Her Inferno, which she had scrimped and saved for months to buy, was broken.  In five places, no less, because apparently when a player is sent careening into the crowd, her broken, top of the market broom is declared fair game.  No less than fifteen people had descended upon her, tearing her robes and ripping apart her beautiful Inferno.  She had even had one teenage wizard start feeling her up as well, although he'd ended up hexed for that little move.  She'd been fully blatched by Terrence McKinnon, and yet, because the game had been over for a full second, it had counted for nothing.  And he had batted his eyes at the female referee, despite his obvious discomfort, claiming that it had "only been an accident", and then whining that Alicia had unfairly hexed him, which was untrue, that had been someone from the crowd.  A right riot had resulted from that bit of dirty play.  The referee had denied Alicia's demand that Terrence be forced to replace her broom immediately, despite the jeers that were coming from the crowd and the Puddlemere team.  She had told Alicia she was lucky to not be suspended after hexing the bloke.  Alicia didn't even have half of the Inferno's handle any more, as some blokes from the crowd had grabbed their pieces and run.  Livid at the injustice, Alicia stalked to her bathroom, stripping as she went.  She deserved a long bath after that fiasco, and by Circe, she was going to take as long as she bloody well pleased.

Dean stepped through the Floo into Alicia's flat thoroughly brassed off, and more than a little worried for Ali.  He'd been at the match.  He'd just started cheering Yarrow's taking the snitch when things had gone straight to hell.  Alicia had been blatched straight into the stands not twenty feet from where he'd been sitting.  He tried to get to her, but couldn't quite manage to push his way through the mob that rushed her.  He did, however, manage to get a good couple of hexes in on that bastard McKinnon before security cleared everyone out.  Dean grinned grimly. The conjunctivita was easy enough to reverse, but the Bowel-Loosening hex he'd managed to slip in would have to wear off on it's own.  Eh, he thought. He'll live - it'll only last for a week or so.  Bastard deserved it, anyway.  What had bothered him most was seeing Alicia staring at the few splintered pieces of her Inferno.  She looked absolutely shattered.  He could imagine the same look on his face if someone were to break his hands - like someone had taken taken his passion from him, even if only for a while.

Not seeing her in the sitting room, he made his way towards her bedroom.  "Ali?" he called.  "It's Dean.  Are you here?"

Hearing Dean in her flat made Alicia jump, sloshing the now lukewarm water on the floor.  "Shit!" She cursed, grabbing a towel.  She'd fallen asleep in the tub, her heating charm had worn off, and she hated being in lukewarm water.  Stepping out onto the floor, she wrapped one towel around her body and another around her hair.  "I was in the tub," she said, peeking out of the bathroom, "are you alone?"

"Yeah," he replied.  "I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

Stepping out fully into the hall at his assurance of being alone, she smiled wearily at her friend.  "I'm fine.  My Inferno, not so much. Terrence McKinnon when I see him next and there's no one around, definitely not so much."  Her voice was hard, and her eyes glittered with malice.  "I cannot express how much I despise that man right now.  Just because I flew circles around him today,"  she cut herself off, and headed into the bedroom to change, not bothering to shut the door.  It was Dean after all.  He'd seen her nude rather often by now, the boy ought to be somewhat used to it.  Quickly pulling on denims and a tee, she turned to look at her friend.  "Wait, you came to make sure I was okay?  Why?  How did you know I might not be?"

"Because I was at the match."  Dean smiled ruefully.  "I'd planned on getting there early to see if I could get a chance to talk with you, but I had a sitting for a wedding portrait that ran a bit long.  I was there for your blatching, though.  Ruddy bastard."  he smiled suddenly.  "You won't have to worry about him for a while though - he'll be rather firmly planted on the johnny for the next week or so."  At Alicia's puzzled glance, he shrugged and added, "I got a hex or two in."

"Oh, yeah - I'd almost forgotten.  I picked up a little 'good luck' present for your match today."  He rummaged about in one of his pockets for a moment, before pulling out a small box.  "I guess I should've given it to you before the match though, yeah?" Dean said with a sheepish smile as he handed it to her.

Alicia grinned at her friend.  "It was you?  You darling man!  I could kiss you for your brilliant aim.  But we both know where that leads," she joked, poking him and opening her present.  "My gosh, Dean, they're...  gorgeous.  I... don't know what to say!"  Alicia stared at the earrings and necklace in awe.  They were shimmering in the light, and nearly stole her breath, the lemon topaz and diamonds catching the light.  She wasn't much for knowing jewelry, but she knew that these had to have been expensive.  "I feel like a kept woman, Dean Thomas!"  A smirk accompanied her joke, and she looked at them again.  "Surely I can't accept these, Dean... They must have cost a small fortune... are you sure you want to spend that on me?"  She was serious now, and she looked into her friend's dark eyes, knowing that she'd be able to tell if he was lying.

"You don't need to say anything," he said with a wide smile.  "As long as you like them, that's good enough for me."  Dean's smile dimmed a bit as her last remarks registered.  "Ali..."  Dean paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts.  "No, they weren't bargain bin priced, if that's what you're asking.  I saw them, and I thought that they'd look smashing on you."  He sighed.  "I like making my friends smile, Ali.  If I throw down a bit of dosh doing that, then so be it.  I've been doing really well lately, now that my ad in the Prophet is running.  Hell, I've got work piling up now.  So please... indulge me?"

Alicia looked at him a moment longer, and then grinned.  "Alright, but I draw the line at you paying me an allowance, Mr. Thomas.  No respectable witch plays the kept woman, even if the wizard in question is an incredible shag. If you wish to shower me with jewelry, clothing and shoes, however, I'll not stop you."  She smiled, a genuine smile that reached her eyes, and softened her features.  "Thank you, Dean."  She took the necklace out, and undid the clasp.  "Will you help?"

