Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, I'm just borrowing them, and no profit is gained.

Even though the thoughts had buzzed around Dell's head all night that it even blocked out Carly and Liberty's girlish chatter (a thing that usually got her in a fit), by morning she had been able to push what James had said to the back of her head.

As Dell walked down to breakfast alone that beautiful Saturday morning, the pounding rain from the previous night leaving a fresh day in its place, Dell thought of the Quidditch practice to come. She was just turning a corner when she spotted Roxanne up ahead by herself (up to something, no doubt). Remembering what Fred asked of her Dell hurried to catch up with the red headed girl, calling "Roxanne!"

Half an hour later Dell entered the Great Hall and slid into the seat beside Fred. "What took you so long?" Tyler asked as James looked up at her.

"Ran into Roxanne on my way down," Dell mumbled through a mouthful of bacon. She ignored Tyler's quiet, "Chew with your mouth closed," Which made James snort into his food.

"Did you ask her about her new 'boyfriend'," Fred said, looking for his sister in the Great Hall.

"Noooooo, that's why I talked to her," Dell said, hitting him in the head. Tyler and James laughed, shaking their heads. "Ya, I did. She's not here, she was heading up, I never asked what she was up to though, didn't want to know." Dell said as Fred continued to look for his sister. James smirked while Tyler frowned slightly.

Fred looked at Dell and said, "Well, what do you think?"

Dell took a second to think, chewing on her toast slowly. Finally she began. "Well, they've been friends since the first year. His name is Andrew Duke, and he was one of the first to accept her into the Slytherin house – you know how she had a hard time to begin with, being a Weasley and all. They've been best friends ever since. By the sounds of it he's had a crush on her for a bit now, and he really likes her. Actually, I think he's a really cool guy, from what Roxanne said," Dell said, before a frown appeared on her face.

"Roxanne though, you can tell she thinks he's a great guy. Her best friend, always has. I don't think she could live without him. But, well, from the way it went last night, it did sound like she was going for jealousy, but from talking to her, it doesn't sound like she likes him likes him. So why would she work up that plan? But it really didn't sound like that – it sounds like she only likes him as a friend. So, why would she try to make him jealous?" Dell looked extremely confused as she finished her breakfast.

Tyler and Fred seemed to think over what she had said, but James looked at his watch and jumped up, "Well, we can think about what Roxanne was thinking after Quidditch practice, because if we don't leave now we are going to be late," he said. Fred and Dell jumped up while Tyler finished off his meal.

"Are you going to watch?" Dell asked Tyler as she grabbed a handful of bacon.

"After I'm done," He replied.

Dell, Fred and James headed out of the school and towards the Gryffindor Quidditch changing rooms. They were the last of the team to arrive. The three of them were the three chasers on the team. Already being good friends, and everything, they were quite synchronized and some of the best chasers the team had had in a while. The keeper and captain on the team was Dominique, while the beaters were Mathew Thomas and Taylor Connor. The new seeker was Albus, James brother, having just made it on the team that year, Daniel Norman having just graduated.

A lot of Weasley's/Potter's had made it onto the teams. Victoire had made it onto the Ravenclaw team as a Chaser, and Teddy had been on the Gryffindor team (no, he wasn't a cousin, but he was counted as one), and Roxanne was currently a Slytherin beater (hence Fred's 'frightened' theory on the dating aspect; not many girls became beaters), and it was said that if there had been a space open, Louis would most likely have made it on the Ravenclaw team as a Chaser, and defiantly would next year. The only house that wouldn't have cousin's playing against each other would be Hufflepuff. Lily liked Quidditch and all, and she thought playing it was fun, but when it came to competition playing, she was clumsy and always dropped the Quaffle, she could find gossip in an instant but the snitch passed by her easily, and her arms were too weak to hit the bludger hard enough. Well, if she was angry enough she could do it. So, she'd have to be really angry whenever a game was going on. Lily would never make the team, not that she wanted to, anyways.

They walked out onto the pitch in the beautiful sunlight. They mounted their brooms and pushed off from the ground. They soared into the air, and Dell smiled. She loved flying. The feeling as the wind blew her hair back. She felt as though she was free. She let out a laugh, and James smiled at her as he passed. She looked around for Fred and he was floating off to the side, looking preoccupied. She rolled her eyes, and flew over to him, bumping into him slightly. He looked at her, startled. He gave a sheepish smile at her raised eyebrows, and turned around as Dominique called the team together.

