My name is Natalya Wood. Daughter of Oliver Wood and Chantel Wood. I am a very average teenage girl. I have light brown hair that reaches just past my shoulders and blue green eyes. I pride myself on having a slim figure due to my sports practices and games. There is one thing, however, that makes me a little higher than average. I am a sixth year witch at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am the keeper for my house Quidditch team, Gryffindor. Just like my father, Oliver Wood. But, enough of me talking about myself! I'm sure you want to get to the story, yeah? Well it all starts on September first of my sixth year. On platform nine and three quarters.
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I ran through the barrier of platform nine and three quarters with a huge smile on my face. This would be my year! I was sure of it. I pushed my trolly in front of me and stopped when I saw my best friend. He was talking to his father, of whom he was a carbon copy. He ruffled his little sister's hair and she swatted his hand away, running off with the other third year girls she was friends with. Her father called something but she chose to ignore him.
Next to my best friends on his other side was his younger brother. He had his father's hair as well but the eyes were from his mother's side of the family. A very striking shade of blue. He hugged his mother and father and then left. His mum sniffled a little as I approached them.
"I just can't believe how fast you've grown up sweetheart." she sniffled again, pulling my best friend in to a tight hug. He looked around to make sure no one saw what she was doing and his eyes locked on mine. Desperately, he mouthed the words "save me" and I giggled. I walked up to them and placed a hand on Mrs. Potter's shoulder.
"Hello Mrs. Potter. How have you been?" I questioned. She quickly released her eldest son and pulled me in for a bone-crushing hug. When she released I stepped back to stand next to my best friend.
"Dear, how many times must I tell you to call me Ginny?" she laughed. Mr. Potter wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder and smiled.
"You can tell her as many times as you wish mother. She's never going to listen. Stubborn as a mule this one is." her son swung his hip and hit mine. I rolled my eyes and hugged Mr. Potter hello since he hadn't spoken yet.
"It's a pleasure to see you again Natalya. Are you ready for your sixth year?" he asked politely. I nodded and suddenly Ginny burst in to tears.
"James and Natalya are in sixth year! It's all gone by so fast! It's not fair!" she cried and hugged her husband. I shifted uncomfortably. There was one thing I could never handle and that was people crying. Even young children made me uncomfortable. Harry sushed her and waved to us.
"See you at Christmas guys. Natalya, are your parents still alright with you spending the holiday with us?" Harry asked. I nodded.
"Yes. They're going to visit Margo in Sweden for christmas so they are thrilled that I actually have somewhere to go." I smiled. He nodded as I had and James grabbed my hand.
"See you guys at Christmas!" he yelled and pulled us away. We made our way onto the Hogwarts Express and found and empty compartment toward the middle of train. The two of us sat on opposite sides of the compartment and stretched our legs so they were positioned on the other's seat. "So where's daddy dearest this year Nat?" James inquired with a yawn.
"At home. Margo is still there for a week and mum insisted that spending time with her was more important than taking me to the station. They each have a favorite. Mum is just too much a dictator to let dad chose me." I laughed and kicked off my flip-flops. James grabbed my foot and started tickling it. My first response was to kick at him. That resulted in him making a sudden movement and his glasses flying the floor. I laughed and picked them up for him. "Don't touch my feet." I warned as I handed the glasses back to them.
"Don't wear Flip-flops in September." he retorted. "And I'm sure your dad wanted to come."
"I'm sure he did. It's my mum that didn't. She always gets what she wants." I rolled my eyes again. We sat in comfortable silence for a few more minutes. I closed my eyes and placed my hands behind my head, very ready to go to sleep.
"I, erm, I have to tell you something." James said quietly. I almost hadn't heard him. Almost.
"What is it James?" I opened one eye and raised my eyebrow. Just one, because I have that magic ability. He shifted as I had before when his mum started crying and I instantly sat up. I opened both eyes and grabbed for his hand. "What's the matter Jamie?" I asked. He avoided eye-contact.
"You're gonna be mad at me because I didn't tell you sooner." he sighed, finally looking at me.
"Alright, so start simple. When did this something happen?" I tilted my head to the side to show him he didn't have anything to worry about.
