Through the Eyes of a Mercutio

Chapter 6

Why You Never Play Quidditch In the Rain With a Blonde Haired, Blue-Eyed Boy

"I'm gunna do it! I'm gunna jump!"

"No, Cait, don't! Spare me, please!"

"I have no choice! I can't live like this!"

"Caitie, please don't! Think about this -"

"Goodbye, cold, cruel world!"

With a last dying breath, I collapsed onto the couch and Chadwyck. He made a sort of gasping humph noise and coughed. He frowned down at me, one eyebrow raised. "You're squishing me."

"Washed up on the French shore," I whispered hoarsely, before dropping my head and letting my tongue flop out. He almost laughed.

"C'mon, Sir Francis Drake, it's time for dinner."

"Sea dogs don't need to eat dinner."

"Oh, I see," Chad said reasonably. "I guess you'll miss out on the pecan pie, then."

"Sea dogs need to eat dinner!"

**

"I think I'm going to dye a bright red streak in my hair," I declared at dinner. My friends all looked up at me.

"Why?" Chad asked confusedly.

"Oh, I just think I need some change in my life," I said, spooning the last of my shepherd's pie into my mouth. "I'm getting bored. And maybe I'll pierce my nose, too."

"Nah, face piercing sucks," Alicia de Fred informed me. "Just think, if you wanted to take it out, like for your wedding or something, you'd have this gaping, funny colored hole in your head."

"Good point," Ashley agreed.

"Yeah, I suppose," I said thoughtfully.

"You could get a fake one," Sydney suggested.

"Oo, that might be fun," I said interestedly. "Maybe I'll get a tattoo, as well."

"Yeah, like Dad would let you get away with that," Dom said sarcastically.

"Hey, he's got a tattoo!" I protested.

"That's from Azkaban, though," Dom pointed out. "And Mum still doesn't like it."

"Poop, you're right. Well, I can still dye my hair. Maybe I'll dye it blue for a day..."

"Why are you so interested in changing your appearance all of the sudden?" Chad asked curiously.

"I don't know," I said pleasantly. "I just feel very spontaneous at the moment. You know that feeling where you feel confident enough to eat anything for a fiver? I've got that." I paused. "Any offers?"

"Are you okay?" Thomas asked concernedly. "You seem very...excited."

"Oh, no, I'm just happy," I replied cheerfully. "Don't know why, exactly, but I'm happy."

Jenson looked at me with both eyebrows raised, evidently out of curiosity and concern. I just smiled broadly back. I had been thinking over the past couple weeks that my feelings for Jenson were not a burden, but a blessing. How I worked that out, I'm not quite sure, but that warm, fuzzy feeling made me feel really happy, and I like to be happy, so I figured that I'd keep it around. I'd embrace my crush on Jenson! Oh yes, it was a brilliant plan to keep me from imploding in on myself, due to lack of sleep and impending stress over Luke and N.E.W.T.'s and the rest of my horrendous life. Well, that's a bit of an overstatement, I suppose. Now I was just rambling. Oh, I feel like laughing! I think I'm drunk. Can you get drunk without drinking first?

"Where's Malfoy?" I demanded. "I feel like killing him."

"Cait, I think -"

"I need a glove, does anyone have a glove?"

"What? No, but Cait -"

I picked up a linen napkin. "This will have to do." I stood up and strode over to the Slytherin table. I stopped in front of Benicio, who smirked dubiously up at me. I thwacked him across the face with my napkin.

"What the -"

"Malfoy, I challenge you to a duel," I declared.

"What the hell are you doing with a napkin then?"

"I don't have a dueling glove, so this is the best I can do."

He turned around to face me. "Are you mad, Black?"

"Yes, quite. And I make the effort just for you.

"Alright then, I accept. Time?"

"Ten o'clock."

"Place?"
"Trophy Room."

"Weapons?"

"Anything."

"Prepare for an ass-whooping, Black."

"Jolly good."

"What the bloody hell have you done?" Chad demanded when I returned.

"Duel's on for tonight; ten o'clock, trophy room, you're my second," I replied.

He groaned. "Why am I always your second?"

"Because you're the best with curses."

"Oh, thanks, that's some great praise," he said sarcastically. "And how, pray tell, do you plan on getting us out of trouble when we get caught?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead," I said simply.

"Oh, you haven't thought that far ahead?" Chad cried, throwing his hands in the air. "Oh, brilliant, Cait, bloody brilliant. Always have a plan, don't you?"

Dang, you're a spaz! "Yep."

**

"Let's see, sword, wand -"

"Mace?" Ashley suggested with one eyebrow raised.

"Ha ha, very funny. C'mon, Ash, don't want to be late." I grabbed my wand, and headed down the stairs to the common room. The whole gang was waiting for me: Thomas, Chad, Jenson, Dom, Mercedes, Edward, Maybe, James, Sydney, Alicia, Beth, Sam, Cyrus, and Sean Stewart (bless him). I looked proudly at them all. We were going to have fun tonight!

