A Rocky Meeting
Fire.
Such a simple concept, but so out of reach.
'Amazing.'
'Really, Mr. Weasley, If only you would let me-'
'Oh, no need, no need.'
For maybe the twelfth time in the last five minutes, Mr Weasley struck a match against the side of the box and promptly let it fall to the floor in wonder, where it extinguished along any hopes we had of a warm meal.
Ginny sighed. I felt her sadness.
'I'll be going to get some water,' said both Fred and George in unison, prompting a variety of muffled responses. I almost ran after them. Maybe there would be food stalls along the way. Dudley always bragged about the food at the football games, surely there would be something similar here.
There were no foodstuffs along the way, but there were certainly a variety of other stuffs. We lost Fred pretty early to Angelina's call. A few tents away, George left us in a similar way, with Alicia in his ears and a smile on his face. He just threw the metal buckets to Ron and was off.
'Harry!'
We stopped once more a few dozen meters to yet another call. Katie waved violently at us, her blonde curls mimicking the movement of her arm.
I smiled so hard my face hurt. Katie just had this way to light you up with her energy. I had forgotten what it felt after the summer at home.
I hope I never properly remembered, I thought as I walked towards her. That way I could always feel like this when I met her aga-
'Oh no you won't, mister.'
'Wha-'
Hermione yanked me by the scruff of my shirt.
'There is no way in heavens Ron and I are carrying all these buckets full of water back on our own. You're staying with us.'
'I was. I am. I only wanted to say hi to Katie, is all.'
'Mhm.' She looked towards the tent wherefrom Katie was still regaling us with her smile from. 'Just like Fred and George.'
'Well, they're different," I ran my hand over my hair. "They're kind of... together, you know.'
'Hhm.'
Hermione looked at Katie, who's head was now tilted, and then towards me, eyebrow raised inquisitorially.
'What?'
'Nothing, Harry, nothing."
She waved back to Katie, just as vigorously as she had done before, before sighing in exasperation towards me.
'Le's go'
'What was that about? Hermione. Hermione!'
No answer was given.
In moments like these I was reminded I was, in the words of my dear uncle, a scrawny little runt.
These damned water leaden metal buckets surely weighted as much as me. Even y normally indomitable hair had submitted, laying matted to my sweaty forehead. I had to give it to Mrs. Weasley, now that it was wet, I could see that it was indeed way too long. It kept ticking my upper lip each time I breathed too heavily, which was always, seeing as I was about to die of work induced hyperventilation.
I would give my soul and liberty to be rid of this damnable weight, to walk normally, without having to waddle in from side to side while a metal piece hit me on the shins, to feel-
'Ooof.'
I heard a chirp, a curse, and a splash.
Careful what you wish for, you little shite.
I sat now on the floor, my head hurting from whatever the hells I had hit, tired, and drenching completely. I was now, however, free of the yoke of the water bucket.
Don't know how I'd rate this exchange, to be fair.
'Merde! Could you look where-'
'Sorry, I was-'
Good god.
Of all the people I could have ran over and drenched in water it had to be the one that looked like the main character of a thrashy romance book.
Sorry, the bucket was too heavy. I didn't see you there. Take your shirt off I'll dry it. I love your eyes.
Funny how my mouth could not keep up with my thoughts. Then again, seeing those last two, just as well.
'I am drenched.' She shook her hands, which indeed dripped.
'Yeah.'
She looked at me.
'I can see that.'
Her lips pursed, and only then I noticed what the added liquid did to her shirt.
I scrambled up.
'Sorry! I'm in a ru- see, someone is waiting- I mean- Sorry!'
I ran like hounds were at my heels. And trust me, I know the feeling.
I got back to our tent. Or almost, I would say.
There was a nice, big tree near it, and even thought the sun had set and it's shadow could not really be counted in the way of refuge, the feeling of peace under it still stood. I leaned against it's trunk and closed my eyes.
Bad move.
Memories lied behind closed eyes, and the ones that assaulted me at the moment only brought back the short breath that running had originally wrought.
Of all the people I could have ran into...
Aaaagh.
