A/N; Ahhh, yes we meet again! SO glad to have you. Here we go! Here is the much demanded chapter nine! I hope you enjoy it. I'll get ten up very soon so do not worry. Thanks and love to all those who reviewed. But see I would love to have just one or two consistent reviewers! That would rox. Thanks again. Happy Super Bowl! Much Love As Always padfootqueen
This was just plain weird. Cory's stomach was doing flips. Yes, flips. She couldn't believe it. Her stomach was actually doing flips. Just like in all those books she had read in a magazines of girls pouring their hearts out and saying that their stomach was going crazy. And that was what was happening to her. This was crazy. Since when did she get this freaked out? But still it continued flipping up and down as she made her way down a hallway that would lea her to the Great Hall where all she would have to do from there was head out the main doors. If it was such a simple task to do, then why was she so freaked out? Cory hugged close to the walls of the hallway scared that someone might see her. As she went by she relieved many weird glances from the painting that hung all over Hogwarts. It wasn't her fault she had to stay so close to the walls, if anyone caught her out, she would be back in the common room faster then you could say Quidditch. And that was not going to happen. Cory was not going to sit in the common room while this mystery person was out there on the Quidditch pitch waiting for her. Her curiosity would kill her if she just say there. And what if it was Sirius waiting for her out there and took it as a sign that she didn't care anymore? She had to get there and she would get there. Not Filch or Mrs. Norris or anyone else was going to stop her. She simply had to get there and fast too. She was already almost late. Something Cory hated to be. She didn't mind being a little late to classes, but when it came to things like this, she liked to be on time. Soon she had reached the Great Hall. She hung a left and headed for the doors. Slowly because the door was heavy and she didn't want to make to much noise, Cory inched the main door open and the cold air hit her face.
It was already the beginning of December and it was cold outside. She hugged her arms and pulled her Hogwarts robes closed in front of her. She turned and headed down one of the paths that would take her to the pitch. Gradually, she started to realize something. On the ground every now and again, were red rose petals. They dotted the path and slowly became more frequent as Cory made her way closer to the pitch. A smile started to form on her face. This was so romantic. Whoever it was that had James give her that note really cared about her going there tonight. But still the negative side of Cory's head kept saying, It might not be for me. It could just be a mistake, James could have made a mistake and given me that note when really it was for someone else. This suck in Cory's mind. Finally, she reached the pitch and hesitated before going in. What if this was all a mistake? What if this was joke? Could James be that cruel? No. Cory's mind told her. Shoving the bad thoughts out of her head, Cory made her way inside.
(A/N; Now this is where we switch to Sirius' persective. I wrote like Sirius is telling you the story! Alright? Great! On we go.)
"She's not going to come. This was so stupid what was I thinking" I asked James.
"Relax Padfoot, she'll come. She'll come. Cory is too curious not to." James responded to me.
I couldn't help but feel that she wouldn't come. The girl was so unpredictable! She wasn't like any other girls I had ever been interested in before. She resisted when other girls would have given in. She bent when other girls would have broken. She was absolutely, no matter how much I didn't want to admit even to myself, perfect. That was why I was mad at her and then at the same time in love with her. She made me think. I thought I had know all about women. I thought I knew how to charm any girl into loving me. I thought I knew how their minds worked. What made them smile and give in. But then Cory had to come to Hogwarts and change that. She messed with my mind like you can't believe, by doing the simplest things! The way she talked and walked. The way she smiled or the way she laughed. Even the face she makes before she scores a goal in Quidditch. She could throw me off for a whole week. And now she was going to mess with me even more. She wasn't going to come.
For the forth time that night I looked at my watch; 9:32.
"She's late. She's not coming. Let's leave." I said giving in to my oblivious defeat.
"No way in hell, Sirius! You made me give her that note" james said getting peeved.
"Which you gladly did. You got to be in a five-foot radius with the love of your life. I did you a favor." I interrupted my best friend.
"Not the point Sirius. You made me come out there with you and by the way my ass is freezing from sitting on my broom for so long with out moving. So, my dear annoying best friend, we are going to wait until she shows up and takes it. Okay? Good."
One thing I could agree with James on was that it was freezing. The two of us were sitting on our brooms high above the ground hidden in the shadow of one of the high sitting bleachers, with a perfect view of midfield where Cory had to go. I started to look down at my watch again when James grabbed my arm. I looked at him then I saw where he was looking. I followed his gaze And there on the field was a figure. She'd came.
(A/N; Alright no more Sirius! Sorry to all those who liked it.) What if no ones here? Cory thought for the millionth time? Or what if it really is some kind of joke? No. James was a conceded prick sometimes, but he wasn't cruel she reminded herself again. Or at least she hoped he wasn't. Down the tunnel she journeyed. Slowly, she reached the end of it.
Her heart sank. No one was there. Cory looked around. No one. But then she noticed something. The rose petals didn't end at the end of the tunnel path. They kept going to midfield. She looked over at midfield and noticed there was something there. She walked out towards midfield. The pitch was a little creepy at night Cory noted. Darkness hung like a blanket and if it hadn't been for the quarter moon's light, the darkness would have swallowed her. As she came up to midfield, she realized what was out there. A full rose and a note. She reached down and picked up the rose and the attached note. With trembling and blue fingers(because of the cold) fingers she unfolded the note and read it. The note went like this:
It almost seems like a mean fate,
that I have met you so very late.
But I think you should know,
I think your perfect in everyway even to your last toe.
All we seem to do is fight,
when I only wish to just hold you tight.
I always seem to stare,
but now I just don't seem to care.
