Sweaty and warm Delilah flopped down on the ground her chest heaving with her deep breath. She was tired and hadn’t even stopped the quaffle from being charmed to make scores on the hoops she had once been protecting. She was practicing even if the team was not, she had to clear her head and so she was out here on the pitch alone. Delilah had not realized just how much time had passed since she had come out here. The temperature had dropped but she was so warm she wasn’t exactly feeling it right now.

Delilah opened her eyes and looked up at that star covered sky. A weak smile snuck up on her full lips. Something about the sky made Delilah smile, perhaps because she knew so much about it from the wizarding and muggle perspective. If she could just apply herself she would be an astronomer, but she wasn’t sure if that was really what she wanted to do. A fun hobby turning into work could be a recipe for disaster or for success. Delilah really should start talking to someone about what she wanted to do with her life.

Her breath was slowing to normal, and the cool air of the night was now nipping at her bare skin. She was in a pair of brown shorts that came to about mid thigh; they were loose around her slim legs. Her t-shirt was light against her skin, sticking in places that were her skin was moist. Blowing air out heavily she brushed some hair behind her head before sitting up more and pulling off her gloves. That had definitely been a good work out.

Delilah was not expecting someone else to come out onto the pitch at this time. As long as it wasn’t a professor or prefect Delilah wouldn’t mind, because she had no interest in getting into trouble.

Delilah's Outfit

Arielle had made plans to go out with some friends from Gryffindor. When it got dark they were going to meet up and play hide and seek in the dark. It was fun to play when you could use magic to hide, sometimes making it impossible to catch your friends. They had met outside the green house and picked who was it and scattered off in different directions.

Running in a full sprint, Ari went towards her favorite place, the Quidditch Pitch. She had thought of hiding in the stands, but she couldn't decide. The pitch came in view and she started to laugh out loud. Nothing like a night time game to get the blood flowing.

Her steps were quick, and she didn't look down to the girl laying in the grass. Her sneaker caught on the girl's leg and Ari squealed tumbling forward. Head over heal she knocked the wind out of herself. "Shite" she breathed trying to gain her composure.

Sitting up she let her chest rest on her knees before tilting her face over to see what she tripped on. "What in Merlin's name are you doing out here?" There was still laughter in her voice covering the embarrassment she felt for toppling over. It wasn't like she fell all the time, just some of it. Rubbing her head she peeled some of the grass out of her hair which was tied up in a pony tail.

Arielle''s Outfit

The painful feeling of a foot making contact with her leg was not expected. Delilah had not expected to be run over when there had appeared to be nobody around her. “Blimey!” She yelled out loudly looking to see who the dratted culprit was that had so indecently tried to take her leg with her on the fall. “Jesus that hurt.” Delilah grumbled spouting of curse words under her breath. “But I suppose it has nothing compared to your acrobatic stunt.” Delilah did feel bad for the girl that had tumbled head over heels due to poor visibility or just lack of attention.

“What the heck are you doing running off full sprint?” Delilah wasn’t mad she was curious and there was an amused tone to her words. She knew the face of the girl, it was Arielle Snark, and she had seen her before. Who wouldn’t recognize a Snark kid? Delilah knew the boys well enough, and well Arielle was someone to watch on the pitch.

“What sort of antics are you getting up to then Arielle?” A curious glance to the girl as Delilah rubbed the spot on her leg. When she was satisfied that no permanent damage had taken place she started to pick at the grass to give her fingers something to do. 

The grass was almost out of her hair when she looked over again, "Well you know how it is, running in the dark you're just looking to do cartwheels into a nice grass dive." She snickered a bit feeling a dirt patch on her cheek. Grabbing the sleeve of her black sweater she wiped it off leaving a faint red mark not visible in the dim light of the pitch. Nothing like night time to make things easy to hide.

Shrugging she looked around, "There are a few of us out here playing a game. I was looking for a good hiding place so of course I gravitate towards my favourite place" The bright smile she now wore on her face was common when she spoke of Quidditch or anything related. The Snarks were easy to spot that was for sure, she knew her uncle and cousin had gained a reputation of sorts. Ari hoped to keep her reputation sport related.

"Ari, please call me Ari" she pleaded hating the name her father gave her all the more. It made her sound like some prissy girl, not her style. "You know, always up to something," she tried to figure out who the other girl was. She knew her but not terribly well. Arielle had a tendency to have tunnel vision with her eyes focused mainly on her House, her Sport, and her Friends. Outsiders never really made the cut. Sadly.

“Ah yes, just like nothing is better then a grass sandwich before bed.” Delilah chuckled as she pulled up her socks a bit. It was only now, as she looked at herself, she realized how hideous she looked. Not her normal everyday clothing style, definitely just stuff she shoved on for the workout she had decided to push herself though. It was a shame to sweat in the good stuff; hence the hideous pink top and the less then flattering shorts. Now the knee-highs that was something for her to ponder about but they were comfortable.

“A game you say? What are you up too then?” Delilah was curious to see with this fourth year was up too. If it were not for quidditch she would have no true idea about the girl that had so interrupted her, but in style. Yes Ari had style because even after she had taken a tumble she found the amusing side of it.

“Aye, Aye captain,” Delilah saluted, “No I understand it is my pet peeve when people call me Lilah. It is Del, or Delilah not Lilah.” She laughed briefly as she shrugged her shoulders. It was then she realized the cold air had more of a bite then was comfortable and reached over for her sweater. As she did that she looked up and realized the quaffle was still expertly swerving in and out of the hoops.

Locating her wand she cast as spell causing the quaffle to drop. After casting a summoning spell on it she turned her attention back to Ari.

