A Study in Mimosa, Part Two (Mimosa & Open)

Mimosa had known they would win.

She had known it with the same confidence with which she knew everything. Life was always perfect and everything happened as she wanted it to, so why wouldn't Sytheirn win? Her shouts of "I told you we would win!!!" joined the victorious chorus erupting from the stands at Ravenclaw's defeat. Her Jacques hadn't been there to watch because she wasn't playing, which meant the girl had sat next to Squid Boy the whole time, their hands loosely entangled in each other's as was now the norm. The team surrounded them, watching the match with intense eyes and gritted teeth even though she kept reassuring them that there was noting to worry about. When they finally won however, she was dragged along with the crowd storming the pitch before she found her place by Squid Boy in the team line up to receive the Cup.

The brunette couldn't help the smug smile that crept on her face as the Quidditch Cup joined the House Cup in Slytherin decor. Here it was, irrefutable evidence that she was in the best house.

And that it was the best house because of her.

Belatedly it occurred to the young witch to find Mercy and congratulate her. People kept saying she wasn't paying well which just showed how stupid people were. Gryffindor had won, that meant it had done well. If only people could understand something so simple. But by the time the thought crossed her mind, they were already being swept into the Great Hall and the Gryffindor Team was nowhere in sight. Resolving to find her best firmed later, Mimosa stopped when the Captain held them back, bringing the team into a final huddle and telling them how proud she was of them.

Maria really meant to say she was proud of Mimosa, but the young model didn't mind including the rest of the team in her victory. Quidditch was a seven player game after all. And Mimosa Harrington was nothing if not compromising. It was only when Maria expressed her hope for a repeat performance next year that Mimosa piped up.

"Of course we will, my Jacques says we're the best team Hogwarts has! And he says he's sorry he can't be here to watch us but he's sending us aaaaallll presents. And he wants to look in on our training session because I think we need new brooms! Well, i don't but I'd like a new broom, but you all probably do. Especially Squid Boy, he can't keep flying on that kindling. But it's okay, my Jacques will fix it. We're going to the QWC in the summer so we'll see hat good brooms there are. We can probably get one for everyone and then we'll win for sure-" The witch continued doping her pearls of wisdom ling after the team disbanded, entering the Great Hall to shouts and cheers until Squid Boy took her hand and dragged her out as well, making the tiny witch wince slightly when he pulled a little harder than usual.

"They're clapping for me!" the third year Slytherin helpfully pointed out when Squid Boy stopped for a fraction of a second, staring at her with something odd in his eyes. Mimosa's attention didn't stay on the boy long though, as she contemplated a curtsy to the crowd. She would have done it too had she not spotted Mercy across the Hall, sitting somewhat morosely at the end of the Gryffindor table, with her teammates. Mimosa raised her hand to wave but before she could complete the motion, it was taken up by Squid Boy once more.

And now he was actually tugging her closer.

The pain barely had time to register however, in the wake of what came next.

At first she thought it was a mistake, the confusion rendering the witch completely silent as his lips bumped against her. The child would have been ready to show him how to kiss a Lady In greeting properly, on the cheeks, but he didn't move.

In fact, after a minute, those lips became more firm against hers... and his hand dropped hers, moving to her face instead.

This time, it didn't hurt. In fact, it made her want to close her eyes a little...

But his lips still felt odd against hers, like she was trying to blow a particularly peristalsis balloon but the other way around. Shew as the balloon and he was trying to her her to blow up. The child considered pushing him away for a split second but his hands on her face felt nice...

No one ever touched her like that. It was new, and interesting.

Eventually he removed his mouth from hers but despite their lips being free, they were both lost for words. Than someone began whistling and cheering and a faint blush crept across the young witch's cheeks. They should probably have tried that in private...

"Come on," Squid Boy encouraged, taking erh hand much mroe gently this time though the little witch was still in shock and probably would not have noticed a little extra force. For once, she couldn't think of a single thing to say as she sat down by him at their house table.

For once in her life, her atmosphere of selfishness had expanded to include... another perspective.

It dawned on her well after everyone had started eating, and every girl had giggled her way at least twice, that Squid Boy had kissed her.

He hadn't just How Do You Do kissed her.

He had Boyfriend and Girlfriend kissed her.

And as soon as the realization hit, her gaze shot straight across the Hall to the red table.

To find an empty space where Mercy had been sitting earlier.

Mercy felt awful. Not just physically, though she did feel more than a little queasy and a bit unsteady on her feet. She was used to that, however unpleasant it may be. It was her absolutely atrocious performance that she couldn't stop kicking herself over.

Sure, she could make excuses. It was two days before the full moon and she was obviously not in peak condition. But the last game had been close to the full moon too, and she had been determined to make up for it this time. So much had been riding on the Gryffindor chasers today. They had needed a high scoring game to win the cup, and on any other week, they might have had a chance. Merlin, she'd made so many stupid mistakes. She'd fumbled the Quaffle one too many times, and now here they were in second place. What did it matter that they'd won the game? They'd played terribly - she'd played terribly - and now Squid Boy was probably cheering somewhere in the stands.

