Take to the Skies PV Haley Rose closed

@Simon Kincaid

Haley was surprised and at the same time not. It was nothing new that Simon always managed to surprise her and when she received his invitation, she read it with a broad smile. Not just once, but three times. It had been a difficult few months for Haley, not only for her but also for her relationship with Simon. But it seemed things were looking up again. She was doing everything she could to become herself again, but also to make friends with her new side. This was now Haley Rose, on the one hand the warm-hearted, laughing redhead but on the other hand also the marked and traumatised girl. But one thing would not change, at least (hopefully) not in the foreseeable future - Her relationship with Simon, that he was by her side, helping her and making her laugh.

As she put on her sports clothes, she wondered how she hadn't come up with the idea herself. Much of her time had been spent exercising a lot, it helped her to repress and at the same time she had discovered a new hobby. But she also remembered at the same time why she hadn't come up with the idea. She had hardly had any contact with Simon and had only recently learned that he was interested in broomracing. Again she realised that she was a bad girlfriend and the guilty conscience came up inside her.

She decided to go to the field earlier and go jogging. She wanted to clear her head, she had time and she didn't want to greet Simon with a bad mood. She stowed her bag in the locker room, warmed up briefly, put on her running shoes and started running. She noticed it immediately in her muscles, it had become colder again and it took longer than usual for her body to warm up, but once her muscles had warmed up she got into her usual flow and was able to pick up her pace. She just jogged at it, enjoying the cold air in her nostrils and shutting off her thoughts. She simply took in the surroundings around her and forgot about time. Startled, she feared she was already too late and made her way to the Quidditch training pitch as quickly as possible, putting in a sprint for the last few metres.

Before that, she ran to get her bag, grabbed her broom and sprinted on to the meeting place with Simon. Of course she was too late and Simon was already there. Completely out of breath, she arrived and only stopped sprinting when she was right in front of him. "Gosh, I'm so sorry!" Haley propped her hands on her knees and breathed in and out heavily, "I hope you didn't have to wait too long for me." In the same posture, she looked up apologetically and smiled sheepishly at Simon. She had dropped her bag and broom on the ground beside her.

It took a moment for her breathing to return to normal and for her to sit up. "Um, it's good to see you." She said honestly, feeling at the same time like a stupid girl talking to her crush for the first time. They knew each other incredibly well but at the same time it felt so new and unfamiliar because of the distance of the last months.

@Simon Kincaid

Haley was relieved that Simon hadn't waited too long for her and let out a relieved sigh. She noticed his glance at her broom and realised that she would definitely offer him a ride on it. She didn't really have one herself, but thanks to the Gryffindor Broom Fund she had got hold of this great piece and was more than grateful for it. A borrowed gift that she would gladly share with her boyfriend for a moment.

Haley couldn't believe Simon was making this joke and rolled her eyes, gave him a light jab in the ribs with her elbows and started laughing. "Looks like nothing's changed." She remarked shaking her head but still laughing. She almost avoided his kiss, not because she didn't appreciate it, but because she knew how sweaty she was, but Simon's actions happened faster than hers and so she just smiled at him sheepishly. "That sounds great." She cheered enthusiastically, clapping her hands as she tapped back and forth on the spot. "I'm sure you'll make it into the team." She spoke encouragingly to Simon and bent to her broom to pick it up.

Simon didn't have to prompt Haley twice and she had already swung her leg over the broom and pushed herself hard off the ground. As usual, she immediately leaned forward on her broom, gaining speed and height, and flew a great curve across the Quidditch field. She loved the feeling of flying, it was a kind of freedom for her. To actually be able to fly, just up and away, feeling the wind in her hair, the adrenaline getting stronger the faster and higher she flew. But she wasn't afraid, she was having fun. She flew a sharp turn and came to a stop in the air, hovering a few meter in the air and grinning cheekily at Simon. "Let's have a race." She called out to him, "and don't forget, the lions beat the badgers in Quidditch just a little while ago." She joked, but was secretly a little proud of herself too, after all, it had been her first game not spent on the bench and at the same time she had even managed to score. Although she hadn't put in a brilliant performance, they had still won.

@Simon Kincaid

"Oh I wonder who that could have been." joked Haley further, winking at Simon. She loved the fact that Simon had come to her first game, even though they had little contact at the time and were going through a rough patch. He had thought of her and supported her even though she was playing against his own house. She didn‘t deserve him.

Haley admired the sight of Simon on the broom. It was the first time she had seen him fly and she liked it. A hobby the two could share. Exercising together, even if it were two different sports that the two played. "Looking good on that broom." she complimented him and put on her competition face again. They were here for a race, not to flirt. Of course it was all in fun and it wouldn't matter who won but she loved these little games between Simon and her.

"one turn around the owlery and back to the pitch." she finished his route suggestion. "Okay, let's give it a shot." She adjusted herself on her broom, positioned herself so that they were really hovering at the same height, and gave Simon a challenging look. "On three?" she inquired, waiting for his approval before finally starting to count. "One...Two...Three." She shouted, leaning forward on her broom to gain speed as fast as she could.

She ignored everything around her, lapsing into tunnel vision, eyes slit to shield her eyes from the wind. Her long red hair fluttered in the wind and her hands gripped the broom tightly. Okay trough the archway. Done. Around to the left. Done. In the distance she could see whomping willow, her next destination, which she soon reached. All the while, her eyes were only forward. She didn't know if they were up, if Simon was behind her or if he had already shaken her off. She flew a curve around the tree and for a moment her mind was elsewhere and had underestimated her speed. She had to speed down a little harder and get herself back in order. It was not many seconds that she had lost because of this, but exactly these could make up a race.

The next target was the Owlery and as soon as she had flown the turn there, it was back to the Pitch. The finish line was getting closer and closer and soon it would be decided who of the two would win this race.

@Simon Kincaid

It was hard to hear Simon's words in the fray of the race and in the wind tunnel around her ears, but very quietly she could make out his words, which only told her that he was close to her. Okay, let's make it a challenge, the redhead thought to herself and that's probably when the brave Gryffindor in her came out. "Let's try!" she shouted and deviated from the agreed route, pulling her broomstick steeply, thus steering it almost vertically upwards. She clung to her broom and tried to maintain the speed. She flew higher and higher, she couldn't estimate how far up she was but at some point she dared a quick glance down. "Oh shit." She cursed, startled, and slowed down.

Haley loved flying but she had never been this far up in the air before and her stomach churned as she looked down. She tried not to panic but it was written all over her face, it was fear. She held onto her broom even tighter now and her direction of flight changed back towards the ground. She had no idea where Simon was, she could only concentrate on the small details below her, which were getting closer and the fear less with every second, until finally she felt safe again.

She stopped hovering in mid-air at one point and looked to Simon, "That was crazy." She exclaimed, the adrenaline still noticeable in her veins and the heart in her chest continuing to beat wildly. She decided to ignore the fact that they were actually in a race and flew alongside Simon without trying to overtake him. All the adrenaline had taken her out of the competitive mood. Completely exited, she flew next to him, the feeling of lightness and freedom even stronger and laughing loudly she looked over at him. "Woooohooo." She shouted into the air, still not believing that just a few seconds ago she had been flying at an incredible height. She had never felt this adrenaline before, but she liked it. The tension, the tingling, the fear and at the same time it was an incredibly good feeling. She felt alive, invincible and full of energy.

They flew back to their starting point, the feeling was still there but getting less. She came down from her high and would have liked to release it immediately, but decided to land on the field. She put down her broom and jumped to Simon. "Wow, that was crazy! Wasn't it?" she still was totally exited, she felt like she could pull out trees.