"It's not such a beautiful day, but I'll stumble through all the same. The bright lights are fading away, it's not such a beautiful day." – Stumblin' by Powderfinger.
Chapter 8: Confusion? Check.
All I could feel was a dazed, burning heat.
The crowd's roar had been dulled completely.
His lips moved over mine in a slow, deft movement, and I felt my lips giving way to his tongue, parting and moving as to kiss him back. His fingers brushed against my cheek, but just as I brought a hand up to his cheek, he pulled away, looking dazed and flushed. My lips were tingling with electricity, cheeks flushed and hair dishevelled, as the crowd's roar could be heard again.
Oliver Wood just kissed me.
Holy fuck.
What has happened to the world!
I would have done anything, slapped him, punched him, exploded with anger... but I was in a daze. And was it just me, or did Wood look as though he was in one too?
oOo
His hand gently stroked my cheek and eventually slipped into my hair, which was starting to regain its usual bounce. I stared into those amber eyes, deep yet bright, confused yet dazed, enthralling yet troubled. I myself was experiencing all the emotions that those handsome eyes held, and I wasn't exactly skilled at hiding them, either. They all jumbled together in one heap, threatening to explode.
As I said, I am not particularly skilled at bottling up my emotions. I was too intoxicated to scream at him, too tired to walk away from him, too captivated to want to move. Something about those warm hands wanted me to stay.
Hot, scalding tears fell down my cheeks, matching the feeling in my throat. He wiped them away with his rough fingers, which brought my shuddering gasp to a halt in my chest.
I reminded myself that I am Carter and he is Wood. The infamous archenemies of Gryffindor. We can't simply be a boy and a girl who just snogged each other for the second time that night.
I snogged him back.
I couldn't help it.
I snogged Wood. Wood snogged me.
I have a fucking amazing boyfriend.
Whom I clearly don't deserve.
Humans crave what they can't have. It is simple nature, really. We want all the money in the world, a perfect appearance, a great job...
What bothers me is that I had what I wanted. I had an amazing guy who was sweet, caring, loving... and I wanted the obnoxious prick who treats me like shit.
Whatever is wrong with me, I don't know.
This isn't the muggle cliché of two enemies falling for each other. It seriously can't be. Yet I found that my resistance crumpled when he spoke in the rough yet velvety accent.
"Don't cry, Carter."
A new emotion washed over me: crippling guilt.
Dom.
"Wood..."
"Shh," he whispered, successfully stopping me from thinking straight for the third time that night. He pushed me down on the couch, his lips moving over mine in a soft, continual pattern.
The first kiss was rough and short.
The second kiss was passionate and longing.
The third kiss could only be described as soft and tender.
Heat flooded my body, and if I could breathe, I would surely be in close enough proximity to inhale that delicious scent. However, my lungs, as well as my brain cells, had decided to go on a vacation.
Those damn hormones, however, were rushing through my body, causing my right hand to find its way into his thick dark hair, holding his head closer to mine and I deepened the kiss.
Any rational thoughts dispersed into desirous ones; all I wanted was Wood. For whatever crazy, messed up reason that was, I didn't know. All I could register was the burning heat that was emitting off his body, the electric frissons on my lips, his hands, one on my waist and the other in my hair, and the taste of his lips. His kisses were intoxicating; I could think of no else. The kisses were an infinite more stimulating than Dom's...
The thought of Dom made me whirl back to reality. What the hell were we doing? This was wrong and infidel; we both have partners...
I pulled away and slapped Wood across the face.
Most rational thing I have done all evening. Hot tears spilled down my cheeks again as I panted hard, the lack of oxygen finally taking its toll. Wood was panting just as hard as I was, if not more. Those eyes burned into my eyes, as though he was reading my very thoughts.
"Don't you... dare do that again. That... those... kisses," I spat the word out, glaring, "didn't mean a thing to me."
Wood cocked an eyebrow, but not in his usual questioning manner.
"I was under the impression that you kissed me back," he said coolly, eyes bloodshot with alcohol.
That stopped me short. Oh god, I kissed him back. If he kissed me and I pulled away, he was the bad guy. But being an easily and pathetically enticed woman, I indulged in his actions with fervour. I wasn't as intoxicated as he was, thank god. That was the thought that made me respond next.
"Wood, I won't mention this to Katie purely because we are drunk. In the morning, you won't remember this."
