Author's Note: A follow up to the Slytherin-Ravenclaw game chapter, because Adrian wanted to return the favor.

Light Warnings: Some very mild groping, but everyone's clothes stay on, and a mention of masturbation.

~EA

Returning the Favor - Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff

The next time Gryffindor played was in early March against Hufflepuff, and the game was absolutely three hottest Chasers in school just could not make up for three awful players.

Ron Weasley still couldn't save anything, Malfoy still had most of the Slytherins singing that stupid song, and Adrian couldn't think of any term that was less than "abysmal" to describe Gryffindor's new Beaters. Andrew Kirke actually screamed in terror and fell off his broom when Smith went barreling towards him with the Quaffle. It was the most un-Gryffindor thing Adrian had ever seen. Madam Hooch managed to slow him down before he hit the ground, but he was still rushed to the hospital wing. Johnson reluctantly elected to continue the game rather than forfeit, but then that dolt Jack Sloper accidentally hit her in the mouth with the bat instead of hitting a Bludger, which nearly knocked Johnson off her broom. Montague, Warrington, and Bletchley could barely stand for laughing so hard. Johnson, however, was made of tougher stuff and finished playing the game despite bleeding all over her uniform. There was no telling how many teeth Madam Pomfrey would have to regrow for her that night.

Thank Merlin Ginny Weasley caught the Snitch when she did, after only twenty-two minutes of sheer agony. She snatched it right out from under Summerby's nose, which at least greatly reduced the score deficit to only ten points. Had her miserable brother not let in fourteen bloody goals in that short time, Gryffindor might have scraped a win.

As soon as the game ended, Katie Bell and Ginny Weasley immediately helped Johnson to the hospital wing, which left Alicia as the only female player trudging to the locker rooms. She'd taken two Bludgers in that short twenty-two minutes, both in her center back, and he knew only too well how much they hurt. He wondered why she hadn't gone to the hospital wing with her two closest friends. That was odd.

He clenched and unclenched his fists as the crowds dispersed. He knew he didn't need to find her. It was a very dangerous thing to do; he could easily blow his cover if he wasn't overly cautious. But it was also such a golden opportunity to return the favor from just two weeks earlier, no matter how much he didn't need to do it. He told Bletchley, Montague, and Warrington he needed to speak to one of the other prefects about upcoming assignments. They rolled their eyes and told him to do it later, that they were going to break out the Firewhiskey when they got back to the dorm to celebrate. He forced a grin and told them to save him a few belts. They advised him that if he didn't hurry his arse up, there would be none left, and then they started up the slope, singing Weasley is Our King at the tops of their voices.

He was being reckless as fuck, but he suddenly didn't care. He probably would later, but right that moment? No. He ducked under the bleachers as soon as they were empty, Disillusioned himself, and made his way down to the Gryffindor locker rooms.

Sloper was coming out just as he got there; the remaining Beater looked dejected as he trudged past. Adrian didn't spare him a thought as he slipped through the door and headed for the girls' side. He couldn't hear the showers, but that didn't mean anything. Swallowing hard, he did what Alicia hadn't: he knocked on the door. He wasn't going to burst in on her. If she was naked, he wasn't sure what he would do. Not that he wouldn't appreciate seeing her tits, but that would likely be the end of his resolve, and they wouldn't be able to go back if that happened. This was probably a very bad idea...

"Who is it?" she called out, sounding startled and a little panicked.

"Me," he responded quietly, leaning his forehead on the door. "You got hit twice out there, Spinnet. Do you want me to heal you?"

There was a long pause. When she spoke again, he realized she was now standing just on the other side of the door. "Y—you don't know the spell..."

"Like you couldn't teach me?"

Another moment slipped by, but then he heard the lock scrape and she eased the door open. Thank Salazar she was at least dressed: she was wearing a snug white t-shirt that she'd had on under her uniform (which certainly showed off those perfect round breasts of hers) and she was still in her trousers, but she'd taken off her boots and jersey. She also looked absolutely miserable, and her expression made him falter. Some of the lust that had been swirling in his gut dissipated.

