Written for the 1991 Challenge (Parvati Patil, fun)
He's a Keeper
Parvati sits in a seat which is so high in the stands she feels she could almost be level with the players. Padma squeezes in beside her, a pumpkin pasty in one hand, and a pumpkin juice in the other.
Padma's scarf and t-shirt almost match the house she was put in, in Hogwarts – blue and silver to support her love for the Appleby Arrows. Parvati has no inclination to agree with her sister's choice; nor does she overly care if Puddlemere were to beat the Arrows or lose to them. She, herself, is rather fond of the Catapults and this match has no effect whatsoever on her own team's standing.
"Oh, I'd so love it if the Arrows could go to the top of the ladder," Padma sighs, looking up at the scoreboard which currently reads zero all. "But… I just can't see them beating Puddlemere." She takes a big bight of her pumpkin pasty and sighs again.
Parvati rolls her eyes. "Oh, you are too obsessed, Padma," she accuses. "It's so annoying."
Padma ignores her and takes another bite just as an announcement is made for the players entry onto the pitch.
Parvati is hardly listening to who the players are, but a large cheer erupts within the crowd and as she glances up she sees a fine-looking figure flying towards the goal posts. "Of course," she mutters. "Even in an Arrows-filled crowd."
"What?" Padma asks curiously.
"Oliver Wood," Parvati says. "The man of everyone's dreams." She says it bitterly and Padma laughs.
"Don't be like that," the older woman (by ten minutes) says. "I remember you once fancied the pants of him… quite literally."
Parvati blushes, hushing her sister. "I did not!" she snaps.
"Oh, you did," Padma teases. "I saw those love hearts you drew in your books. I must say though…." She glances up to the sky. "He hasn't turned out bad looking at all."
Parvati nods in silent agreement as the Quaffle is thrown into the air. The minute an Arrows Chaser grabs it Padma is on the edge of her seat.
"Come on," she mutters. "Come on."
Parvati simply watches, taking in the match as it is. She remembers the matches she attends when she is in Padma's shoes; heart pounding, palms sweaty. For once she is glad she can simply enjoy a Quidditch match for what it is.
Her eyes flicker every once in a while to the man at the Puddlemere end of the goal posts. She really does have to agree with her sister. He is even better looking than he was as a Gryffinndor Keeper.
She chuckles to herself. Oh, she certainly remembers the days she and Lavender would go to the matches just to see him.
Her eyes drift from the match for just a brief second, but in that second the crowd leaps from their seats and Parvati's ears are filled with loud cheers. Beside her, Padma is jumping up and down, cheering as loud as everyone else.
The Arrows have just scored, and through the replay showing up on the screen (a method wizards have taken from Muggle sports) she can see that the Arrows Beater has missed a Puddlemere Chaser my an ear hair's width with the Bludger. It is enough, though, for that Chaser to lose concentration, causing the Quaffle to be snatched from him by an Arrow and hurled down the other end and through the right goal post before Oliver Wood could realise what was happening.
"Ah, such a great start!" Padma exclaims, grinning broadly. "I bet Dad the Arrows would win. If the Snitch appeared right under Van Der Weigh's nose right now, that would be great.
Parvati only nods to be polite, and settles back in to enjoy the rest of the match.
It lasts three hours, goals being scored backwards and forwards. It is ninety to eighty in the Arrows' favour when a loud ooh comes from the crowd.
Parvati once again removes her eyes from Oliver to see what the fuss is. Padma has her fingernails in her mouth and her eyes are fixated on the Arrows Seeker as she suddenly makes a dive two metres above the pitch.
The crowd gasp as she reaches her hand out, before pulling up.
The crowd leap to their feet, but their cheer is cut off when the Seeker takes off again, after a golden speck in the air.
"Oh my," Padma whispers. "Come on!"
It is only moments later when the crowd really does cheer as Ivana Van Der Weigh holds up the little ball.
"Yes!" Padma cheers. "Yes! Top of the ladder!" She grabs Parvati and spins her around. "Oh my goodness, we could actually win this whole thing!"
Parvati laughs, shaking her head. "I hope not," she teases.
Padma goes to hug the Arrows supporter who is sitting beside her, and Parvati looks once again to where Oliver Wood is making a slow decent. She smiles.
Her heart belongs to the Caerphilly Catapults; however, part of her heart has always belonged to the man by the goal posts.
Her smile broadens.
She is quite keen to go to the next match Puddlemere are playing. That's for sure.
This was supposed to be a full on ParvatiOliver romance, but then Padma got in the way and it became sisterly bonding instead, with a side of ParvatiOliver if you squint. But anyway, I hope you liked it. If you read this, I'd love a review on your way out. It makes my day! Thank you!
Also, big thanks to Amber (Cheeky Slytherin Lass) for throwing ideas out for me. She helped to generate this fic!