Unexpected Things

IronKeys: Awww :") Thanks ;P Haha, hurray for Sluggy and the twins :)) Yeah, I happened to be thinking of you/people you're not crazy about while I wrote that match =)) Yeah, I'll miss Miss Galan :( :((

MalfoyMaiden:

crazy-wee-cat: Haha, Sluggy IS lovable! I realized how neglected he's been in this story, I just HAD to give him some action! Awww, thanks a bunch cat :) Hopefully, by summer break, I'll be able to get back to the chapter-a-day routine I used to have xP

yellow 14: LOL, she probably is XD I hope this chapter will be interesting enough for ya ;)

Chocolate and Caramel: Haha, yeah, Raph DOES have a lot of issues. I might get the twins to do something to him. But I'm not sure yet ;P Haha, Merry Christmas! (belated)

Ravid Reader: Haha yeah, thanks for helping me get back to work on writing ;P Haha, I hope this is exciting enough xD

The chapter title, I toyed with the word "aftermath" xD

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Aftermatch

When he saw the Bludger collide with his cousin's head, Al's throat went dry, and his stomach flipped. Around him, people were also reacting with horror.

It felt like the previous Gryffindor match all over again, when Lily was knocked out by a Bludger as well. He remembered how panic-stricken he and James were. Scorpius too. His friend had been alarmingly pale as they rushed Lily to the Hospital Wing.

Worried for his sister as well, Al's eyes scanned the skies as he and several other people made their way to the grass where Rose lay.

He spotted Katy Timberwood and Luke Jordan trying to get the Quaffle from each other. One of the Hufflepuff players, a skinny girl, (Al assumed she was Seeker), was screaming her head off and flying in circles.

Where was Lily?

Parvati was giving orders to the team, waving her arms around. From down here, Al thought he could see the fury and worry mixing in her dark eyes.

Over there!

Al saw Lily diving.

"What's she doing?" He wondered out loud, his fear increasing as she neared the ground.

Then Lily pulled out of the dive, madly waving in the air a small fist.

The Snitch!

Al made a mental note to congratulate his sister later. At the moment, he had to focus his attention on his cousin. As Al followed those carrying Rose to the Hospital Wing, he briefly wondered if the Gryffindor team in his father's school years had been this unfortunate. Two bludger knockouts in one year. Third place two years ago, and fourth place last year.

"Wait!" A hand on his shoulder stopped Al. He turned to see Tom, worry clearly showing on his face.

"What?" Al asked, curious and concerned, but also torn by his urge to be at his cousin side.

"Where's Theo?"

"What're you talking about?" Theo was right behind them! Wasn't he…?

Al looked around.

"Theo's not with me!" Tom snapped. "I wouldn't be asking if he was!"

The game had started in the afternoon. Al wasn't sure why. Something about someone wanting to see the game while the sun was setting. By now, it was getting dark, despite the full moon's light. They didn't have time to go looking around for Theo. Students aren't allowed outside at night.

"Wait… there he is!" Al pointed at the figure running towards them.

"What took him so long?" Tom muttered.

Al narrowed his eyes. Theo wasn't running in the way a tardy person would to catch up. He kept glancing over his shoulder uneasily. It almost looked like… he was fleeing.

Theo staggered to a stop in front of them. He was whimpering between gasps for breath. "Did you take a wrong turn and wind up in the forest or something?" Tom asked in a half-joking tone.

Theo shook his head, his eyes wide with fear. Even in the gathering darkness, Al could see that he was incredibly pale. Al also noticed that the hem of his robes looked torn, and mud and grass coated his shoes. It almost looked like he had run through the forest. What happened to him? "Theo…?"

"T-th-the… I… I… w-w-…-f-f-f!" Theo stuttered.

"Huh?"

"Theo, what's going on?"

"T-t… g-g-gr-… grey… v-v-v!"

"Gravy?" Tom tilted his head to one side, confused. "Are you hungry again?" What was going on? Theo obviously didn't look hungry. It was obvious that food was the last thing on Theo's mind. Something was wrong with Theo, and even Tom didn't know. And Tom always knew what was up with Theo.

"No!" Theo shook his head vigorously.

"Then what?"

"Al!" The three heads turned to face the source of the voice. It was James. "Quit gossiping! Rose is already in the Hospital Wing. Come on!"

"Coming!" Al replied.

"Go rest in the Common Room, we'll get back to you later." Tom told his brother.

Theo shivered. "But-…" He paused, shook his head, then nodded and headed for the Common Room.

At first, she became aware of the exhaustion that made her limbs feel as heavy as stone. In contrast, the surface beneath her was soft and comforting. Then she felt warmth hitting her arm, which wasn't under the blanket. The intervals between the warm air touching her was consistent.

Someone's breathing?

Rose opened her eyes. As they adjusted to the lack of light, the blackness gradually brightened into a picture of the Hospital Wing, moonlight peeping from the gaps the curtains left.

She noticed that someone's was head resting on the edge of her bed, the body slouching over from the seat. Upon seeing the messy spikes of hair at the back of his head, her initial reaction was to assume it was Raph, probably having ignored Madam Pomfrey shooing him out. That was something he would do- ignore rules if he felt like it.

But… Raph's hair should be darker… and usually more messy than that, since he ruffled it so often. Was the light (or lack of it) playing tricks on her? Or was it that hit the Bludger gave her? Or maybe whatever it is Madam Pomfrey did to heal her was messing up her mind…

Tentatively, she reached out a hand and touched the boy's hair. It wasn't Raph's. The texture was different.

