Chapter 9: Quidditch is my purpose, not my passion

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On one Thursday evening, Gwen entered the Quidditch meeting, limping in pain. It was a known fact that Gwen wasn't the steadiest but some days were just unbearable.

Six heads had turned to look at Gwen as she was last to enter. They all gave the limping girl questioning looks. Her clothes were soaking wet and so muddy that most of her name and number printed on the back were covered in mud. Gwen's usually neat hair was out of place and dirty.

Gwen sat down next to the two chasers on the bench and faced Oliver Wood. The Quidditch Captain raised his eyebrows at the chaser. "What happened to you? You're late!" Oliver exclaimed.

Fred fetched a towel and quickly handed it to her. Gwen silently thanked him as she tried to dry out her hair.

"Isn't it obvious? I fell! Multiple times! I think I gave the Flobberworms quite a laugh." Gwen then started to wipe the mud off of her arms.

Oliver gave a knowing sigh as he ran his hand over his face. He should have gotten used to it by now.

Gwen sometimes called her clumsiness 'Random Gravity Checks' but being clumsy doesn't only involve falling.

The girl can't even be completely trusted with ink as she would somehow spill some on whatever she would be wearing. She also keeps walking into things like tables, chairs, walls and people.

Oliver started pacing around his team.

"This is our last chance- my last chance- to win the Quidditch Cup. I'll be leaving at the end of the year. I'll never have another shot at it."

Gwen and the entire team simultaneously groaned. As Gwen had expected, he was reciting his Summer Motivation Letter. Word for word.

Oliver ignored his teammates and continued his speech. "Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world- injuries- then the tournament getting called off last year..."

"Worst luck? With how he's speaking you'd think someone died." Angelina exclaimed to Gwen in a whisper and to which Gwen, who was now wiping the mud off her shoes, snorted.

"We've got three superb chasers," Oliver stated which brought Angelina and Gwen back to focus.

"Who, thankfully, are better when in the air than on the ground." The Captain added looking at Gwen who smiled sheepishly.

"We've got two unbeatable beaters." Oliver continued looking at the twins.

"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us!" Fred and George said together, hiding their faces, pretending to blush.

"And we've got an amazing Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!"

Oliver rumbled at Harry, who he, unlike Fred and George, actually blushed at the attention.

"And me," Oliver added lastly. "We think you're pretty good too," George said. "Cracking Keeper," Fred added. Oliver resumed his pacing.

"The point is, the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..."

The seventh-year Captain looked plain desperate and Gwen pouted her lips, feeling very sympathetic for the exasperated Keeper.

"Oliver, this year's our year!" Fred said giving Oliver a pat on the back.

"We'll do it, Oliver!" Angelina exclaimed throwing a fist in the year which bumped against Gwen who fell at the sudden push.

Gwen sat up from her position on the floor. "Yeah, definitely!" She exclaimed as she rubbed her back, Angelina gave Gwen an apologetic look.

"Let's go then!" Oliver yelled as he hoisted up his broom and went to leave the locker room. Gwen held him back.

Oliver gave the girl a look. Gwen couldn't help but grin.

"I just thought that we should do a huddle!"

"A what?" Oliver questioned.

"A huddle, you know everyone gathers together. Then they each put their hands on top of each other and we count to three and shout a phrase that we all agreed on yelling."

Fred and George simultaneously sighed. "Don't question it, just do it," George said, being the first to put his hand out in front of him.

Gwen squealed in delight and reached her own hand out. One by one the rest of the other Gryffindor Quidditch players took their hands out, last being a reluctant Oliver Wood.

Gwen smiled at her teammates. "Okay, Gryffindor on three. Okay? Okay. One, two three!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The entire team shouted as they all rose their hands up in the air. It didn't last long as Oliver shooed them out of the locker rooms and onto the pitch to start practice.

That evening when the team everyone was tired but yet happy at the results. There was no way anyone could beat them.

Gwen was the first to go and take a shower as she, yet again, had to her prefect duties that evening.

Gwen's hair was still slightly damp as she waited for Cedric outside the Gryffindor Common room.

As she waited for Cedric, Gwen decided to start reciting that day's Herbology lesson. They were already one month in the school year and Gwen felt as if she wasn't doing anything worthwhile.

"The Fanged Geranium is a common garden plant that is known to bite or attack if not taken care of. Its fangs are used in many simple potions and cooking. Yeah, biting is an understatement. Almost torn my bloody arm off."

Gwen unconsciously touched her hand which had teeth marks of said plant on her hand.

