FICLETTE ONE: ROMANCE
(Includes bouquet of azaleas)
It was a sunny day at Hogwarts, and love was in the air. ...Or at least it was for the group of girls crowding up the corridor around the local celebrity third year Gryffindor Tracey Jerome.
'Where do these girls come from?' groaned the exasperated Lyra Alvey in her efforts to get to the door. 'I swear there were less last year.'
'I guess they induct new members from the first and second years,' Emily offered. 'At least we only have this class with him this year. Would it really hurt Lovett to be early for once?'
After what seemed like forever Professor Lovett rescued them from the crowd of fangirls. After joking about it being pre-Valentine's fever he assigned them their Charms task for the day and they got to work.
As Lyra worked on her cushion another flew past her ear and smacked hard into the back of Tracey's head a few rows front of her.
'Sorry! I must've flicked my wand wrong or something,' Felix laughed, walking Tracey.
Tracey laughed it off with him and got back to work, and Felix went back to his seat behind Lyra, cushion in hand.
'What was that just now, Lucky?' Emily interrogated.
'I said—'
'You're an ace at Charms, Lyra here on the other hand...'
'Hey!' Lyra retorted, 'everyone has their flaws. But what was that about, Lucky?'
He sighed, 'Stop it with the geeky nickname and I'll tell you.'
The girls just frowned at him.
'Fine, fine! You know his fangirl gang? Well my sister is one of them. First year. She's been annoying me all Christmas about me giving him her love letters or something stupid. She even wanted me to magic him a bouquet of azaleas!' Felix grimaced.
'Oh, that must really suck.' Lyra stated.
'I get exactly what you mean,' Emily empathised, 'I'm sick to death of him and I've never even talked to him. What does the mindless mob see in him, anyway?'
'Your sister must've said something.'
'Oh, it's just the usual stuff,' Felix sighed. 'Quidditch mainly, but apparently he's quite good at Defence, too.'
'Sounds like you, Lyra,' Emily sniggered.
'Yeah but the gender.' Lyra pointed out.
'Well yo— MMPH,' Emily was cut off by a cushion in the face.
'Speaking of Quidditch, I have a match against him tomorrow.' Lyra said, 'I might as well humiliate him in front of all his fan girls. Now help me charm this cushion.'
* * *
'Good luck! Not that you need it, muscle brains,' Emily encouraged.
Lyra laughed sarcastically in reply and mounted her broom, joining the rest of her team in the sky.
'Ok, take your positions and remember the strategy,' the blue-and-bronze captain yelled to his team, 'and most of all, GOOD LUCK!'
With that they went to their positions, Lyra eyeing Tracey, a chaser along with her, and the game began.
The game was tough on both sides as the Gryffindors were gutsy and didn't back down, but the Ravenclaws had nearly flawless strategy, and were in the lead 130-0.
Laura, another Ravenclaw chaser, was racing down the pitch and was caught unawares by a rogue Bludger, dropping the Quaffle.
Lyra raced for it, just barely catching it with her fingertips, and would have dropped it if Tracey hadn't caught the other side of it. They glared at each other and each tugged on the Quaffle. Just as Lyra thought they had reached a stalemate Tracey tugged extra hard, pulling Lyra along with the Quaffle and kissed her straight on the mouth. Lyra let go of the Quaffle for a split second and Tracey sped off with a 'Happy Valentine's', quickly scoring a goal for Gryffindor. Lyra, bright red and glaring, channelled all her energy into getting 4 more goals and a sure win for Ravenclaw.
From then on there was more than one pillow trained for Tracey's head in Charms, and Lyra never issues with aim again.