After Practice

[Brandykins]

Kenzie loved quidditch practice. It was an escape for her. Up in the air, nobody could judge her for anything other than her talent. She had played seeker for the Slytherin quidditch team for the last three years. Before she became seeker, she played as a keeper whenever they needed an extra player. It was more her choice to be a second string player than the captain's. She loved the practicing, but it took her several years to get over the idea of the entire school watching her. She was afraid that people would judge her. Girls like Kenzie weren't supposed to play sports. They were supposed to be quiet and dainty, putting on makeup and giggling, not sweating and beating the hell out of the boys.

As she flew around after the official practice ended, she closed her eyes. The events of the past few days were at the very front of her mind. She moved faster and faster as though she were trying to escape them, but alas it was impossible. She couldn't outrun him anymore than she could outrun the night.

She still wasn't sure what it was that made him so interesting. Granted, he wore those strange clothes, but there had to be more than that. He was funny and smart, but again there was more to that then she realized. He didn't worship her and she liked that. He acted as though she were a snooty little girl. He treated her like she should be treated. He treated her like she treated others. He had judged her before he had really gotten to know her just as she had judged him.

She flew down to the ground and she stepped off her broom. As she walked across the pitch, her broom levitated beside her, following. When she stopped moving, so did the broom.

After a few moments a group of girls stopped her.

"Kenzie, oh my gosh, hurry up, we're all going to go hang out and watch the boys. They're all playing this game called feetball! It looks fun. They're all running around without their shirts on," grinned one particularly ugly black haired girl.

"Oh wow that sounds like fun," she lied. "I'm going to go shower and then I'll meet you guys over there, I promise."

Just then the girls got up and they moved across the lawn with lightening speed. Kenzie just sighed and she sat down on the grass. She didn't want to go watch the boys. She kind of felt like being alone. She took off her quidditch robes to set them on the ground to lie down on. She was now wearing a tightly fitted white shirt with a strategically placed Slytherin logo and a pair of black workout shorts. She leaned back and put her hands over her eyes and her knees in the air. Her short workout shorts were riding up a bit, but she didn't really care. She felt the sun on her face and the warmth of the nice summer day and that was all that really seemed to matter. All thoughts of this strange boy and his actions seemed to be at the back of her mind, but for who knows how long?

[Leah]

There was a light breeze that carried the smells of the flowers from the Gardens towards Topher as he walked along a stoney path. It was tuesday, and the Gryffindor Quidditch Team were scheduled for practise. However, that would not be for another hour. The Gryffindor captain had made sure the practise would begin an hour after the Slytherins had finished their's, to leave time for all the Slytherins to vacate the Pitch before they'd arrive.

Topher decided to come early, he watched some time to fly alone, maybe let himself think about Tobey for a little while. He didn't often think about his twin brother, not after his death. He sent the occasional letter to him, to vent his feelings and let himself for that moment miss him, but he knew full well it would never reach him. Lately, he was finding it harder and harder to stop thinking about him. This year had been the toughest year to cope without him being there. Nobody knew that but him.

A memory kept repeating itself in his mind. A memory from his first year at Hogwarts. It was their first night there in fact. Their tummies were filled with tastey food and they had butterlies in their stomachs as they anticipated their first day of wizarding classes. Neither Topher, nor Tobey could sleep. They were both sitting on Tobey's bed in their Gryffindor dorm, whispering a plan.

"Let's make a pact," Topher had said, a childish smirk on his face. There had not even been trace of makeup on his face back then. "By 7th year we'll be famous around this school. Everyone will have heard of Topher and Tobey Logan."

"Our names will be carved into the wall of this school," Tobey had answered, he too smirking. He had meant this statement figuratively of course.

"No one will ever forget us," Topher had continued, stretching his arm out in front of him.

Tobey shook his hand, "We're the Logan Twins."

"I let them forget you," Topher whispered to himself regretfully. Topher had made a name for himself at Hogwarts, but at the same time, everyone had forgotten about Tobey.

