Chapter Text
Delia Busby walked out on the Quidditch pitch feeling more excited than was probably sensible. It was her first game and the roaring crowds sounded just wonderful in the brisk autumn wind. As she mounted her broom she couldn’t help but smile giddily at her teammates, dressed in yellow and black matching the waving flags and scarfs from the stalls. They had all been quite pleased with their new Chaser as she was probably the only fourth year in the whole school that new first-aid spells, something that unfortunately was quite handy.
The whistle blew and they were off! The wind was rushing in her ears and within the first two minutes of the game Delia had both managed to score a ten-point goal and almost fallen off her broom. She’d collided with a Gryffindor Chaser and they both would have crashed into the audience if it hadn’t been for McGonagall, the seventh-year Gryffindor Seeker who’d made one of the banners transform into a safety net. Games with Gryffindor were weird like that, they were always fair and if injury could be avoided it was.
Delia felt genuinely happy on the pitch and even if her coordination was a bit wobbly she played well and wasn’t scared of the Bludgers. She’d scored another ten points after Markus had passed her the Quaffle but after that her luck turned. Apparently the Gryffindor Chaser she’d crashed into earlier was done playing around and had upped her game, showing off flying so good Delia wasn’t really honestly sad she’d lost the ball, she was so impressed.
Hufflepuff had lost but they’d done a good game and were proud of their first match of the season. Delia was covered in dirt and dead tired but happy as a pixie in a flower field.
“Well done Busby!” Michael Wood, the captain smiled at her and pumped her shoulder.
“Hey great game!” Barbara Gilbert, Delia’s classmate suddenly appeared in the the dressing rooms to greet her friend, looking immediately like she regretted it though as people started changing.
“Thanks!” Delia hugged her friend. “Wanna go to the common room and celebrate?”
Barbara smiled gratefully at the excuse to leave and they walked out, promising the teams to make sure people took out their sweets for celebration.
“You were honestly fantastic!” Barbara smiled as they walked up to the castle. “I got such a fright when you crashed with Mount!”
“Do you know her first name?” Delia asked.
“Patience, I think. She’s a prefect, sixth year and all no nonsense but really nice if you’re honestly in trouble.”
“Huh.”
“What about her?” Barbara looked at her friend. “You’re planning to apologise? I’m sure that’s not necessary.”
“Oh, OK, good.” Delia hadn’t at all thought about apologising. She had just been a bit struck by that flying and when they’d tangled themselves out the net, the other player had bitten her lip in the most adorable way possible. “She’s a Metamorphmagus right?” Delia really couldn’t believe that she dyed her hair that often.
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that!” Barbara really was scatter minded sometimes.
“You hadn’t thought about the fact that her hair went from deep scarlet to soft ginger to pure cold during the course of the game?” Delia laughed. “I suppose it could be a charm but I think I’ve seen her with blue hair and a very different nose in the corridor sometime.”
“You’re probably right but enough about her! I’m so proud of you for scoring 35 points on your first game!”
A week after the game most of the happiness from doing so well was overshadowed by a pile of homework so high Delia had actually cast a charm over it so it wouldn’t wobble. She sat with Barbara in the library, knowingly ignoring a charms assignment while focusing on potions. At least trying. A cat had just jumped up on the chair next to her, walked over her lap and seated itself in the window where it seemed to have fallen asleep.
“I still find it fascinating that the wizarding world really is full of cats, not just something muggles thought fitting.” Delia put her head in her hand. She’d lost her concentration now. “I bumped into Patience the other day.” She said absentmindedly.
“You did?” Barbara looked up, always the attentive one of the two. Then as she saw something in Delia’s face. “You like her??”
“No!” Delia was brought back from her memory of meeting Patsy, as she’s actually called, earlier that week.
“I thought so. That would be weird, she’s a prefect, and a girl.” Barbara looked slightly alarmed at the thought and Delia felt a bit cornered.
“She just seems nice. She asked me to help with flying lessons for the first-years, there aren’t any official yet and it’s a good skill.” Delia hoped it would be enough.
“Seems like a good idea.” Barbara went back to her homework but Delia was blushing and had completely lost her concentration now!
“Patience.” Minerva sat down next to her friend in the common room.
“Minerva.” Patsy mimicked the older student’s sober manners.
“I heard something today that I think you’ll find interesting.” Minerva didn’t give away anything in her tone so Patsy couldn’t guess at all to where she was heading.
“I was trying to avoid Gregorius Mint today in the library and took refuge in a window.”
“You mean you were sleeping in the library window in your furrier form?” Patsy smiled. Minerva was good fun really but like Patsy you sometimes had to pull her a bit.
“Do you want to hear what I heard or not?” Minerva raised her eyebrow and Patsy immediately folded. “You know that welsh Hufflepuff you found rather cute.” Patsy made to intervene but Minerva ignored her. “She likes you.”
“What?” Patsy had almost dropped her quill.
“She was talking to her friend and it was made quite clear that she likes you. At least if you listen to blushes and sudden changes in conversation.” Minerva made some old pumpkin juice turn into a steaming cup of tea.
“What would that matter?” Patsy looked at her feet.
“Oh I don’t know!” Minerva got up to leave, sensing that her friend was not quite ready for this conversation. She couldn’t help but add something though. “Ask her out.”