Oak Trees

Hospital Wing

"She still looks pretty awful."

"Well, she got hit by a truck and fell 40 yards. Let's chuck you out of Flitwicks window and see how you look."

"A right bit better then he normally does..." Riley   mumbled, stirring to the sound of her teammates around her. She opened her eyes to see everyone gawking at her. Charles flashed her a handsome grin and sat on the edge of her bed. She looked teary eyed at Jackson.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I didn't see him coming. If you want to make me a chaser again I understand, I won't argue-"

"Riley, what are you on about?" Jackson's smile fell and he sat on the other side of her bed. "Why would I make you a chaser again?"

"Because I lost us the game!" She whimpered, sitting up and groaning in pain. "You told me to watch out for Turrett and I didn't!"

Everyone looked at her, then eachother, and laughed.

"Riley, do you not remember talking to me? While you were on the ground?" Charles asked. She shook her head. "Well, you had the snitch in your hand when you did."

"I-I caught it? We won?" Riley looked around. Everyone nodded. She cracked a smile. "I bet Turrett was mad."

"Oooh," Mason said. "Not as mad as McGonagall. I thought she was gonna rip his ear off."

"He's got a few weeks worth of detention with Slughorn. He was calm, Riley. Freakiest thing I ever saw." Elroy gave an exaggerated shudder and everyone laughed.

"You've got a few admirers, too" Jackson smirked. "4 have come to see you. 3 Griffyndors and a Slytherin."

Riley flushed bright red as she turned her head, ever so sore, to see a nightstand full of sweets and flowers and books.

She knew who the Slytherin must be. But who could be the Griffyndors?

They all rifled through the parcels together

"Your mother left these when she came," Charles said, handing her a box of strawberry bunt cakes. "and also made sure to tell me I was very handsome, but too old for you."

This comment made Masons face flush.

Riley chuckled, then her face fell. "My mother came? How long have I been out?"

"It's Monday afternoon." Jackson said flatly. "This one is from the girls in your dorm." He put a box of chocolate frogs on the bed.

"Monday?! Oh, Slughorn will have my head! I haven't started on the moonstone essay-"

"This is from Slughorn." Lock said curtly, handing her a pumpkin pasty. "He dropped by to tell you not to worry about the essay, and apologize for his teams behavior."

Riley blushed and smiled.

"And these, are from your Griffyndor admirers." Charles was tossing things on her bed. Chocolate frogs, cauldron cakes, taffy, flowers, a figurine of a snitch, and a stuffed lion

"Did they say who they were? Ive never so much as spoken to a boy from Griffyndor!" Riley was exasperated and overwhelmed.

"Well, I know one of them is the guy that was checking our brooms. The other, I think was the announcer. And the third was James Potter, the Griffyndor seeker. He brought the snitch. He was rightly impressed." Jackson smirked.

"And this is from that loner Slytherin." Charles plopped a beaten book on her lap, and a card on top of it.

"Culver,
Saw your game. You did well.
Don't know how long you'll be in the hospital wing, Pomfrey said you're pretty busted. Thought you might enjoy this, I had my mother send it from home.
Hope to see you soon,
-Severus."

Riley's cheeks turned bright red and she grinned as she read it. In her lap sat a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, a book Riley mentioned in passing she wanted to get at the store in Hogsmead.

"You've become quite fanciable." Daniel Fayne said with a smirk. Riley folded up her paper.

"Did the Griffyndor boys... say anything?"

"The mean looking one? No, not really, he seemed pretty shy. The one that did the announcements was nice, said it was his favorite game he's seen since he's been here. That made Potter shut up, who was going on and on about different quidditch plays. Right full of himself, isn't he?" Elroy explained.

"And it was just me and Elroy up here when the Slytherin boy came with the book. He didn't say much either, just that he hopes to see you soon, and something about a blue bird." Charles said.

"Well the way you were staring him down, I don't think he felt at liberty to talk much!" Elroy joked. "But, he has no business up here. Slytherins."

"Hey, he's..." Riley started, then blushed. "Just don't pick on him anymore, okay?"

"Oooh, Riley fancies him!" Elroy said shocked. Masons face turned bright pink.

"I uh, I just remembered I have transfiguration homework to do." Mason said, standing.

"Oh? What did I miss?" Riley sat up straighter, not noticing the jealous expression on his face. Mason, however, was walking out the door.

"What's gotten into him?" Riley asked, surprised. The boys just chuckled.

"Alright, boys," madam Pomfrey clapped her hands together. "Got quite enough people wanting to visit Miss Culver and the lot of you have been up here enough. Go outside or something." 

Charles turned back to Riley and smiled. "Alright, squirt. We will be back later." He ruffled her hair and she smiled brightly.

"You think Masons gonna buck up and ask her out?" Elroy patted Jackson on the back as soon as they were out of earshot.

"They'd be cute, but i don't think Mason'll do it. However, I like the idea of her and Charles." Jackson responded, not quite joking, but Elroy laughed.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure madam culver would just adore that!" Elroy straightened his back and wagged his finger, miming clutching a necklace and putting a foul look on his face. "You are much too old for my baby girl! Don't even let those thoughts in your head!"

Jackson laughed and put his hands up, mimicking the panicked look that was on Charles face the day before, and they both cracked up the the point of tears.

A few feet ahead, Charles is working his jaw as Severus passes them, going to visit Riley again.

—

"You're awake." He said flatly, letting a smile play at his lips.

"Yeah, guess it's been a while..." Riley blushed and smirked, still holding the card tightly in her hands as if she was afraid to lose it. "I really appreciate the gift, it was thoughtful. Did you enjoy the game?"

"You mean other than my house making absolute asses of themselves? Yes, I suppose." He pulled a chair up by his bed. "Your team Is..."

"Intense?"

"Yeah..."

"I told them to stop picking on you."

Serveurs just stared at her for a minute, willing his face not to blush. Her team had never truly picked on him, not in the way others did. Did she really tell them that? What were they saying that provoked her to? Was that their intention yesterday, when they were so cold, was that their version of bullying? Was-

"I hope they listen..." Riley pulled him out of her thoughts. "For their sake. I know a lot more about what they're afraid of, and it's worse than treefrogs."