A Strange Friendship

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda veered close to the hoops not caring whether or not she struck them, the wind was almost non existent while her mood was furious. Ever since her encounter with Crispin she had been on tender hooks every inch of her skin tingled as if it were a radar and could sense him close by. Whenever a male voice spoke she listened intently incase it was his and every face that entered the Great Hall or library she scanned to see if it was his but it never was. She was furious that she had let him get to her, get under her skin and crawl deep inside where he could fester at his leisure. How was she expected to get over one boy if another was making himself at home within her?

As she dipped her broom lower leaning down so as to push it at high speed Andy swerved around the pole of the hoops coming very close almost too close a few times and yet she flew like the devil himself were chasing her or she was chasing him. At one point she had gone out of her way to flirt outrageously with any boy she came in contact with, now she simply couldn't be bothered. There was nothing in it for her other than the growing dull ache in the place where her heart was supposed to be. Pulling up hard she scraped the tips of her shoes across the grass as she flew ridiculously low. It would seem she had a death wish and was glad Groundskeeper Willie was not here to witness her daredevil flying.

With reckless abandon she shot upwards, the steep climb pushing her hair back from her face and reckoning she was roughly at about 500 ft she levelled off to turn her broom downwards once more. Within about 10 yards from the ground and coming in fast, Andy jumped from her broom, hit the ground and rolled. Her broom fell but hovered before it crashed and splintered. The charms on the streak much more powerful than what had been on her Sienna Storm. Andy knelt up hands resting on her thighs, breath flaring through her nostrils as the adrenaline coursed through her. That had been downright brilliant and knowing it made her laugh out loud.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner bit into the apple he carried, his broom flung lazily over his shouder as he approached the pitch. He'd woken up feeling better today if a little put out after Styx's version of detention. The man was mental and a right scary git. He smirked. It had helped on a more personal level with Lily. Thinking of the blonde he felt his stomach clench. He didn't love her, not in a boyfriend/girlfriend kind of way, but he cared for his friend and captain. Enough to not want to see her be hurt in any way and to him what they were doing wouldn't hurt anybody, certainly not them.

His apple fell and rolled from his hand when he spotted the sole flyer in the air. They were off their nut! He watched with mouth agape, broom held loose and forgotten in hand as they tried their hardest to get themselves a few nice fractures, it not outright death. He grimaced and gritted his teeth as anger filled him. Was it a younger year? Then he spotted the glint of red hair and he frowned. Andromeda Fiorelli, Andy--Kat's friend from Gryffindor. Even in his own misery he still heard gossip at meal times. Everybody assumed because he didn't speak at the table, he didn't listen either. It was common consensus that the Head Boy's graduating had driven Andy insane. Watching her up there, doing moves that even he balked at, he had to agree.

Suddenly she tried something that made her death flash before Sumner's eyes. It pissed him off; anger filled him, pumped through his body until his hands shook from it. His broom fell to the ground as he shot forward, running to where she had fallen. Was she hurt? He was within feet of her when she sat up, kneeling and laughing. Sumner stopped, breathing as if he'd been through a marathon, his hands shaking. He wanted to pick the stupid girl up and throttle her.

"What the f**k are you on about, Fiorelli?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Her laughter couldn't fade out not even with the harsh tone of Sumner's voice, she simply turned her head her eyes watering with the force of her laughter. Clutching her stomach as the laughter slowly broke to a chuckle, she shook her head. It had felt for a moment like she had been playing chicken, with her own life of course but who the frack cared. At best she would have broken a few bones which would have meant time in the hospital wing. Andromeda stayed kneeling as she took in massive gulps of breath before saying anything. What to say to the boy who was the cause of Kat's tears? There wasn't a lot she could say, though after her argument in the great hall with herself and Kiera Andromeda wanted to go over and congratulate him. Pat him on the back and say 'you had a lucky escape there mate!' but she didn't. Her amber eyes focused on him and she said the strangest thing, something she had heard years before from an old muggle movie. She didn't know why it came to her now but it somehow seemed appropriate as if it explained everything.

