A/N: An Oliver and Alicia chapter for FreckledFerret, FaithfulHPReader, KewlKat4, MidnightRosexx and lovenotwarXo.
Disclaimer: I own no part, or whole, of Harry Potter.
Oliver x Alicia
Hogwarts
He was talking to George Weasley when she walked in. He didn't bother to look up from his conversation to say hello or nod or even see if she'd walked in yet or not. Of course not, he never did.
It shouldn't have bothered her. She certainly didn't like her or anything. Technically, though, she was his wife and a little acknowledgement would have been nice. It hurt when guys you did like ignored you, it seemed to sting far more when you had absolutely no feelings for the boy and he still blanked you.
George managed a half nod when he saw her. She didn't mind the unenthusiastic greeting though. Everyone with half a brain cell knew that George was head over heels for Luna and when Luna was about no one else mattered to George. She was quite surprised that George had even registered her presence.
She had never ever intended to come back to Hogwarts. At the beginning of the summer, when life was still good and the future was exciting and lined with possibilities, Hogwarts had not even been a consideration. However, being married to an international Quidditch star did have its advantages, money was no longer an issue. She was not required to bring in a wage. Obviously, she would when her education was over but it was not a necessity. She had therefore decided to go back to school and retake her final year. Technically, her grades had not really been affected by the war. She just, quite truthfully, had not worked very hard. She was pretending that the impending war, rather than sheer laziness, had caused her lower than expected grades.
She approached Oliver. He looked up. "Hello." She said.
"Hi. How are you?"
"Fine, you?"
"Same." He replied.
There was a short, awkward silence. "Erm... how was your day?" Alicia asked, not especially caring what the answer would be. It worked both ways, she knew that he had no interest in anything she had to say. It made their conversation rather limited.
"Pretty good, I'm knackered from training though."
"Oh."
He hadn't asked about her day, the prat.
A silence fell. The room was beginning to empty as couples made their way down the now notorious pathway. Alicia had heard quite a few dirty jokes about said path.
She watched the faces of the people leaving the room. Some looked scared. Some looked queasy. Some looked tired. Others, looked happy – George and Luna, for example, were hand in hand and chatting away busily.
"Erm," Oliver said awkwardly, shuffling his feet, "Should we, you know..." He trailed off, evidently unable to actually phrase the words.
Alicia nodded. Best get the deed over and done with.
They walked in dead silence down the path, both walking as far away from the other as possible in the limited space. Alicia wondered if they were supposed to be talking. She was torn here – she had no desire to talk to Oliver, and he had no interest in talking to her, but she did not want to go into the bedrooms and sleep together without even having a conversation first.
She was a traditional sort of girl – sex and love were firmly linked in her mind. She did not love Oliver, therefore, how could she sleep with him? It was not right. She felt cheap afterwards.
Oliver, thankfully, never stayed the night. Once they had done what they had to, she would gather up her clothes and pull them on, ensuring to stay in one corner. He would tactfully avert his eyes, pretend like he didn't know what she was doing. She would say goodnight and then leave. Sometimes, when they left, it was only nine o'clock. She knew that the second she left Oliver also dressed and Floo-ed back home. It was never late when they finished. Alicia always went back to her rooms and had a bath. She could wash the feeling of him away and feel like she wasn't such a disgusting person. It made her feel clean again. She could go to bed and sleep and pretend like nothing had happened.
"Well, this is awkward." She said finally.
Oliver nodded. "It's irritating, isn't it?"
"Irritating? So that's how you'd describe it?" She was offended. She knew she shouldn't take it personally but it still hurt. How dare he say their time together was 'irritating'? She didn't like it anymore than he did. How dare he?
He seemed to sense the sudden change in her tone. "Oh, look… I didn't…I didn't mean it like that."
"Then what did you mean?" She said flatly.
"Nothing."
That one little word only aggravated the situation. She whirled round to face him on the pathway, standing dead still. He stopped as well.