"A month ago." he replied begrudgingly. I sighed. What could he have possibly hid from me for a month? We didn't keep anything from each other. That's why whenever we got the other a birthday present we just gave it to the other that day. We could never keep anything secret.
"Just tell me muffin." I said, referring to him by the nickname I gave him in third year. We had been sitting at the Gryffindor table and he sat down. I said "muffin" as I held one out to him. He told me his name was not muffin. I had been calling him that ever since.
"I, well," he began but never got the chance to finish. For at that moment, the compartment door slid open and a seventh year Gryffindor girl walked in. She had flowing platinum blond hair and eyes the colors or amber. When she came in James quickly pulled his hand from mine and smiled at her.
"Hello love." he greeted. I rolled my eyes. Leave it to James to ignore important news to flirt with a girl. What surprised me was that she sat down next to him and kissed him square on the lips as he placed his arm around her waist. My eyes widened and I knew my mouth hung open.
"Can I help you?" the blond asked in a snotty tone. My mouth immediately shut and glared. James smiled at both of us like he didn't know what was right in front of him.
"Natie! This is Lindsey. She's my girlfriend. That's what I was trying to tell you just now." James smiled at me and then turned to his...girlfriend, "Lindsey, this is my best friend in the entire world, Natalya!" he beamed at both of us. I forced a smile onto my face for his benefit. I couldn't very well be a bitch to his new girlfriend. All of his other ones had been nice to me after they found out I was his best friend. This girl would probably be the same.
"That's great Jamie. I'm happy for you." I said in the most happy voice I could muster. There was something about this girl that I just couldn't put my finger on. It annoyed me to no end.
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"James-ie! Why don't you go put your robes on in a different compartment and me and Natalie here will get changed in this one?" Lindsey suggested. James smiled for the fiftieth time and left the two of us. As soon as he was out of ear shot she got directly in my face. "Listen to me and listen good. James is my boyfriend and I plan on keeping it that way for a while. No one is going to get in my way. Especially not his 'best friend' got it? He's mine. I'll be damned if I let some little sixth year no-body Quidditch brat take him from me!" Lindsey stepped back, looking very pleased with herself. I rolled my eyes as I finished putting my uniform on. I got right in her personal space like she had in mine.
"Listen to me! James is my best friend and you if do anything to get in between us I will personally make sure the rest of your school year is made in to a personal hell. Do anything to hurt him and I can assure you it will come back sevenfold. And sweetheart, get used to me being around, because I'm not going anywhere." I smirked. Just as I finished my sentence James opened the compartment door.
"What's going on here?" James inclined his head toward us. My smirk faltered and Lindsey turned to him with tears in her big innocent doe eyes.
"James-ie! I was just trying to be nice and she totally just got in my face! She said how I wasn't allowed to be with you because you were HER best friend!" she shrieked.
"I did not! You lying skank!" I screamed.
"NATALYA! THAT'S ENOUGH!" James shouted. I couldn't help but feel the prickle of tears come to my eyes. He had never yelled at me before. Sure, he had raised his voice when we argued but it never got as loud as it just had. Or as intimidating. I shrunk away from him.
"James," I whispered, " she's lying. Can't you see that! I never said what she said I did!" He glared at me and I felt the urge to cry become stronger.
"Well from what I just heard you obviously weren't very nice to her. She's my girlfriend. You have to respect that Natalya. You can't be a prat." he replied angrily. I couldn't hold it back anymore. The tears were going to come and I had to get away. I hated crying in front of people as much as I hated other people crying. As I pushed past them I heard Lindsey hiss "he's mine". I ran down the corridor checking for empty compartments. As was my luck, just before I passed a compartment the door opened and Lily, James' little sister, stepped out.
"Natie! What's wrong?" She questioned and pulled me into her compartment. I was vaguely aware that there were two other third year girls with us and that I was about to divulge my story to thirteen year old but I didn't care. I needed to tell someone and in all honesty, Lily was like a little sister to me. I told her everything. From meeting Lindsey to the awkward conversations until James left and then her threatening me. Me threatening her and James coming back. I told her that James had never yelled at me. Her and her friends nodded sympathetically.