"Ever danced with the devil Sumner?" the smirk she gave him stayed as she finally got to her feet and brushed down her clothes.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner glared at the insane Gryffindor. Her laughter was grating on him until he really wanted to smack her. But he didn't hit girls. As her laughter continued, he thought 'yet'. He was on the verge of yanking her up by her elbow when she stopped laughing and stood up. Her words gave him pause and for a moment he stood there staring at her.

His greyish green eyes narrowed as he shoved his hands in his pockets. He snorted. "Babe, I am the devil. Now what the hell is up with you?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda wanted to laugh once more at his calling himself the devil. Looking like one and behaving like one were two completely different things altogether. She walked towards him very slowly and as if she were teasing out whether she really considered him worthy of the title he had declared for himself, Andromeda began to walk around him. Giving him a wide enough berth. Nope, she didn't see it and had to shake her head very slowly as she came to stand in front of him.

Andromeda looked directly at him, unblinking and unflinching.
"I've seen the devil Sumner and she doesn't look a thing like you" the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, "Now why would my ex-bestfriends, ex-boyfriend be wondering what's up with me for? Surely you have better things to be thinking about?"

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner stood stiff, back ramrod straight as she circled him. His jaw clenched and thankfully she stopped her game before he exploded. Sumner was on a tight leash. When it snapped, it wasn't going to be pretty. Every day, every moment, he felt the give tauten until he knew once it broke....

"Cut the crap, Andromeda," he gritted between his teeth. "You were reckless up there and you're being even more so down here." Once the words came out, he couldn't stop them. "You think being a b1tch to your best friends wins you any brownie points? Think again," he sneered. Breathing harshly he snapped his mouth shut and turned his face into the sun, eyes narrowed against its rays. With the way the sun beat down on him, he resembled more of an avenging angle than the devil.

Jerking his head toward her, he glared at her but it was less fierce. "You scared me, alright?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda surveyed him, she had never really talked with him in all the time Kat and he had been dating and she wondered why that was. Possibly as she had been with Bruin and had a thousand other things going on. She moved away from him to walk over to where her broom was and placing her foot underneath the shaft, flicked it upwards and caught it easily enough.

"I don't go out of my way to try for brownie points, never have and never will" she told him as she turned around to face him again but staying a relatively good distance from him now. She wasn't in the slightest bit afraid of his anger, the problem was more that it excited her.
"I'll fly anyway I damn please enough said" Andromeda turned to walk away but stopped once more as if undecided about something, "I wouldn't be too upset, I tend to scare just about everyone. Even myself sometimes".
She had noted the change in his voice and wondered at it.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner started to just turn and walk away. Andy had turned into one of the most argumentative, confrontational birds he'd ever met. She could take her attitude and- he stopped. She reminded him of himself. He knew why he was such a git most of the times. Not that he apologized for it. He was happy in his gitdom and knew that one day he'd settle down a bit. Way to be a hypocrite. Instead he summoned his broom and gripped it tight when it flew into his hand, slipping his wand back in his pocket. Where would he be if everyone had turned on him for being such an ass hole? Lily had befriended him despite his behavior. He wasn't saying he wanted to be anyone else's friend, but maybe he could relate to Andy.

"So," he grimaced, running his hand through his messy hair. Of course he would have problems talking now. "That move you pulled have a name?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

She put her broom over her shoulder and regarded him. Was he trying to be nice to her? Andromeda knew him as the school resident bad boy and how he ever managed to bag Kat was beyond her but he had always seemed ok to her. A bit too handy with his fists perhaps but who was she to make judgements on anyone. She realized quickly though that, that had been exactly what she had done to Kat and Kiera. Wanting now to forget their names as they popped unbidden into her mind she smiled at him.

"Yeah, it's called 'Eat Dirt" why you wanted to give it a shot?" she actually laughed now, something she hadn't done in a while, "trust me there are easier moves out there, I am so not carrying you to the hospital wing".

