Gone Awry

Just before the blond girl walked out of the racers pit, a group of healers scurried over to her and forced her through a little check-up. Afterwards she was forced to down a cup of disgusting tasting potion to get rid of the burns, blisters and the couple of open wounds she had all over her face.

But all in all she was fine to go.

When the third placed witch walked towards the barriers, the witches and wizards parted for her - congratulating her on the third place, but not thinking her of any importance because they had only eyes for the winner of this race, Olaf Andersen.

She was looking around the crowd, desperately searching for her family.

"Ash!" she heard a familiar voice yell behind her. Swiftly she turned to look and her knees buckled as she saw who it was.

"Draco?"

"Hey sweety."

"What are you doing here?"

"Chase told me that you would be participating here today. Why didn't you tell me?" he said as Ash ran up and jumped him, wrapping her legs around his waist while he held her up.

"I... You were busy with your parents... I didn't want to disturb you."

"Honey, you can never disturb me." he whispered into her ear.

Ash frowned at those words, "except yesterday."

"I told you that I didn't have time."

"Yeah, I know... I just wished you would have been there yesterday... maybe it would have all gone a little different."

"I'm sorry, love."

Ash smiled at the blond guy holding her. "I'm happy you came," she whispered into his ear, hugging him tightly.

"I've got the whole day, just for you," he whispered back and nibbled at her earlobe, making Ash giggle quietly. With a content smile she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent deeply. He smelled of burned wood, vanilla and fabric softener... Ash didn't know why, but she really liked that smell of this fabric softener on a guy...

"What fabric softener do you use?" she asked quietly, lost in the scent.

"What?"

"What fabric softener do you use?" she repeated.

"Um, I don't know..."

"Its very yummy."

Draco laughed, his whole frame shaking with him, "I'm glad you like it."

Ash took her head off her boyfriends shoulder and gave him a soft kiss before grinning, "I like it very much."

Draco rolled his eyes with a grin of his own and then looked around the crowd. "Want to see if we can find the others?"

"Yes, please!" she said, but didn't move from the spot.

"You want me to carry you around in the search of the others?" he asked, raising one of his eyebrows.

"Yes."

Draco sighed, "everything for my love"

Ash smiled warmly and dug her head into the crook of his neck again. "I'm powered out right now."

"Really? Wouldn't have guessed. How was it anyway?"

"Awesome! And scary as hell!" she said quietly, tightening her hold of her boyfriend. "I got of course at one point and was stuck rushing through the breeding grounds of the Short-Snorts. I thought I would die!" she told him.

Draco stopped walking and looked down at his girlfriend. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled.

"Are you sure? Maybe you should go to the healers to check you out."

"They already did, the wounds that bled are all closed up now and my burns will vanish soon."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"I'm happy that you made it through the race alive."

"I'm not to unhappy myself!" she countered, "especially with my placement!"

"What place are you?"

"I'm third"

"Third?"

"Yep, right after Olaf Andersen and Tina Lundstrom"

"Wow."

"I know, you've got an awesome girlfriend, you should treasure her!" she told his softly and kissed his neck, making him shiver.

"You know I do."

"Yeah, I know," she said smiling and then straightened again to look around. "So where do you think the others are?"

"I see Chase over there," he said and shifted her body to get one hand free and point at her fellow beater and (self proclaimed) younger brother.

Ash twisted her body to see. "Chase!" she screamed at him, when she finally saw him as well.

Chase's head perked up and he turned 180 degrees to look at her. "Ash!" he yelled with a grin when he saw her and with only a small turn to tell someone where he was going, he sped towards them.

Gently she got Draco to let go of her and jumped onto Chase when he came at her with arms open wide. "Oh Merlin! I can't believe you came out of there alive! You are so awesome!" he screamed and jumped up and down with her.

"Thank you"

"I really can't believe it! Your a Slytherin! You should be trying to save your own skin, not risk it like some Gryffindor!" he screamed and hit her across the head, lightly, jokingly.

Ash laughed at that.

"Your really brave, you know that?" he asked softly, letting go of her.

"No, I'm not brave at all."

"Then why would you do something like this race?"

"Suicidal tendency?" she asked, unsure it it was the correct answer but it fit better then bravery.

Chase frowned, "nah, I like looking at it as bravery and you losing your common sense."

"I'm half British! I don't have common sense!"

Chase looked at her with a joking glare. But then looked behind him, as two adults approached them. "Mom! Dad! I forgot to introduce you to Ash at the Christmas party! Ash this is my mom and dad, mom, dad this is Ash my big sister."

