Back and Forth

The crowd was roaring. The sea of green and silver cheered us on as we fought to beat our opponents. The buzzing red and gold cheered on their team with all their might.

But we were going to win. I knew it. We had to beat Gryffindor. That’s what everyone expected us of.

The Quaffle was thrown to me and I took off. Dodging between the flying Gryffindors, I soared across the pitch to the three hoops being guarded by the stumbling freckled keeper.

Ron Weasley. He was clearly nervous, a fact that wasn’t helped by the taunting of my housemates. He looked awkward, floating before the hoops as if he wasn’t sure what he should be doing. His awkwardness was an advantage for me.

Soaring toward him, I was suddenly blocked by a player in red and gold. Tossing the Quaffle to a teammate, I swerved around the Gryffindor chaser and headed toward the goal posts, looking over my shoulder for the Quaffle. I wasn’t paying much attention to the path I was flying.

Suddenly, I slammed into something hard and lost my hold on my broom. Falling down toward the ground, my eyes slid closed as I lost consciousness. Before I blacked out I heard, “GRYFFINDOR WINS!”
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Slowing I opened my eyes to the stone walls of the Hospital Wing.
“Ah, you’re awake.” I looked over to see Madam Pomfrey.

“What happened?” I asked as I sat up.

“You fell of your broom. Broke your arm and knocked yourself out.”

“Fantastic…” I muttered. “When can I leave?”

“A few hours. Now rest.” she commanded as she pushed me down onto the bed.

With a sigh, I stared up at the ceiling.

“Mia?” My eyes shot across the room to the lanky boy who stood with his hands in his pockets.

“Weasley, what do you want?” I snapped.

“I just wanted to apologize for knocking you off your broom, it was an accident.”

I scoffed as I rolled my eyes. “I know it was an accident. If you had done it on purpose, I would’ve had more respect for you.”

Ron flushed red. “Look, Rose, I’m trying to be nice about this—”

“I don’t need your sympathy.”

“Fine.” the boy’s face—still flushed red—was twisted in anger and annoyance as he turned and left.
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Finally released from the Hospital Wing, I returned back to the common room quickly. Madam Pomfrey had encountered a problem when fixing my arm so I was stuck with a cast on my arm for the next three weeks so as to aid the healing process.

Walking through the crowded corridors, I was very annoyed. If it wasn’t for that stupid Weasley, I wouldn’t have to deal with a plastered-up arm. I would be able to play Quidditch and I would be able to carry my bag properly. He was such an oaf!

The bell rang; I sighed. I was late to class. Hopefully Hagrid would understand.
Making my way up the corridor, I was suddenly stopped when my bag felt lighter.

Looking at the ground, I sighed. My bag had ripped at the bottom and all of my things had tumbled to the floor; luckily, no ink bottles had smashed in the fall.

Bumbling around, I began to gather my stuff.
A second pair of hands joined me.
Looking up, I found the face of Ron Weasley.

“You don’t have to—”

“I do.” he mumbled.

He took my bag from me and fixed the hole in it. Then he took the books from my hands and put them in my bag.

Ron stood up and offered me his hand after he stood up.

“Where are you going?” he asked quietly.

“Care of Magical Creatures.”

“Hagrid won’t mind that you’re late. We’ll just tell him that your bag broke.”

When we reached the doors leading out to the grounds, we stopped. He was still carrying my bag.

“I got it from here, thanks.” I said quietly, embarrassed that I’d been mean to him in the Hospital Wing.

“No problem.”

I began to walk away before turning around.

“Hey Ron?” He looked at me questioningly. “I’m sorry about…how I acted in the Hospital Wing.”

He shrugged. “Sorry I knocked you off your broom.”

I sent him a smile and continued walking toward Hagrid’s hut.
On the way there, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.

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When the class ended, I began walking back up to the castle.
Once inside, someone slipped my bag off my shoulder. Turning around, I was met with the sight of Ron Weasley.

“Hey?”

“Hey.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Figured I’d walk you to your next class.” he said quietly as he shouldered my bag.

“Why?” I asked, shocked.

