Chapter 3
If there was anything to be said about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (other than its reputation of being an exceptional school, of course), it was that news, good or bad, traveled fast. Everyone, including the professors, admitted that once news was started in that network of whispers and overheard conversations, there just was no stopping it from spreading.
Such was the case of Oliver Wood's love life.
Once Lavendar Brown had bestowed the knowledge of the Gryffindor's crush to her best friend, Pavarti Patil, she had in turn passed on the little tidbit to her twin Padma, who just so happened to be sorted into Ravenclaw. It was only a matter of time before all of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were aware of whom Oliver Wood pined after, thanks to the Patil twins.
But, like any bit of juicy gossip, it didn't end there.
No, there was the fact that the Weasley twins, who had been first privy to the information, were still trying to gather information for their friend, unaware that they were being closely watched by the three Chasers of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The girls' speculations were not unnoticed or unheard as they contemplated in the halls of the school.
But, like any bit of juicy gossip, the facts were misinterpreted and jumbled.
By the time the entire student body had received the news, Oliver Wood supposedly fancied five different girls, all from different Houses and different years.
Gwen Beaumont happened to be in the library when she received the news.
She had holed herself up in a small and cozy corner of the library, intent on using her free hour to research for her History of Magic essay. She'd just turned the page of a fascinating paragraph when a small cough interrupted her concentration.
Mischa Owen stood beside her chair, her face flushed and lit with excitement. She was fairly bouncing on her toes as her eyes looked eagerly upon Gwen. Behind her, three girls stood, their expressions oddly similar.
"Hello, Mischa," Gwen greeted, closing the book after marking it with a bookmark. She didn't know Mischa very well, but did have her in some of her classes.
Mischa rushed forward without a greeting. "We have the most delicious news, Gwen!" she exclaimed in a hushed voice. She clutched Gwen's arm, making the latter flinch involuntarily.
"News?" Gwen repeated. She looked warily at Mischa and the others. Judging by their expressions, she surmised that it wasn't "news" they wanted to share, but gossip. She inwardly sighed.
"Well," Mischa began, eagerly, "We just overheard this conversation in the girls' lavatory. And, it comes from a very reliable source, mind you. Although, I don't think we were supposed to hear this, now that I think of it. But, you know how lavatories are; so big and spacious and echoing everything so it can't be helped but be overheard!"
Gwen sat patiently as Mischa rambled on, until one of her friends deftly nudged her in the side.
"I'm getting to it, Marianne!" Mischa snapped, glaring at her friend. She turned back to Gwen. "Anyway," she continued, "like I said. We overheard Milly Stratford telling Gretchen Bricklayer that she had heard from Stacey Millwater that Oliver Wood has a crush on Vanessa!"
It took a moment for the information to register in Gwen's brain. She sat there, shocked, her reaction being scrutinized by Mischa and her cronies. Her mind raced over the fact that Oliver Wood, one of the most handsome guys at school, fancied her best friend!
Gwen jumped to her feet. "I have to go," she abruptly announced, even as the book in her lap fell to the floor. She began to gather her stuff, hastily shoving parchment and quills into her bag. "Bye! And, uh…thanks, I guess!" she called back to Mischa and the others, as she rushed towards the exit. She was so focused upon the news she'd just received that she did not notice the disappointed looks on the other girls' faces.
This is insane!Gwen thought to herself, as she pushed open the doors from the library and into the hallway. She stopped for a moment to let several students pass by her, then plunged into the steady stream of moving bodies headed in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. Only when she was well on her way did she allow her thoughts to continue. Oliver Wood! Bloody hell!She chuckled to herself, imagining the shock that was sure to hit her best friend.
She was lost in her thoughts when she turned the corner of the hallway and plowed straight into another student. For a moment she teetered on her toes, desperately fighting to keep her balance, when she felt two very strong hands grip her firmly around her forearms.
"Are you alright, Gwen?" she heard someone ask, even as her eyes focused on a very broad, very male, chest. It took her a moment to register that the voice belonged to the steady pair of hands that kept her from falling, and that it was quite accented.
Gwen glanced up, until she found herself staring into a pair of intensely blue eyes. She was so surprised, that she could not speak. She managed a very jumbled, "Huh?" and continued to dumbly stare.
Oliver Wood chuckled. "I asked if you were alright," he said, his Scottish accent rolling off his tongue, "Although from the look of it, I'd say you're a bit dazed."
