Wood and Stone
"The After"
Gigi knew she shouldn't have said it quite like that to him, to rub it in his face in such away, but as of lately, she wasn't able to control herself. She looked at herself in the mirror and laughed. It was an understatement that she wasn't able to control herself. She had come on to Wood, kissed him, and instigated Malfoy into elbowing her in the face. She looked at her reflection, thankful that her nose hadn't been broken. The healer had made her look fairly decent, though her nose and face was still sore.
Gigi debated whether she should even attend the celebration that evening. She had gotten a glimpse of the story that Rita Skeeter had plastered under the article on the Fawkes' victory in the evening edition. Gigi threw herself across the spare bed, trying not to remember those minutes after they had won, but she had failed.
Both teams had landed, and her team had been named victorious. They hadn't even needed the penalty shot awarded because of Malfoy's elbow incident. Everything was fine, she and Justin were jumping up and down laughing and cheering like crazy people with Kip, and Luna, oblivious to Gigi's bloodied face. They were just so happy that they had won. The rain was letting up a bit, though it was nice and cool.
Marcus Flint and Draco Malfoy had gotten into a row about Malfoy loosing his temper. Wood had laughed at them, though his was royally pissed that Malfoy had elbowed her in the face. He swore it was just his brotherly outrage, but then Flint turned on Wood and drug him into their argument.
"What are you laughing about, you kilt-wearing sissy boy," Flint yelled at him. "Go home and blow your bag pipe like a good girl."
"Mutha fu…" Wood had yelled and tackled Flint, wailing into him with his fists. Everyone had stopped to watch the two captains of the two teams wailing on each other like school boys.
Gigi had rushed to pull them off each other, but then Malfoy was drawn into it at that point and called Gigi a rather foul word he had picked up from his travels: cunt. Wood was pissed, but Flint was more so and they both started in on Malfoy. Gigi had pulled her wand at this point and was pointing it at Malfoy..
"Don't call her that, damn it," Flint said angrily at Malfoy as he kicked Wood in the side. He was trying to pull away from Wood to go after Malfoy who had drawn his own wand and had it pointed at Gigi.
"What's it to you," Wood had huffed as he elbowed Flint in his crotch as they both tried to stand.
"She's my sister," Flint had groaned as he fell over, unable to come back from a direct hit to his manhood. He vomited on the pitch. Wood had rounded on her.
"What the fuck does he mean that you are his sister, Stone?" Wood asked her, looking as bloody as she had before the rain had washed away most of it.
"Flint and I have the same father. Malfoy and I have the same mother," Gigi had said. "It is all in my file, damn it." Wood looked outraged and he had stalked off the pitch without another word. Gigi didn't try to help either Malfoy or Flint up, she just rejoined her team.
The headline had read: Quidditch: Brings the fight out in the family. There had been a full color, motion packed picture of the three boys fighting. The blood had been enhanced to its fullest red, it almost looked unnatural. Gigi groaned. She didn't want to go and face anyone. She thought about taking a walk and hoping that the Quidditch Stalker (as the papers had labeled him) would bash her head in a bit. How could she have been so stupid? If she hadn't instigated Malfoy, he wouldn't have elbowed her. Flint wouldn't have gotten pissy, Wood wouldn't have laughed, and the horrible family secret would have been avoided. As it was, there were many disapproving looks directed at Mr. Flint and Mrs. Malfoy.
It wasn't as if the truth being out in the open would change anything. Gigi was still on her own, she was still a Stone. She laughed at that. Her name was a joke. She wasn't a Malfoy, because her mother was only a Malfoy by marriage. To put Gigi as a Black, her mother's maiden name, was never going to happen. Mr. Flint refused to let Narcissa actually give the baby his name; that was out of the question. It was scandalous enough as it was, the whole sordid affair. At one last jab at Mr. Flint, Mrs. Malfoy gave the baby the surname Stone and dumped her in a muggle orphanage.
Gigi hated them for a long time. She knew that they could have done better by her, and yet they chose just to check in from time to time but never to take her from the sad state-run muggle orphanage. There were a few times that Gigi almost had been adopted, but she was never allowed to leave the orphanage. That was until she was eleven and her letters came. One was from Hogwarts and the other was from Beauxbatons. She had brothers, she knew this, and they were at Hogwarts. She had been so eager to meet them. Then her parents, in their rich clothes and holier-than-thou attitudes showed up and told her that she needed to choose the other school.