As soon as she landed, she tossed her broom on the ground, ripping off her pads and chucking them aside with a groan, running her hands through her sweaty hair and trying to block out the screams erupting from the green-clad section of the bleachers. If she hadn't already been developing a headache, she certainly would now. With an angry huff, she gathered her things and trudged off to the Gryffindor changing rooms - slowly, because she felt like she might vomit if she moved too quickly.

"You feeling alright?" a voice interrupted as she shoved her gear into her locker. She looked up to see Leanna and immediately felt guilty knowing that it was her fault the seventh year captain hadn't been able to snag the cup before she graduated. Mercy slammed her locker door with a little more force than necessary and shrugged, looking down at the ground.

"Hey, it wasn't just you," Leanna reminded her. "We're a team, remember? Win together, lose together. We all made some mistakes."

Mercy shook her head, a frustrated noise escaping her. "I could've done so much better."

"So? What happened happened. Can't change it now. Look," Leanna placed a firm hand on Mercy's shoulder and the younger girl looked up. "I know you can do better. I've seen you do better. Honestly, you've impressed me since the moment I first saw you on the pitch, and I'll be surprised if you're not made captain someday. But everybody messes up. You had a bad day, maybe two. So did I. That doesn't make you a bad player unless you let it go to your head. And we still beat Ravenclaw, so that's something, eh?" Leanna smiled, clapping her on the back. "I'm not mad at you. Just make sure you get 'em back next year, yeah? For me."

Mercy nodded, blinking back tears. The moon always did weird things to her emotions. Without warning, she flung her arms around her captain's waist and hugged her tightly. "I'm going to miss you."

Leanna chuckled, returning the embrace. "I'll miss you too. I've enjoyed playing with you."

The rest of the team began to file into the changing room. Once everyone had changed out of their gear, the team moved as one back to the castle, skirting around the crowd of still celebrating Slytherins and making their way to their table in the Great Hall. They sat down amid consolatory pats on the back and sympathetic glances, then waited for the crowd to settle so they could eat. Mercy looked up as the Slytherin team entered the hall, suddenly remembering one good thing.

At least this meant Mimosa had won the cup.

As soon as the thought occurred to her, she caught sight of Mimosa passing through the double doors. And then she saw Squid Boy take her hand. Mercy's grip tightened unconsciously around her fork as she glared across the room at Squid Boy, though the boy wasn't looking. What did he think he was doing? Mimosa didn't like him like that. Did she?

Squid Boy paused, stopping Mimosa in her tracks, and Mercy's eyes narrowed. He'd better not be hurting her. Mimosa's bones were fragile. If he applied too much pressure, he could injure her hand.

Mercy was just about ready to rise from her seat and approach them when Squid Boy made his next move.

Mercy's fork clattered against her empty plate as it slipped from her hand. Her mouth opened, but her brain shut off and no noise emerged. What?

What?

She wasn't sure if the sudden wave of nausea was a coincidence or not.

She shot to her feet, ripping her gaze away from the scene before her. Her teammates asked where she was going, but she couldn't hear them over the blood rushing in her ears. Her feet carried her automatically away from the horrible image and she pushed numbly through the nearest door, ending up at the foot of the stairs.

No. No, no, no, no, no. No.

The word ran through her mind like a mantra as the scene replayed itself over and over again. She couldn't process it beyond her initial gut feeling of vehement rejection. That hadn't happened. That couldn't happen. That was so, so wrong. There was no way that could have happened.

Somehow she ended up on the seventh floor.

After several minutes of agitated pacing, she finally regained enough composure to register where she was. She didn't remember walking there. A door stood in front of her.

Without thinking, she opened it.

The room was empty except for a few practise dummies like the ones Jake sometimes used. The walls were lined with mirrors. Mercy stood there for a moment, breathing slowly, feeling her wand slide into her hand.

She wanted to break something.

The door shut behind her, cutting off her first "Bombarda!" from prying ears. Thirty minutes later, she sat in the center of the room, shoulders slumped as she panted heavily and surveyed the shards of glass scattered about the floor, eyes slightly glazed over and forehead slick with sweat. Her mind was mercifully blank.

Her stomach lurched. As she reached behind her, her hand connected with a bin - which most certainly hadn't been there before - and she quickly pulled it in front of her as she dry heaved. She hadn't eaten since breakfast.

She was physically and emotionally exhausted. Her eyes watered. She sighed in defeat. It wasn't like anyone was here to see her cry. She choked out a sob, leaning on the bin for support as she let it all out, punching weakly at the floor.

What a mess she was. She really couldn't do anything right, could she? She couldn't win the Quidditch Cup. She couldn't win Mimosa. Hell, Slytherin was almost certainly going to win the House Cup too unless something truly miraculous happened. She had nothing.

And Squid Boy? Somehow Squid Boy had it all. And he didn't deserve any of it.

She wanted to make him lose.