"Well, I think that the Fanged Geranium is just a badly viewed plant. It may try to kill you but it's only as a form of self-defence."

Gwen turned around and saw Cedric emerging from the moving staircase with light emerging from his wand. Gwen chuckled at the handsome Hufflepuff.

"Well, look at you. Seeing good in demon plants." Cedric shook his head heartily and took a good look at the girl in front of him.

"You look good." He stated, noticing that she was not in her usual Gryffindor robes. Gwen looked down, hiding her blushing face.

“Well, so do you. When don’t you look good? I-I mean, I think it’s pretty obvious to the whole school and yourself that you are very handsome.” Gwen stopped when she realized what she was saying.

“And I’m going to shut up now. Did you hear something? Because I did. Someone must be roaming the halls. Let’s not say anything else for now.”

Gwen walked up ahead with her wand lighting up the way. Gwen scolded herself for making a fool out of her name. Again.

Gwen still felt her cheeks hot but unknowingly to her, the Hufflepuff boy was also blushing at the compliment he was given. Cedric looked around.

“Psst, Lyn? I don’t think anyone’s here.” Gwen nodded her head, keeping up with the act that she was pretty sure wasn’t fooling anybody.

Gwen leaned against the wall and slowly slid down until she was seated on the floor. Cedric copied the girl’s actions and sat down next to her. “You okay?” Cedric asked the girl.

Gwen merely sighed. “I’m good. Just very bored. We’ve had rounds like these for this past month and nothing has happened. This is boring. I hate boring.” Gwen stated, looking ahead.

Cedric kept staring at the girl. “Well, that’s disappointing. I actually like these rounds.”

Gwen turned around and raised an eyebrow at the boy. “You do?” She asked incredulously to which Cedric nodded his head.

“Well, you know it could be worse. We could have been paired up with someone boring and have no fun at all. I’m glad that I at least have you to keep me company.”

Gwen smiled at the boy and he felt his heart beating faster just by looking at her. “I’m glad too.” She stated. Cedric came back to his senses. “I’m sorry, what?” He asked.

“I’m also glad that I have you to talk to and help keep me company.” Cedric smiled back at her.

“Well thanks, I guess.” He said not knowing how to reply.

Cedric rubbed the back of his neck. “Can I ask you something?” Gwen hummed, indicating for him to continue.

"I was just wondering why you don't talk about your family so much. You've told me that you wanted to make your parents proud by becoming an Auror but that's basically all that I know."

Gwen bit her lip in thought and started to play with the ring on her finger. "I get if you don't want to talk about it. I mean I was way out of line." Gwen turned around and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"No, no that's okay. It's just my parents and my aunt and my brother all died. All I have left is my brother, Sebastian who I love more than anyone in the world. I just don't want to talk about their deaths. Truth be told I don't talk about them with anyone. Not even the twins or Lee." Gwen finished her eyes back on her ring once again.

Gwen suddenly felt something brush against her hand and glanced at it to see Cedric reaching his hand closer to hers.

"You can hold my hand if you want to," Gwen told him hesitantly. Cedric gently grabbed Gwen's hand and intertwined their fingers together.

Cedric was about to say something else when they heard someone clap their hands very loudly.

The two teens jumped about six feet away from each other when they heard the sound. Lee and Olivia Kennedy appeared for their shift.

"Hey, you two!" Lee exclaimed. Gwen simply nodded at her friend. She was angry at Lee for interrupting the moment between the two.

"Hey, Lee." She stated through gritted teeth. Cedric merely nodded at the two.

"Well, we should get going. The feast is about to start." Cedric said looking at the three of them. Lee gave out a loud groan.

"Ugh. It sucks that I have to miss dinner every Thursday. Not that I'm complaining." He added looking at Olivia.

"You two have fun then! Cedric and I will go now, bye!" Gwen yelled at the pair as she grabbed Cedric by the arm and dragged him away from the other two prefects.

"You're in a real hurry to get downstairs." Gwen shrugged. "Free food. Who can say no to that?" Cedric gave out a small laugh.

"No one, of course," Cedric noticed that they had already arrived at the Great Hall. "Well, this is where we say goodbye."

"Oh yeah, here we are. Anyway, see you around then." Gwen stated. She looked around her and saw that no one was there. Gwen did one of the most spontaneous things she has ever done.

Gwen stepped on her tiptoes and kissed the nervous Hufflepuff boy on the cheek.

Cedric felt his face heat up uncontrollably. "Yeah, see you," Cedric said as he watched the girl walk over to the table and joined her friends.

He too started to make way towards his table as a huge grin adorned his face.

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