Topher pushed the memory away, for the third time that day, and continued along the path towards the Quidditch Pitch.

Topher was looking more like a man than he usually did. He still walked with that confident stride, despite not wearing heels. He was in his Gryffindor Quidditch Robes, with his broom over his shoulder. He didn't have a single drop of makeup on his face. The only thing that was the same was his ever blonde hair.

As the Pitch grew closer he noticed that someone was lying down on a pair of Quidditch Robes. Soon, he recognised who it was. His mind went back to yesterday when he had first met Kenzie. She had been much funner to tease than any of his friends. In fact she kept him on his toes, firing insults at him like they were duelling. Despite the fact that her prissy, uptight, 'I'm Queen of the World' personality pissed him off, he didn't turn and walk back to the castle. He seemed drawn towards her.

A smirk raised on his lips as he noticed her outfit. Her shirt was rather tight and her shorts were riding up. That's twice he'd had a nice shot of her ass in just two days. He wasn't about to look away, whatever she thought, he was a guy, and she had a nice arse. After a minute he decided to speak.

"Come out to watch the Gryffindors play? Very un-Slytherin," he said towering over her as she lay down. He tilted his head, grinning widely, "Oh and by the way, your arse is hanging out."

[Brandykins]

Kenzie was rather enjoying the silence until it was so rudely filled with the sound of that boy's voice. She groaned on the outside, but on the inside she smiled. She enjoyed these little spats. The air seemed to fill with a good tension when he was around.

When she registered what it was that he actually said, she sat up and looked at him. She was kind of surprised to see him looking normal. She looked him up and down as coolly as she possibly could without being obvious. He was very handsome, For a Gryffindor she added quickly as if to excuse her obvious attraction to him.

"Oh, well it happens sometimes," she smirked as she stood up and she grabbed all of her things. "I'm not here to watch the Gryffindors play for your information. The Slytherins just finished practicing for the game on Saturday. We're going to cream the Hufflepuffs, but then again everybody creams the Hufflepuffs. They're just awful."

As she finished speaking, she dropped her robe as casually as she could. "Oh stupid thing," she muttered as she bent over to pick it up. She smirked as she thought of his arse comment. "I thought you weren't gay. You object to my "arse" hanging out of my shorts?" When she said the world "arse" she used the hand guestures so commonly associated with "" and sarcasm. "Let me clue you in on something: If you really plan on convincing me that you're not gay, don't go around objecting to things like that."

She walked around him with a satisfied smirk on her face as she looked directly into his eyes. She enjoyed toying with him because he made it easy, but ever so difficult at the same time.

[Leah]

"You play Quidditch," answered Topher, raising an eyebrow, hiding the fact that this actually impressed him. Come to think of it, he did know the Slytherins had a female seeker, he'd played against Slytherin many a time. But he did not know it was her. He'd never gotten a good look at her face during a game. She did not seem like the kind of girl to be into Quidditch at all. "And I don't think you should be talking, I do believe Gryffindor 'creamed' Slytherin last week," he said, immitating her use of quotation fingers on the word creamed.

Topher watched as Kenzie bent over to pick up her robe. He rolled his eyes, hiding the fact that he had once again taken the opportunity to check her out. If she didn't have a nice ass he wouldn't be looking, but her's happened to be quite nice. In fact he felt he knew her ass, and that her ass was his personal friend now, having seen it more than he'd seen her face. So what, he was attracted to her, but any guy would be if he was given that ass to look at every minute. It meant nothing.

Topher quickly pushed the subject of Kenzie's ass out of his head.

"Actually, because you don't believe I'm straight, I've decided to become gay, makes it much easier," Topher explained, without a single drop of seriousness, "I actually came down here early to see if I could accidently walk in on the Slytherin boys shower. Oh I do love a bad boy," Topher winked at Kenzie and looked over towards the door to the changing rooms, as if he was checking to see if they were still there.

