Rebecca woke up Saturday morning early excited and nervous all together.
She made the most of her time by French braiding her hair into pigtails and
going through the maneuvers that Wood had been beating into her head. She
really hoped that this would help her calm down, but it was all in vain.
Eating breakfast was near impossible. She had so many butterflies in her stomach that she felt that she could throw up in any moment. Wood whispering last minute techniques at her didn't help her nerves.
She was thankful when the team was in the locker room changed and Aaron was giving his pep talk. Rebecca sat there and said to herself that it was just like another scrimmage as she French braided Anna's hair to match her own.
"Well this is it. This is for the cup. Let's go and show them what we really can do!" Aaron exclaimed as he grabbed his broom and walked towards the door.
Everyone got up and took their brooms. Rebecca almost grabbed Charlie's broom since it was been what she had practiced on the night prior.
"Rebecca," Charlie said handing her, her Comet.
"Oh, yeah," Rebecca whispered and gave him a mischievous smile.
The group walked to the entrance of the stadium and waited for Colin to start announcing their names. Rebecca trying not to let her nerves get the best of her stood between Anna and Greg as the Slytherin team took the field.
Once Colin finished with the Slytherin names, he announced, "And now the Gryffindor team!"
There was a huge round of applause. Rebecca was guessing that three- quarters of the student population was cheering for them.
"Captain Aaron Wood." Wood took off from the rest of the team as the crowd cheered.
"Charlie Weasley." Charlie winked and followed Aaron into the air.
"Angel Dark." A.J. left the group and joined the keeper and the seeker.
"Heath Johnson." The beater followed his fellow beater as the applause continued.
"Anna Spinnet." Anna winked at her fellow chasers and mounted her broom as she took off.
"Greg Bell." Greg gave Rebecca a smile and as he left her side he grabbed her broom.
Rebecca chased after him fully knowing what he wanted her to do as Colin announced, "AND INTRODUCING GRYFFINDOR'S NEWEST CHASER, REBECCA CARTER!"
The crowd broke into even louder cheering as Rebecca ran out onto the field with Greg skimming the field with her broom in tow. After a few steps, Rebecca grabbed a hold of her broom as she jumped into the air.
As the broom flew higher in the air, she flipped herself onto the broom and the crowd oohed and aahed just the reaction that Wood wanted. He had huge hopes that if Rebecca came out with a fancy mount that it might throw the Slytherins for a loop and leave them wondering what else she could really do.
The team as a whole made a warm up lap. Rebecca loved it the wind in her hair and the roar of the supportive crowd.
Upon passing the Gryffindor fans, Rebecca caught sight of Cathrine, who had just gotten out of the infirmary that morning, sitting with James, Jacquelyn, and Sara. The injured Chaser was cheering louder than anyone except maybe Sara.
As Rebecca landed with the rest of the team in the center of the pitch, she couldn't help but smile from the sight of Cathrine in the stands. She knew beyond any doubt that Cathrine was happy for her. Anna and Greg caught sight of her smiling and gave her a questioning look.
"Cathrine's in the stands," Rebecca whispered with her hands on top of her broom in front of her face so that no one across from her could read her lips and they started to smile too.
The Slytherin chasers glared at the three Gryffindors wondering what they had up their sleeves that made them smile at each other. They were possible intimidated a little by this and Rebecca's mount.
Madame Hooch joined the teams and started to give out the rules of the games. "Okay, Captains shake hands and mount your brooms."
Wood and Calloway gripped each others hand while glaring at each other. Rebecca and the other team members could tell that the two were out to break the other's hand. After a moment they let go and mounted their brooms.
As the rest of the teams got on their brooms and joined the captains in the air Rebecca turned to Charlie and tossed her broom at Charlie while he tossed his at her. The two immediately joined everyone else in the air.
