Oliver was sitting in his bed by the window with his head resting on his knees and his whole posture screaming defeat. He sighed loudly looking at the reddish colors the sunset gave to the Quidditch pitch.
"Gryffindor colors" pointed a voice form behind him "I'd say that's as clear as signals go but then again I'll never took Divination"
"Percy" Oliver greeted without turning his gaze to the redhead. His roommate sat by his side on the bed.
"Shouldn't you be going over tomorrow strategies like the manic the twins say you are?" asked the Head-boy with a smile poking the keeper's side to force him to look at him.
"What's the point?" exclaimed Oliver with frustration "For three years I've been doing that, three years having the better team of Hogwarts by a long shoot and somehow we. Never. Win." he punched the mattress to accompany his words.
"Well, this year your seeker is not unconscious and there isn't a monster terrorizing the school and causing Quidditch to be cancelled." Percy said somewhat patronizingly, Oliver glared at him but he continued "You only have to win against Slytherin by more than two hundred points."
"Yeah, I know it's just so unfair" complained Oliver fully aware he sounded like a spoiled child "It's my last chance, Perce. I need to win. I have to win! No team is going to hire a keeper whose team didn't manage to win even one Quidditch Cup" he ended with frustration
"They'll hire you" there was no doubt in Percy's voice "They'll be stupid not to"
"Are you sure of that?" asked Oliver half hope half defeat.
"Look Oliver, I won't pretend to know much about Quidditch because we both know that you have taught me the little I know but I do know you." he answered "Better than most I dare say" Oliver nodded "You are talented, there's no doubt to that but more important, you are dedicated and hardworking, you know what you want and you spend as much time as possible working to get it. And because of that you are going to get it. I know you will. Look, you know me, do I make and habit of betting?"
"You never bet" answered the keeper who was looking at the bed trying to hide his blushing. "You say it's foolish and childish and the surest way to lose money" he quoted rolling his eyes and trying to imitate Percy most pompous tone. Percy hit him with a pillow.
"True" he acknowledge dodging the pillow the other teen throw him in retaliation and continuing like nothing had happened "but I bet 10 Galleons in Gryffindor winning against Ravenclaw. 10 Galleons that I didn't have, let me add." he said shrugging self-consciously "And I have twenty on you winning the Quidditch Cup. That's how sure I am. And I'm sure because I believe in you. You've never let me down, you always give your best and I will always, always bet on you" he ended with a encouraging smile.
"You give the best pep talks Perce, thank you. "Oliver smiled him more animated"And you're right, we have a chance to win I just have to stay focus and give my all. And bully the others to do the same" he added making Percy laugh. " It just gets frustrating, you know, having your future depending so much in one thing, knowing you can do it and then something you can't control happens and it screws everything. It's worse than failing because you didn't even do anything wrong. And people don't understand like my parents? they mean well but every time I tried to explain they say something along the lines that Quidditch is everything and that I'm smart enough to get another job to try to cheer me up but... ugh" Oliver ran his fingers through his hair trying to find the words.
"But there isn't" helped Percy "Not for you at least. Quidditch is what you love, what you are good at. What you are best at. Quidditch is where you can prove yourself, and face the world and say 'I'm me, and I'm worth something, I'm me and I'm one of a kind, I'm me and I'm useful' and dare them to say otherwise." Percy looked unconsciously to the photography of his family resting in his bedside table "And sure, you could do other things, you could be good at other things,, even great, but you wouldn't be doing what you do best so what would be the point? It could never be as fulfilling you could never shine as bright. So it wouldn't be enough"
"Exactly." smiled Oliver dropping his head to rest it in his roommate shoulders. "I knew you'd understand, you always do." he pressed his cheek more firmly against Percy "We may be one of a kind" he chuckled "but we are both cut of the same cloth." he affirmed proudly.
"That we are" acknowledge Percy laughing too. "I don't know why everyone thinks we are so different" His cheek was resting gently against the top of Oliver's head.
"Not a clue. But I'm so freaking happy that we both got in the same house. Otherwise we would have died of starvation before we finished our first year without anyone to remember us about those slightly important things called sleeping and eating during finals and before any important matches." said Oliver raising his head form his roommate's shoulder to wink at him.
"About that..." the perfect stood up to get a plate he had left in the table "Eat, we can't have our captain fainting in the middle of the match because he forgot to eat the night before, the seeker was bad enough" he said with a grimace.
"Hopefully this time there will be no dementors. Thanks" Oliver noticed that the plate contained food high in carbohydrates and smiled thinking That's my Percy, always the perfectionist. "No, but really, can you imagine if any other boy had been sorted to Gryffindor? Someone loud and with no respect for your homework or my strategies? That would want to play exploding snap in the room or bring people! And who would took your notes without asking putting them out of order and trip with my broomstick" he exclaimed with horror.
"He would have requested a transfer within the month." Percy said with a wicked grin "I'm pretty sure we are the only ones who can put up with each other, Oliver. People same to not be able to understand the importance of silence or of work" he said disapprovingly shaking his head.