"Oh Lily! That girl is vile! And I'm sorry that you have to sit here and listen to me. I'm a pathetic excuse for a sixteen year old." I muttered. Lily pulled me into a hug.
"No, you're not. You're practically my big sister." Lily said happily. I smiled at her and sniffled. One of her friends handed me a tissue and I nodded my thanks, wiping my eyes. "Natie, this is Bridget," she pointed too a pixie like girl with short cute black hair and emerald green eyes, " and Danielle." she pointed to a girl with ruby red hair and deep brown eyes.
"Nice to meet you." I said semi-happily. It was the best I could manage and they respected that. "God Lils, why didn't I become friends with you instead? You're so much sweeter." I sighed. Danielle let out a bubbly laugh and Bridget snorted.
"Lily? Nice? On what planet?" Bridget joked and Lily stuck her tongue out at them.
"Stop being toerags!" Lily said with mock-anger but we all started laughing.
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The Gryffindor common room was just about empty. After the amazing Welcome feast everyone had just hung out. I decided that, because my friends in my dorm were with their boyfriends( I was the only single person out of four Gryffindor sixth years) that I would sit with Lily and her friends. They were very entertaining as they played exploding snaps. Bridget and I conversed and laughed at Danielle and Lily's pathetic wizard chess game. Lily's friends had gone up to sleep but she still sat beside me on the floor as we talked about girlie things like her new crush: Scorpious Malfoy, her second brother's best friend.
I felt someone sit behind me and put their legs on either side of mine. They put their arms around my middle and placed their head on my shoulder. From the scowl Lily was giving, I knew who it was. I sighed.
"I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow Lils." I assured. She nodded, smiling at me. She glared at her brother and then left. You had to love that girl. Family came first, unless they were wrong. "What do you want James?" I questioned as I looked in to the empty fireplace. It was too warm to have a fire as of yet. I tried to get out of his grip but he held me tight. It was his fault I couldn't get out. Damn Beater strength!
"I'm sorry Nat. I didn't mean to get so angry at you." he said quietly. I shrugged.
" You yelled, I cried, I stole your sister. I think we're even." I laughed. There was a certain quality James had. It's like you can't stay made at him for too long, because if you do, you wind up going crazy!
"I...I...I made you cry?" James sounded disbelieving. I nodded silently. "Oh Nat! I'm so sorry. I swear, I'll never yell at you again." he whispered and hugged me closer. I smiled.
"I missed you muffin." I leaned back in to his chest. He chuckled and it vibrated against my back.
"I missed you too." he said and stood up, taking me with him.
"James-ie! What are you doing with HER?" Lindsey shrieked. I started to think shrieking, crying and threatening were the only tones the girl could manage.
"She's my best friend, love. I had to apologize for yelling at her." James explained calmly.
"Why? She never apologized for what she said to me." Lindsey said indignantly. I wanted to take tweezers and rip out every single strand one by one! James gave me a half smile with pleading eyes. Oh, what did I care? She would be gone in a week!
"I apologize." I said after taking a deep breath.
"For?" Lindsey asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Each hair, one by one.
"Listen you little," I started but James cut across me.
"Lind, that's the best you're ever going to get." he said. She huffed and I rolled my eyes. My best friend sure knew how to pick 'em.
"Fine." she said indignantly. She wasn't happy but I could not have cared less. Suddenly she grabbed James by his tie and pulled him to her. When he finally reached her she began to snog him. I crinkled my nose in disgust. It was repulsive!
"I'm going to bed. Goodnight James." I turned to go to my dorm.
"What about Lindsey?" he asked me. I gritted my teeth and my shoulders tensed. I would actually have to acknowledge her presence?
"Night Lindsey." I managed to say through a clenched jaw. My back was still to them so James wouldn't know the difference.
"Have pleasant dreams Natalya!" she cackled. I cringed at the sound and quickened my pace to my dorm.
"Just a week. Maybe two. Possibly three, and she'll be gone." I muttered to myself as I opened the dorm door. I would only have to put up with her for that long!
A/N: Okay, what do you think? Is it terrible? Review and tell me! And a special thanks to Yani! She's super encouraging and has a really great Sirius and OC fic! Go check it out! It's called Marauder Meets Girl!