Rebecca and Charlie took great satisfaction as they took their spots for the opening toss that Russel's jaw had dropped and he looked very pale. He obviously had seen the two stay on the ground a split second longer than the others to exchange brooms. Rebecca's broom being the fastest on the field along with Charlie's talent gave the Gryffindor seeker a huge advantage over the Russel and he knew it.
"Oh, it is going to take a miracle for me to get that snitch now," Russel muttered as the bludgers were let go along with the snitch.
"Okay I want a nice clean game," Madame Hooch called up to them.
Several sarcastic comments came out of the quidditch players mouths as the quaffle was sent into the air.
"Carter won the toss," Colin announced as Rebecca darted into the middle narrowly beating Ryan to the quaffle. "She tosses it down to Spinnet who is free. Bell comes up from behind. Spinnet fakes a toss back and shoots and SCORES!!!!!!!!! TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!"
The supporters of the Gryffindor team exploded into cheers. The quick score dishearten the Slytherin Chasers. Rebecca, Greg, and Anna had managed to score faster than they had in the scrimmage and everyone knew that the three were not going to save a single move that they knew. The three started out with their easiest moves changing up everything that they could to through their pursuers off.
After their fourth consecutive score and Colin stating, "Another Goal for Gryffindor. That is 40 to zero Gryffindor!" Calloway shouted to his beaters to take the Gryffindor Chasers out.
Try as they might, Akira and Harrison couldn't stop anyone with the bludgers. A.J. and Heath went after each one and before the balls could get close to their teammate they would send them off towards a Slytherin team member.
Heath hit one that knocked into Toby, the Slytherin's keeper, sending the third year out of the picture for a play that Rebecca scored on. A.J. smacked a bludger that was going for Greg right into Calloway who had the quaffle and dropped it from the collision. Anna caught the quaffle and passed it to Greg who did a quick turn to get headed in the right direction. Calloway stopped in mid air and stared angrily at A.J. who just gave him a look that said 'don't think that we are even just yet' and then sped off to save Rebecca from a bludger that Akira had sent towards her.
Exasperated that Wood's trio was unstoppable and that even when his team got close Wood stopped every shot that the Slytherins managed to get off, Calloway looked at the score board to see Gryffindor get another goal bringing their total over one hundred.
"SEND SOME AT WEASLEY!" Calloway shouted at his beaters he then looked at Russel who was trying his best to keep Charlie from seeing the snitch first. "YOU HAD BETTER GET THAT SNITCH SOON!"
Russel nodded at his captain to let him know that he was on it so they might have a chance to still win and then looked over at Charlie who was scanning the field as he dodged the first of several bludgers sent his way. Heath came up towards Charlie and started to protect him from Harrison's assaults.
The game kept going the Slytherins did manage to get a goal but Rebecca, Anna, and Greg answered it with five more goals giving them a grand total of 160 points to ten.
Charlie finally saw the snitch and set after it to end the game. Russel had seen it too and went after it hoping that his team could get another goal before he got it so that they won. They turned a sharp corner that made Russel ahead of Charlie.
They followed the snitch to the center of the field where Rebecca had slowed down to get under Anna, who was on a steep climb with Ryan and Cicille in pursuit of her, to catch the quaffle that Anna threw down to her. Just as Rebecca caught the quaffle and was about to pick back up her speed when a bludger that Harrison was sending towards Charlie struck the front of the broom Rebecca was riding.
Though it didn't break the broom it did pitch it forward throwing Rebecca off balance. Rebecca tossed the quaffle to Greg who with Anna went down the pitch to score again as Rebecca fell forward and slipped off of Charlie's broom.
The crowd gasped as Rebecca managed to grab a hold of the broom so that she didn't fall fifty feet to the ground. She hung there in the air trying to steady herself and the broom so that she could swing herself back on and continue with game.
As Rebecca attempted to get back on, Charlie looked up to scan for bludgers after him and then also the snitch which disappeared again. He gasped like the crowd and watched hoping that Rebecca didn't fall.
