Jihyo had no clue how Jeongyeon had managed to convince her-- yet again-- to attend a Quidditch match. Jihyo didn’t even like Quidditch all that much, and she had actual Head Girl duties to attend to, yet here she was, huddled in the Gryffindor stands wedged between a group of rambunctious fourth years. Yoo Jeongyeon, you’re going to owe me for this big time, Jihyo grumbled mentally, crossing her arms over her chest.

The match was Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and even though Jihyo wasn’t particularly the type of person to subscribe to petty house rivalries, she knew how big of a deal this match would be for Jeongyeon. As the captain of the Gryffindor team, Jeongyeon put a great amount of pressure on herself to succeed. It was for her sake that Jihyo hoped the Gryffindor team was able to secure a win for their house today.

Despite Jihyo’s general apathy regarding the sport, the enthusiasm of the crowd was infectious. Without even realizing it, she soon found herself absorbed in the excitement of the game. The players flying around were at times little more than blurs of red and green as they zoomed around on their broomsticks, but Jihyo still managed to keep a close eye on Jeongyeon.

In addition to being the captain, Jeongyeon was also one of the team’s star Chasers. Jihyo couldn’t help but grin with pride as her best friend expertly handled the Quaffle, scoring point after point for the Gryffindor team. Even with her limited knowledge of Quidditch, it was obvious to Jihyo that the Slytherins were outclassed here. She was beginning to believe this might be an easy win for the Gryffindors judging by how easily they were scoring points and deflecting the Slytherins’ own attempts.

As the Gryffindors came into possession of the Quaffle once again, Jihyo’s eyes wandered around the field. Her gaze eventually settled on one of the Slytherin Beaters, a fellow seventh year who she recalled was named Im Nayeon. Jihyo was familiar with the girl, partially because Nayeon was a prefect, but mostly thanks to Jeongyeon. Since Nayeon was also the Slytherin captain, she was Jeongyeon’s “mortal enemy slash born rival”. If Jihyo didn’t know any better, she’d think Jeongyeon was obsessed with the Slytherin considering how often she ranted about her.

”That girl is an absolute nightmare!” Jeongyeon had exclaimed one evening in the common room, hands waving wildly, ”I swear she schedules Slytherin practices at the same time as Gryffindor practices on purpose, just to spite me! Her team isn’t even that good and yet she acts like the rest of us are just scum on the bottom of her shoe!” Jihyo wasn’t personally sure about the validity of those statements, thinking Jeongyeon may have been being a slight bit dramatic, but out of loyalty to her best friend, Jihyo developed a vague dislike of the Slytherin anyway.

Jihyo watched as the Beater wound up her arm, bat held out at the ready. In a matter of what seemed like milliseconds, Nayeon swung the bat at an incoming Bludger with all her might, a sharp crack audible even from where Jihyo was sitting across the field. Impressed with the Slytherin’s show of strength, Jihyo’s rapt eyes followed the path of the Bludger. However, her heart leapt into when she realized who Nayeon’s intended target was. It was Jeongyeon, one hand extended out to catch the Quaffle being tossed her way by a teammate.

Jihyo’s mouth opened to scream out an instinctive warning to her best friend, but of course it was too late and no use, anyway. The speeding Bludger collided with Jeongyeon’s hand, knocking the Quaffle out of her possession and into the waiting arms of a Slytherin Chaser. The whole crowd gasped, Jihyo standing up to watch with cold horror as Jeongyeon nearly fell off her broom, clutching her hand to her chest. The Gryffindor managed to jerkily fly down to the ground where she collapsed, waiting for medical attention.

Jihyo pushed her way through the shocked Gryffindor crowd to the stairs, praying that her best friend would be alright.

-----

Jihyo anxiously paced back and forth outside the large doors of the Hospital Wing, her mind coming up with endless horrible scenarios. Is her whole hand broken? Did she break her arm too? Will it be able to heal alright? What if it doesn’t? What if Jeongyeon can’t play Quidditch ever again? Merlin’s beard, that would absolute devaste her! Jihyo’s thoughts raced as she became increasingly worried for Jeongyeon.