[Brandykins]

"Yes I play quidditch. Oh and you creamed us because we were down a player. I bet if it was one on one, I'd kick your ass because I'm bloody brilliant," she finished with a half joking laugh. It was true that she didn't think she was "bloody brilliant," but it just seemed like the right way to end that sentence. On the inside she thought, Oh no you did not just say that. You're so retarded.

"Oh really?" Of course she knew that he was joking, but she decided to have a little fun with him despite this. "Well then, come with me. I'll take you there. I'm pretty sure the boys are still in there. I didn't see any of them leaving."

She reached for his hand and took it as she began to walk to the showers with her broom floating along beside her. She half waited for his reaction to this. She seriously doubted that he would go through with it and go into the boy's shower while the Slytherins were in there, especially if she announced that he was there to take a peek.

[Leah]

"Bloody brilliant? Is that right," Topher said, raising an eyebrow, "I'm a beater, babe, I'm pretty sure I can take down a seeker." Topher wasn't an amazing Quidditch player, but he was good enough to be on the team. He used it as an outlet to let out his emotions, the emotions he didn't want anyone to see, so sometimes he ended up getting really passionately into the game.

"Ooh goody," he tried to say with an upbeat, excited tone of voice, but it didn't really come out like that.

He let her lead him towards the door for a while. He was perfectly comfortable strolling into the males shower room, but she would make a big deal out of it, and it would only confirm the rumours around school that he was indeed gay. He didn't particularly care that people thought he was gay, let them think what they like, but at the same time he didn't want guys coming onto him.

They were getting closer to the showers, so quickly, Topher pulled his hand away from hers and stood in front of her. He put his hands on her shoulders to stop her going any further. He still kept his signature smirk on his face.

"You seem particularly intent on proving that I'm not gay," Topher said, his eyes looking straight into her's, as if forcing her to say there was a reason for her wanting to prove it, "Or you're just really interested in giving me a cheap thrill."

[Brandykins]

Kenzie stared into those eyes. She knew those eyes, but she couldn't remember how she knew them. They seemed to tell a story that was long since forgotten. She continued to look into his eyes and she felt as though he could see into her very soul with those penetrating eyes.

After a few moments she swallowed nervously and she blinked and broke the stare between them. "I'm not looking for a cheap thrill. What would this prove? Nothing. Nothing you could do would prove that you're not gay. Not even if I saw you snogging every girl in this school. I'd still have my doubts about you."

Truth was she had no doubts about him. She just liked to taunt him. Just then a boy came out of the showers and smiled at her. "Hey Zie, great practice." He nervously looked at her as he ignored the boy standing beside Kenzie. "I was wondering," he said as he twiddled his fingers. "Would you be interested in going ah studying with me in Herbology later tonight? I thought about studying in a private room. We could hang out and stuff," he rambled on.

Kenzie laughed cutely because she was trying to see how this boy would react. She had a crush on him and she needed to know what he thought. What better way to test him than to add another guy into the mix?

"Marcus, I'd love to study with you," she said with mock sensitive eyes. "I'll meet you in the library tonight after dinner."

The boy smiled and he started running up to the castle. Kenzie turned around and she looked at the boy. "So are you ready to go in now..uh..? What is your name anyway?"

[Leah]

Topher rolled his eyes, not believing for a second that she really thought he was gay. If she did, she wouldn't give him the time of day and would just leave. Instead she kept taunting him. If she really thought he was gay, she wouldn't be looking at him the way she looked at him.

As a nervous Slytherin came out from the changing rooms, Topher took his hands off of Kenzie's shoulders and turned towards him. He watched as he tried to ask 'Zie' out. Topher watched her, not expecting her to accept at all. When she did, he tried not to act on his surprise.

She's a right slut, Topher thought to himself. He knew the way she was acting around him. Bending over on purpose, making sure to sway her hips as she left a room. She wanted him to watch her, so why would she accept going out with him. Not that he wanted to go out with her. Far from that, that would be absurd.