Charlie started up towards her because he had a bad feeling that she was going to need help. Russel took off in a different direction, because he had seen the snitch. Charlie knew it, but something told him that he needed to get to Rebecca as quick as he could.
Before he could even fly ten feet up to her, a stray bludger came from no where and hit the end of the broom causing Rebecca to loose her grip. Rebecca started to scream as she fell and Charlie sped even faster to catch her not sure if he could make it to her in time.
Luckily, Rebecca found herself in Charlie's arms before her life started to flash before her eyes. She gave Charlie a huge hug as he slowly brought them to the ground.
As she let go of Charlie, she saw Russel zooming around the field following something very small.
"Flint sees the snitch!" Rebecca exclaimed remembering about the bet. "Let me off here. You don't have to take me to your broom."
Charlie slowed down to stop, but Rebecca jumped off before he could completely stop. He then took off in an amazing burst of speed. Rebecca turned to where Charlie's broom was lying on the pitch and started to run to get it.
She was about half way there when she heard A.J. shout at her, "DUCK!"
Instinctively she hit the ground not caring that she hit her head on a rock in the field. In fact she really didn't realize that her temple was bleeding, because the bludger crashing into the ground beside her was extremely distracting.
"Rebecca head towards me," A.J. called out to her when he realized she was okay.
As the bludger tried to free itself from the indentation it created, Rebecca got up and started to run towards A.J. who was hovering over the ground about five feet from her. Rebecca mounted the broom with A.J. just as the bludger worked its way loose and started right towards them. A.J. waited before taking off so that he could not the knock the bludger over his head.
They then took off as Rebecca said, "Drop me off closer to Charlie's broom."
"Will do!" A.J. replied as they skimmed over the field.
Rebecca hopped off when the got about ten feet from the broom so that A.J. could get back to his duties. She ran and tried to pick up the broom only to find it lying there in pieces just as the game ended.
"GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Colin and the crowd exploded making it impossible for Rebecca to hear the final score or more importantly who had gotten the snitch.
She turned around to look to see who had landed on the ground, to see Russel standing there with a triumphant look on his face and the snitch in his hand.
Charlie had landed several feet from the Slytherin and had a dark expression on his face. Rebecca rushed past Russel ignoring his comment about it will be nice to have her listen to his side of the story and gave Charlie a big hug causing them both to tumble to the ground.
Charlie hugged her back, but in a mournful manner. "I was right behind him. If I only had another second or so... I am so sorry. I lost the bet."
Charlie looked like he was in agony so Rebecca tried to comfort him by smiling sweetly and saying, "But you chose me over the bet. I don't know about you, but I prefer to have that knowledge and have to spend one horrible night because of it than the other alternative that we would have had."
Charlie faked a smile and gave her a quick kiss as he got up from the ground and then helped her up.
The team headed into the locker room happy that they had won and he quidditch cup was theirs again.
Rebecca couldn't help but smile at everyone. She was part of the winning team and some of the points were from her. Her next letter to Stacy was going to be all about them winning and Charlie catching her, which made her smile even more.
Charlie on the other hand had a grimace on his face. He was feeling torn about the match. It was good that the team won. Obviously, it was a good thing he caught Rebecca. His dilemma on being happy about this stemmed from his feeling that Rebecca's fall was not a mire accident.
He walked out of the locker room before anyone else trying to get things straight in his head. Rebecca quickly finished putting her stuff away and was about to go after Charlie, but Greg stopped her.
"Let me talk to him first," Greg said as he started to walk out the room, but then turned and continued, "Maybe you should go to see Madame Pompfrey about that cut. By the time you are done, Charlie should be okay."
"Okay," Rebecca said as she touched the cut on her forehead. Suddenly, she felt the searing pain that she wasn't aware of during the match.
Rebecca grabbed a towel and headed up out the door. She was about to turn to head to the hospital wing when she noticed someone of the floor.
