Your Love Is Mine For The Taking

AN: So, I've been gone for awhile. Please let me explain my absence. In February my step dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and on September 21st, he passed away. Obviously, things have been a bit hectic here, so my writing time has decreased significantly. Also, my inspiration for writing hasn't exactly hit it's peak like I thought it would. But I wanted to put out this chapter to let you all know that this story, and it's writer, are very much alive. Please review:)

November was just around the corner and it had brought with it long breezes, more essays, and Quidditch tryouts. It was Vanessa's favorite season, the weather was something of perfection. All the trees outside were shedding their leaves and were left bare and vulnerable to the sharp winds that howled down the hallways. The last Saturday of the month was Slytherin's Quidditch tryouts, and Astoria was gearing up to try out for chaser. Vanessa could tell by Astoria's quiet disposition that she was anxious. “You've got nothing to worry about, Astoria.” She offered as she pulled on her zip up navy jacket. Astoria stood back up to her full height as she tied her hair up in a high ponytail,
“Of course not. Yeah. I've got this.” said Astoria, her quaky tone gave her away.
“What're you nervous about? You're a great flier, you're good at Quidditch. It's not like it's Vanessa going out there to try out.”
“Hey!” snapped Vanessa. “Does cheering her up involve bring up my Quidditch skills?”
“Or lack there of.” laughed Astoria. Vanessa was not good on a broom. She had learned this in her first year at Hogwarts, yet somehow, Astoria had convinced her to tryout for the Quidditch team in their third year. Her tryout had ended in a bludger taking off the front of her broom and flinging her to the ground and breaking her wrist. It was a memory Vanessa did not like to be brought up. Her face flushed a soft pink shade of embarrassment at the thought.
“Can we please not bring this up. I was in such a good mood.” said Vanessa with a mock pout.
“Oh don't worry ickle Nessa, we wouldn't let you fall off your broom again.” Vanessa shrugged Daphne off of her shoulders. But she had to laugh at herself, even though it hadn't been funny at all when she hit the ground.
“You're forgetting who convinced me to try out anyways.” Astoria turned around, brush in hand.
“I didn't make you fall off your broom. You should've dodged that bludger.” Vanessa threw herself on her bed and groaned.
“You have any idea how hurt I was after that fall. I swear, it was painful to sit for days.” All three of them laughed. Vanessa pulled herself up to rest on her elbows, “Astoria, we gonna go down there or what?” Astoria groaned at Vanessa and stuck her head out of the bathroom briefly to sneer at Vanessa.
“Be patient. She's primping for Draco. She doesn't want him to see her without her makeup-OW! Astoria!” Astoria had chucked the brush at Daphne's calve.
“Don't even go on about primping. Don't think I didn't see you fixing your hair before dinner.” Vanessa bit her tongue at this new information.
“Oh ho! Daph's got a crush, does she? And who would he be?” Daphne immediately went pale in the face and her cat eyes darted over to her younger sister who had her face away from Vanessa and Daphne and looked to be cringing with regret for having such a big mouth. Vanessa sat all the way up and squinted her eyes at Daphne suspiciously. Daphne wasn't boy crazy. Her attention was focused else where. She was focused on her studies, and hardly primped for anyone. It had only been the previous year that she had gotten her first boyfriend. “Must be quite the guy to catch your attention. Come on. Tell me.”
Daphne crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her lips tightly together as though the name was fluttering around in her mouth like a moth, wanting to be released. Astoria had looked away from the mirror and was watching with peaked interest. “Come on, Daph. Spill it.”
“It's Ethan.” The bathroom door immediately closed, Astoria hidden behind it. Vanessa felt her face scrunch in confusion. “Why?” At that, Vanessa could distinctly hear the sound of Astoria chuckling behind the door.
“Why? What do you mean why?” asked Daphne defensively. Vanessa shook her head slightly as if to tell her she didn't get what Daphne saw in Ethan.
“Why? I mean, it's Ethan.” The laughter behind the bathroom door increased to get louder. Clear as church bells.
“Oh shut it, Astoria! Vanessa, in case you haven't noticed, Ethan is attractive.” Vanessa's nose twitched as if a nasty smell had passed her nostrils. “No he isn't. He's-he's, what is he?” Vanessa just didn't have the words to describe him. Ethan's physical appearance wasn't something she took into focus.
“It's not just that he's attractive. He's intelligent-”
“To a degree.” Daphne rolled her eyes.
“Oh forget it, you don't get it.” said Daphne as she stood up from Vanessa's bed and yanked open the bathroom door to find Astoria with her hand over her mouth. Vanessa sat on her bed for several moments her face screwed up in confusion. “You planning on trying out or not?”
