5th Year, Quidditch Pitch
Liberty's POV

Annabelle wiped the blood off her face where it was dripping from her nose, and glared at Annabel.
"Bitch," she spat, "what the fuck?"
She took a step forward to punch Annabel back, and I quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
She glanced at me in disbelief. I smirked at her. "You'll break your hand."
Annabel snorted. Then I knocked her out.

She staggered backwards, holding her hand to her face. "I think you broke my nose," she hissed, spitting blood out onto the floor.
"Nothing Madam Pomfrey can't fix," I retorted. "Never touch my seeker, and more importantly my friend, again."
She was shaking with rage. "She stole my girlfriend!"
I glanced at Annabelle. She shook her head.
"No, she didn't," I replied. "Now get lost!"
"You little shit," Annabel seethed. "I know what you did."
Annabelle rolled her eyes. "I did not steal your girlfriend. Your girlfriend kissed me. I'm straight."
I raised an eyebrow. "Wait, who even is her girlfriend?"
"Brooke," Annabelle replied.
Annabel's eyes widened. "Shut up or I'll kill you. I can't let anyone find out."
"This is exactly why she wants to break up with you," Annabelle told her. "You care more about your reputation than you care about her! You can't just ignore her."
"I don't need dating advice from you," she spat.
Annabelle smirked. "Well, seeing as your girlfriend wants to date me instead of you, I'd say you do."
Annabel's eyes flashed, and she raised her fist to punch Annabelle again.

Just then Brooke appeared out of nowhere and threw herself in front of Annabelle, catching the full force of Annabel's punch. She was knocked to the ground.
"Oh my god, are you okay?" Annabelle asked her frantically, helping her up from the floor.
Annabel had frozen in place, her cheeks burning.
Brooke stared at Annabel. "I can't do this anymore, Annabel, I'm sorry. My heart is too fragile for you to break it every time we speak."
Annabel stayed still, her eyes fixed on the floor.
Brooke shook her head. "Fine. Have a nice life," she said bitterly. She turned and walked back to the castle.

Annabelle stared after her, and then back at Annabel in disbelief. "Seriously? Wow, if that's how you treat your girlfriend then I'm not surprised she just dumped you. Brooke is an amazing girl, and you honestly don't deserve her."
I took a step towards Annabel. "Listen. You need to fix this. I know you love her. For Christ's sake, just get over yourself and tell her already. If that little scene was anything to go by, she definitely loves you back, but you're just hurting her right now and that's not a healthy relationship."
Annabel nodded stiffly, tears leaking from her eyes. She turned, and started to trudge back up to the castle alone.
My heart wrenched. I knew she was going through really tough times, but she needed to figure things out and there was nothing I or anyone could do to help her with that.
I placed a hand on Annabelle's shoulder. She was staring after Annabel with tears in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" I asked gently.
She nodded. "I just know how precious Brooke's heart is. She's so strong, but her heart is so brittle. I need someone to love her, and it sucks that it can't be me, you know?"
"I know."
"Annabel better get her shit together soon."
"Yup."

5th Year, Hospital wing
Annabel's POV

I groaned as Madam Pomfrey bustled around my bed, wiping the dried blood off my face and preparing the dastardly vial of Skele-Gro.
"Do I have to?" I whined. Skele-Gro was the most vile liquid I'd ever drunk, not to mention the pain it caused while it was actually repairing the bones. I was going to kill Liberty.
She nodded, before zooming off to help another patient.
I looked around the hospital wing. My eyes widened as I saw Albus lying in the bed opposite me. Scorpius was asleep in the chair next to him.
"Albus?"
Scorpius's eyes fluttered open. "Annabel? What the hell are you doing here?"
"It's a long story. Is Albus okay?"
His eyes narrowed. "No, he's not. And it's all your fault!"
"My fault? What did I do?"
"Are you kidding me?" he scoffed. "You slammed him into a stone wall! You almost smashed his entire skull in!"
Albus groaned. "That's a bit of an exaggeration. Who are you talking to, Scorpius?"
Scorpius glanced at Albus, concern etched on his face. "Annabel."
"I don't want to talk to her."
"I know. She's got a broken nose."
"So she's going to be here all night?"
"Yeah."
"Damn."

I sighed. "Guys, come on. I'm sorry."
Just then the door swung open and James and Emma walked in.
James immediately rushed over to Albus's bed. "Al, are you okay? What happened?"
Emma frowned as she saw me. "Annabel, what are you doing here? We have a match next week!"
"It's okay, I only have a broken nose," I explained. "I'll be out tomorrow."
She nodded. "I'm not going to ask why your nose is broken."

James stood up from Albus's bed. "Annabel, you did what?"
"Shut up James, it really doesn't matter," muttered Albus.
"Yes it does," James replied. "Why did you shove him like that?"
Emma stared at me. "Albus is in here because of you?"
I could feel my cheeks growing hotter. "Yes. I'm sorry Albus. I know there's no excuse for what I did."
He bit his lip. "It's okay. I understand you were upset about Brooke."
"Brooke?" Emma asked curiously.
My jaw clenched. Every nerve in my body was screaming at me to make something up, claim I had no idea what Albus was talking about, protect my reputation. But for some annoying reason Annabelle's voice was echoing in my head.
You care more about your reputation than you care about her....
I swallowed. "Brooke is...was...my girlfriend. I love her so much." My voice stuck in my throat, and a tear rolled down my cheek.
Scorpius's eyes widened. "You broke up?"
"She dumped me."
Emma sighed. "Goddammit Annabel, I cant be mad at you when you're being all pathetic and depressed like this. Why the hell did she dump you? You may be a little shit but you're pretty cute when you're trying to be."
"I kept pretending I didn't know her," I replied, looking down.
"What the actual hell? Are you an idiot? Is that your idea of playing hard to get? Cause I can tell you now it's not gonna work."
"She's a Gryffindor! I'm a Slytherin. It's not gonna work."
She scoffed. "James is a Gryffindor. Literally nobody cares anymore. The whole rivalry thing is just a joke. You shouldn't let that come in between you two."
I stared at her. "Well, I know that now!"
"So go do something about it!"
I grinned. "Okay." I pulled myself up and out of my bed, despite Madam Pomfrey's protests.
"I'm gonna go get my girl back."