“I disabled you. Might as well help you out.” he shrugged.
The inexplicable butterflies in my stomach had hoped for another reason.

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Ron started appearing outside of some of my classes. He would take my bag and carry it for me.

I felt like I could be real with Ron. He was just a boy who was interested in talking to me. He didn’t care about Houses or blood or status—well…that’s not all true. He hated Slytherins as a general rule. In fact, to this day, I don’t understand why he even bothered apologizing.

Our growing friendship was great and was, perhaps, one of the best things that had ever happened to me, but I had to go and mess it up.

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“Rose!” I turned at the call of my name as I crossed the empty common room.

“Malfoy? What do you want?” I sighed. I didn’t feel like dealing with him.

“You’ve been spending time with the Weasel.” he said. “Why waste your time?”

“Perhaps I just enjoy slumming it up,” I muttered, wanting nothing more than for this git to leave me alone.

“Perhaps…” he muttered threateningly, “You should assimilate yourself with more worthy company.”

“Like who?” I asked with a roll of my eyes as I attempted to put more distance between us by stepping back

“Anyone would be better than the Weasel.” he smirked as he brushed a strand of hair out of my hair. He let his fingers linger across my cheek.

Slapping his hand away, I shot back venomously, “I highly doubt that.”
Turning away from him yet again, I started toward the girl’s dormitories.

“Wouldn’t want your little friend to get hurt, would you?”

I stopped. “Stay away from him.” I hissed.

He smirked viciously. “Or what? What’s a little fourth year like you going to do to me?”

“You can’t hurt him. You’ll get in trouble.”

“Maybe not,” he thought as he tapped his chin sarcastically. “But, I can give him a few detentions with Umbridge so he can learn where his place is. I’m sure you’ve heard of the lovely time miscreants have in her detentions.”

I was shaking with anger. “Leave Ron alone.”

Malfoy stepped closer to me. “I will,” he began as he traced his pale fingers down the side of my face, “when you do.”

I closed my eyes and looked away from him.

“Have a nice night, Mia.”
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The next day, Ron was outside my Potions class. The fifth year Gryffindor and Slytherin class was right after mine.

In the corridor, Ron stepped over to me to say hello. Over his shoulder, I caught sight of Malfoy. Gulping, I knew what I had to do.

“Hey Mia.” he said softly with a hesitant smile on his face. “I was wondering uh…” his ears were red. “I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me on Saturday.”

Yes.
Yes.
Yes
Yes.

Clenching my teeth, I looked at him and replied, “No.” as coolly as I could manage. “In fact,” I took a deep breath to steady the wild thumping of my heart. “I want you to leave me alone.”

“Mia—”
“God, Weasel. Can’t you take a hint? Leave. Me. Alone.” I hissed before stomping away, hating myself and Malfoy as I did so.

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Ron left me alone, as I asked.
And when I saw him in the corridors or at lunch, he wouldn’t look my way.
I hurt him and I didn’t want to.

I didn’t want to push Ron away.

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“Rose.”

“Leave me alone Malfoy.” My voice trembled as he advanced toward me.

“You spent too much time slumming with the Weasel.” he muttered gruffly as he took calculated steps toward me. “You forgot how you should act.”

“Ron Weasley is more of a wizard than you’ll ever be.” I said as I took one step back for every step he took forward.

Malfoy smirked. “Really? I think otherwise.”

“You would.” I scoffed.

“I think you should be acquainted with what a real wizard is like.”

“I-I’m going to have to d-decline, Malfoy.” I said, hating the tremble in my voice.
I took another step back, only to hit the wall.

Malfoy smirked at me, like a predator looking at its prey.
He closed the distance between us and grabbed my hair forcefully in his hand.
Angling my face toward him, he pressed his lips hard against mine.

Trying to push him away, I opened my mouth to yell but he only took the opportunity to try to push the kiss farther.

And then, he pulled away from me. The sound of a punch being thrown resounded through the corridor.

Looking, I saw Malfoy on the floor, holding his jaw. To my right stood Ron.

“Hey.” I said quietly.

“Hey.” he said as he exhaled.

“Ron?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?”