At first, Gigi had been certain it was because her parents wanted to keep her from getting to know her brothers. She resisted, and they insisted. Therefore, they struck up a deal. She would go to Beauxbatons and in exchange, she would spend holidays at either one of their homes. At the time, a family is all Gigi had ever wanted. Ignorantly, at eleven, Gigi sealed her fate and learned that there were worse things than not having a family.
It wasn't the fear that Gigi would grow to be a sister to Marcus or Draco that had kept her parents from allowing her to go to Hogwarts, it was the fear that she was too un-Slytherin. Which, she was. She was too loyal, brave, and honest to a fault. She stopped visiting them on holiday when she was thirteen. Instead, she turned inward, and became the awesome Quidditch player she was today.
"Ah, today," Gigi sighed. She rolled to her side and propped her head up on one arm. "Today had marked the beginning of the end for me."
Meanwhile, locked away behind his door, Oliver was shirtless and pacing the floor. He was in utter chaotic turmoil. He had brought her file out again, the huge volume, larger than any other player's file. He had to admit, he had never actually finished it the day that Mr. Westall had come.
'Well, at least you know you are not some sick deviant,' the adolescent in him piped up gleefully.
"Small consolation prize," Oliver muttered. "She is the sister of my nemesis."
'You sound like you are some superhero, and he is some super villain,' the adolescent teased. 'Fuck him, you like her, now go tell her. Tell her now.'
"Don't be ridiculous," Oliver grunted as someone knocked on his door. Oliver looked up hopefully but his hopes were dashed when George entered, already dressed for the big party.
"Don't look so down because it is only me," George said as he entered. Oliver shrugged.
"Sorry," Oliver said as he pulled his shirts on, buttoning the dress shirt.
"Well, that was an interesting turn of events, wasn't it?" George teased as he took a seat on Oliver's bed. "Wow, this is springier than our beds. Lucky."
"I supposed," Oliver grunted as he tucked his shirt into his trousers.
"I told you she wasn't your sister," George laughed. He laughed harder. "I do have to admit that I was very surprised to find out she was Malfoy and Flint's kid sister. It does make for an interesting combination. I mean, Mrs. Malfoy is very pretty, so thankfully Gigi took after her in that regard. Could you imagine if she looked more like Flint though? Hideous!"
"What is that you need, George?" Oliver asked impatiently. George grinned.
"Nothing," George said. "I am just supposed to be distracting you."
"Why?" Oliver asked.
"Oh, no reason, really," George laugh mischievously.
"Spill it, Weasley," Oliver threatened. Oliver had practically grabbed George by the jacket, but George had anticipated that and ducked away from Oliver, escaping out the door to Oliver's room with Oliver's jacket.
"Good, you're ready!" Alicia called in relief. Oliver sighed at the full common room of well dressed Quidditch players. They sure did clean up pretty well.
"There is only twelve of us," Oliver said as he realized that two were missing.
"Oh, Luna and Gigi have already left with their dates," Angelina said smirking. She checked her beaded bag. "Shoot, I only have three colors of lipstick in here."
"Its not like it isn't going to be sucked right off," George teased as he nudged her in the ribs. He looked guiltily at Alicia. "Oh, yours is too, baby. Don't you worry!"
"So, they just left without permission?" Oliver asked as fury rose in his voice. Angelina stepped forward and tied his tie for him.
"Easy, Wood," she murmured with a smile. "The restriction was lifted an hour ago. No one wanted to bother you. They caught the crazy guy, a quaffle maker who didn't like people touching his works of art."
"I am surprised no one put that together. Only chasers were being attacked," Alicia said indignantly.
"That's government for you," George quipped. He looked at the portkey. "Alright, let's get to our celebration!"
The music was loud at the huge ball room that was hosting the celebration party for the win, all decked out in red, amber, and gold: The Fawkes' team colors. Immediately, the team separated to find their friends and well wishers, and Oliver stood alone as he took in the scene. The Holland Hillers were there, in little groups of twos and threes. As much as he hated to, Oliver headed over to Flint and extended his hand to the man.
"Good game, Flint," Oliver said. Marcus shook his hand quickly.
"Yeah, you too," Marcus said. He laughed. "No hard feelings, right? I mean, it is only a game."
"Your lack of passion for the game," Oliver groaned as he shook his head. He snatched a drink off the tray of a roving house elf.
