Skye and the Borrowed Broomstick
If you looked at it from the outside, Quidditch wasn’t really for Skye. She wasn’t an especially physical girl, to begin with - she did better on the inside, even though she wasn’t a bookworm like Leo and Jemma were. But she couldn’t help herself - flying like this seemed like so much fun, and she had done well during her first-year lessons. But now that she was in her second year, she missed flying. And given that she had been raised in an orphanage and basically had so money, she was too poor to have a broom of her own.
So, she borrowed Grant Ward’s broom once in a while, and flew around the Quidditch Stadium.
- You’re going to get caught, Jemma warned her, a look of worry on her face.
- I wouldn’t want to be you when it happens, Leo said. He’s scary.
Well, Skye wasn’t scared of anyone.
And yet, when he caught her using his broom one evening, in the stadium, she couldn’t help but shake in her boots a little.
- I know you’ve been stealing my broom.
Skye swallowed : he was just so tall, and he had a dark look on his face. The obscurity wasn’t helping. Still, she wasn’t about to cry and beg for forgiveness.
- I prefer the term “borrowing”, she said, with as much bravado as she could muster.
He glared at her, and she glanced away for a second, staring at her feet before looking up :
- I wanted to practice, she muttered.
- They have brooms at school.
- They’re old ! I wanted to try a real broom.
- Why my broom ? You could have taken a girl’s broom. Would have saved you the trouble from sneaking into our dorm.
- Hum… sense of adventure ? Skye offered, grinning.
- If you wanted to borrow my broom, all you had to do was ask.
Skye’s eyes widened a bit, and she frowned :
- I thought you didn’t like me.
- I don’t.
She scoffed. Grant shifted on his feet a little, crossing his arms, looking slightly irritated :
- Well, don’t blame me, he said. You’re the one who’s been stealing my broom !
- I’m sorry, Skye retorted. Well, you can rest easy. I won’t do it anymore. I suck. I’m a terrible flyer. I was all right on an old broom last year, but everytime I try to do anything remotely impressive, I fail, so.
It hurt to admit it, and Skye looked away again, horrified at the tears that were burning her eyes. No. She wasn’t going to cry in front of an older student. No way. She clenched her jaw, lifting her chin, and handed the broom back to Grant, staring away from his face.
- You don’t suck.
Skye glanced up : had she heard it right ?
- What ? she said blankly.
The boy sighed, as though it was physically hurting him to speak
- You don’t suck, he repeated. I’ve seen you. You’re not good, but that’s only because nobody taught you. You… you have potential.
Skye stared. And stared.
- I… I … what ?
- You heard me, Skye.
- Wait. You know my name ? You know who I am ?
Skye coudn’t believe her ears. The third-year student had never paid much attention to her at all. His frown deepened at her words :
- Of course I know, he said, with a bit of an edge to his voice. You’re in my house. I know who you are.
- Really, Skye said, skeptical.
- Yeah, Grant replied, sounding slightly irritated. You’re the one who’s always hanging out with those two Ravenclaws.
- Those two Ravenclaws ? They have names, you know.
- I know they do ! It’s Fitz and Simmons.
- Which one is Fitz, and which one is Simmons ?
Grant glared, and Skye felt a little chastised. Perhaps it wasn’t very wise on her part to provoke the boy she had been stealing from, but she had never been very restrained in that department.
- Anyway, she added, clearing her throat. Here’s your broom back. Sorry again.
- Don’t do it again.
As soon as Grant took his broom back, Skye nodded and disappeared into the night. No use sticking around.
The next day, she actively avoided him (which provided quite difficult, given that they were both in Gryffindor). Still, she managed to sneak off to class unnoticed, and caught up with Leo and Jemma afterwards, telling them about her night immediatly. Needless to say, they were both shocked.
- He just let you off the hook ? Leo said.
- That’s nice of him, Jemma commented.
- Yeah, I guess, Skye said, looking around as they walked towars the greenhouse for their next class. I half expected him to tell on me. Or something.
- You could have told us you wanted to practice flying, Jemma said. I think my dad has an old broom - I could ask him to mail it to me. He wouldn’t mind.
Skye smiled, but the idea of receiving charity from a friend made her uneasy.
- Thanks, she answered. But I’ll figure something out.
- Skye !
The student froze at the sound of a familiar voice. She turned at the same time as her friends, and the trio watched as they spotted Grant Ward running towards them. In the distance, a fourth-year girl with short black hair waited for him, her arms crossed. Skye glanced at her, then back at Grant as he reached her. The boy briefly looked at Jemma and Leo, before motioning to Skye to come closer. Gulping, the girl glanced at her friends, who were looking at her as though she was facing execution, and took a few steps towards Grant.
- Listen, she said. About the broom thing…
- Do you want help ?
Skye froze mid-sentence, frowning.
- What ? What did you say ?
- I asked you if you wanted help, Grant repeated, sighing, as though he was speaking against his own will. I can help you with your flying.