The Head Girl whipped around as she heard the doors finally part, revealing Madam Pomfrey. “Please tell me she’s alright,” Jihyo immediately rushed out breathlessly, “Can I see her? I need to make sure she’s alright, I’m her best friend, I--”

“Miss Park,” Madam Pomfrey interrupted, holding up her hands to calm the girl down. Jihyo fell silent, and nodded uneasily for the nurse to continue. “Miss Yoo’s injuries are thankfully minor. She broke a few fingers, but it’s nothing a little Skele-Gro and bed rest cannot fix. I gave her some medicine to fall asleep in order to speed the mending process, so you’ll have to visit her later tonight.”

Jihyo released a breath, simultaneously frustrated that she could not see her best friend in that moment yet also relieved that Jeongyeon would be alright. She nodded again and thanked Madam Pomfrey, feeling some of the tension lift from her shoulders. However, her nervous energy was beginning to take the shape of something else-- burning anger. What was Im Nayeon thinking, sending a Bludger straight for Jeongyeon like that?! Was that even legal? It was a miracle that Jeongyeon had only broken her fingers, Nayeon could have easily split her head open!

A sense of fiery resolve settling over her, Jihyo marched down the hallway back toward the Quidditch pitch. By the time she reached the field, it seemed like the game was coming to a close. Judging by the cheering coming from the Slytherin section, their team had apparently managed to pull themselves together enough to win the game for themselves. The only reason they even won is because of Jeongyeon’s injury, Jihyo thought bitterly, before reminding herself not to discredit Jeongyeon’s many hardworking teammates. Still, her frustration was reaching a boiling point and she was determined to confront the source of it.

The Gryffindor positioned herself outside the Slytherin locker room, waiting for a certain Beater to emerge. After a few minutes the door swung open and the whole team flooded out at once, laughing and cheering loudly about their win. It seems their attention was focused primarily on Nayeon, everyone slapping her back and congratulating her.

“You really outdid yourself this time, Im!” one of her teammates crowed. “Did you see the look on Yoo’s face when that Bludger hit her? I thought she was gonna cry for sure!”

Jihyo bristled with anger but held herself back-- Nayeon was her target, not some snotty boy who wasn’t worth her time or attention. “Im Nayeon,” she called out abruptly, stopping the girl in her tracks. The Beater looked back in confusion, the grin on her face momentarily freezing before it grew even wider when she recognized who it was.

“Park Jihyo,” the Slytherin greeted smoothly. She glanced over at a few of her teammates who had hung back with her and waved a hand in a lazy motion, “Don’t worry, you guys go celebrate and I’ll catch up later.” Nayeon’s gaze returned to Jihyo, an infuriatingly smug look on her face as she added, “The Head Girl probably just wants my autograph.” The other Slytherins burst out laughing again and patted Nayeon’s back a few more times before walking away.

At this point Jihyo’s anger was simmering, and she bit out, “I don’t want your autograph, I want you to apologize for nearly killing my best friend.”

Nayeon started to laugh incredulously. “Nearly killing? Seriously? Wow, I knew Yoo could be dramatic, but you’re seriously on another level.” She crossed her arms across her chest, her eyebrows arched.

Jihyo grit her teeth, trying to contain her irritation. The last thing she wanted was to give Nayeon the satisfaction of seeing her all worked up. “You’re lucky that the Bludger just hit her hand! A few inches off, and it could have hit her head!” she exclaimed in frustration.

“Well, it didn’t, did it?” Nayeon countered, huffing as she leaned against her broom. “Jeez, who do you think I am, some first year? I’m the best Beater Slytherin, hell, the whole school’s seen in years. I know how to do my job right.”

Jihyo scoffed and rolled her eyes-- could this girl’s ego get any bigger? “Your ‘job’ is to cause dangerous injuries and send people to the Hospital Wing?” she retorted.