- - - -
The three made their way down to the Quidditch pitch, and through the fresh morning air; the ground still slick with dew, the grass crunching underneath their feet. Vanessa kept trying to probe Daphne with more questions, but she wasn't interested in answering back with more than a few words. Astoria remained completely silent throughout all of their chattering.
“You know what to do, Astoria. Just go out there and do what you do at home.” suggested Daphne with a reassuring smile as the goal posts grew larger as the trio grew closer. Astoria looked over at Vanessa, searching for reassurance. Vanessa couldn't recall the last time she had seen Astoria looking so nervous.
“It'll be fine, Astoria. You know how to play the game-”
“Dirty.” Vanessa smiled at that.
“You know it. Knock Pansy on her ass.” It was Astoria's turn to smile.
“She's used to being on it anyway.” Daphne shook her head as the others laughed.
“Get out there, Astoria.” urged Vanessa giving Astoria a shove to the circle of dark green robes of the Slytherin players. Vanessa and Daphne both headed up to the stands where clusters of people were grouped in the seats. Both girls headed up to the top of the stand for the best view of the whole field. Astoria looked nervous, even from the distance that Daphne and Vanessa were from her. Vanessa folded her hands in between her thighs and clutched them as a breeze blew through her jacket. Part of her was so nervous for Astoria. She really didn't want to see something happen to her out on the field. When people said that Slytherin played dirty, they meant it, and it wasn't just against the other team. At try outs, there was no other team to fight off, just each other. Astoria could handle herself, that Vanessa was sure of, but there were several other well conditioned potential chasers, and she knew they would do anything to have that spot. There were, of course, three Chasers in Quidditch. They were in charge of the Quaffle, which kept the game going until the Seeker caught the snitch.
“I'm scared for her.” whispered Daphne. Vanessa laughed as she looked back at Daphne, the wind blowing her hair into her eyes,
“It's not me out there, remember?” said Vanessa with a bit of resentment. She didn't like being reminded of the horribly embarrassing event that was her Quidditch try out. She especially didn't like being reminded of it by her friend. Daphne nudged her in the ribs playfully,
“You know I'm only joking.” Vanessa nudged back with a smile.
“Yeah I know. It seemed to cheer her up a little.” said Vanessa with a glance over at Astoria, who was already slinging her leg over one side of her broom. Both Vanessa and Daphne straightened their backs out as they watched Astoria hover up to her position in the middle of the field. She was in the field with Adrian Pucey and Graham Montague. Vanessa put her head into her hands when she saw Draco hover up beside Astoria. Of course he was going out for position as Seeker.
“She won't be paying attention with him up there.” whispered Daphne in a worried tone. Vanessa nodded but smiled as she looked across the field and saw Pansy Parkinson wobbling on her broom on the other side of the field. She had tried out for Keeper three times. Failing three times as well.
“Oh, I think she might be all right.” said Vanessa as she pointed out Pansy to Daphne. It seemed Pansy had seen Vanessa pointing at looked down at the stands at them. Daphne twinkled her fingers at Pansy with a grin. Pansy responded with a rude hand gesture.
“Cow!” yelled Daphne loudly. Vanessa gave Daphne a curious look. Daphne was usually quiet and reserved and didn't go around yelling insults, that was more of Astoria's territory. Every head turned around to Vanessa and Daphne, who quickly hid their heads behind the other's shoulder with laughter. Soon, the whistle had blown and the game had begun. The Quaffle was under Pucey's arm he dove into a low dive and quickly passed the Quaffle off to Astoria who managed to swerve gracefully around one of the opposing Chasers and threw the Quaffle to an unsuspecting Montague, who just caught it with the grips of his fingers before throwing it into one of the large goals. Astoria yelled loudly in excitement, as did Vanessa and Daphne. Vanessa really hoped that Astoria made the team, not just because she was her friend, but Astoria was a damn good Chaser. Vanessa watched with her hands clasped tightly in her lap as Astoria shoved past one of the opposing sides chaser, nearly knocking her off her broom. Both Vanessa and Daphne had a sharp intake of breath and held it there until Astoria had tightened her grip on the handle of her broom. Vanessa didn't take her eyes off of Astoria as she saw the bludger gaining speed behind her.
“God dammit, Astoria. Don't try to out run it, just dive.” muttered Daphne heatedly. Her lips were drawn into a thin line underneath her nose; her eyes were wide and brows high. It was like Daphne and Astoria were on the same wavelength. Astoria had just gone into a dive and the bludger whizzed over her head and blew her ponytail into the air. Astoria threw the Quaffle as hard as she could, but this time it was blocked by Pansy.
“If she doesn't make at least one-”
“Don't think like that. She'll be fine.” reassured Vanessa. Even though she was sure of Astoria's abilities, she knew when Astoria got frustrated, she couldn't play worth a damn. By the way Astoria had flown back to her position between Pucey and Montague, Vanessa could tell she was already getting frustrated. Astoria's head was bowed low and her features looked harsh due to her scowl that was focused in the general direction Pansy was. Vanessa and Daphne watched Astoria dodge one bludger that could have, had she not ducked, taken off her head, or at least knocked her unconscious.