He eased just inside, quietly closed the door behind him, removed the Disillusionment Charm, and locked the door for good measure. He'd probably get hexed if any Gryffindors caught him in here, though the only other one who might be around was Ron Weasley, and that git had bigger worries than coming to the girls' side of the locker rooms.

When he turned to face her, Alicia's lower lip trembled as though she was fighting hard not to cry. Her palms came up to press into her eyes and she choked back a quiet sob.

"Hey," he said, and he pulled her into a hug. Her own arms went around his torso, her hands clenching in the back of his school sweater-vest as she buried her face in his chest.

He wasn't sure what to do except hold her, so he maneuvered them around until he could sit on a bench and keep her between his legs.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, while rubbing her shoulders, careful to avoid the spot where she'd been hit by the Bludgers.

She sniffed and wiped her palms against her cheeks. "Come on, Pucey, really? We're a shite team, but that's nothing new, is it?" Her tone was bitter. "I'm just being stupid. It's not even like I've never been hit with a Bludger before, but... I don't know... it just hurts so much worse today."

He tried not to look at how pretty she was with tears dotting her eyelashes. Instead, he said seriously, "Because Gryffindor lost and Johnson got hurt out there. Why didn't you go to the hospital wing with her?"

"She asked me to stay behind to offer support to Ron and Jack. Like I could even bring myself to do that after the way they played out there today...!" Some of that bright Gryffindor fire flashed in her eyes at the thought of how awful Weasley and Sloper were, but then her face fell. "But, that's one reason why she's Captain. She may be angry at them but she still knows they're part of the team, and she knows they feel like shite for how things went down out there. But right now, I'm too mad at them to comfort them. And yes, I know that makes me a horrible person."

He rubbed his hands down her toned, slender arms. "No, it doesn't. Maybe Johnson should think about your feelings instead of asking you to be the strong one right now."

Alicia met his gaze, worried her lip, and flexed her fingers where she was holding on to the front of his sweater. "She had half her teeth knocked out. I'm pretty sure I have to be the strong one for a bit. A couple of Bludgers isn't as bad as getting hit in the mouth."

"Which brings us back to why I'm here. Tell me that spell so I can heal you."

"Calcaneum livorem," she whispered.

He repeated it as he turned her around between his knees and gently pushed her t-shirt up her back. Alicia caught the shirt right under her breasts and held it tight. The bruise was purple and ugly, right over her spine, and he briefly wondered how bad his bruises had looked two weeks earlier. He didn't ask. Instead, he gently brushed his fingers across her skin and she stiffened, trembled, and winced.

"You may need to see Madam Pomfrey," he murmured. "This is right on your spine, Spinnet."

She shook her head. "I don't think anything's broken. It doesn't feel like it."

He leaned his forehead into her upper back between her shoulder blades, against her ponytail, closed his eyes, wrapped one hand around her middle, and covered her hands with his. Two of his fingers, his pinky and his ring finger, brushed against her bare stomach and his thumb brushed the bottom curves of her breasts. He could feel the way she shivered and shifted at the contact, almost as though she wanted more of his touch, and he swallowed hard. He lied and told himself that he was just trying to distract her a bit, trying to take her mind off he pointed his wand at her center back and whispered the incantation.

She gasped as the bruise healed and he felt her relax slightly. He relaxed, too: thankfully, he'd done it right.

"Better?" he murmured against the thin t-shirt.

"Y-yes."

His hand tightened over hers. "Good."

They remained completely still for another moment; Alicia didn't move away and Adrian didn't withdraw his arm from around her body. As the seconds stretched on, his hand slowly loosened from her hands, which were still keeping her shirt bunched up. He flattened his palm and dragged it down her taut stomach, pressing gently against her. She gasped softly; he could feel the way she trembled and shifted into his touch, but she still didn't move away from him. In fact, her hand slipped over his, her palm pressing flat against the back of his hand, her fingers almost interlacing with his. Her thumb rubbed gently along his thumb, back and forth. He bit back a groan.