As there were sixteen of us, we split into groups of four and took different routes to the Trophy Room, so as to avoid being spotted by a teacher. Over the past few years, the Slytherins and we had gotten into some serious trouble because of our constant fighting. Once, a Slytherin boy had almost been killed, and the teachers had gone into an absolute uproar. A few of us were suspended, others given harsh detentions, and we had been sternly lectured by Aurors more than once. A select few of us had been threatened with expulsion if we kept up "this wretched bickering". Nevertheless, we were at it again, but this time, there was more than just healthy reputation and family honor on the line; Luke and Rosie had made this very personal.

But it was about to get worse, much worse.

We all met at the door to the Trophy Room and burst in at the same time the Slytherins did from the other side of the room. We glared and snarled at each other for a moment before we all caught sight of the Trophy Room's occupants.

None other than Luke James Potter and Rosalyn Antoinette Malfoy were snogging in my dueling ring.

We all stared in furious amazement for a moment before Beni screamed, "Rosie! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

Rosie jumped and tore herself away from Luke, turning to face her cousin. "I - I -"

"Do you know what he is?" Malfoy demanded. "He's a Potter! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Sapphira began to snicker.

"Luke, we would also appreciate an explanation," Sydney said delicately, shifting her weight between her feet hotly.

We all looked impatiently between the pair of them, both sides growling irritably. I held my head high, glancing occasionally at the Slytherins, who were all glaring threateningly at Luke. Luke swallowed, glanced between us all, and then spoke.

"You really can't control yourselves, can you?" he said quietly. "You can't grant anyone else a moment's peace. Have you no respect for the feelings of others? Are you all so shallow as to think that you will be affecting no one other than each other and yourselves with this constant bickering?"

"Yeah, we are!" shouted some random Slytherin.

"Luke, what's gotten into you?" James asked. He ignored him.

"Well, let me tell you that you are not the only people in this world," Luke declared, pointing out his finger. "I have reason to love. Why can't you?"

"Oh, shut up, you lunatic prat!" Josiah Burks cried indignantly.

"Shut it, Burks, or I'll make your face even uglier!" I snapped, waggling my knife in his direction.

Malfoy stepped forward and snatched Rosie's arm, pulling her over to the Slytherin side. "Keep away from her, you son of a bitch. You hear me, Potter? Keep clear!"

Oh, Sydney did not like that one bit, let me tell you. She was the most overprotective younger sister I've ever seen.

I stepped forward and dragged Luke over to the Gryffindor side. "And you keep her away from him, Beni. I don't want things to have to get ugly."

"You mean uglier than they already are? Ah, hell, who am I kidding? You are a piece of work, Black. You are one shit ass piece of work."

"You watch your mouth!" Jenson snarled, stepping forward. I pulled him back beside me. I didn't want him getting blown up on my behalf.

Sapphira was laughing like mad, now. Honestly, she had more Bellatrix in her than she knew.

Benicio laughed. "Oh, sticking up for her, are we? Got a little thing for the Black sheep, eh Bryon? How very...sweet; like two morons in a pod. Too bad Potty's all alone. I just hope he doesn't have to resort to incest."

Sydney stomped her foot angrily. We all knew that if Malfoy said another word, he was in for some trouble. Sydney's heavy breathing always signified a fit of rage on her part, and this was enough to make her commit a serious crime. James was looking nervously at his sister. Chad held out a hand to keep his cousin from going any closer. Malfoy's anger seemed to match Sydney's.

He pointed a finger at me. "Don't let that bastard near her, you hear me? I'll kill him, I swear. Keep that bloody bastard away from her!"

That was it. When the word "bastard" escaped Malfoy's lips, we knew there was nothing we could do to stop it. Tossing her fiery ringlets in absolute fury, Sydney broke through Chad's barrier, wand forward, and yelled something that we couldn't make out. Benicio was blasted off his feet by a jet of red light. He went soaring across the room and slammed into the stone wall fifteen feet away. Sydney tore after him and grabbed hold of his hair as he slumped down to the ground. She balled her fist and struck him across the face with all her strength, which was a lot. Sydney's three years of kickboxing had obviously paid off. She hit him again, and a third time, sending him close to unconsciousness, before Chad, Dom, and Jenson could rush to pry her off of Benicio.

"Say that again and I'll kill you!" Sydney spat fiercely, her rage still imminent. "He's not a bastard!"

Luke's birth status was known to very few people. The fact that he had been born out of wedlock had always bothered Sydney. It wasn't that she was ashamed of him; it was that people used this as a way to torment her and her family. Having quickly learned that curses were very useful, Sydney had jinxed her fair share of Slytherins who dared insult her brother.

