It's a Rough Game Quidditch
RATED M
Disclaimer: NOT MINE NOT MINE
A/N: Okay, I need to defend Gioni Frederli for one moment, captain of the USA Quidditch Team. He may not have kept any real promise other than the fact that they are number one on the stats (by a freaking lot), but okay, say you have a football team, and you have no coach, just the team captain, and then you don't sub anyone. You just play through with whatever the quaterback calls out. Hard, ain't it? Anyways, here is the latest chapter of this saga. Last match before the cup!!!
Chapter Eighteen
Week Seventeen
"They still won't let him out?" Mary asked, laying her head on Gioni's shoulder. They were in the comfort of his apartment, listening to the local WNN station.
"They've got him off the IV, but they say he needs some time to relax." He noticed she had cut her long red hair up to her shoulders and had them bring her bangs back onto her forehead. He liked it, he decided while kissing her head.
"Sarah's been up to see him quite a few times," Mary commented. "They've been getting along well."
"That's good," Gioni replied. He pulled away from her and started toward the kitchen. "That means he won't cut our head off, plus maybe we can use Sarah next year. Hey, what would you like for dinner?"
"Me?" Mary followed him. "I don't know. Whatever you'd like."
"I would like whatever you would like," Gioni said, teasing her. He tugged the end of her hair.
"Anything's fine with me." May smiled. "Surprise me."
"Italian it is."
QCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQC
"Thanks again for coming to see me, Sarah," Robert said as his new friend grabbed her coat. "It means a lot to me, especially with you helping out the team." Sarah smiled at him.
"It's the least I could do for an old flame," she said. Robert's eyebrows furrowed together.
"Old flame?"
"You don't remember much of the year you turned sixteen, do you?"
"Concussion about a year ago. Refresh my memory."
"School dance. We danced." A flash of a memory crossed Robert's face. "That's right. You remember me now, don't you?"
QCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQC
"Can I buy you a drink?" Cuyler asked, sliding onto the stool next to Debbie at the bar.
"I don't know, can you?" Debbie laughed, her smile bright.
"Hey, give a guy credit for being a gentleman." To the bartender, he added, "Two butterbeers."
"No, you know I don't drink that light shit," Debbie protested. She told the bartender, "One butterbeer for him. I'll take a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky."
"So, what are you up to tonight, Deb?" Cuyler asked as the bartender went to get their drinks.
"Actually I was thinking of going home and listening to the game in Australia. My money's on Germany."
"I don't know about that," Cuyler told her. "Australia's got an awesome offense. That one big guy scares me sometimes." The bartender put their drinks on the bar and Debbie snatched hers up in one big swig.
"But you have to admit, Germany's ben picking up the shitty season they had. They could finish as high as sixth place if they tried."
"Then let's quit talking about it and go get ready for it. I know of a portkey station that's going to Aussie in about twenty minutes."
"I don't have tickets, Cuyler."
"Deb, what part of top Quidditch team do you not understand? All we have to do is find Ludo Bagman and we'll be in." Debbie considered this with another swig.
"Fine," she muttered, grabbing her coat from her lap.
QCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQC
"Mary, promise me that whatever you do, you won't risk yourself or the kid in this game," Gioni asked. He had awoke to Mary padding around in his apartment in his robe, fixing him breakfast. It was almost a cozy thought. At that point in time, they were enjoying omelettes at his kitchen table.
"I'll try," Mary told him. "You're starting to rub off on me." When he gave her a serious look, she laughed. "I'm only kidding. No Wronski Feints for me. I promise."
"Good. I'm not losing you."
QCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQC
"I'm being let out this afternoon," Robert told Sarah. She had come to visit him the morning before the big final game.
"They decided to wait until it was too late for you to get in, didn't they?" Sarah didn't look up from her puzzle in the newspaper. "Tricky, tricky."
"Eh, it'll give you another week in the spotlight." Robert reached over and touched her arm. "Like I said, I really appreciate what you've done for the team."
"I'll be happy to cover your ass anytime, Greene. Literally." She gestured toward his hosptial gown with a grin.
"Smart," Robert groaned, sitting up. "So, when you're going to be out celebrating late tonight, are you going to remember dearest Robbie?"
QCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQCQC
"USA team has won, 500 to 60! USA is going to the Quidditch World Cup!" The team had landed in the middle of the field. Debbie was crying, her arms latched around Cuyler and Fred's necks. Brandon clapped Sarah on the back, and Mary and Gioni locked lips fully right there on the field.
"Captain Frederli!" Coach Wood called out, and Gioni surrendered and pulled away from Mary. Wood pulled Gioni by the back of the neck so he could speak quietly in his ear. "The press isn't going to release this for another few days, but I wanted to get this to you as fast as I could. Japan was supposed to be your competition in the Cup, but they had three of their players fall ill. They don't know if they can pick themselves up for the cup so they're going to drop that match and take one of the pregames instead."
The Quidditch World Cup worked so that six of the nine final teams played a short thirty minute game the same day as the Cup at the featured field. That night, the two top teams.
"That would mean we're playing..." Gioni thought for a moment before coming up with the dreaded team's name. "Bulgaria."
"Exactly, mate." Coach Wood did not look happy. "But tonight, go home, spend some time with your girl, and we'll talk tomorrow."
"One condition, Oliver," Gioni said hoarsly. "You and Gin need to go visit your families, and get them both the best seats the Quidditch Cup has to offer."
"Deal," Coach Wood said, shaking Gioni's hand
WEEK SEVENTEEN MATCHES
USA vs. Spain (500, 60)
England vs. Japan (110, 190)
Nordic vs. France (90, 290)
Australia vs. Germany (250, 160)
Bulgaria Break
STANDINGS
1. USA 5390
2. Japan 2790
3. Bulgaria 2710
4. England 2610
5. Spain 2100
6. France 2230
7. Germany 1940
8. Australia 1890
9. Nordic 1550
A/N: To Erik's Other Lover, thank you so so so much for the awesome reviews and thank you for letting me help you with your small collections that you call 'Tardness.' Australia vs Germany was just for you (and Hugh Jackman)! To all my wonderful readers, we've only got two chapters now before this epic tale ends. Thank you to all (if any) who follow my stories. I have much more to come!!!