Fanfiction: It's Not That Simple
Title: It’s Not That Simple
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Zacharias Smith and Cho Chang
Prompt: Broken
Word Count: 656
Rating: PG
Summary: Since when did losing the Quidditch Cup become so significant?
Author’s Notes: This also covers the prompt “the question is obvious” for the Zacharias/Cho Rare-Pair challenge.
“I didn’t realise you were still crying over losing that match.”
Cho Chang whipped her head around and glanced darkly up at the lower stands. The few stragglers that always remained behind after a Quidditch match were still chatting idly amongst themselves, but Zacharias Smith was never too difficult to spot. “I’m not crying.” Anger and aggravation still lingered in her features, and it wasn’t an easy game to lose.
But she was not crying. Not anymore.
He leaned against the bench, and Zacharias Smith scoffed despite himself. He would not bother to hide his own agitation. Gryffindor should not have won the Quidditch Cup, especially considering just how close Hufflepuff had been. Ravenclaw only needed to win, or at least not be slaughtered in points. But they couldn’t manage that, and instead of Tamsin Applebee holding the Quidditch Cup, it was Angelina Johnson.
It wasn’t fair.
How could a team composed of so many veterans lose to a squad with a new Keeper, Seeker, and a set of Beaters? It was awfully embarrassing, more than anything else.
At least Hufflepuff had prepared. They’d already known their Seeker choked whenever he had to try and catch the Snitch. But Cho was different to Sullivan Summerby, and especially different to Ginny Weasley. She had experience.
From the look on the girl’s face, she too realised the humiliation that came with that. Maybe he should have felt sorry for her. Losing to a novice Seeker had to be a blow to one’s pride. But Hufflepuff should have won the cup, and he knew his teammates were in the common room griping about it at that very moment.
“You know all that team has is luck.”
She straightened her back, regaining her dignity with an escaping breath. “Don’t lie to me.”
Zacharias shrugged. “The Chasers were sloppy today, and that’s why you lost. But, Weasley only caught the Snitch because it flew in front of her nose first. It doesn’t mean you’re terrible, so I don’t see why you’re so upset about it.”
Cho pressed her lips together and hid her frown behind her hand, which caused Smith to only huff through his teeth with increasing annoyance. Why were Seekers prone to so much self-pity when they didn’t catch the Snitch? What did they expect, the earth to stop turning in order to mourn their loss?
Cedric had never complained, but it seemed Potter, Malfoy, and Summerby never shut up or stopped making excuses whenever they lost. Now Cho?
Zacharias Smith preferred his Quidditch with less dramatics.
“Are you just here to tell me that I need to stop feeling sorry for myself?” Cho Chang asked, sounding more tired than ever. But her face remained as firm and unyielding as it had ever since she threw her broom on the ground in disappointment over the match.
Thinking he had been clear enough on saying that she was a good Seeker, Zacharias wondered why girls could never take compliments. “Well, snivelling over losing a game is pretty pointless. It’s not likely to change anything.”
Fingering the sleeve of her robes, Cho seemed to take a long time to interpret what he said, and the longer she remained silent the more anxious Zacharias became. “Will you walk with me to the grounds?”
“Er….” Not expecting such a reply, the back of his mouth ran dry and without thinking he snapped, “No. I’m waiting for Cads.” Seeing Cho’s face fall, the back of his mind screamed that he said something bluntly wrong. Cho was looking at him, was this not what he wanted? Coughing into his hand as an excuse, he stood from his seat and continued. “But I have wondered over something, and I suppose you can explain it to me back to the Great Hall.”
She didn’t smile, but her voice did not sound so distant anymore. “What were you wondering?”
“Just how did you catch the Snitch before Diggory?”
--
I apologize for any Americanisms.
All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Zacharias Smith and Cho Chang
Prompt: Broken
Word Count: 656
Rating: PG
Summary: Since when did losing the Quidditch Cup become so significant?
Author’s Notes: This also covers the prompt “the question is obvious” for the Zacharias/Cho Rare-Pair challenge.
“I didn’t realise you were still crying over losing that match.”
Cho Chang whipped her head around and glanced darkly up at the lower stands. The few stragglers that always remained behind after a Quidditch match were still chatting idly amongst themselves, but Zacharias Smith was never too difficult to spot. “I’m not crying.” Anger and aggravation still lingered in her features, and it wasn’t an easy game to lose.
But she was not crying. Not anymore.
He leaned against the bench, and Zacharias Smith scoffed despite himself. He would not bother to hide his own agitation. Gryffindor should not have won the Quidditch Cup, especially considering just how close Hufflepuff had been. Ravenclaw only needed to win, or at least not be slaughtered in points. But they couldn’t manage that, and instead of Tamsin Applebee holding the Quidditch Cup, it was Angelina Johnson.
It wasn’t fair.
How could a team composed of so many veterans lose to a squad with a new Keeper, Seeker, and a set of Beaters? It was awfully embarrassing, more than anything else.
At least Hufflepuff had prepared. They’d already known their Seeker choked whenever he had to try and catch the Snitch. But Cho was different to Sullivan Summerby, and especially different to Ginny Weasley. She had experience.
From the look on the girl’s face, she too realised the humiliation that came with that. Maybe he should have felt sorry for her. Losing to a novice Seeker had to be a blow to one’s pride. But Hufflepuff should have won the cup, and he knew his teammates were in the common room griping about it at that very moment.
“You know all that team has is luck.”
She straightened her back, regaining her dignity with an escaping breath. “Don’t lie to me.”
Zacharias shrugged. “The Chasers were sloppy today, and that’s why you lost. But, Weasley only caught the Snitch because it flew in front of her nose first. It doesn’t mean you’re terrible, so I don’t see why you’re so upset about it.”
Cho pressed her lips together and hid her frown behind her hand, which caused Smith to only huff through his teeth with increasing annoyance. Why were Seekers prone to so much self-pity when they didn’t catch the Snitch? What did they expect, the earth to stop turning in order to mourn their loss?
Cedric had never complained, but it seemed Potter, Malfoy, and Summerby never shut up or stopped making excuses whenever they lost. Now Cho?
Zacharias Smith preferred his Quidditch with less dramatics.
“Are you just here to tell me that I need to stop feeling sorry for myself?” Cho Chang asked, sounding more tired than ever. But her face remained as firm and unyielding as it had ever since she threw her broom on the ground in disappointment over the match.
Thinking he had been clear enough on saying that she was a good Seeker, Zacharias wondered why girls could never take compliments. “Well, snivelling over losing a game is pretty pointless. It’s not likely to change anything.”
Fingering the sleeve of her robes, Cho seemed to take a long time to interpret what he said, and the longer she remained silent the more anxious Zacharias became. “Will you walk with me to the grounds?”
“Er….” Not expecting such a reply, the back of his mouth ran dry and without thinking he snapped, “No. I’m waiting for Cads.” Seeing Cho’s face fall, the back of his mind screamed that he said something bluntly wrong. Cho was looking at him, was this not what he wanted? Coughing into his hand as an excuse, he stood from his seat and continued. “But I have wondered over something, and I suppose you can explain it to me back to the Great Hall.”
She didn’t smile, but her voice did not sound so distant anymore. “What were you wondering?”
“Just how did you catch the Snitch before Diggory?”
--
I apologize for any Americanisms.
All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.