Oh well. At least I would not have to see her again. It was a bit painful to think that, but really, we were worlds apart. I was safe.
Slightly humbled -and slightly cheerier- I trotted the few dozen meters towards the Weasleys tent, where I could, thank any deity that had listened, see a nice, cozy fire burning.
Fucking hell.
What are the sodding odds?
The same absolute work of art of an eyebrow that had scrunched alongside pursing lips at my wandering eyes not but a couple hours before rose again at the audacity of me. How dare I, that silver eyebrow said, how dare I sit within the confined confines of this box, sharing the same air with their owner when not but a medium amount of minutes before I had committed the capital crime of ruining their shirt.
They were a very expressive pair of eyebrows, to be sure.
My response was the one to be expected of my, being the brave hero of legend I was, of course.
I gulped, looked around to see if anyone else had noticed my -and her's- reaction, and then planted my butt into my assigned chair -despite there being six more with a much better view calling at me- with such force that I was sure I would have to readjust my school robes size, locked my eyes into the empty playing field below, and answered with humms and nods to any question or exclamation thrown my way.
Curse her! She could not only be beautiful, she had to be important. Or well connected.
It made me a bit sick to think such Malfoy thoughts, especially after having seen the 'You're so beneath me act by Mrs Malfoy but minutes before.'
I had to admit, she did look the part.
I shook my head hard enough to make me dizzy. What even goes through your head, Potter? Are you really that weak to shinny blonde hair?
Or Red. Red hair is also amaz-
Fire.
I jumped on my chair, my mind clearing at the obvious threat of...
God damn.
Fireworks.
Small, Irish looking folk floated around the stadium, throwing pieces of gold with malicious intent. Everyone cheered them though, even as they could have killed someone with one of those coins to the head. So irresponsible.
Huh. Hermione is rubbing off on me.
It was entertaining though, I thought.
And then the music started.
A piece of me was aware that the bulgarian cheerleaders were ground zero of what I was feeling. The other piece of me told me 'No shit, gonk, get down there right now and find out what that ground zero explosion feels like.'
I took a step towards the window. From across a hundred metres I saw they hands caress their body, smell their sweet perfume, hear their enticing song.
Fire.
I felt like I had been zapped by a live wire, like a bludger had hit me, like I had poison in my veins.
The world had looked so beautiful, so ideal. The skirts of those cheerleaders had swayed with such ... sway over me.
I look back, into silver eyebrows shaped off of fire.
A foreign word, and the spell was broken.
Or more like swapped.
I did not want to jump out the window onto the taloned hands of the winged women on the field, but I would have dropped down at the feet of the woman that, but moments before, had sat a few rows behind me on the ministry box. The woman that I had crashed onto, like a wild ship after a long journey but a couple hours before. The woman that-
Control yourself, Potter.
Then sing turned to screeching, the inviting wings turned to a warning. I took a seat.
The silver brows turned dangerous.
I closed my eyes.
Had I watched a few seconds more, I would have seen them turn curious.
The game started, and my worries melted into the cheering.
''Ello.'
I looked left. I looked right.
There was no escape.
The crowd flowed at the joint of the stairs and the walkway, as solid as a wall, and there I was, between a moving wall and silver eyebrows.
Under the scrutiny of green-blue eyes.
'Hello?' I answered back after longer than it would have been polite.
'Zat was impressive. Up zere, at the ministry box. You 'eld your own.'
Yeah, I though, against you.
'I apologize,' She said, 'For earlier. With the water. I was not looking where I was going. I forgot I could not use magic.'
'Oh.'
She was looking at me. Directly at my eyes. I looked away. Her eyes were so... they shifted. I could not rightly tell the colour.
'It's... It's fine. I was not looking either. The bucket was-'
Panic. I had to impress her, I had to be strong, brave, superior.
'It was kind of heavy.' I ruffled my hair, my heart slowing from where it had ramped up. 'I should not have run away.'
'That's okay.' Someone on the crowd knocked her shoulder.
Fire.
Calm yourself, Potter.
I opened my eyes.
'My name is Fleur. Fleur Delacour. A pleasure to meet you.'
