Eerie October mist hung around the castle making it vaguely resemble gothic ruins, with the occasional spire or lit up window breaking through the thick fog. Ron and Violet were walking up the grounds from the Quidditch pitch - they had been doing a last practice before the tryouts tomorrow. Ron had asked Violet to help practice because Harry was busy and Hermione had refused to get on a broom ever since first year. Violet was a decent flyer; she was nowhere near the standard of the Gryffindor Quidditch team but she was good enough to help Ron practice.
They were both laden with mud given that the fog had condensed on the pitch making the mud wet and slippery. The pair had occasionally got distracted from their Quidditch practice to race around the pitch and would try to knock each other off their brooms in order to win - hence the state they were now in. Violet was very aware of her soiled Quidditch uniform because it was Ginny's and Violet knew she needed it for the tryouts tomorrow.
"Gin's gonna kill you, you know"
"Merlin, don't say that" Violet said whilst picking some dry mud from the end of her ponytail. "Do you really think she'll be angry?"
"No - course not. I was only kidding" Ron laughed, bashing shoulders with Violet. "Mostly"
"Oh shut up Ronald" Violet playfully punched him in the shoulder.
"Ow, that hurt" he said, rubbing his bicep.
"Hey, Ron. You know dinner ends in fifteen minutes right?"
Ron's face went pale and his eyes widened. "We can't miss dinner!"
"Don't be stupid, we won't. I'll race you to the great hall." and with that Violet shot ahead and Ron chased behind yelling "cheat!" every so often. They ran up the grassy slopes and across the bridge eventually coming to a stop in the entrance hall, Violet hit the stone and declared herself the winner.
"Yeah whatever" Ron smiled. "Come on then - Harry and 'Mione are already sat down" then Ron wandered into the great hall. Violet hung back a few seconds to catch her breath.
"Didn't peg you as a Quidditch player" a snide voice stated behind her, she turned to see Malfoy leaning against the opposite wall . He looked like a shadow in the poorly lit entrance hall, with his suit blending into the darkness.
They hadn't spoken since their detention and he seemed to be avoiding her avidly for the past month; anytime Violet looked in his direction he would quickly avert his gaze or if she were to walk down a corridor he was in he would turn on his heel and leave.
She couldn't work out why he'd been avoiding her. Granted, she did attack him in detention - but she had a feeling it had nothing to do with that.
Plus he started it.
And the jumper. She knew it was his - it couldn't have been anyone else's. She just couldn't fathom why on earth he would have, not only, given her his jumper but also carried her to the table. Violet had pondered these thoughts for the past month, although she knew she would never ask him.
"I'm not a Quidditch player, I was just helping Ron practice" She walked towards where he was leaning.
"Weaslebee's trying out for the Gryffindor team - that'll be a laugh, I might come and watch" Malfoy jeered, raising his eyebrows.
"Don't make fun of him - he's really good. He's going to make the team" Violet frowned.
"Yeah sure, if you say so"
"I'm assuming you're going for seeker this year?" Violet folded her arms over her front.
"Dropped Quidditch this year. I have more important things to do." He looked down at her and they made eye contact for the first time "Anyway..."
He then turned and left leaving Violet alone in the corridor.
He's so odd.
A crowd started to emerge from the great hall, signalling that dinner had finished. She turned around and spotted her three friends leaving the hall and ambled over to them.
"Violet, you missed dinner. I grabbed you some leftovers" Hermione smiled as she handed Violet a brown box and they started to walk up the stairs to their common room. "You know Ginny's not going to be pleased about-"
"Gardner!" Violet turned to see Ginny at the bottom of the stairs "Is that my Quidditch uniform!" Ginny started to march up the stairs and Violet broke into a sprint to the common room.
*****
Violet left the shower with a towel wrapped around her and was pulling the last bits of mud from her hair, she looked over to Hermione's bed to find the witch fast asleep. Violet beamed at her as her chest rose and fell and her eyelids twitched.
I wonder what Hermione dreams about.
Violet changed into her plaid pyjama bottoms and oversized top that she had laid out on her bed. She brushed her damp hair and cast a drying charm, looking in the mirror as her hair dropped into it's familiar ringlets. Then Violet heard a faint tapping on the window. It was her mother's owl, Polaris.
Violet opened the window and took the letter from it's clutch. Polaris affectionately stroked her head against Violet's hand and perched on the desk waiting for Violet's response.
Violet sat on her bed and opened the letter.
My Dearest Violet,
I hope Quidditch practice went well and I'm sure Ron is looking forward to tryouts tomorrow! Do let me know when he finds out if he's made the team.
I just wanted to ask you about half term next week, I would love it if you could come home for the holiday. I know it's only for a week but I would love to see you and there's something I need to talk to you about - nothing you need worry yourself over, of course.
Let me know if it's possible for you to come home, it's fine if not.
Love from,
Mum
Violet went over to her desk and grabbed some parchment and ink to write her response.