Somehow, Sydney managed to wriggle free, and launched

herself back at Benicio. With that, we all took off after her, throwing ourselves into a Braveheart-like battle. Jets of light were flying everywhere; trophies were clattering to the ground; chairs were being upended and shot across the room. People were screaming, shouting, and grunting against their opponents. I had rushed to Sydney's aid in slaughtering Malfoy, but was cut off by Josiah Burks. Sydney seemed to be doing fine on her own, anyway. She had more or less forgotten her wand, and was beating Malfoy with a series of round kicks, back fists, and cobra strikes.

We were only at it for about five minutes (though it felt more like five hours), when a voice bellowed our attention.

"CEASE AND DESIST!" a cold and powerful voice roared.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" a second voice bellowed. "THAT'S QUITE BLOODY ENOUGH!"

Both voices I knew, and both made me cringe, knowing I was in huge amounts of trouble.

Everyone froze, lowered their wands, and turned to face the source of the voices. The first voice revealed itself as Albus Dumbledore, as would be expected. His face was hard set and irritated. Clearly, this was not a good sign. The second voice also stepped into the light, illuminating none other than, *gulp*, my father.

Dumbledore's eyes scanned lividly around at us all. "What, pray tell, do you think you are doing?" he asked, his voice reduced to one of audible disgust. "I am most displeased with your insolent behavior tonight."

Sirius glowered around at us. "Come with me, you lot," he commanded bitterly.

**

"Do you know how serious this is?" Sirius asked rationally. "Do you realize what could have happened if you had been allowed to carry on like that? Do you really want one of you to die?" He stared grimly around at us. "I hate to put it so bluntly, but that's the real deal, you guys. You are all old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, wise and stupid. Frankly, I'm ashamed, no, disgusted, at your behavior."

His eyes found mine, and I cowered a little. I noticed Dom crouch down, too. Everybody else knew Sirius Black as the head Auror, the Ministry General, and a member of the Wizengamot. They were all afraid of him sending them to Azkaban, or something. But Dom and I knew him as Dad, the one who grounded us when we blew up important things or stayed out too late...or started epic battles at school. In reality, we were more afraid of him than they were. We knew we would have to hear about this at home, as well as here.

"I've had about enough," Sirius continued, pacing in front of us. We all sort of slumped in our seats in the Great Hall. "For four years I've been trying to stop you lot from ripping each other to bits. What's with you? Can't you just knock it off? Why do you hate each other so much? Who keeps instigating all of this?"

The hall was dead silent. You could have heard a pin drop, honestly. Then all eyes shifted toward me. Oh bloody hell, this was not good. Then the eyes moved to Malfoy, then to Sydney. Clearly, this was going to be no mystery.

Sure enough, my father caught on pretty quickly. "Uh-huh. I see. So, would anyone care to explain the reason behind this little battle?"

Once again, the eyes moved, first to Rosie, then to Luke. I shut my eyes. Please, no one say anything. Please don't say anything. Just keep quiet. No one said a word. I realized I had been holding my breath. Then Sean Stewart spoke up.

"Just a pointless tiff, Sir," he said, almost timidly.

"Oh, that's all, is it?" Sirius said sternly. "I'm not surprised." He paused. "Many of you will be graduating this year, and going off into the real world on your own. If this is the way you are going to act, I'm not so comfortable releasing you into it. For those of you who plan on attending the Auror Academy, we do not take kindly to insubordination or mindless hostility. We are going to have to do something to pound this into your heads."

Dumbledore stood up, and seeing this, Sirius sat down. He paced for a moment before speaking.

"I don't know what to say," he said quietly, with a certain hardness in his voice. "What can I say?" He turned to look at us. "Do you have anything to say for yourselves? Anything at all?"

Dead silence. No one volunteered a single excuse, not even Beni. We all just sort of cowered in our seats.

"Well, good, because I'm in no mood for excuses," Dumbledore said grimly. "Your utter disregard for any restrictions put into effect for your own good is not impressive. I am greatly saddened to see that the ferocity between Gryffindor and Slytherin House has come this far. Can you not lay down your old grudge? Even the grudge set first by your parents and grandparents? This is their quarrel, not yours. It is their responsibility to handle this like adults." He stopped and sighed wearily. "It is too late to discuss punishment now, but I assure you it will be appropriate. I will escort you all back to your dormitories, and if anyone feels like pulling anything, they'll get more than detention." He gave us all one last stern glance before turning and motioning us all to follow.

'Wait," Sirius said quickly. "Headmaster, if I may, these two?" He gestured to Dom and me. Dumbledore nodded, and continued.

Jenson squeezed my hand supportively before getting up and following Dumbledore. Everyone else filed out slowly and silently, casting sympathetic or mocking glances at us, depending on his or her house. Dom and I exchanged guilty glances. We both knew this was not going to be pretty.

