Disclaimer: I'm most definitely not JK…
Chapter 4: The match and the party after
Fact #4: Rose Weasley never could resist post match parties
This fact, ashamed though I am to admit it, is true.
I never could avoid Quidditch related parties. And when my house had won spectacularly, thanks to Al's amazing seeker skills, no less. Against Slytherin too. And we were now qualified for the finals! And Gryffindor was leading in the house points too!
Things couldn't have gone better could it?
Wrong.
There is one little black dot in all of this.
My most recent acquaintance, though we had known each other for seven whole years, had gotten himself injured during the match.
Al was now with him, or waiting for him, since he had to stay outside the Hospital Wing while the nurse treated him.
How had the incident occurred?
It may have had some thing to do with me not being able to resist the attraction towards the bludger…
Rose Weasley whooped as another goal soared past the left hoop.
If they kept this up, they wouldn't need the snitch to win.
Seeing one of the Slytherin beaters aim a bludger at her, she veered off course, and, the Slytherin chaser, taking advantage of this, grabbed the quaffle from her.
Irritated with her own carelessness more than the beater's trick, she soared past the other two chasers, dashed after the one with the quaffle, and that was when Al had caught the snitch.
She still chased after the chaser, not even noticing that the match was over.
It was only when she heard a yelled 'Look out Rose' and a subsequent crash did she turn around.
It was too late by then.
She took a quick turn to avoid the bludger and barely managed but, her broom wasn't so lucky.
She was thrown off her broom and went flying, before she began falling.
Scorpius, who had been guarding the goal posts was luckily nearby and had managed to catch a hold of her, but, the power of gravity was too much for his strength and he had slipped with her, only just managing to catch the end of his broom.
They had hung in mid air until Al had come and Rose had jumped on his broom, making it easier for Scorpius to swing back on to his broom.
But, the mishap didn't end there, unfortunately.
Scorpius' broom had gown out of control when he sat back on it, and had nearly hit the ground.
It had left Scorpius with a sprained hand, broken ribs and bruised face.
And that, was why I had to sit outside the hospital wing door, as Al paced.
The door opened and Madame Pompfrey called us in.
There on the bed was Scorpius, white as the sheets surrounding him, beaming at Al and me.
"You all right?" Al was the first to enquire to which Scorpius nodded, wincing as the pain hit him.
"You're neck is sprained, Mr Malfoy. I'd thought I'd reminded you not to exert it"
"Sorry"
He looked back at Al and said, "All set for the party?"
"No, Scor. We thought we'd wait until you'd be released from here"
"That's silly! When will you celebrate? Before the next match? You continue without me"
"But that's not fair to you!"
"Postponing wouldn't be fair on Weasley's spirits here, would it?" he said, smirking knowingly at her.
"Don't bring me into this" Rose said off handedly, staring at the Hospital Wing, which did not have much to look at any way, "I should be leaving now" was her repartee as she left the Hospital Wing.
A few hours later:
Rose sighed as she sat boredly down on a couch.
The party was in full swing, with butterbeer and pumpkin juice passed among all of the Gryffindors and the players talking of their feats during the match.
She had been asked to recount her goals more than once but, she hadn't been in the spirit.
She didn't understand how, she was never bored in a party! She often happened to be the heart and soul of it!
Not able to bear the noise any longer, she left the common room, wandering aimlessly.
She didn't notice where she was going until she was faced with the tall doors of the Infirmary.
How did I get here?
Nevertheless, she entered it, and the sole occupant snapped his head in her direction.
Seeing Scorpius made her wonder if she had been right in coming here.
What could he have imagined about her?
Who cares?
"Hey Weasley?"
"Hey!"
She sat on the stool by the bed.
He was now sitting straight, reading what appeared to be a book on Legilimency.
"You read that?"
"Yeah! It interests me, more than all the other spells that we learn in DADA"
"You ever tried it?"
"No. I haven't told any body that I'm practicing and it'd be indecent to do so without prior permission"
Pleased with the answer, she made herself comfortable on the stool, and began to talk with him.
There were several times during the course of the evening when she felt like walking out of there but, she stayed and as time wore on, she actually began laughing at his taunts instead of the usual reaction of blowing up.
May be parties were enjoyable but, if you had the right company, missing the party would be a better option.
Was the last line she wrote in her journal, which she had begun to carry around her, while Scorpius slept.
She stood up and, in a moment of extreme stupidity, kissed his pale forehead before noiselessly leaving the Infirmary.