Disclaimer: Harry/James Potter and all associated characters belong to J K Rowling and co., not to me. No money has changed hands, this was written for entertainment purposes only. All original characters and the storyline belong to the author, and may not be copied (like you'd WANT to! Sheesh!) without permission. May not be archived (like you'd WANT to! Sheesh!) without permission.

A/N: This is for Michele...or whatever name she's using at the moment...you never can tell...although from now she's just gonna be Shel. That's a warning, by the way. HEED IT! Aaaand...here's a plug! Check out her stories! She goes as sea_Shel123 =D and they're all Draco/Hermione. Don't knock it until you've read it!

Just quickly, Shel, thanks for the Richard Head thing. No, really! I appreciate it! =P By the way, you owe me money for the plug. Or maybe just a turn at your new octagonal bow (Draco and Remus, HAHAHA!!)

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Chapter Three: At the Quidditch Match

James woke up early on Saturday morning to see sunlight streaming in the window. Perfect conditions. He squinted and studied his watch. Ugh. Early.

Deciding it was way too early to get up, he continued to lie in bed, staring at the shadows on the wall and wondering about the redhead. Sirius and Remus seemed to have forgotten her, but James had trouble getting her out of his mind. She was so mysterious...her refusal to tell her his name just added to the intrigue James felt about her. In his mind's eye, her emerald eyes twinkled at him merrily as she smiled.

'Forget Lauren, she's not worth the plastic ring in a Muggle Christmas cracker.'

That was weird. Why did she say that? How did she know about Lauren and him? James certainly hadn't told anybody...only Sirius and Remus knew how long James had liked her. But suddenly Lauren seemed small and insignificant next to the redhead. She was so...James couldn't think of the word. Mysterious? Strange? Secretive?

Not to mention extremely pretty. Beautiful, even. But it was more her secretive nature and cryptic answers that caught James' attention.

'JAMES!!'

'WHAT?' James jumped as Sirius bounded onto the end of his bed, standing there with huge grin on his face.

'Ready to kick some Ravenclaw...oof!' A pillow came flying and hit him square in the head. 'What?!'

'We were sleeping, Sirius!' Peter whined.

'Were being the operative word,' they heard Remus call somewhat grumpily from the bed next to Sirius'.

'Oh, come on Wormtail, it's the day of the Quidditch match! I wonder if James' secret lover will be watching...gonna pull off some spectacular goals, Prongs?'

'What secret lover?' James asked, pulling his blanket up sharply so that Sirius toppled off the end of this bed. 'Oops, sorry Padfoot.' Sirius pretended to have great trouble pulling himself back up on the bed.

'It's alright...I'm okay...you don't know your secret lover, James?'

'No, he doesn't,' Remus replied, smirking in a highly un-Remus way. 'He doesn't know her name.'

'Hence the SECRET!'

'Who's name?'

'The redhead, damn it!' Sirius shouted.

'Ssh, you'll wake up the other dorms!' James warned. 'And drop the redhead thing, I'm not interested in her.'

'You so are!'

'No, I'm not!'

'I can tell, James, you're going red!'

'Damn it,' James muttered, swinging his feet over the edge of his bed. 'Well, it's not because of her, that's for damned sure.'

'Uh huh.'

'Sirius! I mean it!'

'As I said, uh huh.'

* * *

'Okay, remember what I said?' James gave his team the usual last minute instructions. 'Play fair, the last thing we need is to be fouled. That means we are not turning them into eagles or breaking their noses.' He shot meaningful looks at Callie and Liam, who smiled innocently back at him, twirling their bats. 'Now...good luck, guys. Serena, Ravenclaw's Chasers are good. So a quick catch of the Snitch would be good, so they don't get too far ahead.'

'Our Chasers are better,' Tom declared. 'They don't stand a chance. What's their Keeper's name?'

'Don't know, but I'm pretty sure he's not that bad to look at,' Serena commented.

'Oh, forget him,' Lisa said. 'He's going out with...'