When everyone else had gone, Sirius came and sat across from us at the long table. He rubbed his face for a moment before looking up at us. We could tell by that half-glare that we were really in for it.

"I don't know what to say to you two," he said wearily. "I really expected more from you, especially you, Cait." He looked right at me. I bit my lip and looked at the table. My father had this uncanny ability to make anyone feel guilty. "If you want to get into the Academy, you're going to have to shape up. A lot."

"I know," I mumbled.

"You know?" Sirius raised his eyebrows at me. "Then why did you get involved in this Cait?" Then realization dawned upon his face. "You didn't start this, did you?"

Oh, crap. Well, to some extent, yes, I had started it. But it was Luke's fault too! Oh, who was I kidding?

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" I said exasperatedly. "I just got a little carried away."

Sirius looked between us, not angrily, but with that expression that told us he was in charge and he knew it. "Alright then, what happened, exactly? I want to know who started it, when, where, and why."

Dom and I exchanged glances. What were we supposed to do? We couldn't tell him about Luke and Rosie or the incident with Sapphira. Ummm...

"Well," I began slowly. "You know that we don't get along with Malfoy, and he's been really foul lately, and then he started saying some really nasty things about Luke. Sydney, of course, had a fit, and I'm sure she broke several of his bones, and we all just sort of got caught up in a epic battle between good and evil." I looked hopefully at Sirius.

He raised an eyebrow. I could tell his mood was lightening. "Uh-huh, and that all took place in the Trophy Room?"

Dom and I nodded.

"Right. How did all 33 of you end up in there at the same time?"

Oh bugger. He was catching on. I guess I was going to have to confess. "Well, see, I sort of, um, challenged Malfoy to a duel, and -"

"You what?" Sirius demanded. Yeah, I could tell he didn't like that much. "Caitlín Adriana Nymphadora Black!"

I cringed. Dom smirked a little at me. Ha ha, very funny. I was getting repaid for using his full name.

"You just had to name me Nymphadora, didn't you?" I said, shutting my eyes.

"Just be grateful it isn't your first name," Sirius said crossly. "I have told you time and time again not to go picking fights, Cait! It was trying to curse guilty parties that got me into the biggest mess of my life! I don't want you taking the same road I did!"

"I'm not going to end up in Azkaban!" I said, my voice rising. "Just because you tried to blow up Peter Pettigrew doesn't mean I'm going to blow up Malfoy!"

"Listen, Caitie, I had twelve years to think about that, and seventeen to worry about you growing up the same way. Please, don't do this!"

"But you don't understand!" I cried. Uh-oh, I was cracking. "It wasn't all my fault! Sapphira said she'd keep Rosalyn under control, but she didn't! What was I supposed to do? Just let Luke be sucked into her sick-minded little trap?"

"Sapphira?" Sirius asked, a little taken aback. Oops. "What does she have to do with this? Has she been trying to curse people again? If she's been using Cruciatis -"

"No, Dad, she hasn't been using Cruciatis," Dom said, rolling his eyes while Sirius wasn't looking.

"What has she done, then?" Sirius demanded. "I'd love to pin something horrible on Níccolo..."

"Nothing illegal," I assured him. "Just horrible stuff; blackmail, bribery, all those things that run in our family. It doesn't matter anyway."

Sirius looked at us for a moment. "So that's it? You felt like a good duel, and agreed to meet in the Trophy Room to kill each other off?"

I hesitated. "Well, if you want to put it that bluntly, yes."

He sighed. "What am I going to do with you two, eh?" He almost smiled.

"You're not going to tell Mum, are you?" Dom asked quickly.

Sirius looked up and chuckled a bit. "Well, if I do, she'll skin me alive for being a bad influence. And if I don't, she'll skin me alive for not telling her when she finds out later. Either way, I get murdered. Tough choice."

We gave him puppy-dog faces that Jenson would have been proud of. Sirius shook his head.

"Alright, I won't tell her that you started it, Caitlín, but I have to tell her that you all got in a fight. I'm sure Dumbledore will send out letters to all the parents anyway. Better she knows before then. But you owe me, big time."

"Oh thank you, Dad, thank you, thank you!" I said, with half a mind to give him a big hug. My mother was sure to take away everything I loved if she found out that I had been instigating. She wasn't a woman to put up with crap, and I was not willing to give up my car, stereo, broom, swords, or leaving the house privileges.

**

Sirius escorted us back to Gryffindor Tower, assuring us that we were still in trouble, and that he would support any punishment Dumbledore administered. I wondered briefly if he would still send me éclairs.

When he had left, and we were climbing through the portrait hole, Dom said quietly, "Dad actually talked about Azkaban. He never talks about Azkaban."

"I know," I replied. "It's weird, isn't it? I mean, he usually gets all quiet and twitchy when he has to talk about his time there; the whole behind the veil thing too."

