At Wood's arrival in the train car compartment, Angelina remembered her first encounter with him. It had been several years before, during her first year at Hogwarts. She had met him after her accident during Flying class, when Graham Montague, of all people, had saved her life.
Two bludgers were pelting straight for Angelina. She, being oblivious to the bludgers, was being snarky and teasing Graham with her flying abilities. While she was sticking her tongue out at him, his face went all pale and he dove straight for her. She hadn't been given time to react before Graham had jumped on her broom, forcing her to roll over. His added weight dropped the broom towards the grass. The broom, unbalanced with their combined weight, started to spiral out of control.
She felt the broom shaft slipping out of her hands. She wasn't sure if she had screamed or not, but one moment she was free falling and the next she had landed on top of Graham. Somehow, Graham had managed to position them just right so they both fell off the broom. He hit the ground first, having been able to wrap his arms around her so he could break her fall.
They watched, eyes open, as the two bludgers collided with the broom she had been using, causing it to splinter and float away towards the Forbidden Forest.
Graham had tried to get her to move or roll over so she would be able to stand up. But because of the way she had fallen, she had broken something in her leg. Or maybe it was her ankle. At any rate, sharp pain was shooting up her legs, causing her to yelp. She was unable to stand up properly due to the severe pain. Graham, her savior, was able to roll out from underneath her so she was laying on the grass. He stood up, relatively unharmed except for his shoulder, which bore a small cut, possibly from the hard landing.
He smiled down at her and easily picked her up as if she were nothing more than a sack of potatoes. Cradling her as if she were something precious, something he needed to protect forever, Graham confidently strolled up to the castle, careful not to jar her legs too much.
Graham opened the Entrance Hall doors easily and strode up to the Hospital Wing. Checking inside first to make sure no one was there, Graham entered the infirmary, calling for Madam Pomfrey.
Almost immediately, Madam Pomfrey came bustling out from her office and hurried over to help Angelina. Once the girl had been seen to and was lying comfortably in a hospital bed, Madam Pomfrey turned her attention to Graham. The boy protested, but eventually submitted to Madam Pomfrey's insistence on doing a check up and she healed his minor cut. Sending the boy off to his afternoon classes, Madam Pomfrey was intrigued to see him return just before dinner with the homework assignments and then after dinner with some food he had managed to sneak out of the Great Hall.
Madam Pomfrey, viewing all this from her office, kept a close eye on the boy as he kept a night vigil over the girl. It was interesting to Poppy Pomfrey to note that the girl and boy were in opposite Houses.
But, in the morning, the boy was gone and the Gryffindor girl, who Madam Pomfrey later found out was Angelina Johnson, lay on the bed, sleeping.
It was a Saturday, so Madam Pomfrey let Angelina sleep in. The poor girl still had another day of healing left to get through before she would be walking around normally.
And that was when Poppy received the owl from Minerva saying that she would need the girl to play Chaser on the Gryffindor team. Minerva said someone from the team would come 'round to see the girl and ask her to join. Minerva predicted Angelina would accept the offer.
Madam Pomfrey looked on this note with interest. And she wasn't surprised when, not twenty minutes later, someone walked through her door. However, she was surprised it was Charlie Weasley. He was not the one she had been expecting.
Poppy Pomfrey had been expecting to see Oliver Wood, the youngest Gryffindor Quidditch player on their team.
It had been such a surprise to madam Pomfrey to see Charlie Weasley interacting with the young girl. And it was even more of a surprise that his visit came right after that other boy's night vigil.
Bustling over to interrupt what could be a potentially harmful interview, Madam Pomfrey surveyed Angelina Johnson carefully as she bandaged the girl's legs anew.
Yes, the girl was pretty, she thought. Dark skin with accented cheekbones and a thin, yet athletic, build. She would probably turn into a curvy, busty young woman, Madam Pomfrey predicted to herself. No wonder these young men and boys were falling over themselves to befriend her. Poor thing was probably unaware of her charms, too. Being at too young an age to completely understand the opposite gender.
Madam Pomfrey clucked her tongue at her thoughts. She was thinking this eleven or twelve year old girl was knowledgeable about boys! She needed to get her head out of those trashy romance novels!
Checking over the beds to make sure they were all clean and properly made up, Madam Pomfrey thought back to the Slytherin who had stayed with the pretty Gryffindor girl. Who was that boy? He looked familiar, but she could not for the life of her remember whom he reminded her of.
Just as she was about to get a name, the Hospital Wing doors were thrust open noisily. A disgruntled Oliver Wood limped into the infirmary, a Slytherin boy behind him.
"Why, if it isn't Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint!" Madam Pomfrey stared down disapprovingly at the boys. "And what may you two be doing here?" Tapping her foot impatiently, Madam Pomfrey did not wait to hear their excuses. "Mr. Flint, take that bed over there and wait for me. Mr. Wood, take this bed here and sit quietly!"
Moving around her office, gathering her supplies, Madam Pomfrey came back to find the two rivals glaring at each other. Rolling her eyes, Madam Pomfrey came between the two and started to check up on Marcus Flint.
"Now, Mr. Flint, what happened to you today?" Madam Pomfrey asked in her stern bedside manner.
