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Her hands tangled in his wavy brown locks she knew it drove him crazy. In a swift move, he hitched her legs around his waist and pushed her against the wall. Nesta gasped as his tongue ran down the side of her neck. She can almost feel his smirk as she squirmed in his arms. Her fingers yanked his head back and to his delighted surprise, she reached the hem of his jersey. He helped throw his jersey off, it being discarded somewhere in the dark closet. Nesta’s hands ran over the planes of his stomach and over his chest, a gesture that made him groan into the side of her neck. When she ground her hips into his he slammed her against the wall again, sliding his hands up her shirt towards the hem of her lacy bra.
“Yes, he should be in here somewhere.” Devlon’s rough voice boomed just outside the changing rooms. “The biggest match of the season and we can’t find him anywhere... unbelievable.” Devlon continued to grumble.
Nesta froze and Cassian threw on a flash of panic before gently setting her down. He put a finger to his lips and signaled to stay behind him. Nesta almost tripped on a set of broomsticks but was careful to not make a noise. Cassian whispered gently in her ear “I’ll be back,” and left her alone in the dark equipment closet. She was so embarrassed and thought about how this was karma for snogging the captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team in a shabby closet.
“Cassian my boy! This here is Rita Skeeter, coming to write about the Slytherin-Gryffindor match today and of course our star player.” Nesta crinkled her nose at the fake tone Devlon was using and could only imagine Cassian feeling the same way.
“Oh so this is Cassian! Gryffindor’s top and most handsome player might I add,” How old was this woman? Nesta thought.
“You should definitely add that,” Cassian remarked proudly, much to Nesta’s disgust.
“A star player indeed! A rising captain leading Gryffindor currently in a 9-0 season, with you catching every single match’s Golden Snitch.”
“I mean my teammates really help clean the field for me, our defense-”
“And you have such a tragic history, is the trial and death of your mother your motivation?” There was silence and Nesta could feel her stomach turn, her head spinning almost in rage. How dare she-
“As you know I was taken in by a wonderful family and they have shown me what it feels to belong. And that’s how I lead my team– showing them that each one of them is needed out in the field to win.” Cassian said in a lower but stern voice.
“Of course always so humble. Another question is there someone special-”
“I think I’m done here.” Cassian said which was followed by another awkward silence.
Devlon cleared his throat, “Yes the boy is very stressed, should I introduce you to the goalkeeper? She’s very..” His voice disappeared as he left the changing room.
Nesta heard light footsteps before the door to the equipment closet opened. “How much of that did you hear?” Cassian asked her sheepishly.
“All of it.” She tried to avoid his eyes by straightening out her uniform.
“Sorry you had to hear all of that.”
She shook her head as she stepped out of the closet, “Rita is always out of line, her column is full of hearsay.”
“Even the part of me being handsome?” He led her through the back of the changing rooms, a route she knew too well.
Nesta finally looked at him, his face turned to throw a smirk back at her. “Especially that part.” Her lips twitched slightly as he scoffed.
--
When they reached the outskirts of the castle Cassian turned towards her, “Will I see you tonight at the after-party?” His voice was quiet. Nesta had a feeling he imagined he was walking on thin ice. She swallowed as she took in the look of hope on his face, something she never wanted to crush.
When she took too long to answer he sighed. “Look, Nesta… I just don’t think I can do this sneaking around with you anymore if I’m going to get hurt in the end.”
“Why would you get hurt?”
He scoffed, “You tell me why Nesta.”
She tried to avoid his eyes again but he gently took her chin to face her. His forehead laid gently on top of hers, their noses touching. He was so close, she could feel his warmth despite the daunting cold. “What have we been doing these past two years, Nesta?”
She bit her lip, a gesture he followed with his eyes. “I just can’t. It’s my last year I have to focus on my-”
“Future.”
Nesta swallowed again, “What we had was just…. just fun.”
He stepped back and let the cold engulf her once again. “Just fun?” He asked incredulously.