"At least he didn't give the spiel on why Belletrix is in the twist she's in," Dom said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I hate that one." Sirius was often known to use his horrible family as examples of why we should be good.

"So, are you being shipped off to Azkaban?" Jenson asked, as we entered the Common Room.

"Nope, not yet," I said, flopping onto the sofa beside him and dropping my feet into his lap.

"Good, I'd miss you," he replied, smiling. I looked up at him.

"Both of you, I mean," he stumbled, looking down at his feet.

Dom and Chad both snorted. Ashley threw her head back and grinned broadly at the ceiling. Sean Stewart crossed his arms and chuckled. Luke grinned and shook his head.

Wait, Luke? What was he doing here? He was actually in the Common Room...with us? Wow. So where was Transfer-girl? Hiding under the couch?

"Oh, grow up, you guys," I said derisively, even though I was smiling.

**

As Sirius had guessed, Dumbledore sent out letters to all of our parents. We were all given a week's worth of detention and were banned from the next three Hogsmead trips. I was worried that we might be suspended from the Quidditch team, but fortunately, that wasn't even mentioned.

Contrary to normal November weather, it rained consistently for the next six days; flooding, thunder, lightening, the works. Unfortunately, this meant that all our detentions were to be served inside. Now we were doomed to scrubbing toilets and pickling frogs' brains. Brilliant. I myself was condemned to the owlry to scrape up owl dung, then to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom to clean out grindylow tanks. After three nights hard labor, I was allowed the Friday night off. Friday it rained harder than ever, the drops pounding against the castle like siege warfare. Half the school had caught cold, due to the damp conditions. The teachers had quite a time teaching in the dark, and were forced to bring in extra lights for lack of sunshine.

Sean Stewart caught up to us in the corridor on the way back to Gryffindor Tower Friday afternoon.

"No practice today, guys," he said regretfully.

"Oh, dood," Chad mumbled, sniffing in relief.

"What?" I cried. "Just because of a bit of rain?"

A roll of thunder cracked and boomed, sounding as though the whole castle had split in two.

"Yeah, a bit of rain," Sean echoed sarcastically. "That, and over half the team have caught cold."

"Yeah, like be," Chad grumbled, sniffing again. His plugged nose was obviously getting to him.

"And be." Ashley sounded equally stuffed up.

"Well, I'm perfectly healthy," I declared. "Therefore, I'm going outside to play in the rain, since I love the rain."

"You're like a friggen duck," Luke snuffled. "But widout feders."

"And I hope I smell better," I said.

**

I hopped merrily down the dormitory steps to the common room to find my friends all piled on top of one another complaining about how congested they were and comparing their piles of used tissues. Jenson seemed to be the only one not sick.

"Alright, who's coming outside with me?" I asked, clapping my hands together expectantly.

They all groaned and flopped back down. Jenson, who wasn't covered in mucous, groaned right along with them.

"Go away," my brother moaned.

"Leab us alone," Chad demanded wearily.

I put my hands on my hips. "You people are no fun."

"Dat's your probleb," Luke mumbled.

I scowled. "You." I poked Jenson with my broom handle. "You're coming with me."

"No, I don't wanna," he whined, falling backward onto the couch.

"You lazy, lazy bum," I said indignantly, pulling on his arm. "You're coming; I know you want to. Look, I even took the liberty of bringing your broom down from your dormitory."

He bolted upright, and for a moment, he looked horrified. "You were up in my dormitory?"

I raised an eyebrow. I was up there all the time hanging out with Luke and Chad. "Uh, yeah, you've never had a problem with it before."

"Yeah, it's just that, um, I - uh, I - " he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes averted from my gaze. Luke and Chad exchanged huge grins.

"He has nudy pictures of you up there," Ashley said, grinning.

I burst out laughing. "Come on, you prat." I pulled him up and dragged him to the portrait hole.

"Alright, alright, I'll walk you to the Entrance Hall. Will that satisfy you?" he relented, stretching his arms in the air.

"Yep, that'll do." I dragged him through the portrait hole. I knew he'd end up coming out in the end.

Little did either of us know, our friends were plotting against us inside...

*Inside*

"Hey, you guys, he went outside wid her! Dey're out der all alone!" Ashley cried.

"Yes! Finally, we have succeeded!" Sydney said triumphantly.

"They'll be snogging da hell out of each udder in doe time," Chad snuffled, grinning. "I'll put a galleon on it."

"I'd put about four on it," Luke said confidently.

"I see your five galleons," Codi said, throwing himself into a chair beside Chad, "and raise you six sickles. Jenson's too chicken."

"Oh, I don't know," Mercedes chided, coming in behind Codi. "Cait's too unpredictable. It might be her who makes the first move. I'll raise the bet a galleon, Chad's favor."

"Gracias, Bercy," Chadwyck said.

"Seven sickles, two knuts on you, Chadwyck," Sydney said.

