-Chapter 1-

This, Oliver thought as he yanked on his tie angrily and nearly strangled himself, was not going to be a good evening . His mother was forcing him,as she did every year, to put on a suit and attend her friend, Mrs Flint's, annual Christmas ball. Oliver wouldn't actually have minded it that much if it wasn't for the fact that his arch enemy was there. Every. Fucking. Year.

Some people may say that it's a bit dramatic to declare someone your arch enemy, those people obviously hadn't met Marcus Flint.

Marcus, in Oliver's opinion, had been put on this earth to to ruin his life. He devoted all his spare time to annoying, and pushing Oliver buttons until he inevitably blew up and then got in trouble .

Marcus had been Oliver's arch enemy ever since they met at the quidditch camps they both attended when they were young. Marcus had played dirty as usual and within five minute of the first match had pushed Oliver off his broom.

Oliver finally managed to get his tie to look halfway decent and went downstairs to his parents who were waiting for him in the car.

Marcus felt as if he was suffocating. His parents were forcing him to talk to Alissa Parkinson and her family in hopes that they would suddenly form budding a friendship.

Alissa was a nice girl from a respectable family but every time she opened her mouth Marcus wanted to run.

She had the worst teeth he had every seen on anybody. Anywhere. Marcus wondered, as he tried to avoid peering into the gaping chasm that was her mouth, if this is what he'd looked like before he'd got braces.

'Why don't you give Alissa a tour of the garden Marcus dear' his mother asked him.

Marcus panicked, he knew what would happen if he went anywhere alone with Alissa. She been batting her eyelashes and giving him this hungry look all evening. Marcus apologized saying he needed the loo and legged it as far away from Alissa as possible, which in this case was the hallway that led into the ballroom.

Oliver was hiding in the hallway just as a figure in a black suit opened the door and immediately leaned back on it,breathing deeply with their eyes scrunched shut.

Oliver was shocked to find himself thinking that, although Marcus had a mildly terrified expression on his face, he actually didn't look too bad .

He was wearing a black suit pants and a green button up shit that was obvious tailored, and man did it look good, fitted enough in all the right places to show off his toned quidditch physique. And he'd gotten a new haircut and and now that he'd gotten braces his teeth were normal. He actually looked quite hot…..

Oliver felt nauseous. What the actual fuck had he just thought. No. no he couldn't have. Did he just think that Marcus fucking Flint, the bane of his existence was hot.

First of all Flint was a boy.

Second of all he was Marcus fucking Flint the bane of his existence.

Oliver paled and felt mildly nauseated. Oh Merlin. Why. Why why why why- maybe the punch had been spiked...

It was at this point that Marcus opened his eyes and realized that Oliver was standing there and staring at him.

'Like what you see Wood?' Marcus smirked.

Oliver nearly faint and put a hand against the wall to steady himself.

Marcus was a bit baffled by Woods behavior. He looked a bit green and rather pale. He was horrified to find that he was worried.

"if you're going to vomit please do it somewhere else" He said instead of expressing his concern

"fuck off"wood replied as he slowly gaining some of his color back

Marcus arched a condescending brow "It's my house" he said with a smirk.

"I'm not here by will asshole" internally reminding himself not to let Flint antagonise him.

"That's great Wood but what are you doing hiding in the hallway? Already ashamed of how badly we're going to beat you're pathetic excuse for a quidditch team this term ?' Marcus asked, feigning innocence.

Oliver scowled 'Oh please, I'd like to see you try' he said "besides at least I don't teach my team to cheat"

Marcus' expression soured and he glared back at Oliver "At least I don't teach my team to lose."

"All my players made it onto the team through pure talent, unlike yours, so you can shut up about them" Oliver replied returning Marcus' glare.

Marcus took a step forward "Make me" he shot back.

Oliver took a deep breath to try and calm himself and couldn't help noticing that Marcus smelt really good.Merlin were all these thought coming from. Oliver started getting flustered again

'Your cologne smells really good' he blurted out

' I — what ?!' Marcus was looking at him like he'd gone bonkers and Oliver was just realizing that he'd fucked up when the door creaked open, startling them both.

It was Marcus' mum "Marcus, I've been looking for you everywhere" she scolded "Alissa has been waiting for you to take her on a tour of the gardens for the past 20 minutes!"

Marcus groaned "Mum, please" he whined "I'd rather stab myself in the-"

"Well fortunately for you, it's not your choice, now let's go!" she turned to walk out the door when she noticed oliver standing there "Oh hello Oliver dear" she said smiling at him .

Marcus looked at Oliver and an idea struck

"Mum I was having a really nice conversation will Oliver here' he said wrapping an arm around Oliver's shoulders and grinning mischievously "and it would be impolite to just leave half way "

"Oh that's great honey" Marcus' mum grabbed his other hand and started dragging him out the hallway with Oliver in tow "then you can both take Alissa outside" she finished.

This, Oliver thought, had been the best 15 minutes of his life. Alissa Parkinson was one of the most annoying girls he'd ever met in his life. And she was head over heels for Flint.

He'd didn't think he'd ever seen anyone looked as ticked off as Flint did right this moment. Alissa kept trying to hold flints hand and only returned his glares with simpering and excessive batting of her eyelashes.

"This is a statue of my ancestor Hyperion the brave" Flint said in a monotone, pointing at a statue of a naked man who was missing his nether regions "it's ironic because he doesn't have any balls"

Alissa burst out laughing "Oh Marky your so funny" she giggled,flashing him her awful teeth and latching onto his arm.

"So did you inherit that characteristic from him then Flint ?" Oliver quipped.

Alissa gasped, horrified "You mustn't be so mean Oliver !" She scolded him in outraged.

"Don't worry Marky he's only joking" she placed a placating hand on his chest onto to exclaim loudly "Wow! have you been working out your muscles are so defined" She ran a hand over his chest.

"No" Flint replied through clenched teeth "I play quidditch, and they really aren't that big."

Oliver could barely contain his laughter and he smiled widely as Marcus grabbed Alissa's hands to stop them from traveling any lower.

This carried on for another ten minutes, with Marcus shooting wistful glances at the house every five seconds. Eventually it seemed as if he'd had enough after the fifth time Alissa tried to grab his butt.

"Alissa" he turned to her "I'm in a relationship"

"Break up with her then" Alissa said smiling at him seductively, Flint looked mildly disgusted.

"I can't, it's serious" he shot back. Oliver knew for a fact that flint was not dating anyone and hadn't dated anyone the whole year. After all one needs to keep a close eye on their rivals.

"But marky" she winged, "I could give you so much more"

"Alissa I'm gay" Marcus exclaimed

Alissa and Oliver gaped at him in surprise and eventually Alissa pulled herself together.

"Oh,I see" she said coldly, detaching herself from Marcus arm "I'll get going then, thanks for the tour" she turned on her heel and stalked back into the house.

Oliver turned to look at Marcus, he was watching Alissa go with something that looked like a cross between relief and joy etched onto his face

"You're actually gay then?" Oliver asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I am, why do you care?" Marcus scowled defensively at Oliver before following Alissa's retreating figure into the house.