"OK, so our first game is against Slytherin on the second weekend in November, three weeks. We've got to work hard if we want to beat them. Ah, don't say a word. Quite a few of them play dirty, and Roxanne's going to have a grudge against her brother by then, James too, most likely," Dominique said, giving Fred and James a dirty look.

"Hey, what makes you say that?" James and Fred said together, looking annoyed, though Dell already had an idea.

"From what I heard, she's got a boyfriend. I know what you're like Fred you better leave your sister alone, though it's no use saying it. Plus, I saw you flying, you looked damn distracted. Get your head in the game." Dom glared at him before telling James to get the quaffle, and to let the snitch out, and telling Matt to let one bludger out.

Soon they were playing. Albus was trying to get the snitch and avoid the bludger, while James, Fred and Dell were trying to avoid the bludger, and get the quaffle past Dom, who was trying to block it, while practicing a few tricks in between. Matt and Taylor were aiming the bludger at the chasers and keeper, though trying not to go for injuries.

About 15 minutes in Dominique blew her whistle. Albus turned towards them confused, and Matt and Taylor stopped chasing after the loose bludger, both also confused. Dom looked annoyed, Dell looked tired, and James just looked just plain angry. The last three were looking at Fred.

"Fred," Dom said, clearly reaching the end of her line. She was actually beginning to sound like her sister, Victoire, which was always dangerous, and Dell didn't blame Fred for backing up a bit.

"I know, I know," Fred murmured, avoiding her eyes.

"You should have waited till after practice to tell him, Dell," James said.

"Tell him what?" Dom said, turning her eyes on Dell, and just catching the end of her 'no, don't do it, shut up' look she was giving James. It seemed James had missed, but Dom had caught it. Nice. Dell scowled at James, who ducked his head, and looked over at Tyler who had arrived some time while they were practicing, and seemed to be trying to catch their conversation, though he was by far too far away.

"Last night Fred asked me to talk to Roxanne and ask her about Andrew, the guy, so when I ran into her this morning on my way downstairs – what she was doing on the fourth floor by herself I'll never know – I talked to her, and the guys asked me why I'd taken so long, so I told them, and I told them what I thought." Dell said all this in one breath, never having been on the receiving end of Dominique's anger, but having been told it was as bad as Victoire's, and having had seen that.

Dom just glared at her before sighing. She shook her head before speaking. "OK, how about this. You, Fred and James go over there and just practice passing the Quaffle around. The rest continue what you were doing. When you are focused again, Fred, then you guys can come back, and we can try this again, OK?"

Everybody nodded in agreement, except Matt who said, "What about you, Dom? I can throw the quaffle for you a few times, it helps with my aim."

"Yeah, thanks," Dom said with a small smile. Luckily James and Fred were already flying away and missed the way Matt was looking at Dom. Dell just smiled knowingly as she flew off with the other boys, deciding Dom didn't need any drama, as she hadn't even noticed yet.

So, the three of them formed a large triangle – circle and started passing the quaffle around. James passed it to Dell who passed it to Fred who wasn't paying attention and missed it. After retrieving it he passed it back to Dell who passed it to James, who passed it to Fred, who passed it to Dell, who passed it to James, who passed it back to Dell who passed it to Fred who dropped it again. He went to retrieve it once more. He passed it to James, who passed it back to him to surprise him. He was caught off guard but managed to catch it on the tip of his fingers. Surprised, he looked over to see if Dom had seen it, but she hadn't. He passed it to Dell, not paying attention at all, and passed it a little too roughly. It went right pass her hands that were ready to catch it and straight to her face.

Dell gasped, her hands flying to her face. The Quaffle fell to the ground and Fred looked around in horror. James didn't looked like he didn't know whether to check if she was alright or to laugh, the idiot. She flew down to the ground with Fred right beside her. "Oh god, I'm so sorry Dell, it's just that – oh god, I'm so sorry."

"It's OK," Dell mumbled, her voice muffled by her hands that still covered her face. She'd rather not show him the damage, and then he would start apologizing even more.

"What happened?" Dominique asked annoyed as the rest of the team landed around them.

"Fred hit Dell in the face with the Quaffle," James said making Dell scowl at him.

"I'm so sorry," Fred said, looking extremely upset.

"It's OK," She said once more, her voice still muffled.

"Let's see," Dominique said. Dell reluctantly took her hands away from her face. Her face was covered in blood, the blood still streaming from her nose, which was in a position that shouted it was broken. Fred looked even more upset, and only the look Dell gave him stopped him from apologizing again.

Dom sighed once more. "Well, I guess you'll have to go to the Hospital Wing," She said reluctantly.