The winter’s wind blew sharply around Nesta. “Today will be the last.” She whispered. But still couldn’t look at him. She tried her best to look cool and collected. She didn't want to show him there was twisting in her gut. Nesta knew he could see right through it. She didn’t want to know if he felt the same way. So she promptly walked away, leaving him alone in the cold.
–
“God, I hate quidditch matches.” Emerie muttered beside her. Nesta was the only one to hear and couldn’t agree with her more. Being the Slytherin prefect, she had favorable seating for all their matches. But she didn’t want to see Cassian not just yet.
“Then why bother coming? You don’t have to.” Nesta retorted, eyeing the Slytherin players as they entered the pitch. Everyone in their section cheered proudly.
“Yes, but I would be so lonely in the dorms by myself and I don’t want to miss the after party and snog some players.” Emerie winked at Nesta. She figured she’d tell her about Cassian later when they aren’t surrounded by the whole House of Slytherin.
A string of boos resonated as the Gryffindor team flew into the pitch. Nesta immediately spotted Cassian. He was always in the middle of their formation as they circled the pitch with hair unruly in the wind. And he spotted her too, from afar it wouldn’t look like much, but she could feel his hazel eyes bore into hers.
The match started aggressively as always. However, Slytherin and Gryffindor were the two most prideful teams of Hogwarts and their rivalry charged the atmosphere. Gryffindor lost one of their chasers as they were knocked off their broom and then Slytherin lost a chaser due to a foul in the pitch. 40 minutes in, Gryffindor and Slytherin were tied.
But all the while, Nesta kept her eyes on Cassian zooming through the pitch, an inch behind that golden blur. She never liked to watch him play, although she agreed he was a graceful flier, there was a special element of danger with seekers. The Golden Snitch tended to take the most dangerous paths through the opposing team’s defense. She’d have to watch Cassian dodge countless bludgers and chasers in heart-stopping flight paths.
“Slytherin has scored! Eris Vanserra plowed right through Gryffindor’s defenses and sent a scorching bludger through the goal post!” The announcer boomed through the pitch. An eruption of cheers followed as Slytherin took the lead, Nesta was obligated to clap but her attention was nowhere near Slytherin’s defense.
Cassian was gone, the snitch must’ve taken him to high altitudes. The clouds blocked her view and she could only imagine what was happening up there. Suddenly she saw the golden snitch appear again, diving straight down. Shortly behind it came Cassian.
“Gryffindor’s seeker is attempting a spiral dive to intercept the snitch!” The announcer proclaimed as everyone’s attention shifted onto Cassian. He was nose diving in a spiral fashion to accelerate his speed. Nesta’s heart was pounding, a million scenarios running through her head. It was hard to see what occurred at the ground level. But before Cassian could nosedive into the ground he pulled himself sharply up. He had the snitch in hand.
“Cassian has done it again! The snitch has been caught! Gryffindor wins!” The pitch was silent as Cassian grinned triumphantly towards the Gryffindor’s cheering sections. Nesta hated how happy he was and how contagious his smile is. But then she saw a grey blur coming towards him, it was a bludger.
“Cassian!” she screamed out. Cassian confused for second looked towards her, but it was that split second that the bludger collided into him. He was thrown off his broom, sent spiraling towards the ground.
His broom came sweeping in right before he crashed into the ground, but he still slammed in the snow-covered field. Medics and teammates rushed towards him and off to the infirmary. He was knocked unconscious from the fall.
–
Nesta rushed back to her room before any Slytherins could corner her and question her actions. She began to pace her room, wondering if she should go to the infirmary and visit him. There would be no doubt all his teammates would be there. Then she thought about the last conversation they had, she told him they were nothing, he was just fun. But she was lying and he knew it, but he’s unconscious now and it’s all her fault.
A knock came to the door before Emerie appeared, “What was that Nesta?” she exasperated. “One minute you’re yelling out the Gryffindor’s captain’s name and then the next you’re gone.”
“It’s nothing,” Nesta said trying to keep her voice steady.
“Nothing? Nesta, I know you’ve been pacing this room. So tell me what is going on.”
Sighing, Nesta gave up because she knew Emerie would not give up until she got it out of her.