He grunted, then slowly turned his head to face her. Rose's heart skipped a beat when she recognized the grey eyes.

"Scorpius?"

"Hi." Rose watched him stiffly sit up straight and lean back against the chair. "How are you?"

"Drained." She answered, then looked at Scorpius critically. Even in the limited light, she saw the darkness under his eyes, and the bone beginning show on his face, making him appear older. He looked drained too. She was about to comment, but he spoke first.

"While watching…" he spoke those words in a barely audible whisper. Then he spoke normally after. "It… it was horrible when that Bludger hit you."

Rose didn't know what to say.

"I'd have visited with everyone else, but it was too crowded, too many people. So I snuck over after Madam Pomfrey slept." Scorpius told her. "When I came, you were still asleep, so I decided to wait around."

Rose was still processing his words, her mind still moving sluggishly. Scorpius was watching the match all along!

"Oh, and Raphael's a couple of beds away."

"What?" she gasped.

"He took a Bludger to the gut. People didn't notice until later on, because most of the attention was on you at the time, or on Lily, who caught the Snitch."

Rose frowned, both from the shock and hurt from hearing what happened to Raph, and from the way it was so hard to focus on what Scorpius was saying. Lily… caught… the Snitch. So… they won, right?

"Rose…"

"Hmm?"

"Sorry." He muttered. "About… how… how I've been lately. It's just… I…" he shook his head. "Nevermind. You look ready to fall asleep. Get some rest. Good night, Rose."

"G'night…"

Al yawned as his eyes blinked open. He closed them again and rolled over, repositioning himself on his bed. On a Sunday morning, he ought to be sleeping in, having done all homework yesterday, before the Quidditch match.

The match!

Al's eyes flew open as the memories rushed in. Rose hitting her head, Theo's reappearance after a brief disappearance, Lily's first victory. He looked around. Down in the dungeon, it was tricky to guess what time it was, but he assumed it must be just about midmorning. Scorpius, Dirk and Flint were in their beds, asleep. Tom's bed was empty. Theo was sitting up in his, back arching as he stretched while letting out a yawn.

"Theo, how are you?"

"Huh?" Theo looked at him, apparently surprised by the question."Fine. You?"

"Fine…" Why was Theo acting like nothing happened? "You seemed… bothered last night." Al tried to choose the right words properly.

"Huh?" Tho stared at him blankly. "Can't remember. Probably I was thinking of my Charms homework."

"Charms? But you looked like you ran through the forest last night!"

"What the heck are you talking about, Al? What would I be doing in the forest?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Now, Al was having trouble staying calm. Was Theo keeping secrets too? The world would be a better place without secrets and lies! Where did all honesty and sincerity go?

"What's wrong with you, Al?" Theo looked… confused… and even frustrated. But it didn't seem to be the kind of frustration expected from one hiding something in danger of being exposed. This was... different. "I was watching the match with you the whole time!"

"But when Rose was hit by a Bludger, Tom said you-"

"Rose what?" Theo's eyes stretched wide with alarm and concern.

Al stared, perplexed. What was going on?

"S… she was hit by a Bludger during the match. Sent to the Hospital Wing. I'm not sure if she's still there or if Madam Pomrey already let her go…"

"But-… you're kidding!"

"I'm not!"

"Then why don't I rem-"

"Greetings!" Dirk interrupted Theo. "How are the two ov you this morning?"

"Fine." Al muttered, not sure whether he should be irritated or worried about Theo's claims.

"Confused." Theo glanced at Al, as if waiting for an explanation. Al suddenly felt too tired to work out what was happening. There were just… way too many things to work out lately. Lies and secrecy were to be blamed for that.

"I see. Albus, haff you visited Rose Veasley already? How is she?"

"I'll go visit her now." He gave Dirk and Theo a nod before exiting.

Al was still trying to understand Theo's behavior by the time he reached the Hospital Wing. There, he found out that Rose and Raph had already left.

After breakfast at the Great Hall, he went to the grounds. Knowing what to look for (Rose's bright red hair), he quickly spotted his cousin standing under a tree. She was talking to Raph, whose brownish-red hair seemed more ruffled than usual.

As he drew closer, Al saw the irritation on their faces. Were they fighting again? He hung back, suddenly unsure of whether or not he should join them.

"Hey, Al!" Raph noticed him and gestured for him to come over. "Did y'see Malfoy watchin' the match yesterday?"

Al shook his head.

"But he saw the Bludger hit me!"

"How do you know?" Al raised an eyebrow, curious.

"He… he came to the Hospital Wing last night." Rose answered without meeting anyone's eyes.

"He wasn't at the match, Rose." Al told her. Had Scorpius lied to Rose? Why? Scorpius's change in behavior was disturbing, and steadily growing more irritating. "What else did he say?"

"Why does it matter?" Raph snapped.

"I-I dunno…"

"Rose… can't you just-- Argh!" Growling in frustration, Raph turned around to glare at the tree.

"Raph… I've been thinking… and I talked to Lily too… maybe we should stop… this… us." Rose sounded as if she had been thinking of saying that for a long time now. He could see her trying to stay calm, but her voice was unsteady.

Raph didn't reply.

"All we do is fight and make each other unhappy."

Again, no reply.

"And I've been hurting you too much lately…"

Still, no words came from Raph.

"I think all this… stuff… it's too fast, too soon. We're not ready for a relationship."

"Fine." Tossing that one word over his shoulder, Raph tensely walked off without looking back.