"What's going on?" Jack Wood asked, coming in with Cyrus and Maybe.

"Cait ad Jensod are outside playing quidditch in da raid...alone!" Ashley said excitedly.

"Ooo," Jack said, grinning. "This could get interesting. I mean, we all know where this is going..."

"Care to raise the wager?"

"Oh, we will!" Maybe said. "How much have you got, Cy?"

The twins pooled their money, and added two galleons, three sickles and four knuts to Chadwyck's cause.

"Why is everyone giving Chad money?" Sean Stewart demanded. "I want some!"

"Then you'll have to win it," Mercedes said silkily. "We've got a bet going on the results of Cait and Jenson outside in the rain all alone. Care to add?"

"Dey'll be snogging the hell out of each udder, according to Chad," said Sydney.

"Ad not, according to Codi," snuffled Luke.

"Oh, I think I'm with Codi on this one," Sean said slowly. "One galleon, two knuts. I mean, yeah, he's got a thing for her, but she won't go for it. Nope, not our Cait. He might try, but she'll slap him."

"She'll break his jaw, more like," chuckled Chad's sister Riley. "Another three sickles to Codi."

"We deed to be able to see wad's going on out der," Ashley said excitedly. "Where cad we get the best view of da pitch?"

"Divination Tower?" suggested Luke.

*Outside*

"See, I told you this would be fun."

"So I have a thing for the rain."

"Yeah, that and you can't escape the call of the wild bludger!"

Jenson grinned. "What can I say? It's very appealing."

Crack! The bludger went sailing back to him.

"You know, it's funny. Somehow, I can't see any other girl I know out here in the freezing rain, hitting a seven-pound ball with a bat, while flying 30 feet up in the air. It's just so...iffy, you know?"

No, I didn't know. Frankly, I had no idea what brought that into his mind, but I didn't question his skewed reasoning. I grinned. "Is that a compliment or a complaint?"

"Oh, a compliment, definitely," he replied, hitting the bludger back to me. "You're just so one of a kind."

"Huh, well thank you. Usually people just see it as madness rather than uniqueness. Nice to know somebody appreciates me." Oh, bloody bugger, why am I talking? Stop talking! You're spewing nonsense! Don't you see what he's doing? You really are blind. This is so cheesy! It's a cheese fest! Somebody save us from the wave of cheesiness that is careening down upon us! Oh well.

*Inside*

"Move over, I can't see!"

"Ow! Jack, that was my foot!"

"Give me the omnioculars!"

"Come on! Kiss her already!"

"Another four sickles says nothing happens," Sean said, staring dubiously out the window.

"Oh, just wait," said Chad slyly, grinning knowingly. "Dis is Cait style. Put off anything you don't want to confront till da last possible boment."

"Aben to that," Luke chuckled.

"Jens is chickening out," Codi said confidently.

"No, he's not," Sydney replied. "Check out that giddy look on his face. He's gone all jelloid. Bet you anything he's spewing some cheesy comment."

"Look at Cait!" Ashley giggled. "She's gone all melty! Oh, I'm so using dis as blackbail!"

"Well, dat's hardly fair," Chad said logically. "I bean, look how many tibes she's caught you and Thobas."

"He's got a point," said Thomas.

"Jenson's really keen on taking a bloody long time, isn't he?" said Cyrus impatiently.

"Nah, he just sucks at foreplay," Luke replied.

"He may be a chick magnet," chuckled Chad, "but he's no good wid his own feelings."

"Cait's not much better," James pointed out.

"Great, two incompetent lovers in one wet Quidditch pitch," Mercedes said dryly. "This could take all day."

"What are you lot doing up here?"

Everyone whipped around to face a curious Remus Lupin. He raised an eyebrow.

"We're, um, spying?" Chad suggested tentatively.

"On whom, pray tell?"

"Cait and Jedson are out id da rain all alone!" Ashley exclaimed before she could stop herself. "Heehee, oops."

Lupin looked interested. He grinned. "Oh, really? This should get interesting... What's in the bag?"

"Da wager dat dey snog each udder to death before dinner," Luke said slyly.

"Care to contribute?" Sydney tempted, waggling the bag in his direction.

Lupin laughed and shook his head. "Such a Potter. But sure, I'll contribute to such a worthy cause. Two galleons, then."

"Big spender," Sydney said, as she wrote Lupin's name down in her little black book. "What did I say, seven sickles, or something?"

"This is a sure thing," Lupin said confidently. "Anyone with half a mind could tell they've got it bad. Cait's so much like Sirius."

"When a teacher can see it, you know it's obvious," Jack said with a grin.

*Outside*

Jenson grinned. "You're soaking wet."

"So are you!" I laughed. "Your shirt looks like a body suit." Personally, I was enjoying the view.

"I could...take it off," he said, wiggling his eyebrows in a cheesy manner.

I laughed. "Not like I mind." Oh, bugger, did I just say that out loud?

