Thanks to all who've been waiting patiently for this chapter. I'm on holidays from work so hopefully I'll be almost finished with the story before I go back in the New Year. I plan to write a chapter a day. Reviews would be much appreciated, but if you'd just prefer to just read, I'm down with that too.
Thanks again x
Oliver and I had started talking again, thank Merlin, and we were beginning to get closer as friends. The night before the first Quidditch match, I had gone for a walk to settle the nerves that were growing in the pit of my stomach. I always handled anticipation like this, even when I knew that our team was the strongest, I still became nervous.
I had stopped about five minutes ago, spying a window about three or four meters off the ground. Scaling the walls at Hogwarts was much easier than Nimirix; Hogwarts hadn't modernised itself so all the bricks and stones jutted out at different places making climbing easy. I found myself staring out the window, which conveniently over looked the Quidditch Pitch. What if a bludger takes me out in the first few minutes? What if Harry catches the snitch but Ravenclaw still win? What if I can't hold on to the Quaffle cause I'm swetting too much?
"Jem?" Came a voice, making me jump slightly – not the best thing to do whilst perched almost four meters off the ground. I looked down to see Oliver standing there, looking bewildered.
"Oliver, you scared the hell out of me!" I said, catching my breath, "You could have killed me!"
"Well," Oliver smiled, "Perhaps the windowsill isn't the best place to perch..." we chuckled, "unless you've got wings I suppose." He added.
I laughed with him and then there was silence.
"Want some company?" he asked, avoiding my gaze, "I mean, I know you've probably gone up there to avoid people. I shouldn't have asked. I'm an idiot. I'm sorry. I'll go." He turned to leave.
"Obi," I laughed, "stop rambling." Oliver turned to face me, "I would love some company."
Oliver smiled lightly and began to scale the wall just as I had done, except with a lot less grace and a bit more physical prowess. Oliver sat himself down on the sill across from me and we sat for a moment in silence; neither of us looking at each other, just at the pitch.
"I'm scared." I was the first to break the silence, whispering my confession into the silence.
"Me too." Oliver said, just as quietly. He took my hand in his and squeezed, "The first game always scares me but we can do it. We're Gryffindors."
I chuckled, "You are." I shook my head, "I'm only a Gryffindor because Angelina was the one to win the scholarship. I'd be a—" I shuddered, "Slytherin if one of them had won."
Oliver laughed and let go of my hand, "is it hard?" he asked, out of the blue.
"Is what hard Oliver?" I asked, having no idea what he was talking about.
"Being on the other side of the world to your family? To your friends?"
I felt a familiar prick at the back of my throat and a burning behind my eyes. I would not cry in front of my Quidditch Captain, "It's tough." I admitted, fighting back the tears, "My parents have written to me a few times, Nicholas had a letter here for me when I arrived… but I've heard nothing from my friends." I sighed.
Oliver coughed slightly, "Nicholas? Your Nimirix Captain? Are you two close?"
"Nick was my boyfriend." Oliver looked at me for the first time since he had arrived on the sill.
"Oh." Oliver said tentatively, "was?" he asked.
"We were together for about two and a half years." I sighed, "I arrived at Hogwarts and went into my room for the first time to unpack and I found a letter in the top of my suitcase." My voice was starting to crack a bit and I didn't want to show Oliver that I was upset. As if sensing my troubles, Oliver scooted a bit closer to me and wrapped his arm around me.
"You don't have to finish." He said, squeezing my shoulders.
"It's ok." I said, sniffing a bit, "I feels good to get it off my chest. You don't mind listening, do you?" Seeing Oliver shake his head, I continued. "So the letter: Jemima, This long distance thing isn't going to work. Plus, I've found someone else. Kara says have fun, we've been together for about 6 months now. You knew it wasn't working with us, right? Nick." I was starting to tear up, "We'd been together almost three years and he was dating Kara, my best friend."
"Wow," was all Oliver could say, "That's pretty horrid."
I chuckled a bit, "Cheers Ob," I lent my head on his shoulder, "George tells me that he and Fred will throw a party when we whip Ravenclaw's butts."
Oliver laughed loudly, "It's a pretty massive celebration. You just wait to see the one we have when we win the cup at the end of the year."
I laughed and yawned at the same time, "Can't wait."
"Time to sleep Miss Gorman, you need your sleep for tomorrow," Oliver turned and began to scale down the wall, jumping when he was almost at the bottom.
I joined him on the ground moments later, jumping from the window to the ground. Oliver looked shocked, "What if you had fallen?" he asked, "We've got Quidditch tomorrow."
"I didn't. It's all good." I laughed.
I woke the next day at 7, meeting the rest of the team in the great hall for breakfast. I sat between Oliver and Fred, pushing the scrambled eggs and bacon Fred had piled on a plate for me with my fork.
Fred reached under the table and took my hand, "Please eat something?"
I gave him a small smile, "I assure you, Fred, if I eat I will vomit mid-air."
"That sounds like a laugh." George chuckled, overhearing our conversation, "Do it. Maybe you'll end up vomiting on Davies' face."
I kicked George under the table and the rest of the team laughed. It turned 7:30 and we headed down to the pitch. I felt my stomach drop; I was so scared. I'd never played in front of this many people. Nimirix was a tiny school compared to Hogwarts; Quidditch matches were usually occupied by hundreds – not thousands. People from the surrounding village, Hogsmede, even came to the games.
I made to follow Katie and Alicia into the women's locker room but a hand pulled me away and over to the side; behind a post clad in scarlet and gold. Suddenly, a pair of lips crashed down on mine. The kiss was brief but sweet.
I looked up and saw the culprit of the butterflies in my stomach.
"Fred?" I asked, bewildered.
Fred looked a little shocked at his actions too, "I—" he started, "I just wanted to wish you good luck for the match but then I saw you… and I–" he grabbed me and kissed me again, this time one of his hands was holding the back of my head, making sure the kiss lasted as long as he wanted it to, "So," he spoke again when we broke apart, "Good luck."
Fred turned on his heel and headed back towards the locker rooms. I was a little stunned at what had just happened. Fred had kissed me. To be honest, it was… nice. Fred was a lovely kisser. So now I had that to think about as well as winning the match. Awesome.
After I had dressed in the red and scarlet robes Oliver had given Alicia to give to me and Oliver had given his pre-game peptalk, we headed out onto the pitch. I could hear someone commentating.
"In Spinnett's absence this year, Wood and the Gryffindor's are welcome Australian Player Jemima Gorman. Or as I like to call her; the Gormanator." That did it. It was Lee Jordan. I had met Lee on my first day. He was super funny and very nice; except he had taken to calling me Gorminator, not the best or most flattering name for a girl.
Before I knew it, the team had mounted their brooms and they were up in the air. I kicked off and felt the familiar rush of wind in my hair, ready to play. Fred and George swooped past me, using their bats as swords and fighting each other.
Then the whistle blew.
The game was on.