'Okay, we ready?' James asked, interrupting, not wanting them to get too sidetracked.

'Yes, our Monarch!' George and Callie saluted, and James bowed to them, muttering,

'Oh, geez!'

The door in front of them opened, and the team zoomed across the pitch amongst loud cheers from the Gryffindors.

'Aaand...here we have the Gryffindor team...Atkinson, Wang, McCauley, Potter, Williams, Walsh aaaand...Matthews!' The cheers increased in pitch as the team flew over to where Madam Nell was ready to begin the game. The Ravenclaw team were already there, dismounting their brooms.

'What was with that...name...thing?' Callie whispered to James as they lined up. 'He does it every time, he never used to.'

'Ever since Sirius and I went to that professional Quidditch match, he's always felt the need to introduce us like that,' James muttered to Callie. 'Only he doesn't know the names of the other teams, so he kinda stops there.'

'I see.'

'Captains, shake hands.' James stepped forward to shake hands with the Captain, a burly seventh year called Robert Something-or-other. James shook his hand and smiled, but Robert didn't return the smile. He merely gave James a sneer and didn't say anything.

Fine, James thought. Be like that. We'll see who sneers later, though!

'Now, mount your brooms.' James got on his broom, ready to kick off the minute she blew the whistle. 'Ready...' She blew the whistle, and James kicked off sharply, flying steadily higher, watching as Lisa caught the Quaffle and start zooming towards their goal. He flew after her, avoiding the other team members. She threw the Quaffle at George, who in turn threw it at James. James caught it and flew, narrowly missing a Bludger.

'And Potter has the Quaffle...he's going for goal, try and block THAT! Ten points to Gryffindor!' The Gryffindors cheered as James hurled the Quaffle past the Keeper and into one of the hoops. 'And it's Ravenclaw in posession...kick it out of her hands, James! I'm kidding, I'm kidding...' James turned sharply in order to see who had the Quaffle, and nearly fell off his broom.

It was the redhead!

It took all his self control not to shout out 'YOU!' She flew extremely fast, avoiding the Gryffindors.

'What an excellent flier that girl is...in fact...I wasn't going to say ANYTHING, Professor! Put a leash on that suspicious mind of yours!' James gave an extra burst of speed and attempted to keep up with her to block her next pass.

But she'd disappeared.

'What?' James exclaiming, turning around to see where she'd gone.

'Missed me,' he heard someone call, and she suddenly appeared in front of him. The Quaffle was far away.

'Where'd you...'

'Here's a hint: don't turn your eyes away,' she told him before flying off.

'Huh?'

'James, catch the goddamned Quaffle!' he heard Sirius shout, and James threw his hands up before it could hit him in the face. 'And Potter's in possession...' James flew fast, dodging the bludger one of the Ravenclaw Beaters sent in his direction, throwing the Quaffle at Lisa, who caught it swiftly and threw it straight to George.

'That's McCauley with the Quaffle, he seems to be trying to work out...he's throwing it to Wang...DAMN IT! Ravenclaw in possession, Merrit is passing to Dwyer...YEAH! James Potter catches the Quaffle, he passes it to...HOW DARE YOU?!' James threw the Quaffle to Lisa, and a second later a bludger zoomed past his ear, forcing him to turn upside down on his broom to avoid it.

Heart pounding, James righted himself on his broom and tried to work out where the Quaffle was. He flew rapidly towards their end of the pitch, catching the Quaffle George threw at him, then throwing it back to Lisa who was hovering near the hoops.

'Catch it, Lisa! Now, slam it through that...another goal!' Cheers arose from the Gryffindor stands. 'Twenty points to zero, Gryffindor in the lead! Okay...Dwyer from Ravenclaw...passes to Evans...passes to...good intercept, Lisa! Wang has the...no, Ravenclaw have taken it back, and are flying towards...DEFEND IT, TOM!!' But it was the Ravenclaws' turn to cheer as Michelle Dwyer sent the Quaffle into their hoop. 'It's twenty-ten, Gryffindor still in the lead as Potter takes the Quaffle...' Just as James threw it at Lisa, the redhead suddenly zoomed into his vision and intercepted it.