"Well, I guess we're gonna have to stick together then" said Oliver punching affectionately Percy's arm.
Percy rubbed his arm smiling at his friend. Oliver smiled back making Percy realized that they were very close. His eyes fell to look at Oliver's lips and when he manage to look up to Oliver's eyes again he saw a glimmer of understanding. Oliver leaned slowly to kiss Percy sweetly on the lips, sure of his welcome. Percy closed his eyes for a second when the lips met but then he pulled back, shoving gently Oliver off him.
"Shit, Perce, I'm sorry, I just..." Oliver lost all his previous confidence and started babbling, eyes sad and confused "Well I thought that maybe you liked me back?... but obviously you don't" his voice broke a little but he squared his shoulders and kept going without giving Percy enough time to say anything in between. "I won't do it again, I promise, so please just forget it?" he pleaded "I really don't want to lose my best friend."
"Oliver, I do like you" answered Percy quickly and with as much conviction as he was able. "I really, really do"
"But only as a friend," finished Oliver with a sad smile nodding with his head, Percy let out a frustrated sigh "I know, don't worry, I understand" he got up and started walking towards the door fast, trying to keep his disappointment from showing "I just really need a minute..."
"No, not as a friend, as in I've been wanting for that to happen since I turned thirteen and I would love if we could take it from here tomorrow" interrupted the Head-boy getting up as well. Oliver stopped in his tracks
"Really?" he turned around to look at Percy, searching his face, the other boy nodded decidedly gaze firmly fixed on him. "But why tomorrow?" he asked confused.
"Because Penny deserve better than to be broken up by owl" Percy said categorically and looking somewhat guilty "And she definitely deserve better than to be cheated on." Percy gave a couple steps to get closer to Oliver.
"Fuck" the keeper said guilt erasing the smile that had started forming on his face "I've forgotten about her, you are completely right, of course." He exclaimed running his fingers through his hair nervously "You don't think she'll be very upset about this, right?" he asked worry coloring his voice.
"No, at least I don't think so" said Percy tilting his head to one side. "I told her I liked you when she asked me out." he admitted somewhat sheepishly. "So it shouldn't really come as a surprise at least."
"You did? Then why did you said yes?" asked Oliver completely confused. "Wait, did you already liked me back in sixth grade?" he asked delighted. Percy looked away pink coloring his cheeks.
"I've liked you since far before that" he admitted softly. "And yes, I told her but she told me that it was obvious which was offensive because really, I think I'm quite good at hiding my feelings" a too dam good from Oliver was ignored "and that it was one of the many reason that had caused her to ask me out. Apparently the statistics, I you know how much she likes them, prove that almost every first relationship fails so she wanted to date someone she liked but not enough to get serious with them and who understood that they had no future so she could gain practice for when she actually liked someone and escape heartbreak for any part." Oliver raised an eyebrow remarking silently about his own heartbreak but he was once again ignored "Best way to learn is by doing something, she said. All in the name of science" Percy finished awkwardly.
"Ravenclaw's are weird" Oliver announced dumbfounded. "And you went along with it?" he asked incredulously.
"It was a good idea!" defended Percy "Me and Penny... We like spending time with each other and yes I may look at her more as a friend than anything else but she is pretty and it was nice getting to know the mechanics of kissing and holding hands and other physical aspects of dating, I'm not really a tactile person, this things are hard for me." he said crossing his arms in front of his chest, his blush spreading down his neck thanks to Oliver smirk. "Also dating someone improved greatly our popularity with our fellow classmates and because we are from different house showed our duty as prefects towards working together and..."
"I get it Percy, it was a deal with plenty advantages. A match made in heaven. "he joked relived "You sure you want to stop it to be with me?" he asked mockingly raising an eyebrow to him.
"No, not really, Penny is far nicer" Percy glared at him and turned away towards his bed, badly faking anger. Oliver caught his arms and pulled him towards his chest, hands letting his arm go to settle on his hips.
"Come on Percy, don't be mad" he whispered in his ear playing along and pulling the other boy towards him. Percy shivered. "I can assure you that dating me has plenty advantages as well. Maybe even more" the keeper purred.
"Oliver" warned Percy but his arms were circling Oliver's body. "Not until I break up with Penny" he reminded more himself than the other. "Cheating is not acceptable" said firmly trying, not that much, to pull back.
"We are just hugging. Friends hug." Oliver one of his hands getting up to play with the hair in the nape of Percy's neck. "I hugged Penelope last week. Hugging is not cheating. It's acceptable and it's really nice" he ended with a sigh.
"Yeah, hugging is allowed" Percy conceded head resting on Oliver shoulder turning lightly to smell Oliver's hair and arms tightening around him. They stayed like that for several minutes until Percy pulled back causing Oliver to pout. "We should really go to sleep" Percy said reluctantly "You have a big game tomorrow" he smiled. Oliver stepped back.
"Tomorrow I'm going to win" he declared with a conviction that Percy knew was capable of moving mountains "and then I'll ask you out" he ended throwing Percy a wink.
"You've always been a great strategist" Percy smiled happily and went to get ready to bed.