“You’ve been snogging Gryffindor’s Captain?!” Emerie’s eyes widened and she looked bewildered. “Ms.Slytherin Prefect?”
“I ended it this morning.” Nesta said in a harsh tone, trying to signal to Emerie to keep her voice down.
Emerie snorted, “No, you ended it with his face shoved in the snow.” when she saw Nesta’s face twist she raised her eyebrows. “Do you really have feelings for him?”
Nesta didn’t answer, which was an answer to Emerie.
“Then what the fuck are you doing here? Go see the golden boy at the infirmary.”
–
When she reached the infirmary she could hear voices engulfed in a conversation. She recognized her sister’s voice.
“Nesta wouldn’t do that. She’s above hexing.” Feyre said in a stern voice. A sense of warmth flooded her as she listened to her sister take her side.
“Why was she screaming out his name?” She recognized the voice as her sister’s boyfriend, Rhysand.
“To warn me,” Cassian’s voice was weak. He must’ve wakened not long ago.
“Why would she warn you? Nesta doesn’t care about games. She’s always reading books during matches.” Cassian said nothing to answer the question. Rhysand only sighed.
As she entered the infirmary her steps echoed through the room. His whole team and some other Gryffindors were there. They all immediately turned to her. She hated feeling small, especially in a room full of people who thought the illest of her.
Nesta straightened her back and walked right towards Rhysand, whose eyebrows rose as she stared directly at him. “You really think I would hex someone? Over a tiny quidditch match?”
Rhysand shifted his eyes away from hers and sighed, “No, I’m sorry Nesta… I’m just angry this happened.”
“Nesta.” The room fell silent as Cassian spoke her name. Nesta looked at him lying on an infirmary cot, his left arm wrapped in a bandage. “You came,” His face had scratches all over but it didn’t stop his wide beamed smile.
The others moved away from Cassian as she sat beside his cot. She took some chocolate out of her pocket. “Take it, I know it’s your favorite.” His smile faltered a little as he took it and bit into it, groaning at the creamy texture. “Thank you, Nesta.”
“I’m so confused about what’s happening right now,” whispered Rhysand, even though Nesta could clearly hear him.
“Who cares, let’s give them some space,” Feyre whispered back and the rest soon walked out of the infirmary.
“The party was canceled,” Cassian said smugly. “Guess you couldn’t be my date after all.”
Nesta shrugged, “I like this party better.” She gestured for him to scoot over. Awkwardly he made some room for her on the cot allowing her to scoot close to him, careful not to touch his healing arm.
“I’m sorry I screamed out your name… I freaked out.” She whispered into his chest.
“You were warning me Nesta, I should be the one looking out for flying bludgers anyways.” He squeezed her small figure. She brought her hand up to his face. A few bruises here and there but he was still a devastatingly handsome brute.
“And I’m sorry for lying to you.” Her thumb swiped across his cheekbone, skimming a tiny cut there.
“I knew you were lying.” He whispered back smirking at her dismay.
“And I hate that I hurt you, and it took this,” she gestured to his bandaged arm, “to make me realize I shouldn’t let you go easily.”
“Honestly Nesta, I’d take a thousand more bludgers for you to realize that.” He groaned a bit as she hit him in the chest.
“Shut up and kiss me golden boy.”
He raised his eyebrows, “golden boy?”
But Nesta didn't answer him and rose to bring her lips to his. Quickly his tongue swiped over her bottom lip and she tasted herbal medicine and chocolate. She laughed slightly as they pulled away, and Cassian stared at her in awe because her smile was his favorite, something he always cherished. He connected his forehead to hers once again, their eyes locked onto each other.
“I take it I can take you to Hogsmeade this weekend?” His eyes sparkled with that same glimpse of hope she saw earlier today.
She bit the inside of cheek in fake pension over the question before she laughed, “Yes, of course.” Cassian beamed at her answer and gave her another kiss.
“Good because there’s this fantastic meat pie they do over at The Three Broomsticks and…” Nesta only continued to stare at him as he went on and smiled at how excited he was to take her out. The hope in his eyes now turned to excitement at the endless possibilities for them, and Nesta felt the same way.