I do not own any Harry Potter Characters.
Chapter 18:
Despite her best attempts to keep her breathing steady, Katie gasped for air as she flew across the Quidditch pitch. Practice was dragging on especially long that day, and she was ready to call it quits. Everyone else on the team appeared to feel the same way, as the plays had gotten sloppier as time went on. Marcus on the other hand was a different story, if he was winded, he did not show it, besides a slight glimmer of sweat.
Lucius finally deciding he had enough and began chanting as Marcus got the Quaffle heading towards the goals. "Be aggressive, be, be aggressive." Lucius sang out in a terrible tune. Albert let out a throaty laugh, while Marcus lined up to take his shot. "No one can, no one can, throw the Quaffle like Marcus can." Lucius continued, the team all laughing when Marcus shot Lucius a dirty look, the Quaffle hanging limply at his side.
"Are you trying to make us all go deaf?" Marcus shouted back giving him a pointed looked.
"I must practice more" Lucius concluded a large grin plastered on his face. "We are the Falcons! Mighty, mighty Falcons. Brian's a bitch and Albert's an Alcoholic! Titties and beer!" Lucius continued his chant while his face brightened up like a tomato with laughter.
"You sound like a dying whale." Mack joked, as he flew up to Lucius shoving into him lightheartedly.
"You guys just don't appreciate me." Lucius continued "I mean not one of you, has even asked me how my date went last night!" He stretched out his arm, pointing at each member of the team, as they hovered in the sky, forming a sloppy circle.
"How did your date go?" Brian asked with a laugh, taking the bait.
"She's perfect, definitely going to marry her." Lucius said proudly, eyes looking up at the sky.
Brian gave him a glare with a ferocity that made Lucius recoil slightly. "Mate, you can't propose on the first date for the millionth time!" Brian scolded, while shaking his head in disapproval.
"I want to marry the girl who's crazy enough to say yes." Lucius said, his grin unwavering.
"Oh, so you are looking for someone who is mentally ill." Adam concluded.
"No, I want the female version of Jenson Barnett." Lucius said. "I'm sure if Bell proposed, he'd say yes." The team laughed and Katie's cheeks brightened.
"Oh, shut it." She deflected, casting her eyes to the fading sun.
"Flint you aren't worried about Barnett?" Lucius teased; it was a dangerous question. Katie did her best to keep her face calm. Oh, it could be risky to pry, if Marcus were in a bad mood, he'd make you do laps around the pitch for hours.
"Hardly." Marcus replied, as if he were uninterested.
"Why not?" Brian asked his eyes shining with mirth.
Choosing not to reply, he dismissed them. "Okay that's enough for tonight, see you all tomorrow."
During practice the following day Katie found herself watching Marcus more then what was required. Drifting off into her thoughts she hovered in front of the goals for a moment. Only to be pulled out of her daydream when she heard someone yell, "BELL DUCK." Katie turned her head only to be smacked right in the face by a Bludger Adam had hit it with all his might, trying to go for Lucius and unfortunately missing.
She felt the blood cascading down her face, the pain made her eyes well up with tears. Katie resisted the urge to cradle her face in pain, knowing it would only make her broken nose worse. Marcus flew up to her, grabbing her shoulders roughly as they hovered in the air. "Are you stupid? Why wouldn't you get out of the way!" He exclaimed, moving her chin from side to side, to inspect the damage. "Someone, get the Mediwizard!" He yelled, turning to the team.
She started talking before she even knew she had opened her mouth. "I'm not stupid." Katie muttered, keeping her eyes cast down on her broom handle.
"When someone says duck, they should duck, not look at what's about to hit them. That is called being stupid." He chided her, using the sleeve of his robe to wipe up as much blood as he could from her face. While doing his best to avoid touching her nose.
"The couple's bickering again, how cute." Lucius pestered.
She glared at him. "We're not a couple!" Katie was seething, but that didn't stop her from continuing to scowl at Marcus. She continued to glare at him as the Mediwizard arrived; setting her nose quickly.
"I know I'm attractive but stop staring." Marcus teased with a quick smile. She was still red. Marcus found himself fighting back another smirk. This was just too much fun. His eyes lingered on her for a moment.
"You're so full of yourself." Katie's fists were aching to bash his teeth in, then he'd have to get his teeth fixed a second time. Marcus let out a low, rumbling chuckle that she felt in her core.
"Stop flirting, or get a room." Lucius smiled roguishly, with a sharp laugh.
Unable to hide the flash of anger, she grumbled, "I was not!" Crossing her arms, she did her best to swallow her hostility. Marcus eyes gingerly moved to her, and to his relief, she was as crimson as he, if not more so.
"Why can't you two just get along?" Brian asked, waving his arms melodramatically.
Lucius took this opportunity to whisper to Brian, "we really need to help him out, he's never going to get her if he keeps calling her stupid."
"Tell me about it." Brian grumbled back, getting a suspicious glare from Marcus, who was too far to hear what they had said. "Stupid git."
Despite what happened earlier, Katie found herself agreeing to go out for a drink with the team that night. Deciding on going to their usual bar, she headed into the locker room to get ready. It had taken her a little longer than the boys to get ready, when she left the locker room, she noticed the rest of the team had already left for the bar without her. Wearing black jeans, and a dark Grey petticoat, thick enough to keep the chill out, she walked out of the stadium. Sighing as the cool air met her flushed skin. The nights were getting longer and darker as winter approached. She loved this time of the year, right before the first snow fall. You could just barely smell it in the air.