Had he thought she was playing with fire two weeks earlier when she'd touched him? He was certainly playing with it, had been dangerous for him to come down here because he didn't need anyone to see him and guess what he was up to, but now he was pushing himself, almost as though he secretly wanted to see how far he could go without destroying those feeble boundaries that, quite frankly, were nearly collapsing into shambles around them. Maybe they already had. Maybe the boundaries had started crumbling down eons ago. Had the collapse started with the Gryffindor-Slytherin game? Or did it go even further back than that?

No, he thought. The Gryffindor-Slytherin game. That was when things shifted. That was when he started crumbling.

He pushed her shirt up her back to her shoulder blades, telling himself he was just looking for more bruises. He was not checking her out. He was not making a mental note that she'd worn a white sports bra. She continued to keep the shirt in place in front but she still didn't move, and when he didn't see any other bruises, he unconsciously leaned in and pressed his lips to the left of her spine just above her bra, even going so far as to flick his tongue and suck gently against her skin. He tasted the salt of her sweat and he really did moan softly then, his hand clenching at her waist, holding her to him.

Before he realized what had happened, Alicia suddenly stepped away from him and tugged her shirt down. Unable to meet his eyes, she swallowed and murmured, "Um... Th—thank you. For healing me." She nervously reached up and tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear that had come loose from her ponytail during the game, almost out of habit more than anything. "I couldn't have reached it myself."

He sat back on the bench, slightly dazed and a little startled by what he had just done, but he managed to nod as he clenched his fists on his legs and tried to steady his breathing. He had overstepped, and that was definitely his fault, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it too much. She hadn't told him she wanted him to stop. She had only stepped away out of nervousness. Before that, she'd allowed him to do everything he had. She had put her hand over his, keeping his palm flat to her stomach. She had rubbed her thumb along his.

As calmly as he could, he said, "Don't drown yourself in the shower."

"I won't. I need to hurry up and go check on Angie. She and Katie will be worried about me."

"And get Madam Pomfrey to check your spine, please."

She nodded as he stood up and went back to the door to leave. As he stepped out, she said softly, "I will. I promise. Thank you."

"That's what friends are for, right?" His smile was bittersweet, and she returned it shyly as she closed the door behind him, her teeth sinking into that plump bottom lip and nearly making him push the door open again. She locked it before he could do that.

If her nerves had been shot before Pucey came into the locker room, it was nothing to how she felt afterwards. As she showered and washed her hair out, she kept brushing her fingers along her stomach, remembering how his hand had felt there. How his lips had felt against her back. Merlin, his tongue darted out and he had sucked her skin. None of that did anything to help her breathing or her heart rate.

Her hand delved between her legs as she stood under the warm spray, and she gasped as she touched her clit. It was more than ready for attention. She half-wished she'd asked Pucey to stay and take care of her, but... she had locked him out. Why had she locked him out?

Because, she reminded herself bitterly, after she'd snuck into the Slytherin locker rooms in late February, the two of them had come to a mutual, unspoken agreement to never mention that incident again. They had been too close to shoving his boundaries aside and going too far. And he was terrified that she could have been seen by his teammates. That had seriously bothered him, and just a few days later, he had made herswearshe would never go into the Slytherin locker rooms again, not even if he was injured. She had promised him, because she'd already promised Angelina and Katie she wouldn't do it again too. It was too dangerous; she'd been foolish the first time. That didn't mean she regretted it, though.

But still... it begged the question of why had he come in here today. The game had been awful; she'd needed the distraction, certainly. And Pucey was always a good distraction. But... was he starting to regret his boundaries? Was he ready to forget everything and take their relationship to the next level? That didn't make sense — he was worried about other Slytherins finding out and targeting her. But then, why had he kissed her like that on her back? Was it retaliation for her kissing his shoulder in February?

