Learning the Ropes

Haruhi knew almost immediately that she wanted to be on the Quidditch team, but had refrained her first year from trying out because the muggleborn knew little about the sport and was a horrid flyer. After watching every game and practicing her flying on the weekends, Haruhi felt confident enough to try out. She did her best and was pleased with the results.

As if Quidditch practices weren't intimidating enough with Haruhi's disadvantage of never haven flown before she started school and being twelve, Haruhi found that for one reason or another, she was always giggly when Beauregard St. Holmes, the team's seeker, spoke to her. It was just a crush she knew, but the Feu seeker made her go weak in the knees. She didn't know how she ended up getting the confidence to ask him to help her practice outside of team practices, but she did and was even more surprised that he had agreed.

She was waiting on the pitch way earlier than the designated meeting time and nervously held one of the school's brooms. She didn't want to kiss him or anything. She just wanted Bo to think she was cool or maybe like her back. "Ugh," Haruhi exclaimed in disgust, dropping her head. He was older than her! Why would he ever like her?

Beauregard didn't consider himself an expert or anything, but he did know a thing or two about flying. Regardless, he was still surprised when the new chaser had approached him after Quidditch practice to ask him for a little help. He knew the girl was muggleborn and new to flying, but he couldn't fathom why she asked him over the team captain, Lucie, to help her. Obviously Lucie was more qualified for the job. However, he didn't argue the point, but rather agreed that he would help her out.

He wasn't sure what to bring to practice, so he brought his person and broom only. Haruhi was already at the pitch when he arrived. "Looks like we're both early," he mused. He had opted to arrive earlier in order to give himself time to figure out what he could possibly do to help her out. She looked a bit distressed, which caused the boy to raise an eyebrow. "Everything okay?" He was hoping it wasn't any friend drama. Bo hated being a part of drama and had only asked because it was a polite thing to do. "Anyway, I suppose we'll start off by flying laps or something. I'm not really sure what I can teach you that you don't already know. I think what you really need is just more practice flying, but then after that we can shoot some goals," Bo explained, mounting his broom and taking off, expecting Haruhi to do the same.

Haruhi was startled as she heard Bo's voice from behind her as he approached. She turned around to face him and offered a nervous smile as he remarked that they were both very early. "I, uhhh, forgot what time we agreed on so I figured I'd get here pretty early," Haruhi lied. She didn't want him thinking she was too eager. That might make him think she was annoying. She heaved a sigh as he asked if everything was okay. "I'm just really nervous about this whole quidditch thing. There's still so much I don't know and I'm worried I'm not going to be good enough. That I will make a fool of myself at the first game," Haruhi answered. It wasn't exactly what made her off in the first place, but it was one of the things troubling her. It felt nice to get that off of her chest and she nodded at Bo's instructions before going to mount the school's broom she had borrowed.

Her eyes followed the boy as he took to the sky. She followed soon after, with reasonable lesser grace than the seeker had. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to fly behind him or next to him. He just said they were going to fly laps. After a brief contemplation, she decided to fly next to him. After all, she wanted to get to know him better and wouldn't be able to talk to him if she was behind him.

She caught up to the seeker and racked her brain for something interesting to talk about. "Ummm, nice broom!" She noticed it wasn't the school broom he had been using all last year in games. "Is it new?" The answer to that one was obvious. It wasn't the top new brand broom out there, but it was still a pretty nice one. Haruhi had read up on quidditch supplies, especially brooms. She found it fascinating.