A/N: JKR owns HP although I wish it was me. Hey, that kind of rhymes. Okay, moving on.
The next weekend was the first Quidditch match of the season: Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Which meant Haley would be making the Gryffindor Quidditch team work extra hard that week. Terry and Mark were on the team, too. They were Beaters. Haley was trying hard to balance school, her homework, her friendships with Terry and Mark, Quidditch, and her small relationship with Kyle and it was stressing her out. Especially because she hadn't told Terry or Mark about Kyle so it was a secret. This past week, she and Kyle had spent a lot of time making out, but she felt like something was missing. She pushed the feeling away into the back of her mind.
The day of the match arrived and Terry, Mark, and Haley were psyched. She was pacing nervously in the locker room half an hour before they were due to meet for the game. Mark and Terry got there early too, because she had asked them to. "What is it?" Terry asked Haley. "I've got something to tell you two. And I figure I can trust you two, because we're best friends, right? We have been since first year, right? Am I just rambling now?" she said. They both nodded. "Okay. Malfoy and I are… dating," she said. Mark and Terry both looked as if they saw this coming. "You two… are okay with that?" she asked.
Mark nodded almost instantly. Terry did, too, after hesitating slightly. Mark cast a worried glance at Terry. He knew this must hurt him really badly. He had loved Haley for a long time and now… he was losing her to Malfoy. How pathetic is that?
While Haley was giving a pep talk to the rest of the team, Mark was trying to cheer up Terry. "You okay, mate?" he asked.
"Hell, no," Terry said.
"Why don't you tell
her?" Mark said again.
"No. You heard her, she's dating
Malfoy. What would be the point in making a bigger fool of myself?"
Terry said.
"It could just be a phase," Mark said.
"Yeah, okay. She
really seems to like him, though. But you and I have always been
there for her. Not him. When he insulted her to the point of tears,
who was there for her to comfort her and hex him halfway to hell? We
were. Why the hell does she like him?" he said, now angry.
"That's why I say it could be a phase," Mark said.
"Forget it. I give up," Terry said.
Mark had had it.
"Terry! Did you come all this way, be her friend for all these years, to just lie down and let some other guy have her? No! And I'm going to help you get her!" Mark snapped. Terry looked slightly frightened.
"Okay, mate," Terry said. They then joined the rest of the team to go on the pitch for the game. They flew out onto the field on their broom and took their positions. Kyle and Haley shook hands and Terry jealously noticed the secret glances they exchanged. Haley took her position in the air and smiled at Terry. He forced himself to grin back.
Madam Darby blew the whistle and they took off. Haley hovered above the game, circling the pitch, looking for the Snitch. She saw a Bludger heading towards Terry, and waited for him to bat it away. He didn't seem to be paying attention, and it was dangerously close. "Terry, watch out!" she yelled. He finally snapped back to reality and dipped downwards just in time. Haley signaled to Madam Darby to call time. She blew the whistle and Haley soared towards Terry.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You're a Beater. You're supposed to hit Bludgers, not get hit by them," she said.
"I'm sorry, okay? I'm just not myself today," he said.
"Yeah. Well, where's the Terry that whoops Bludger ass in Quidditch? 'Cause the team could really use him right now," she said and flew back up. She signaled to Madam Darby to start the clock again. That last remark from Haley really smarted. Terry winced. She was definitely pissed. But she had warned him. He brightened a bit. At least he knew she cared. The next Bludger that came his way, he hit hard towards the Slytherin Keeper. "All right, Terry!" Haley yelled. He smiled up at her.
With Haley encouraging him, Terry felt like he could hit any Bludger. The next one that came his way, he hit hard towards the Slytherin Seeker. Who, if you remember, was Kyle. Kyle was caught off-guard by it and it hit him in the nose. A loud crack echoed through the pitch. Blood spurted out of his nose. He was taken out of the game. Haley used the time to talk to Terry.
"What the hell was that for?" she asked.
"I thought you wanted me to hit the Bludgers," he said defensively.
"Not at my boyfriend," she said heatedly.
"I thought you were dating. When did he become your 'boyfriend'?" Terry smirked.
"Shut up and get your head in the game Terry! You're my friend but if you don't start paying attention, I'm going to have you taken out of the game," she said.
She flew away.
He hung his head. He hadn't meant to aim for Kyle… or so he tried to convince himself. Maybe he was aiming for him subconsciously. He felt bad. Or as bad as he could feel for the guy who had stolen his girl.
The game ended, with Gryffindor wining by a narrow ten points. In the locker room, Haley chatted with mark but avoided Terry like the plague. When she had left to go back to her common room, Terry approached Mark. "What the hell's with her?" he asked.
"Hmm. I guess it could be the fact that you broke her boyfriend's nose," Mark said sarcastically.
"But they're dating. She never said he was her boyfriend," Terry said. Mark rolled his eyes.
"Is there a difference?" Mark asked. Terry nodded. Mark sighed.
"Apologize to her," Mark said. Terry sighed. He knew Mark was right.
Meanwhile, Haley found Kyle lounging on one of the couches in their common room. She snuggled up next to him. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Fine. Madam Pomfrey healed it in about a minute," he said. She laid her head on his shoulder. He put his hand under her chin and pulled her face to his. He pressed his lips against her. She climbed on top of him as he massaged her back. When they finally stopped their snogging session, she laid next to him on the couch.
"Have you talked to your fast-ass friend?" Kyle asked. Haley looked at him.
"Excuse me?" she asked. She raised her eyebrow at him.
"What? That arse who hit the Bludger at me? Terry Fatbottom," Kyle said.
"Terry Longbottom is one of my best friends. I know he made a mistake in the game today, but I had just told him about 'us'. He may have been a little shocked," she said in defense for Terry.
"Whatever. He's just another Gryffindor arse," Kyle shrugged. Haley had had it.
"That is it!" she said, standing up. "All you want to do with me is make out. We don't even talk that much. And when we do, you insult my friends and my fellow Gryffindors. We're through," she said. "Haley, wait!" Kyle called as she ran from the common room, tears streaming down her face. She ran outside and leaned against a large oak tree about fifty yards away from the Black Lake. And she sobbed.
