After the Match
PERCY WEASLEY'S HEART WAS ALREADY RACING from jumping up and down so wildly when he saw that his House had won the quidditch match, so it felt like it would actually burst from his chest when he turned a corner still humming and somebody threw their arms around him unexpectedly.
His heart stopped for a moment altogether when he realized who had grabbed onto him as Mirabella spun him around, beaming at him. "You guys won!"
"Yes!" she startled as his words came out in a shout before he coughed and nodded vigorously, pushing his glasses up. "I mean, yes, we did."
She grinned, "Don't act all indifferent, I saw you in the field."
"Ah, yes, due to the sudden occurrence I got a bit too excited, and I know I must have looked rather silly-"
"I thought you looked brilliant." he blinked as she smiled at him, "A real Gryffindor, rouring loud enough for his brothers to hear him cheering for them on the sidelines. Very sweet and very brilliant, but, you know," she fluttered her eyelashes jokingly. "That's what I like about you, Percy Weasley."
He flushed red, "Th-thanks. We should both probably go to our common rooms now, celebrations and all and...and stuff."
"Aw, running away before you even say what you like about me? How impolite, I'm so hurt I could cry~" she said dramatically, shielding her eyes as she looked down, before she peeked through her fingers with a smile. "I'm just kidding of-"
"I like-" Mirabella blinked. "About Mira, well-" Percy was going to die choking on his words. "About you specifically I like...Well, I like everything about-"
"PERCY!" Both seventh years jumped as Fred and George came running down the hall holding many treats and goods from Hogsmeade they always got during celebrations, though Percy never knew how. Fred grinned, "Perce, come on the parties already starting and I know how much you love being a chaper...oh?"
Fred and George looked from Percy's beet red complexion to Mirabella's stoned face expression as she looked at them.
"Did we perhaps..." George grinned, "Interrupt something?"
"You two are the worst!" Percy hissed as the twins began to snicker.
"I think you're both wicked, but I can't help but agree with that statement at the moment." Mirabella sighed as she glanced over at him and smiled, "How about we finish this conversation we were having later?"
Percy's heart skipped a beat before he said, calmly, "What conversation were we having, exactly?"
Mirabella stared at him for a moment before huffing a half-amused, half exasperated breath. "I don't know whether to think that's cute of you or downright annoying so before I figure that it's the latter rather than the former, I'll be off." she looked to the twins smiling, "You two are in my black book for the day, but very good job on your win."
The three Weasley's watched her as she went.
"I don't know what we just interrupted..." Fred said after a moment. "But...we're sorry?"
Percy considered the situation and sighed, shaking his head as he gestured for them to begin walking towards the common room.
"You better be."
* * *
DRACO MALFOY DIDN"T BOTHER GOING BACK to the Slytherin common room after the match, not feeling like sitting around moping and complaining about the 'cheating tactics' of the Gryffindor's until late at night. Instead, he left quickly before Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, or Blaise could spot him and descended down the stairs to the hall that led to his spot and slipped through the caution door-seeming able to breathe for the first time since the end of the match as he leaned heavily against the balcony of his area and sighed.
Bloody Hell, he thought as he gave another long sigh. I'm disappointed.
Why was it that Potter always got ahead of him no matter what? The boy had been a bloody muggle for eleven years of his life while Draco had practiced vigorously for years and yet...
And yet...
He allowed himself one more sigh of self-pity before he told himself to look up and when he did, he faced the grounds of Hogwarts and felt better.
On the bright side, Draco, maybe it's just a little bit for the best then that stupid Potter one...
He thought about how the show-off rose above the crowds, immediately turning to aim his smile at a cheering Weasel-Pup and Know-It-All Granger who ran towards him as though they could leap so high with joy, they could tackle him in the sky...
Because you wouldn't really know who to have looked to if you won.