His breath fanned out over my face, which smelt like firewhiskey. My head span with intoxication and desire.
"I don't think so, love. Night."
He kissed my temple and staggered up the stairs to the Boy's Dorms.
Confusion? Check.
oOo
A hangover is basically a horrible reminder of a brilliant night. That's how Alicia puts it, anyway. It is the night after when the aftershock of the party comes into play, smacking you right in the head and making you stagger.
Now that is alcoholic hangover. The full force of what I did with Wood last night came crashing upon me with the same effect as a hangover does. I groaned and buried my head in my pillow.
I don't deserve Dom. He's everything I'm not. He fell in love with someone I'm not. I deserve this splitting headache. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and I was to be going home. I had a day to rid the symptoms of my hangover before I saw my parents, who would certainly disapprove. I deserved that treatment.
Furthermore, Katie was dating Wood, and despite the fact that I was furious at her, she doesn't deserve to be treated horribly by Wood. Then again, he was drunk and probably doesn't remember that. Thank god for alcohol.
Alicia was probably lying in Fred's bed, completely out of it. The same could be said for Angie, who would be with George. Wood would obviously be horribly hung over.
Really, there is no reason to get up.
So I lay in bed, snuggling up in the warm blankets and willing for the horrible guilty feeling to go away.
A girl can always hope.
oOo
I woke up around dinnertime that evening. I blearily stood up and looked around, disorientated. My head still throbbed, my throat ached and I felt like such a horrible person. I had dark shadows under my eyes, a puffy face, wild eyes and matted hair. It actually looked quite amusing, to be honest.
A bit of dinner couldn't be too bad, I guess. I dressed in a pair of jeans and a Led Zeppelin shirt, yawning and walking downstairs.
Well, I looked positively dapper in comparison to the majority of the seventh years and the small handful of sixth years. I sat down across from Fred, my vision swimming before my eyes. Clumsily, I piled pork chops onto my plate, yawning once more.
"Hey," a voice said, and I whipped my head to my right, only to be greeted by a horrible looking Wood. Horrible, yet incredibly handsome. My heart rate spiked and my mind raced.
Yep, he definitely didn't forget about those kisses.
Just. Sodding. Wonderful.
He gave me a small smile and started to eat some pork chops.
I won't tell Katie; Wood knows that. Said girl was currently grinning at Wood. And Wood can't tell Dom because he doesn't even know him. He's a muggle, after all. I think that everyone was far too drunk to remember that dare, especially because the dares became much more raucous, including one where Alicia was dared to give Fred a blowjob.
I think that maybe I could forget about them.
Oh, who am I kidding! I don't think that I will ever be able to forget those kisses!
I'm going to have to.
Suddenly, I felt pressure on my leg. Wood's hand was there, gently squeezing my thigh. I was about to snap at the sexual movement, but he bent down to my ear and whispered, "I'm so sorry."
He didn't elaborate. He ceased his squeezing, however, even though I subconsciously wanted him to continue. Those kisses had opened up new feelings in me that I didn't know existed.
Confusion? Check.
oOo
I packed up my possessions early the next morning, feeling considerably brighter. Alicia and Angelina were god knows where, so I was alone. The two other girls from our dorms were already at breakfast, so I had the whole dormitory to myself. I could prance around naked, if I wished.
I'm glad I didn't.
Wood walked in, bright eyes looking brighter than usual as he caught sight of me. I cocked an eyebrow and he approached me, holding the tickets to heaven AKA Nirvana.
"What do you want?" I snapped.
"Just to tease you," he responded indifferently, shrugging. I smirked despite myself. He's infuriating.
"Thanks, Wood."
"Carter?"
"Yes?"
"Have a good Christmas."
Then Wood did the most unexpected thing possible: he handed me a parcel. I looked up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Is he trying to drive me insane?
Yep.
I slowly and cautiously opened the package, eyes turning into hazel saucers as I saw what it contained.
And then I burst into laughter, holding up the pair of Nirvana pyjamas.
They looked hilarious! Kurt Cobain's head was all over the boxer shorts, and the shirt was a white tank top, with a picture of Kurt, smoking his trademark cigarette and making his usual hand gesture. My amusement quickly turned to confusion and annoyance. Why did Wood give me a set of pyjamas for Christmas? No, why did he get me anything in the first place?
"Thanks, Wood," I said, confused. He smirked and walked out.
Confusion? Check.
