It's Nice To Have A Friend

34 - You Keep Me Hangin' On

Mallory, Sirius, and Diane sat together on the bleachers, waiting for Anthony's hockey game to begin. Mallory's hand rested on Sirius's lap, his fingers tracing its outline as the three teenagers chatted to pass the time.

"Mallory? What are you doing here?"

Mallory turned at the side of her mother's voice. As her mom approached, Mallory gently slipped her hand away from Sirius.

"I came home for the day," Mallory replied, a smile tugging at her lips.

Her dad followed a few steps behind her mom, eyes scanning the ice rink.

"How's your stomach?" her mom asked.

"It's better. I still can't play Quidditch, but it doesn't bother me anymore."

"Good."

Her mom's gaze shifted to Diane and Sirius. A smile stretched across her face. "Hello, Diane. Hello, Sirius."

"Diane!" Mallory's dad exclaimed, his voice louder than Mallory had expected, as if surprised to see her there.

Diane beamed as Mallory's parents settled into the seats behind them.

While she struck up a conversation with them, Mallory turned to Sirius. Neither spoke—they didn't have to. A warm, comfortable silence settled between them.

Eventually, Anthony's team skated onto the ice. Mallory leaned closer to Sirius, a smile stretched across her face.

"For years I had a huge crush on forty-nine," she whispered. "He never liked me back, though."

Sirius let out an amused laugh, craning his neck to look for the player. "You've got to start fancying better boys, Schmidt."

Mallory softly shoved him.

"That was rude," she muttered.

Sirius laughed, eyes following the players as they glided around the ice. "Wait," he said, brow furrowing.

He turned to Mallory. "The captain?"

Mallory nodded.

Sirius snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "You really think you're something."

Mallory rolled her eyes, shoving him again. "We used to be friends," she said. "But when he started to play on the same team as Tony, it was like he only saw me as Anthony's little sister."

Sirius glanced at the players again. "Does he think he's better than you or something?" he asked.

She shrugged, eyes falling on the boy she had pined over for years. "Probably. He's a hockey player—they usually have oversized egos," she grumbled.

"So?" Sirius scoffed. "You're Mallory Schmidt."

Mallory lifted her gaze to Sirius, finding his eyes already on her, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Blush crept into her cheeks as her own smile slowly spread across her face.

"Look, Mally, it's Richard," Diane whispered, nodding toward the player skating beside Anthony.

Sirius leaned in close to the two girls, an obnoxious smirk plastered across his face. "Who's Richard?" he pried.

Mallory groaned.

"Another player I had a thing for," she softly admitted. "He doesn't know I exist."

Sirius's amused expression twisted into one of mock judgment.

"Merlin, Mals... have you ever fancied someone half-decent?" he asked.

Mallory rolled her eyes. "I know. I know," she mumbled. "Just because they're not great doesn't mean they're not hot."