The team was in a back corner of the bar, with a few tables pushed together. Katie sat in the open seat between Albert and Lucius. "Katie you sure must be thirsty." Lucius teased her.
Instead of responding Katie briskly stepping on his foot, from under the table. He glared up at her, "would you stop that."
"Stop being a dick." She retorted.
Leaning towards her he grasped her cheeks with his fingers, puckering her lips like a fish. "What's with all the makeup, trying to impress a certain someone." He teased in a quiet voice. Katie stomped on his foot again, and he released his hold on her face.
"I think we should all not bicker tonight, especially you two." Brian said nodding between Katie and Marcus.
"That's right. Bell you should be extra nice to him, he took care of you after you got hit. " Albert added.
"Katie, I think you at least owe Marcus a date for saving you." Lucius pestered, bumping his shoulder into her with silent reassurance, a casual gesture. Giving her a slow, considering nod.
She crossed her legs. "I don't think that's how that works." Katie quipped back giving Lucius a sharp glare, her eyes narrowing.
Katie couldn't help but wonder why the whole team was in on this. Marcus didn't seem to be affected, but it would be difficult to tell if he was.
All Katie could do was shift in her seat awkwardly. Something dark flashed across Marcus's face. "Leave her alone." Marcus called out, getting grumbles from the team. It was silent for a moment as the team looked at one another, slowly excusing themselves from the table one at a time and heading to the bar. Until only Katie and Marcus sat there, uncomfortably.
She hesitated before she finally broke the silence to ask him, "Did you put the team up to this?" She said it absently, as if she was thinking about something else.
Emotion swept through him, squeezing his chest. He thought about his response before, he looked up at her, replying softly, "no, I swear I've given up." There was a pause, bracing his hands on the table, he continued. "I'm not sure what they are up to, but I'll get them to stop." Katie looked up at him, and their eyes connected. Not long after Marcus looked away, smiling tightly, and excusing himself from the table.
Katie sat at the table alone for a moment before the seat next to her was roughly pulled out. Catching her attention, she looked up to see, Jenson Barnett. Oh no. She felt her body tense up, not looking forward to seeing him at all. "Hello beautiful." He said in a dreamlike voice as he sat down next to her, propping his head up to gaze at her with his arm that rested on the table. Katie's eyes searched the bar, hoping that someone on the team would notice.
"No thanks" Katie said with a small laugh, feeling awkward. Making eye contact with Lucius finally, only to realize that he wasn't going to help as he was too busy laughing at her. Katie gave Jenson a nod before she shot from her feet and headed over to Lucius. "You really weren't going to help me" She whispered fiercely to him, bumping him with her hip.
"Maybe you should ask Flint for help, I'm sure he'd be more than willing." Lucius gave her a playful wink.
"Oh, shut it, can you apparate me home?" Katie asked him. She really needed to practice more; it was getting ridiculous that she was so terrified of it. When he agreed Katie said her goodbyes before heading out with Lucius. After dropping her off at home safely, he apparated himself back to the bar.
Making his way back to their table Lucius sat down next to Marcus saying, "If you are trying to get back with Bell you aren't doing a very good job at it."
"There's nothing else I can do, besides let her go." Marcus said, the corner of his lips descending.
"You can't just give up." Jerry added. "You don't apologize with words; you need to show her how much you've changed."
"You guys need to drop this." Marcus said flatly. There was too much that he couldn't explain to them. He had been ordered not to talk to her by the Dark Lord. Marcus couldn't help but wonder if it mattered anymore? They only needed Katie's family mirror to get to Hogwarts, now that it was destroyed they had no use for her. Or was it just another excuse to stay away from her?
The next morning Katie had breakfast with Alicia and Angelina. Angelina had exciting news that her and George had gotten engaged the previous night. Flashing her new sparkling diamond ring at her friends, the girls congratulated her and talked about wedding plans. Eventually the topic switched to Jenson Barnett, Katie explaining that he had showed up to the bar.
"What did you say to him?" Angelina questioned excitedly, holding onto Katie's arm.
"I said two words" Katie paused for a slight dramatic effect, before saying, "no, thanks." Both girls let out an aggravated sigh, Angelina dropping Katie's arm in disappointment.
"Your pretty face is wasted on you." Alicia complained shaking her head. Katie crumpled up her paper napkin and chucked to towards her friend, lightly hitting her in the chest. Katie shrugged at Alicia's comment, stuffing her hands in her sweatshirt pockets.
"Did you guys hear about what happened to Draco Malfoy?" Angelina gossiped, crossing her arms over her chest.
"What happened?" Katie asked.
"He got the shit beat out of him not long ago, turns out he was the one who gave you that cursed necklace." Angelina explained, watching Katie's reaction.
Alicia clicked her tongue. "I wouldn't doubt it if it turned out to be Marcus." Alicia smiled, her teeth gleaming in the morning light. Katie didn't say anything, but they could see her stiffen slightly. Her breath caught in her throat.
"I think we've outgrown full-time education ... Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" — Fred Weasley