"Topher," answered Topher, keeping his smirk on, but gritting his teeth, "And no I'm not 'Zie'," he said immitating Marcus's voice, "But I'm starting to think you're interested in going in there. Maybe you can pick up another couple of dates while your at it. I'm sure you could with those shorts." His tone was normal, though a slight bitterness that hadn't been present before was emerging.

[Brandykins]

Kenzie's inside did a little dance. She knew she was right. He liked her. She could tell by the tone he was now taking with her. He was jealous. Mission accomplished, she thought to herself.

"So we're both admitting that we were wrong? You're not gay and I'm not a prude?" She smirked at him before looking him up and down. "Topher? I think I'll call you Gopher. You kind of look like one after all," she finished in a matter of fact voice.

She really thought she had done a good job in hiding the fact that she thought he was cute. Girls flirt with boys that they don't like all the time just to get what they wanted. Granted, Kenzie didn't really want to be in that category, but it was better than letting him know the truth. It'd never work between them. Her family would abandon her if she ever dated... but who said anything about dating him? They could be friends right?

"And by the way Gopher, my name is Kenzie, not Zie. My friends call me Zie," she said with a little smile as she dusted off her somewhat disgruntled outfit.

[Leah]

"Not a prude," Topher shook his head, shaking away the bitterness, he didn't want her to hear it, "Maybe a bit of slut now," he smirked, but looked at her differently.

"I do not look like a Gopher!" Topher protested, the bitterness now slipping away, "And what kind of nickname is 'Zie' anyway? I think I'll call you Ken instead, suits you, much more manly," Topher narrowed his eyes as he shot back another insult.

Topher was trying to push himself to leave. But his body wouldn't listen to him. As much as he enjoyed insulting 'Zie', he had better things to do than bothering himself with a Slytherin slut. Topher thought this bitterly to hide something that was trying to surface, jealousy.

[Brandykins]

Kenzie laughed at his ridiculous insinuations of her being more manly than womanly. There was no possible way that anybody in all of Hogwarts would agree with him so she just shrugged it off.

"You look like a gopher. Your dark eyes and the circles often around them," she smirked incredulously.

After a few moments she went on. "Yeah I see how you could be confused considering the fact that all of my muscles are bigger than yours. It sucks to be beaten by a poor little girl," she said sweetly as she batted her eyelashes and circled him.

"You know," she continued, "I used to be a beater for the Slytherin team. Didn't you say you were a beater?" The smile across her face turned in to the competitive smile that was much associated with Slytherins. Kenzie was extremely competitive and she didn't make much effort to hide this fact. "Maybe you and I could have a bit of a game of one on one with a friendly little wager on the side. Since I'm so generous, I'll let you come up with the terms. Maybe a race? Maybe who can hit the ball the furthest? Maybe just a battle of strength, not a battle of wits because we both know it wouldn't be fair to you. I'll even let you pick what you'll do when you lose."

She was sure she'd win so she didn't care what they bet. Honestly she didn't really expect him to take her up on the bet. He seemed to be a lot more talk than action. After a few moments she sat down on the ground smirking at him.

"Well what do you think Gopher?"

[Leah]

Topher stood on the spot, his eyes watching her carefully as she circled around him. He crossed his arms, considering the bet. It could be interesting, but if he lost he would never hear the end of it. He really wasn't up for listening to her go on and on about him loosing. Though, at the same time, if he refused the bet he would seem weak. And seeing Kenzie's face when she lost would make his day.

"All right Ken, you're on," Topher said smirking with an over-confidence in his flying and Quidditch skills.

Topher paused for a moment to decide on what they would do. Topher was not the best player on the Gryffindor team, they had a lot of good players. But he was certainly up there. He was a good beater, but he wasn't extremely muscular or anything. He trusted his skills on a broom more than his skills with a bat.