"I know, I know," Marcus said shaking his own head. "I do it, but only because my dad wants a Quidditch pro for a son. I would have rather worked in muggle law enforcement. They get to carry guns."
"There is always Gigi," Oliver said. Marcus nodded.
"That there is," Marcus said. "Speaking of the sin of my father, only kidding Wood, really. Where is the tyke?"
"I don't know. I am her captain not her baby sitter," Oliver said crossly. He wondered the very same thing.
"Aren't they one in the same?" Marcus teased.
"Sometimes," Oliver said as he sipped his drink. Oliver saw a group of his fellow Gryffindors. "Well, see you later, I suppose." Marcus shrugged indifferently.
"I suppose," he replied.
Oliver joined the large group of his old house mates from Hogwarts. All grown, none of them had that childlike innocence to them anymore. George and Alicia were nodding politely as Angelina and Lee were talking, Hermione was there, with Ron and Harry naturally. Even grown and out of school, they were the three musketeers. Oliver grinned at Harry when he looked Oliver's way.
"Hey, great game!" Harry said shaking Oliver's hand. Oliver nodded. "What I wouldn't give to be playing again. Ministry life is well, boring sometimes."
"Miss the spot light, do you?" Oliver asked. Harry chuckled.
"No, but I do miss the game," Harry said as he glanced toward the two new people that had joined the group. "Viktor, how've you been?"
"Good, and you?" Viktor said politely as he shook Harry's hand. Viktor turned his attentions towards Oliver. "Good game, by the way."
"Thanks," Oliver said as he looked towards Viktor's date. "Harry, have you met our Seeker? Gigi Stone?"
"Nice to meet you, Miss Stone," Harry said as he shook Stone's hand gently. She smiled and nodded.
"Like wise, Mr. Potter," Stone said.
"So, Viktor, how has the new team been working out for you? I heard that they were a bunch of talent-less misfits," Harry said as the two men began talking Quidditch.
"If you will excuse me a minute," Stone said quietly as she excused herself from the group. Oliver wanted to talk Quidditch with Harry and Viktor, but he felt drawn to follow Stone to the punch bowl.
"Hey, Gigi," Oliver said quietly as they stood their. She looked at him and smiled, pouring him a drink before pouring her own.
"No date?" Stone asked curiously. Oliver shook his head.
"Nah, come to find out that the girl I wanted to ask already had a date," Oliver said coyly.
"Did she really?"
"So, it would seem," Oliver said as he nodded toward the group of people that they had just left.
"What were you talking to Flint about earlier?" Stone asked rather disinterested sounding.
"Oh, nothing. Just a little mundane good-sportsmanship talk," Oliver said. Stone shrugged and stood there. "You know, you should have told me that you were leaving."
"You're not my mother," Stone said as she sipped her punch. She made a face and handed the cup to a house elf. Oliver tasted it.
"Spiked, nice," Oliver said annoyed. "Anyways, I am your captain, and I need to know the bloody hell where my team is at all times."
"Well, then that sucks for you," Stone said. She turned her back to the crowd, and added rather annoyed. "You know, I am an adult."
"I know," Oliver said quietly. He made a face. "So you are with Krum?"
"What's it to you?" Stone asked grumpily.
"I just like to know who my players are associating with," Oliver said stiffly. Stone shrugged and took a bite of a sweet pastry thing that had been tempting her for the past three minutes. "You shouldn't eat that. Seekers are supposed to be light and nimble. That is loaded with calories."
"Great, so now you are telling me I am going to get fat if I eat that? Great. Just what I need," Stone said grumpily as she passed the little pastry to the house elf standing next to her.
"No, that isn't what I meant," Oliver protested. Stone crossed her arms and fumed.
"Look, Krum wants me," Stone snapped at Oliver. She stalked away to where Krum had begun to look for her. Oliver made a face and sulked. George left Alicia's side and walked over to get some punch for him and Alicia.
"The punch is spiked," Oliver said dully. George flashed him a devilish smile.
"Even better, I don't have to do it," George said. He frowned at Oliver's lack of laughter at the joke he had made. "What is up with you tonight?"
"Nothing," Oliver lied. He crossed his arms trying to look disinterested in the whole celebration.
"You are a liar," George said. Oliver opened his mouth in outrage, but George raised his hand to stop Oliver's response. "The only one who doesn't see how much you like Gigi is you and her, and something tells me that you know you like her. The same goes for reverse. You should have seen her with Alicia and Angelina when the girls were all getting ready for this party. Alicia and Angelina picked out this really hot gold dress for Gigi to wear, and she was wearing it, but Alicia told me that Gigi confessed that Krum made her change. He didn't like people looking at his girl."