"Well, yeah," Said Tyler who had just arrived. He loved Quidditch as much as the next, but sometimes he though Dominique went a bit too crazy about it. Dom just scowled at him.

"I'll take her," Fred said, putting an arm around Dell. That was a good thing, she was getting a bit light headed, something he'd probably noticed because she'd been swaying a bit. Her face was as white as a sheet too; she'd lost a lot of blood.

"No," Dom said, shaking her head, "That means we'll have two members gone. Why don't you take her Tyler?" Dom said, probably wanting him gone anyways. James started laughing as Fred shook his head and even Dell managed a small smirk. Tyler ducked his head slightly, running his hand through his hair.

"Well, umm, I'm kind of banned from the Hospital Wing unless I'm hurt. I'm not allowed to take anybody there or visit anybody there." He mumbled, looking anywhere but at Dominique.

"I'm not even going to ask," She mumbled shaking her head, "Fine, I guess we can deal without you Fred. Not like you were doing much while you were here. Anyways, that shouldn't take long. Just a broken nose," And with that Fred and Dell headed off, Dell covered in blood and leaning on Fred.

When the two entered the school, people were fist shocked at the site of Dell and all the blood. That was, until they saw the Quidditch robes they wore. That explained just about everything. Though, if they were told it was a Quaffle, and not a bludger, that had caused it, they would have been surprised. It was an uncommon thing – not unheard of – but uncommon for a Quaffle to cause injuries like such.

They made their way up to the Hospital Wing, (Dell having to shut up Fred and his many apologies,) and Dell collapsed onto the first bed she saw. She had lost a lot of blood. Who knew so much blood could come out of your nose? The nurse came out and just shook her head at the site.

"Come here," She said, before tapping her wand against Dell's nose. Her nose was suddenly in the proper position and the blood flow stopped. The blood was soon siffened up with the nurse's wand. "Wait right here, and I'll get something for the pain," She said before walking away and disappearing into her office.

"May I once more repeat, I am SO sorry Dell," Fred said.

"Fred, SHUT UP. Do you remember how many times James hurt me? About a million and one. I have to say I've been in the hospital wing from more injuries caused by James then injuries caused by Quidditch. So give it a rest, it really doesn't matter, you got it?" Dell said looking at him. Fred nodded and Dell smiled at him which he returned happily.

The nurse came back with a potion for her to drink. It was disgusting, but it got rid of the pain in her nose. She said they could go, and they left to head back to the Quidditch practice. But by the time they returned it was over, and all they had in response was pointing at the dark clouds coming in. Tyler had long since headed in.

They went back into the changing rooms to change into their normal clothing, and the three left, as usual, were Dell, James and Fred. By the time they had finished changing the rain had started, and it was coming down pretty heavy.

"Damn," Dell muttered, looking down at her jeans and t-shirt. On the weekends she didn't wear robes, she'd rather wear muggle clothing. But she didn't have even a sweater with her, unlike James and Fred who were both wearing a sweater and had the hood up, ready to make the run up to the castle.

"Here," Fred said, reaching behind his robes and pulling out a sweater. "I always keep an extra sweater down here, just in case. I guess you can wear it now," He passed it over to her and she gave him a grateful smile. "This fits you?" She asked as she pulled it on. "Probably not, it's one of my oldest." Fred replied.

They ran through the rain, getting soaked (though not as much as without the sweaters). It was quite different then it had been that beautiful morning. They headed up to the Gryffindor common room. The clothing was sticking to their skin, that was how wet it was. Luckily Dell had gotten a sweater though, or else her t-shirt underneath would be see-through.

"Hey guys," Tyler said, looking at the three soaked guys. Dell saw her other teammates, hair wet, already changed from their wet clothing. "Well, I'm going to get changed," Dell said, already starting to shiver. She started to head towards the girl's dormitory before remembering something.

"Oh, Fred, you want your sweater back?" Dell asked, looking at Fred. She noticed Dominique look up and she wondered why.

"Oh, you can keep it. Like I said, it's too small for me." Dell shrugged, and mumbled "Whatever." But as she headed upstairs, she noticed Dom's small smirk. Luckily she missed the look that was exchanged between Tyler and James.

Dell changed upstairs, hanging the sweater that was soaked through beside her bed to let it dry, and laying her wet clothes beside her bed for the house elves to grab. She reminded herself to ask Fred again later if he wanted his sweater back, when it was dry.

But of course she forgot. If she hadn't forgotten, would things have turned out differently?

Edited 2020-02-15