“I really don't like this sport.” groaned Daphne as she untangled her hand from her hair that she had been so furiously digging in. Vanessa liked to watch Quidditch, but not when it was one of her friends that was having to dodge the blow of a bludger. The memory of Harry's arm that had been turned into jelly invaded her thoughts. She shut her eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again. She did not want to see that happen to Astoria. Just as Vanessa had taken her eyes off of Astoria, she had thrown the Quaffle straight through the top hoop. Vanessa and Daphne hollered loudly.
“I told you she'd do good.” said Vanessa.
And that she did. Astoria ended up scoring nearly five shots the whole try out. The moment that she landed, Draco landed next to her and congratulated her. This left quite a wide and toothy grin on Astoria's face. Her face was bright red and beads of sweat rolled down her forehead and neck.
“Did you see that last one?” asked Astoria through pants, “I, I didn't think I was gonna make that one, but I did!”
“I think you might even make the team.” said Draco with a prideful smirk. Had her face not been as red as it was, Astoria would have been sporting a rosy glow, but nothing was visible underneath the layer of her blood rushed cheeks.
“Really?” asked Astoria with the tilt of her hips. Vanessa and Daphne gave one another an identical flat look. Draco stayed down on the Quidditch pitch while the three girls marched up to the castle. Astoria was huffing and puffing the whole way up. Still attempting to catch her breath.
“Oi sis!” Vanessa's face scrunched as she squinted to see Ethan trekking down the path towards her. “Hell-oh Ethan.” greeted Astoria in a deliberately flirtatious tone. Vanessa squinted at Ethan, examining him for these “attractive” attributes Daphne spoke of. He had hazel, almost green in that light, eyes and short brown hair. His jaw was softer than it was square which supported his boyish smile. And unfortunately, he had inherited the Italian trait that their mother had somehow escaped, he was perhaps an inch or so taller than Vanessa, and she only stood at 166 centimeters tall which was on the shorter side in her family. But it seemed to dawn on her then, he wasn't bad looking at all.
“You're almost attractive.” stated Vanessa, her lips puckered, tilted to her nose. Ethan's lips, that so resembled their mother's, curled as if to ask what the hell she was talking about, his eyes went from the three sets that were staying back at him, lingering on Daphne's hazel.
“Almost? Gee thanks.” he said through a lopsided smile. Vanessa's mouth turned down as she shrugged, “You're welcome?” Astoria attempted a chuckle through her decreasing pants.
“It's okay. I know you prefer blondes.” Vanessa's eyes widened just a fraction and her mouth locked so tight she almost chipped her front teeth.. But before Vanessa could wipe the guilty look off of her face, Daphne asked,
“What're you doing out here?” Ethan took a step closer and wobbled momentarily on a rock,
“Oh, well I just talked to Hermione-”
Daphne immediately let out a deep breath through her nose, and Vanessa noticed her sudden air of distance at the mention of Hermione's name.
“and she is putting this kind of small group meeting together, for those of us who actually want to learn defensive spells.”
All three young women looked at one another, “Well do you like how Umbridge is teaching us?”
Vanessa asked dryly, “What is this teaching you speak of?”
“Exactly.” said Ethan, “We need to know how to protect ourselves.”
Daphne hesitated for a moment, looking around at the three, “But what if someone finds out? I mean, won't we- we'll get into trouble. Could you imagine how Mum and Dad would react if they found out.”
“Mum and Dad can get over it.” added Astoria with pinched brows. The Greengrass family were well known for their pureblooded ancestry, and they prided themselves on it. But Astoria and Daphne didn't see things as black and white as their parents did. Yet it still didn't ease Daphne's conscious to rebel too much against her parents, even if it was what she believed in.
“Okay, I'll go. But if I don't like it-”
“then you can leave. Settled?” All three looked back at Ethan, who's eyes were set heavy on Daphne.
“Where, what time?” asked Vanessa, breaking the increasingly uncomfortable stares that she was caught in the middle of.
“Tomorrow at ten in Hog's Head.”
“We'll be there.”
Ethan cut past them and headed down to the pitch that was now covered in a dark green mass, and Vanessa called after him, “What're you doing?”
“I've got something to discuss with your captain.” He said as he shook a small coin bag.
She was going to say something to him, but decided it best to just let him waste his own money. With a twist of her wrist she turned back around and took back up the trail.
“Oh Vanessa,”
“Yes, Ethan.” she replied without turning.
“Bring your own cups.”

AN: I don't particularly like this chapter. It's okay. But the next two, I have some interesting plans that should make for an interesting read. Please stick with me guys and dolls! Leave your thoughts in the reviews.