'Harry. Harry Potter.'
She giggled, and I had only heard such a noise when the sparrows sung in the summer mornings, from within my cupboard.
'I know. Your Minister said it enough before the game. I could not 'ave missed it.'
'Oh.'
I thanked divinity for my long hair.
'You are lucky you met me and not my sister. She is obsessed with you.'
'Oh.'
She laughed at the despondence of my tone.
'Do not worry. I know that words written are 'alf truth. Gabby will learn it too, in time.'
I looked around. I could not find the Weasleys.
'That's good, I guess.'
'I am sorry, Monsieur.'
'You said it before. It's no problem I am guilty too-'
'Non. Not that. I meant for influencing you. Earlier. I was angry and I let go. I should not 'ave.'
I saw her trembling yellow lips and I could not imagine a moment she could not influence me.
'That's all right.' I whispered.
'Good.' She smiled.
She smiled bright enough that I had to match her. Wide enough that my face hurt matching her. It had been hours since I had done the same, but the feeling was different.
'I 'ope to see you soon again, Monsieur Potter. It was refreshing to see you. To meet you.'
Her hands dropped to my shoulders, and quick as lightning her lips had touched my cheeks, leaving them electrified.
'Yes. Okay. I wish.' I blinked. 'THANKS!' I blurted. 'Wish to see you soon too.'
She let go.
I breathed.
She smiled, and with a step back, she joined the crowd.
Those kaleidoscope eyes would haunt my dreams, I was sure.
'You're an absolute idiot, Harry,' I shook my head as I too tried to join the flow of people and find my bed.
Fire.
I screamed.
My hand moved in tandem, fire leaving my wand in bursts.
Tents burned around me, spells flew, I ran.
I had lost my friends in the scrum, I was angry, I was scared.
I reached the edge of the comping ground, the dark forest looming above.
It would not be my first Dark Forest.
Branches slapped at me, scratched as I ran, burning the adrenaline. I did not know what was going on. I woke up from a dream of yellow lips and blue-green eyes to screams of fear and pain and burning. A world on flames.
I heard steps behind me. I ran faster. branches speed past me, the uneven ground not stopping me at all. Running away was almost second nature to me.
Flashes superseded with my view. Of My cousin. Of my uncle's sister's dogs. I shot fire over my shoulder and kept running
I heard screams, I heard laughter.
I tripped.
'Look what we found all alone in the wild. If it is not The Saviour Himself. He will fetch us a nice bounty with Our Lord, don't you think Boys?'
They laughed.
I screamed fire.
The forest burned and they screamed too.
Spells flew, but I moved as I knew. They came close, they caressed me, but they could not touch me. I kept shooting.
Bark exploded around me, scratching me. Screams rose as my wand moved like a baton signaling a faster tempo. The earth shifted under my feet and the night swallowed me.
'Arry. 'Arry! Enervate.'
I felt fire in my veins and my heart punched as if it was going to break in two.
'Oh thank the gods.'
I tried to sit up, only to realize that warm arms held me in place.
'Do not move, Monsieur. You took a bad 'it. We do not want to make anything worse.'
The forest was ashes around us, and I did not know if it had been me, or had been her to do it.
She raised her hand to the skies and spoke, and the sky turned red.
' 'Elp is on the way, monsieur. You are okay now. I will make sure of it.'
I closed my eyes again.
I should really stop tempting the fates. 'I would not have to see her again.'
You're a clown, Potter, I thought.
As much as I could think that is, while half conscious and enveloped in her warmth, in her cinnamon smell.
Hello!
This one is for Gamer0890 on the discord server, and with thanks to RamenNoodle for his help with englishing my spanglish. Hope you all like my version of the cliche and overdone meeting at the world cup for this ship.
If any of you enjoyed this and would like to buy me a coffee -or a beer- you can do so at ko-fi / davidtheathenai (Remove spaces, as always) I would greatly apreciate it, as it would may be keep me awake enough to write hehehe.
Also consider joining us at the discord server for the ship at discord . gg / 8AaE8P5DDr (Remove spaces) if you want to chat or anything, I am always there.
Have a nice one!
Dave