- Are you serious ? Skye said, absolutely bewildered.
Grant frowned, his eyes narrowing :
- Look, if you don’t want me to…
- I do ! Skye interrupted him quickly, her eyes widening. Oh, I do, I really do ! I was just…. did someone cast a spell on you ?
- No. Melinda thought it was a good idea.
Skye glanced at the older girl who was waiting for Grant. Melinda May was a legend in the Gryffindor House - apparently, she had made quite an impression in her first year. She often saw Grant and Melinda together, which made an odd sort of sense. Neither of them seemed to enjoy talking very much.
- Tell her thanks, Skye said, beaming. Does this mean you’ll lend me your broom ?
- No, Grant answered. You’ll take a school broom. But I’ll teach you a few things.
- That’s really nice of you.
- Yeah. Well.
He glanced uneasily towards Jemma and Leo, who were openly staring at them quizzically. Then, without saying goodbye, he returned to his friend, leaving Skye completely stunned.
- What happened ? Leo asked as she walked back towards them.
- He… he offered to teach me to fly.
- What ? Are you sure ?
- Yes, I’m sure. Can you believe it ?
- I really can’t, Jemma said, shaking her head.
- He couldn’t resist my charming personality, Skye said.
- You cursed him, didn’t you ? Leo retorted.
Skye stuck out his tongue at him. As they started walking again, Jemma turned to glance towards Grant, who was walking away with Melinda. The young girl narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.
- That boy is an enigma, she muttered. He’s really very odd.
- And we’re not ? Skye commented, grinning. Come on, we’re going to be late for class.
****************
Jemma still had trouble believing Skye was getting flying lessons from Grant Ward, of all people, but she supposed it made sense. The boy did have a heroic side, didn’t he ? He was nice. Maybe she had misjudged his silence for shyness. After all, she could be quite awkward with others too, couldn’t she ?
Skye often complained about his teaching methods, but Jemma could tell her friend was fond of the older boy, and quite happy to be learning so much. She wanted to try out for the quidditch team the following year - an endeavor in which Jemma encouraged her a lot. Leo was more subdued, but he wasn’t fond of Quidditch at all. Still, as the end of their second year approached, Leo and Jemma studied in the stadium, sitting on the bleachers, while Skye was flying around with Grant.
- Skye, careful ! Grant yelled as Skye flew past him at high speed.
- Look at me ! I’m a bird ! Whooo !
- You’re going to break your neck, Grant muttered.
Jemma giggled at Skye’s eccentric flying, and turned back to Leo, biting her pencil as she looked over her book.
- All right. Defence against the Dark Arts. We’re sure to do a Disarming charm, right ? That was the most important spell of the year.
- Maybe the Tongue-Tying Curse, Leo observed. Do you have Curses and Counter-Curses with you ?
- Hang on…
The young girl ruffled through her schoolbag until she found her manual, handing it to Leo. She looked up again, spotting Skye talking heatedly with Grant. They really seemed to be bickering all the time. Skye finally sighed, nodding, and started flying around the stadium, circling around the poles with resignation. Jemma looked down at her Defence of the Dark Arts essay (she liked re-reading her previous works before an exam) and only looked up when Leo nudged her.
Grant was hovering above them, nonchalantly holding on to his broom - he looked as though he simply belonged on it. He was looking at the two students.
- Hi.
Leo raised his eyebrows and Jemma tilted her head, hiding her surprise. He was talking to them. Of his own accord. Odd.
- Hi, she answered, recovering quickly.
Grant’s eyes returned to Skye, and he frowned.
- Straighten up, Skye ! he bellowed at the girl, who was slouched over her broom. Posture, posture !
At the other boy’s loud words, Leo covered his ears, wincing, and exchanged a quick glance with Jemma. The girl looked at Grant, struggling for something to say. After all, he was Skye’s friend, wasn’t he ? And she had never forgotten the way he’d protected Leo and her during their first train ride to Hogwarts.
- So, do you…
Jemma’s eyes widened as the boy flew away towards Skye once again, completely ignoring her. She turned towards Leo, who rolled his eyes.
- Unbelievable, Jemma muttered. He’s so…
- Pretentious ?
- Do you think he even remembers he talked to us, last year ? Jemma pondered, irritated. It’s like he doesn’t see us. I know he’s in his third-year…
- He probably thinks we’re nerds.
- Really ?
- Well, we are, Leo observed.
- Still. That is no reason to be so…
She struggled to find the words. Then again, Grant wasn’t mean to them - he was simply ignoring their very existence. Why had he even come to greet them ? Had Skye threatened to hex him if he didn’t say hello ?
Jemma sighed, and returned to her books, brushing it off. She was determined to give a chance to everyone, and she absolutely refused to dislike him. He was Skye’s friend, and she would be supportive.
She was going to smile at Grant Ward everytime she saw him, even if she broke her face doing so.