Rebecca looked closer to see the person was Russel. The Slytherin seeker picked himself off the ground and looked around to see Rebecca staring at him with a raise eyebrow.
"You know that boyfriend of yours needs some anger management," Russel gruffly said.
"And why do you say that?" Rebecca coolly responded.
"He decked me. All I said was that I was having a great day with getting the snitch and a dream date."
Rebecca shook her head and the dashed off to the Gryffindor before hearing Russel say, "So beautiful when will it be?"
Charlie obviously hadn't had a chance to calm down and she didn't care what Greg said, she was going to talk to him now.
Rebecca ran up into the Gryffindor common room and found Greg plopping down into a chair. He looked slightly frustrated.
As she made her way to Greg, she was surrounded by other Gryffindors congratulating her on her performance at the match. It took her a while, but eventually made it to an exasperated Greg who informed Rebecca that Charlie was up in the boy's dorm and didn't want to talk to anyone.
"Did you see Flint on the floor, when you came out?" Greg asked before Rebecca started towards the stairs.
"Yeah, he was getting up. He said that Charlie hit him and I came up here to see what was actually going on, before I went to the infirmary."
"Well Charlie did punch the guy. I came out the door to see it and Charlie storm off."
"I am going to go talk to him."
"Good luck with that," Greg responded as Rebecca started towards the stairs.
She went up to the boy's room and knocked on the door. There was no answer.
"Charlie, do you want to talk about it?" Rebecca said through the door hoping that he would respond to her voice.
"No," Charlie bitterly called back at her.
Rebecca let out a sigh. She didn't know what she could say to make him feel better and then it hit her.
"That's okay," Rebecca replied and then she began to sing:
Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying
Even if you don't wanna speak tonight
That's alright, alright with me
Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door
And listen to you breathing
It's where I wanna be, yeah
Where I wanna be
Charlie opened the door and just looked at Rebecca who was leaning against the door frame. He didn't say anything just weakly smiled at her.
"You know I would have died if you hadn't caught me," Rebecca said trying to comfort him. Charlie just shook his head, so Rebecca added with a mischievous smile, "I am glad you decked him in the hall. He has had that coming for a long time."
Charlie smiled more genuinely and wrapped his arms around her as he thought, 'She is right if she would have died and what good would it have been for me to catch the snitch. At least, I got that Flint again.'
He wanted to keep a hold of Rebecca and never let her go especially to go out with a piece of scum like Russel. Rebecca seemed content to be just held for know and he wouldn't have let go except he felt something moist seeping through his shirt. Charlie pulled back and looked to see that Rebecca's forehead had a gash on it he hadn't noticed before.
"Becca," he gasped gently touching her temple about an inch from the start of the cut.
"Oh, yeah, it happened when I dropped to the ground when the bludger went at my head after you dropped me off," Rebecca meekly said as she put her towel back on her forehead.
"The bludgers were still after you when I let you on to the ground!!!!"
Rebecca jumped backwards, because of Charlie's sudden burst. Charlie couldn't help his sudden shout. He felt that it helped solidify his feeling that the bludgers weren't after Rebecca by accident.
She stared at him a moment and calmly reassured thme, "A.J. got it before it hit me, but I hit my head on a rock. I need to go to the hospital wing to get check out."
"Okay, let's go," Charlie responded taking her arm and starting down the steps.
Rebecca didn't move though causing Charlie to turn and give her a questioning look.
"Um, Charlie," Rebecca slowly started. She didn't want to hurt Charlie's feeling, but she really didn't want to deal with another out burst like the one she just experienced. "It is hard to say how long I am going to be in there. You know how Madame Pompfrey is since I have been there so many times. I walk in and pretty much get a full exam. So how about I take myself down there and you stay here and start discussing with Greg how you are going to keep Cathrine from hanging out with us girls while we get her party organized."
"Oh so you are going to have a party for her," Charlie stated intrigued and wondering if he could get some details from Rebecca.