Yes. Maybe that was it. He was just... returning the favor. Payback for what she had done. The idea that she had made him feel as weak in the knees as she currently felt though... that made her stomach flutter happily.

As soon as she had taken care of herself, she dried off, redressed, hurried back to the castle, and went straight to the hospital wing. Thank Merlin Kirke had already been dismissed by the time she got there, because she really didn't want to see him, but Angelina was sitting up in bed and she looked absolutely pissed.

Alicia grimaced as crossed the room and sat down opposite Katie, who looked rather sullen.

"How bad?" Alicia asked sympathetically.

"Sloper knocked out six of her teeth and loosened three others," Katie growled. She was still clutching her broom. "I'm going to spike his pumpkin juice tomorrow with something. I don't know what yet. Still deciding. Suggestions are welcome. The more sadistic, the better." As an afterthought, she added, "I'll ask Fred and George, too."

Alicia tried not to laugh at Katie's fire. "At least we only lost by ten points."

"Small blessings," Angelina grumbled. The loss of several teeth gave her a temporary lisp and she winced, probably because Skele-gro tasted like shite and regrowing bones was incredibly painful.

"What took you so long?" Katie asked, glancing up at Alicia, her eyes dark and broody.

"Oh." Alicia felt heat rise to her cheeks. "Nothing."

Of course, non-answers always made Angelina and Katie suspicious. After six years, she should know better. They exchanged a look before turning their gaze back to Alicia.

Angelina looked skeptical, and Katie scowled and said, "Doesn't sound like nothing. Sloper didn't stop you to beg for forgiveness, did he? I would have punched him in the mouth after what he did to Angie."

"No. I didn't see Sloper again after he went into the boys' lockers." Alicia tried to keep her voice even. "I stayed in the shower a bit longer than usual, that's all."

Katie became moody again. "Well. I was thinking of drowning myself in the shower too, actually."

"So would I, if I didn't have to regrow nine fucking teeth," Angelina muttered, leaning her head back against the four pillows she was propped up against.

Alicia breathed easier for a grand total of six seconds.

And that was when Gilbert Royle burst into the hospital wing and her quickly constructed lie came crashing down. She was really rubbish at thinking of good lies on the fly.

Gil had at least showered and changed out of his Quidditch uniform, but he looked stricken and his hair was still damp — he clearly hadn't bothered drying it before bolting from the Hufflepuff locker rooms to the hospital wing.

"Angelina! Alicia! Are you two okay?"

Katie and Angelina stiffened, but Alicia knew Gilbert wasn't to blame. He certainly hadn't been the one to hit Angelina in the mouth.

"Sloper knocked half her teeth out," Alicia said wearily. "But they'll grow back."

Gilbert winced. "Damn. I'm sorry, Johnson."

Angelina's jaw worked for a second before she said, "'s not your fault, Gil."

"I know, but —" He broke off, then frowned at Alicia. "I hope Madam Pomfrey healed you, too. Or are you waiting to make sure Angelina is okay, first?"

Alicia blinked. "Huh?"

Madam Pomfrey walked out at that moment and stormed over. "What's going on?" she demanded. "Mr. Royle, why are you here? Don't tell me you got hit out there, too."

Gilbert, bless him, was only trying to be helpful when he turned and said worriedly, "No, ma'am. But Alicia took two Bludgers to the middle of her back. I just wanted to check on her."

Madam Pomfrey frowned. "Miss Spinnet, why didn't you say something? Come here, let's get you in a bed —"

"It's fine!" Alicia said hastily. "I've already been healed."

At that, everyone stared at her. The matron was the first to speak, though rather incredulously. "That's a difficult spot to heal yourself, even if you've been studying up on healing spells. I'd better take a look —"

"Oh, no — I didn't do it, someone else did it for me," Alicia stammered lamely. Her face was burning and there was no possible way Katie and Angelina hadn't noticed.