"So she is Krum's girl then? I have no hope," Oliver moaned. George looked at him in disgust.
"What happened to Oliver, King of Quidditch? I have never seen you accept defeat so willingly," George said with great displeasure. "If Fred was here, he and I would have frog-marched you back over to Gigi and held you there until you admitted the truth to her."
"It's not that easy," Oliver growled. "I am the captain. There are certain rules and…"
"Fuck the bloody rules, Oliver," George swore loudly. He lowered his voice when a few people looked their way. "They way I see it, you can tell her how you feel and possibly get rejected, which she won't, or you can keep it inside and loose her to a guy like Krum who will make her ok-happy just not Oliver-great-happy. Do you really want Krum to be the one who lays down next to her every night, to kiss her and love her the way you want to?"
George walked away without another word and rejoined Alicia, who had begun to wonder where he had gone too. Oliver waited, sighing miserably, before he joined the others. He smiled weakly at them as he reabsorbed himself into the conversation.
"So, we are thinking of a spring wedding," Angelina was said excitedly. Oliver looked at her confused, obviously coming in the middle of a conversation.
"Wedding?" Oliver asked. Angelina grinned and wiggled her left hand in front of his face.
"Lee and I are engaged," Angelina squealed. Oliver smiled.
"Wow, Angelina, Lee… congratulations, really!" Oliver said as he hugged Angelina. She laughed and nodded as she pulled away.
"I am going to need a week or two for a honeymoon," Angelina told him. Oliver grinned.
"We will work it out later," Oliver said. He glanced around, seeing that Krum was off talking to some Quidditch suppliers.
"She's on the balcony," George said simply. Oliver looked at him, but found rather knowing eyes looking at him. He blushed.
"Oh?" Oliver said plainly.
"Go, talk to her," Alicia said. "She's crazy about you and you would be crazy not to."
"Alright, alright," Oliver said laughing as he walked away. "If only to get you guys to finally stop."
Oliver walked outside on the balcony, and at first he wondered if he was alone out there. He saw her standing at the farthest point from the door, almost hidden in the shadows. The night air was cool, too cool to be out there without a sweater, at least, but there she was in her sleeveless black dress with the swooped back. He stared at her for a moment before he made his presence known. She glanced at him over her shoulder, her bouncy curls dancing.
"Oliver, what brings you out from the party?" Stone asked quietly. Oliver slowly walked her way.
"I just wanted to see where you had gone to," Oliver said. Stone made a gesture.
"I am here," she replied. She sighed and looked back out across the darkened gardens. Oliver stood next to her, and for a moment he hesitated. For the first time in his life, he was eagerly summoning his inner adolescent.
'Nope, buddy, you are on your own,' the adolescent said from within. Oliver groaned aloud and Stone looked at him curiously. She didn't say anything, just continued to look at him.
"Are you and Krum really a thing?" Oliver asked. He needed to know where she stood before he did anything or said anything. To his relief, she shook her head.
"We came here together, but we are not together," Stone said. She was looking at him intently, her lips slightly parted as she scraped her bottom lip with her teeth, almost instinctively. "Why?"
"Just wanted to make sure he wouldn't hit me," Oliver said grinning.
"Hit you?" Stone asked confused as she turned to look at him. He nodded. "For what, Oliver?"
"For this," Oliver said as he put his hand to the back of her head and pulled her against him, his mouth pressing against her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. He tasted her, his body was betraying him, and he didn't care. He had never wanted anyone or anything as he wanted her right then. Oliver felt her hands go to his shoulders, and for a split second, he was certain he had made a mistake and she was going to push him away. Then, he felt her hands cupping his face; she buried her fingers in his hair. She was kissing him back, and with the same intense force he started the kiss. They finally pulled far enough apart to take a breath, but didn't untangle their arms from each other's bodies.
"Do you want to leave?" Stone asked quietly. Oliver looked at her in surprise, knowing exactly that he was thinking the same thing. He grinned and took her hand.
"Yeah," Oliver said. "Let's not even tell the others."
"They already know," Stone said laughing as she pointed at the glass doors. The entire team had their faces pressed against the glass. They all gave them the thumbs up and Oliver laughed. Quidditch was life but to him, she was love.