"Nothing? Nothing? What were you going to say Oliver? We're married for Merlin's sake! Married! You think I wanted this? You think I wanted you to be the only person I'm now allowed to sleep with? This doesn't only affect you!"
His eyes grew dark and angry. "Of course I know that! I'm in the same boat as you! It wasn't my choice. I don't want this anymore than you do! You think that after a long day training I want to Floo over to England to see you?"
"No." She snapped, "I know you don't want to. But you don't have to show it!"
Oliver was confused – he didn't quite get her point. "I don't understand." He said finally.
Alicia threw her hands up in exasperation, "Of course you bloody well don't!"
"Hey, don't talk to me like that-"
"I'll talk to you how I want. After all, you treat me however you want!"
"You're taking this way too seriously. We're married but there's no...bond. It's just a name. A formality, if you like. That's it. We're nothing." His words were calculated and cold.
They had the right effect. The fight drained out of Alicia. "I know." She said in a small voice.
"Then what's your point?" Oliver persisted, perhaps a little cruelly.
"I just want a husband whom I love. I want the father of my children to be the love of my life as well. I want to have sex with someone because I want to, not because we're compelled to by law." She said weakly, her eyes closed as she spoke, painting images of the perfect life on her eyelids.
"And I just want to crash at home after practice without being forced up here."
"See, that's my point right there." Her eyes flew open. The dream shattered. This was her reality.
"Well I don't get your point." He repeated, still entirely confused. What was she getting at?
"Well I'll try and explain in a way that gets through your stupid thick skull!"
"Oh grow up. You're an adult, for Merlin's sake. Act like it!"
"Don't you see how saying something like that hurts me? I know you don't even care about my feelings but your making this marriage seem like a trial...like a chore."
"It is." Oliver said meanly.
Alicia flinched from his words. She stared at him, pleading with him silently to apologise, to take back his awful words.
Oliver merely folded his arms and pursed his lips.
"I am going back to the castle." Alicia said quietly, in a too calm tone. "I'll meet you in an hour or so. Don't fall in the Lake. Or do, whatever."
She turned on her heel and walked away.
She was angry. So angry. She'd always been a little fiery, quick to lose her temper and hot headed. She knew that. She just liked to stand up for herself. Oliver had hurt her. He'd offended her. He was cruel.
And the charms placed on her were already making a tiny part of her want to walk back towards him and go off to the chambers. Thankfully, the larger part of her mind prevailed. She hated him, loathed the mere mention of him.
She didn't want to have to go and sleep with him. Not now. Not ever. She didn't know how she would be able to do the deed without retching or slapping him or something. Well, not slapping him, she wouldn't be able to do that. The enchantments would prevent it.
She stormed back up the pathway, back through the door and into the Great Hall, not concentrating on where she was going. She knew she wasn't supposed to be back yet and if a teacher found her, they would send her back. They would have to make her go back to Oliver, it was the law. They wouldn't break the law for her; she wouldn't even expect them to. She just had to make sure she wasn't seen.
The Great Hall was empty, tables cleared, benches tucked neatly underneath. It was dim. It felt odd, unnatural. She had never before seen the room without its usual decoration of thousands of students and piles of food and assortment of professors. It looked very different when it was empty. More beautiful than usual and strangely eerie.
On instinct she looked up and saw a perfect replica of the stars outside. She sat down at the Gryffindor bench; she leaned back, found it uncomfortable and clambered onto the table. She lay across it, not caring who might still be about. She looked into the stars, watching each little sparkle against the dark backdrop. It was beautiful. She'd never been one for star gazing but this was strangely nice.
It made her feel calmer being able to stare into the distance. She took a few deep breaths. She felt a bit better now.
She sat up. She knew what she had to do next. It wouldn't be easy or nice or fun or enjoyable. Afterwards she would feel dirty and disgusting and like she'd just betrayed all of her morals. But she would do it. Then, she would come back to the dormitories, have a bath, go to bed and act like nothing had happened and like she wasn't trapped in a nightmare of sorts.