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner rubbed his hand on the back of his neck and grinned. She was such a mouthy girl. Kind of like his Kat- his thought died a quick and sudden death. She wasn't his Kat, not anymore. Who knew who's she was now? Refusing to go down that road, he laughed quietly. "What, is that a shot at my weight now?" Laughter changed the Ravenclaws usually dark face. When he gave into the laughter, it made him look like the guy he used to be, feel more like that person. Yet it was so few and far between that the darkness was easier to slip into.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda found the weight that she had been carrying around with her of late lifting slightly. She was tired of people ragging on at her, convinced they could help her in some way. She wasn't in need of any ones help, this whatever it was, was hers to fix on her own and if she had to hit rock bottom in order to do that she would but for now there was a ray of light, a chink in the clouds. A subtle glimmer of sunshine peering through - it was amazing what a simple bit of laughter could do and Sumner's was infectious. She couldn't help but laugh along with him. Shaking her head she exagerrated a look at him. Up and down as if being really critical.
"Oh... yeah. Stronger broom is so needed. You know... great tip here" she took a step back wards as she recalled the countless times she had jeered at Harrison, Fenton and Aries they all had a good sense of fun but would invariably chase after her to tackle her. Funny thing with the musketeers was she could always take them, Sumner though looked a lot bigger than any of those three but she couldn't resist all the same.
"Try strapping two brooms together, you'd be surprised how effective that could be!" her amber eyes glinted with amusement.

 

[Sumner Drage]

"Ah, you got me. Right here," he pressed his hand to his heart with a sarcastic grin. She was a clever one and daring. He leaned on his broom and regarded the redhead. "With comments like that, I know what someone's going to be for Halloween." His strong reference to a witch made him chuckle.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda nearly doubled over laughing as he put his hand to his heart.
"Sumner if anything beat there at all I'd be mightily surprised" she pretended for all of five seconds to be shocked and appalled by what he was referring too as her halloween costume.
"Wow now I am impressed, heavy and pyschic" she giggled clutching her side from the pain of her own laughter, it was true what the muggles said it really was a good medicine, "so what are you going has? don't make me guess coz that would be too funny".

 

[Sumner Drage]

It surprised how quickly his moods could change lately. One moment he wanted to twist her pretty little head clean off, the next he was enjoying sarcastic banter. Sumner shrugged mentally. He was all over the place lately. And he didn't give a flying rats arse. "Ow." He laughed loudly, holding on to his broom. What made it even more funny was that he was pretty damn sure she was right.

"Depends on my date." It was daring, declaring something so bold. But Sumner was tired of moping around, playing his woe-is-me card for his ex. Now was the time to get out there and grab whatever willing and attractive girl, or girls, he could find. He grinned just at the thought.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda's smiled nearly went clear off her face when he mentioned date. There was no way she was going anywhere on any type of date with any guy. She couldn't. That meant some sort of commitment didn't it? But Sumner was different, after Kat surely he wasn't looking for long and lasting. Not willing to take the risk, Andromeda took an unconscious step backwards.

"I'd be pretty amazed you could find one, probably crush the poor girl" she winked, willing herself not to rise to the bait. Her stubborn half cocked attitude had gotten her into more scrapes than she wanted to even consider. For a moment Crispin's face flashed before her and she had to take a deep breath. It seemed that with the no more letters arriving from Bruin she was able to get over him so much faster, the only trouble now though was how fast her greedy little heart wanted only to be near Crispin. Time and again she refused it of course but that didn't stop her from glancing his way across the great hall or looking for him again in the library or whenever she came to the pitch. She even wished that he'd find her in the bathtub again but she had driven him far enough away it would seem. With that thought and another creeping in, one of Kat slapping her face Andromeda looked back at Sumner.

"So who are you taking?"

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner smirked. "Probably would, if I were serious about anything. Happily ever after's a myth so I'm going with crashing and burning in the here and now." He wiped at his broomstick with his sleeve absently. It could do with a good coat of polish. Maybe rewire the twigs. Once his mind wandered into the field of Quidditch it was usually lost for some time. However, Andy's question popped through the hazy bubble that was starting to form.