I wish could be with you,
to hold you and to kiss you.
I will always belong to you,
because I am truly in love with you.
Cordelia's heart jumped. That was all it said on the note and she looked up from the parchment and looked around hoping to see who the writer was. But Cory saw no one. She carefully lifted the rose to her nose and inhaled it's beautiful fragrance. It sent her insides wild, because she knew who it was from. Who did she always fight with? Who always stared at her? Now all she had to do was confront him on it.
Rain. Again. How could this happen? It was freezing last night! For Cory's first Quidditch match it was raining. On tryouts-rain. Now your first game-rain! It was now two days after Sirius had sent Cory that note. And now she knew it was from Sirius.
That night she came to the common room and told Lily everything. But at the end of her retelling she said how still she wasn't quite sure if it was Sirius or not. But Lily's logic came into play then and Cory thanked Merlin that she was blessed with such a genius best friend.
"You said rose petals were all over the ground" Lily asked her best friend and stopped pacing like she had been during the whole story.
"Yeah. Red rose petals. Why" Cory had no idea where Lily as going this but still listened closely.
"After you left, Quinn and Remus came back to the common room and I saw hanging out of Remus' bag a bag of red rose petals. I bet you he helped Sirius set it all up. It all fits. It can't be Remus who's doing it because I saw him and Quinn making out about ten minutes ago on the couch. So they're together and Sirius wants to be with you and he had his friend's help him set up everything! Oh I am good" Lily said and plopped herself down on her back on Cory's bed, breathing in deep breaths in an attempt to catch her breath.
"Yes you most certainly are" Cory said congratulating her best friend.
For the rest of that night Cory and Lily talked about how Cory would go on acting like she didn't know Sirius liked her. Or actually loved her like it said in her note. But then after the first Quidditch game this Saturday afternoon was over, Cory would tell him that you liked him too. Or as she was learning, loved him. When they were on opposite sides of the room she felt like he should be instead right next to her. So now, finally, Saturday afternoon was here. And it was teeming rain outside. Thunder and lightening were in the sky and didn't look like they were stopping any time soon. But she wasn't going to let the rain bring her down. It was her first Quidditch game at Hogwarts and she was so excited. She couldn't wait till she could get out there and play. Cory got dressed and her, Lily, Emma and Bethany made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Even though she was excited, Cory was still scared that she would mess up and be ruined.
Lily seemed to sense this and said to her as they sat down at breakfast"Cor, don't worry. You have never lost a single Quidditch match in your life. You're not about to start now. You are going to do great and me and girls will be in stands cheering you on"
Cory felt a little better and then that was when James came over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"It's time. Let's go." he said and put a smile on his face. Cory nodded and waved to the rest of the girls. They, Cory, Sirius, James and Quinn, lift the Great Hall together and made they way out to the Quidditch pitch. Cory and Quinn went to the girl's changing rooms and put on their robes. Cory and Quinn started to tie their shoe laces, when Quinn said to Cory. "You nervous?"
"Yea." Cory said nodding her head.
Quinn got up, having her shoes tied and smiled down at Cory. She said kindly, "Look, don't worry. As long as you do your best then there won't be a problem. You'll do fine if you fly like did at the tryout and the practices. Just don't think about your worries. Think about those Slytherin's faces after kick the crap out of them. Ok?"
Cory laughed at Quinn's cool sense of humor that matched hers well and the two friends left the changing rooms. They went down the tunnel to where the guys were standing waiting for them. Their first match was against Slytherin. Cory wanted to win so badly it made her ache. They all stood in silence as the echoes of the crowds bellowed above them and Alex give his last minute pep talk. "This is our first game. Let's show them what we can do. Let's put fear into those conceded Slytherin's. Let's show them what we're really made of! Let's win"
With that and feeling like her breakfast was about to come right back up, Cory and the rest of the team made their way outside. The crowd yelled and cheered harder and the game started quickly. Griffindor took the lead very quickly too. Soon Cory had scored twice and James and Alex each once. It seemed that the Slytherin beaters we're really trying to aim for Cory. This sort of for a few moments unnerved her. But then she quickly shook off the feeling. She wasn't going to let them have the joy of scaring her. She kept on playing as hard as she could. The rain was still pouring down hard and the crowd was yelling and screaming for all of the team loudly too.
Cory managed to intercept a Slytherin pass and was left completely alone. Alex and James were too far behind her and the Slytherin chasers were too close to her. She flew down field and went one on one with the keeper.
"Ash is speeding down field. Oh wow she is really flying. She's getting closer. She's going one on one. And she... and she SCORES! A hat-trick for Ash"
Then it all happened so quickly but for some it was happening in slow motion. The Slytherin beater to Cory's right took aim but she didn't see. He pounded the ball and it took its course directly for her.
Sirius over the loud cheering yelled"CORDELIA! NO"
Cory looked over at Sirius in confusion as why he was sounding scared. He flew as fast as he could towards her and sprawled off his broom trying to have his body get hit instead of hers. But he missed.
"SIRIUS" Cory screamed at the terror before her. Trhe man she loved was tumbling down to the ground. Cory felt like part of her was breaking. She would have done anything for Sirius not be falling. But it was useless. The bludger then came straight at her and hit her with a strong force in her lower abdomen. Cory screamed then clenched her teeth while gripping her stomach. That was when another bludger came from behind her and hit her in the back of her head, hard. Gripping her stomach and her eyes starting to fill up with tears, she slowly fell forward and rolled off her broom. She was plummeting faster and faster to the ground. She passed out. But her body kept cascading down to the earth with the rain.