Storms Ahead

|Chapter Seventy three : Back|

"Hello girl" I greeted quietly to Astra, watching amused as she let out a happy noise, moving her head about as I opened her stall and she trotted out happily, continuing to throw her head about as it started to gently drizzle with rain and I called her over as she hit her head against mine and I started laughing. Grabbing the brush from inside the stall I rested my hand on her neck as she let out what resembled a huff

"Yes, yes I know. You don't like the rain" I laughed as I started brushing her down. Stopping awhile later I tapped each leg individually as she raised them and I checked her hooves before I gently brushed her mane and tail, leading her into the stall again as I smiled at her before turning with a slight sigh, heading in the direction of the changing room. Opening my locker I smiled slightly at my robes before changing into them, putting my jumper back into the locker I started pulling my robe on as the door swung open a couple of times

"Oh thank Merlin!"

"Calm down Flint-"

"Fuck off Pucey, I can be happy"

"Need a hand with those?" Nodding to Miles who had appeared at my side quietly I turned as he started lacing the ties together before finishing it off in a knot a moment or so later

"Thank you"

"No, I'm to say thank you to you"

"No, I was on about coming back. As in: thank you for not quitting"

"Did you really think I was going to quit?"

"You seemed sincere about it. Had us worried for a good while" he mumbled quietly before pulling his jumper on as I gave him a small smile

"I wasn't going to actually quit"

"Good. We weren't going to let you anyway"

"Brutal"

"No it's just that we want to win again this year" he told me with a grin as I smiled slightly before the two of us pulled our brooms out and glanced at each other

"Are you ever going to-?"

"No. My broom is my broom and it's the best. I prefer it over that make"

"Why?"

"I feel more safe on my own broom, I know it better. But it's better for sharp turns and can go twice as high as the 2001"

"I won't deny that these lack height but they don't lack speed"

"Speed means nothing. You've got to be a good player and flier to make it count" I told him as he nodded slightly and we left, walking out as I felt a clap to my back while I looked at Adrian as we walked with grins

"Flint looks like he's on the verge of tears-"

"What? Why?" I asked laughing as he helped me drag the ball box out as everybody else started making their way over

"He's that happy you didn't quit. I've never seen so much emotion from him before. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever seen him show emotion before in general-"

"I heard that Pucey!"

"Christ, and I always thought he was deaf" he muttered with a grin as the two of us started laughing quietly as I pulled the quaffle out, throwing it and catching it with a grin before putting it back in

"He might have selective hearing. You never know" I told him quietly as the two of us muffled our laughter

"Are you two talking about me?"

"Obviously-"

"Well spotted"

"I'll let you off, just because you're back" Flint told me after a moments pause as I grinned at him and he started talking, instantly zoning out until I was tapped on the head a couple of moments later

"What's happening?"

"Kick off" Miles told me as I nodded, walking over to the trunk as I unlocked the bludgers, watching as they zoomed up and I picked the quaffle up, about the throw it up when I stopped

"Black"

"Malfoy" I greeted quietly after he had appeared beside me as I glanced at him, watching as he went to open his mouth as I cut across him

"Look, Malfoy. I don't trust you. And I don't like things I don't trust" I explained to him quickly and quietly as he stared at me while I threw the ball up to Flint, kicking off afterwards.