Once in a Lifetime

“Great practice everyone, really good for your first time out,” the Slytherin Quidditch captain, Blaise Zabini, complimented as his team returned their feet to the Earth. “Especially you, Folds, you were fantastic out there!”

The rest of the team agreed enthusiastically as Briar Folds blushed a little. She knew she was great at Quidditch- especially keeper. She had played the game every day since she was big enough to ride a broom, but the praise for it always felt foreign and flattering.

“I expect to see everyone out here next Saturday at 3 pm sharp!” Blaise finished before turning towards the locker room with Draco, Terence, and the other members of the team. Briar was about to walk back herself when someone stepped in front of her and blocked her path.

The frustrated eyes of Marcus Flint peeked out between locks of curly brown hair.

“Oh. Hi, Marcus. Is something the matter?” Briar asked innocently.

“What is your deal?” Marcus huffed.

“Umm, I’m sorry?”

“Oh, don’t play that game!” He laughed.

“I’m really sorry, Marcus, but I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about..”

“You’re trying to take my spot!” He exclaimed, pointing to his chest. “I’M the keeper on this team. I’M the star. Not some... some girl!”

This is where Briar let one of her dark, dark brown eyebrows raise up in question. She had dealt with this before- jealous boys who didn’t know how to handle meeting a girl who was faster, tougher, and a better keeper than they were. She knew how to handle this.

“Alright, alright. What do you want to do?” Briar sighed, getting on her broom and hovering a couple inches off of the ground.

“What do you mean?” Briar rolled her eyes- he was being so stubborn, but she couldn’t help to admit he looked a little cute that way.

“Challenge me!” She chuckled. “A race, a one-on-one match, whatever! I’ll take you on,” she finished with a daring, if not flirtatious, wink.

“Fine,” he huffed again. “One-on-one. You. Me. Right now.”

And so it went... for the next five hours.

The pair played game after game, (all won by Briar), into the sunset and twilight hours. They zipped around the Quidditch pitch, whipping quaffles around in the air, Briar expertly blocking each and every one from entering the tall, stone rings behind her.

After her tenth win, as the moon was starting to appear over the Black Lake, Briar lowered herself to the ground.

“Come on, now! I can’t believe this! Nobody has ever beaten me like that!” Marcus called, hastily following her. “One more go!”

“Marcus, you said that after the last six matches. I’ve humored you for hours.” Briar sighed. “I have homework to do. Can we please just call it a day?”

Marcus blocked her path towards the locker room again, his face just inches from hers.

He looked desperate. “What?! But- No- I mean- There has to be- I-”

Briar interrupted his mindless babbling by leaning in and placing a small kiss on his lips. Marcus, completely caught off guards, held his eyes open wide. Briar pulled back and looked at the shear surprise on Marcus’s face.

“I thought that might shut you up,” she smiled sweetly and whispered.

He blinked a couple of times, trying to gather himself. Finally, Marcus looked at Briar in a different light... Like something other then a competitor. A friend, maybe, Briar thought? Or maybe something more?

“Briar Folds...” He said, that look still in his eyes, “you are simply once in a lifetime.”