"It would be my pleasure," he replied. Stepping behind her, he fastened it  and laid a light kiss on her neck by the clasp.  "And you are in no way a 'kept woman', Ali.  You belong to no one but yourself."

Alicia grinned at that.  "Very smooth, Dean.  Very smooth.  I know that isn't a line, but it was smooth nonetheless."  She turned and pressed her lips to his softly.  "Thank you.  For the presents, for hexing that berk...  for checking on me.  Thanks for staying on Wednesday night, too."  She felt suddenly shy.  She had found, the past couple nights, that she was having nightmares of the marks in the sky from Halloween night, and her parents, but was unsure why.  But the actual night it had happened, she had slept in a blissful state of oblivion, largely due to Dean.  "Help me polish my old Firebolt, yeah?  Gotta have it ready for Monday's practice."  She sighed.  The Inferno had become like a part of her, and she was more devastated that it had been broken than she cared to show.  "I seem to be having bad luck on the pitch lately," she mused, biting her lip slightly.

"Smooth?  Me?"  Dean chuckled.  "Well, that's a first."  His smile turned a bit shy.  "And you never need to thank me, for any of it.  You do for those you care about, yeah?"  His smile widened as he continued.  "And you especially don't need to thank me for Wednesday.  Mind-bending sex aside, that was the best, most comfortable night's sleep I've had in... well, ever."  He pecked her softly on the lips.  "So, let's dig up that old Firebolt of you..." 

Dean was interrupted by a rather insistent tapping.  Turning towards the window, Dean saw not one but two owls on the sill, struggling with a large and bulky package.  "Well, then," he said, "It looks as though I may be coming in second in today's gift-giving extravaganza."  Opening the window, Dean watched as the owls lumbered through the air to the bed before dropping their burden and flying back out.

Alicia pounced on the package, locating a card.  Ripping the card open, she skimmed it quickly.  A fine player such as yourself should not be inconvenienced by bad sportsmanship such as was displayed today.  I hope that this small gift will be accepted in the spirit it was intended.  Good things do occasionally happen to good people, Ms. Spinnet. - A Loyal Fan.  Shock in her eyes, she looked at Dean, handing him the card.  Carefully unwrapping the package at the narrow end, she saw her surname glittering upon the handle.  Unable to hold herself in check, she ripped the rest of the paper off in a rather unceremonious manner.  Shock registered upon her face.  "A new Inferno," she whispered, as a tear started to roll down her cheek.  "But who would, why would someone do this anonymously?"  She looked at Dean, hoping for reassurance that she wasn't dreaming.

Dean's eyes widened as he read the card.  "Wow.  Just... wow."  Dean looked at Ali with a stunned expression.  "I don't know who the bloke is, but he's now officially my hero."  Shaking his head, he added, "It's good to know that, once in a while, things work out like they're supposed to."

"Bloke?  Why do you think it's a bloke?  Why can't it be a girl?  Girls can't be big Quidditch fans?  Or maybe you know something about this gift that you're not telling me!"  Alicia's eyes flashed with a slight annoyance.  She'd had to put up with a lot to be taken seriously about her passion for Quidditch, but as she asked the questions she realized that this was Dean, and he hadn't meant to be offensive in the least.  "It could be a girl." She giggled this time, adding, "But a bloke would make more sense.  I might have to see if I can't find out who it was.  Maybe I'll give a proper 'thank you'.  I'm sure you know exactly what I mean."  She smirked at Dean, momentarily forgetting the Inferno, memory bringing back what they'd been discussing before the gift had interrupted them.  "Mind-bending sex, though?  Really?  Care to elaborate on that?"

"Whoa!  I suppose it could be a girl," he said quickly, "but I just thought that the handwriting looked like a bloke's."  Dean grinned.  "And I'm not sure that said bloke - or bird - would survive a proper thank you for something like this."  His grinned took on a sexy edge as he drawled, "Yes, love.  Positively mind-altering.  And I'd be happy to elaborate, any time you like."  He sat down beside her on the bed and pulled her to him for a slow, languorous kiss.  "Any time at all."

"Mmm," she moaned into his mouth, sliding the Inferno to the side, and laying him down, settling to rest on top of him.  Propping herself up on her elbows, and tracing his face with one hand she grinned at him.  "Well, we do have some spare time now that I don't need to fix up the old Firebolt...  Perhaps I should practice my thank yous.  You gave me a rather lovely gift as well, you know."

Dean grinned as they kissed again.  "I think I've changed my mind - you can thank me any time you like, love," he said as his hands found their way under her shirt, "As long as you let me thank you back."

"Hmm," Alicia smiled, "I suppose that'd be allowed," she gasped as his hands ghosted over her skin, "provided that I then get to thank you again."  She paused, looking at him for a moment, trying to decipher him through his eyes.  She knew him very well, but there were still things she didn't know about him, and she found herself wanting to know.  All in good time, Alicia, you're friends, after all, and have only gotten closer as time meanders on.  She smiled again, and leaned towards him, her breath warm against his ear, "You know, it could be a very, very long time before this debt is settled."

"Mmmm," he murmured as he rolled them over, careful to avoid Ali's new broom.  "If ever..." he said with a smile as he leaned down for another kiss.

"Glad you agree," she whispered, voice husky.  Her hands moved to help him remove his shirt.  "We'd best get started then."


{Summary:  Alicia's day starts off horribly.  Dean, and presents, certainly cheer her up}