5th Year, Quidditch Pitch
Annabel's POV

I laughed as Zac and I raced across the grounds towards the Quidditch pitch.
"Come on, slowcoach!" I yelled as I sprinted ahead of him.
He huffed and puffed, eventually catching up with me as I ran out of stamina and gained a stitch. I bent over, gasping for breath.
"Haha, who's the slowcoach now?" teased Zac, dancing around me.
I scowled at him. "Piss off Zac, I think I'm having a heart attack and you're really not helping," I grumbled, still wheezing. He laughed as we reached the pitch.
We hurried towards the changing rooms.
"Betcha I'll be changed first!" I grinned, shoving Zac as he went to open the door to the boys changing rooms.
I quickly entered my changing room, grabbing my kit from a peg as I walked past. A couple of others from the Slytherin team were already there, including the captain, Emma Robert. She smiled at us as we walked in.
"Come on then Annabel, get changed as fast as you can."
I pulled on my green and silver Quidditch kit, and grabbed my broom from the cupboard. I sat with my teammates on the benches, as Emma started to talk us through tactics for the match.
Suddenly Liberty and the rest of the Hufflepuff team knocked on the door.
"Come in," Emma said, glancing at the door as they entered.
Liberty cleared her throat. "Hey guys, I just wanted to introduce you all to our new seeker before the match."
I looked up, interested, as I was the Slytherin seeker and was intrigued to see who I would be up against.
A young, slim girl emerged from the back of the crowd. She had short, messy, auburn hair and freckles. She was much taller than me, and was grinning as she chewed bubblegum absentmindedly.
"Hey," she said, nodding at me. "You're the Slytherin seeker, right?"
"Yeah," I replied. "And your name is?"
She held out her hand. "Annabelle. With a double L and an E. Annabelle Parry."
I raised my eyebrows. "Annabelle? Ha. My name's Annabel Kristoffersson. Just one L."
She smirked. "I guess I'm the upgraded version of you, Annabel with one L."
My mouth fell open in surprise as everyone giggled.
"Guess you better apply some cold water to that burn," snorted Liberty.
I scowled at this new girl, and she grinned at me.
"Well, I guess we'll have to settle this out on the pitch," I challenged.
"Yes, we should get going," Emma reminded us. "We only have the pitch booked for 2 hours."
I followed everyone out of the changing rooms and onto the pitch. We met up with the boys, and I quickly updated Zac on this annoying new girl.
"Sounds like someone's salty," he laughed, earning himself a sharp elbow to the ribs.
We hurried on to the pitch, and I got ready on my broom, staring at Annabelle with my eyes narrowed. She stared coolly back, smirking slightly.
"3....2.....1....Go!" Liberty yelled, and I kicked off the ground strongly, chasing Annabelle up towards the sky. I was determined to beat her, and recover my pride.

5th Year, The Three Broomsticks
Marina's POV

I absentmindedly gazed at her face as she sipped her butterbeer, studying her chocolate brown eyes with their sooty lashes, her beautifully crafted cheekbones framing her face. She glanced up and I smiled at her.
"Kai, we need to talk," I started, biting my lip anxiously.
She looked worried. "What do you mean? What's the matter?"
"It's okay. It's just..."
I met her eyes, and that one glimpse of her concerned, kind, gorgeous face gave me the courage I needed to say it.
"I think I might be in love with you."
Her eyes widened as she looked at me. "Are you sure?"
I nodded, realising as I did so that I really did truly mean it. I loved her more than anyone I've ever known. I knew each of her cute little quirks off by heart; every habit she had I loved; I had memorised her face so well that I could draw it from memory and it would look like a photo.
"I wasn't looking for anything at all when I met you. Actually, I wasn't planning on falling for anyone so soon. But then I met you. And that was it... I guess things just happened. I found you and found myself slowly wanting to spend time with you. It was simple. It was easy. And I think that's how the best relationships begin. You're not looking for anything and then suddenly you realize; you have something."
She carefully placed a hand on the side of my face, lightly stroking my cheek with her thumb, and the room fell away. I had never gotten so lost in a kiss before. And then, the space between us exploded. My heart kept missing beats and my hands could not bring her close enough to me. I tasted her and realised I had been starving. I had loved before, but it didn't feel like this. I had kissed before, but it didn't burn me alive. Maybe it lasted a minute, and maybe an hour. All I knew was that kiss, and how soft her skin was when it brushed against mine, and that even if I did not know it until then, I had been waiting for her forever.