"Yep. It is going to be a huge bash."
Rebecca walked down the steps with Charlie dropping him off with Greg before heading to the infirmary.
Eating breakfast was near impossible. She had so many butterflies in her stomach that she felt that she could throw up in any moment. Wood whispering last minute techniques at her didn't help her nerves.
She was thankful when the team was in the locker room changed and Aaron was giving his pep talk. Rebecca sat there and said to herself that it was just like another scrimmage as she French braided Anna's hair to match her own.
"Well this is it. This is for the cup. Let's go and show them what we really can do!" Aaron exclaimed as he grabbed his broom and walked towards the door.
Everyone got up and took their brooms. Rebecca almost grabbed Charlie's broom since it was been what she had practiced on the night prior.
"Rebecca," Charlie said handing her, her Comet.
"Oh, yeah," Rebecca whispered and gave him a mischievous smile.
The group walked to the entrance of the stadium and waited for Colin to start announcing their names. Rebecca trying not to let her nerves get the best of her stood between Anna and Greg as the Slytherin team took the field.
Once Colin finished with the Slytherin names, he announced, "And now the Gryffindor team!"
There was a huge round of applause. Rebecca was guessing that three- quarters of the student population was cheering for them.
"Captain Aaron Wood." Wood took off from the rest of the team as the crowd cheered.
"Charlie Weasley." Charlie winked and followed Aaron into the air.
"Angel Dark." A.J. left the group and joined the keeper and the seeker.
"Heath Johnson." The beater followed his fellow beater as the applause continued.
"Anna Spinnet." Anna winked at her fellow chasers and mounted her broom as she took off.
"Greg Bell." Greg gave Rebecca a smile and as he left her side he grabbed her broom.
Rebecca chased after him fully knowing what he wanted her to do as Colin announced, "AND INTRODUCING GRYFFINDOR'S NEWEST CHASER, REBECCA CARTER!"
The crowd broke into even louder cheering as Rebecca ran out onto the field with Greg skimming the field with her broom in tow. After a few steps, Rebecca grabbed a hold of her broom as she jumped into the air.
As the broom flew higher in the air, she flipped herself onto the broom and the crowd oohed and aahed just the reaction that Wood wanted. He had huge hopes that if Rebecca came out with a fancy mount that it might throw the Slytherins for a loop and leave them wondering what else she could really do.
The team as a whole made a warm up lap. Rebecca loved it the wind in her hair and the roar of the supportive crowd.
Upon passing the Gryffindor fans, Rebecca caught sight of Cathrine, who had just gotten out of the infirmary that morning, sitting with James, Jacquelyn, and Sara. The injured Chaser was cheering louder than anyone except maybe Sara.
As Rebecca landed with the rest of the team in the center of the pitch, she couldn't help but smile from the sight of Cathrine in the stands. She knew beyond any doubt that Cathrine was happy for her. Anna and Greg caught sight of her smiling and gave her a questioning look.
"Cathrine's in the stands," Rebecca whispered with her hands on top of her broom in front of her face so that no one across from her could read her lips and they started to smile too.
The Slytherin chasers glared at the three Gryffindors wondering what they had up their sleeves that made them smile at each other. They were possible intimidated a little by this and Rebecca's mount.
Madame Hooch joined the teams and started to give out the rules of the games. "Okay, Captains shake hands and mount your brooms."
Wood and Calloway gripped each others hand while glaring at each other. Rebecca and the other team members could tell that the two were out to break the other's hand. After a moment they let go and mounted their brooms.
As the rest of the teams got on their brooms and joined the captains in the air Rebecca turned to Charlie and tossed her broom at Charlie while he tossed his at her. The two immediately joined everyone else in the air.
Rebecca and Charlie took great satisfaction as they took their spots for the opening toss that Russel's jaw had dropped and he looked very pale. He obviously had seen the two stay on the ground a split second longer than the others to exchange brooms. Rebecca's broom being the fastest on the field along with Charlie's talent gave the Gryffindor seeker a huge advantage over the Russel and he knew it.
