Black

XIX // Quidditch Commences

"We hath vanquished thy enemy!" cried Potter upon re-entering the Common Room to a loud chorus of cheers and raised glasses. 

"T'was a fight to the death, a most noble death by way of fisticuffs!" Black added, raising his fists into the air. 

"We only survived by the grit in our souls and the skin of our bones!" Potter said, not really making any sense. 

"Huzzah!" Black yelled at last, the word echoed by the onlooking Gryffindors. 

The Bloody Prat Duo then rejoined the party and I lost sight of them until Black popped up behind me, causing me to exclaim something that seemed to be a cross between a squawk and a shriek. Black started laughing and then immediately doubled over and winced, putting an end to my embarrassment fairly quickly. 

"You just had to go get yourself into a fight, didn't you, Black," I said, attempting to regain my composure. 

Black leaned against the wall beside us, poking gingerly at his knee. "Don't you mean to say, you just had to go and avenge the defenceless twelve year-old children who were viciously attacked for no reason, didn't you, Black?"

"Well you didn't have to fight them with your body, that's all," I grumbled. "We learn magic for a reason."

Black raised an eyebrow. "You're never going to admit that I did a good thing, are you."

It was a statement, not a question.

"I just think that maybe you should make more well thought out decisions, that's all."

"I try and I try, and yet, still nothing. You're always going to hate me, aren't you."

Again, a statement. 

"I don't hate you, Black, I just find you-"

"Incredibly attractive?" Black grinned, flicking his hair back.

"You know what, I actually do-"

"Sorry, Evelyn. That was uncalled for. You were being nice and I ruined it."

What? I stared at him blankly.

"Ooh, now that's an idea," he continued, talking to himself as if he had had a sudden epiphany, "perhaps if I was actually nicer to her and less full of myself, she might actually like me. How have I never considered that before now?"

I continued staring at him.

"Look! At the very least it'll make her quiet," he grinned.

I hit him on the arm. He winced.

"Sorry," I said reluctantly. "You're a very frustrating person."

"I am well aware of that fact, but thank you for your observation."

That was weird. We just had a briefly normal conversation.

"On that note, I actually came over here to see if you could, you know, patch me up a bit. Use those Charms skills for something other than hexing antlers on top of people's heads and the like."

"Why can't you just do it yourself? You've got magic same as me. Plus you deserved those antlers."

"Now now, Evelyn, I thought we were friends?" 

"That may not be an entirely accurate statement, Black. Are you so injured you're creating fantasies in your head?"

"Only about you, darling - dammit, I apologise again. I promise I'll work on that. Anyway, I could do it myself, but healing charms aren't exactly my forte, and so I trust you to do a better job than I will."