"It was supposed to be a Draught of Peace concoction. Instead, I have these - these-" he pointed at his face, unable to say it out loud.
"Yes, I see," Madam Pomfrey said dryly, eying the young man's handsome face which was now covered in boils.
"And it's all HIS fault!" Marcus pointed an accusatory finger at Oliver.
"Hey! It's not my fault if you can't brew your own potion!" Oliver retorted.
"Enough! I have another patient, or are you two dunderheads too stupid to see that?" Madam Pomfrey yelled. Getting herself back under control, she gave Marcus a potion. "Here, drink this. Wait about thirty minutes. If the boils don't disappear, take this cream," Madam Pomfrey thrust a small bottle into Marcus's hands, "and apply this daily twice a day."
"Yes, ma'am," Marcus said obediently in a low voice.
"Very good. Now drink and sit quietly. If you don't behave, I'll have to throw you out."
Marcus Flint heeded Madam Pomfrey's threats.
"As for you," Madam Pomfrey said, turning to Wood, "I had hoped better of you." Giving Oliver some ointment for his burns, she made him stay longer than Flint.
After an hour had passed, Madam Pomfrey motioned to Flint. "You may go, Mr. Flint. Have a good, safe day!" she called out after the retreating Slytherin.
The door closing in her face was her only response.
Hmphing, Madam Pomfrey turned to Oliver Wood. "As for you, please do not try to cause more trouble in Professor Snape's classes. Those potions are dangerous enough as is!"
Wood looked sheepishly up at Madam Pomfrey. "Yes, ma'am," he replied.
"Now, I have to step out for a moment. If anything happens to her," Madam Pomfrey pointed at Angelina's sleeping form, "Call for help immediately. She cannot move on her own and I don't want you opening your burn wounds again. Those will hurt even worse if they open with the ointment still drying on them."
Wood only nodded in reply.
"Very well, I shall be back before supper," Madam Pomfrey nodded her head once in confirmation, then swept out of the Hospital Wing.
Oliver sighed and laid back on his bed. It would be a very boring afternoon.
A head peeked out from behind the curtains during the exchange between Wood, Flint and Madam Pomfrey. Angelina watched, fascinated, as Madam Pomfrey treated the two boys.
Angelina witnessed Marcus Flint's somewhat dramatic exit and saw Wood's pout. She smirked wickedly when she heard Madam Pomfrey berating Wood for acting out in his Potions class. Although Angelina had only experienced one Potions class so far, she understood why Madam Pomfrey had said not to mess with Professor Snape. He was a mean, cruel, tall, threatening teacher and he scared her. She was surprised Wood wasn't more scared of Professor Snape, too.
Madam Pomfrey announced quite loudly that Wood was to keep watch over her and then the nurse left the room.
Dumbfounded, Angelina retreated behind the curtain and hid, as if she really were sleeping.
But not half an hour later, she could no longer contain her curiosity. Parting the curtains around her hospital bed, Angelina peeked out. She saw the boy - Oliver Wood his name was. He was a tall, burly boy. Well-built and muscled, yet still thin enough to be considered handsome. He wasn't gangly, but he wasn't all muscle either. Oliver Wood looked like the perfectly built athlete. Angelina sighed briefly.
Wood turned his head at the sound and Angelina covered her mouth quickly. But she was too late. Wood was staring at her.
Angelina blushed and even her dark skin could not save her from the degree of embarrassment she felt when those gold-flecked eyes rested only on her.
"Hello," Wood said, amiably. "How are you doing? Do you need anything?"
Angelina was unable to talk for a moment, completely stupefied by his reaction. Nodding her head in the negative, she was able to get out one word. "Hello."
"How long have you been here for?" Wood asked, trying to start a conversation. Now it seemed that she was awake, he thought he had found a cure to his boredom.
"This is either my second or third day. I can't remember now. I should be going tomorrow, though. At least, that's what Madam Pomfrey said," Angelina responded, recovering her voice.
"Are you okay?" Wood asked, concern leaking into his tone.
"Yes, at least, I hope I will be," Angelina replied, a bit unsure of her answer.
"I see. Madam Pomfrey works wonders. I am sure whatever she's prescribed will work perfectly." Wood attempted a smile to ease the girl's mind.
Angelina, seeing Wood smile, tried a smile of her own. But as she was out of practice, hers became a shaky, crazy, lopsided grin. Not quite what she was going for.
Madam Pomfrey returned as promised and was pleased to find that the two bedmates were getting along pretty well.
Sighing, Madam Pomfrey released Wood and told him to go to the Great Hall for dinner.
"Will I see you again?" Wood asked.
"I dunno," Angelina replied honestly.
"What's your name? I'm Oliver. Oliver Wood." Wood walked over to Angelina's bed and held out his hand.
"I'm Angelina. Angelina Johnson," she said, taking his proffered hand and shaking it lightly.
"Very well. I hope to see you," Wood said, a smile on his face.
Madam Pomfrey coughed discreetly, eyes fixed on the paperwork before her on the desk.
Wood blushed, his pale face turning a bright red. "Right, well I'm going to the Great Hall now. I'll see you around?"
Angelina noticed Wood's embarrassment and could only nod her head in return.
Wood left the Hospital Wing with a last backwards glance at the pretty, thin girl lying in the clean, white hospital bed.