Hey guys! Really sorry about not updating but I've been really busy with school - I'm doing my best, I promise!
Al, like Harry, was very excited when it was announced they'd be doing flying lessons together. All the way through History of Magic, she counted down the minutes until she could finally ride a broomstick for the first time. She and Draco were among the first to arrive and Draco scrambled to pick them out some decent brooms. Soon enough, Harry arrived with the rest of the Gryffindors and stood opposite her, grinning with excitement.
Madame Hooch, the quidditch referee, began by guiding them through how best to mount a broom and then instructed them on how to get into the air. Before she could blow the whistle, however, Neville began to rise slowly into the air. "Jump down Neville!" Al shouted at him when it showed no sign of slowing. But poor Neville was frozen on the broom in fear. Without thinking, she kicked off the ground and flew smoothly into the air. Flying was a lot easier than it sounded.
She thought she heard Madame Hooch shouting at her to get down, but right now it was far more important for Neville to get down. She reached him when he was thirty feet in the air and lowered her broom ever so slightly. "Get on my broom, Neville," she told him encouragingly, "nothing to worry about, you won't fall." He looked for a moment as though he wouldn't move, but when his broom moved an inch or so higher, he nodded and slid sideways off his broom.
The school broomsticks were clearly not built for more than one person, because it proved a lot harder to get back down but the pair eventually landed. Al heard a whoop from Draco and she grinned at him, before turning to the fast-approaching Madame Hooch. "That was a foolish thing to do," she told her, "however you flew very well. Five points to Slytherin."
Eventually, they all got into the air and were flying around each other. Al managed a loop-the-loop at one point and Draco began teaching her barrel rolls. Suddenly though, they heard a yelp of surprise from Ron's direction. Harry was dive-bombing towards the ground, as fast as his broom would go, chasing after a rapidly falling glass ball. It seemed Neville had dropped his rememberall.
Just when Al thought he'd crash into the ground, he curved back up to the sky. Scattered applause sounded from those who dared to let go of their broomsticks, and many people cheered him on. Madame Hooch flew over on told him about how it was a stupid thing to do on such an unreliable broom.
There was a sudden shout from down below as McGonagall approached them on the ground, Madame Hooch flew down and beckoned for Harry to follow her. Al, Draco and the rest of the class watched as the conversation unfolded - Harry looked like he might be sick. They watched as Hooch nodded and McGonagall led Harry away. From next to Al, Draco started laughing. "Shut up," she muttered to him.
"Why should I?" he asked argumentatively.
"Fine then, don't. Keep laughing, see where that gets you," she said and flew down to where Ron was chatting to Neville and another Gryffindor boy.
*****
"I can't believe it! You're sure she said seeker?" Ron asked for the third time in ten minutes over dinner. Harry nodded over his food and glanced nervously up at Al for the fifth time in ten minutes.
"What?" she pestered.
"Where's Draco? You haven't spoken to him," he pointed out quietly.
"He was just being a little git, so I've ditched him for a bit," Harry gave her a confused look. "He was laughing at the thought of you being in trouble," she added as an explanation.
"Well, good riddance I say," Ron said, helping himself to more chicken pie.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Al asked.
"As you said - he's a little git," Ron responded calmly.
"He isn't all the time!" she said, defending him, much to her dismay.
"I must say, I agree with Ron on this one," Hermione said, butting in as usual.
"Who asked you, Granger?" Al retorted slyly. She really couldn't stand this girl.
"There's no need to start on Hermione!" Ron said, jumping to her defence.
"Who's side are you on?" Al said, turning back to Ron.
"Definitely not yours!"
"But Granger's?" Ron didn't reply. Al turned to Harry, who shrugged and looked down at his food.
"Five points from Slytherin!" came a sharp voice from behind them. Al turned to see McGonagall striding towards the group's area of the table. "Really Miss Dursley, if you're going to cause such a commotion then I can't allow you to sit at this table."
"I- what?" Al responded in confusion. She hadn't realised people were watching.
"Please return to your house table. Some of us are trying to enjoy a peaceful meal," McGonagall repeated. Her face contorting into a frown, she picked up her plate and stood.
"See you later, Harry," she said before striding across the room to the end of the Slytherin table. She could feel eyes on her but continued to walk. By the time she was at the table, she wasn't hungry anymore, so she placed her plate on the table and left to go to the library before it closed.