upstairs and tag Camry OK? Go now!" she called back to her.
They ran out onto the grounds in the pouring rain. There were no Slytherins in sight. Vanessa pelted in ahead of them but stopped at the entrance to the stadium.
"Come ON!" she yelled at them.
They had already reached center-field soaked in their scarlet Quidditch robes when they were confronted with the full Slytherin team line-up. Prince stepped forward, smirking. "Seems to me like you forgot your lame team Flame."
"We came here first!" Gaby said, stepping forward. "That means we play here....today."
Prince fumed. "Get off the field! You do not have a full team Flame-"
"You're just afraid we whoop you in the finals."
"YOU DON'T KNOW BALLS ABOUT QUIDDITCH MUDBLOOD! So why don't you just get back to that sewer you came from."
"That's IT," Jade fussed beside her. She ripped open her collar, threw aside her tie and broomstick and did something she had never done before- and which was highly unlike her - She charged at Malfoy- wrenching his collar and pushed him back and he fell into a puddle of mud. He was too surprised to react and she lunged at him again. "Stop!"
The heavy downpour blurred everything. The Slytherins on-que burst in on them while Jade scratched away at Malfoy and Gaby was sure she heard and unfamiliar voice yelp when she flung her elbows back and it collided with iron flesh. Sparks flew like mad all around them.
They brought their wands to the pitch!
Gaby couldn't find Vanessa through the tangled mass of burly figures, though she heard her scream in fear. Someone's forearms bolted across Gaby's middle- pinning her arms inward and raising her off the ground. She yelled out (not expecting it would help) but the effect made the captor drop her so suddenly it was as if he was hit from behind by a-
"CAMRY!"
Gaby yelled- recognising his outline- Marc with him- just before she got rammed by another Slytherin much like the way the footballers charge in the games. The force knocked out her breath as she hit the ground and groaned, unable to get up as the fight went on. She saw feet splashing around her, and her insides felt like they were being Bar-B-Qued. She underestimated physical strength and that was always her biggest falter- but it didn't mean she was totally powerless... The mad battle of fist and wand intensified. They were four against seven and Gaby still could not find Vanessa (she heard Prince yell continuously and figured the Kid was doing quite all right).
And then the rest of the Gryffindor team rained on them like a pack of wolves- sought out the attackers and administered justice in the form of jaw-snappers, left hooks, arm wrings and fierce upper-cuts. Gaby was surprised, she never really realized how born witches and wizards were able to learn all this.
Gaby heard Vanessa scream and slipped through the outstretched arms of another captor but, as if expecting her arrival, knuckles like iron collided with her stomach and she was driven to the ground- gasping ungainly... She did not like the sickening sound of colliding forces all around her but her wand was out and she was up again- stunning anything green, managing to make one of them dance- until it was snatched away in the wet confusion. She saw Jade rise high above the crowd- wretched off by a Slytherin- she was flinging water from her hair and struggling in defiance but Gaby kicked up before he could slam her down and the captor tuned to high-pitched opera.
Gaby and Jade found Vanessa at the foot of the fight- she was dodging the feet before she reared up and smashed the jaw of a green-clad figure with the heel of her hand (Sorry!).
How many people of the sixteen were caught in headlocks and still struggling, feet planted in the ground - yelling by the time the whistle shrilled though the stadium- this time not to end or begin a game- but to cease Muggle duelling in a massive group? Most people froze- some fell in exhaustion- they heard splashing footsteps...
Jade, who was on the verge of being thrown again, was landed on the back of a fallen Gryffndor. Gaby who was frozen in her arched position, arms folded behind her in the masoning grip of a burly Slytherin while the sole of her shoe struck out to the chest of the other Slytherin who was advancing to hit her. And Vanessa, locked in tight gear with Merissa's talon-like hails, refused to stop trying to yank a handful of purple hair out of the opponent's head.