Gone Awry

Ever since Ash was chosen to be on the Quidditch team, things seemed to be working out for her better then they had before.

Sure, she didn't have quite as much time on her hand as she could have wished, - especially with the involuntary detentions she still received - but still she managed. They had Qudditch practice three times a week. Every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evenings. On the days when they didn't have training Ash meet up with Chase for an hour and together they did some weight training - the more strength they had in their arms, the better they could protect and attack the others.

Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays where her extra-curricular courses where she always went after the weight training.

Once all of it was over she meet up with Tracy and Blaise, did her homework and joked around.

"Your doing way to much!" Tracy had complained at one point.

"You know I have to do it."

"Yeah.. but you could at least drop the Ghoul Studies. Who needs that anyway?"

"It's interesting!"

"Sure it is..." Tracy shrugged.

"Go there with me!" Ash suggested.

"To Ghoul Studies? Oh no, no chance of getting me there."

"Well then what about the other classes... Music?"

"I can't sing. Nor can I play any instruments."

Ash pouted, "How about you Blaise?"

"Me go to classes out side of the ones I already need to do? Nope."

"You guys are boring!" Ash sighed and sat back against the couches.

"Nope, your the boring one. Blaise and I have loads of fun, while you hang around in shabby old classrooms."

"Music isn't a class where you have to learn for. You just go in there and have fun while singing! Believe me it is a lot of fun! But if you don't want to come, can't force you." suddenly her expression changed into that of sadness and despair while she continued. "I mean... I understand why you guys wouldn't want to spend time with me. I'm such a bad and useless friend to you..." she whispered and pretended to wipe away a tear.

Blaise and Tracy stared at her, jaw set and eyes narrowed. "You suck, you know that?" Blaise asked her defeated. Ash grinned at them. "So, when will be able to join you?"

"I was thinking next week. Because of the match this Friday Draco intensified the training. Can't even make all of my classes."

"Yeah... that sounds like Draco. By the way how are things going with him?"

Ash laughed. "It's going good. Only problem is that we have so much to do, that we don't always find some time that we could just hang out" and when she saw that Tracy was about to argue that he was always with them, she added "the two of us, alone." Understanding came to her face. "But we decided that on Saturday we'd go to Hogsmeade together." Ash grinned and her friends smiled.

"Somebody is in love," Tracy sang and jumped up and down on her seat, while Ash turn a light shade of pink.

"No I'm not."

"Come on, little girl, don't lie to me!"

"I'm not."

Tracy looked at her sceptical.

"It more of a really, really, really like."

Tracy and Blaise laughed at her. "Whatever you say, my dear. Whatever you say."

"You guys suck!" Ash stated while Chase and Draco made their way over to the laughing group on the couch. Seeing her fellow beater - two years her junior - first, she jumped up and hugged him. In the last month she had declared him to be her little brother and she already loved him to bits. Spending at least an hour of you time together every day, really did bring people close.

Then she turned to look at Draco with a cheeky smile. "Hey, Malfoy."

"Weasley," he answered with a smirk.

Slowly she walked over to him. "Can I help you in any way?"

"You can help me in a lot of ways. But the premises aren't the most suitable for what I had in mind," he whispered into her ear.

Ash laughed and gave him a quick peck on the lips before turning around and pulling him towards the couches, where their friends where sitting.

"You ready for the big match on Friday?" he asked her once they sat down and Ash had leaned her head against his chest.

She just smiled and looked up at him. "Stupid question. After all the training you've made us go through, there's no chance of not being ready," Chase stated, while brushing his longish black hair away to reveal two ocean blue eyes.

"Good, because Ravenclaw is a hard opponent. Their strategy players."

"Don't worry Draco. Give me and Chase 5 minutes into the game, we'll have figured all their top players and with a little help from our friends the Bludgers, they won't give us any more trouble." Ash smirked and Draco pulled her closer to him.

"Can't wait to see you in action," he whispered, and moved his hand a bit too high, earning a slap on his hand.

"Pervert," Ash laughed when he pulled his hand away and pouted.

"No fun," he grumbled into her hair.