Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, as it is the property of JKR.
Author's Note: I'm not sure whereabouts in the school yearI've said this stage is now ... late September, or something, mabe ... but let's all say that this is in November, because I want to get moving on to Christmas.
Chapter 13
After thoroughly dismissing her brother's queries, Selena's mind was in a tizzy as she pulled the scarlett and gold robes over the head in the dressing room she had all to herself, being the only female on the team.
Of course she didn't feel that way for James. He was just her friend. Her best friend, granted, but still ...
Then she remembered a muggle film which Mrs Potter had made her watch over the summer ... When Harry Met Sally ... about how men and women could never be best friends.
It was wrong, she told herself. She had other male friends ... Remus and kind of Peter.
But they weren't her best friends, were they, asked a niggling voice in the back of her mind.
Cursing Sirius for bringing it up, and Remus for putting ideas in his head, and James for being James, and Peter too ... because well, why not? ...she left the changing rook and entered the male changing rooms after knocking on the door loudly.
All 6 of the boys ... James, Sirius, McLaggen, Jimmy, Andy and Aubrey ... were dressed and ready, stood in a circle.
She smiled slightly to them all and slipped into a gap between Sirius and Jimmy, crossing her arms over her chest and turning to face James.
James' eyes flicked over her rather briefly before he began to speak, ' So, now Selena has decided to grace us with her precense, we can begin.'
' Do we really need the speech? ' Lena cut in,' we've heard it for years, we get the gist by now. '
The other team emeber looked at her in suprise - they all knew how close Lena and the captain were, and were suprised that there was some tension there.
James gave her a cold glare,' I was under the impression that I am the captain of this team, so I'll make whatever speeches I want, Miss Black.'
Lena stuck her tounge out at him childishly, and tuned out for the enterity of the speech, refusing to pay any attention, unitl he anncounced it was time to go.
' Who's commentating? ' she whispered as they stood with their broom in one hand, waiting to soar on to the pitch.
' Chang,' McLaggen told her.
Lena winced - not her day. Chang hated the Gryffindor team, for the simple reason that he captained Ravenclaw. Mark Chang had also been a boyfriend of Lena's - at least until he left her and was given a severe hexing courtesy of James and Sirius.
They listened as Chang began to commentate,' Aaaand welcome to the first quidditch match of the seson on this fine November evening - Slytherin versus Gryffindor! I'm your commentator, Mark Chang! First out we have the Slyherin team - famous for their stong, brawny players.'
The Slytherin end of the pitch cheered.
Chang continued,' It's Lestrange! Avery! Mulciber! Rosier! Derrick! Bole! Aaaaand Black! '
As the seven green and silver clad figures soared onto the pitch, the crowd cheered - though it was maily the Slytherins, and a few Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws.
' And the Gryffindors! ' Chang said though he sounded less enthused now,' Captain James Potter has stuck to the same team as last year, although judging by the fact that they did not win the cup last year, maybe he ought ot have thought it through a little. '
Boos from the Gryffindor end - Gryffindor had only not won the cup the previous year because of an injury on the team which pulled out one of their players.
Chang continued,' It's McLaggen! Potter! Black!Spinnet! Bell! Aubrey! aaaand Black! '
The crowd cheered again, more loudly thistime, as the Gryffindor team soared on to the pitch and made a semi circle facing their opposition.
Madam Hooch told them she wanted a clean game - which they knew would be hard for the Slytherin gorillas to stick to - before realising the balls.
Derrrick, Bole, Bell and Aubrey were off at once following the bludgers, whilst Sirius and Regulus searched for the snitch, McLaggen and Lestrange were off to the keepers hoops, whilst James, Lena, Jimmy, Avery, Mulciber and Rosier fought for the quaffle.
' And they're off! ' Chang yelled,' it's Black of Gryffindor in possesion of the quaffle. The only female on the team, and coincidently very close friend of the captain, twin sister of Potter's best friend, Sirius Black, also on the team. '
McGonagall shouted at Chang to get on with it.
Chang sighed and continued,' and Black, to Potter, to Spinnet, reverse pass to Potter, to Spinnet, Spinnet dodges a bludger hit by Bole, drops the quaffle, caught by .... Mulciber. '
There was passing between the three Slytherin chasers, until James intercepted it, and reluctantly threw it to Lena, after realising that he had been ignoring her, but she was a good player.
Lena approached the goal posts of the Slytherins, bracing herself for the throw and breathing in deeply.
' and Black scores! ' Chang yelled,' Slytherin keeper and captain Rudolphus Lestrange fails to block Gryffindors first goal of the match. '
The match went on for an hour - Gryffindor had scored 70 points, whilst Slytherin were on 30.
