Chapter Text
The group was out of breath as they quickly hid behind a corner, the shadow of Filch flickering against the wall as he swung his hand-held lantern around, looking for students out of bed. They had been lucky. Harry had tripped over a loose stone down a flight of stairs, and the group running to grab him had them ducking out of Filch’s sight.
‘Shove off,’ Harry mumbled as the group members held him out of sight, only to be met with a quiet but furious shushing.
‘We’re nearly outside mate, leave the tripping for the field, would ya?’ Niall says as they sneak through an archway, ducking behind the greenhouses as Filch turns a corner, finally out of sight.
The collective sigh of relief has them chuckling.
The light of the moon gives them enough of a pathway that they needn’t use lumos and given the lack of people around, they take off at a sprint, broomsticks clutched in their hands as they run.
‘Last one there takes two shots!’ This wasn’t too much of a discouragement, but nonetheless the boys race across the grounds.
It surprises no-one when Harry trips over close to the finish line and ends up throwing back 2 shots as they enter the field.
‘I would have won if it wasn’t for the stupid rock.’ Harry says, wincing after his last shot of fire whiskey.
‘Mate, it’s never a rock, you’re just clumsy.’ Liam ducks as Harry tries to tackle him, and they were off once more, enjoying the freedom of the Quidditch field.
They five of them settle into a game of toss with a stolen quaffle, progressively getting drunker in the cool Scotland air, eventually switching for solid ground, tossing their brooms to the side.
Not long after, with too large of a toss, the quaffle disappears somewhere behind the stands, and a quick game of rock-paper-scissors has Harry stumbling off to fetch another.
‘Lads, I think we’ve forgotten something,’ Zayn says, watching Harry use his wand to unlock the shed door.
‘And what’s that, mate?’ Niall asks, slurring as he slings his arms over Zayn’s shoulders, burying his face in the crook of Zayn’s neck.
‘We’re wizards.’ The responding ‘oh yeah’ sent the group into a fit of hysterics.
In wait for Harry, Zayn and Niall split off, heading for a spot underneath the goals, leaving Louis and Liam to the middle of the field, passing a bottle of fire whiskey back and forth, letting the quiet of the night settle around them.
‘A little romantic out here, you know? In the moonlight,’ Louis’s stare remained fixed on the night sky, the blush of his cheeks deepening, looking for the world like he wanted to take it back.
‘Do you think so?’ Liam’s dopey smile was all the encouragement Louis needed to respond.
‘I do, but only with you.’