"Well, that makes me feel only slightly better. I'd still like to check for fractures, though," Madam Pomfrey said sternly. "Mr. Royle, if you would leave, please. I need Miss Spinnet to take her shirt off."

Gil instantly flushed, but nodded and hurried out. Madam Pomfrey summoned a set of curtains, but she allowed Alicia to sit on the bed next to Angelina's. Alicia reluctantly pulled her sweatshirt over her head so the matron could cast the diagnostic spell.

After a moment, Madam Pomfrey said, "Well, whoever healed you did a good job, Miss Spinnet. You seem to be fine. Miss Hayden, I assume? I know you two are studying together to enter the Healer program at St. Mungo's."

Alicia pulled her shirt back on and ignored the question. "Yes, we are. Thank you for checking."

"Of course. And only five more minutes," Madam Pomfrey instructed, looking at both Alicia and Katie. "Miss Johnson has nine teeth to regrow and it won't be remotely pleasant."

Alicia still hoped she could get away with it, except that as soon as Madam Pomfrey was back in her office, Katie cast a privacy spell, turned to her and whispered, "I happen to know that Chrysanthe went straight back to the Hufflepuff common room after the game to celebrate with the rest of her house, because I saw her in the Entrance Hall when I brought Angie up here. So I know for a fact she didn't heal your bruises."

Angelina perked up and arched an eyebrow through the pain. "Oh? Isn't that interesting? Who healed you, Alicia?"

Katie's smile was huge. "Please, please tell us it was who we think it was."

"It must be." Angelina nudged Katie. "She's the same color as our jerseys."

Alicia hissed, "Would you two at least be quiet?"

"I cast a privacy spell!"

"Tell us what happened." Angelina smirked.

Alicia flushed but smiled. "...fine, it was who you think it was."

"Were you naked? Did he burst in on you?"

"Did he kiss you?"

"Did he shag you in the showers?"

"No!" Alicia rolled her eyes. "He knocked first, I was still dressed, and then I nearly started crying on him! He just hugged me and healed my back. That's all!"

"Ugh, really? God, they're so boring," Katie complained to Angelina.

"I don't get why they won't snog at the least. He keeps saying he's respectful of her and all that shite, but quite honestly, it's getting old."

Alicia snapped, "We happen to like being friends. I've already told you both that!"

Except, purred a small, sultry voice in the back of her head, friends don't tongue you in the middle of your back, or cop a feel down your even if he didn't grope your breasts, he definitely had his thumb on the curve... you could have taken his hand and moved it up, and he would have kept on... then he could have gotten you off in the shower instead of you doing it yourself...

Alicia squashed the small voice. Adrian had only been trying to distract her from losing the match and the pain of the Bludger. That was all.

"You cannot sit there and tell us you don't want to snog his brains out," Katie threw back. "He's hot and he wants to shag you ragged. You need to snog him once before this school year ends, at the very least, and you don't have much time left."

Alicia flushed. "Well, I certainly hope that happens, but today wasn't the right day."

Angelina suddenly winced and put her hand to her cheek. "Owww," she moaned. "I think the fucking Skele-gro just kicked in."

Madam Pomfrey was suddenly at the bedside again. "Alright," she snapped. "You two — out. You can come back tomorrow morning to see her. Go on!"

Katie and Alicia waved goodbye to Angelina, who looked quite sour. But when they stepped in the hall, it was to find Gilbert leaning against the wall some ten feet away, his hands in his pockets. Merlin, he was fit too. His family wasn't rumored to be as wealthy as Pucey's, but they were rich enough that he would never have to work. He was tall, handsome, and kind-hearted. But while Alicia had hoped he might ask her out only two months earlier, she suddenly wasn't quite as interested as she'd been it was because Pucey kept kissing random parts of her. Everywhere except her lips, damn it.

She refocused, pushing that memory to the side for a bit. "Gil?"