"Oh, it is going to take a miracle for me to get that snitch now," Russel muttered as the bludgers were let go along with the snitch.
"Okay I want a nice clean game," Madame Hooch called up to them.
Several sarcastic comments came out of the quidditch players mouths as the quaffle was sent into the air.
"Carter won the toss," Colin announced as Rebecca darted into the middle narrowly beating Ryan to the quaffle. "She tosses it down to Spinnet who is free. Bell comes up from behind. Spinnet fakes a toss back and shoots and SCORES!!!!!!!!! TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!"
The supporters of the Gryffindor team exploded into cheers. The quick score dishearten the Slytherin Chasers. Rebecca, Greg, and Anna had managed to score faster than they had in the scrimmage and everyone knew that the three were not going to save a single move that they knew. The three started out with their easiest moves changing up everything that they could to through their pursuers off.
After their fourth consecutive score and Colin stating, "Another Goal for Gryffindor. That is 40 to zero Gryffindor!" Calloway shouted to his beaters to take the Gryffindor Chasers out.
Try as they might, Akira and Harrison couldn't stop anyone with the bludgers. A.J. and Heath went after each one and before the balls could get close to their teammate they would send them off towards a Slytherin team member.
Heath hit one that knocked into Toby, the Slytherin's keeper, sending the third year out of the picture for a play that Rebecca scored on. A.J. smacked a bludger that was going for Greg right into Calloway who had the quaffle and dropped it from the collision. Anna caught the quaffle and passed it to Greg who did a quick turn to get headed in the right direction. Calloway stopped in mid air and stared angrily at A.J. who just gave him a look that said 'don't think that we are even just yet' and then sped off to save Rebecca from a bludger that Akira had sent towards her.
Exasperated that Wood's trio was unstoppable and that even when his team got close Wood stopped every shot that the Slytherins managed to get off, Calloway looked at the score board to see Gryffindor get another goal bringing their total over one hundred.
"SEND SOME AT WEASLEY!" Calloway shouted at his beaters he then looked at Russel who was trying his best to keep Charlie from seeing the snitch first. "YOU HAD BETTER GET THAT SNITCH SOON!"
Russel nodded at his captain to let him know that he was on it so they might have a chance to still win and then looked over at Charlie who was scanning the field as he dodged the first of several bludgers sent his way. Heath came up towards Charlie and started to protect him from Harrison's assaults.
The game kept going the Slytherins did manage to get a goal but Rebecca, Anna, and Greg answered it with five more goals giving them a grand total of 160 points to ten.
Charlie finally saw the snitch and set after it to end the game. Russel had seen it too and went after it hoping that his team could get another goal before he got it so that they won. They turned a sharp corner that made Russel ahead of Charlie.
They followed the snitch to the center of the field where Rebecca had slowed down to get under Anna, who was on a steep climb with Ryan and Cicille in pursuit of her, to catch the quaffle that Anna threw down to her. Just as Rebecca caught the quaffle and was about to pick back up her speed when a bludger that Harrison was sending towards Charlie struck the front of the broom Rebecca was riding.
Though it didn't break the broom it did pitch it forward throwing Rebecca off balance. Rebecca tossed the quaffle to Greg who with Anna went down the pitch to score again as Rebecca fell forward and slipped off of Charlie's broom.
The crowd gasped as Rebecca managed to grab a hold of the broom so that she didn't fall fifty feet to the ground. She hung there in the air trying to steady herself and the broom so that she could swing herself back on and continue with game.
As Rebecca attempted to get back on, Charlie looked up to scan for bludgers after him and then also the snitch which disappeared again. He gasped like the crowd and watched hoping that Rebecca didn't fall.
Charlie started up towards her because he had a bad feeling that she was going to need help. Russel took off in a different direction, because he had seen the snitch. Charlie knew it, but something told him that he needed to get to Rebecca as quick as he could.