“If it helps my team win, then yes,” Nayeon replied simply. Jihyo was disgusted-- did she really only care about winning, even if the methods were cruel and barbaric? Nayeon leaned forward, her voice dripping with patronization as she said, “If Yoo doesn’t want to get hurt, maybe she should learn to play better. Actually, maybe she should just quit so she doesn’t embarrass herself anymore than she already has.” Before Jihyo could even come up with a response, the Slytherin’s lips twisted into a smirk. “Seeya around, princess.” Wiggling her fingers in a mocking wave, Nayeon walked away, leaving Jihyo standing there fuming.

Once Nayeon was gone, Jihyo tilted her head upward and released a frustrated yell. Jeongyeon had said that Nayeon was a nightmare, but she didn’t mention that she was actually smug, egotistical, and positively infuriating, too.

-----

Later that night when Jihyo was finally able to visit Jeongyeon in the Hospital Wing, she was relieved to find that the girl was indeed okay, although understandably not in the best of spirits.

“I can’t believe I let Im freakin’ Nayeon get the best of me!” Jeongyeon moaned, leaning back in the bed with a hand covering her eyes. She does have a flair for the dramatic, doesn’t she? Jihyo thought offhandedly. “I should’ve seen the Bludger coming and ducked. I let the whole team down, and now Im is never gonna let me forget this!”

Jihyo patted her best friend’s shoulder comfortingly, debating on whether or not to bring up her… “encounter” with the Slytherin. It’d probably just get Jeongyeon worked up further, which was the last thing the girl needed in a time like this, but at the same time--

“What is that face you’re making?” Jeongyeon’s voice interrupted Jihyo’s thoughts, and she snapped back to reality, focusing in on Jeongyeon who was looking at her suspiciously.
 

“What face?” Jihyo responded breezily, forcing an innocent smile.

Jeongyeon made a show of rolling her eyes. “I’m your best friend, idiot, don’t play dumb with me.” She paused, and then her expression contorted into one of horror. “Wait, wait, wait… I know you. Jihyo. Please tell me that you didn’t go to talk to Nayeon after the match.”

Jihyo winced. “Well, about that…”

Jeongyeon groaned, “Jihyo, don’t you know that Im Nayeon is pure evil in a teenage girl’s body?! I have told you this time and time again! Merlin’s beard… What did she say to you?” At Jihyo’s look of hesitation, Jeongyeon grabbed her friend’s hand with her own non-wrapped up one and gave her a serious look. “Just tell me, I need to know what she said about me.”

Jihyo cleared . “Well, after she was done bragging about how she’s the best Beater in Hogwarts history et cetera et cetera, she basically said that you might as well quit the team so you don’t embarrass yourself anymore…” Jihyo trailed off briefly before jumping back in, “But don’t listen to her, Jeong, she’s just trying to get in your he--”

“Ugh, she best wait until the next game!” Jeongyeon growled out, fist clenched in front of her, “She may have beaten me this match but she won’t get the chance next time. We’ll crush her and her team into the dust and make sure the name ‘Im Nayeon’ goes down as the worst Beater in Hogwarts history!”

Jihyo smiled in relief at her friend’s conviction, glad that Nayeon’s snarky comments had had what she guessed was the opposite desired effect. She should have known that Jeongyeon was too stubborn to ever get discouraged about playing the game that she loved so much. “Definitely,” Jihyo chuckled, “Im Nayeon and the Slytherins won’t know what’s coming for them.” Jeongyeon tossed her a lopsided smile, and Jihyo knew her friend would be alright.

Jeongyeon spent the next hour of so of Jihyo’s visit strategizing and coming up with game plans for the next match out loud. Jihyo did her best to pay attention to what her friend was saying, but her mind was still partially occupied with thoughts of her interaction with Nayeon.

Jihyo couldn’t help but be frustrated with herself that she wasn’t able to truly get a word in edgewise in their argument. She generally preferred taking diplomatic approaches to problems, however she wasn’t about to let some jerk walk all over her and her best friend, either. Jihyo hoped she didn’t have to confront the Slytherin again, but if she did, she was determined not to let Nayeon “win” a second time.