'DAMN IT!' he heard Sirius shout, but James remembered the redhead's earlier words.

'Here's a hint: don't turn your eyes away.'

Keeping that in mind, James kept a careful eye on her as she flew quickly away, and flew forward quickly to grab the Quaffle as she tried to pass it. As he turned to fly back to their end, he caught her grinning.

'Shouldn't have told you that,' she said laughingly. 'But the game's not over yet.'

'No,' James said, throwing the Quaffle to George. 'No, it isn't. We haven't won yet!'

'My, someone's cocky!'

'You've gotta be,' he replied.

'No, you've gotta get the Quaffle! Beat you there!' She turned sharply and flew away, James close behind.

'Michelle! Pass it!' the redhead shouted as her team-mate caught the red ball.

'George! Intercept! Intercept!' James shouted as Michelle threw it, realising they hadn't noticed him hovering above. George flew down and grabbed the Quaffle, throwing it to James almost immediately, who took off down the pitch.

'Yeah! Go, go, go! Show that redhead who's in charge!' Sirius shouted, having noticed her and James 'talking'. 'What? What was wrong with that, Prof...ANOTHER GOAL TO GRYFFINDOR!' James threw the Quaffle past the unsuspecting Keeper and into one of their hoops. 'That makes it thirty-ten...wait a minute...'

James looked over and saw Serena zooming down the pitch, the Ravenclaw Seeker closely behind her.

'Go, Serena!' he heard Callie yell, shooting a Bludger in the Ravenclaw Seeker's direction.

'Watch it!'

'James! The Quaffle!' James caught it sharply and started flying, hearing cheers for Serena and the Ravenclaw Seeker behind him, praying that she'd catch it...praying the Ravenclaw Seeker wouldn't get in first...he didn't hear anything, he flew faster towards the hoops, avoiding a Bludger, and throwing the Quaffle to Lisa.

'Come on, Lisa! DAMNIT! The Ravenclaw Keeper defends what should have been a fantastic goal, I'm sure we're all highly disappointed in his inability to see good playing when it's right in his face...what? Professor, I didn't say anything wrong! Now, if I'd said...'

'Black! Just commentate as it is! If you can't do that, I'll take the megaphone away from you!'

'...I'll be good...' The Ravenclaw Chasers were flying fast towards their end, passing the Quaffle quickly. 'Ravenclaw in possession...STOP STARING AND CATCH THE QUAFFLE, DAMNIT! It's okay, Professor, he's my friend, I can yell at him...' James only just missed the Quaffle as it zoomed past him, nearly yelling in frustration. 'And Dwyer is aiming for the goal...DEFEND IT, TOM!! Yesss! Tom Atkinson of Gryffindor catches the Quaffle, take THAT! Try and get a goal, will you? WE SHOWED YOU! Atkinson passes to...HEY!' One of the Ravenclaw Beaters had hit a Bludger full strength at Lisa, who copped it in the stomach. Madam Nell's whistle blew.

'Lisa!' James heard Callie yell. 'You...take THAT!' James heard an exclamation behind him, and Madam Nell's whistle blowing again.

'Penalty! You cannot attack a Beater if play has been paused! That was an unprovoked attack...'

'He got Lisa!' Lisa had righted herself on her broom, and was hovering in mid-air, attempting to get her breath back.

'I don't care...penalty to Ravenclaw!' James rolled his eyes inwardly and made sure Lisa was alright.

'Not feeling dizzy?'

'No.'

'Light-headed?'

'No.'

'Seeing double? Short of breath?'

'What is this, twenty questions?'

'Have I ASKED twenty questions? Nothing's broken?'

'I'M FINE, DAD!' Lisa shouted at him, and James grinned at her before flying away.

Sirius resumed his commentary.

'And Evans is taking the penalty...ack, Tom, defend it!' Groans came up from the Gryffindor side and cheers from the Ravenclaws as she got a goal. 'That wasn't defending it! In what warped universe was that defending it? But it was a mighty try from Tom, the Chaser obviously cheated...'

