Black Hole | Marauders Fanfiction

Second Year: Forgiveness

Rory

Everyone on the Quidditch team noticed. James and Rory no longer exchanged jokes at practices, no longer had to be called down by Singh for talking too much instead of practicing, and they no longer walked to and from the locker rooms together. And it was throwing everyone off. For one: James and Rory were the ones who always kept the mood light at practices, so the fact that they weren't talking made practices feel weird. Second, everyone still noticed the glances James were throwing at Rory, and everyone noticed how Rory never returned them. This threw James off his game, and when James was off his game, everyone noticed. Not to mention, Rory wasn't catching snitches with the same ease she always had anymore.

"Rory come here," Singh called after she'd spent the last 20 minutes trying to catch a snitch that was right in front of her. Rory sighed, frustrated and came down to meet Singh, who was leaning against his broom, a frown on his face.

"What?" she sighed, annoyed. She knew it wasn't fair to be rude to Singh, but her not being able to play Quidditch the same way she was before was really fucking with her. Quidditch was the one thing she thought she could always rely on and even it was failing her.

He ignored her pointed tone. "Are you doing alright?" 

"What?" she was taken aback by this. She was expecting to get an earful about how she should get back on her game and how the Quidditch Cup finals are coming up blah, blah, blah. "Yes, I'm doing fine of course."

"Are you sure? I don't want to overstep or anything, but both you and James seem to be off your game. And everyone notices whatever is going on between the two of you," Singh pointed out.

"I've just been tired," she forced a smile onto her face. By tired she meant sneaking around the common room since she didn't want to run into any of her friends and sleeping on the couch because it was too awkward to go into the dorms. "And there's nothing going on between James and I."

"Save it," Singh scoffed. "You guys aren't even looking at each other and you expect me to believe that there's nothing going on?"

"We're just not friends anymore," she said stubbornly. "Is that illegal or something?"

"And is that affecting you?"

"Why would it be?" she lied. "We were never that close in the first place. We just drifted and don't talk anymore. It's not that deep."

"We're not stupid Rory," Singh said. "You and James were practically joint at the hip at every single Quidditch practice, not to mention you'd sometimes blow of parties to hang out with each other. James loves parties! And you're telling me that you were never close?"

She felt a pang in her chest at the memories of them hanging out all the time. "Whatever, Singh. You're not my therapist."

"I'm your captain," he said firmly. "And if you ever need to talk, about anything, you find me and we'll talk."

"Why are you being so nice?" she mumbled. 

"Because I care Rory. Is that so hard to believe?" he frowned.

Yeah she thought in her head. "No," she shook her head. "But I'm fine, so you don't need to worry."

"You better not be lying," he shot her a smile.

"I'm not."

She didn't return the smile.

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Her stupid friends were crowded together on the couch, which made it impossible for Rory to go up to her dorm, so she decided to go back down to the Quidditch pitch. They had the cup finals a month from today, and they were playing Slytherin. The thought of another bludger to her ribs made her wince. Would James still catch her?