Because I Love You (D.M)

Chapter 16: The Kids Are Alright

I cast a glance up at the sky. The gray clouds were spitting snow, but nothing too bad. The stands were filling slowly with sleepy students and faculty. From my vantage point, I couldn't tell if Ernie had made it here or not. Hannah never missed a game, but she was gone. I brushed that aside and my brain landed on what had gone down with Malfoy and Potter at breakfast. I suppose Harry could've figured out what happened with Katie Bell, but was chasing Malfoy really necessary? Zach called me back to the grounds by shaking my shoulders.

"Got it, Davis?" He asked.

"Got what?" I frowned.

"Weren't you paying attention?" He hissed letting go of my shoulders.

"Yeah, paranoid Captain, bruised Beaters, missing Keeper," I summed up.

"No, about the weather."

"What about it?"

"It's snowing! Fly carefully, but win!" Zach shouted.

The snow had picked up a little, but I wasn't too concerned. Zach had us train in snow so we were ready for this. Madam Hooch called the Captains to the center of the field as the other teammates took to the snowy air. I soared up to our hoops and gazed out at the stands. The crowd was thin this morning, but most of the staff had shown up. I barely heard the whistle signaling the start of the game. I watched as Roger snapped up the Quaffle and made right for me. I steadied my broom, (which flew remarkably well), and calculated his approach. It was from my left side so I raised my left arm to defend the goal. Zach slammed right into him knocking the ball from his grasp. Malcolm had been flying right underneath and caught the Quaffle. He made a hard right and flew back down towards Ravenclaw's posts. Zach waved his hand at me and I followed him along with Heidi, Maxine, and Anthony in V-Formation. Summerby was circling above looking for the tiny Snitch. I never liked this formation because I had to leave my post, but we had a better chance of keeping the Ravenclaw off of Malcolm if everyone was there to defend him. He managed to sneak a score in and we sped back to our goals.

The snow was getting heavier and Chambers had slipped the Quaffle passed me twice already. Zach had been constantly slamming into Bradley and Davies just to get the Quaffle, but he was having trouble aiming to score a goal. I was not in the mood for another V-Formation, but he signaled and we all followed him as we had to defend Malcolm again. It was freezing cold and the score was twenty points Ravenclaw to ten points us. As I followed close through the thick snow, the game changed rather quickly.

I was intent on maintaining my position when something small and black smashed into my right shoulder. A sickening crunch resounded and I saw black spots dance before my eyes. I wasn't aware I was in pain as the cold had numbed my body substantially until I crashed heavily on the icy ground. Blinking did nothing to get rid of the black spots that swam larger and larger in my vision and I couldn't hear anything apart from a high-pitched droning in my ears. I fought hard to stay awake and alert, but the pain was too much for me and I sank into a black oblivion of nothing.

"Is she dead?"

"Shut up, Summerby!"

"She looks dead."

"I never knew anyone could be so pale."

"She fell at least a million feet."

"That's impossible."

"She's most definitely dead then."

I groaned and opened my bleary eyes. Seven concerned faces looked down at me from what I deduced must be a Hospital Wing bed. My six teammates all looked at me with a mix of concern and relief. Ernie towered above the rest from behind and grinned at me when I finally focused on him. I moved to reposition myself on the hoard of pillows propping me up. My shoulder and back screamed in protest so I slumped back on my pillows groaning again.