For a moment we just stared at each other. Then we both looked away, strangely embarrassed. It was a moment before Jenson spoke.

"So, you, uh, want to hit some more bludgers?" His voice sounded nervous and forced. It was as though he had no meaning behind his question, except that it was something to overcome the awkward silence. I noticed that he didn't look at me as he said it.

"I - er, all right then," I replied, unsure of what else to say. Oh bloody hell, now I couldn't even speak properly!

He dove down to retrieve the fallen bludger. As he made his way back up to me, I felt a sudden and unprecedented attraction towards him. My hold on my bat tightened, and my knees locked around my broomstick, as he came to face me. I once again felt unable to speak.

His eyes met mine, and then moved away. "So, I, um, I'll take that end, and, um, you can, uh, have this one..." his stumbling voice trailed off. I nodded. He turned and zoomed forty feet in the opposite direction. He tossed the bludger into the air and whacked it in my direction. I drew back my bat and sent it flying back to him.

My recent inability to utter a coherent sentence around him was beginning to scare me. This was ridiculous! He was one of my best mates! Why couldn't I talk to him? I could talk to any other guy, like Luke or Chad or Tommy, but somehow, Jenson was different. Jenson made my stomach turn. Something in his voice made me more aware of his presence than anyone else's. He made me self-conscious, something I always warned myself against. His eyes made mine freeze in place and my breathing stop.

I cracked the bludger back to him again. My eyes followed its trail straight to his dripping face. His eye caught mine, and I wanted to look away, but I couldn't; neither of us could. The bludger sailed right past his head and hit the goal post with a loud clunk and soared around the stadium. But he did not turn his gaze. It wasn't until the bludger went whizzing inches from my face that I broke from my reverie. I zoomed after it, determined to stop its deliberate interruptions. I was gaining on it, drawing closer and closer to the ground. Then I realized that Jenson was chasing it too. Yes, teamwork; we'd corner the stupid thing.

I reached out my bat to swing at the bludger. I made contact, and it sailed toward Jenson, who caught it. It hit him with such force that he rolled backwards off his broom and hit the ground a foot below. I began to laugh. He was sprawled in the wet grass, trying to keep hold of the squirming bludger. I grabbed the ball crate, and hauled it over to him, still laughing. He forced the ball into its holder and fell backwards again.

"Oh, gosh, are you okay?"

"Holy crap, that thing's heavy," he said breathlessly, rubbing his chest where it had hit him. "It's not funny." He was grinning.

"It's hilarious!" I choked through my laughter and the pelting rain. I knelt beside him. "You should have seen yourself! Now you're all full of grass!" I picked a blade off his shoulder and held it up for display. He chuckled, and took it from me, his fingers brushing against mine. We both stopped laughing and I caught my breath.

Our eyes met, and I began to fall into his baby blue gaze. But this time I could not escape. Suddenly, our faces were barely an inch apart. Then his lips met mine. It startled me at first, but then I didn't mind. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. We parted, but only for a second. He drew his hand up to my cheek and brought his mouth back to mine. His hand was warm, despite the rain. I pulled my body closer to his as we deepened our kiss. Before I knew it, my fingers were in his wet hair, his hands drawn around my back. I'm not sure how long we were out there, but when we finally broke apart, we looked at each other, trying to catch our breath.

I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. In a world where rhetoric was my only weapon, I was now voiceless. I couldn't string two words together! I had gone completely mute. I stared at him, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

He looked a little sheepish. "I - was that alright? Cause if that was wrong, I -"

I giggled. Oh, blimey O'Riley. "No, Jens, that was fine." He really was one of a kind. I mean, how many guys ask if it's aright to kiss you after they've kissed you?

"Oh, good." He smiled and pushed a strand of wet hair out of my face. "Um - I - have to go," he whispered. "Detention."

"Right," I whispered back. I didn't want him to leave.

For a minute, he didn't move. Then he brushed his lips softly against mine and got up. He smiled down at me, before turning and disappearing into the pouring rain, dragging the ball crate behind him. I flopped back down into the grass, smiling gleefully up at the sky. Rain spattered my face, but I didn't care. I was in heaven. Jenson Bryon had just kissed me. He kissed me. Right here, in the rain, like in a song.

I brought my club back to the supply shed, and then wandered up to the castle, still in a state of shocked euphoria. My wet shoes squelched on the stone floor as I made toward Gryffindor Tower. I was surprised to find the common room nearly empty. There were no seventh years, at least, and I couldn't find a single Weasley. They must have gone to dinner early. I went up to my dormitory to find that deserted as well. I changed out of my wet clothes and flopped down onto my bed, my mind on one person only.