'BLACK!'

'What?'

'Just...commentate fairly, please.'

'I AM! The score stands at thirty-twenty...and our Seekers have lost sight of the Snitch! Potter in possession...Wang...McCauley...Potter...McCauley...GOAL!' George sent the Quaffle through one of the hoops, and James grinned at him.

'Good work!'

'That's forty-twenty to Gryffindor...and I think they've caught sight of the Snitch again!' James looked across to see Serena flying extremely quickly, her eyes focused on something in the distance.

'Come on,' James muttered. 'Come on!' Her hand was stretched outward, and she suddenly pulled out of the dive, her face triumphant, something clasped in her fist. The Ravenclaw Seeker pulled up behind her, looking highly disappointed.

'I think she...YES!! Serena Matthews catches the Snitch! Gryffindor wins the match!' Sirius shouted into the megaphone, and James joined in the cheers that arose from the Gryffindor team. Cheers and shouts were coming from the Gryffindor supporters, red and gold posters, streamers and scarves waving everywhere.

'Yes!' he cheered, swapping high fives with Callie and George, who were near him. 'Excellent! Shortest match we've had all year!' The whole team flew down to where Serena was hovering and shared a team hug while the Gryffindors cheered overhead.

'Congratulations.' James turned around, and grinned at the redhead.

'I told you it wouldn't be over until we won!' She smiled.

'Very clever. You really should be a Seer with all that intellect.'

'Yeah, well, you know...'

'Well, see you around,' she said with a small wave.

'Wait a minute,' James said, stepping away from where the team were still cheering and celebrating. 'You never did tell me your first name.'

'What's in a name?' she asked airily. 'It's just a few letters put together to make shouting at someone easier.'

'Not necessarily shouting,' James replied, giving her a lop-sided grin.

'Haven't you tried to find out?' she asked him.

'Well...I can't! I mean, I practically never see the Ravenclaws...and if I look over at your table at meals, you're never there.'

'Oh, I'm there,' she told him. 'You're just not looking hard enough.'

'I don't understand!' James exclaimed. 'You're never around when I look for you, yet BAM! You're right in front of me when I least expect it!'

'It's strange, that,' she agreed. 'Maybe you just walk around expecting to never see me.'

'That's not helpful!'

'How helpful can I be?'

'Don't turn your eyes away.' James echoed her earlier words, and she looked away, biting her lip.

'I shouldn't have told you that...but you seem nice.'

'Why shouldn't I know that?' James pressed.

'You ask a lot of questions, you know that?' she laughed, swapping her broomstick to the other hand.

'Because you never say anything straight out...they're all cryptic,' he told her, running a hand through his wind-blown hair. 'And...I'm not that good at cryptic things.'

'But you're so smart, you...' The redhead stopped. 'Look, I have to go, but...I promise, I will see you around, and one day I will tell you...but that does depend on you.'

'What?!'

'Look...don't try and look for me, okay? I'm pretty busy, so chances are we won't meet each other.' She didn't look at him when she said this, raising her head to say, 'But...as I said earlier, you seem nice. So...just go about what you usually do...our paths have been crossing lately, they'll do it again.'

'Are you new to the team?' he asked her as she turned to leave.

'No. I've been in it since my third year,' she told him.

'Why did I never see you, then?'

'You did, you just never realised...you only notice someone if you have a reason to,' she explained. 'We could have passed for years in the halls, but you only recognise me now because I spoke to your friend the other morning at breakfast.'

'So...'

'James!' James turned to face Sirius, who was grinning. 'Excellent, excellent...except for when you nearly got hit in the face with the Quaffle because you were too busy staring at...'

'Sirius!' James turned around to say something to the redhead, and then gaped.

She was gone.

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I had blue jelly the other night. At 1:00 in the morning. It was GREAT!! =D I heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Choc chip biscuits and BLUE jelly (not red =P ) to all!

Jolinar of Malkshur