Before he could even fly ten feet up to her, a stray bludger came from no where and hit the end of the broom causing Rebecca to loose her grip. Rebecca started to scream as she fell and Charlie sped even faster to catch her not sure if he could make it to her in time.
Luckily, Rebecca found herself in Charlie's arms before her life started to flash before her eyes. She gave Charlie a huge hug as he slowly brought them to the ground.
As she let go of Charlie, she saw Russel zooming around the field following something very small.
"Flint sees the snitch!" Rebecca exclaimed remembering about the bet. "Let me off here. You don't have to take me to your broom."
Charlie slowed down to stop, but Rebecca jumped off before he could completely stop. He then took off in an amazing burst of speed. Rebecca turned to where Charlie's broom was lying on the pitch and started to run to get it.
She was about half way there when she heard A.J. shout at her, "DUCK!"
Instinctively she hit the ground not caring that she hit her head on a rock in the field. In fact she really didn't realize that her temple was bleeding, because the bludger crashing into the ground beside her was extremely distracting.
"Rebecca head towards me," A.J. called out to her when he realized she was okay.
As the bludger tried to free itself from the indentation it created, Rebecca got up and started to run towards A.J. who was hovering over the ground about five feet from her. Rebecca mounted the broom with A.J. just as the bludger worked its way loose and started right towards them. A.J. waited before taking off so that he could not the knock the bludger over his head.
They then took off as Rebecca said, "Drop me off closer to Charlie's broom."
"Will do!" A.J. replied as they skimmed over the field.
Rebecca hopped off when the got about ten feet from the broom so that A.J. could get back to his duties. She ran and tried to pick up the broom only to find it lying there in pieces just as the game ended.
"GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Colin and the crowd exploded making it impossible for Rebecca to hear the final score or more importantly who had gotten the snitch.
She turned around to look to see who had landed on the ground, to see Russel standing there with a triumphant look on his face and the snitch in his hand.
Charlie had landed several feet from the Slytherin and had a dark expression on his face. Rebecca rushed past Russel ignoring his comment about it will be nice to have her listen to his side of the story and gave Charlie a big hug causing them both to tumble to the ground.
Charlie hugged her back, but in a mournful manner. "I was right behind him. If I only had another second or so... I am so sorry. I lost the bet."
Charlie looked like he was in agony so Rebecca tried to comfort him by smiling sweetly and saying, "But you chose me over the bet. I don't know about you, but I prefer to have that knowledge and have to spend one horrible night because of it than the other alternative that we would have had."
Charlie faked a smile and gave her a quick kiss as he got up from the ground and then helped her up.
The team headed into the locker room happy that they had won and he quidditch cup was theirs again.
Rebecca couldn't help but smile at everyone. She was part of the winning team and some of the points were from her. Her next letter to Stacy was going to be all about them winning and Charlie catching her, which made her smile even more.
Charlie on the other hand had a grimace on his face. He was feeling torn about the match. It was good that the team won. Obviously, it was a good thing he caught Rebecca. His dilemma on being happy about this stemmed from his feeling that Rebecca's fall was not a mire accident.
He walked out of the locker room before anyone else trying to get things straight in his head. Rebecca quickly finished putting her stuff away and was about to go after Charlie, but Greg stopped her.
"Let me talk to him first," Greg said as he started to walk out the room, but then turned and continued, "Maybe you should go to see Madame Pompfrey about that cut. By the time you are done, Charlie should be okay."
"Okay," Rebecca said as she touched the cut on her forehead. Suddenly, she felt the searing pain that she wasn't aware of during the match.
Rebecca grabbed a towel and headed up out the door. She was about to turn to head to the hospital wing when she noticed someone of the floor.
Rebecca looked closer to see the person was Russel. The Slytherin seeker picked himself off the ground and looked around to see Rebecca staring at him with a raise eyebrow.