Eventually Chang commented on the end of the match,' Seeker, Black seems to have seen something .. that's Sirius Black, of Gryffindor. He dives, and Slytherin Regulus Black follows - Regulus being the younger brother of Gryffindor's Black twins, of course. Wait, what's this? '
Sirius seemed to be pulling away from the gournd and turning around sharply after seeing Regulus do his dive.
' It's the Wronski Feint, everyone - I must say I'm rather suprised Black thought of somehting as smart as that, being as bone headed as he is.'
At his insult of her brother, Lena - who was in possesion of the quaffle - divered away from the Slytherin goal posts, and headed towards the commentators box, throwing the quaffle in the face of Mark Chang, who yelped.
McGongall smirked, and no one told Lena off as she took the quaffle, threw it behind her to Jimmy Spinnet, and said in to the megaphone, ' Sorry, so sorry, I slipped,' before flying off, and turning in time to see Sirius catch the golden snitch, and Madam Hooch blow the whilstle to end the game.
When her feet touched the floor, Lena threw herself at her brother, embracing him tightly.
' Party in the common room! ' he yelled to the Gryffindors who had come on to the pitch to cheer and hug their team.
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Selena entered the common room after having gotten changed back into some normal clothing from her quidditch robes, and putting the robes away in the locker. There were 8 changing rooms all down one corridor - a male and female for each team.
The room was full of people up dancing to the music that someone had put up on the music player. The coffee tables were filled with plates of food which someone - James and Sirius, no doubt - had gotten from the kitchen.
Selena spied James at once - he was speaking to Sirius in the corner, and from the look on their faces, they were speaking of something rather serious.
She stood in silence watching them, until suddenly, James turned his head to look at her, and she blushed, looking away. James looked back to Sirius and nodded, before Sirius walked off.
Sirus approached her, and muttered in her ear, ' All taken care of,'
' What do you mean? ' she asked.
' You and Prongs. Go and talk to him,' he commanded before walking off and leaving her alone.
Gingerly she approached James, who stood watching her with his wide hazel eyes. When she got close enough to stop in front of him, he ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it up in that way which she had seen himdo so many times before.
' Look,' he began,' I - whatever's going on here -' he broke off because a group of 6th year boys came over to congratulate Lena and James on the match.
When they left, he looked at her sheepishly and asked,' Why don't we take this out of the way, eh? C'mon, we'll go up to the dormitory. '
She obliged and followed him up the staircase to the dormitory he shared with Sirius, Remus and Peter.
' So,' Lena said softly,' care to explain why you've been ignoring me today? '
James sighed and sat down on his bed, looking up at her as she folded her arms over her chest and glared at him,' I'm really sorry,' he told her,' I didn't mean to upset you .. didn't realise I had until Sirius told me just now that he'd walked in on you breaking down in the common room. The thing is ... when you kissed me last night ... '
Lena cut in and spoke over him,' I'm really sorry about that, I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing. It was nothing.'
James met her eyes, and for some reason she felt a pang in her heart - a pang of something that made her stomach flip over. He said,' See, that's what I was afraid of. You say it was nothing, but even though I pushed you off, it was something to me.'
His words made her mouth fall open, and she stared as he continued,' You seemed to ashamed that you'd kissed me and it killed me. I thought you were ignoring me. That you were ashamed.'
' I ws embarrased,' Lena countered, choosing her words carefully.
James reached out and tugged her hand, pulling her down into his lap and tucking a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. She willingly wrapped her arms around his neck and listened to is words.
He continued,' I've been doing some thinking, and you ought to know, that I really like you ... like you as more than a friend. I know it's odd because we're friends, and your brother is my best friend and might kill me, but if I don't tell you now, I'll never pluck up the courage to do it. I can't go on not knowing how you feel. '
Lena's eyes widened,' Oh My God,' she breathed,' Sirius warned me this might happen.'
' What? ' James asked incredulously.
Lena blushed,' Earlier, when I was upset about our fall out, he asked me if I'd ever considered that there might be more than friendly feeling between you and I, and I denied it, but it got me thinking. And I do.'
' You ... you ... have those feelings? '
'I do. I do, i do, i do, i do, i do.' she confirmed nodding, and topping it off with a swift kiss on his lips - a kiss that was short, but meaningful, and so much better than the one sided ness of the previous night.
' So what do we do now? ' she asked, once they had come up for air.
' Will you be my girlfriend? ' James asked, a shyness that made him so sweet coming over him.
'Yes! ' she cried, hugging him tightly.
' What do we tell Sirius? ' James asked after a moment's pause,' do we tell him? What will he say - he's ridicolously protective.'
' I can't keep something from him, it's not fair on him,' she declared,' we'll tell him soon.'
' Even though he might kill me? ' James asked, quirking an eyebrow.
She shrugged,' Maybe we'll tell him in a few weeks, then. '