"Okay, a simple race then," continued Topher, "From the Pitch, around the grounds, over the lake and back to the pitch. If I lose, you get to pick what I'm allowed to wear for a month. If I win, you become my personal tutor for the month, make sure I pass my Transfiguration and Charms NEWTs."

Topher wasn't afraid to admit he needed help with those subjects for his N.E.W.T.s. He wasn't terrible in them, but he barely did well enough to keep the subjects in N.E.W.T. level. He got Es in both of those subjects, and needed to do better in order to become an Auror in the future. If he did not get his act together, he would not become one.

"Agreed?" he asked.

[Brandykins]

Assuming that Topher had his broom with him because he was going to quidditch practice and that Lee won't be upset with me for writing this portion because her internet is being wonky an because we already determined the ending, just not the means, I'll go on ahead and write the entire thing. -correct he did

Kenzie smirked as he accepted the bet. She was a very good flyer and she knew she would win this one with the greatest of ease. "You're on," she said as she summoned her broom to her. She was sure she could beat him as long as she could ignore the fact that she would be flying over the lake. Her broom came flying to her and she mounted it. Topher did the same.

Before taking off, Kenzie looked at him and said, "You could have wanted me to do anything and you wanted a tutor? Boy you must be desperate." She paused for a few moments.

Topher rolled his eyes in reply, "You assume you actually have a better use than tutoring."

Ignoring his answer, she said, "On the count of three. One, two, threeee!"

And they were off. When they first started, they were quite evenly matched. They had comparable brooms and their levels of skill were very much on the same level. They started out circling the grounds. Kenzie always stayed just a little bit ahead because her broom was on the inside and then it picked up momentum and she was about three broomsticks ahead of him in length as they started crossing the black lake.

She called various things to him as she laughed. She wasn't laughing at him and that much was obvious. She was having fun and it had been a long time since she had felt so alive.

Then it happened. As they covered the lake with Kenzie still leading ever so slightly, a giant arm popped out and scared Kenzie half to death. She hated the lake and had always been scared of the things that were beneath it. In fact, she hadn't ever swam in there because she was afraid that the giant squid would come up and eat her at any moment. She slipped and lost her grip on the broom. Before she knew it, she was hanging upside down and slowly decending into the lake.

She wouldn't do it, she wouldn't scream. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was going to win. He didn't seem to notice what had happened and he continued going. That was fine with her as long as she could right side up again. She pulled herself around despite the fact htat her fingers were slipping.

She let out a small whimper before jerking her body back up. It took her several minutes to regain her composure and she tried to recover, but it was no use. He had beaten her. She groaned as she flew back down to the ground of the pitch.

When she had jumped off her broom, she scowled at him. "You won, fair and square." That wasn't entirely true, but she wasn't willing to let him do anything that involved ending the bet or doing it over. She wasn't sure if he had seen her falling, but she wasn't going to bring it up if he hadn't. She reasoned that she should have been strong enough to stay on her broom. She then finished by saying, "I guess you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together over the next month." She didn't say it in a sad voice, she just said it in a very matter of fact tone. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of letting him know that this would be utter torture for her over the next month.

[Leah]

When Topher landed back on the Pitch, and realised he'd won, he smirked proudly. He had almost not expected to win, after all that Kenzie was quite the fierce young lady. He didn't bother hiding his smugness when she landed, however. He had not witnessed her fall, if he had he would not be so keen on her letting him win.

"I guess we are," replied Topher.

He turned and began walking back up the path that led back to the castle, deciding to meet his teammates, who would be on the way down for practise, on the way. He turned his head and called over his shoulder.

"Tomorrow, after classes, library."

[Brandykins]

Kenzie watched him walk away and she had a fierce look of hatred in her eyes. She wasn't going to say anything about falling off her broom. She had a feeling that he would have wanted a do over or something like that and she wasn't willing to give him the satisfaction.

She said, "Fine, library tomorrow. Bring your brain," and she turned around and headed back to the castle.