"You know that boyfriend of yours needs some anger management," Russel gruffly said.
"And why do you say that?" Rebecca coolly responded.
"He decked me. All I said was that I was having a great day with getting the snitch and a dream date."
Rebecca shook her head and the dashed off to the Gryffindor before hearing Russel say, "So beautiful when will it be?"
Charlie obviously hadn't had a chance to calm down and she didn't care what Greg said, she was going to talk to him now.
Rebecca ran up into the Gryffindor common room and found Greg plopping down into a chair. He looked slightly frustrated.
As she made her way to Greg, she was surrounded by other Gryffindors congratulating her on her performance at the match. It took her a while, but eventually made it to an exasperated Greg who informed Rebecca that Charlie was up in the boy's dorm and didn't want to talk to anyone.
"Did you see Flint on the floor, when you came out?" Greg asked before Rebecca started towards the stairs.
"Yeah, he was getting up. He said that Charlie hit him and I came up here to see what was actually going on, before I went to the infirmary."
"Well Charlie did punch the guy. I came out the door to see it and Charlie storm off."
"I am going to go talk to him."
"Good luck with that," Greg responded as Rebecca started towards the stairs.
She went up to the boy's room and knocked on the door. There was no answer.
"Charlie, do you want to talk about it?" Rebecca said through the door hoping that he would respond to her voice.
"No," Charlie bitterly called back at her.
Rebecca let out a sigh. She didn't know what she could say to make him feel better and then it hit her.
"That's okay," Rebecca replied and then she began to sing:
Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying
Even if you don't wanna speak tonight
That's alright, alright with me
Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door
And listen to you breathing
It's where I wanna be, yeah
Where I wanna be
Charlie opened the door and just looked at Rebecca who was leaning against the door frame. He didn't say anything just weakly smiled at her.
"You know I would have died if you hadn't caught me," Rebecca said trying to comfort him. Charlie just shook his head, so Rebecca added with a mischievous smile, "I am glad you decked him in the hall. He has had that coming for a long time."
Charlie smiled more genuinely and wrapped his arms around her as he thought, 'She is right if she would have died and what good would it have been for me to catch the snitch. At least, I got that Flint again.'
He wanted to keep a hold of Rebecca and never let her go especially to go out with a piece of scum like Russel. Rebecca seemed content to be just held for know and he wouldn't have let go except he felt something moist seeping through his shirt. Charlie pulled back and looked to see that Rebecca's forehead had a gash on it he hadn't noticed before.
"Becca," he gasped gently touching her temple about an inch from the start of the cut.
"Oh, yeah, it happened when I dropped to the ground when the bludger went at my head after you dropped me off," Rebecca meekly said as she put her towel back on her forehead.
"The bludgers were still after you when I let you on to the ground!!!!"
Rebecca jumped backwards, because of Charlie's sudden burst. Charlie couldn't help his sudden shout. He felt that it helped solidify his feeling that the bludgers weren't after Rebecca by accident.
She stared at him a moment and calmly reassured thme, "A.J. got it before it hit me, but I hit my head on a rock. I need to go to the hospital wing to get check out."
"Okay, let's go," Charlie responded taking her arm and starting down the steps.
Rebecca didn't move though causing Charlie to turn and give her a questioning look.
"Um, Charlie," Rebecca slowly started. She didn't want to hurt Charlie's feeling, but she really didn't want to deal with another out burst like the one she just experienced. "It is hard to say how long I am going to be in there. You know how Madame Pompfrey is since I have been there so many times. I walk in and pretty much get a full exam. So how about I take myself down there and you stay here and start discussing with Greg how you are going to keep Cathrine from hanging out with us girls while we get her party organized."
"Oh so you are going to have a party for her," Charlie stated intrigued and wondering if he could get some details from Rebecca.
"Yep. It is going to be a huge bash."
Rebecca walked down the steps with Charlie dropping him off with Greg before heading to the infirmary.