Ari shook her head, "There is nothing better mate. A grass sandwich and if you play your cards right a couple of skinned knees. It seems that I  function under the belief that I can sleep when I'm dead," she chuckled a bit and smiled. Death was not funny, but the whole ball of energy thing was to her. When she was little her mother used to have to try and wear Arielle out before putting her down for a nap which generally tuckered her out and Arielle would spend the time fooling around with her toys while her mum napped on a sofa.

"You know when it's dark out, or getting darker it is always fun to look for your friends in the dark. So we decided to hide and see if our friends can find us," pointing out towards the direction of the green houses she smirked, "That's where I started out and apparently this is where I landed. Not an issue mind you," she reset her pony tail into place and gave her a friendly smile.

Arielle saluted back and laid back into the cold ground, "Alright so no Lilah.. how about Lils, or Dels, or Delly? Are any of those annoying or can I pick one?" Tilting her head she gave her a mischievous smile. "I've heard a couple people call me Arielle before realizing I might pound them for it. Suppose my reputation precedes me." 

“Mmm scrapped knees the cherry on the top.” Delilah half-heartedly spoke just really coming up with a reply for the girl. “I believe you can sleep when your dead, and that rules are meant to be broken.” George had a hand in molding that belief but Delilah currently fully believed it now.

“Sounds like fun,” Delilah had to admit it really did. If it was dark enough and could be breaking the rules it could be even more fun. “After ours fun is always the best, but you still have a bit before it is called after hours officially.” Delilah was sure the faculty would prefer people to be indoors now but it wasn’t curfew yet.

Delilah lay back looking up at the sky and focusing on that, but also listening to Ari’s words even if her eyes were picking out the constellations. “No to Lils, and I prefer Dels over Delly as it sounds too much like Belly.” Delilah found a few more constellations naming them by whispering probably not loud enough for Arielle to hear.

Her breathe had finally returned to normal and she could see the puffs of moisture as it cooled in the night aire. A smile crossed her lips as she watched them expand and disappear zoning out. Snapping back to reality she looked over at her hoping that Dels didn't notice her looking all distant. "Ah, yes most rules are meant to be broken that I agree." Her cousin and uncle might agree more so but that was neither here nor there.

"Alright then, I decided Dels is what I shall refer to you as. It suits you well, and it's much easier than Delilah. Far too long for me," she nodded as if it was decided before she spoke the words. "So Dels did you want to participate in our shenanigans or were you more interested in hiding in pools of darkness on the quidditch pitch. Because whatever you want, you can have but I know I still need to hide."

"After hours, before hours... doesn't ruddy matter to me. As long as I am having a good time I figure there is no blood no foul." The only one who has been trying to really keep her tied to her books lately was George her partner in crime and usually the first one up for fun. Lately he had been all about school. So very out of character for him. She would break him soon, Ari was sure of it.

It was nice to know someone else had that thought process. Del liked to hear that people agreed that rules were to be broken. It was so boring to be so straight laced. Delilah couldn’t believe that George appeared to be going that route. She was just looking at the stars when she realized that Arielle was speaking about hiding again. Did she want to play? Delilah thought about this for a few moments and then nodded her head. “Yeah I am up for it, but I need to shove some things in my bag and then shove the quaffle and the broom into the cupboard.”

Sitting back up Delilah stretched her arms over her head rolled to her knees. Shoving her gloves into her bag and her wand. “So any idea where you intend to hide here?” She thought the stands were a bit obvious, but she felt like it was also a good place to hide as you could move rather quietly through the stands to escape.

Delilah got to her feet as she picked up her broom, slung her bag on her shoulder and picked up the quaffle. Jogging slowly over to the broom cupboard to deposit her things she wouldn’t need when she got back to her room. Jogging back over after she kicked the door of the broom cupboard shut with her foot. “Alright so where we hiding?”

There were several students who believed that very thing. Rules weren't meant to be followed they were meant to be bent and broken. If they weren't they wouldn't be called rules in the first place. Besides what fun would it be painting inside the lines all the time? "Sounds like a plan!" She was starting to feel the excitement build again.

Looking over where she started, Arielle didn't see anyone pop up to look for her. So rolling to her feet she leaned forward to stretch. Knocking all the kinks from the fall out of her system while she had the chance to. "Nah, I usually don't plan that far in advance. The hiding place usually chooses me rather than the other way around."

Arielle looked towards the woods a bit while she heard a branch snapping. "Shite!" Grabbing her new friends hand she jogged towards the way of the stands "I think I heard something" she whispered as they moved towards the blackness of the frame which housed the stands above. If they hid somewhere in that area they could very well escape by slipping out the back but they needed to see who was following them. There was a beating in her chest she couldn't hide, the excitement and thrill of being chased for sport was exhilarating.

“Do you lose at hide and seek?” Delilah found herself asking with a bit of an amused tone. “I have never really had much success with having hiding places find me.” She mused on that for a second and chalked it up to the fact she was at a disadvantage when it came to playing hide and seek as it was always with her brother. A twin seemed to easily find the other twin. “As long as my brother isn’t playing I think we are generally good to go.”

Before she had much time to register the fact that Ari had appeared to hear someone she was being rushed, well more like dragged, towards the stands. Delilah supposed it was better then standing in the middle of the pitch like an idiot completely unaware and not to mention lost as to where her new friend Ari had gone. She finally picked up the speed of her feet into a jog rather than a clumsy stagger as she was dragged.

“Are we hiding there?” She whispered as she pointed upwards. Apparently they were thinking along the same lines as a place to hide. Or better yet, perhaps they were both drawn to the spot as it picked them? Delilah didn’t believe it but she was a bit amused at the thought. She was curious as to who was sneaking up on them in hopes of catching them off guard or finding them.