He shrugged. "Haven't asked anybody yet. Most girls around here are looking for committment," he grimaced. "I just want to go with somebody and maybe have a good time." He glanced at her, curious to who she would choose. "Who you going with?"

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda looked at him and tapped her head for a moment as if testing something before looking at him again curiously.
"Wow it's like you're inside my head. Thought I was the only one around here with enough sense to think that way. No-one appreciates the present much anymore do they?" she smiled and walked towards him slowly stopping about an arms distance from him.
"Wasn't planning on going with anyone, was just going to show up and have a blast. Think I've run through enough guys this year, so really didn't want any entanglements either" she squinted her eyes slightly as she tilted her head, "Guess we could go together but no funny stuff yeah? I mean have fun sure but no... 'funny' stuff ... I don't want to end up hitting you or something" she grinned.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner cocked his head slightly to the side as he looked down at her. He shoved his hand in his pocket, flicking his thumb over a gouge in the wood of his broomstick. "I guess that could work," sizing her up with his light grey eyes. As she squinted her eyes at him he grinned and then chuckled.

"Don't worry. I know where to go to get my 'funny stuff'," he smirked, thinking of the hot blooded Ravenclaw he'd been stealing kisses from.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda smiled then and extended her hand to him. Having a mate right about now wasn't a bad call, of course they probably would never make it to the best friends list but any friend would do right now. Especially one who simply made her laugh and didn't get on her nerves with some self righteous dribble.

"Deal" she had a fair idea of who he was getting if from as well if Blake was to be believed, but Andromeda said nothing more about it, everyone to their own. Once she didn't have to go locking lips or getting tangled up emotionally with any more guys she didn't care.

"So what are you going as? The Incredible Bulk?" she couldn't resist it of course and laughed outright. There was nothing after all large about Sumner, he was well built but since he had mentioned weight from the get-go she wasn't going to let up once.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner clapsed her smaller hand within his own. His were calloused, scarred from rough treatment either on the pitch or against somebody's face. "Deal," he returned with a smirk. He chuckled at her joke. "Nah, I was thinking more along the lines of Fat Bastard. Since Witch was already taken." He considered it for a moment. "Huh. A night of not groping or being groped." He turned laughing eyes on hers. "Sounds fun." He didn't mind any action from Lily, as stealthy and undercover as they were trying to be. In fact, the older girl was fast becoming a really good friend, if a source of frustration when they had to break up their snogging sessions. It'd be nice to go with a girl who didn't expect anything from him other than a few laughs.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda shook the hand he placed in her own, she had a good strong grip and wasn't afraid to show it either. There was enough gentle girls about the school she wasn't about to pretend to be one now.
"Well fat bastard, it's been a pleasure. Won't keep you I know you've probably got that girth of yours to fill" she stuck her tongue out and turned in the direction of the entrance before glancing at him.

"Well now you have the entire pitch, should be plenty of room" she could only chuckle at his comment about groping and rubbing her head realized that she had only actually ever been groped by one boy and that had been Carlisle and even then not by much. Bruin had never been in for anything more risque than cuddling or kissing. She wondered briefly if she had let Crispin continue to kiss her as they had on those few occasions if it would have escalated. Somehow she was almost certain it would have.

"I don't know about groping, most I've gotten this year was a quick seat on some fools lap" she recalled the brief five minute kissing session she had with Ashton before smiling once more, "but grope free we will be. Sheez I hope there's going to be no daft games this year." The fact that she usually instigated those daft games was lost on her of course.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner's laughter followed the red haired Gryffindor and resounded on the pitch. He rubbed a hand on his sore stomach then hopped on his broom and took to the air. He might not have love but he had friends and had laughed more the past week than he had since arriving at this school. Halloween night promised to be something special. He smirked and leaned forward on his broomstick, shooting high up into the air.