Gwen blinked a few times before finally shaking her head. "Yeah," she finally answered, "I'm fine. Sorry." She blushed and smiled sheepishly.
"Are you sure?" Oliver asked again, sounding very concerned.
She sheepishly smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm sure," she replied, embarrassed. She suddenly remembered that he was still holding her arms. "Uh, you can let go now," she added, slightly moving her arms.
It was Oliver's turn to dumbly blink. He quickly let go of her, as if her skin was on fire. "Oh, right," he said, slightly flushing red. His eyes avoided hers for a moment, then quickly spotted her fallen bag. "Uh, here," he added, swooping down to pick it up, then handing it to her.
"Thanks," Gwen said, smiling. Was it just her or was Oliver Wood acting nervous?
"Can I…Can I help you carry your things to…wherever it was you were headed to?" he asked, the last part of the sentence coming out as a whoosh of breath.
"Um, no. That's okay," Gwen answered, "I was just heading towards the Gryffindor common room." To tell my best friend that you fancy her!She added silently.
Oliver slightly smiled. "Mind if I walk with you?" he asked, "I was heading there myself."
Gwen paused for a moment, wanting to point out that he'd been, in fact, headed in the opposite direction, but stopped herself. Oliver was acting a bit nervous, but then again, she didn't know him well enough to observe if this was normal for him. Instead, she said, "Sure."
They walked along the corridor in silence for a moment, not unnoticed by the other students that also occupied the hallway. Gwen could see Oliver glancing at her every few seconds, which was amusing and curious at the same time. A few times he opened his mouth as if to say something, but quickly shut it in an afterthought.
Gwen finally struck up her own courage to ask, "So, how's the Quidditch season looking for Gryffindor?"
Oliver looked taken aback. "You follow Quidditch?" he asked.
Gwen shrugged. "My younger brother is a big fan of Puddlemere United," she replied, "It's all he talks about whenever we're together for holiday."
Oliver looked slightly impressed. "I know we could get the Cup if we'd only find a decent Seeker," he said, "Our reserve flies decent, but his eye could be sharper."
Gwen laughed. "That, and his eye seems to be more focused on the female population of the school," she answered, a bit teasingly.
The Keeper was startled into silence. "Is that why he never seems to be looking in the right direction?" he asked, clearing lost on the thought. He shook his head. "I'll be having a word with him, then," he added.
"I'm sure you will," she murmured, then laughed at his puzzled look. "Rumor has it you're a bit…obsessed with winning the Quidditch Cup, and the sport itself," she explained.
"Is there now?" he replied, although looking none too surprised. When she nodded, he slightly shrugged. "I suppose," he allowed, "although I'd need an unbiased perspective to be sure." When she said nothing to that, Oliver asked, "So will ye?"
Gwen stopped and turned towards him. "Will I what?" she asked, clearly confused.
It was Oliver's turn to laugh. "Be my unbiased perspective?" he asked.
"I don't know you very well, Oliver," Gwen began to object.
"So why don't we get to know each other?"
This completely threw her for a loop. Was Oliver, the Oliver Wood, suggesting they spend time together? She blinked a few times, her brain trying to comprehend just exactly was being suggested.
"Gwen?" Oliver asked, slightly grinning at the sight of her confused face,
She blinked a few more times before her eyes refocused on him. "Uh, yeah?" she stammered, "Wh-What did you say?"
"Spending time together?" he repeated, "You know, as opposed to staying strangers that don't know each other?"
He's only doing this to score point with Vanessa! The logical part of her brain told her. That's the only logical reason!
Or maybe not! A small, but firm voice from the back of her mind countered. Would it be such an impossible notion that Oliver Wood might want to spend time withyou?
"Shush!" Gwen murmured to her brain, as her confusion grew. It caused Oliver to raise a questioning eyebrow at her. "Sorry," she mumbled sheepishly, then louder, "Never mind."
"So…?" Oliver asked.
Gwen thought for a moment. If becoming friends with Oliver Wood helped get him with Vanessa faster, then she really had no choice. Vanessa was, after all, her best friend, and she'd do anything for her. And if that meant spending time with Hogwarts' most handsome Keeper amidst the murmurs of the other students, then…well, that's what she would do.
"Sure, Oliver," she answered, as brightly as she could