I actually skipped dinner. I had been lying there for over an hour, and I had since then come to my senses. My thoughts were turning into a soap opera. I couldn't figure out why I was thinking about Jenson this way. It just wasn't right! He was my quidditch mate! I knew things about him that I shouldn't! For example: he has Spongebob boxers! I shouldn't know that. Actually, the mental picture of the time when we all found out about the Spongebob boxers was sort of entertaining. See, we had this game of strip poker, and Jenson has the most crap poker face in the world... anyway, that's why I thank Merlin for my odd card-playing abilities. All in all, Jens was reduced to his Spongebobs. Okay, freeze-frame, right now. Oh yeah, extreme hotness, right there.

See what I mean? Why was I thinking this? Oh, I remember, because Jenson Bryon was the most beautiful creature under the sun. He had it all, mate: the face, the body, the personality of a saint's comedian, that gorgeous hair. But if there was one thing that caught my attention, it was his baby blues. Honestly, I got lost in them every time I looked at him now. Isn't that sad? I was letting even my innermost thoughts be corrupted by the magnificence of his eyes. Ugh...

Oh, who cares? He was so perfect...not to mention a great kisser...bloody hell...

My mind broke into delightful song. My life is perfect, la de da de da, my life is perfect, la de da de da! La la la, lee lee la lee la, dum de da de -

"You alright, Cait?" Ashley asked suddenly.

Aaahhh! I jumped and sat up. Holy bugger, I hadn't even noticed her come in. I hoped I hadn't been singing out loud.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," I said quickly. Curses, Ashley, you stupid twit! You interrupted my blissful daydreaming!

Ashley raised an eyebrow. Through her mucous, she said, "Wid a dreamy expression like dat on your face, I'd say you were sick, bate. Whad are you thinking about?" She eyed me suspiciously as she plopped down on the other end of my bed.

"Quidditch," I lied.

"Uh-huh," Ashley muttered skeptically. "Sure."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"Just quidditch in general, or one specific detail? Or maybe person?" She raised both eyebrows and grinned a little.

How the bugger did she know? I stared at her, trying to seem clueless. "What?"

"Oh, cub on, Cait. You weren't at dinner. Everybody dows about you and Jenson," she said smugly. "Well, Chad, Thomas, Bercedes, Baybe, Sydney, Codi, Cyrus, Sean, Riley, Dani, Jack, Lupin, and I, adyway." She reached for a tissue and blew her nose.

"Lupin? What?" I sputtered uneasily. Lupin!? "What are you talking about?"

The smug expression remained. "The castle has windows, my dear."

Oh bugger. They all knew. Now what was I supposed to do? Ehhhhhhh!

"Oh, um, right... that," I mumbled, drumming my fingers on the bed nervously. I hated being nervous. I wasn't used to it!

"Yeah, dat," Ashley repeated excitedly.

"It didn't mean anything," I defended myself quickly. "It was just - sort of spur of the moment, you know?" I am such a dirty liar!

"Well, it sure didn't look like it." Ashley wiggled her eyebrows. "As a batter of fact, you looked pretty sad to see himb go."

"Well, after he left I had no one to play quidditch with." Well that's a sorry excuse for a lie, you retard. What, take you three seconds to think that up? Why are you denying it, anyway?

"You sure dat's all you wanted to play?" Ashley asked, wiggling her stupid eyebrows again, and laughing.

I whacked her with my pillow as she laughed. Despite my hard attempts not to, I started to laugh with her. Before we knew it, we were falling all over each other, laughing hysterically. Why? We weren't quite sure.

"He fancies you, you dow," Ashley said, still giggling after we had recovered ourselves.

"No, he doesn't." I grinned, rolling my eyes.

"Yes he does! He has for ages! Since summer before fifth year!"

"You are such a rotten liar!" I cried, shaking my head.

"No, really!" Ashley insisted. "He told be last year. Besides, he just kissed you! Actually, snogged bight be the bore appropriate termb -"

I hit her with the pillow again, blushing to the roots of my hair.

"Fine, you ask Chad. He dows too."

"Yeah, I'm going to bed now," I said abruptly, smiling.

"It's way to early to go to bed!" Ashley protested.

"It's ten-thirty," I replied, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, you ought to go to bed; you sound terrible."

"Oh, really? Wow," Ashley said. "Well, in dat case, I'll put on by PJ's and be off to sleep." She rolled off my bed and began to change into her pajamas.

After Jenessa, Jacquelyn, Tabbitha, and Brielle came up and got ready for bed, we all just sort of laid there in silence. I got the distinct feeling that they too had found out about Jenson and me. I stared into the darkness picturing his face. Did he really like me? Obviously. But the more pressing question -

"Cait," Ashley said suddenly. "Do you fancy Jenson like he does you?"

I whipped my pillow at her, and she squealed, giggling happily. I waited for her to throw it back, but she didn't. I sighed. Great, like she was giving it back now. I hoped she didn't get her snot on it.

"I'll take dat as a yes."

"Ashley, give me my pillow!"