He looked up and immediately smiled. It was almost as if she was seeing that smile for the first time. How had she missed it before? It made him look boyish and seventeen all at once.

He said, "I hope you don't mind that I waited. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"I'm fine. Nothing broken." She forced herself to smile back. "Thank you, though."

He nodded. "Good. Who healed you?"

"Hermione," Katie lied. "She went down to check on Alicia afterwards."

"I'm glad. I mean, I know it's how Quidditch is and all, but I still hate it when the Beaters go after the girls."

"We're tough." Katie grinned. "We can take it."

"I know, but still." Gil paused at the top of the stairs that would take him back down to the Entrance Hall. "You three played a great game out there today. I hate it that you lost your Seeker and Beaters back in November. It wasn't fair. Ginny's doing a good job for Potter, but no one could replace Wood or the Weasley twins."

Katie's grin faltered a tad. "Yeah. We miss Oliver, for sure. And the twins. Thanks for being nice about it, Gil."

"Yes, thank you, Gil," Alicia added sincerely.

Before he started down the stairs, he added, "It was nice to get to play against you once before we graduate, Alicia."

She felt a slight swoop in her stomach. "What?"

Gil smiled wistfully and stepped onto the moving staircase. "I always wanted to, but I only ever made reserve until this year. I was glad I finally got my wish."

She felt tongue-tied for a second, but the staircase shifted at thatmoment, taking him away from her. He called out, "See you at the prefects' meeting next week?"

Alicia nodded, and Gil smiled again before he turned to amble down the staircase to the next landing.

Katie tugged her arm and pulled her down a corridor until they were out of sight.

"Well," the younger girl said, in a slightly awed voice, "aren't you lucky? It looks like you can have your pick of two of the fittest lads in school! Maybe since Pucey has laid down so many boundaries, you should give up and date Gil, instead."

Alicia suddenly felt a little sick. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, knowing that Gil liked her. Two months ago, she would have been ecstatic. But Katie didn't know that Pucey had nearly pushed all of those boundaries aside just an hour earlier. Besides, she liked Gil as a person; she didn't want to hurt him. He was a nice guy. He didn't deserve to get hurt.

"Katie, listen. I... I need to think about it on my own a bit. I don't know what to do."

Katie suddenly looked alarmed and threw her arms around Alicia in a tight hug. "Oh, bugger, don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," Alicia half-laughed, half-sobbed. "Pucey gave me something to think about earlier, and then Gil blindsided me... Oh, Merlin, Katie. I don't know what to do."

"What did Pucey say?" Katie leaned back seriously.

"He didn't say anything."

"But you said he didn't kiss you—"

Alicia shook her head. "He didn't kiss me. Not on the lips." And when Katie started to interrupt she said, "Listen, just... I need to think."

Katie's face fell a bit, but she nodded. "Come on. Let's go back upstairs. It'll be a downer, but we can bugger off and go up to the dorm. I can comb your hair out and you can think, okay?"

Alicia gave her a smile. "I'd like that."

"And you are absolutely going to tell me where he kissed you."

Alicia couldn't help it, she smiled playfully. "On my back."

Katie looked gobsmacked. She even froze in the corridor while Alicia kept walking, before she suddenly shrieked, ran up, grabbed Alicia around the shoulders and cried, "We are definitely having a girls' night!"

Additional Note: By the time I worked on this chapter, MandyinKC and I had been talking about where I was going with this story and if I would continue after the Second War begins. Originally, this was only supposed to be a couple of one-shots. It spun out far more than I expected it to, but the conversation got me thinking about what the characters in this story would do during the Second War.

I should preface by saying I ADORE Mandy's works and how she wrote about the Second War in Order of Mercy. Her characters are so real and vibrant. Creating characters of my own, even with her encouragement, has been really difficult because I love her characters.

The character of Gilbert Royle was simply created to move the story along at one point, but he morphed a bit and I needed to set up the possibility that he likes Alicia before I work on the second part of this series, which is why he gets some air-time there at the end.