Ash laughed at her introduction. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Orion. I'm happy to meet you!" she said smiling and held out her hand for them to take.

"Nice to finally meet the infamous Ash Weasley. Chase hasn't stopped talking about you!"

"I hope he only talks about my good personality traits!"

"Yeah, didn't hear of any bad ones yet," Mrs. Orion said smiling at the girl.

"We were watching you race... or at least the parts we could see. Congratulations on making the third place" Mr Orion added, shaking her hand with a strong grip, that she returned.

After a few minutes of talking to the Orions, Ash became a bit jittery and started looking around again.

"Chase, did you see my family or the Zabini's anywhere?"

"Um, yeah I think they were somewhere over there," he told her, pointing into the direction of the goal.

"Thank you," she said and gave him a peck on the cheek before saying goodbye to his parents and grabbing onto Draco's arm and pulling him through the crowd with her - frantically searching for her family.

After a few more minutes, she finally caught sight of a group of red heads. When she rushed nearer, she saw that all of her cousins - with the exception of Ron and Ginny had come to Arjeplog.

"Charlie! Bill! George! Fred!... Percy?! What are all of you doing here?" she said, eyes wide as she ran up to them, letting go of Draco's hand as she jumped onto the back of her cousin Charlie - forcing him to give her a "piggy-ride".

"Mom called us all panicked and stuff when she saw you in the heap of the racers. She didn't really think you would pull it off." Bill told her sternly and shook his head. "I can't believe you've done something like this!"

Ash looked down at the ground in shame. "I'm sorry."

Bill sighed, "no your not. But it's alright. We're just happy that you came out of this race alive."

"And on the podium," she added with a grin.

"On the podium?"

"Did anyone see the end of the race? I came in third!" she said frustrated that she had to repeat it so often - but then again she was so proud of herself, that she didn't really care.

"Third?"

"Yes!"

"Dritter?"

"JA!"

"Congratulations!" he shouted and the other three - minus Percy congratulated and hugged her as well.

"So now it all OK?" Percy asked snobbishly. "Just because she got third, we forget about her running away again, making mom go through all the sorrow and pain?"

"Come on, Perc! She said she was sorry," George said, not wanting to let go of him little baby cousin.

"She needs to finally learn to take responsibility!"

Fred and George rolled their eyes. "Oh shut it, Perc. Why do you care anyway? Aren't you the one that broke her heart by not wanting to have anything to do with our family?" they told him, before ignoring him and concentrating solely on Ash again.

"Come on, lets find mom and dad. I think their with your friend Blaise..." Charlie said and took her hand. Quickly Ash reached behind her and took Draco's hand as well. "And who's that?"

"Draco Malfoy... my boyfriend," she said shrinking back and standing in front of him protectively - no idea how her cousins would treat her boyfriend.

"Your... boyfriend?" All five of the asked tensely.

"Y-Yeah."

"Hm... Does Mom and Dad know?" Bill said eyeing Draco from head to toe.

"Yes."

"Alright, lets get going then..." he said tight lipped and Draco followed Ash and her cousins to where Molly and Arthur where standing with the Zabini's.

"We've found her!" Fred called to his mother as they neared and the four adults and Blaise turned to see them.

"Merlin Ash! Your alright! I was so worried!" Molly cried hugging Ash, then she straightened and stared at Ash. "You young lady are in deep trouble!"

"Come on Molly! Be nice! I just fought against Dragons!"

"Oh, but you haven't fought against me yet! And trust me I am worse."

"Molly. I won't say it again. I'm sorry for what I said yesterday, but I still mean every word I said."

Molly looked at her niece, tight-lipped. "Alright. Your nearly done with school and your over-age. Do whatever you want, but don't come running to me when your on the ground."

"Trust me, I wont," she answered proudly. Everyone around them stayed quiet. "Now, will you congratulate me on making third place, or should I go again?"

Molly stared at the girl in front of her and sighed, a smile spreading on her face, "Congratulations, dear..."

"Thank you, Aunt Molly"

"Congratulations love," Arthur said coming forward to hug his niece tightly before letting the Zabini's congratulate her as well.

"You look like a Zombie!" Blaise commented as he hugged her tightly.

"Why thank you."

"You're welcome!"

Ash grinned up at him, before turning back to Draco and hugging him tightly. "I think I'll freshen up a bit before I have to go onto the podium looking like I just came out of hell!" she told him, placing a loving kiss on his lips and vanishing to the racers dress rooms to put on new clothing and shower.