Dear Mum,
Quidditch went brilliantly, Ron's an excellent player and I'm certain he'll make the team - I'll update you after tryouts.
I'm sure I'll be able to come home for the holidays. There is a ball on Halloween night and I would love to stay for that but I can come home the next morning and spend the rest of the week with you.
What is it you need to speak to me about, why can't you tell me in a letter?
Love,
Violet
She lightly blew on the parchment to dry the ink and then folded it and gave it to Polaris. She watched as the owl took flight over the shimmering loch and disappeared into the twilight. Her mind wandered over what her mum could've wanted to tell her that she couldn't have just written in a letter.
Her mind kept circling to one thought. Lance.
Surely not, why would she need to talk about him.
However improbable the idea was, it unsettled Violet and she leant her elbows on the desk and buried her face in her hands trying to push the thought to the back of her mind.
She lifted her head after a few minutes and looked around her dorm. Her eyes landed on the dresser.
She walked across the room and crouched next to it opening the bottom drawer, pushing the clothes in it aside she reached to the bottom of the drawer and pulled out a grey jumper. The grey jumper. Malfoy's jumper.
His scent was starting to fade from the garment - but it still faintly lingered.
Violet lifted the jumper closer and pressed it to the side of her face, closing her eyes; she wasn't sure why but it brought a great sense of comfort and relief. She inhaled heavily, absorbing the scent, and exhaled all of her negative thoughts. When Violet reopened her eyes she seemed to snap back to her senses and tossed the jumper back into the drawer and closed it with her foot.
She stomped towards the bed and climbed between the sheets. She huffed in frustration when she thought of what she'd just done. She had to return the jumper.
*****
It was a very brisk morning and Violet and Hermione had got up early to watch the tryouts, they were sitting on the grassy knoll around the edge of the pitch. It was so cold on the Quidditch pitch that when they spoke puffs of vapour escaped their mouths.
"I wish they would bloody hurry up, I'm freezing" Violet complained wrapping her arms around herself.
"Violet, so, the Halloween ball is just under a week away - do you have any idea what you're going as?"
"I haven't really given it much thought to be honest"
"Violet" Hermione whined "I'm going as a bat, Harry's a vampire, Ron's a scarecrow and Ginny's little red riding hood."
"The boys have already sorted their costumes?" Violet questioned raising her eyebrows.
"Well not exactly - I haven't told them yet, but they will. We're going to Hogsmeade on Friday to buy our costumes, so we just need to decide yours."
"I really don't know 'Mione"
"We'll just see what we can find in Hogsmeade - it'll be fun" Hermione grinned tugging at her arm forcing a smile onto Violet's face, "Look! They're flying up now"
The girls watched as each player assumed their position with Harry watching in the middle. There were a few people up in the stands, Luna was sitting by herself with Lavender sitting a few benches infront - head to toe in Gryffindor paraphernalia. Violet occasionally heard her whisper something like "Come on won won" to herself.
"Hey 'Mione, I think you might have some competition" Violet teased, nudging Hermione with her elbow. Hermione just laughed and rolled her eyes.
The players started the game of Quidditch - there was no commentator for the tryouts so they just had to keep a close eye on the players.
Ginny was fantastic. She ducked, rolled, dived and scored multiple times, there was no doubt she would be a chaser. Violet noticed Harry smiling across the pitch whenever Ginny scored.
Ron on the other hand took a more awkward approach. He was technically defending the goal - just not in the typical way. He hit the quaffle with his head a couple of times and almost fell off his broom at one point.
His competition was McLaggen and he was a superpurb player. He was also a bit of a stud, all of the younger year Gryffindor girls had a crush on him; but he seemed more interested in a certain nerdy brunette. Whenever McLaggen blocked a goal he would look at Hermione with a cocky smirk which she grimaced at.
"Merlin! He's foul" Hermione retorted.
The girls started to worry for Ron seeing as it didn't look like McgLaggen was going to miss a goal anytime soon. That was until on the last goal McLaggen seemed to duck out of the way of the quaffle instead of block it. Violet glanced over to Hermione who was covering her mouth with her hand.
"'Mione! I can't believe you just did that"
"I don't know what you mean" she smirked.
The girls left the stands and headed towards the players to congratulate Ron and Ginny.
"Gin you were absolutely incredible. I mean you didn't miss a single shot" Violet exclaimed, embracing Ginny.
"She was brilliant wasn't she?"
Harry appeared from behind Ginny and she blushed profusely.
"Well done Ron. You played really well" Lavender chimed in staring at Ron, she looked as though she wanted to say something else but decided against it.
"Uh yeah, thanks Lavender. Guys you saw me didn't you - I was pretty good, right?"
"You were great Ronald" Hermione laughed, patting Ron on the shoulder.
"Right can we all go back inside now - not being funny but it's cold as shit out here and I think I might catch hypothermia" Violet announced to the group.
"Come on then drama queen" Hermione slung her arm around Violet's neck as they headed back to the castle.
****
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